Before Green Gables

Before Green Gables, by Budge Wilson, is a prequel to the Anne of Green Gables series. This book begins with Anne's parents. Bertha and Walter Shirley are happy newlyweds with a relationship so ideal that it depresses the neighbors. Their wonderful life becomes more wonderful still when their daughter Anne is born. Unfortunately, the Shirley's seem to have used up a lifetime's supply of good fortune, because within three months they have both died of a fever and left their precious daughter to the kindness of strangers. Most of Anne's time in this novel is spent with the Thomas family. She cares for their children, barely younger than herself, and tries to reason out the motives behind Mr. Thomas' alcoholism and domestic abuse. Luckily, she finds silver linings that help to develop that notorious Anne Shirley optimism and imagination when she begins attending school and meeting a different set of people. Anne's life seems to revolve around one disaster after another and she is forced to move from home to home, including a brief stint in an orphanage. The resolution, of course, comes when Anne makes the trip to Prince Edward Island to what she knows will finally be home.

This book was a fun read, and I think anyone who likes Anne of Green Gables would agree. But... some things in the story are a bit much. Like, that  Anne, at age three, is as verbose as she is when she arrives at Green Gables. (Although, I will admit that by the end of the book she really does seem to have grown into the character you see in Anne of Green Gables.) Or, that her parents' relationship was so sweet and sincere that their neighbor just couldn't bear to be around them both because her own life was so sad. Of course Anne has a dramatic flair, but these weren't part of that. There were definitely some eye roll moments for me.

One aspect that I really enjoyed about the book, though, was seeing how Anne, who has had such a sad life, develops her enthusiastic personality. Most of the positive experiences Anne has as a child revolve around stories, learning, and developing her imagination. I really enjoyed the romance of the Word Man and her teacher.

I'd give this book three stars. It's a fun read if you already love Anne, but I wouldn't recommend starting here.

Unbroken

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption,by Laura Hillenbrand, is the biography of Louis Zamperini, one time Olympic runner turned WWII soldier. Serving in the Air Force as a bombardier in the Pacific, Louis experiences some close shaves. On a seemingly routine search mission for a downed crew, flying a shamefully under-maintained plane, things go terribly wrong. Louis' plane goes down. He and three other men narrowly manage to escape the wreckage. The men were then on the raft, constantly surrounded by sharks, with no food and little water for 46 days. Rescue seems unlikely. Especially as they float nearer and nearer to occupied islands and life as prisoners of war.

This book is one of the most compelling that I've read in a long time. At every turn of the page Louie's predicament becomes more and more dire. From plane crashes to shark attacks, starvation to torture, it seems like things just can't get worse. And then they do. What makes Louie's story so incredibly compelling is how courageously he pushes through what seems impossible.

Hillenbrand's research is extensive. She interviewed Zamperini and many other POWs. She interviewed their family members and spent hours and hours looking through personal and federal documents related to Louie's experience. And, something I appreciated, is she also interviewed several of the Japanese guards who had worked at the POW camps. That, and her collaboration with Japanese translators, allows her to give a more balanced, multi-perspective account than subjects like this often get.

Sometimes, you need a reminder of how good people can be. It's ironic, perhaps, that a book about war and some of the darkest moments in history, could highlight the strength and goodness of so many people. Louie is brave and absolutely indefatigable, but he's not the only one. I was constantly impressed by the strength, faith, and courage of the other people in Louie's story: his parents, who never stopped believing that he'd make it home; Phil, the pilot of the downed plan who was a constant friend and fearless leader; the prison guards who risked their own lives to help POWs; prisoners who were willing to share the little they had; and, especially those who were able to forgive each other for the wrongs and injuries of war.  

This is a definitely a five star read for me. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone and everyone. I would, however, warn them that some of the things that Louie experiences are hard to read about. But, that's because it's real, and for me, that makes it important to learn about.

The Selection

The Selection is a YA novel by Kiera Cass. I think you classify it as a light dystopian novel. I will tell you now that my rating for this book is a 2. It had some potential, but it fell victim to the almost cut and copy structure of the increasingly familiar YA dystopian trilogy.

The basic story is this... America Singer is a pretty average girl. She has a strained relationship with her mother, admires her father, loves her little sister more than anything, and is secretly in love with the boy next door. But, America is risking a lot to be with Aspen because they are in different castes. Everything changes when The Selection is announced. The Selection is the country's tradition for helping the prince, Prince Maxon in this case, find his future wife. Girls submit applications and one from each district is selected to vie with the other selected girls for Maxon's love... and the crown. America hesitates to enter, but finally does to appease her mother and because Aspen tells her she should. Of course, she is selected and goes to the palace. But, before she leaves... Aspen breaks up with her. So, now she's not really sure what to do. She finds herself developing an unusual friendship with Maxon, and, as girl after girl is sent home, America finds herself wanting to stay more and more. Oh, and all of this is being broadcast to the rest of the country as something of a prime time special.

I think this story would really appeal to people who like the Bachelor. Or people who liked the Hunger Games, but wished they were actually a dating game. Or, people who like Cinderella stories and hope that the concept will be developed for reality TV. While it didn't catch me on any of those fronts, I will admit that it was a fairly fun, light read. It just disappointed me so much by being so predictable that I didn't really enjoy it. Here's what bothered me.

#1. While the setting, a caste system with fairly stringent rules, seems fairly dystopian, most of the societal issues are not addressed. For example, America's father has banned history books, which he loves to pour over with America. But... why are the books banned? What has American learned from history that will help her in the Selection?

#2. America starts off as a very relatable, interesting character. She seems strong and dedicated, and you like her. But, then she goes to the palace and starts acting totally bizarre. It was hard for me to care for a character that was acting so inconsistently.

#3. Why is this a trilogy? I once heard an author (not this one) explain that she had written a stand alone novel, but had been told by the publishers that she had to turn it into a trilogy. Does that make your head all but explode too? It's not a strategy for good writing, that's for sure. A story loses focus when it's stretched out too long, and I think that's what happened here. I got to the (abrupt) ending of the book and realized that almost nothing of note had really happened in the book. In fact, **small spoiler**, we don't even get to find out who Maxon chooses. At the end of the book, we're only down to the "elect" 6 girls. I guess I'll have to read the rest to be certain, but I have the feeling that this could have been one silly, fun book that was pretty well done instead of three books that drag a story without much depth on too long.

I'm afraid this review might be too harsh. It's an okay book, but I'm finding myself very, very, very tired of the predictability of many of the YA books that are coming out right now. Hopefully this is just the awkward adolescent phase of the Young Adult genre.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking

Quiet, by Susan Cain, is a treatise on the often overlooked power of introverts. It begins by discussing how, over the last century or so, our culture has adopted extroversion as the ideal. One of Cain's most interesting claims, in fact, is that this new ideal causes a complete value shift wherein charisma overshadows character. Having established the cultural context, she then presents a mix of her own research with several psychological studies to share the reasons that we should value the introverts among us.

Because I consider myself to be something of an introvert, I found this book to be very relatable. One element I appreciated about this book was how Cain allows the definition of introversion to be a little loose. Introversion is not necessarily being shy. It is definitely not being anti-social. It's more of just enjoying the quiet, preferring to observe, and liking to really think things through. Interestingly, about 1 in 3 people are introverts (at least to some degree).


Cain really hits hard on the social stigma that is often placed on being introverted, especially in workplaces. Several studies have shown that, while extroverts are more likely to get attention, introverts have many strengths that get overlooked because they lack the extroverts' confidence and charm. A few studies on businesses and the economic crash of 2008 illustrate the virtue of balance. Extroverts are great at leading confidently and taking risks, but... they can be bad at listening to others and seeing warning signs. As leaders, introverts prefer to play it safe, and many prosper that way. Another skill introverts seem especially gifted at is gathering information and ideas from their subordinates. Companies that embraced and used the special talents of both personality types would have a great chance at success.


I really enjoyed reading about the studies that are being done in the field of personality psychology. Some studies indicate that whether we are more introverted or extroverted depends in a large part on how our brain interprets stimuli. Introverts tend to be highly reactive to stimulus, and seem to therefore prefer smaller doses of it; whereas, extroverts tend to be low-reactives who prefer to seek out higher amounts of stimulation. The really fascinating part, for me, was reading about how both personality types strive for the right balance of stimulus. When they find it, one study showed, whether through seeking more quiet or more noise, the levels of brain activity are almost identical.


Some of the more practical parts of this book give suggestions for introverts and for those who work with or have close relationships with introverts. Some of the ideas seem very helpful for bridging differences in personality and preferences. For example, a couple may agree to spend two weekends per month at home and two weekends going out so that each person's needs are met. However, as a teacher, I found Cain's suggestions for introverts in the context of education to be pretty implausible, for the most part. I think her suggestions to introverts for the workplace would be more applicable to introverted students than the ones she gives. But, that's me.


Overall, I would give this book 4 stars because it presented so much interesting information that is applicable in professional and personal relationships with introverts.

The Candy Shop War

Recently, I’ve become a big fan of Brandon Mull. This sort of surprised me because I’m really not that into fantasy. But, I read Beyonders around Christmas and loved it, and then I tried Fablehaven and liked it quite a bit. Most recently, I read The Candy Shop War, and I am quite excited to tell you not only why I enjoyed it, but why I have developed a lot of respect for Mull as an author.

This book takes the old adage "don't take candy from strangers" and turns it into a full-blown, high-risk adventure. A group of four friends start working to earn candy at the candy shop that has just opened. For each task they complete, they receive a treat. At first, they are washing windows for fudge, but eventually the tasked they are asked to complete become more sinister, like stealing artifacts and robbing graves. As the tasks become more risky, the treats become more intriguing: candy that makes you float, candy that changes your appearance, and even candy that allows you to travel through time.

Brandon Mull has a real talent for building suspense. I find it very impressive that I can sit down to read a middle grade novel with young characters and be completely engaged in the action and be anxious for the characters. This is the kind of book that had me continually yelling out “What?!” or “No!” because, ohmygoodness, something crazy was just always happening. And it was awesome.

As I've read more of Mull's books, I've come to really admire the way he crafts the language of his novels. Even though he is writing for younger kids, he doesn't shy away from using a slightly more advanced vocabulary. At the teacher book club meeting for Beyonders, a lot of teachers said that had bothered them. When they asked him about it, Mull explained that he works to find the best word to create the image he sees for his readers, but that he doesn’t really try for challenging vocabulary and doesn’t try to avoid it either. Brandon Mull writes pretty exclusively for young readers, and, obviously, he respects those readers and their right to read good books. A lot of young adult and middle grade authors write down to kids, and that’s really not conducive to writing something worth reading.

The Candy Shop War gets 4 stars. While it is meant for younger audiences, it is a fun read that will keep readers of all ages interested right to the end.

A Jane Austen Education

Although swimming in half-finished books, a recent vacation necessitated the purchase of a book. (The thought of losing a library book absolutely terrifies me since my sister’s dog chewed up one of my library books when I was about 11; they didn’t revoke my library card like I thought they would, but, oh, the horror of the very idea.) I knew I didn’t want just any book; it had to be classy and cool (so I wouldn’t be embarrassed if an authentic New York hipster saw me reading it), entertaining (because it was for a vacation after all), and be the type of book I would actually like to own (although that point may be moot since I buy all sorts of books to entice the children to read). What I finally decided on was A Jane Austen Education: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and the Things That Really Matter by William Deresiewicz.

A Jane Austen Education is part literary analysis, part memoir, and (a very small) part self-help book. William Deresiewicz shares his transformative experience with Austen as a graduate student. Like many others, Deresiewicz was quick to write Austen off as the author of fluffy romance novels. After a reluctant reading of Emma, however, he began to see the genuine talent and valuable insight in Jane Austen’s work. His respect and admiration continued to grow as he read (and re-read) each of her novels. In his book, Deresiewicz extrapolates a life lesson from each of the novels and shares how it helped him to reconsider his goals and priorities.

Unlike Deresiewicz, I’ve loved Austen from my first reading of Pride and Prejudice in 9th grade, and while he doesn’t seem to be making an intentional effort to convince readers of her merit as an author, Deresiewicz does an incredible job of pointing out the small things that make Austen great. His analysis is meaningful and interesting but is also short and to the point. A few of the reviews I’d read online felt that he had too much summary of the novels, but I didn’t feel like that was the case as they were always relevant to the point he was illustrating.

I really liked the way that Deresiewicz presents the lessons he learned from the novel. He clearly outlines his interpretation of Austen’s novels and then talks about how they helped him to solve one of the many problems of growing up, most of which involve our relationship with others. His tone in discussing these lessons isn’t forceful or preachy, but I felt like I was being challenged to live up to Austen’s expectations of me. If you need inspiration for improvement, imagining what Austen’s cutting wit might come up with to describe your failings will certainly do the trick. I enjoyed Deresiewicz’s stories, and, honestly, loved the idea of someone consciously applying lessons from the novel they’ve just read. In fact, my only complaint with the book is that I sometimes felt like Deresiewicz didn’t tell enough about his life or how certain situations worked out after his Austen-inspired revelations struck him.

A Jane Austen Education ended up perfectly fitting my vacation book requirements. It was a fun, intelligent read that kept me thoroughly entertained. If you are an Austen fan, you’ll most likely love it, and even if you’re not, you’ll probably enjoy it. This book gets 4 stars, and, to back that up, an offer to lend you my copy.

Ready Player One

I think this is the blog equivalent of showing up 5 minutes late to class. Sorry about that. I am excited to introduce myself and talk about books. My name is Aubrey. I am a high school English teacher; sparking a love of reading in my students is my highest priority and greatest privilege as a teacher. My husband, Mike, is studying to become a video game programmer; I was pretty positive he was “the one” when he called me before our second date to find out what book I was reading with my book club so we could talk about it together. Also, he regularly quotes Pride and Prejudice in conversation, which I find admirable. We have a happy, nerdy little life together.

The first book I’d like to share with you is Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. This one came strongly recommended… as in, Mike brought it home, ecstatic that he had found a second copy so we could read it together. It’s hard to resist that kind of excitement.

The book is set in the year 2044 and things are pretty dismal. The economy has never recovered from the recession and people miserably eke out their lives of extreme poverty. But, there is a silver lining… the OASIS. The OASIS is a massively multiplayer online simulation game. The real world no longer has much appeal, and people are more than happy to escape into the virtual world. This is especially true for Wade Watts, the teenaged, socially outcast main character who, along with millions of others, is on a quest. Five years before the story begins, James Halliday, the creator of the OASIS passes away. The legendary programmer left the world one final, epic video game quest… to find the three hidden keys that will lead one player to the hidden “Easter egg.” The person who finds the egg will inherit Halliday’s incredible fortune and stewardship of the OASIS. Oh, and, to find the hidden keys one must have a vast knowledge of video games and 80s pop culture. Wade and other video game enthusiasts have plenty of motivation to find the egg, but so does Innovative Online Industries, the massive company that hopes to privatize the OASIS to increase potential profits.

I think the main appeal of this book is how fun it is to have an epic quest designed around video games and 80s pop culture. At various points, being able to quote Monty Python and the Holy Grail and play a perfect game of PacMan are crucial to Wade’s success and survival. Honestly, I wasn’t terribly familiar with a lot of the referenced texts, but Cline does a good job of explaining them just enough to let you in on their significance without overdoing it for those who get it.

Ready Player One raises an interesting question in today’s world: is the real world actually better than virtual reality? To some people that may seem absurd, but I see people every day trying to find a balance between reality and virtual reality. We spend hours escaping from life with Facebook, Pinterest, blogs, video games, etc. There are people who prefer texting to actual conversations because they find those conversations uncomfortable. Wade has to answer this question, and it is surprisingly hard to guess which side he’ll take.

Overall, I enjoyed Ready Player One quite a lot, but something that bothered me was the frequent swearing/use of uncouth phases. I don’t usually mind swearing, but I did feel like there was too much of it and that it didn’t serve much of a purpose. Maybe it was meant to show that these people are angry and alienated. Either way, I could have done without it.

Ready Player One has an original premise, relevantly questions our relationship with technology, and keeps readers interested with its high stakes adventure. I would give this geeky epic 3 stars and warn you that reading it may end up in a trip to the arcade.