On My Nightstand: February

Hello! So..long time no see. But I have returned (Hurray!) and here is what I have recently been reading, interested in, and working on. Here we go!

Currently Reading
I am currently reading Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. This novel was included on several "Best of 2014" lists last year, so I figured I would give it a try. I really, really love it so far. Mandel's sentences are so elegant and beautiful, and she switches perspectives with such ease. I very rarely comment on a book's s cover, but the cover of Station Eleven is just so pretty - the lighted tents, the starry sky, the simple bold font. Here is a brief look as to what it's about:

On a snowy night, Arthur Leander, a famous actor, drops dead of a heart attack while portraying King Lear on stage. On the same night, a terrible flu begins to spread, engulfing the city of Toronto and its residents in sickness and death. Fifteen years later, Kirsten Raymonde is an actress with the Traveling Symphony, a small group of artists who move from settlement to settlement performing for communities of survivors. On the side of their caravan, is the phrase, "Because survival is insufficient." Transposing through time before and after the pandemic, fates twist and connect while depicting the transcendence of art, and the ephemeral nature of memory.

Interested In
In recent media, feminism has been getting quite a lot of attention - for both the right and the wrong reasons. This year, my school finally approved a Feminist Book Club, and when we meet on Tuesdays during lunch, all of the desks are filled (21 girls, 3 boys). We discuss current events, and share our own opinions on topics regarding gender equality. Through discussing, listening, and reading, I have begun to define what being a feminist means to me and I have discovered that it is a cause I firmly believe in.

Some resources on the subject that I have found particularly enlightening:
Emma Watson's Speech to the United Nations
TEDx Talk: "We should all be feminists" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
"Why Our Feminism Must Be Intersectional (And 3 Ways to Practice It)"
"If Our Sons Were Treated Like Our Daughters"
"Why We Still Need Feminism"

Working On
For the third year in a row, I will be attending the Teen Arts Festival in my area for high school students. Like in past years, I will be participating as a creative writing nominee, but for the first time in the poetry category. I'm much more of short-storyist than a poet, but I would like some critical feedback on the poetry I do write. So for the last week or so, I have been trying to decide what poems to submit. I finally decided on one that I think is my best, and on another I need some help with - I can show off a bit, but also still gain important advice on how to improve my writing. I am very excited to attend this year's festival, and I will certainly post here after I do!

Read More

Winding Roads and the Writer's Ultimate Concern

{Driving north on Vermont 100, is always happier than driving south, towards home}

I spent last week up in Waitsfield, Vermont, skiing Sugarbush with my family. The weather was great, the snow was good, and I felt the happiest I had been in a while. To get to Waitsfield, we drive through New York state, and when we finally cross the border into Vermont, the journey further northward continues on Vermont 100. 

On this trip, I sat in the back seat of our Jeep Cherokee, looking out of the window for most of the way, watching the mile count on the green road signs dwindle with excitement. The further north we traveled, the taller the mountains became, the denser the forests, the fewer cars on the road. Red barns and silos, cloudy skies, and a popping sound in my ear as the incline became steeper. 

I've discovered over the years that long car rides are one of the perfect times to think - that speeding along roads, watching the outdoors blur past, is both quiet and sometimes boring (especially when everyone else in the car is asleep, well, besides my dad, who is always behind the wheel). 

So naturally, my mind wandered to thoughts about writing, as it often does. I think about writing quite often, but lately, I've done very little actual writing. And all of my excuses are poor, so I won't tell them here. But on this car ride, I thought about writing, and I thought about the writer's ultimate concern: not writing. 

I always feel like I should be writing, that I should be writing more than just essays for my English teacher - that I should be writing for me. But lately, I haven't quite had it in me. And that's the writer's greatest concern, their greatest fear: writer's block, lack of enthusiasm, and thinking that everything important has already been written.

I often wonder how great writers like Hemingway and Rowling got over this fear, or if they ever did. Sure, there are blog posts out there for "How to Get Rid of Writer's Block" but I don't know how many of those tips actually work (considering how I sadly, haven't even made an effort to try them). 

It is now 2015 though, and at the turn of a new year, most people make resolutions. Mine have always been to run more, to keep my room more organized, but those tasks are only ever half-way completed and end up being quite pointless. So 2015 for me, although will contain a lot more of Junior-year chaos, will hopefully be a year of writing, as my resolution is to write something for me every week. The writing doesn't have to be good, hell, it can crappy and unfinished, I don't care. 

Along those winding roads last week, in the car on the way to my favorite place, I thought about the millions of snowflakes, pine needles, novels, sentences, and words that our world contains - and the still infinite possibility for more. 

Read More

The Best of 2014: Fiction

Hello! I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays - eating lots of gingerbread and spending lots of time with family. Today, I will be wrapping up my "Best of" posts for 2014. So far, I have posted my Best Nonfiction / Memoir / Autobiography  books and my Best Historical Fiction books of the year. 

In 2014, I read a total of 26 books, or 7,876 pages. I gained several new favorites this year, including Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald and The Catcher in the Rye. 

I re-read several books this year before seeing their movie adaptations on the big screen. The Fault in Our Stars and Mockingjay Part 1 were just two of many Hollywood blockbusters of 2014 that were based on novels. This past year I was also selected to attend a five-day creative writing program at Alfred University, and became the Editor-in-Chief of my high school's literary arts magazine. 

2014 was a great year for books and for me...so without further ado, here are my top 10 Fiction novels of 2014. May the close of 2014 and the arrival of 2015 bring you good luck and good books :)

Top 10 Fiction Novels of 2014

10. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens

9. To the Lighthouse, Virginia Woolf

8. The Beginning of Everything, Robyn Schneider

7. The Catcher in the Rye, J. D Salinger

6. The Truth About Forever, Sarah Dessen

5. Me Before You, Jojo Moyes

4. Eleanor and Park, Rainbow Rowell

3. The Promise of Amazing, Robin Constantine

2. My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories, Stephanie Perkins and Others

1. What I Thought Was True, Huntley Fitzpatrick 

Gwen Castle has never so badly wanted to say good-bye to her island home until now. Cassidy Somers, a rich kid from across the bridge in Stony Bay, takes a job on the island as the local yard boy, and Gwen hails from a family of fishermen and house cleaners who keep the island's summer people happy. Sparks fly and secret histories unspool as Gwen spends a restless summer struggling to resolve what she thought was true with what really is. (Overview from Goodreads.com)

Read my "Best of Fiction" Lists for 2011, 2012, 2013 

Read More

The Best of 2014: Historical Fiction

2014 was the year I think I fell in love with history. I have had a really great US History teacher for the past two years, who not only gives us bonus points when he scores over par while playing golf, but whose enthusiasm for the subject has made the AP class comedic and interesting. I also discovered Downton Abbey and Midnight in Paris this year, a TV show and a movie that have helped me realize that the period from 1915-1945 is my favorite to read about. Historical fiction is certainly the type of novel I could see myself writing in the future.  

Of the historical fiction novels I read this year, here are the top six. It was a tight race for the #1 spot!

Top Historical Fiction of 2014: 

6. The Chaperone, Laura Moriarty

5. Life After Life, Kate Atkinson

4. The Things They Carried, Tim O'Brien

3. All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr

2. Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald, Therese Anne Fowler

1. The Paris Wife, Paula McLain   (Scored 28/30)

The Paris Wife fictionalizes the time Ernest Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley, spent in Paris during the 1920s.  McLain writes Hadley in a genuine voice that is honest and kind. Hadley captivated me with the simple lens through which she looked at life, and the true feelings she had those around her. McLain's style is historically accurate and detailed, allowing the reader to walk the streets of Paris alongside the main characters. (Read my full review here)

Also read, my "Best of'" Historical fiction in 2011, 2012, 2013 

Read More

The Best of 2014: Autobiography / Memoir / Nonfiction

It's that time of year! Yes, it is the time for some good Christmas cheer, but also for naming the best books of the year. My "Best of"lists for 2014 will be posted over the course of three days, so be sure to check back tomorrow for my top historical fiction novels of the year.

Top Autobiographies, Memoirs, and Nonfiction of 2014: 

4. Standing at Armageddon: A Grassroots History of the United States, Nell Irvin Painter

3. Narrative Life of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass

2. Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell

1. Wave, Sonali Deraniyagala (Scored: 25/30)

Wave is the story of Sonali Deraniyagala, who was vacationing with her family in Sri Lanka during Christmas, week of 2004. On December 26th, a tsunami and earthquake occurred, consuming her hotel in waves. Deraniyagala lost her parents, husband, and sons to the tsunami...she writes in an unsentimental prose that is intimate and angry...Wave  is dark and haunting, and yet vividly sprinkled with light - making her story of recovery universal and hopeful. (Read my full review here)

More "Best of" Lists from Around the Web:

2014 Goodreads Choice Award Winners

The New York Times 10 Best Books of 2014

The New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2014

Amazon's Best Books of the Year

Huffington Post - The Best Books of 2014

VIDEO: Wall Street Journal Fiction Picks of the Year

Read More

The Movie vs. The Book: Mockingjay Part 1

"Fire is catching! And if we burn, you burn with us!" 

On November 21st, Mockingjay Part 1, based on the bestselling third book in The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, opened in theaters. 

All of the fan-favorite actors and actresses returned to play their leading roles, but a few new additions needed to be made. Natalie Dormer joined the cast to play Cressida, as well as Julianne Moore to play President Coin. 

The following are some differences between the film adaptation and the book - some for the better, and some for the worse. If you have not yet read Mockingjay, please be aware because... SPOILER ALERT. 

1. Effie Trinket makes an appearance in District 13 very early in the movie, unlike in the book where she does not appear until the end. I whole-heartedly believe in this change because 1) by replacing Katniss's three stylists, Effie works as a symbol for even greater change within the rebellion, as now even Capitol people are siding with the rebels and 2) her silly humor and clueless attitude  would be greatly missed. 
2. In the book, before Katniss consents to becoming the symbol of the rebellion, the "Mockingjay", she negotiates with President Coin three important demands: her sister Prim gets to keep her cat, the tributes captured by the Capital will be given immunity upon their rescue, and she gets to kill President Snow. In the movie, quite surprisingly, Katniss only asks for the first two demands, leaving out the request to kill Snow. Because of this, Mockingjay Part 2 could possibly take on a very different plot, giving the book's controversial ending a chance to change.

"Are you, are you
Coming to the tree?
Wear a necklace of hope, side by side with me. 
Strange things did happen here 
No stranger would it be
If we met at midnight in the hanging tree."

Not only is the scene where Katniss sings the song "The Hanging Tree" my favorite part of the movie, but also the part I believe was the most well done. Jennifer Lawrence gives the song a jazzy feel that is both catchy and haunting, causing her voice to echo in your head long after the movie is over. The song continues to play during the two following scenes, scenes that were added in full to the movie whereas they were only hinted at in the book. These two scenes show other Districts joining in the fight against the Capitol - by destroying a dam and attacking a troop of Peacekeepers, the citizens of Panem are shown to be strong and fierce. 

One thing I will criticize is the relationship between Katniss and Gale, it seems forced, and is arguably nonexistent. Although fans of Liam Hemsworth will be happy to see him finally get some well-deserved action, he is still portrayed as a wounded boy waiting for Katniss to realize she is in love with him (readers of the book will realize this is useless).  

Overall, I believe Mockingjay Part 1 did justice to the book, and did a good job setting up the expected more epic and action packed Part 2 which is scheduled for release in November 2015.

Read More

All the Light We Cannot See

All the Light We Cannot See
Anthony Doerr
530 pages

"Could they hide here until the war ends? Until the armies finish marching back and forth above their heads, until all they have to do is push open the door and shift some stones aside and the house has become a ruin beside the sea? Until he can hold her fingers in his palms and lead her out into the sunshine? He would walk anywhere to make it happen, bear anything; in a year or three years or ten, France and Germany would not mean what they meant now."   -page 473

France 1944. A sightless sixteen-year-old girl named Marie-Laure LeBlanc is curled up beneath her bed, listening as the Americans shower bombs over her beloved ocean, her town, her house.  The roar of explosives is deafening in her ears, her body shakes. Down the street, an eighteen-year old German private named Werner Pfennig sits in a hotel cellar, one hand on his rife, the other on the radio transceiver he invented. He thinks of his younger sister Jutta, so gentle and pure. He thinks that it is impossible to ever know if he is doing the right thing.

All the Light We Cannot See begins in the year 1934, exploring the early childhoods of both Marie-Laure and Werner, two children who are so different, yet still so alike. When the war begins, Marie-Laure and her father flee from Paris to Saint-Malo, where her reclusive great-uncle lives in a large house by the sea. Although blind, she becomes infatuated with sea urchins, snails, and Jules Verne novels. Hundreds of miles away, Werner lives at an orphanage with his sister in the German mining town of Zollverein. Every night, they listen to a radio program hosted by a French scientist. Soon, his intelligence and expertise at building and fixing earns him a place in the Hitler Youth.

Both stories converge later in the novel, when Werner arrives in Saint-Malo, and everything he has been taught, is flipped on its head. Phrases he has memorized - Führer, folk, fatherland. Steel your body, steel your soul. Eat country and breathe nation - no longer seem to have any importance (137, 257).

The radio is an extremely important element in the novel, in fact, it is arguably the single object that the entire novel revolves around. Werner carries one with him practically in every chapter, and although it is illegal, Marie-Laure and her great-uncle have secretly kept one in their attic, from which they broadcast music and messages to give people hope during the Nazi-occupation. Monsieur Droguet wants his daughter to know that he is recovering well. Madame Labas sends word that her daughter it pregnant (346, 406).

"Everything has led to this: the death of his father; all those restless hours with Jutta listening to the crystal radio in the attic...four hundred dark, glittering nights at Schulpforta building transceivers for Dr. Hauptman...Everything leading to this moment" (338).

All the Light We Cannot See, although too slow-moving at the beginning, is expertly sequenced, so that each scene, like Werner says, accelerates and crashes epically into the most important moment.

Anthony Doerr explores the Earth's greatest paradoxes throughout the novel. Light and dark. War and peace. Life and death. Beauty and destruction. All are interwoven themes that present themselves through Doerr's careful blend of science and history. His beautifully crafted, draw-dropping sentences prance across each page:

“What mazes there are in this world. The branches of trees, the filigree of roots, the matrix of crystals, the streets her father recreated in his models... None more complicated than the human brain, Etienne would say, what may be the most complex object in existence; one wet kilogram within which spin universes” (452).

All the Light We Cannot See - part science, part history, part love story - intricately presents the idea that even in the darkest of times, in the most unexpected of villains, light and goodness still exists.

“What do we call visible light? We call it color. But the electromagnetic spectrum runs to zero in one direction and infinity in the other, so really, children, mathematically, all of light is invisible” (48).

All the Light We Cannot See has spent 26 weeks on The New York Times Bestseller's List, and is currently in the running for a 2014 Goodreads Choice Award.

UPDATE: All the Light We Cannot See has been named by The New York Times one of the 10 Best Books of the Year.

Story Line - 6/10

Narrator's Voice - 10/10

Writing Style - 10/10

---

Overall - 26/30

Read More