The Page Turner: Detroit, An American Autopsy

Am I ever excited to discuss this book! I know I've said this before, but

Martin ruined reading for me. Since reading the Song of Ice and Fire series

I have found most novels to be unimaginative, uninteresting, and bland. Lately,

I've found myself drawn towards real life stories, for as Mark Twain points

out: "Life is stranger than fiction, but it is because fiction is obliged to

stick to possibilities; Truth isn't."  Me reading this book was almost

inevitable - Paul has a certain affinity for Detroit. His love for the city began

as a child when he would don the Red Wings jersey and cheer for a team

miles from his own home. He recently took a trip to Detroit to see a game

in the Joe Louis Arena before they tear it down. So I've been listening to

the plight of Detroiters (from someone who sincerely believes that Detroit is

a victim) for years. I've also been seriously interested in the world in which

we now live in, a world of financial servitude. This book highlights the affects

of this, for when we live in an age of debt there will be problems. But I write

all this with compassion and love for humanity. If you're like me and you are a

child of knowledge, and want a bit of grit with your truth, then this book if for you!

Reasons to Read Detroit

1. If you're planning a trip to Detroit, this book will give you the

ins and outs of the city. For example, apparently it's not the

best idea to get gas on Gratiot Avenue. 

2. I was not aware that Detroit has such a multi-faceted

entertainment industry. The city offers plenty of things to do,

such as setting vacant houses on fire, urban adventuring,

and murder watching. Bored this weekend? Pack the kids

into that minivan and go watch a planned murder unfold. I

was astounded by all the crime that Detroit witnesses in

a year. In comparison, the city in which I live, Ottawa,

has around 200,000 more people than Detroit, yet in

2013 there were only 9 murders in Ottawa while in

Detroit the numbers were in the 300's. But even my

own city is experiencing an increase in crime, in 2012

we had seven murders. People, beware. I can't imagine

living in a city that murder is a common occurrence. I

even lived in a semi "bad" area of the city when I was in

university (I've witnessed a man beating his wife.  A coke

head tried to break into my friend's house next door via

the balcony because he had mistakenly thought it was his

drug dealer's house, which was the next unit over. And

our building was the target of arson). But that's just baby

talk in comparison to the daily events unfolding in Detroit.

3. If you're a follower of truth, this book is for you. I'm not

sure how much more honest LeDuff could be. Although,

my doubts about the "truthfulness" of our media, including

newspapers, is unwavering. As LeDuff puts it: "I love being a

newsman and I believe in the words carved in the sandstone

parapet of the News building : Troubler of the Public

Conscience. But that ideal had become as ossified as the

statue of Benjamin Franklin up there. From New York to

Los Angeles, American newspapers were yellow and stale

before they even came off the press. Dog-beaten by a dwindling

readership, financial losses and partisan attacks, editors had

stripped them of their personality in an attempt to offend no one.

And so there was no more reason to read them. Safety before

Truth. Grammar over Guts. Winners before Losers." 

4.  Despite all the crime, corruption, and evil that exists, not only in

Detroit but everywhere in the world, this book will reinforce the

idea that good does exist. Although, the path of good is not always

the easiest to walk. "When a well-packaged web of lies has been

sold gradually to the masses over generations, the truth will

seem utterly preposterous and its speaker a raving lunatic."

Dresden James

5. Journalists produce great books. This may not be the rule, but the

ones that I've read are wonderful to read. It must be the journalism

background and the use of all their attention-grabbing devices that

make these books captivating page-turners. Another good read to

check out is The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson.

6. (As they say) History often repeats itself. The story of a town or city

booming, gaining wealth, putting itself on the map as an important place,

and then the eventful downfall of that city or town. This usually happens after

the area has been depleted of its natural resources and wealth. New areas

with copious amounts of possible-riches must be sought. People move. 

The once never quiet city has now become a ghost town. Do we hope

that Mother Nature will be able to undue all the damage we have caused or

do we believe the world is large enough for all of our excessive desires?

On a positive note: the beaver, who had not been seen in the Detroit area

for a century, has been spotted once again.

The Page Turner: Difficult Men

Well, I kind of put my foot in my mouth, didn't I? I labelled myself a 

self-proclaimed book-aholic and then I don't touch a book for months.

I really showed you! I blame it fully and entirely on boredom in material

form: Kanthapura. I tend to really enjoy books set in India, but that one

was a total miss. So I had to bite the bullet and I joined the masses -

I am now one of those that don't finish books they start. Gasp. 

My reading slump thankfully came to an end and I'm back on the

train of enlightenment!  When I saw Difficult Men on my friend's

coffee table I immediately thought to myself:  Why thank you, Brett

Martin.  You seem to have a written a book with me in mind!

Reasons To Read Difficult Men:

1. After reading this book your confidence in the fact that TV

is more than just mere junk will be restored. Feel bad that

you're watching Breaking Bad instead of reading a book?

Don't! This book gives great insight into the deep intellectual

process of the shows we love. The fact that a lot of these shows

deal with economical issues -  how even the middle class

isn't fully secure and men who need to break bad in order

to keep themselves and their families afloat - insist that TV is

doing more than keeping society in a zombie-like state. Have

faith that not all TV is keeping the mind deactivated, rather we

have come upon an age of thought-provoking television shows.

2. I often find the lives of writers, and in this case show creators,

to be more interesting than the works they produce. Take the lives

of Ernest Hemingway, George Orwell, and Virginia Woolf for

example. This may have something to do with my fascination with

the world of artists. 

3.  If you're experiencing withdrawal symptoms after Breaking Bad, 

The Sopranos, Mad Men, The Wire, etc. has ended, 

this is a great way to get one last fix.

The next book will be Charlie LeDuff's Detroit. So far this book is

terrific and I can be found reading it in a binge-like manner.

The Page Turner: White Oleander

So. Here I am with book numero dos. I keep wondering
as to why I even started this thing, but I figure
it'll help me keep my reading up. Like so many things
in life, I don't read as much I used to nor as much
as I would like to. I'm hoping that I read a book
that you've read before and some conversation is
sparked! For this addition of Look, it's a Book
Ms. Fitch's novel is a little more well known than
the last one I covered - some of this is contributed
to Hollywood and Oprah I'm sure. 

Now, I don't want to be overly critical, because

I don't necessarily think this novel was lousy,

but I found it a little young for me. The only

reason I chose it anyways, was because it was

sitting on my shelf unread and I had nothing

else to undertake. That being said, the poetic

narrative was highly engrossing, which was what

saved me from putting it back on the shelf. 

You're going to see a pattern in my reading, that's

for sure. While I don't tend to stick to one 

genre, time period, or country for literature, I

have noticed a similarity in the books I've read.

There's something about the poor man's plight that

profoundly speaks to me. I myself come from a

relatively poor family and one could say there is a

sense of relation with the lower class characters

of the novels I read. In regards to this novel

specifically, while I've never been in foster

care I did spend part of my fifteenth year in a

group home. Although, Astrid, you had to deal with

drama I would never even want to wish upon my

worst enemy. *SPOILER* While I've never been shot,

living in a group home was not all peachy keen.

I remember most this girl named Olga; was she ever

miserable and did she ever torment me! Too many

times did I walk down the steps to my basement

bedroom to find my room in a state of a tornado's

aftermath. All my posters would be ripped off the

wall and thrown about the room in pieces. The drawers

of the dresser were taken out and my clothes were

strewn on the floor. Oh, and malicious Olga sure

did get a kick out of me mopping. She would come

and kick my bucket causing dirty water to spill

over the freshly cleaned floor. If only I had

little talking critters and I would be set to

star in my own Disney movie! It wasn't until

she threatened my life that she was removed from

 the home...How I hope you're chewing on some karma

now, Olga! I think there is some sort of self

satisfaction when you read about someone who has

a less than idea life. Well, maybe not exactly a

feeling of satisfaction, but you do tend to stop

being so harsh on yourself. Come on, anyone watch

Shameless? When I watch that show I instantly feel

as if my life is glamorous. 

You might be wondering: was it worth reading? 

Hmmm....if you're into that whole Lolita thing,

then yes. Personally, that book irked me beyond

belief. There's something about the loss of

one's innocence that deeply saddens me. If I

could forever wear my overalls riding my bike

with my sister pretending they were horses and

we were cowgirls, then I would. Life isn't like

that though. Girls grow up. We start to doubt

ourselves. My blonde hair, which had always been

a subject of compliment when I was young, was

dyed almost black due to the intense desire to

look like everyone else. I suppose I did take

something from this novel, which coincidentally

mirrors the last novel's theme: the empowerment

of women. Wouldn't my professors of my women's

studies classes be proud of me now! 

What will I be reading next?

Kanthapura 

by Raja Rao

A Page Turner: Frontier Spirit

     Today I'm going to try something a little different. I'm going to talk books. Some bloggers

     may share recipes and their accomplishments in the kitchen, but I can't cook. My sewing 

     isn't anything to brag about and the little garden on my balcony doesn't produce much at        all. But what I can do ladies, is read. So here I am, feeling like a fourth-grader during              show and tell, sharing with you my latest read. This won't be a lengthy book review or            anything, just a way to perhaps introduce you to something new and maybe get some              suggestions on what to read next. Not to mention what I read has a profound effect on me      and shapes the way I think, and subsequently, the way I dress!

     Although it was unintentional, I'm glad the book I'm starting with is Canadian - just like          moi! That may not seem like much, but we're surrounded by plenty of British and                    American authors, and sometimes our own writers don't get a chance to shine. While the        author, Jennifer Duncan, travels to the wild Yukon along with the historical females she          covers, I have never had the pleasure of visiting the northern part of Canada and                      therefore, must live vicariously through them. And I did. The entire time while reading          this book all I wanted to do was give up my worldly possessions and go live in the bush.          I'm sure Kobe would have no complaints there. The cat might though. 

    The book revolves around the Yukon Gold Rush of 1896 and the courageously                           adventurous women who wanted more out of life than what the role of mother and wife           offered. Like so many others at the time, they fell prey to the hysteria and the possibility       of riches. But seriously, the Yukon is freaking fracking cold! And I thought Ottawa was. I         haven't experienced cold until I experience -50  degrees Celsius weather. Mama N is all,         "No big cities here." And the stories of survival in this book put my abilities to shame. One     couple, after their rations had run out in the dead of winter, trekked for two days to their       nearest neighbor. On the way, the couple, their dogs, and their sled fell into the frozen             river, killing two dogs and adding pneumonia to their long list of worries.  And this was in         the 21st century.  And they were not native to the land, they decided to move                         there. Perhaps I'll visit the Yukon in the summer time. But if you're like me and unable to       take a trip up North then reading this book will give a little insight to a place many of us           never lay our eyes on. Okay, I hope you got a kick out of this or something. Nerd out.