Off Balance

Since the Olympics have been consuming my evenings lately, I picked up an Olympics-related book to read during the boring sports and commercials since I haven't been able to focus on anything more complicated. Gymnastics is my favorite sport of the Summer Olympics and this year's USA team gold made me think about watching the 96 Olympics, so I picked up Off Balance by Dominique Moceanu. I was expected a story mainly about gymnastics and the Olympics, but apparently Moceanu has had a crazy life.

Moceanu was coached by Bela and Marta Karolyi and it seems like the horror stories about them were even worse. Moceanu says they treated her worse that the others because her parents are Romanian immigrants who would go along with their worst abuses. The girls practiced on run-down equipment and in an unair-conditioned gym through most of the summer while at training camp. They had to bring their own food to camp, but were punished if it wasn't healthy. The Karolyis would eat all kinds of food in front of the girls and yell at them about their weight.

She talks about how Bela played up his concern for Kerry Strug after completing her vault on a broken foot because the cameras were on. Moceanu was forced to compete in a different competition through an injury - they told her to just stop whining. Turns out she had a stress fracture in her leg and had made it worse by continuing to work so hard on it. After the Olympics, the Karolyis left without saying a word to Moceanu and didn't speak to her until she tried to make her comeback and she was forced to.

Of course, with any memoir you have to take everything with a grain of salt. This is Moceanu's side of the story, and we can't know for sure how accurate everything is since it is only from her perspective. However, her story rang true to me and is a fascinating story of mental abuse from her father and the craziness of the Karolyis. On top of that, the most interesting thing about the memoir has nothing to do with gymnastics.

When Moceanu was six, her mother gave birth to a baby who had no legs. They kept the whole thing secret from Moceanu and gave the baby up for adoption. Years later, the sister found Moceanu and reunited with her and their youngest sister. It was horrifying that Moceanu's parents gave up this baby because it was disabled. Ironically, the sister ended up having a much happier, more stable childhood than Moceanu and has been impressively successful in athletic pursuits. She's so amazing at acrobatics that she's toured with Britney Spears! How crazy is that? Her story was really inspiring. How can I make excuses to not even exercise when she's off playing volleyball, basketball and softball and winning a state championship in tumbling and doing acrobatics with no legs?!?! She also went to a high school with four stories - and no elevators. Most people would have just given up, but she climbed those stairs and did anything she put her mind to. Check out this brief video featuring some of her tumbling work! This was definitely an interesting read, for both the story of these two sisters and for the inside look at gymnastics.

Most Difficult Books

Last week, Publishers Weekly published a list of the 10 most difficult books. They defined difficulty in different ways. It could mean the syntax is difficult or it’s filled with obscure references or it’s a slog to get through or the psychological ideas in the work are hard to understand. I thought this list was interesting, although I think it would have been better if they had limited it to novels. They included a philosophical work, which seems odd since I would think there are many philosophical works that would be harder than the other books on the list.

When I read the list, I was surprised that I hadn’t heard of several. I was also surprised at some of the ones I’ve read! I’ve read To the Lighthouse, A Tale of a Tub and most of Clarissa (and should finish soon!). To me, it makes sense that Clarissa’s on the list. It’s just so stinking looooong and repetitive that just getting through the whole thing is an accomplishment. The article did make a few good points in it though. Clarissa is really the first novel where we get a psychological look inside characters minds. No, I don’t think Richardson handled it very well, but he was really the first novelist doing that and it made a big change in the development of the novel.

As for To the Lighthouse, I didn’t really find it that difficult, although if it was your first encounter with Woolf or works in a similar style, then I can see this making the list. I think Woolf masters the art of writing in a stream-of-consciousness style and a very artistic way without making it so convoluted her readers can’t follow along. This is what makes Joyce so much more difficult in my opinion. I think he’s similar to Woolf in Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, but then with Ulysses and I’m assuming with Finnegan’s Wake, he just goes too far. I would have put both Ulysses and Finnegan’s Wake on the list, but I suppose they wanted to limit it to one work per author.

The last book I’ve read on the list is A Tale of the Tub, and it shocked me that this one was on the list! I love Swift, and I read this in college so I had background information and notes and it just didn’t seem difficult. I then reread it when I was working on my MA in English and did a lot of research to go along with it, so I can see what they mean about it being difficult because of all the inside jokes and references that don’t mean anything to most modern readers, but there’s so much there even if you miss a lot of that, so I don’t know that I’d really consider it that difficult.

So what wasn’t on the list? I was surprised that Gravity’s Rainbow wasn’t included. I’ve never read it, but it comes up fairly often as the hardest book people have read. Personally, I would include Atlas Shrugged. There was so much philosophy in that book and so much meaning crammed into every sentence. It’s a long book, so if every sentence is full of meaning, that’s a lot of depth! I really loved the book in the end, but I had to work harder at reading that book than other book I’ve read except Ulysses.

So, what’s the hardest book you’ve ever read? Have you read any of the books on PW’s list? Any I should give a try?

The Mill on the Floss

I read George Eliot's Middlemarch in college and while I liked it, I've never picked up another one of her books. I think my problem is that while I liked Middlemarch, I read it during one of my busiest semesters in college. I was taking a class on the English novel and we read a novel just about every week - 18th and 19th century bulky ones. I was also in a Shakespeare class where we read a play a week, plus we were expected to watch 10 plays and only a handful of those could be the same as the ones we were reading. And I had three other classes that I'm sure had a lot of reading because all of my classes had a lot of reading! So, I sort of associate Middlemarch with being tired. :) I'd like reread it soon because I think I would love it now instead of just like it, if I wasn't having to rush through it.

Anyway, I haven't picked up another Eliot since then, but finally decided to read The Mill on the Floss after Allie raved about it. And I'm so glad I finally did! I loved this book! Eliot creates such modern female characters and shows such feminist beliefs that I'm amazed her books were published during her lifetime. Maggie is such a relatable character and I felt so bad for her and wished she had more options.

Eliot's writing is wonderful, her plot is interesting and moves along at a good pace, her characters seem real and I don't know why I waited so long to read more Eliot! The ending will stick with you for a long time and is one of the most powerful endings I've ever read. I'll leave it at that so I don't spoil anything!

Classics Club - Fave Classic

Since the Classics Club site has officially launched, I thought this would be a good time to see where I’m at and join in on the first meme. Surprisingly, during my blogging absence I read four books off my Classics Club list without even realizing it! Go me! I’m quite sad that I put The Golden Bowl by Henry James on the list instead of The Portrait of a Lady since Portrait is the one I’m reading now and it’s not making me jump for joy (it’s not bad either, it’s just not awesome thus far). When I made my list, I included quite a few things that would be more of a stretch for me instead of just making a list of 50 unread classics that I own, since those are ones I’ll read anyway.

Expect reviews of these four classics soon:

• Ulysses
• Animal Farm
• Cloud Atlas (I know this one isn’t exactly a classic yet, but I still put it on my list.)
• Far from the Madding Crowd

As for the meme, we’re supposed to write about our favorite classic work. But how can I pick just one? Out of my top ten favorite books, nine are classics and I have no idea how to order them. I’ll list all ten here for you, in case you’re curious. I’m thinking about rereading all of these next year, since I haven’t been doing much rereading lately. How fun would that be – reading all your favorite books in one year!

In no particular order:

• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
•  A Little Princess
•  I Capture the Castle 
•  Pride and Prejudice (I’m limiting myself to one work per author)
•  The Harry Potter series (if I only get to pick one, I’d pick the Prisoner of Azkaban) 
•  Bleak House 
•  Their Eyes Were Watching God
•  Wuthering Heights
•  Jane Eyre
•  Atlas Shrugged

How do I pick just one of those as my favorite favorite??? I suppose I might say A Little Princess, just because it was the first of these I read and it was really the book that taught me to love classics and England. Without Sara Crewe, would I have developed a life-long passion for both of those? Who knows. I must have read this 100 times. I loved pretended to be Sara, which is sort of morbid. I’d sit in my closet and read, pretending it was the attic. I sometimes tried to read in our actual attic, but it was too dusty and usually too hot. I was much better at pretending to suffer than actually suffering. J

It’s interesting to list all of these out. I notice some common themes. They all feature strong females, even the Dickens’ title, which is a bit unusual for him. All but two focus on younger women, so it makes sense I’d identify with them. All except P&P have some sort of sadness/darkness to them and focus on people finding hope even through struggles. There’s a lot of poor characters struggling to make ends meet. But there’s a lot of hope too, even though several of these don’t have the typical happy ending. And quite a few feature characters who like to read. Can’t imagine why I like that! Maybe I’ll come up with two more titles and re-read one per month next year. Maybe a Shakespeare's Henry V and Vanity Fair.

Well, I'm off to watch more Olympics! I've managed to avoid spoilers so far and hope USA won gold in women's gymnastics today!

Quick Hits

Since I haven't been blogging regularly, I have a lot of books I want to recommend but don't want to go back and review all of them. So, I decided to do a quick hits list of some of the ones I've really enjoyed. I'm going to do detailed reviews of the classics I've been reading...at some point! I've read several great ones lately, although I'm currently slogging through Portrait of a Lady. I like it, but can't take much of it at a time. Anyway, off to the hits!

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn: Yep, I'm joining the chorus on this one. It's a great thriller, it makes you think, it's well written, it's got an unreliable narrator and is all around awesome.

Drop Dead Healthy by AJ Jacobs: If you like his books or like stunt memoirs, you'll like this one too. It's not as good as some of his others, but I still had a good time reading it and thinking about how we buy into any health trend to avoid doing the hard work of actually eating healthier and exercising.

Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel: This was better than Wolf Hall, in my opinion. It's got all the good stuff of Wolf Hall, but with tighter writing. Mantel's aversion to attributing dialogue still drove me crazy, but nearly as much.

The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan: This is a nice suspenseful read about a horrifying experience being stuck on a lifeboat waiting for days for rescue. Do you sacrifice others so you live? How long do you hold out hope? Are you fully responsible for your actions in such a situation, when you're delirious with hunger/thirst? I do recommend this one, but there were a few issues I had with some of the plot.

11/22/63 by Stephen King: LOVED this. The only King I'd read before this was Carrie, which I read back in junior high. King's writing blew me away with it's clarity and precision. He's a masterful storyteller who doesn't have to resort to overblown copy like a lot of literary writers (even though I often like those works). I will definitely check out the rest of his non-horror works.

Shine Shine Shine by Lydia Netzger: I didn't really care for this. It's getting great reviews everywhere else, so clearly it appeals to a lot of people, but I was just bored with it. The main character really annoyed me, which would be okay except the main point of the novel was to be yourself and embrace who you are, but when the main character is not likable that just seems sad.

A Visit from the Good Squad by Jennifer Egan: For some reason, I didn't think I'd like this one, which is why I'm just now getting to it. But, it surprised me. I really liked it. I loved the interconnected stories, the writing, the experimentation that worked for the story instead of just trying to be different, the idea of time being a good and how it's out to get us all but that doesn't mean we shouldn't keep going. Worth the hype. Plus, she mentions Garbage's Supervixen. Awesome.

Where We Belong by Emily Giffin: I've liked all of her books and this one is no different. This time she writes about adoption, family and lies. I really liked Conrad and it was fun reading two music-themed books back to back.

Clarissa: July

How is that I'm actually ahead in my Clarissa reading??? I've somehow ended up in the middle of August! Clarissa has been my lunchtime book, and I've outlawed other books on my Nook until it's complete. And, I've been reading more at lunch lately because my office is freezing and I need to get out a little to thaw out, even though it's been more than 100 degrees outside here in Oklahoma. The readalong will continue through the year, but I'm hoping to finish up the reading this month because I'm sooooooooo tired of this book!

It really really bugs me when I don't like a classic. It makes me feel like I'm missing something. It rarely happens. Sometimes, like with James Joyce, I just discovered the book too soon and needed to mature before appreciating it. Sometimes, I may not like the book that much, but can see why it's a classic. Thomas Hardy sort of fits that category. He just doesn't quite do it for me, but I don't dislike his works or think they shouldn't be considered classics. Really, I'd say I do like him overall, there's just something in his writing style that seems off to me - his sentence structure can be awkward and it's like he starts to slip into poetry but then remember he's writing a novel mid-sentence. Anyway, despite that, I appreciate him. I'll read more of his works. Richardson though? I just don't get it.

It's never a good sign when a writer has something terrible happen to the protagonist and the reader thinks "Oh thank God! Finally! Maybe now things will pick up in this insufferable story!" But no. Richardson does good for a few letters and then....boredom. Repetition. People, this should be a riveting story! I think this is the first time this issue is discussed in literature! It should be a big deal! This was why I've stuck with this, because I knew this was coming and wanted to see how it was handled. It is not worth it.

I believe there's a reason why Richardson has fallen out of favor in academic study. He's mainly taught as a juxtaposition to Henry Fielding. This would be my recommendation if you want to read Richardson. Read Pamela, then read Fielding's Joseph Andrews and Shamela. Reading Pamela will help you better understand the humor in these two works by Fielding, which mock Pamela. They are hilarious. And awesome. And so worth the time. Pamela is much better and easier to get through than Clarissa, although I do think the main story in Clarissa is more powerful (I just wish it was handled by someone who could actually write/had a fantastic editor!!!). Pamela is basically Clarissa if Clarissa's family had less money and was a lower class and what happens when a virtuous servant tries to resist her master. Clarissa is sadly more realistic than Pamela, but Pamela takes less than half the pages to tell the story so it still wins. :) If you read Pamela and actually love it, then you might give Clarissa a try, but otherwise I would focus on the 101839461 other awesome classics out there instead!

But don't just take my word for it. Check out these other reviews by other bloggers participating in the Clarissa readalong.

Hello Again!

So. I accidentally took a six-week blogging break. Six weeks!!! I did not mean to do this. I'm not sure why it happened. I've still been reading. I conquered Ulysses! How did I not come on here to brag? :) I will correct that soon and share some of the other wonderful books I've read lately. I'm also somehow AHEAD in my Clarissa readings, even though I total missed the June post. I'll post later today with my review of the letters through the end of July.

I suppose part of the reason I haven't been blogging is that I've started working on a novel again. I have a few I've started and stopped over the years and I picked one back up and am almost finished. I'm seriously going to finish this one and try to get it published. It will feel good just to have accomplished that instead of having partially finished drafts everywhere.

The other thing taking up a lot of time is that I caught totally sucked in to Pretty Little Liars. I'm not sure why I'm admitting that here. I'm 30 years old! At least I can say I'm working on a YA novel so it's "research" right? I saw Meg Cabot say that once about something else and it's a great excuse. But seriously, it's such a good show. Each episode has a cliffhanger and you CANNOT STOP WATCHING. I just wish I hadn't discovered this during the middle of the third season, which is currently airing. I watched the first two seasons on Netflix and don't want to pay $2 an episode to catch on season three (not that I'm not tempted).

I may try to post like this more often - more of quick little updates on reading progress rather than always posting a review. Perhaps if I made a goal to post something short each day, it would help discipline me in my non-work writing. One of the troubles I have with blogging even though I enjoy it as that I write so much at work, so it can be hard to make myself to write when I get home. But perhaps if I do it in a less formal way I can stick to it better. We shall see. For now, hello again and happy reading! (And happy birthday to Harry Potter!)