Today's Read: Ask Me How I Got Here by Christine Heppermann

What if you were a teenager who was doing well at parochial school and enjoying a decent social life but ended up pregnant? All your choices are difficult, and each comes with consequences. Addie has no doubt she made the correct decision, but she is not the same girl she was before.

Public School Kids Always Ask

How do you meet guys
if you go to an all-girls school? . . .

Even if we brushed with garlic toothpaste
we couldn't keep the vampires away.

—Ask Me How I Got Here by Christine Heppermann (Greenwillow, 2016, p. 1, uncorrected ARC)

Quick Facts

• Setting: modern times, Minneapolis
• Circumstances: Addie, a cross-country track star, starts dating Nick, a nice guy who plays the bass in a band. Soon they give into their passions, resulting in Addie becoming pregnant. After taking a pregnancy test, she tells Nick and her parents she wants an abortion. Afterward, her views on school, track, and her old friends change, and she must figure out who is she now.
• Characters: Addie, a student at a Catholic high school; Claire, her friend and track rival; Nick, her boyfriend; various other classmates; her parents; her track coach; her English teacher; Juliana, an older girl who used to go to Addie's school
• Genre, audience, style: contemporary fiction; young adult with strong cross-over to adults; a novel in verse
• Themes: coming of age, finding one's self, making choices and living with them, friendship, dating, young love, family, relevancy of Catholicism
• Thoughts: Heppermann explores tough issues in a respectful, nonjudgmental way. The poems are short and address different aspects of Addie's life over the course of seven months as she transforms from a carefree teen to young woman with a revised self-image. Addie has no regrets, but she has definitely changed—for example, her life is no longer an open book: Who will she tell about her abortion? How can she explain her new attitude about running? What about her religious training? Does still want to date Nick?
• Recommendation: I read this all in one go, finding it difficult to put the book down. Later, I went back and read the poems more slowly, fully absorbing the words. No matter where you fall on the issue of a woman's right to choose, Ask Me How I Got Here will make you think. I loved it and recommend it without hesitation. Note too this would be a wonderful book club selection for adults and teens.

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6 Books to Put at the Top of Your Reading List

I truly love being a freelance book editor, but it does have one drawback. Each year as winter wanes, my workload becomes close to insane, which means I don't have the time or desire to devour books for pleasure. But that's okay because my reward come April is to immerse myself in all the great books. Here are six (in alphabetical order by title) at the very top of my must-read list.

• The Arrangement by Ashley Warlick is a novel based on the life of one of my favorite (food) authors, M.F.K. Fisher. In particular the story focuses on Fisher's deepening relationship with artist Tim Parrish, while she was still married to her first husband, Al. The background is Europe in the 1930s, and rumors of war are still a few years away. (Viking Books, Feb. 2016) • I credit Christine Heppermann with renewing my interest in poetry. Her Ask Me How I Got Here is a novel in verse about a young girl who has to make a difficult decision that will affect her future and her psyche. (Greenwillow, May 2016) • One of my favorite fantasy series (read and listened to in my prebogging days) is Lian Hearn's Tales of the Otori. I nearly squealed aloud when I heard she has another book coming out. Emperor of the Eight Islands is the first in a new fantasy / adventure series set in medieval Japan. (FSG, April 2016)

• I'm so curious about Jhumpa Lahiri's memoir, In Other Words, not just because I admire her work but because I'm interested in what she has to say about language itself and her decision to write only in Italian. How does an author make such a transition and how does it affect her craft? (Knopf, Feb. 2016) • When I first read Edna O'Brien, many years ago, I instantly connected to her writing style and her Ireland. The Little Red Chairs, her new novel, looks at love and desire in a small Irish village juxtaposed with contemporary violence and hatred. (Little, Brown, March 2016) • Just because Peter Geye's Wintering comes last in the list doesn't mean it's last in my mind. This is pretty much my absolutely most anticipated novel of the season. I'll be reading it on my first free afternoon. Can't wait to lose myself in the story: What happens after the elderly Harry Eide disappears from his sickbed, hightailing it for the northern Minnesota woods? (Knopf, June 2016)

What's at the top of your reading list?

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Best Books Read in 2015

Some years I make several best-of lists, separating out audiobooks from print and fiction from nonfiction. This year I'm making only one list, combing media and genres.

I know there are still a few weeks left in the year, and, yes, I may read my new favorite book tomorrow. Nevertheless, I'm posting today.

Note: I read the books in this list during 2015; the books were not necessarily published in 2015. Note too that these are the books I still remember and still think about, regardless of my overall review. Thus this is not simply a list of my most positive reviews. (Books listed in alphabetical order; links are to my review.)

• Blackout by Sarah Hepola (nonfiction): "This can't-stop-reading memoir gives alcoholism a context within Gen X sociocultural pressures and post-feminism expectations."
• Descent by Tim Johnston (fiction): "a complex psychological novel, studded with precisely balanced action."
• Kiss of Broken Glass by Madeleine Kuderick (poetry): "The power of Kuderick's words hit me hard, and I felt the truth of Kenna's story and the hope between the lines."
• The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins (fiction): "It's different, fresh, horrifying, and mesmerizing."
• Like Family by Paolo Giordano (fiction)" "A beautifully written slip of a book with an emotional depth that will capture your attention from beginning to end."
• Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf (fiction): "a look at the everyday life of two people trying to find a way out of loneliness while preserving their dignity and independence and honoring their pasts."
• Rywka's Diary by Anita Friedman & Rywka Lipszyc (nonfiction): "Beautifully and sensitively translated, Rywka Lipszyc's diary provides an eloquent and surprising perspective on life, hope, and faith in one of the worst of the Jewish ghettos."
• The Secret Wisdom of the Earth by Christopher Scotton (fiction): "Whether writing about the typical, goofy antics of teenage boys or the horrors carried out in the name of greed and intolerance, Scotton perfectly captures each scene."
• A Series of Small Maneuvers by Eliot Treichel (fiction): "This is less a survival in the wilderness story and more about a girl finding her way after her world is forever altered."
• A Step Toward Falling by Cammie McGovern (fiction): A respectful, realistic, and sensitive examination of ethical dilemmas and what it means to be disabled. (Review will appear here and on the AudioFile website.)
• Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt (fiction): "Just read the damn book. Seriously. And if you haven't read it since it first came out, consider a reread."
• Where Women Are Kings by Christie Watson (fiction): "a powerful, stunningly real novel. Put Christie Watson on your permanent must-read list."

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8 Books for Holiday Gift Giving 2015

I'm betting you and I share a few things in common, and I'm probably right when I say that one of those is our love of giving books to family and friends. Of the new releases that crossed my desk this fall, here are eight I thought would be perfect for gift giving. Take a look and see if there isn't something just right for the people on your holiday list.

For six years, Tyler Knott Gregson (a professional photographer) has written a daily haiku celebrating love. That's more than two thousand poems! The pieces in All the Words Are Yours, Gregson's second haiku collection, run the range from romantic to evocative. Some are hand-lettered and some are typed, and almost all are accompanied by one of Gregson's beautiful photographs. Give this small tome to someone special and share the positive energy. (Perigee, 9780399176005) Here's an example:

I have simple needs, / Just you and my morning tea, / The moment I rise.

Pamela Paul's collection of writers and other notable people talking about their reading life is now out in paperback, just in time for the holidays. By the Book contains interviews that originally appeared in the New York Times Book Review; they offer fascinating reading for inquiring literary minds. What are Neil Gaiman's reading habits? What writer would Elizabeth Gilbert like to meet? What kinds of stories call to Jhumpa Lahiri? (Picador USA, 9781250074690) Here's where Francine Prose likes to read:

The passenger seat of a car on the New York State Thruway, on a sunny day without much traffic.

Caitlin Kuhwald's Hillary Rodham Clinton Presidential Playset is just too much fun not to be a part of this list. You get dolls and three-dimensional sets of Bill, Hill, the White House, the Clinton enemies, the ghosts, and more. You can change their clothes and their facial expressions to act out a variety of scenarios for the Oval Office, situation room, or White House lawn. Imagine life with Hillary as president. The dolls are printed on thick card stock in full color, and the sets open up within the pages of the book. There's even a pocket in the inside cover to store your dolls. (Quirk, 9781594748318) This one is appropriate for your friends on both sides of the aisle--as long as they have a good sense of humor.

The Time Chamber is Daria Song's newest adult coloring book. This volume introduces us to a red-haired fairy who lives in a cuckoo clock. We get to accompany her on her adventures into the world of humans and see our everyday items from the perspective of a very small magical being. The pages range from intricate to simple and just beg for colorful embellishment. Although Song provides the beginning of the story, it's up to readers and artists to interpret the illustrations in their own way. (Watson-Guptill, 9781607749615) Don't forget to pick up a box of colored pencils or artists' markers to go with. Hours and hours of calming creativity for the teens and adults on your list.

Also new in paperback this fall is The Whaling Season by Peter Lourie. I love the books in the Scientists in the Field series, which are geared to middle grade readers but are appropriate for science geeks of any age. This amazing nonfiction adventure is packed with photographs, facts, and stories of what it's like to be an Arctic whale biologist, both in the field and in the lab. In one chapter we learn just how difficult it is to study whale anatomy (see the quote); the animals' shear size can be daunting. (Harcourt Brace, 9780544582415) Pick this up for your young scientist.

A forty-five-foot bowhead whale has a 450-pound heart. The bowhead aorta, the main artery that carries blood from the heart to the other arteries, is at least a foot in diameter. The average adult human's aorta is one and a half inches.

Here's a cool book: Andrew DeGraff's Plotted: A Literary Atlas. The pages of this book are chock-full of colorful maps showing us the worlds and/or the journeys we've learned about in all kinds of classic books, from Kafka to LeGuin. For example, DeGraff creates New York City from the perspective of Ellison's Invisible Man, the fictional warrens of Adams's Watership Down, and the U.S. South of Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn We see ships and ocean voyages and even the five stages of Dickens's A Christmas Carol. Each map or set of maps is introduced by a short essay (written by Daniel Harmon), identifying the original book or myth or poem or story. (Zest, 9781936976867). Engrossing browsing ahead for the literary set.

Baby boomers, Mad magazine fans, comics lovers, and cold war fanatics will all love Spy vs Spy, edited by John Ficarra. This volume collects 150 classic "Spy vs Spy" comic strips that were first published in the irreverent magazine. No matter your age, you'll find plenty to laugh at as the pointy-nosed spies attempt to thwart each other at every turn. They stop at nothing and will use every lowdown trick they can thing of. The cold war may be over, but East still fights West and spies are among us. Don't miss the short introduction by the comedian Lewis Black. (Liberty Street, 9781618931597) Children of boomers: here's the perfect gift for your liberal parents. This is also recommended to anyone you know who has a warped (in a good way) sense of humor.

The final suggestion on this list is Steve Turner's The Complete Beatles Songs. This large book contains stories, lyrics, history, and trivia about every song the Beatles ever recorded. (Note that the book doesn't include music or chords.) The text is accompanied by many photographs, some of which will be familiar and others that you may not have seen before. Turner describes the circumstances that inspired the songs, the meanings of the lyrics, and the interpersonal dynamics of the group as they went through the various stages of their career: the changing musical styles, the Eastern influences, and so on. (Dey Street, 9780062447340) This is a must-have addition to any music lover's library. Here's John looking back to 1963:

"I Want to Hold Your Hand" materialized when Paul came up with an opening line, then hit a chord on the piano. I turned to him and said, "That's it! Do that again!" In those days, we really used to absolutely write like that--both playing into each other's noses.

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Middle Grade Historical Fiction & Nonfiction: A Fall Roundup

As I mentioned earlier in the week, books written for the middle grade audience span the full range of genres and styles found in books for written for adults. I've already introduced you to this season's contemporary fiction and more fanciful fiction.

Before I get to the focus of today's post, I want to mention some classes of middle grade books I've omitted this week, simply as a way to narrow down my choices. I did not include books written for the youngest readers in this age group or those that are part of ongoing series. I also left out comics and books containing fun graphics.

Now let's turn to my last fall middle grade roundup: historical fiction, books in verse, and nonfiction. Enjoy!

Taking a Step into the Past

• The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelley Pearsall is about how 13-year-old Arthur paid for one careless act done while still grieving his father's death. Sentenced to work for the very trash picker he injured, Arthur learns that looks can be deceiving and beauty can be hidden beneath the junk. Loosely based on a real folk artist from the 1960s. Major themes: redemption, the importance of art, grief, and friendship. [Knopf, September]
• The Bamboo Sword by Margi Preus is set in 1850s Japan and introduces us to 13-year-old Yoshi, who dreams of being a samurai so he can fight the newly arrived Westerners. But when the realities of impending war catch up with him, Yoshi ends up befriending an American cabin boy who was separated from his ship This action-packed, well-researched story is illustrated with period Japanese art. Major themes: culture clash, prejudice, friendship, and 19th-century Japanese culture. [Amulet, September]
• A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen tells the story of a family that was caught on opposites sides of the Berlin Wall when it went up, virtually overnight, in 1961. Four years later, 12-year-old Gerta, her older brother, and her mother are living under suspicion in East Berlin; is there any hope for freedom? The book includes several period photographs. Major themes: freedom, living under the communist regime, and the personal side of politics and the cold war. [Scholastic, August]
• River Runs Deep by Jennifer Bradbury is set in 1842 and tells the story of 12-year-old Elias's stay in Mammoth Cave, at a kind of hospital that was supposed to cure him of tuberculosis. Elias undergoes much more than medical treatment as he learns of the cave's place in tourism and as a stop on the Underground Railroad. Loosely based on a real story and illustrated with maps. Major themes: 19th-century medical practices, slavery, and friendship. [Atheneum, September]
• I Don't Know How the Story Ends by J. B. Cheaney takes us to Hollywood as World War I is winding down and the movie industry is gearing up and where 12-year-old Izzy befriends a teenage filmmaker who recruits her and her sister as his stars. Izzy learns she has a knack for writing screenplays but has trouble seeing the future as long as her physician father, stationed in France to tend to the wounded, remains in danger. Major themes: family, war, the movie industry, and hope. [Jabberwocky, October]
• Another Kind of Hurricane by Tamara Ellis Smith is a story of loss and healing told by two boys, one from New England recovering from the death of a friend and the other from NOLA dealing with the after effects of Hurricane Katrina. When the boys meet, they bond, helping each other move forward. Major themes: loss, looking beyond class and ethnic differences, forgiveness, and hope. [Schwartz & Wade, July]

Stories Told in Verse

• House Arrest by K. A. Holt is a novel in verse about 12-year-old Timothy, who after being arrested for his only act of theft (for medical supplies for his brother) must serve a year under house arrest. His court-ordered journal tells his story of grief and anger over his much younger brother's illness and his father's desertion. Audience: older MG readers. Major themes: poverty, divorce, and taking responsibility for one's actions. [Chronicle, September]
• Enchanted Air by Margarita Engle is a memoir in verse that readers of all ages can relate to. Most of the very readable poems concern the things Engle sees, dreams of, and learns growing up in California and visiting Cuba before the revolution and cold war politics cut her off from half her family. Affecting, honest, and emotional. The book concludes with a timeline of cold war events. Major themes: culture clash, immigration, family, and personal side of politics. [Atheneum, August]

True Stories

• Somewhere There Is Still a Sun by Michael Gruenbaum (with Todd Hasak-Lowy) is the memoir of a Holocaust survivor who was incarcerated at the age of nine in a Czechoslovakian transport camp, where he remained for over two years. This age-appropriate story is told in the present tense, giving readers an immediate and personal sense of what it was like for a child to live under unimaginable conditions. Some photographs and family papers illustrate the book. Major themes: survival, will to live, humanity, family, and Nazi policies. [Aladdin, August]
• This Side of Wild by Gary Paulson is a short collection of true tales of the author's encounters with dogs, horses, and more both in the wild and at home. The conversational, informal style of these stories will capture the hearts of animal lovers of all ages. Illustrations and fun facts supplement the text. Major themes: animal behavior, appreciating nature, and adventurous curiosity. [Simon & Schuster, September]

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My Father

My father embraced and lived by the following poem, often attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson. He was a role model to almost everyone who ever met him. He was deeply loved by his family and will be missed by us every single day.

Whether this poem was really written by Emerson or not is of no consequence. . . . My father was a success in every way possible.

To Have Succeeded

To laugh often and love much:

To win respect of intelligent people

And the affection of children;

To earn the approbation of honest critics

And endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty;

To find the best in others;

To give one's self;

To leave the world a little better,

Whether by a healthy child,

A garden patch,

Or redeemed social condition;

To have played and laughed with enthusiasm

And sung with exultation;

To know even one life has breathed easier

Because you have lived . . .

This is to have succeeded.

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Review: Kiss of Broken Glass by Madeleine Kuderick

What to say. Basically I'm speechless, blown away. And apparently I love poetry (see my review of Poisoned Apples).

First, a personal note: I'm not a parent, and although I'm close to our nieces and nephews, I had no idea of the social pressure some kids feel to engage in cutting. I'm well aware of the issue but didn't realize the pervasiveness of the problem.

Madeleine Kuderick writes about how fifteen-year-old Kenna Kegan was put under mandatory psychiatric care for seventy-two hours (via Florida's Baker Act) after a classmate, who is also a cutter, reports her to school authorities.

Kiss of Broken Glass is a series of emotionally ripe poems that reveal Kenna's journey to addiction, not of drugs or drink, but of self-inflicted wounds. Problems at home and social pressures at school may be the precipitating factors, but are things any worse for Kenna than they are for other girls who don't have a driving need to feel something . . . more?

And the pain doesn't feel like pain
but more like energy
moving through my body
in waves.

Rushing.
  Cleansing.
      Pulsing.

Purging all the broken bits out of me
like a tsunami washing debris to the shore. (p. 65)

For Kenna, needing to belong, even to the Sisters of the Broken Glass, is stronger than the fear of being a nobody. After she is taken to the hospital, she is forced to confront her addiction, but what does mandatory psychiatric lock-up really do for a teen? Besides, can anyone really turn her life around in three days and six therapy sessions? There are no easy answers or tidy endings.

I couldn't stop reading Kiss of Broken Glass. The power of Kuderick's words hit me hard, and I felt the truth of Kenna's story and the hope between the lines.

Although Kiss of Broken Glass is fiction, Madeleine Kuderick based the story on the experiences of her own daughter, who succumbed to peer pressure and was involuntarily institutionalized under the Baker Act when she was caught cutting. The book gives us a lot to think about, including many questions surrounding the nature of Florida's law as well as the more obvious issue of why our kids are compelled to hurt themselves. Sometimes the answers are evasive.

Published by HarperCollins / HarperTeen, 2014
ISBN-13: 9780062306562
Source: Review (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)

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Best in Fiction: 2014

I know there are still two weeks left in December and I'm not done reading for the year, but I want to get my best-of lists up before everyone scatters for the holidays.

This year I have only two lists: fiction and nonfiction. I'm not making a separate audiobook list or food writing list.

Here are my top ten in fiction, in alphabetical order. Links lead to my reviews or blurbs. If there isn't a link, it's because I haven't yet reviewed the book. (Note: books read in 2014, not necessarily published in 2014.)

1. Nell Leyshon, The Colour of Milk (Ecco paperback, 2014): "beautifully written, almost lyrical in its pacing."
2. Tim Johnston, Descent (Algonquin, 2015): The tension is so exquisite it's almost unbearable.
3. Rene Denfeld, The Enchanted (HarperTorch, 2014): "A haunting novel that makes you think about what happens to children who have no protectors."

4. Lin Enger, The High Divide (Algonquin, 2014): "balances the wonder and dangers of the wilderness with a deeply emotional and complex psychological landscape."
5. Carrie La Seur, The Home Place (William Morrow, 2014): "about the complex ways home and place intertwine to make us who we truly are."
6. Colm Toibin, Nora Webster (Scribner, 2014): "[This] beautifully crafted novel is a testament to the importance of being true to oneself, even (or especially) during times of great change."

7. Peter Heller, The Painter (Knopf, 2014): "The stark prose and sharp descriptions [balance] us on the knife edge between beautiful and ugly, good and evil."
8. Christine Heppermann, Poisoned Apples (Greenwillow, 2014): "stark, beautiful, haunting, disturbing, and oh so very honest."
9. Bill Roorbach, The Remedy for Love (Algonquin 2014): "about what happens when two people who would have never normally met are thrown together under dire circumstances."
10. Elizabeth McCracken, Thunderstruck (The Dial Press, 2014): "a powerful, emotional collection that should be read slowly and savored."

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Review: Poisoned Apples by Christine Heppermann

In fifty short poems illustrated by haunting black-and-white photos, Christine Heppermann zeros in on the true messages we've been giving young girls for centuries and what those messages do to them.

Poisoned Apples is stark, beautiful, haunting, disturbing, and oh so very honest. Fairy tales and princess stories touch only the surface; no one talks about what happens after the wedding, the fate of the girls left behind, or how to become the chosen one.

Beauty, fashion, popularity, and sex appeal have the power to suppress the counterpressures to excel at school and work, to be respected for who we are, and to live our authentic lives. Heppermann exposes the contradictions and the dark side of waiting to be rescued by Prince Charming, who will likely be anything but.

The poems, which are based on the unrealistic expectations girls often carry with them past adolescence into young adulthood and beyond, address eating disorders, beauty and fashion, sexuality, men, feminism, and popularity and friendship. No hard-to-parse passages here; Heppermann's poetry is straightforward and strong. Poisoned Apples will help teens and women draw back the curtain of deception and let in the light.

Some passages:

It used to be just the one, / but now all mirrors chatter. / In fact, every reflective surface has opinions / on the shape of my nose, the size / of my chest, . . .

--"The Wicked Queen's Legacy"

Jill doesn't want me to feel bad. / Jill says Dylan isn't good enough for me. / . . . / Jill can't help it if Dylan asked her to the movie. / . . .

--"BFF"

She used to be a house of bricks, / . . . / She traded for a house of sticks, / . . . / Now she's building herself out of straw / as light as the needle swimming in her bathroom scale, / The smaller the number, the closer to gold, / . . .

--"Blow Your House In"

HarperCollins / Greenwillow Books, 2014
ISBN-13: 9780062289575
Source: Review (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)

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Imprint Small Press Friday: Graywolf Press

Welcome to a special edition of Imprint Friday which today is actually Small Press Friday. Although I usually celebrate new releases from my favorite imprints in this space, I thought I'd do something a little different and feature great reads from a great independent publisher: Graywolf Press. Take a moment to look through their catalogs and be sure to say congratulations on their 40 years in publishing.

I've been a fan of Graywolf for a long time, and I've always been impressed with their ability to consistently publish smart books that both entertain and make me think. And Graywolf doesn't just find the best in fiction, their poetry and short story collections, their memoirs and essays have grabbed my attention as much as their award-winning novels. Here are five books to put on your list.

I'll start with Vijay Seshadri's 3 Sections, which won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry. I haven't read this collection, but an article about Graywolf would be incomplete without bringing Seshadri to your attention. The poems touch on very contemporary subjects, making the pieces accessible to a wide range of readers. The first section is made up of shorter poems about modern society, life in New York, the perils of aging, and travel. I'm particularly interested in the second section, which is a longer poem about commercial salmon fishing in Alaska. It addresses both the beauty of the environment and the politics of the industry. Making up the bulk of the final section is a poem titled "Personal Essay," which explores, according to Publisher Weekly, "what it could mean to be personal, to be one person and not another, in this crowded age." The hardcover was published a year ago (ISBN: 9781555976620) and the paperback will be available in January.

The troubled characters in Robert Boswell's Tumbledown revolve around ambitious therapist James Candler, the soon to be director of the Onyx Springs Rehabilitation Center. Despite juggling his finances, putting up with a slacker temporary roommate, and second-guessing his upcoming marriage, Candler never forgets the clients who need his support. As we get to know the patients, who suffer from a variety of conditions, we ultimately realize that Candler, haunted by the memory of his older brother and pushed by his need to help others, has forgotten to take care of himself. Although the novel is sometimes funny, Boswell is respectful of mental illness and makes us think about what it takes to be able to function in modern society, what it means to be normal, and what happens when we forget to save ourselves. The hardcover came out last year, but the paperback will be available in September (ISBN: 9781555976866).

Jeffery Renard Allen's Song of the Shank is a novel about the real-life Thomas Green Wiggins, better known as the musical genus Blind Tom. What makes this story so incredible is that Tom, born into slavery, was not only blind but was also autistic. That he learned to play the piano and was allowed to pursue his craft despite his handicaps and color is in itself almost unbelievable. Allen imagines the life of the gifted and troubled pianist, filling in the details where the historical record is missing. We learn of the black child who performed for a president of the United States, the white woman who became his guardian, and the myriad others who either tried to exploit his talents or protect him from the evils of the world. Through Blind Tom's story, Allen takes us from the pre-Civil War South to the early 20th century, exploring the changing climate for American blacks and the particular dependency that was the lot of the talented pianist. Published this summer in paperback (ISBN: 9781555976804).

In Blackboard, Lewis Buzbee explores education in America from a number of perspectives. His treatise is not simply testimony to the negative effects of budget cuts, politics, unions, and technology; instead Buzbee looks deeper into his subject, considering everything from the way our schools are built to the subtle messages students pick up from their teachers. He brings his own experiences as both a student and a teacher to the table supplemented by what he learned from watching his daughter move through the system. He worries about the teacher-student ratio; teachers' salaries; society's respect for education; and the lack of funding for music, art, and libraries. Anyone who is bothered by the educational system's focus on tests and success and wishes that more time were devoted to encouraging the love of learning and to nurturing curiosity will appreciate this short, entertaining, and important book. Out in hardcover this month (ISBN: 9781555976835).

High on my reading list is Ru Freeman's On Sal Mal Lane, which made several top-ten lists when it was published last year. The novel is set in Sri Lanka in the late 1970s, during the period leading up to the country's long civil war. Through the families living on Sal Mal Lane, we see how the children's typical pursuits of love, sports, and friendship are affected and influenced by the building political tensions and cultural attitudes of their parents. Almost every reviewer mentioned how beautiful and moving Freeman's prose is, as she explores the divisions--socioeconomic, religious, and emotional--that are brought into sharp focus as war becomes inevitable. The novel brings these issues down to the personal level as the ripples of a country's larger concerns eventually reach even a quiet street inhabited by ordinary people, whom we have come to know intimately. Out now in paperback (ISBN: 9781555976767).

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Featuring . . . Newspaper Blackout by Austin Kleon

This Friday and every Friday for the next several months I'll be featuring a book in the Harper Perennial Imprint. Some were recently published, some will be released later this year, all are worth a closer look.

Do you remember the buzz about Austin Kleon's Newspaper Blackout from early this summer? I was (am) so intrigued with this concept: Kleon takes a small portion of the newspaper and scans it for words and phrases that speak to him. Then he takes a marker and blacks out all the words he doesn't need, creating a poem.

Here's how the publisher describes Newspaper Blackout:

Poet and cartoonist Austin Kleon has discovered a new way to read between the lines. Armed with a daily newspaper and a permanent marker, he constructs through deconstruction—eliminating the words he doesn't need to create a new art form: Newspaper Blackout poetry.

Highly original, Kleon's verse ranges from provocative to lighthearted, and from moving to hysterically funny, and undoubtedly entertaining. The latest creations in a long history of "found art," Newspaper Blackout will challenge you to find new meaning in the familiar and inspiration from the mundane.

Newspaper Blackout contains original poems by Austin Kleon, as well as submissions from readers of Kleon's popular online blog and a handy appendix on how to create your own blackout poetry.

On the surface, it seems as if it would be easy to create a blackout poem, but I didn't find the process to be simple. I love the visual impact of the poems, the white boxes around the words, their placement on the page, and the great void all around. I also liked the range of poems found in this collection, from funny to profound.

Be warned, however, that you'll be motivated to try your hand at creating your own poetry once you become familiar with Keon's work.

Here are three blogger reviews; each captures a different aspect of the book.

• In her review, Dawn from She Is Too Fond of Books expressed respect for the talent required to create this type of poetry. Her review also includes a fun and informative video (well worth watching).
• What I liked about Vassily's review, from 1330V, is that she spent a bit of time introducing the concept of found poetry. I hadn't realized that it was an established art form. She also noted that the poems would have broad appeal.
• The review on Word Lily's blog includes some scans of the poems found in the book. After a slow start, she ended up finding the narrative path of the collection, although not all poems were to her liking.

Kleon's most recent poem (found on here) was posted on his blog a couple of weeks ago. I reproduce the words here, but to truly appreciate Kleon's work it is necessary to see the physical layout of the words. I encourage you to visit his blog:

oh
the
megachurch
music
I don't
want to go

Most of us have felt that way once or twice, haven't we? Update: check out this link to see what poems others have found in their newspapers (thanks, Austin!)

This book was featured as part of my Spotlight on the Harper Perennial imprint. For information about the imprint, please read Erica Barmash's welcome note posted here on June 18, 2010. I encourage you to add your reviews of Harper Perennial books to the review link-up page; it's a great way to discover Good Books for Cool People. See the alphabetized review index to see what others are saying. And don't miss the The Olive Reader, the Harper Perennial blog.

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Published by HarperCollins / Harper Perennial, 2010
ISBN-13:9780061732973

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