Need a Good Laugh?

Back in June, I noticed a book title we were suddenly getting a lot of requests for at the information desk. The Ascent of Rum Doodle by W.E. Bowman. A new book? Nope: publication date - 1956. What could be going on?

Well, it seems that feature that a Globe and Mail feature had struck a major chord with our library users. Buried Treasures, sees current authors and other celeb types penning reviews for their favourite books that have drifted from our collective consciousness. Steven Smith's absolutely glowing review of this mid-century tale of mountaineering claims it to be the "out-and-out the funniest book" Smith knows.

It got me thinking about humour and how maybe we could use a bit more of it in our days, and in our literary experiences. So here's a few funny books to round out your summer reading:

When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris: well, really anything by David Sedaris, who over the last ten years has become the name in humourous essays. His outlandish, biting and largely self-deprecating humour has made him a staple on bestseller lists since his first book Barrel Fever was released in 1994. A great read for a rainy weekend, or grab a copy of any of his books on audio, largely read by Sedaris himself.

The Jeeves and Wooster stories by P.G. Wodehouse: I generally think of humour as something that doesn't age well, but readers are still flocking to these light and funny stories of the English upperclassman Wooster and his reliable valet Jeeves. Situation comedy with a decidedly British bent. The library has recently acquired new editions of many of Wodehouse's classics.

White Teeth by Zadie Smith: I recall having more than a few out-loud chuckles at the antics of Smith's characters in her blockbuster first novel. Amazon.com said of the novel "... Smith takes on race, sex, class, history, and the minefield of gender politics, and such is her wit and inventiveness that these weighty subjects seem effortlessly light"

Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About by Mil Millington: ladies know about the humorous pleasure of Chick Lit, but novels featuring relationship foibles from the male perspective are somewhat less common. In Millington's novel, Brit Pel Dalton narrates his story of modern love - and its hilarious off the rails moments - with his German girlfriend Ursula.

I Served the King of England by Bohumil Hrabal: this is a favourite of a friend of mine, who recommended it to me a number of years ago. It follows Ditie from his beginnings as an ambitious bellboy, through his career serving the wealthy of Prague and his downfall during the Nazi occupation of then Czechoslovakia. Obviously, it's not all laughs, but there is more than enough to make you smile in this book that Library Journal described as "Sparkling with comic genius and narrative exuberance, this excellently translated novel by a major Czech writer brings into sharp focus the grotesque absurdities of recent Czech history." The book was recently made into a prize winning film.

And finally, if you're still looking for some laughs, I'd recommend you revisit this post from the Reader from a few months ago, about Richard Russo's endlessly funny book Straight Man. Oh, and, so that I don't face the wrath of my many co-workers who are huge fans of the hilarious Janet Evanovich, I'll suggest a revisit to this post about her Stephanie Plum series which includes even more suggestions.

Had she lived Emily Bronte would have been 191 years old today.

July 30th is Emily Bronte's birth anniversary. Would this independent, spirited young woman ever have suspected her one novel would have had such a legacy? Not only are all the Brontes' characters of enduring interest, but the Brontes themselves lived lives which have continued to fascinate us two hundred years later.

Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights have inspired a number of examples of Fanfiction. Branwell, Charlotte, Emily and Anne have been the inspiration for novels, sometimes speculating about lesser known parts of their lives, and sometimes transporting them through time.

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys tells the story of Bertha, the mad woman in the attic. In this prequel to Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre we see the sad story of Bertha's (formerly Antoinette's) alienation from her husband, her home and her descent into madness.

It may be surprising that literary scholarship has the potential for great danger. In The Case of the Missing Bronte by Robert Barnard a manuscript which might belong to an unknown Bronte is discovered by a retired school mistress. When she is attacked and nearly killed in her home, Peter Trethowan of the CID is on the case.

In the Shadow of the Brontes by Louise Brindley features Lizzie Godolphin, a young Yorkshire girl working as a scullery maid, who has a physical and spiritual connection to Anne Bronte. While enduring many hardships of her own, Lizzie becomes entangled in the Bronte family's woes.

Fellow Yorkshire man Glyn Hughes tackles a fictionalized biography of the family in Bronte. Here we see Emily - mystic, remote, wily and impetuous.

It's hard to imagine that Emily Bronte would have inspired a charming comic novel. Nevertheless we have Four Dreamers and Emily by Stevie Davies. Bronte fans and scholars gather at an Emily Bronte conference to pay homage to their muse and to enjoy "Bronte buns" in the "Wuthering This and Blithering That" tearoom.

It is the Brontes great tragedy that these most talented siblings all died so young. James Tully supposes in The Crimes of Charlotte Bronte: The Secrets of a Mysterious Family that this may not have been merely misfortunate coincidences. Bronte's maid Martha Brown leaves behind a diary that raises many suspicions.

In an alternative history where literature is the driving force of everyday life (imagine!), literary detective Thursday Next must track down stolen manuscripts including Jane Eyre. In The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde, Thursday Next, using the Prose Portal, must enter the manuscript to pursue the evil Hades. Your just going to have to read this one to understand.

Man Booker Longlist Announced

Wow, book awards season is starting to feel like baseball or hockey season: how is it possible that nominees for fall book awards are already being announced?!

The Man Booker announced its longlist on Tuesday. The Man Booker is an annual fiction prize for literature written in English by an author from a Commonwealth nation or the Republic of Ireland.

I dunno, I'm a bit skeptical of this new longlist tradition, which a lot of the awards started doing a few years back. Is the shortlist really not enough? Will we soon be getting the "books we're thinking about considering" list a few months before the longlist? Maybe I should just be happy for the authors who are getting a bit of extra recognition and thankful for the work the judges put into compiling this list of great contemporary fiction.

Here's the list (with links to the catalogue where the library already has the title. If we don't

have it yet, we will soon!):

Brooklyn by Colm Toibin
The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt
The Glass Room by Simon Mawer
Heliopolis by James Scudamore

How to Paint a Dead Man by Sarah Hall
The Little Stranger by Sarah Walters

Love and Summer by William Trevor

Me Cheeta by James Lever

Not Untrue and Not Unkind by Ed O'Loughlin

The Quickening Maze by Adam Foulds
Summertime by J.M. Coetze

The Wilderness by Samantha Harvey
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

The winner of the Man Booker Prize 2009 will be announced on 6 October 2009

Book News

A few interesting book related articles culled from the recent news:

Book Cover Controversy :

Thought you should be able to judge a book by it's cover? apparently not.

Atwood in Halifax (sort of):

Margaret Atwood slated to sign books at the 2009 Halifax Word on the Street Festival

Books in Space :

Which books has Canadian Astronaut Dr. Robert Thirsk taken to read on the space station?

Halifax Author versus Google Books:

Local genealogist discovers his published family history in Google Books

Kindle, Amazon and 1984:

Kindle and Amazon spark concern among consumers and advocate groups.

In memorium - E.Lynn Harris

The New York Times has reported that successful popular fiction author E. Lynn Harris has passed away unexpectedly at 54 years of age.

Harris came to prominence in 1994 after his self published 1991 debut novel, Invisible Life, was discovered by a new york agent and subsequently became a hit. Harris went on to published a total of twelve books, including his memoir, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted.

Harris primarily wrote stories centred on successful black men with issues surrounding their sexuality. His ability to combine the vicarious thrills of glitz and glamour with more profound and serious issues, both entertained and provoked his readership. His willingness to write of gay and bisexual men help to open the doors for those similar minded writers who followed, as publishers could now definitely see the potential of this market.

NoveList has a very nice overview of his works, suggesting that new readers start with If this World Were Mine.

Readalikes - Alex Cross's Trial by James Patterson

James Patterson continues his steady occupation of the bestseller list with Alex Cross's Trial. Patterson's fans enjoy fast-paced suspense with a bit of a hard edge. Although his latest is part of the Alex Cross series, he also has written stand-alone novels. His output is prolific and recently has been generously sharing the spotlight with emerging authors.

If you haven't tried a Patterson novel before, set yourself a block of time. Once you start, it will be hard to put it down. The plots are complicated with many twists and turns. He often deals in serial killers and other violent criminals, so can be a bit grisly. Novelist suggests John Sandford, Ridley Pearson, Jeffery Deaver, Harlan Coben, Douglas Kennedy and Joseph Garber as alternatives while you are waiting for this one.

His character, Alec Cross, is the author of The Trial which is about his great uncle Abraham who assists turn of the century lawyer Ben Corbett to investigate the Ku Klux Klan.

Patterson, in addition to being a bestselling author, is also a big proponent of pleasure reading and childhood literacy. (And, by the way, did you know that he was also the one who came up with the "Toys R Us Kid" slogan?)

Dystopian Fiction

I find dystopian fiction fascinating, especially considering its context: current events or some aspect of society to which the authors are reacting. Orwell wrote 1984 shortly after the close of WWII and defeat of Nazism, Huxley wrote Brave New World partly in response to the Industrial Revolution and the beginnings of mass production. War, politics, and nuclear annihilation have all provided fodder for authors of dystopian fiction, including Cormac McCarthy (The Road), Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid’s Tale and Oryx and Crake – I told you I love her), and Alan Moore (V for Vendetta).

Reproduction is a common theme, such as in Children of Men by P.D. James, in which women are no longer able to conceive. As a result, humanity is dying out and the numbers of seniors are at crisis level, inspiring government sanctioned mass suicides. On the flip side, in the Young Adult (YA) novel, The Declaration by Gemma Malley, humanity has discovered a Longevity drug, ensuring immortality to all who take it, but potentially creating an unsustainable population. As a defensive measure, the authorities decree that any who wish to take the drug must declare that they will not have children, or face punishment. The children who are born, including our heroine, Anna, are considered surplus and live a Dickensian existence. Of course, Anna discovers that there are alternatives…

I read a lot of YA novels, partially as part of my job but mostly because they’re awesome, and a major theme of YA materials is dystopian fiction. Some of the best, and all enjoyable by adult readers, according to me:

I’ve mentioned Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series in this place before. In the future, the world that we know is rusting away into the earth, and only remembered as a foolish civilization that destroyed itself. To prevent competition and destruction, conformity is the key. Young people are considered ugly and remain so until their 16th birthdays at which point they are cosmetically enhanced to be both pretty and bubbly: party-loving and completely compliant with those who control the system. The protagonist, Tally Youngblood wants nothing more than to be pretty until she is introduced to something more; something she may be willing to change her entire world to be a part of.

M.T. Anderson’s Feed parallels Uglies in that both authors envision a world in which technology and human brains have merged, and Anderson continues this possibility with thoughts that are both controlled by and control the Feednet. Designer babies are conceived in labs, consumption is highly encouraged, and disconnecting from the Feed creates a drug-like high.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is huge with readers and critics alike right now. Earth has been devastated and the nation of Panem now exists atop the ruins of North America. The Hunger Games are annual gladiatorial-like competitions in which combatants are chosen by lottery and must fight to the death, to the delight of the entire world watching in the arena and on television.

Also try Carrie Mac’s Triskelia series, Blindness by Jose Saramago, and, if you’re in a movie-watching mood, the excellent Oscar winner, Wall-E.

Six Degrees of the Library Collection: Sherman Alexie to Bill Fitzhugh

By guest blogger Lara.

Today we start out on an Indian reservation in Spokane, Washington, and pass through Arkansas on our way to Mississippi in this installment of the Six Degrees of the Library Collection series of posts.

Recently I enjoyed Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian (2007), a young adult story that mixes a diary style account with lots of doodled illustrations of the thoughts and frustrations of budding cartoonist Arnold "Junior" Spirit. Junior makes the tough decision to leave the high school on the reservation where he is among his peers, in the town where every neighbour knows intimately the doings of everyone else, to attend an all-white,less poor high school outside the "Rez". Junior's struggles to fit in are heartrending, but he handles every situation with a bravery and sense of humour that captivated this reader from the first page to the last.

Alexie has also written such short story collections as The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven (1993) and Ten Little Indians: stories (2003). Agatha Christie also wrote a novel with the name Ten Little Indians, published far earlier, in 1939 originally. In the UK, the same mystery novel was published as And Then There Were None.

Gilbert Morris wrote a mystery novel in 2000 with an almost identical title to Christie's 1939 work: And Then There Were Two, and I can't help but connect these works, even if Morris's is set in New Orleans, while Christie's is (coincidentally where Alexie is concerned) set in a place called Indian Island.

Morris is an alum of the University of Arkansas. Other notable alums there include Bill and Hillary Clinton, who were also faculty members at the Law School in the mid-70's. It would be too easy to mention some of the books the Clintons have written, so I'll move along to Ellen Gilchrist who is a current faculty member at the University, as well as a successful author.

Gilchrist's latest work, A Dangerous Age, came out in 2008. Rooted in a traditional southern US foundation of hospitality and family, the story also deals with current events, including 9/11 and veterans of the Iraq war. Gilchrist portrays a family struggling to deal with shared loss and the helplessness that comes with uncertain times.

Gilchrist is originally from Vicksburg, Mississippi. Also from Mississippi is Jill Conner Browne, author of the Sweet Potato Queens comedic series of books, from The Sweet Potato Queens' Book of Love (1999) to The Sweet Potato Queens'Wedding Planner; and, The Sweet Potato Queens' Divorce Guide (2005). Browne's website refers to the author as H.R.H. THE Sweet Potato Queen. Also on her website, Browne mentions one of her favorite authors, Bill Fitzhugh.

Fitzhugh is also from Mississippi, as it happens. His big break as a writer was his 1997 novel, Pest Control. The protagonist, Bob Dillon (not that Bob Dylan), is an unusual sort of exterminator who gets mistaken for a top notch assassin, and Fitzhugh's writing is humorous and fun. Also held at Halifax Public Libraries is Highway 61 Resurfaced (2005), which draws on Fitzhugh's history as a disc jockey, incorporating equal parts of mystery and comedy. Highway 61 Resurfaced is the sequel to Radio Activity (2004).

Thanks to guest blogger Lara.

In addition to her library work, Lara blogs on a regular basis for Re:Print, a books blog at PopMatters.com, an international magazine of cultural criticism.

Readalikes - Black Hills by Nora Roberts

The New Yorker has a excellent article (by Lauren Collins) about Nora Roberts in the June 22, 2009 issue. (You can find this article at many branches of Halifax Public Libraries or online using the General Reference Centre Database.)

Just to wet your whistle, did you know that twenty seven Nora Roberts books are sold every minute? That she begins her writing day by playing Gem Drop? That her friends refer to her as NFR (now, you will have to go to the article to look that one up!). The article explores her secrets to success. They are many: sense of humor, acerbic wit, terrific grasp of dialogue and character....and on and on. The trait that stood out the most for me was her work ethic. Nora Roberts is a grafter. She writes 6 to 7 hours a day. It's her job and she takes it seriously. As Stephen King says, "Nora Roberts is cool."

Her latest, Black Hills, a relationship that begins as childhood friendship and matures into passion. As children they discover a dead body and this discovery follows them into adulthood

endangering their very lives.

While you are waiting for your turn to read Black Hills, you might like to try something by one of these writers of romantic suspense. Iris Johansen, Suzanne Brockmann, Elizabeth Lowell, JoAnnRoss, Jayne Ann Krentz and Anne Stuart.

Remembering Frank McCourt

Irish writer Frank McCourt (Angela's Ashes, 'Tis, Teacher Man) passed away on July 19th. McCourt achieved fame in his 60's with the publication of Angela's Ashes, an account of his hardscrabble childhood in Limerick. For his efforts he won the Pulitzer prize in 1997 and was Oprah approved. His was the first of many so-called "misery memoirs" and was not without controversy. Some who claimed to know his as a child denied his childhood was as desperate as he portrayed. His mother stood up at his stage show to denounce it all as a pack of lies. It's all perspective, I guess. Before he achieved literary fame, he was a teacher amongst disadvantaged students in New York, using many of the stories from Angela's Ashes to inspire and challenge his students. Despite the controversy, millions enjoyed McCourt's memoirs.

Roddy Doyle wrote a fictional account of childhood in Dublin in Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha. Poor Paddy was not as desperately hungry as McCourt but did have his own portion of misery told in a similar humorous style.

Angela's Ashes is often compared to Twopence to Cross the Mersey by Helen Forrester. Forrester, up until 12 years of age was brought up in affluence. The family lost all and was reduced to poverty-filled life in Liverpool.

On the other side of the Atlantic we have Liar's Club by Mary Karr. Again a desperate tale made bearable by humour. Karr the daughter of abusive, alcoholic and mentally ill parents grew into a tough and spirited young woman who was able to look back on her childhood without animosity.

Reading OUT Loud - Great books for Pride Week

July 19-26 is Pride Week in Halifax this year. With all the celebrating happening around the city, we thought we'd join in the party by highlighting a few great titles - new and old - from our GLBTQ collections.

Baby Remember My Name: an anthology of new queer girl writing edited by Michelle Tea -- popular poet, author and spoken word artist Tea edits this selection of new writings which Publisher's Weekly described as a "passel of largely young West Coast women writers offer queer coming-out and coming-on stories in this bright, muscular collection".

Beyond (Straight & Gay) Marriage: Valuing All Families Under the Law by Nancy Polikoff -- first book by a US lawyer who has spent her career working toward resolution in gay and lesbian legal issues. Nominated for a Lambda literary award this year, Polikoff looks at a timely subject in a book which Publishers Weekly said "deftly argues that the law's narrow definitions of family and marriage no longer work in today's society—not just for the LGBT community but the country at large."

Death in Venice by Thomas Mann: an aging artist on vacation in Venice sees and becomes obsessed with a young boy. A classic by the German author Mann that explores sexuality and art and which sits atop the Publishing Triangle's list of the 100 best lesbian and gay novels.

Fun Home: a Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel: released in 2006 to critical and popular acclaim, the graphic novel/memoir relates Bechdel's quirky and sometimes dark childhood and family life, including her father's homosexuality and her own coming out. Thoughtful and touching, the book has been praised both for its visuals and its writing, made numerous 2006 "best of" lists and has been feted by everyone from Entertainment Weekly to the National Book Critics Circle.

Inside Out: Straight Talk from a Gay Jock by Mark Tewksbury: Canadian Olympic swimmer Tewksbury's memoir that looks at his experiences coming out in the limelight of the sports world.

Michael Tolliver Lives by Amistead Maupin: The author of the popular Tales of the City series revisits his most famous character in a recent title. "Having survived the plague that took so many of his friends and lovers, Michael has learned to embrace the random pleasures of life, the tender alliances that sustain him in the hardest of times. Michael Tolliver Lives follows its protagonist as he finds love with a younger man, attends to his dying fundamentalist mother in Florida, and finally reaffirms his allegiance to a wise octogenarian who was once his landlady." (publisher's description)

The Sealed Letter by Emma Donaghue: co-winner of the Lambda Literary award for fiction this year (which All the Pretty Girls by Chandra Major), this historical novel looks at the lives, loves, and scandals of two Victorian British women.

In addition to our books - we've got a few programs happening in celebration of Pride Week.

Thursday July 23 - 7PM at the North Branch Library: Reading OUT Loud. Now in it's 7th Year, this annual Pride Week program is a highlight of the summer. Community members present thoughtful, brash, painful, funny, titillating and honest passages from works of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer literature and share their stories on why the writings resonate with them. Past years' have featured readings from humourist David Sedaris, James Baldwin's classic novel Giovanni's Room, the novels of Leslie Feinberg, the writings of performance group Taste This and many more. The program is co-sponsored with local store Venus Envy.

Also during Pride Week, check out the Pride Week time OUT Lectures Series: noon Tuesday to Friday at the Spring Garden Road Branch.

Staff Picks - The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt

The Children's Book is A.S. Byatt's latest ambitious literary novel. The story is set between 1895 and 1919 during a time of great change and upheaval in England. The story involves three interconnected families, the Wellwoods, the Cains and the Fludds. It begins with a very satisfying rags to (upper middle class) riches orphan story. Philip Warren escapes his life of poverty and hides in the basement of the Victoria and Albert museum with hopes of preparing himself to work as a potter. He is absorbed into the numerous Wellwood family and then onto the home of Benedict Fludd, a brilliant and perhaps mad potter. It is set in a time of great change in England. "Sempiternal" Queen Victoria has died and the Edwardian Age has begun. The families involved are somewhat eccentric and bohemian. Marital bonds are loose and family relationships are blurry. For the first time we see electricity and telephones. At the centre of the story is Olive Wellwood, an author who writes a book for each of her seven children. Edith Nesbitt,Kenneth Grahame and J.M. Barrie come to mind.

The Children's Book is a long dense read, that is meant to be read slowly. No skimming here. Every word is important. Byatt's style is lyrical and elegant; a slow leisurely read. It is obviously well researched and displays a depth of knowledge about this period of time in England's history and the intellectuals who helped to shape thought. Fabianism and women's suffrage are important themes, but we also see the darker side. The suffrage movement degenerates into anarchy. Women are imprisoned and suffer the indignities of forced feeding. A bohemian marriage could be a liberating relationship, but it could also have a devastating effect upon the children as they are forced to question their very identity. And then there was the war. The reader has watched the boys grow up over twenty years and are not spared the atrocities.

This was fascinating time in England's history which has been well documented in fiction and in fact. The Perfect Summer: Dancing Into Shadow: England in 1911 by Juliet Nicolson deals with one pivotal summer through the eyes of a number of individuals of varying classes, genders and occupations. The social, political and economic issues are also key themes of Tracy Chevalier's Falling Angels. An unlikely friendship is struck between two young girls following Queen Victoria's death. Another very long and dense read is Augustus John: The New Biography by Michael Holroyd. This British artist embraced a truly bohemian life, again with some mixed results on family life.

Novelist has a terrific Author Read-Alike article about A.S. Byatt. They suggest Iain Pears, Robertson Davies, John Hersey, Steven Millhauser and Ursula K. Le Guin as possible similar authors. Take a look at the article to see what drew them to these conclusions.