Best Book of the Year?

I know it's only January, but I may have found my favorite book of the year already! I actually listened to it on audiobook, which was fabulous because Elizabeth Gilbert's voice is just so mellow and perfect for reading, Eat, Pray, Love (which, incidentally, I keep calling, "Eat, Love, Pray"). At any rate, the book's premise is this: a 30-something year-old New Yorker goes through a bitter divorce, depression, and general life questioning. She ends up on a three-country tour to find her spiritual identity. Italy is where she learns to eat again (she lost a lot of weight) and indulge in the pleasure of food and life. India is where she learns to pray, meditate, and find God while living in an ashram. And last, she ends up in Indonesia, specifically Bali, where she finds a balance between pleasure and prayer (I won't give away the complete ending).

I loved this book for many reasons. One, I am on a spiritual journey myself, to find what I believe, to learn to pray and meditate and discover my version of God. What I loved about Ms. Gilbert was her awareness that all religions and practices are just different paths to one endpoint. I can't quote directly at this moment, but I recall that she refers to a beautiful explanation (Hopi, I think) that religions are all different threads of the truth, which will eventually be part of one rope that pulls us all together. Or, as Pope Pius the XI, the Dalai Lama, and others state: our world's religions are just different rivers that all end up in the same ocean. So anyway, I am constantly becoming aware of different threads, or rivers, and finding beauty and truth in each one.

Second, I loved this book because her tone was so perfect for the audio version - it was low and mellow, sad and joyful, and not apologetic for her indulgences (which, as I've gathered from others, is something they did not like about this title). Finally, I enjoyed it because it made me appreciate and love all aspects of life - reminded me to stop and smell the roses - and to appreciate and love all people. Following A Year of Living Biblically, this was another winner! Four stars **** (out of four).

I was at work when I spied this title (Love the One You're With, by Emily Giffin (not Griffin - I'm always messing that up, too!). I liked her other works pretty well (Baby Proof, among others) so I grabbed this one. It was an easy read - passionate, realistic (relatively), and addresses that oft-burning question of, "the one that got away." Not bad - I could recommend this but won't go out of my way to tell others. Two and a half stars **1/2 (out of four), maybe three.

I'm reading Savvy, by Ingrid Law, at the moment. I actually picked it up several weeks ago but just found out that it made the 2009 Newbery honor list, so I figured I'd better hurry up and read it now before others requested it!

Finally. I finished a non-fiction spirituality book for the first time in months.
The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible As Literally As Possible.

A.J. Jacobs, writer for Esquire magazine and NPR contributor, caught me with the premise: to try to live "exactly by the word of the bible," for an entire year. Knowing the wacky things that the Bible often proposes (or at least the human's interpretation of its words) I was fascinated to see what Jacobs would find out. I loved the way he went into this so open-minded (for an agnostic, that is pretty good!), and what he took away from it. He especially opened my own eyes as to the Bible's words, and how easily they can be interpreted in so many ways, depending on the reader's intentions and beliefs. It just reinforced my own spiritual beliefs (which are constantly evolving anyway), that people create and find the religious practices that fit their needs, and find God in their own way and that none of these ways is "the only one truth." Of course, laughing out loud every few pages didn't hurt, either! My only concerns were the discussion of animal sacrifice and his experience with the kaparot, where live chickens are swung around your head and then slaughtered in front of you and other humiliating/disturbing practices. Still, four stars for the insight and humility! ****

I also finished Breaking Dawn, by Stephenie Meyer, which concluded the Twilight series. I think that this was my favorite out of the four, probably because Bella got married and got pregnant, two things I can relate to! I loved how Bella finally got vampire powers, a backbone, and an active role in what was going on around her. The conclusion was a little unsatisfying - lots of buildup and climax to a blah resolution, but Meyer isn't know for her fight scenes and honestly, isn't it good to have non-violent resolution to some things in life?? Three and a half stars *** 1/2

Slow Going

I feel like I've been reading every spare second of the day, but it seems that I've been reading lots of magazine articles and random chapters from non-fiction books more than I've been reading entire novels. Still, I've managed to get through two YA books over the past couple of weeks. Wish that they had blown me away, but can't say they did. First up, pictured above, was Boy Meets Boy, by David Levithan. This was on my "to read" list, given to me by my employer several months ago. Or maybe it was on my Challenged and Banned List. At any rate, I could see why it would make some people uncomfortable, as it discusses (gasp!) love between two homosexual boys. Of course, if you actually read the book, it is more of the platonic kind, with little more than kissing discussed. The point of the story is the strength this one boy finds in his sexuality, and the strength he brings to others who are still struggling with acknowledging their feelings (or struggling with parents who refuse to support or believe in them). It's a decent read - some humor, some depth, satisfying but not perfectly tied up ending. I'd give it three stars (out of four). ***

Then there's this new one, published just last year (but interestingly enough, published in France in 2005): A Bottle in the Gaza Sea, by Valerie Zenatti. It is the story of a teen Israeli girl who decides she's tired of the fighting and bombs, and puts a message in a bottle in the Gaza Sea, to try to contact a Palestinian girl and find out what they have in common. Instead, the bottle finds a teen boy (Palestinian) living in the Gaza strip. Billed as a modern day Romeo and Juliet, I had high hopes for this one, but little happens to the characters and little action actually occurs to invite suspense or create a climax. The author has the characters explain the history behind the Israeli-Palestine conflict, but sometimes it's too didactic. The teens communicate through e-mail and chat, which helps teens relate to the unusual setting (it is set in 2003) but the way that "fall" for each other is a little forced. Overall, I was disappointed - I was hoping to recommend this for our school-library teen book club next year. Two stars **
Meanwhile, I'm working on this adult non-fiction: A Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible As Literally As Possible, by A.J. Jacobs. I was on the hold list for a while, and since I've been reading (or skimming) so many other things, it's now almost due back and I'm not even a quarter of the way into it. But I'm determined to finish it this weekend. It is tongue-and-cheek at times, serious at others, and I can see that the author will be changed (not just physically - since he has to grow a FULL beard) but spiritually. It kind of mirrors my audio book of the moment: Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert (yup, still working on that). Well, that's it for now. Make sure to leave comments if you've read these titles - I don't need any more recommendations - yagh!

2009 Audiobook Challenge and Breaking Dawn

Last summer, I bought, "Eat, Pray, Love," by Elizabeth Gilbert, with the full intentions of reading it. I was feeling very spiritual (and wealthy) and so I splurged at Border's. However, I still hadn't gotten around to it (due to my ginormous YA "to read" list) when I saw the audio book version at the library where I work. I was in need of a new audio book for my (though short) drives around town and to work, and I thought this was a sign. Happily, I am thoroughly enjoying it - am on the 3rd disc in only two days- especially because of the author's voice. I normally find that authors who read their own books aloud just don't have the experience to do a stellar job, but Gilbert is stunning. Her voice is low and soothing, and I am caught up in her world of images, tastes, and desires every time I start the car. I am missing out on NPR, but I'll just have to (gasp) read the paper or check out CNN online when I am at the desk or at home. Can't wait to hear more! This is a perfect start to the 2009 Audiobook Challenge.

Meanwhile, I am finally posting those pictures of Charlie Swan, from the Twilight movie and (below) his look-a-like, Burt Reynolds. Eerie, huh?

And of course, I zoomed through Eclipse over Christmas and grabbed Breaking Dawn as soon as I could. I am totally hooked. This fourth book is by and far the best of the series. The switching of perspective between Bella and Jacob is a great way to keep from becoming too monotonous (as in New Moon) and it gives you a whole other take on Bella's actions. I can't put it down. It's one of those books that sucks you in and when you realize you have to stop, you are shaking your head, trying to clear it up and return to the real world. The first three were fine, but this one takes the cake...so far. I'm almost halfway through in 2 days!