May Reading Recommendations

This month I think I read more books with more with than pictures than I did books with more words than pictures. If that sentence made no sense, read on and all will become clear. Ish. I just realized that I didn't read a single book this month about a disappearance, and I have no explanation for that. I included information under each title about how I came across each book and happened to read it, just because Nick Hornby does that often in his column, and I thought it was interesting.

You Know Who You Are by Ben Dolnick
Display table at Village Books.

Dolnick's novel follows protagonist Jacob as he copes with the death of his mother from cancer, his evolving relationship with his older brother, Will, some female character whose name I've forgotten, and his father, Arthur, who struggles to cope with his wife's death but eventually finds love. I liked this book, and I'm sorry I've forgotten small precious details that might encourage you to like it also. That's what happens sometimes.

The Chronology of Water by Lidia Yuknavitch
Recommended by Chuck Robinson at Village Books. This is an incredible, beautifully written memoir. Yuknavitch, a lifelong competitive swimmer, begins her story by recalling the stillborn birth of her daughter in haunting, beautiful prose. Much of the book takes place in Eugene and Portland, where Yuknavitch completed her Ph.D. and was part of one of Ken Kesey's writing workshops. She recounts her adult life, complete with failed marriages, drug addiction, and sexual rendezvous with both men and women, and retraces the relationship with her abusive father than may have contributed to her young adult recklessness.

Skin Deep by Karol GriffinFound at Goodwill, looked like a good follow-up to Chronology of Water. Griffin is a tattoo artist, and her memoir recounts various characters she's encountered on the job and examines the changing culture of Wyoming towns that are encroached upon by outsiders seeking new lives in the West.

Secrets of the Teenage Brain by Sheryl Feinstein
Found it at a brain conference.

Every parent and teacher I know needs to read this book in order to have a better understanding of why the adolescents in their lives behave the way they do. Feinstein clearly explains the neurological science from the past two decades which reveals that the human brain is not completely developed until the early twenties. Consistent growth--particularly in the frontal lobes, which regulate decision-making--explains much more about how teens act and learn than the old "raging hormones" idea. Feinstein's use! of exclamation! points! and slightly elementary-teacher-ish tone grated on my nerves, but the information is essential and really must be a part of a responsible, comprehensive teacher education program.

The Adults by Alison Espach
Read a review in O! Magazine.

Emily Vidal is the precocious and witty narrator of this novel, which focuses on the adults in her life and the effect they have on her upbringing. The story opens at her father's 50th birthday party, a lavish backyard event her mother has organized, despite her impending divorce from Emily's father. Together with her neighbor and classmate, Mark, Emily uses the party to make observations about her parents and their friends, and at one point, the two discover a stunning secret about Emily's father and Mark's mother that will resonate for years. In high school, challenged by her mother's post-divorce depression and probable alcoholism, Emily finds security and comfort with a young teacher at the school, and again, the relationship reverberates for years. I loved Emily's voice, which was older-that-her-years, funny, and resilient despite the many failings of the adults she is surrounded by.
 

My Cool Caravan by Jane Field-Lewis and Chris Haddon
Found it searching for books about campers on Amazon.

Prepping the NapCamper for my big summer adventure means doing some research into the interior decorating of travel vehicles, which you and I call "campers" and "trailers" and the Brits call "Caravans." There are a scant few books about this topic, but My Cool Caravan is an excellent opportunity to gaze inside some beautifully maintained and sometimes restored caravans. Most are vintage European models with exquisite upholstery and gorgeous mid-century modern lines and details. I can't transform the NC into a rare British caravan, but I can be inspired by the colors and ideas. Yum.

This Is a Book by Demetri Martin
Found on display at Village Books and started reading it.

I am embarassed to admit that I had no idea who Demetri Martin was until I read this book, which I bought because I liked the cover and the fact that, upon thumbing through it at the book store, realized it also had short chapters and lots of funny charts and comics. Then I read it and laughed out loud over and over again, discovered lots more Demetri Martin (he has his own TV show on Comedy Central! I am such a loser) and now I am obsessed with him. He makes the funniest charts, and charts are funny. Read this book and it will cancel out one day of rain and two days of 40-something-degree weather.

Housekeeping vs. the Dirt: Fourteen Months of Massively Witty Adventures in Reading by Nick Hornby
Circuitous discovery via Amazon search for book on another topic.This is one of those books that I was sorry to see end. Finishing the final essay (all published previously as Hornby's column in The Believer) made me sorrowful because I had grown to adore Hornby's wise, funny, snarky humor about books and writing. Each month, he lists the books he purchased and the books he actually read, and then writes about the latter. But his column is really not as much a book review as it is an ongoing meditation about reading, readers, books, and culture.