Young and Bright.

Evelyn Waugh is probably best known for being the author of Brideshead Revisited. His books, like those of John Updike or Ernest Hemingway are indicative of an entire generation of people. He follows the English, especially Londoners, as they naively live their day to day lives, not knowing that their entire world is about to start crashing down around them as World War II starts.

My personal favorite of Waugh's novels is Vile Bodies, a slim but exacting novel that follows the young educated idle classes of 1920s England. They are the Paris Hiltons of their day (though decidedly more educated than Ms. Hilton), famous for being rich, constantly being photographed, and, constantly being scooped by a reporter who blends seamlessly into the young bright elite.

In true Waugh fashion, the glitz and glamor of monied London comes crashing violently down as Germany starts in on England. Through the war and the blitz emerges a tender, unassuming love story for the ages. And Waugh does it again.

Happy Reading,
Julia

Truth, Justice, and the Soviet Way.

What if Superman, instead of landing in Smallville, landed in Soviet Russia?  What if he still fought for good, still fought for truth and justice, but it just happened to be truth, justice and the Soviet way?  

Mark Millar's (writer of Wanted) Superman:Red Son explores this concept with such grace and nuanced intelligence, it's easy to forget that you are reading about a man who flies around in spandex.  Superman, in this incarnation, doesn't think ill of the U.S. or Democracy, he, like his traditional counterpart, doesn't fight ideals, but crime.  He still fights for the common man, it's just than now he's fighting for the common communist.  

It's just a fantastic retelling of a classic tale.  You don't need to know anything about Superman to enjoy this often overlooked book.  

Happy Reading,

Julia

I Have To Start Reading Comic Books Too!?!?

So in the past five years or so (you can argue it's been more or less, but I'm taking the middle road), comics have made a major comeback.  Maus and Persepolis (both of which I will review at some point) caught on and won high literary prizes, bridging the barrier between highbrow literature and lowbrow men in tights comic books.  And now, those of us that consider ourselves to have a finger on the pulse of the book world, find ourselves having to commit to a whole new genre.  As we are being overloaded with all the fiction, non-fiction, art, photography, and cook books that come out every year, we have to add another section to that list...graphic novel. 

Remember when they used to be comic books and we could just write them off as kids stuff?  Well, that's unfortunately not the case any more.  One of the questions I get asked most is, 'where do I begin?' with these graphic novels I now have to catch up on.  

My recommendation is to start with Watchmen by Alan Moore.  Fox and Warner Bros. just came to an agreement over rights to this movie and it will be coming out on the 9th of March as scheduled, but really, as Zach Snyder (the director) has said, you just have to read it.  

Put out in 1986 (the same year as The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller), Watchmen follows a group of fallen superheroes once known as the Minutemen.  They are morally corrupt, living in a world that hates them, but one they just might be the last hope for, and are trying to figure out a murder of the utmost importance.  

This book examines the danger of ultra-powerful government and the price the people pay for decades of secrets and lies.  It examines the nature of fame and vigilante justice.  Examines the nature of humans to eat each other alive.  

Watchmen is a masterpiece of literary fiction...not to mention the drawings are pretty awesome.  So what are you waiting for?

Happy Reading,

Julia

Are You There?

I find that many books filed away in humor often fall short of being truly funny.  Many try too hard, many take too preposterous a stance on any particular subject, many just simply fall short.  I'll be honest, I'm usually loath to read books deemed humor.  Not because of their perceived non-literary value, but because of the often lack of substance.  Humor books that are great are really really great.  They shed light on life in a way that highbrow literature can sometimes miss, they shed light on certain facets of culture that are otherwise overlooked or taken as normal.  

It takes a lot to get my to laugh out loud while reading, it takes even more for me to be in Vegas with my girlfriends and be somewhat distracted because I want to finish my book (and I have a tendency to read some pretty awesome books when I'm in Vegas with my girlfriends).  On my annual Vegas trip, I couldn't contain myself, could barely look up from my book to pick up my overflowing glass of Jack Daniels, as I read Chelsea Handler's New York Times Bestselling book Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea.  Now, I've talked about her other book, My Horizontal Life before, and I loved both, but in her latest book, Handler crosses a line.  She's no longer just a funny lady who has the number 1 show on E!, she is a great writer.  A writer who, through her own life stories, shares our own life stories.  Stories of crazy families and sibling rivalry.  Of desire for success and determination for making it through life with some great friends and great stories.  

As irreverent as Chelsea can be, she has a heart thumping under the veil of funny and sometimes off color stories.  Chelsea loves her crazy daddy.  She loves her friends, even when they drag her to parties she doesn't want to go to.  And most importantly, she points out the flaws in life, and how much fun that makes everything. 

Happy Reading,

Julia

P.S. If Chelsea has a googlealert and is reading this, I'd like to say that I'm sure I can match you drink for drink (though my drink of choice is not Grey Goose, but Jack Daniels) and I'd love a chance to prove it.

Drugs and Ammunition

Talking to kids about drug use is probably one of the hardest subjects a parent can breach.  Let's face it, they don't want to talk about it, and it's not exactly something that parents want to discuss, but it's a necessity in this day and age nonetheless.  Personally, no book had a bigger effect on my decision to partake in any exploratory drug use wisely than Go Ask Alice.  

It's a true story told by an anonymous girl who spirals down into oblivion.  She experiments with drugs, sex, and loses all semblance of her life.  It's not preachy or unrealistic, in fact, it's a real diary from a real girl who experienced it all.  This is one that is absolutely not to be missed and not to be glossed over.  Read it with your kids, read it with your parents, just read it.

Happy Reading,

Julia

After Dark

One of the questions I am asked most frequently now that the Twilight-craze is in full effect is what do I (or what does my kid) read after Twilight? The obvious answer is Anne Rice, but I'm not too certain that the age range Twilight tends toward is necessarily the proper age to start on Anne Rice. Personally, the most appealing thing about Twilight is the romance, vampirism is secondary to the romance between Bella and Edward, so why not one of the classic romances.

Here's a few suggestions:

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte is a somewhat obvious choice, seeing as it is mentioned numerous times in the Twilight Saga, but it is an epic romance full of beautiful language and heart-breaking longing. It's deals with more adult emotions than Twilight, as there is more of a sense of duty and propriety struggling against desire and longing, but it's still appropriate for the teenagers that Twilight tends to appeal to.

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
An epic novel (as well as an epic movie) it's romantic and epic, it's adult but not too adult. Sure no one is sucking anyone's blood, but the backdrop of the civil war carries the same sort of timeless romanticism that hundred year old vampires possess. Though it may be a longer novel, it's still shorter than the four Twilight books.

Pride and Prejudice and Emma by Jane Austen
Both novels focus on a young female protagonist, both are told in sympathy with said protagonist, and both are epic romances. Aren't Elizabeth Bennett or Emma Woodhouse just precursors for Bella Swan anyway?

Happy Reading,
Julia

Inspiration Abounds

It seems like lately everyone is looking for some kind of inspiration. Whether it comes from a new leader or a small child, inspiration is as important in life as air or water. For a young writer, the best source of inspiration is other writers; other people who suffer the same paralyzing fear, the same need to spill words on a page and smear them around into a thing of beauty. For a young writer, my favorite source of inspiration is a small book, thin and unassuming, by a master poet (and I'm not even that big of a poetry fan).

Letters To a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke could be the most beautiful piece of writing I've ever read. Deep and poignant, even for non-writers, non-artists, non-poets, it reaches to the depths of youthful exuberance and emotion, pulling threads out you never knew existed. Beautiful and profound at once, Rilke's letters to a young protege poet bring out the essence of writing, creativity, and life itself.

Happy Reading,
Julia