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CONTENDERS FOR THE NEXT BIG READ
Well, here are the books that the Big Read committee are mulling over for the next communitywide reading event in the Dayton area, in the winter and early spring of 2009.
They’re asking for feedback! Have you read any of these? Does one sound good to you?
It’s a tasty-looking, thought-provoking list. These descriptions are provided by the review committee, which has come up with this list of final contenders after reading and discussing dozens of other fine books.
FYI, I haven’t read any of these yet personally, though I’ve read other books by a lot of these authors and have read reviews of most of them. Have a look and tell us what you think:
Bragg, Rick, All Over But the Shoutin’ or The Prince of Frogtown: A Pulitzer Prize-winning correspondent for The New York Times recounts growing up in the Alabama hills, the son of a violent veteran and a mother who tried to insulate her children from poverty and ignorance.
Brooks, Geraldine, People of the Book: Offered a coveted job to analyze and conserve a priceless Sarajevo Haggadah, Australian rare-book expert Hanna Heath discovers a series of tiny artifacts in the volume’s ancient binding that reveal its historically significant origins. By the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of March.
Dean, Debra, Madonnas of Leningrad: In a novel that moves back and forth between the Soviet Union during World War II and modern-day America, Marina, an elderly Russian woman, recalls vivid images of her youth during the height of the siege of Leningrad when, as a tour guide at the Hermitage, she and other staff members removed the museum’s priceless artworks for safekeeping.
Hosseini, Khaled, A Thousand Splendid Suns: Two women born a generation apart witness the destruction of their home and family in war-torn Kabul, losses incurred over the course of thirty years that test the limits of their strength and courage. By the author of “Kite Runner.”
Lahiri, Jhumpa, The Namesake: A Novel: A portrait of the immigrant experience follows the Garguli family from their traditional life in India through their arrival in Massachusettes in the lat 1960s and their difficulties melding into an American way of life.
Martel, Yann, Life of Pi: Possessing encyclopedia-like intelligence, unusual zookeeper’s son Pi Patel sets sail for America, but when the ship sinks, he escapes on a life boat and is lost at sea with a dwindling number of animals until only he and a hungry Bengal tiger remain.
Mengestu, Dinaw, Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears: This year’s title for Seattle Public Library, “sounds interesting, but hard”. Seventeen years after fleeing the Ethiopian revolution to America, Sepha Stephanos runs a grocery store in a poor African-American neighborhood in Washington, D.C., where he witnesses a series of racially charged incidents and bitterly reflects on his past and the differences between his actual prospects and the life he imagined.
Mortenson, Greg, Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace…One School at a Time: Some failures lead to phenomenal successes, and this American nurse’s unsuccessful attempt to climb K2, the world’s second tallest mountain, is one of them. Dangerously ill when he finished his climb in 1993, Mortenson was sheltered for seven weeks by the small Pakistani village of Korphe; in return, he promised to build the impoverished town’s first school, a project that grew into the Central Asia Institute, which has since constructed more than 50 schools across rural Pakistan and Afghanistan. Coauthor Relin recounts Mortenson’s efforts in fascinating detail, presenting compelling portraits of the village elders, con artists, philanthropists, mujahideen, Taliban officials, ambitious school girls and upright Muslims Mortenson met along the way. As the book moves into the post-9/11 world, Mortenson and Relin argue that the United States must fight Islamic extremism in the region through collaborative efforts to alleviate poverty and improve access to education, especially for girls. Captivating and suspenseful, with engrossing accounts of both hostilities and unlikely friendships.
Picoult, Jodi, Nineteen Minutes: In the aftermath of a horrific small-town school shooting, lawyer Jordan McAfee finds himself defending a youth who desperately needs someone on his side, while intrepid detective Patrick DuCharme works with a primary witness in the daughter of the superior court judge assigned to the case.
Rhodes-Courtier, Ashley, Three Little Words: Ashley spent nine years in foster care after being taken away from her mother. She endured many caseworkers, moving from school to school, manipulative, humiliating and abusive treatment from one foster family. See how she survives and eventually thrives against the odds.
Weiner, Eric, Geography of Bliss: Part foreign affairs discourse, part humor, and part twisted self-help guide, this book takes the reader from America to Iceland to India in search of happiness, or, in the crabby author’s case, moments of “un-unhappiness.” The book uses a mixture of travel, psychology, science and humor to investigate not what happiness is, but where it is. Are people in Switzerland happier because it is the most democratic country in the world? Do citizens of Singapore benefit psychologically by having their options limited by the government? Is the King of Bhutan a visionary for his initiative to calculate Gross National Happiness? Why is Asheville, North Carolina, so darn happy? NPR correspondent Weiner answers those questions and many others, offering travelers of all moods some interesting new ideas for sunnier destinations and dispositions.
Zusak, Markus, The Book Thief: Living with a foster family in Germany during World War II, a young girl struggles to survive her day-to-day trials through stealing anything she can get her hands on, but when she discovers the beauty of literature, she realizes that she has been blessed with a gift that must be shared with others, including the Jewish man hiding in the basement.
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Comments
By Cheryl
June 30, 2008 2:20 PM | Link to this
I’ve just finished reading People of the Book, and absolutely loved it. There are lots of themes there for discussion, however, I often felt I needed a dictionary at hand. Madonnas of Leningrad has one very similar theme, that of the preservation and protection of works of artistic value during times of war, but is a little less “dense” in material. However, my all around fave choice would be Life of Pi. I really want to discuss that one! I want to hear how other people interpreted me the ending.By Cheryl
June 30, 2008 2:20 PM | Link to this
I’ve just finished reading People of the Book, and absolutely loved it. There are lots of themes there for discussion, however, I often felt I needed a dictionary at hand. Madonnas of Leningrad has one very similar theme, that of the preservation and protection of works of artistic value during times of war, but is a little less “dense” in material. However, my all around fave choice would be Life of Pi. I really want to discuss that one! I want to hear how other people interpret the ending.By Library Patron
June 29, 2008 2:59 PM | Link to this
I would suggest “The Revelation of John: A Spiritual Novel” by Charyl Miller Pingleton.By liz
June 29, 2008 11:13 AM | Link to this
I would like to read Three Cups of Tea.By Mandy
June 28, 2008 5:03 PM | Link to this
I would like to see Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult get the nomination.By Mandy
June 28, 2008 5:03 PM | Link to this
I would like to see Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult get the nomination.By Kat
June 28, 2008 4:41 PM | Link to this
Anything by Rick Bragg is well worth reading.By Sherry
June 27, 2008 1:35 AM | Link to this
Life of Pi left me greatly disturbed. The “journey” that seemed to be taking place had a very slow pace at times and the end result was revolting. I’d rather read how someone died with convictions and principles than how they compromised values to survive. I would not recommend this one for wide appeal.By elr
June 26, 2008 4:15 PM | Link to this
The Madonnas of Leningrad is a great book but seems to be consistently overlooked. The story of an elderly former docent at the Hermitage during the siege of Leningrad in WWII and her current struggle with Alzheimer’s is compelling and beautifully written. Her “memory palace” consisting of works of art in the museum helped her survive the hardships of the siege and now help her cope with her descent into the memory loss of Alzheimer’s. The book makes the reader think about survival amid devastation, love, and the role of art/beauty in our lives as well as the realities of watching the decline of aging parents. Well worth the read.By elr
June 26, 2008 3:52 PM | Link to this
The Madonnas of Leningrad is a great book but seems to be neglected or overlooked. The story of this elderly former docent at the Hermitage during the siege of Leningrad in WWII and her current struggle with Alzheimer’s is compelling and beautifully written. Her “memory palace” involving the works of art in the museum sustained her throughout the siege and in turn provides comfort as she copes with her descent into the memory loss of Alzheimer’s. The book makes the reader think about survival, love, and the role of art and beauty in our lives along with the difficulties of watching the decline of aging parents. Well worth the read.By Ruth
June 25, 2008 3:48 PM | Link to this
I would recommend “People of the Books” after recently enjoying this book. Love her books. Geography of bliss was humorous but not a great read.By Kate
June 24, 2008 2:21 PM | Link to this
I have read several of these books and would recommend Life of Pi. I thoroughly enjoyed it but am not sure if I got all that I could from it, so I would enjoy discussing it. I have also read Three Cup of Tea (would enjoy hearing Mortensen speak, but don’t feel there was much left unsaid in the book), One Thousand Splendid Suns (might be too heavy), and Nineteen Minutes (might be too light). All of the other books on the list are books I would like to read.By Connie S.
June 23, 2008 2:30 PM | Link to this
The only one I have read is A Thousand Splendid Suns. It was a fascinating and in some ways horrific story. I would recommend it but since the last Big Read was Funny in Farsi, maybe it is culturally too similar. Of course, one is a comedy of sorts and the other definitely not.By Kathy
June 22, 2008 10:44 AM | Link to this
Nineteen Minutes, Life of Pi or The Book Thief would be my choices from the list.By Kathy
June 22, 2008 10:43 AM | Link to this
Nineteen Minutes, Life of Pi or The Book Thief would be my choices from the list.By Andi
June 21, 2008 8:53 PM | Link to this
I’ve read several of these, but my absolute favorite is Life of Pi, hands down. This title will appeal to a wide range of ages & backgrounds while still broadening perceptions & intruducing culture, philosophy, & religion. The questions raised - (what really happened? how does one reconcile the religious ideas that the main character voices? what does all the symbolism actually represent?) - would provide excellent fodder for discussions at book clubs. Plus, it’s a simply gorgeous tale, bound to become a classic!By Margie
June 20, 2008 2:39 PM | Link to this
Brief comments: I like anything Geraldine Brooks writes; she is excellent. Am currently reading her YEAR OF WONDERS and have also read MARCH. Superb writer. Life of PI is very odd and still to this day I question some of what that was all about. Thousand Splendid Suns – another excellent author and heartwrenching story. The man knows how to write and tell a very compelling story. Three Cups of Tea – inspiring, wonderful story of how one person can indeed make a huge difference in the lives of others. All Over but the Shoutin’ – love the way he writes, so real. You FEEL what he is saying as well as reading it. People are NOT stuck where they start. They can get an education, move on and be very successful. He knows how to tell a story, sort of like Frank McCourt. Book Thief – A very different take on the Holocaust. Though it is cataloged here as a Y book it was originally released as an adult read in Australia. Truly excellent and thought-provoking.By Rick
June 20, 2008 2:38 PM | Link to this
I would like to recommend the Book Thief by Markus Zusak. The Book Thief is a great read and I think the point of view in the story, a displaced German girl living in a small town during WWII, enduring everyday hardships, and seeing firsthand the tragedy of the Holocaust and the war gives the reader powerful insight into what the average German citizen was witnessing in Nazi Germany. Also this is a great cross-over book, appealing to both young adults and older readers as well.By Jo Ellen
June 20, 2008 2:33 PM | Link to this
I’m reading People of the Book right now. It is excellent, but I haven’t read enough to give you much on why it would be good for the Big Read. I also read Life of Pi, which was excellent as well. It is a book that you don’t forget.. and it lends itself to discussion well, though maybe not in any larger social issues type context.By Lauren
June 20, 2008 2:29 PM | Link to this
Of these books I have read “People of the Book” “Three Little Words” “Life of Pi” and “A Thousand Splendid Suns.” I loved all these books, but I would say that I definitely think Life of Pi would reach the largest audience.By Carol
June 20, 2008 2:23 PM | Link to this
I listened to A Thousand Splendid Suns. It is well written, very interesting from a sociological, cultural perspective. Not easy to listen to because it is so intense. It pulls on your emotions because of the extreme cruelty and brutality women were expected to tolerate in the Afghan culture. It’s also tender to see the relationship build between the 2 main characters.By Brenda
June 20, 2008 2:21 PM | Link to this
Oh what wonderful choices!!!!!! I am half-way through Geraldine Brooks’ book People of the Book and it is wonderful. But things to discuss, hmmmm… . I don’t know. The Little Heathens is also wonderful. I got half-way through it but then had to return it because of requests on it. It is terrific and would appeal to the older readers who might remember such times. With times as they are right now, and problems in the economy, there are so many lessons to be learned from how people survived the depression. I have long been fascinated with that era, and want to learn from that generation. I would vote for either of these books, although this second one might have more to discuss. One consistent comment I got from my book group about Funny in Farsi was that there wasn’t enough to discuss in it. It was a funny, light read and everyone was glad to read it. But there were no conflicts to conquer or puzzle through and that sort of thing. I am certain that the Thousand Splended Suns would be a great one to read, but being as the last Big Read was related to the Middle East, some people might be put off by another one although the Middle East is in everyone’s consciousness. The Book Thief is on my own personal list of things to read – I have had it recommended by several people whom I respect. So it would be another terrific choice. Lots of good opportunities to discuss the freedom of ideas. I tried the Geography of Bliss, but it didn’t appeal to me. It seems like a good idea, but was a bit too hedonistic for my own personal taste. I know the purpose of the BigRead is for wide appeal and good universal conversation across communities. And I am not sure this book would hit that nail on the head.By Connie
June 20, 2008 2:17 PM | Link to this
I enjoyed Little Heathens very much and it would make for interesting inter-generational discussions, but enough with women’s memoirs, already!By Ann
June 20, 2008 2:13 PM | Link to this
The only one I’ve read is Three Cups of Tea. That would be a good one, because I think it would appeal to a wide audience. The author might even come give a lecture or presentation at some time. He talks about doing that in the book. I gave a copy to my dad and he was so impressed he went to hear Mortenson speak. Generally, I think Nonfiction is a good choice for this sort of book selection.By Greg
June 20, 2008 2:09 PM | Link to this
I strongly endorse both The Namesake and Life of Pi. Both are great reads and well written, and have pretty universal themes.By Carol
June 20, 2008 2:07 PM | Link to this
I strongly endorse both The Namesake and Life of Pi. Both are great reads and well written, and have pretty universal themes.By victor mickunas
June 20, 2008 10:22 AM | Link to this
LIFE OF PI would have a broad appeal. We need to encourage our young people to read and this book about a young boy lost at sea with a huge tiger on a raft would be a sure hit with our youth. Hosseini’s KITE RUNNER is far superior to his 1000 SPLENDID SUNS and it has been used with great success in other reading programs all over the country. Would Hosseini show up in Dayton? Probably not. On the other hand PEOPLE OF THE BOOK would make a lovely mainstream choice. The author, Geraldine Brooks, was a war correspondent in Sarajevo so the novel has certain autobiographical aspects-she lived it- AND she is absolutely fabulous in person!By Tim
June 20, 2008 9:04 AM | Link to this
Three cups of tea came up as a recommendation in a recent discussion I had with a group of others readers. It definately has more weight that the most recent Big Read title. I know there is a desire to appeal to high school age students but I also know some adult book clubs are looking for something more substantial.By Cindy
June 20, 2008 7:59 AM | Link to this
I read A Thousand Splendid Suns and have recommended it to many friends. It should definitely be included on your list.By bj
June 19, 2008 11:40 PM | Link to this
A Big Read needs to appeal to high school students as well as adults out of school. Three Cups of Tea has some interesting aspects in regards to youth maturing. Our main character models a passion for life and living on the edge in his quest for mountain climbing adventures. He describes a relationship that does not work for him. At times he lives in his car as he cannot afford the California priced rent. Eventually he meets a soulmate and marries her within a few weeks. And then there is his maturing into the responsibility to a wider world. Above all else, he models being true to finding yourself and following your dreams. He models going on after failure. Of couse there is the look at education and lack of education in another part of the world, a look at the status of women in another part of the world, amazing cultural details far removed from Dayton, Ohio, a glimpse into the hearts of people in another land that can only enrich those reading about it and thinking about it. Mortenson strips away pretense and shows how alike we all can be and how rich the world can become when we share meaningfully with others. How much fun could a teacher have with possibilities for discussion in this title? I would think a lot.By Suzanne
June 19, 2008 3:50 PM | Link to this
Three Cups of Tea continues to garner a lot of interest nationally - the trade paperback is selling in third place nationwide, according to Publishers Weekly June 9th edition.By Christi
June 19, 2008 2:38 PM | Link to this
I think Life of Pi would be a great Big Read title. Nineteen minutes sounds good - can’t wait to read some of these titles!By Wil Marcus
June 19, 2008 1:38 PM | Link to this
Nineteen Minutes would get lots of interest and Jodi Picoult would be a huge draw, for teens and adults. Great choice! Also, Geography of Bliss sounds interesting and Three Cups of Tea could be great for community discussion. The author is doing amazing things and sounds like someone I would like to meet.By Shawna
June 19, 2008 10:01 AM | Link to this
I have read Madonnas of Leningrad (fiction) and Three Cups of Tea (nonfiction). Both are very good books. The Book Thief sounds like it promotes literacy, which is what we want to do with the Big Read.