Tag Archives: books

Review: Into Thin Air

Posted on by
11

Into Thin Air
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I first read Jon Krakauer’s work when a friend was gracious enough to share a copy of “Into the Wild” with me. I really love his writing style and I almost gave this book a 5. The only reason I didn’t is because I found the number of “characters” a bit daunting. This isn’t his fault as he was trying to recount a very involved real life event. I also felt a bit bad for him that he had to add a section at the end of the book to update an ongoing debate from other participants (and writer’s of other books) in the tragic events in the 1996 Everest climbing attempts. I, however, appreciated that he did do that and I think it would be fascinating to discuss the situation with my students. We want, often, to write about something dear to us, but deciding when – if or how – to publish those details when others are involved is precarious at best.

Krakauer is a skilled writer and I feel he presents himself as “truthfully” as he possibly can given the magnitude of the tragedy that he is writing about. I’d highly recommend this book for anyone.

View all my reviews

Review: Catching Fire

Posted on by
8

Catching Fire
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’m surprising myself by giving the second in a series of books a 5 when I think I gave the first one in the set a 4.

I found the first in the Hunger Games series to be a tad predictable and I wasn’t really sure how I felt about the protagonist. I think Katniss is more real in the second book and there were moments that actually surprise me in the second volume. I found myself entranced even if there were a few sections that seemed a bit over the top. Then again, I’m speaking of a post-apocalyptic series of novels where children have to go to battle each other as tributes so . . .

I’ve seen some pretty varied ratings on the 3rd book in the trilogy, but I’ll definitely read it. I’ll probably have to wait until March when I can borrow again from the Kindle Lending Library. 30 days and only one book? That’s like being a kid and being only allowed to take two books out from the library.

But, hey, it is free.

View all my reviews

Make Friday Write – Or So What?

Posted on by
19

Maybe you are wondering about the heading for this post already; I’ll get to that, but first:

  • Here is a terrific interview with the poet (and memoir writer) Sandra Beasley
  • I have a poem in the new issue of Barely South the online journal from ODU
  • There is some publicity out for the Couplet Literary Festival I’ll be presenting at in Wilmington on Feb 4th (SO EXCITED!)
  • If you are looking for some things to watch I found P Star Rising, 6 Days to Air and How Beer Saved the World (and I’m not a beer fan, but neat to see how they shaped history/facts to fit their narrative) all pretty interesting on Netflix for very different reasons (warning on 6 days – it is about the makers of SouthPark so you know the language you are gonna be getting!)
  • Today was a good week of classes, albeit a short week which meant condensing and unusual prep times. My composition classes were working on critical reading/critical thinking skills and vocabulary fun (via modified Scattegories) while my British Lit students practiced their literary analysis skills using Fairy Tales and my online students were asked to sign up for Submishmash, Worpdress and to look into print and online literary magazines because they will be thinking on the world of publishing this semester.
  • I also managed to draft at least one poem this week and I sent out one submission package with some acceptances coming in so not bad on that front. I keep trying to move forward, including the word that Sibling Rivalry Press will publish my 2nd full length poetry collection in the Fall of 2013!

So how do I get to the so what portion of this post? Well, it is this poem below. I believe I may have posted an earlier draft of it here actually. My issue with it – what causes me pause – is the very question: so what? Maybe the poem isn’t terrible, per se, but what is it doing? Why would I bother including it in my submission packets and/or next collection (of course I’m working on what’ll be a 3rd collection or a 5th chapbook – 5? really? whew!). When do you decide the poem was fun to play with, but isn’t something to send out? Let’s discuss!

–by the way – I did decide to retire the poem. It didn’t have enough going for it. Sometimes you have to write stuff that you don’t keep :)

Looking forward to seeing your work in progress and/or to hear your thoughts on mine. It is time to discuss whatever writing items you want to discuss.

And now I’ll be back to grading :)

Make Friday Write

Posted on by
22

I received the promotional flyer yesterday for one of my first readings of 2012. I will be reading with the terrific Tony Abbott at Poetry Hickory on Feb 14th which is also my birthday! Quite a birthday present don’t you think?

But, it looks like my first reading of the year – unless I make it to an Open Mike before the end of the month – will be at the Couplet Poetry Festival in Wilmington, NC. A city I am SO looking forward to finally seeing.

One thing I read recently was the newest issue of decomP magazine where I loved this poem by Dan Romo who then turned around and published some of my poems in his new literary magazine which is edited by his students. Love that.

I also really appreciate the shout out that Robert Lee Brewer gave me on his blog. If you subscribe to me and don’t subscribe to Robert’s blog then – what? – are you crazy!

From my editor’s desk I’m thrilled to note that Christopher Allen’s story Dale’s Last Dance has a mention on “Fiction Daily.” I’ve also opened “Referential” for a featured reading period until 2-9-12 so spread the word if anyone is looking for somewhere to submit poetry, fiction or non-fiction. Still taking year round subs for the referred submissions in all areas.

Here is the writing prompt I gave my Creative Writing 2 students this week: Those of you who have taken a course with me before will be familiar with TedTalks. For your first writing prompt I found a terrific link to the 12 Essential TED Talks for writers. Find one that speaks to you and see what you write :)

My in class composition students had a variety, but my favorite to think about today was to write about the sentence. Just free-write about that for a while and see what you come up with :)

It wasn’t hard to pick what to post today because the last time I even wrote a draft was on Tuesday. I’m lucky if I manage to squeeze out even a draft once a week anymore. I’m not complaining though especially with this being the first week of classes.

–time to edit that poem  . . . 

What have you guys been up to? Any writing? Revising? Submitting? I have worked on some revisions and I’m going to try and send out the one group of poems I have ready to go before I get off the computer this afternoon.

Everyone is welcome to comment on my poems and/or to comment (courteously) on any posted in comments (you can also post other forms of writing). Any creative writing posted will be taken down a week from today (including my own poem). Have a great long weekend!

A Review: Memory Bones by Sara Claytor

Posted on by
2

The first time I heard Sara read her poems was in Hickory, NC. She didn’t even need the mic as she recited (from memory) a long poem from her first chapbook before reading from her full length collection.

Since then I’ve had the chance to spend time at different events with Sara, including reading with her in Fuquay-Varina, NC. She is a ball of fire and that vivacity comes through in her new chapbook Memory Bones.

Sara has fun telling these stories that are shaped around the bones of her past. There are poems about her “white mother” vs her black mother (the housekeeper) as well as first loves and longer relationships that all have some level of marrow into making us who we are.

The poems flow fairly nicely from piece to piece with a sense of a loose architecture (much like the tendons that hold our bones together even though they don’t often touch), but there are a few that feel slightly out of place such as the final poem in the collection which is actually fantastic but I’m not sure flowed as well as the rest of the collection.

It is hard for me to pick out just one quote to mention, but how about some of the word choices in “Aunt Lena’s House”: until the day the rooster king chased me / screams, attacks, blood puckers on my legs. Yep, that is Sara at her southern, descriptive, dramatic and wonderful self.

Sara is one of the readers in this video I made at Poetry Hickory back in 2009 because you know you need a bit more!

Review: The Book Thief

Posted on by
4

The Book Thief
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a long, very poetic story which I’m glad I read. There isn’t much to say about the book itself as it is skillfully put together.

Thinking over the book, however, makes me ask the question again: what is Young Adult literature? I know a lot of young adults read this particular book and I think it is definitely a worthwhile read, but it is also a very powerful book that any age could read. So, why list it as Young Adult? When “Huckleberry Finn” was published was it listed as Young Adult?

Just asking the questions.

A quote from the book: A definition of not found in the dictionary – not leaving – an act of trust and love, often deciphered by children.

View all my reviews

Review: My Reading Life

Posted on by
2

My Reading Life
My Reading Life by Pat Conroy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In high school one of my English teachers wrote a Pat Conroy quote on the board. I don’t recall what the assignment was in relation to the quote, but I knew I had to read the book. The quote was from “Prince of Tides” (paraphrase): My wound is my geography. It is also my anchorage, my port of call.

Maybe a 15 year old shouldn’t have been reading “Prince of Tides” but it was the book I needed to read at the time. I had been writing (or attempting) to write in response to the books I loved as long as I could remember, but there was something about the beauty that came out of a dysfunctional childhood in Conroy’s writing that made me feel I had something I could share.

Granted, my teacher seemed kind of annoyed that I read the book. Or maybe that was my perception. Perhaps I gushed too much. Perhaps she didn’t believe that I didn’t have a typical home life since I was in a higher level English class (no I wasn’t physically abused as Conroy discusses in his books and in the reading memoir I’m getting to…) because I had also been admonished that the stories I wrote weren’t real enough, yet, they were almost always autobiographically….

In a round about way what I’m trying to say is that Conroy’s fiction touched me when I was young and I almost came to tears reading how authors like Thomas Wolfe did the same for him when he was young. I also found myself jealous of the amazing teachers he had and the import of those relationships (positive ones).

If you love to read, love memoirs, and/or are a fan of Conroy I think you will enjoy this book. I really found it moving (and physically beautiful – great artwork) and I may pass it on to someone, but I’m tempted to keep it in my greedy, reading loving hands :)

View all my reviews