Tom & Alissa

After last month’s dismal showing of books, I really dug in this month. And here are the results, for February.

His Dark Materials: The Amber Spyglass - Philip Pullman
The conclusion to the His Dark Materials trilogy. Brilliant, and a bit horrifying if you don’t have a good grasp on the claims of the Bible. I don’t know if Pullman thinks he is really just writing fantasy, or if he believes what he’s writing (and I don’t really care that much - he’s a great writer and has a great imagination) - but the whole story falls apart when you remember insignificant details like, oh, Jesus. So, read and enjoy, but don’t get too sucked in. Much better writing than The Da Vinci Code. [4/5]

Self-Help - Lorrie Moore
I love Lorrie Moore’s writing (among others, Who Will Run the Frog Hospital). I’d read one of her stories recently in the New Yorker and it blew me away, so I pulled this off the shelf. Really great early work. You can see her playing with forms and experimenting with chronology. However, she’s a real downer, and every story is pretty much about men cheating on women (in her world, they all do), or about her mother’s decline. So, not exactly uplifting, but really great writing. I’d love to spin stories and shape phrases like her. [5/5]

Through Painted Deserts: Light, God, and Beauty On the Open Road - Donald Miller
I love Don Miller’s writing, but this is not my favorite of his. It’s the story of his roadtrip from Texas to Oregon, which pretty much shaped him as a person. Roadtrip stories have varying degrees of success, and this one starts to get tedious halfway through; still, it’s amusing in his signature style, and I was satisfied when it was finished. If you liked Blue Like Jazz, you’ll probably enjoy this book. [3/5]

Gilead - Marilynne Robinson
Brilliant Pullitzer-winning meandering fictional letter from a dying preacher to his small son. It takes some mental energy to read this book and some gumption to get through it, but I guarantee you’ll be glad you did. A must-read. [5/5]

Magnolia: The Shooting Script - Paul Thomas Anderson
P.T. Anderson is currently one of my heroes in the film world and I am always so inspired by his characters and the way he puts disparate stories together in very potent ways. Reading the script was almost better than seeing the movie, which is oddly one of the more redemptive stories I’ve ever seen on film, all about regret and forgiveness and the past. Recommended. [4/5]

The Book of Jane - Anne Dayton & May Vanderbilt
I can’t say too much as this doesn’t actually release until June. :) But, I will say that their writing and characters get better and better. I’ve read my fair share of chick lit and I think theirs is far and away better than much I’ve read. And, surprise surprise, you can be a Christian girl and live in a city and be cool and have fun! From the authors of Emily Ever After and Consider Lily. If you like chick lit (Christian or mainstream), I think you’ll like the book. [4/5]

Wonder Boys - Michael Chabon
Hysterical. I loved the movie and this is just an enhancement - the movie and the book are very similar, with whole sections of dialogue nearly identical. I picked this up on Monday afternoon and finished it Tuesday, and it’s a long book full of Chabon’s signature densely populated plots and characters. The main character is a pot-smoking bumbling philanderer with a genius for completely screwing up his life. But it’s a great book. [5/5]

Running With Scissors - Augusten Burroughs
Bought this in the airport on the way back from Pittsburgh and finished it when we touched down in New York City. Overall, I was disappointed. It’s twisted and foul, but not just that - I didn’t find it funny. It was weird, and dark, and nearly unbelievable (though I’m sure it’s not too far from life), but I didn’t see much humor (unless you think sexual or scatological humor is always funny). It’s definitely full of bizarre characters. Very well-written, but not recommended. [2/5]

I’m in the midst of a collection of short stories and novellas by Andre Dubus, and I’m hoping to read some Capote next month.