Book Review: When She Woke

I have a very fond association with The Scarlet Letter after having read it in college and enjoyed it and so I am open to any re-interpretations of the novel, though I have yet to read Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale.

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan is also a futuristic take on the Hawthorne novel, set sometime in America's future after a nuclear attack has devastated Los Angeles and very strict morality laws have been passed in reaction to a terrible STD outbreak that sterilizes thousands of women.

Hannah Payne lives in suburban Dallas and has been raised in a rather strict, religious household. She's always been a questioner, however, and doesn't hesitate in reading forbidden books or using her sewing skills to construct immodest dresses. As the book opens Hannah is in prison, convicted of murder by having an abortion and her skin is dyed bright red as a symbol of her crime. Melachroming has been legalized by the US government and minor criminals are dyed different colors according to their crime, sent out into society to survive the hatred, prejudice and violence against them. After Hannah serves her 30 days in prison she is released to a demented half-way house until she is presented with an opportunity to completely change her life.

Woven through the tale is her desire and passion for the man who got her pregnant, influential pastor Aidan Dale. Dale is not quite slimy, but very close to being a complete scum bag, and it is hard to see why Hannah would love him. At the other end of the slimy scale is Hannah's father. Several scenes with her loving, supportive dad had me in tears. I loved that Jordan did not make all of the religious characters ridiculous caricatures - Hannah's dad is definitely an example of someone who truly lives his religion. And speaking of religion - this is definitely meant to be an indictment of extremism, but Jordan clearly avoids condemning spirituality and Christianity outright, which made the book more legitimate to me because I don't like when authors trash religion unconditionally.

This is a really good book. It has complex characters, a suspenseful plot and presents a vision of a scary future that I hope never comes to pass, but that makes you think about how fear and uncertainty can lead to harsh governmental control. Now I'm thinking I need to read The Handmaid's Tale to experience Atwood's take on a similar theme. - Anbolyn (Sunset)

Book Review: Please Ignore Vera Dietz

We're always hearing that young adult books are often writen for adults as well as youth. Probably many of you, like me, think, "Sure, but I already have an adult reading list built for eternity." It was not until the young adult fiction writer A.S. King came to speak at a staff training inservice that my eternal reading list was put aside. When I witnessed the honesty and depth of this author as she told her story of life, A.S. King became number one on my reading list!

In selecting Please Ignore Vera Dietz, I was influenced by a long list of book awards: the Edgar Award, the Michael C. Printz Award, and the Best Young Adult Book Award from the American Library Association. I figured this novel just had to be good. Well, it wasn't good - it was fantastic! Based on the interaction of a father trying to raise his teenage daughter, this young adult novel eteched a notch in my reading life that will not be forgotten. Vera, the teenage daughter, tells the story. A story about her mother walking away from marraige and motherhood. A story about losing one's best friend and regaining love for a father you were very close to hating for life! A story about understanding yourself to the point of becoming one with your inner spirit. For me, Please Ignore Vera Dietz was not only soul searching but charmingly funny, full of life, and a book you won't be able to ignore. - Henry (Downtown)

Holiday Books

Get ready for the holidays! Check out these books and DVDs on holiday decorating, cooking, and more.

Holiday Decorating for Dummies

Decorating ideas for many winter holidays, as well as holidays year-round.

Christmas in Arizona
A collection of holiday recipes with local traditions and folklore.

Mario Batali: Holiday Food

Whether you're creating a full-blown Italian spread or simply adding a touch of Italy to your own family traditions, find recipes to make your holiday gatherings memorably delicious.

Holiday Cooking with Kids

Winter holiday recipes and more holidays, for kids ages 9 to 13.

World Holidays: A Watts Guide for Children
An illustrated guide to holidays and celebrations around the world.

Madeline's Christmas [DVD]
Two special holiday stories with Madeline and the girls.

Magic School Bus Holiday Special [DVD]
It's the last day of school before the winter holidays and the kids take a trip to Murph's recycling plant.

Tumbleweed Tree Lighting - December 3

Get in the holiday spirit this weekend with Chandler's 55th Tumbleweed Tree Lighting Ceremony. This free event is held in Historic Downtown Chandler at A.J. Chandler Park on Saturday, December 3, starting at 4:30 pm. Vendors and entertainment will be available, then the Parade of Lights starts at 7 pm, culminating in the official lighting of the Tumbleweed Tree. For more information, see the City website.

This year the Tumbleweed Tree Lighting Ceremony has been designated an official Arizona Centennial event. The 100-year anniversary of Arizona's statehood will be celebrated on February 14, 2012, with various events statewide being designated as part of the centennial lead-up. For more about Arizona's centennial and history, upcoming events, the Centenarian project to recognize 100-year-old Arizonans, and more, visit www.az100years.org.

Book Review: The Call

A rural veterinarian logs his days around the calls he receives:

CALL: The alpaca that spit in my eye is dead.
ACTION: Drove to farm. The owner wanted to know what had done it.... He died from fear, I said to the owner. Your alpaca died when the thunder clapped.
RESULT: The man looked around his barn. He spoke in a whisper.... He will go to alpaca heaven, the owner said, and I tried to picture what alpaca heaven would look like but all I pictured was the same barn I was standing in and the owner petting the dead alpaca's side.
THOUGHTS ON DRIVE HOME: If I could time-travel in only one direction, would I go forward or backward?

These observations form Yannick Murphy's unusual new novel, The Call. The veterinarian fleshes out the story of his life through this formula, adding observations about his town, his family, and the stresses he must cope with, including the hunting accident that leaves his son in a coma. The pages of his log become filled not only with simple medical records, but also with his wishes, fears, and the thoughts he consoles himself with, imagining what the house or the family rabbit might say to him, and wondering if the strange lights he sees in the sky belong to a spaceship. An unusual premise and format lead to a surprisingly touching conclusion. - Michelle (Sunset)

Staff Picks: Native American Authors

Talking Leaves: Contemporary Native American Short Stories, edited by Craig Lesley
“Great appetizers by various Native American authors.” There are 30 or so authors who have been included, some Lucy liked better than others. There were various themes such as folklore and life on the reservation, and in some stories the landscape takes on the role of a character.

Ohitika Woman, by Mary Crow Dog
“Everyone should read this to see their life.” Betty felt that by reading this book you could gain a better understanding of how the native people have been treated. Follow the life of Mary Crow Dog and see what happened to the Native American people, their issues with diabetes and alcoholism, and how they have lost their culture and their language.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
“There's a bitter-sweet flavor to this book - Sherman Alexie has a sense of self depreciating humor, the sort of humor I love.” This is a story of a boy who wants to go to the white school when he sees that his mother’s signature is in the history book he is using in class. It follows him through all the trials that ensue.

Code Talker, by Chester Nez
The autobiography of the last living Code Talker, who devised the actual World War II code. “It’s written as if you were sitting and talking to this man. Just a gentle voice all the way through this book. It’s a fascinating read that is very inspiring.” There were only 32 original Code Talkers.

Book review: The Butcher and the Vegetarian

Can meat eaters and vegetarians ever understand each other? That's what Tara Austen Weaver is forced to find out for herself when she, a lifelong vegetarian, is given doctor's orders to eat meat in order to address chronic health issues. The Butcher and the Vegetarian is Weaver's memoir of her meat-eating experiment, from her first perplexing visit to the local butcher shop, to a savory cooking session with a barbeque chef, to an exploration of small-scale meat producers, including a visit on "slaughter day." In an engaging and honest voice, she describes both her detailed objections to meat production and the luscious experience of eating well-prepared beef and pork, struggling to balance her desires to live ethically and to savor life through food. It's a well-rounded approach that has something to appeal to readers from both camps, and might even help them gain some understanding of one another. - Michelle (Sunset)