Wolf Hall--Book Ten

Wolf Hall

By Hilary Mantel

Henry Holt and Company

Winner of the 2009 Man Booker Prize

I'm going to like this one. I know what's going to happen -- Henry VIII is a central character even if he's not the THE central character. Rather, this book tells the story of the men around Henry: lots of Thomases: Cromwell, Cardinal Wolsey, More. Even Anne Boleyn's father is a Thomas. Gotta pay attention to keep them all straight.

Cromwell is at the center. A frightened, abused boy on page one, he's become a learned man who knows the New Testament by heart (at a time when reading the Bible just wasn't considered acceptable) and who knows how to handle the sensitive and powerful men around him. He's married well and has a loving family -- so different from the violent father he knew.

I like the perspective -- the politics of church and state, the pragmatism of needing a male heir, the mix of Spanish and English royalty in the royal court, the images of a London so different from the city I've seen. Thomas More is no saint here, more of a bully insisting upon pain of death that his fellow Englishmen abide by church law. It's a far different point of view than I've seen before. (Let's hear it for separation of church and state--thank you founders of my home state for your experiment in freedom of conscience.)

It's a thick, heavy book about an exceedingly difficult time. I'll be with all those Thomases for a long time.

After You've Gone--Book 9

After You've Gone

By Jeffrey Lent

Atlantic Monthly Press

This is not the cover of the book I read. My daughter, seeing the image of a woman lying across a red book cover, asked, "WHAT are you reading?!" I heard the shock in her voice. It was a totally inappropriate cover for a charming if terribly sad book.

Yes, once again, I've read a sad book. Beautiful, though. This was a carefully written character study of a man going through grief. Not only did he miss the wife he had loved so well, he missed love. So he went to Amsterdam to take cello lessons after quitting the job he'd loved at a small women's college. Isn't that what we all want to do when faced with loss?

I liked this character for his response to the new woman in his life. I liked him for his newfound interest in the cello and his admiration for his cello teacher -- I even identified with this since I have been taking piano lessons. But from the beginning I knew it would be sad. It had to be; I knew it was about grief. But it only got sadder and sadder. And wrapped up in the final pages of the book -- I couldn't put it down in the final chapters -- I braced myself. I knew it would end in tragedy. The books I've read this year have been filled with tragedy. Why would this one be any different?

A final thought. I'm sick of reading these sad books. Thank you Washington Post for your list of 2009's best books but I'd really have enjoyed a bit of wry humor, a sentimental journey, a lesson learned, a moment of triumph over difficulty. Yes, I'll keep reading but there's no way I'll ever get through the whole list. I'm going to start tossing aside the really sad ones unless a character draws me in.

How I Became a Famous Novelist Book--LOL

Really and truly -- LAUGH OUT LOUD!

Finally a book that entertained me. A jaded look at the publishing business, it ended perfectly. I laughed all the way to the last page -- except for the lecture by a writer the author didn't like. And he was great, explaining what he was trying to do when he wrote his books. I honestly didn't know whether this was for real or more satire. And that's why I really liked it. Every single page. Hurray for a funny book.

How I Became a Famous Novelist Book 8, I think

How I Became a Famous Novelist

by Steve Hely,

Black Cat, publisher

If Holden Caulfield got a bogus job writing essays for some lame students applying to lousy Ivy League colleges or some crap like that, he'd write this novel. I admit it's been some time since I read Catcher in the Rye (I should read it again, RIP JD Salinger), but I think Steve Hely has read it recently. He's got the tone down perfectly: smart, smart-alecky, maybe even wise, though I'm not sure yet.

But this is a funny book. A cynical look at book publishing and novel-writing and the whole literary scene. I'm loving every badly-written, carefully-punctuated sentence. As he observes, so does he write. I didn't actually notice that at first but my astute literature-loving daughter who's also reading this book, showed me and I am the richer for it. Well, it's making the read even more fun.

Wanting -- Book 7

Wanting

By Richard Flanigan

Atlantic Monthly Press

By the time I had finished the biography of Louis Armstrong, Pops, I was ready for Wanting -- a book with Charles Dickens at the center.

But, ugh, it is so full of ugliness I can't bear it. Already this year I've seen plenty of ugliness -- even poor Pops had his share of sadness, ugliness, violence. But this -- a story of everything from disappointment to cannibalism -- no, I can't. I don't really know how Charles Dickens figures in this dreary tale yet -- but even he is miserable. He's successful, surrounded by family -- and he's disappointed by his wife, bereaved by the death of his youngest child -- and I can't bear it.

It is so miserable after reading Pops. I had no real opinion of Satchmo before I read this biography and there were plenty of times I grew bored with the tedious explanations of his music -- not a trained musician, it meant nothing without a soundtrack. But he was an interesting character, not a saint, but an interesting character with a lot of passion. Now I want to listen to his music.

But I can tell I won't want to reach for David Copperfield after reading Wanting. I may never want to reach for a Dickens book again if I keep reading this awful tale.

I tried. It's the second one I've put down. I gave The Museum of Innocence back to the library rather than finish it. Too many other books, aren't there? How I Became a Famous Novelist, by Steve Hely, is waiting.

Pops--This book needs a sound track

Dear Mr. Teachout,

I am really enjoying your biography of Louis Armstrong. I cannot get over his passion, his single-minded desire to blow his horn no matter what. Gangsters don't bother him. Unsavory characters in his life are of no concern. He doesn't even care if the musicians he plays with aren't up to his talents. Not even the nastiness of segregation seems to get him down (though he clearly feels it) He just wants to blow his horn and make music.

He's not perfect, mind you. I appreciate the efforts of this good man in spite of all the hurdles he faced.

But what I really want is to hear his music. I am familiar with very little of what you're writing about, Mr. Teachout. I don't know the difference between syncopation, bebop, big band and Dixieland. I would if I could hear it I think.

So here's what I suggest. An audio book with a sound track. I'll order it the minute it's ready. The book is really interesting to read -- a soundtrack would make it great.

Thanks.

Pops--Book 6

Pops, A Life of Louis Armstrong

By Terry Teachout

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston/New York

Mardi Gras today! But my head and imagination have been in New Orleans since last week when I started reading Pops. I've only read 45 pages but have discovered a determined little kid seeking greatness without knowing it. Born to an indifferent mother and absent father in terrible poverty with violence all around him, he managed to be strong, musical and proud. He was only a teenager when he felt compelled to spend his days earning money the hard way for his family and spend his nights blowing a horn and earning money the way he wanted. He was such a responsible kid he'd adopted his orphaned cousin. Partly his character was formed in the Colored Waifs Home where he spent time for stealing newspapers (which he may or may not actually have done) and found a mentor who encouraged his music. But mostly his character was something he developed from the inside out. At least that's the story so far.

I can't help but be impressed with the young Louis (And it's Louis--Lewiss, not Louie. He's not French, he would tell people.) And I can't wait to learn more about him.

I have moved from fiction to biography with this book -- and I'll go right back to fiction after this one. I couldn't resist a story about Louis Armstrong set at least in the beginning in one of my favorite cities.