Holiday Reading

When I'm trying to decide what books to read during vacation time, I often consult the Upper School Faculty Sponsored Summer Reading list. It is wonderful list of books about which my colleagues are passionate. Every year our students comment that they would be happy to read multiple titles from the list, and I agree. Here are a few of the titles I've read already and can personally recommend, and a couple more that I hope to take with me to Florida in December.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. As they endure the ever-escalating dangers around them -- in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul -- they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. This is a book every woman should read. It is terrifying but also uplifting to witness the difficulty of women's lives in Afghanistan but also how they manage to rise above all that they face. I highly recommend this book!

The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian

When college sophomore Laurel Estabrook is attacked while riding her bicycle through Vermont’s back roads, her life is forever changed. Formerly outgoing, Laurel withdraws into her photography and begins to work at a homeless shelter. There she meets Bobbie Crocker, a man with a history of mental illness and a box of photographs that he won’t let anyone see. Jodi Picoult, a favorite author of many of our students, comments that this is "[t]he sort of book you want to read in one sitting and it packs a twist the end that will leave you speechless.” Read this with a friend – you'll want to talk about the ending after you finish it!

Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

The authors focus on the economics of real-world issues that most people view as insignificant, such as how the Roe v. Wade decision impacted violent crime and the socioeconomic patterns of naming children. It examines the hidden incentives behind all sorts of human behavior. If you think economics is boring, this book will prove you wrong.

Run by Ann Patchett

Ann Patchett has been a regular visitor at Harpeth Hall, most recently last year when Run was first published. This is an engrossing story of a family on one fateful night in Boston during which their secrets are unlocked and new bonds are formed. I also recommend Bel Canto, another one of her best sellers, as an entertaining read.

Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore (Harpeth Hall class of 1979)

Catherine Grace Cline's highlight every week is licking her Dilly Bar at the local Dairy Queen as she longs for the big-city life of Atlanta. As she dreams of leaving Ringgold, GA, population 1932, Catherine deals with her single father, who is a Baptist preacher; younger sister, Martha Ann; doting family friend, Gloria Jean; nosy neighbors; high school gossip; and a boyfriend, Hank. Eventually, and with high hopes, Catherine Grace boards the Greyhound for Atlanta. This is a fun and fast read making it a great beach book!

I hope you can find something here to enjoy during your free time over the holidays.

Read and enjoy! Karen

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist by Paulo Goelho

Years ago one of my son’s friends, Chris, stopped by our home and mentioned that he had just read The Alchemist. Chris explained in his description of the book that it was fun to read, and the message was great. I did not read the book after receiving Chris’s recommendation, mainly because I was too busy. While walking through my local bookstore a few weeks ago I noticed the twentieth anniversary edition of The Alchemist. I had a free weekend so I thought I would dive in and finally read this twenty year old book. I must say the book is written as a fable with wit, wisdom, and a bit of adventure thrown in for the element of suspense. The Alchemist is simple, but not so simple or farfetched that the reader questions why am I spending my time on this book?

Speaking of time, over a period of time not defined by the author, the main character Santiago Andalusian undergoes an amazing transformation. The Detroit Free Press stated in its review that The Alchemist is “a little poke in the ribs from on high.” Mostly though the book offers the reader the opportunity to take the time to journey with Santiago and explore one’s own” personal legend.” Santiago, the young man in the story is a dreamer, a treasure hunter. After talking with a gypsy, Santiago knows he must find his treasure, even if he must leave his sheep and travel to Egypt. During Santiago’s travels he meets a king, an alchemist, and the girl of his dreams. Santiago’s journey is symbolic, beautifully told, yet expressed in simple terms. Santiago’s quest for wealth becomes superseded by something less tangible, but more important, his heart’s treasure. Taking a couple of hours and reading The Alchemist would be time well spent. The ending is worth every page read. Enjoy……

Hot, Flat, and Crowded

“Green is the new red, white and blue.”
Three-time Pulitzer prize winning author Thomas Friedman changed the way we think about globalization with his 2005 best seller The World is Flat. His new book Hot Flat and Crowded: Why We Need an Energy Revolution – and How it can Renew America is poised to help transform the way we think about climate change. Although Friedman clearly outlines the dangers of climate change in the first section of his book, he goes far beyond that to offer a compelling argument for why the United States should take the lead in developing new, efficient, clean sources of energy. He explains that, “Everything America…can do to go green today will make it stronger, healthier, more secure, more innovative, more competitive, and more respected. What could be more patriotic, capitalistic, and geostrategic than that?” (p. 173)

Friedman weaves together hundreds of interviews, examples, and anecdotes from all over the world to help him state his case. His first-hand accounts of deforestation in Brazil and Indonesia lend a chilling urgency to his arguments. I was especially moved by one observation from environmental scientist John Holdren, “The biodiversity of the planet is a unique and uniquely valuable library that we have been steadily burning down – one wing at a time – before we have even cataloged all the books, let alone read them all.” (p.142) After spelling out the vast scope of the problem, Friedman insists that we have both the obligation and the ability to fix it. “Unlike Noah, though, we – our generation and our civilization – are responsible for the flood, and we have the responsibility to build the ark.” (p.141)

Friedman’s driving point in the second half of the book is that making our economy energy-efficient is more than just good for the planet – it’s good for business. Again he uses interviews with business leaders across the world to make his case. Take the example of David Douglas, vice president for eco-responsibility for Sun Microsystems, on the huge sales of their new energy-efficient processing chip called Niagara: “’It’s like there was all this money lying all over the floor, and we finally decided to have our employees reach down and pick it up.’” (p.335) Friedman warns that if we miss this great opportunity, the United States will lose its economic prominence in the world. He gives a chilling example from Rhone Resch, president of the Solar Energy Industries Association, who told him a story about a,”European solar manufacturer was looking to outsource production of his solar panels to America. They would do all the innovation in Europe, he said, but do the blue-collar assembly in America, where the cheap dollar had made everything half price for companies with foreign currency to spend. ‘He told me,’ said Resch, ‘You are the new India.’ It sent a chill down my spine.” (p.380)

What about China? China is one of the worst polluters today, and as Friedman’s predictions in The World is Flat come true and another billion Chinese rise to the middle class over the next few decades, the soaring demand for energy could cause a true climatic disaster. However Friedman gives many encouraging examples of attempts at energy efficiency in China and stresses how critical is it that the United States set an example of the correct path. He states that, “the greatest thing that the US could do today for itself, for China, and the world is to publicly state its intention to ‘outgreen China’ – to let the Chinese know every day in every was that we are going to try to clean their clock in the next great global industry: clean power. Just as we and the Soviets had a space race…that greatly strengthened our own society, from education to infrastructure – we, the European Union, and the Chinese, need to have a similar race today. Only instead of a race to put a man on the moon, it has to be a race to preserve humankind on earth.” (p.365)

I came away from this book not just with an increased sense of urgency to improve energy efficiency in my own life, but also a more global perspective on the business and political factors that will determine whether we as a nation will succeed or fail. Ultimately I am hopeful, as I think is Friedman, that we will meet this great challenge and “renew America.”

The Shack

I mentioned to Donna and Karen that I read The Shack on my plane trip to California for the ALA (American Library Association) Convention in June. When I picked up The Shack at the airport bookstore I did so because I wondered why hundreds of copies of this book were being merchandized. I read the back cover of the book and realized this was a “God” book and wondered why this book was so popular among people of all ages and faiths. I guess because I spend most of my life in the world of Middle School I had not heard about this book before seeing it in the bookstore. Later, after reading the book, I came to discover The Shack was in its fourth reprint and was on the NY Times’ Best Seller List.

If you choose to search the Internet for reviews of The Shack you will be amazed by the amount of time and energy people have spent writing about this book. Although I do not think The Shack is the best book I ever read, the book did make me think and rethink about life, its challenges, joys, and deep sorrows. I will say I liked the way the author, William P. Young, gently pulled me into the book. As I read the first few pages, I was a bit confused and not yet interested. But the agonizing thought of losing a child to a murderer kept me wondering with trepidation. Mackenzie (Mack) Phillips loses one of his children to a murderer while on a weekend trip with his children. Perhaps because I have children or perhaps because I love them, my heart hurt while reading the story of the disappearance, search, and subsequent outcome of the terrible day of tragedy.

God has summoned Mack to “the shack” where his beautiful child was killed. I found it interesting the way the author developed the story, and I must admit there were times when I thought the story was going to take a completely different turn. Mack does go to “the shack” and God is there waiting for him. This part of the story leaves the reader with thoughts to ponder for centuries, and I thoroughly enjoyed the perspectives presented. If one is searching for answers in life, whether a Christian life or not, there are answers that may help along the road of life. I would recommend The Shack to those examining their lives, whether they are a Christian or a non-Christian. Reflection is good for the soul and The Shack gives much to ponder.

Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian

Last year I went to Davis-Kidd to hear author Chris Bohjalian. I loved The Double Bind and I heard Chris was working on a new book. Chris was an excellent speaker and told the crowd that he believes Skeletons at the Feast is his best book.

Skeletons at the Feast centers around a Prussian farm family fleeing the Russians during the waning days of World War II. They have a teenage daughter and a young son, and the older boys are serving in the German army. A Scottish POW has been working on the farm and flees with the family. During their travels, they encounter Uri Singer, a young Jewish man who has escaped a train bound for Auschwitz and has been assuming different identities in order to survive. Another story line involves a group of Jewish women being forced to march from camp to camp.

This book is haunting and unforgettable, and the characters are superb. The reader experiences the anguish of war as see through the eyes of very different people. There are many historical novels set in World War II but this is one that should not be missed!

The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan

Harpeth Hall parent Lisa Aston volunteers in the Ann Scott Carell Library. Several weeks ago, she told me about The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. It sounded like a fascinating book, so I read Pollan's new book In Defense of Food. I've asked Lisa to write a review for the blog this week.
Donna

Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma raises the question of what we should eat when nearly everything in nature is a possibility. In order to answer the question, the author follows three basic food chains; industrial farming, organic agriculture, and hunting and gathering to determine how our food gets from its original source in nature to our plates. Understanding what we are eating, where it came from, and how it got to our table encourages us to be aware of and take responsibility for the social, ethical, and environmental impact of our eating habits.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

My favorite read in 2008 is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I am a lover of Holocaust books, yet I hesitate to read those books because I dread the heartache I will endure. Yet, The Book Thief kept haunting me, and I succumbed to the book in March. As I opened the book, I read the authors words: “You are going to die.” I soon discovered Death was telling the story. I hesitated to continue, but I moved quickly through the first chapter and soon discovered more about the characters and theme of the book. Liesel Meminger is the main character of the story. As the story begins Liesel, her mother, and young brother are on a train, with an ominous destination: a foster home for Liesel and her brother. The war has taken its toll on Liesel’s family and her mother believes she no longer has the means to care for her children. In an omen like scene, Liesel’s younger brother passes away as she watches him sleep on the train. Liesel’s mother still continues her journey and takes Liesel to her foster home.

Rosa and Hans Huberman, Liesel’s foster parents are already the parents of two grown children. One begins to wonder why they want another child, but it is war time and food and resources are scarce. Liesel and Hans develop a strong bond, from the early days of their time together. Rosa’s relationship with Liesel is strained at best. Liesel has difficulties in school, with both teachers and students. She is behind in her academics and is prone to fighting, even with boys. One thing she can control is her actions and Liesel chooses to steal as a way of coping. Specifically, Liesel steals books. Liesel cannot read and hates school, yet she steals books so that she can learn how to read. Hans and Liesel spend hours with a stolen book, mainly learning to read in the middle of the night. As the relationship between Hans and Liesel strengthens so does Liesel’s reading ability.

There are many twists and turn along the way. Without giving away too much, Hans is a man of deep passion and conscience. During WWI Hans befriended a Jewish soldier and told that soldier if he ever had a need, Hans would help. Twenty something years later, Hans is confronted by the needs of his Jewish friend. The story looks at the relationships of Liesel, Hans and Rosa all through the eyes of the critic, Death. Death’s perspectives are fascinating and raw, yet surprisingly truthful. The story is one of leaning to live, trying to control what is essential for survival, and learning to deal with death.

Liesel is an admirable character, one the reader is sure to love. Her persistence, spunk, and true “guts” are genuine. As I read the book, I understood why Zusak’s book, originally intended for an adult audience is loved by teens. The characters in the story are real, the circumstances in the story are portrayed in vivid prose, and the story itself is mind altering. John Green of the New York Times stated in his review, “Many teenagers will find the story too slow to get going, which is a fair criticism. But it's the kind of book that can be life-changing, because without ever denying the essential amorality and randomness of the natural order, "The Book Thief" offers us a believable, hard-won hope. That hope is embodied in Liesel, who grows into a good and generous person despite the suffering all around her, and finally becomes a human even Death, can love.” Take some time and read The Book Thief. You will think of a time in history that we cannot forget.

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

In 1993, Greg Mortenson was a climber and was returning from an attempted climb of K2. He was lost and ended up in a small village in Pakistan. The villagers helped Greg, and he realized that the village did not have a school. This began his mission to build schools in small villages in Asia. Greg returned to the US and lived out of his car in order to save money to build a school.

Greg is now head of the Central Asia Institute and has built fifty-five schools in remote villages. He has a special interest in educating girls. Harpeth Hall has chosen this book as the All-School Read for the Upper School this summer. Greg is a true humanitarian and should be a model for all of us. When you read this book, you will realize that one person truly can make a difference.

Greg's website

Spring Break Reading

Jodi Picoult's new book, Change of Heart, was recently released. The library is sponsoring a trivia contest for students on Jodi Picoult's other titles, with the prize for the most correct answers being a copy of this new book. Change of Heart should prove to be a good beach book - Ms. Picoult's books are usually page-turners!

Take a look at the recent Hallways, which features Harpeth Hall alumnae who are authors. A recent publication is Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore, her first novel. Give it a try!

As always, encourage your daughters to read over the spring break. The librarians are happy to help them with their selections.

Read and enjoy! Karen

Lost Mountain by Erik Reece

This was an eye-opening book which helped me to understand how strip mining is destroying the environment of Appalachia. Dr. Schott recommended this book, and the Environmental class at Harpeth Hall read this book in January. Erik Reece is a professor at the University of Kentucky, and he follows the destruction of Lost Mountain (Kentucky) over a period of a year. He tells us how this mining is destroying the lives of the people as well as the environment. Much of our electricity in Tennessee is provided by the coal from these strip mines, and we should all be aware of the environmental cost of this type of mining.

Would you like to know which mountains are being mined in order to provide your electricity? Go to this website and type in your zip code.

http://www.ilovemountains.org/myconnection/

Unbowed by Wangari Maathai

I enjoy reading books about the environment and was intrigued by the memoir of Wangari Maathai. Wangari was born into a poor family in Kenya in 1940. Normally girls in this situation were uneducated, but Wangari’s family sent her to a Catholic school for girls. She worked hard and was extremely bright, and the nuns made arrangements for her to attend college in the United States.

She became the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a PhD and she was the first woman to head a University Department in Kenya. She observed the deteriorating environment in Kenya, and realized that poor rural women could play an important role in the restoration of indigenous forests by planting trees in their communities. She started the Greenbelt Movement which spread across Africa.

As I read this memoir, I developed so much respect and admiration for this amazing woman. In 2004, Wangari Maathai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition for her work in Africa. This book is now available in paperback, and you may also visit the excellent website about Wangari and the Green Belt Movement.

http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/

Don't be shy!

Contribute your comments to each blog post. This can become an online book club with your participation. We'd love to hear your reactions to the book reviews as well as suggestions for future blog posts.

Read and enjoy! Karen

Welcome!

Welcome to the Books for Book Lovers blog. As librarians working with the young women who attend Harpeth Hall, we regularly recommend books to them for their reading enjoyment. So why not do the same for our students' parents and for our alumnae? We hope you will check in regularly to see what we are reading and what we think you might enjoy too.

Let me get things started by telling you about the book I sponsored for Upper School summer reading last summer. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult is a real page turner! It is about a young man, Peter Houghton, who turns on his classmates after being bullied and tormented for years. In the brief time span of nineteen minutes, he changes the lives of everyone in his town. Considering the tragic events at Columbine High School and Virginia Tech, I understand why our students find this to be a timely and relevant book. As in all of Picoult's books, you'll find lots of twists and turns and a surprise at the end. The paperback version of Nineteen Minutes is scheduled to be released today.

Jodi Picoult is a favorite of mine and also of many of our students. All of her books are fast reads, which make them great for lazy weekends and vacations. One warning - don't start to read one unless you are going to have plenty of time to finish it. They are all hard to put down!

If you enjoy this book, you might also enjoy other books written by Jodi Picoult. Among my favorites are My Sister's Keeper and Plain Truth. She has a new book, A Change of Heart, coming out next month. The film version of My Sister's Keeper, starring Cameron Diaz and Dakota and Elle Fanning, is scheduled to begin production in March.

For more information about Jodi Picoult, visit her official web site at http://www.jodipicoult.com/

Please feel free to add your comments below and to any future posts.

Read and enjoy! Karen