I love it! I finally took the time to clean out my Goodreads account. I’ve had an account for well over a decade (possibly even close to two), but I have rarely used it to keep track of my reading or anything else. When I first joined, I started to use it to catalog my books. At the time, torn between Goodreads and LibraryThing, I didn’t realize that both websites were created with very different intentions. Goodreads aims to connect readers, help readers keep track of their reading, and serve as a true social media platform for readers. LibraryThing, on the other hand, is meant to help people catalog their book collections. They have also cataloged famous personal libraries and annually hosts one of my favorite Christmas traditions – SantaThing. Basically, SantaThing is similar to a secret santa for book lovers. Participants chose the amount they would like to spend. Then, participants choose books for another person while someone else chooses books for them. I have yet to be disappointed!
After several years of trying to decide how I want to go about tracking my reading, I have finally settled on Goodreads. You can find my Goodreads profile here. The wonderful thing is that a large part of my family is going along for the ride. Several of my aunts are avid readers, as are my new brother-in-law, his daughter, my sister, my sister-in-law, and my mom. We now have quite a crew and have already spent some time sharing book recommendations with one another. My Grandma Buttrick would be incredibly proud!
In fact, I’ve been meaning to brag about this here, but my grandma proved to be way ahead of her time. In the late 80s and throughout the 90s, Grandma Buttrick helped to establish an early version of a free little library. During that time, she always seemed to have a box of books to take/donate to the hotel in her garage. At the former Quality Inn in West Branch, a continued important part of Forward Corporation (Grandpa was president at the time, and later, served as chairman of the board), Grandma kept a rotating paperback rack full of books for hotel guests. Sitting in the lobby in an alcove near the registration desk, guests could take or leave a book. I wish I could tell her just how ahead of her time she was. I like to think that she’d be incredibly pleased to see how we’ve passed her love of reading down the generations. Our little book club of two lives on!
As a child, Grandma Buttrick was the one who helped me get my first library card in Standish. I’ve done the same with my niece and nephew. I do hope that our excursions to the library leave an impression on them. If anyone out there continues to believe that libraries are no longer relevant, they need to actually visit one!
Dean Butler as Almanzo Wilder in Little House on the Priarie
This year, the TV show Little House on the Prairie celebrates 50 years since its television debut. Oh, and does that show still have a following. To celebrate, several events were held at various locations throughout the country, including most of the homesites of the Ingalls and Wilder families. They even recreated several of the sets at Big Sky Movie Ranch in Simi Valley, California, where most of the series was filmed. Infamously, the last installment of the series saw the original set of the town literally destroyed as part of the plot. Under the terms of filming, the producers of Little House on the Prairie contractually had to return the land to its original condition.
So, where does Prairie Man by Dean Butler come in? First, the book debuted this summer in the midst of all of the events. Second, and most importantly, Dean Butler, who played Almanzo Wilder in the last years of the series, and Alison Arngrim, the one and only Nellie Oleson, who famously penned Confessions of a Prairie B*tch, have worked tirelessly to keep the legacy of the TV show alive. In fact, this entire year, they decided to host a podcast dedicated to all things relating to the 50th anniversary of the Little House on the Prairie TV show.
Prairie Man stands out for a couple of reasons. First, I may not be technically correct on this, but I believe that Dean Butler is the oldest surviving male cast member. Several actors that played young boys on the series survive, but the grown men, including Michael Landon, Victor French, Richard Bull, and Dabs Greer, just to name a few, are long gone. While there are several memoirs written by female cast members, including two alone written by Melissa Gilbert, Prairie Man is the only one written by a man.
While I’ve only read Confessions of a Prairie B*tch by Alison Arngrim (you can read my review here) and Prairie Man by Dean Butler, they could not be more different. I loved both, but I enjoyed Butler’s sense of history, not to mention his diplomatic handling of tensions between fans of the books and fans of the TV show. He addressed all of the controversies surrounding both series well.
I learned a lot. While I knew that Rose Wilder Lane’s “adopted” grandson, Roger Lea McBride, ended up with the television rights to the novels, I did not know the full story. The real story is included in Prairie Man. In the early 70s, Ed Friendly purchased the rights from McBride due to his wife’s and daughter’s love of the books. Only when Michael Landon became involved as executive producer, taking the TV show further and further from the original books, did trouble occur. According to Butler, Roger Lea McBride became horrified when realized what he had done. Like Friendly, he envisioned a TV series much more faithful to the books.
The real Almanzo Wilder, subject of Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Eventually, all of this grew tension between Landon and Friendly. Landon’s vision, of course, ultimately prevailed. It may have been for the best. Ask yourself, how many children and adults were introduced to the books via the TV show? Alison Arngrim even admitted that she didn’t read the books until after being cast as quite possibly the best child villain ever portrayed on television, Nellie Oleson. Michael Landon may have taken extreme creative license, but love it or hate it, Little House on the Prairie, the television show, is still shown all over the world in syndication 50 years later. It will not die.
The funny thing is that I used to blame Roger Lea McBride for selling the rights to the television series and Michael Landon for what it became. I used to view the Little House series of books as a cautionary tale as to what can happen if an author’s legacy isn’t well-guarded or just ends up in the hands of attorneys. For those who don’t know, Rose Wilder Lane never had children (she never formally adopted Lea), and thus, with her death in 1968, Laura Ingalls Wilder and Almanzo Wilder no longer had any direct descendents. I see it differently today. I suppose I now subscribe to the old saying “any publicity is good publicity.”
While I probably would have discovered all of the books on my own, especially after my 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Butz, read Little House in the Big Woods to our class, I doubt any of it would have left such a lasting impression without the TV show. Early elementary school would not have been the same without it. I distinctly remember jumping off the bus after school, pigtails flying behind me, eager to catch the 4 PM reruns. Funny note: Due to the fact that I grew up on the reruns, I thought Dean Butler was significantly younger, by at least a decade, than he actually is. His book, of course, made this clear.
Today, I am not necessarily a fan of the TV show, although I do greatly admire what Dean Butler and Alison Arngrim have done for all Little House on the Prairie fans. I suppose I am not a typical fan. Normally, most people are devoted fans of the books or the TV show, not necessarily both. More than anything, I am a huge fan of the real person, the writer herself, the real Laura. Her true story is far more fascinating than just the books. She lived an incredibly full additional 70 years after the life she described in all of her books. When you add in all of the drama surrounding her only daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, it justifies all of the relatively new scholarly work surrounding the Ingalls and Wilder families. There are still so many questions left to answer.
If you are interested in the Little House series at all, whether book or TV show, Prairie Man is well worth reading. Butler makes the case that he feels he was born to play Almanzo. Growing up on a ranch in California, he describes in detail how his entire career has been shaped by that one role. As he grew older, he decided to lean into it and run with it, much as Alison Arngrim has over the last few decades. Fortunately for Little House fans, its incredible legacy is in good hands for the time being.
You can also check my review of Prairie Fires by Caroline Fraser here.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve watched as my students in my creative writing club have bonded over pop culture – every form of storytelling one can imagine. They bonded over books, movies, video games, and above all, music. Several left ecstatic having met other students who share similar tastes in TV, movies, music, and more. What is it about pop culture that binds us together?
I just finished The Women by Kristin Hannah, which dives deep into the experiences of field nurses in Vietnam. Throughout the book, particularly in chapters set in Vietnam, certain songs by a myriad of artists set the scenes without mentioning one lyric. The names of the songs and artists was enough. Then there were the clothes. Set roughly from 1967 to 1982, author Kristin Hannah used descriptions of hair and clothing to add realism and depth to her setting and characters. As one of the finest pieces of historical fiction I’ve ever read, I will be reviewing the book at a later date. It is that good.
Up until fairly recently, I would have told you that we used to bond more closely over pop culture in the past. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, we only had three TV channels for a large chunk of my childhood. Most hit TV shows were shown on either NBC, ABC, or CBS. That’s only changed over the past two or three decades. Shows such as M*A*S*H set ratings records that will probably stand the test of time. Today, with dozens of streaming services and an endless variety of cable channels, TV viewers have more choices than ever.
Music changed, too. As a child, I watched MTV and VH1 come into their own. With shows like Unplugged, Behind the Music, and Pop Up Video shown among a solid stream of increasingly intricate music videos, they were all about the music. In fact, I recently came across a conversation in which my contemporaries argued that it can be difficult for people of our generation to separate certain songs from their music videos.
Indeed. I have a difficult time imagining TLC’s Waterfalls, Michael Jackson’s Thriller, or Jamiroquai’s Virtual Insanity without their iconic videos. I could name a dozen others. Today, we have it all at our fingertips. We can pre-order albums in our medium of choice or subscribe to an all-inclusive music service for a fraction of the price of one traditional CD. That simple fact made my Xennial heart incredibly happy and angry at the same time.
Personally, when it comes to music, I am glad that I had the opportunity to experience the transition from vinyl to tapes to CDs to MP3s to streaming services … and all the way back to vinyl for collectors. I watched as a wide-eyed little girl as Madonna and Michael Jackson exploded onto the scene, respectively becoming the Queen and King of Pop, ushering in a new era of great music. Thanks to my Gen X elders, I developed a deeper appreciation for 80s music, expanding beyond pop rock.
Today, there are infinitely more choices out there. Yet, it is easier than ever to connect to other fans of your favorite TV shows, movies, music, books, and so much more. No more annoying dial up, parents or siblings waiting not so patiently to use the phone. Things might be a bit fragmented, but when you find your tribe, there is no doubt.
First, fair warning: this is going to be a series of posts. There is simply too much material, and the entire premise of the project means too much to me. Before I get into the meat of the book, it is better if readers understand the background. While John gave me a beautiful hardcover version for Christmas 2021, I am just now reading it. I knew that I will get sucked in, and I wanted to give it the time and attention it deserves. The entire idea of this massive memoir grabbed my imagination as soon as it was announced.
In his introduction, Paul McCartney discusses how he has been approached several times to write a memoir or autobiography. With this idea rolling around for years, his former brother-in-law, Lee Eastman (the late Linda McCartney’s brother), gave him the idea to write a memoir using his song lyrics, explaining their backgrounds and inspirations. Frankly, it is a brilliant idea. In creating The Lyrics, Paul McCartney sat down with renowned poet Paul Muldoon to discuss the poetry behind the lyrics. Paul Muldoon also served as editor.
I may be only through songs starting with C, but I am thoroughly enjoying the book. The entire organization of the book is unique. The Lyrics, of course, covers some of the earliest Beatles songs (back to the Quarrymen, actually) to Paul’s latest solo efforts, with Wings in between. It truly covers 65 years of some of the best pop music ever written. Some songs written were given to other bands or acts, such as Peter and Gordon and Badfinger. The book is not in chronological order, but it is instead arranged by song title. Throughout the book are dozens of historic photographs from McCartney’s personal archives. Throughout, he explains his song writing process and inspirations. Another cool feature of the book is that someone took the time to create a Spotify playlist that includes all of the songs in The Lyrics in order that they appear in the book. You can listen along as you read. In my opinion, it doesn’t get much better than that.
I look forwarding to sharing more about The Lyrics once I finish the book. It may a bit, but it will be well worth it in the end. As a writer, music lover, and avid Beatles’ fan, especially Paul McCartney, I’m obviously the target audience. Yet, I feel as though there is something for everyone in the book. Now in his 80s, Paul McCartney is still touring, still writing music, and still out there. Supposedly, his shows are right around three hours long, without a break. His work ethic, his passion for performing and songwriting, and deep appreciation for his fans is the only explanation.
I’m not sure exactly what I expected when I started this book, but I did not expect to enjoy it so much, especially given the gritty nature of the subject material covered. I don’t want to give too much away, but it does deal with such loaded subjects such as suicide, infertility, grief, and love. Yet, it is witty and realistic as well. There is definitely humor amongst all the drama. It is well worth a read.
My favorite is the contrast between our protagonist, Phoebe, who inadvertently crashes a swank wedding week in Rockport, Rhode Island, and Lila, who is a bride-to-be about to kick off a week of wedding activities. Phoebe has just left everything behind, including her husband, job, house, and cat. Lila couldn’t be more different, and she is determined that nothing, including an uninvited guest, will ruin her wedding. Intending to marry in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic and losing her father, Lila spared no expense or experience for her guests. Will it be enough?
Much of the plot revolves around the emotional and social lives of these two women. The characters, and I do mean all of the characters, are wonderful, even if the reader isn’t inclined to love them all. They are deeply flawed and human. One of my favorites is Juice, Lila’s soon to be step-daughter. While I love the characters and many are highly developed, well beyond just the protagonists, I would not go so far as to say this is a character-driven novel. It simply isn’t. The plot really drives the action, and a lot happens in a week.
I’d love to say more, but I do not want to give away major plot points. While the action certainly hinges on wedding events over the week, the title itself is a bit misleading. The book is about so much more than just a wedding or even marriage. It gets hilariously messy, but it is worth it in the end. Check it out!
I am ashamed to admit it, but I have yet to fully read one of Anne-Marie Oomen’s memoirs or books of poetry, even though I own two of her books (signed) and have attended a couple of her writing sessions (one for teachers and other, this past spring, open to the general public), as well as a reading from her latest book, As Long As I Know You: The Mom Book. I’ve only read and heard snippets of her work … so far.
What I’ve read and heard thus far is wonderful, and knowing the topics/subjects/genre included in many of her books, I know that I will love them. How could I not purchase a book titled Love, Sex, and 4-H? Then there is As Long As I Know You: The Mom Book. I can’t wait to read it. The passages that she read during her author event, along with the anecdotes she shared about herself, her mom, and writing the book, definitely left me hooked.
What I really want to discuss today is her capacity as a teacher. Just over a month prior to the shutdown orders signaling the official start of the pandemic, I had the opportunity to attend a day-long writing program aimed at teachers. Titled “Homecoming: Coming Home,” it was sponsored by the Saginaw Bay Writing Project. Anne-Marie Oomen happened to be one of the presenters that morning.
During her allotted time, she taught us the term ekphrasis – a method of using different works of art to create various forms of writing, whether poetry, personal essay, or short story. Imagine studying a painting and then creating a poem from your experience. That is ekphrasis.
After explaining the process and providing us with examples of her own work, Anne-Marie Oomen had us create our own art inspired piece. She brought with her a large collection of postcards. I chose one with a portrait of Annie Oakley on the front, “little sure-shot.” I enjoyed the experience and still have a digital copy of her presentation from that day. I left realizing that I could easily create vision boards on Pinterest to gather my thoughts and ideas for various writing projects.
Anne-Marie Oomen used the painting Nighthawks by Edward Hopper to demonstrate the process of ekphrasis.
As wonderful as that experience was, a few months ago I learned that Anne-Marie Oomen was to be a guest scholar at Saginaw Valley State University. During that time, she conducted a similar writing session open to the general public at the Marshall Fredericks Museum on SVSU’s campus. I am so glad that I attended. It made me look at one of my favorite museums in an entirely different light. I left with a notebook full of ideas and even a rough draft. The following evening, Anne-Marie Oomen held a reading at the Wirt Public Library in Bay City, sharing snippets from As Long As I Know You: The Mom Book. I’m so glad that I attended as it brought back so many memories of the short few months I had living with Grandma Reid before she needed more care than I could provide. It is never easy watching someone you love age and decline.
I took something away from each of Anne-Marie Oomen’s events. On top of sharing her love and knowledge of writing, she is a wonderful teacher. Better yet … she is a Michigan author willing to help aspiring writers and teachers.
Anne-Marie Oomen’s latest book As Long as I Know You: The Mom Book details her experience dealing with her relationship with aging mother.
I admit, it took me a little longer than usual to get throughStoryteller: Stories of Life and Music by Dave Grohl, but it certainly didn’t disappoint. It is one of the best memoirs I’ve read. Considering his current stature in the world of pop rock/alternative, whatever you want to call it, as a drummer, his humble nature shines through. It all started with his pure love of pop rock, namely the Beatles, moving on to the punk scene of the late 70s and early 80s, and making it big with Nirvana and grunge. Today, it seems as though Dave Grohl has settled in as drummer and girl dad extraordinaire. If planning on reading the book, I highly recommend the audiobook version as he reads his own memoir. There is nothing quite like hearing about Nirvana’s early days and the danger of their exploding fan base from the drummer himself. Then there are the well-placed expletives in his internal monologue as he meets his musical heroes and juggles world tours with daddy-daughter dances and musical projects with Joan Jett.
There is so much that stands out that it is hard to know where to even begin. First, the unwavering support of his teacher mother is undoubtedly one of several keys to his success. She supported – or put with – his love of music and his decision to drop out of high school in order to tour the United States with a band. Dave’s description of his discovery of punk rock at the hands of a formerly “preppy” family friend is memorable, as is his realization that she was in a punk band herself. It sets the stage for what is to come.
His description of his life between dropping out of high school and eventually joining Nirvana is as hazy and transient as his life at that time. It’s great and easy to imagine. Opportunities to fill in and drum with his idols Iggy Pop and Tom Petty standout as it is clear that Dave was as star-struck as can be at the time.
Frankly, the section in Seattle with Nirvana is just sad as we all know how it ended. Dave’s descriptions of Nirvana’s meteoric rise to infamy is gut-wrenching to read and full of danger. He describes in spectacular detail playing venues far too small for how big Nirvana had grown in such a short amount of time thanks to MTV and “Smells like Teen Spirit.” After Kurt Cobain’s death, Dave understandably took some time to process everything and ground himself once again.
Given the timeline, it appears that Dave developed Foo Fighters and started his family at roughly the same time, both growing together. For me, the best part of the book involves Dave’s descriptions of juggling life with his three daughters and superstardom. Stories involve things such as Paul McCartney giving his eldest daughter her first piano lesson and Joan Jett reading his daughters bedtime stories.
The Joan Jett story is one of my favorites. It starts with Dave in the Barbie aisle helping his daughters pick out a doll and coming across a Joan Jett doll. His girls didn’t realize that Joan Jett was a real person. Soon, Joan herself was over to their house working on some musical project with Dave, when his oldest daughter asked her if she would read them a bedtime story. She did .. in her pjs.
Then there is the story of the daddy-daughter dance. It involves a whirlwind trip to Australia and back to make the dance, the Australian tour itself, and a horrific bout of food poisoning. Yet, he made it and didn’t break his little girls’ hearts.
Above all, it is a series of stories about following your dreams, hard work, fame (or infamy), family, and music. Dave’s descriptions of conversations with his dad are touching in the end. In the beginning, it seemed as though Dave hated his dad due to his conservative politics and his parents’ divorce. While much of Dave’s relationship with his dad remained complicated prior to his fame, it does seem as though they made up in the years before his father passed away. It also appears that Dave took his dad’s financial and career advice.
While I didn’t outline it here, there are plenty of rock star stories from the road in the book as well. They are just as good. Dave appears to have found a balance between his career and family both in the memoir and in real life. If you love music at all or just enjoy memoir, check it out.
The overall message of The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams far outweighs anything else I can say about the book. Are the characters relatable and well-developed? Yes. I found myself cheering them on throughout the entire book. Would I say that they are the best or most important aspect of the book? No. The relationships they develop with one another are much more interesting. Above all, the role that the local library and the reading list plays in the plot and the development of the relationships between various characters is the real story.
The main protagonists, Aleisha, a young teenage girl with a troubled home life who works at the library over the summer at the suggestion of her older brother, and Mukesh, a widower who struggles to regain his sense of purpose after the loss of his wife of decades, Naina, meet at the local library. The unlikely friendship that unfolds after their first unpleasant meeting sets the stage for all that follows that fateful summer, changing both of their lives irrevocably.
Set in the quiet London Borough of Ealing, the local library serves as a focal point for the community, even if it is well-loved and in search of additional patrons. The reading list Aleisha finds, labeled “just in case you need it,” ultimately brings several people together in unexpected ways. It is this list that I find to be the most interesting aspect of the book. It is obvious that The Reading List was written by a bibliophile for bibliophiles.
The following reading list is found in the book:
In Case You Need It …
The Time Traveler’s Wife * (discussed in the book, but not included on the list)
To Kill a Mockingbird
Rebecca
The Kite Runner
Life of Pi
Pride and Prejudice
Little Women
Beloved
A Suitable Boy
______________________
From the Author …
Jhumpa Lahiri, The Namesake
Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things
Zadie Smith, White Teeth
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Americanah
Katherine Heiny, Standard Deviation
Rohinton Mistry, A Fine Balance
Hiromi Kawakami, Strange Weather in Tokyo
Angela Carter, The Magic Toyshop
Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Attia Hosain, Sunlight on a Broken Column
Ali Smith, There But For The
Ultimately, The Reading List is about how books and libraries can bring us together. It is a great message that more people need to hear. While I don’t often hear it anymore, there are still some people who do not recognize the modern importance of libraries. Personally, I believe that they are more important than ever. I am grateful that my local libraries appear to be doing well and have a lot of local support. I can’t imagine life without them. What makes The Reading List so powerful is the demonstration of how various characters connect over books and how those connections impact their lives. The right books seem to appear at just the right time. I feel for anyone who has not had that experience. I cannot recommend The Reading List enough.
Yes. I do intend to eventually read through both lists.
I’ve been fairly open about my struggles with Turner Syndrome over the years (you can read my story here), but it still amazes me to see Turner Syndrome – along with certain aspects of myself – depicted in popular culture. Lately, I’ve been thinking about how those representations influence perception and so much more. Both well-known depictions of Turner Syndrome, one a “victim” in the Law and Order: Special Victims Unit titled “Clock” (hint: turns out she isn’t a victim at all) and the other, Gwen, the protagonist in the popular novelThe Condition by Jennifer Haigh, have issues and inaccuracies, and yet, there are certain truths that shine through. Personally, I have yet to meet a woman or girl with Turner Syndrome who isn’t as stubborn as we are portrayed in popular culture. It is quite simple, actually: We have to be.
Even though these images of women and girls with Turner Syndrome, along with their accuracy (or lack thereof), have been analyzed to death in the Turner Syndrome community, that isn’t my intention here. No. My intention is to describe my experience of seeing aspects of myself in relation to Turner Syndrome in Gwen in The Condition. I am discussing my experiences only.
Frankly, while I enjoyed The Condition, it isn’t a book that I would necessarily reread in its entirety. Yet, there are scenes, plots, and subplots in which I couldn’t help but see myself mirrored in Gwen – not as a woman, but as a woman with Turner Syndrome. It is those pieces and depictions that have stayed with me for well over a decade at this point. There are several things Gwen is faced with in the novel that most women will, fortunately, never have to face.
The opening scene still takes my breath away. In it, Gwen’s father, who later becomes almost obsessed with the fact that she has Turner Syndrome, watches Gwen tag along with her slightly older female cousin at the beach. He observes them as they run into the ocean. The difference in their height and body structure is noticeable. Gwen’s body remains almost childlike while her cousin’s decidedly does not.
Growing up with older female cousins, particularly my cousin Abby (10 months my senior), I couldn’t help but compare my body to theirs. I always wanted to catch up but never could. I distinctly remember one December shopping with my aunt, cousins, sister, and mom. I desperately wanted to be able to finally buy clothes in the misses section (not kids, not juniors …) like my older cousins. Nope. Not yet. Even though I was now in high school, it would have to wait. In that opening scene of the novel, I could distinctly visualize Abby and I swimming somewhere as preteens. In my head, I was the one comparing.
Later, Gwen is described as hiding herself away from the world in a job in which she remains in the background. Now in her late 20s/early 30s, she wears jeans, t-shirts/sweatshirts, and sneakers everyday, all often too big for her. Given the choice, I’d be right there with her (and am when I can). Quite simply, it is often difficult to find clothes that fit correctly if you are a woman with Turner Syndrome.
A few years ago, I tried on a top while shopping with my mom. I loved the color, the style – everything – except the fit that wasn’t quite right. I came out of the dressing room to ask her opinion. My mom almost mumbled under her breath: “Damn Turner’s body!” I found it hysterical because that is precisely what I was thinking. I just needed it verified. As much as I love the button-downed look, I could purchase blouses three sizes up and still suffer from gap-osis. Sadly, fashion is a struggle at times.
At the end of the novel, I can’t help but root for Gwen. She is so fed up with her family members’ actions and reactions to the life she has created for herself and the fact that she finally met someone that she runs off to the Caribbean to be with her new boyfriend. Considering how her family treats her and reacts to different aspects of her life, I can’t say that I blame her. Her new life in the Caribbean sounds fantastic.
I admit, I am extremely guarded about my personal life as well. It is just that I’ve always needed space. Throwing infertility into the mix is never easy. The idea that someone you love would have to give up having biological children of their own to be with you … Well, unfortunately, that is reality in many cases. I pray that it will get better with age, and in some ways, it already has.
When I finished The Condition all those years ago, my immediate reaction was one of wonder. Did Jennifer Haigh have Turner Syndrome herself? Did her best friend? Who did she interview to get into our heads so well – or at least my head? I loved the title of the book. One may think that “the condition” references Turner Syndrome, but in reality, in the book, each member of Gwen’s family battles demons of their own, even without a diagnosis.
I am a firm believer that everyone has something – some huge hurdle he or she needs to overcome in life. Everyone has a story. As The Condition lingered in my mind, I couldn’t help but feel “seen” in a way I’ve never experienced in a book. As a teacher, it reinforces the need to expose students to as many diverse books as possible. Unfortunately, when we talk about diversity in literature, we too often just focus on race, religion, and sexuality. The reality is that there are so many other stories out there and so many other ways to view diversity. This is one reason why I wish everyone would share their story in some way, shape, or form. No one is ever truly alone.
By the way, if you happen to be the parent of a girl with Turner Syndrome, I can’t recommend the National Turner Syndrome Camp enough. I attended two years, and it allowed me to meet others with Turner Syndrome for the first time. It also boosted my confidence in a way that nothing else ever has.
As with so many writers, I fell in love with reading first. Over the years, I have found my reading life crucial to my continuing education as a writer. The best writing advice I’ve ever received is to read as widely as possible. The best part: Most of the tips, resources, and suggestions I am sharing here are little to no cost. One crucial requirement: a library card.
The following is a continuation of the list I started in Part 1. You can find it below.
I currently belong to three book clubs, and all three serve different roles in my reading life. First, as a writer, I would encourage you to join a book club similar to Mid Michigan Writers’ own Scribblers and Scholars. We meet every-other month to discuss books from the point of view of writers. Lately, we’ve been working on comparing Educated by Tara Westover to The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls. Scribblers and Scholars aims to provide writers with a book club focused on dissecting the craft of writing, although we tend to discuss just about anything related to the books.
I’ve also belonged to the Standish-Sterling Book Club for years. It is the first formal book club I’ve joined, and while we certainly discuss the books we picked, there is an in-person social aspect to the club that I love. In fact, two of my former teachers also belong to the club, both of whom have had a profound impact on who I am today. We meet monthly, and there is truly no judgment if you don’t quite finish a book that is less than thrilling or if you can’t make a meeting.
Last but not least, I’ve also joined the Spartan Book Club, which resides entirely online, as an alumni of Michigan State University. In fact, it has its own forum and much more. Books are selected quarterly, and once again, members are free to participate as much or as little as you’d like. I’ve met some wonderful people online and have thoroughly enjoyed the book selections. I’ve also used the Spartan Book Club for reading suggestions, as there are also several wonderful books mentioned not chosen as a book club selection.
I mention all of my book club experiences because they demonstrate that there is one out there for every type of reader. As a writer, all of my book club experiences led me to books I would not have picked up otherwise. I am a better writer for it, and it provides yet another outlet in which to discuss books. Think about what you would like out of a book club, and with a little research, you will find it.
Embrace eBooks
If you haven’t discovered the benefits of ebooks yet, here are a few things I’ve noticed as a writer. First, I tend to be a collector. I intentionally collect certain books, hopefully to be read more than once. While there is nothing quite like the smell of a good book, collecting hundreds of ebooks takes up a lot less space in my home. Second, with Kindle, my preferred ereader and type of ebook, I can have my entire ebook library not only on my phone, but on my Chromebook and Kindle Paperwhite as well. Last but not least, I have a hard time highlighting or writing in traditional books. Ebooks allow me to highlight and make notes to my heart’s content without marking up a traditional book. My notes and highlights are waiting for me when I return.
Ebooks tend to be more cost effective as well. Often, the Kindle version is less expensive than either paperback or hardcover. While the prices of Kindle books are rising in some cases, there are also several websites and offers for free or low-cost Kindle books. BookBub is one of the best. I actually had to quit because I found too many great free books. It became overwhelming. Of course, libraries are increasing their access to ebooks as well. The beauty of ebooks from the library is that, not only is there no cost, you don’t need to physically visit the library or remember to return the book either.
Research and Read Book Reviews
There are countless places to find good book reviews and research book suggestions. Goodreads has everything and provides access to all kinds of reviews. Personally, I enjoy book blogs. My favorite is Modern Mrs. Darcy. She has it all: endless book lists, audiobook recommendations, her own book club, a podcast, and so much more. If you are into the reading life, you need to check it out. It might take some research, but once again, there are book blogs and review sites aimed at every type of reader. It is a matter of finding your niche.
Take a Class
I admit, pursuing my English Language Arts (ELA) endorsement in secondary education (grades 6-12) forced me to branch out as a reader. I’ve learned so much from my formal writing and literature courses. Yet, it isn’t necessary to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on tuition to take a literature class.
Two trusted, established sites I’ve used in the past are Coursera and Canvas. While I haven’t taken writing or literature courses specifically on either site, I do know that they are readily available at little or no cost. Other courses I’ve taken on those sites, mainly on educational technology, have been wonderful. On the clearinghouse site ClassCentral, a quick search under literature resulted in free survey courses offered by the likes of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania on a wide variety of subjects relating to all aspects of literature. You can find my search result here. There is also The Great Courses Video BingePass available on Hoopla that allows patrons access to the The Great Courses Video Collection for free for a week. The possibilities are endless.
Curate Your Own Lists of Books/Literature
Of course, there is always the DIY approach. Take the time to make your own lists of books and other forms of literature that interest you. I’ve made several of these lists over the years, and it helps me keep track of things that I came across years ago. I’ve found creating lists of authors and major works to be helpful. Make the list you are seeking if it doesn’t quite exist yet – and have fun.
Ramblings of a Misguided Blonde 