Somebody, Please Tell Me Who I Am

     Somebody, Please Tell Me Who I Am is a short, easy read that flows directly into an unexpected ending.  Ben enlists in the military, and is deployed quickly to Iraq.  Soon after, he finds himself home, but with little memory of the past.  The focus of the story turns to his relationship with his brother and family members, with memories of Iraq coming to life at random moments.  Ben tries to decipher what is real versus the mix of reality and imagination. 

     In a “before” and “after” organization, Mazer and Lerangis craft a powerful and thought-provoking story, which adds a unique dimension to this genre.  It made me wonder about soldiers who are similar to Ben, and the struggles they and their families must face daily; a constant challenge for hope. 

American Sniper by Chris Kyle

I really enjoyed listening to American Sniper by Chris Kyle.  This was the second book I listened to recently and, while audio books prevent me from skimming or moving quickly through a book, I like the “freedom” from being attached to a physical book. 

Kyle wants to tell his story and that of his brothers, to get the “correct” story out there, especially since he is in a class of only a few   - he is one of the top marksmen of the U.S. military.  He is not proud or boastful; he earned such a title because of opportunities: his multiple deployments, combat opportunities, and he was doing his job – what he was trained to do. 

American Sniper covers everything from Kyle’s experience training to become a SEAL, to the war in the Middle East – both the military and human side of the war, to the emotional components to military, war, and, civilian life.

Kyle, as a multi-faceted individual, is reflected in his book – from the straight-forward writing style to the choice vocabulary; he has strong opinions, beliefs, and reflections, which is something to appreciate. 

The legacy and memory of Chris Kyle lives through this book. He was shot and killed by a fellow military brother at a shooting range in February 2013.    Thank you, Chris Kyle, for sharing your story.

Unthinkable... by Nancy Werlin

I enthusiastically booktalk titles like Black Mirror and Rules of Survival by National Book Award finalist Nancy Werlin. And since I had read and enjoyed her Impossible a few years ago, I was eagerly looking forward to another blend of magic, suspense, and fairy tale romance in Werlin's just published Unthinkable.

Revolving around many of the same characters, Unthinkable is a unique prequel/sequel to Impossible.   Yes, this book is ultimately about what the author calls "becoming strong in broken places," but it moves too slowly with Finella, the Scarborough girl cursed 400 years ago, forced to complete three tasks of destruction in the modern day. While the premise and clever jumping around in time are interesting, it is difficult to feel any affection or attachment to the main character.

Read Unthinkable if you want to see what happens to the family or to explore the idea of whether good intentions can really excuse bad actions. For a faster pace, be sure to try other titles by Werlin or read about strong female characters in Graceling (and its companions) by Cashore.  Try a classic about a "cursed" family in The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Prefer re-told fairy tales and/or fantasy?  Look for Briar Rose by Jane Yolen or books by Terry Pratchett or Robin McKinley.

Long-Lists for National Book Award 2013

From the National Book Foundation - National Book Award for 2013. Winners to be announced Nov. 20......
Longlist for fiction, non-fiction, poetry, young people's literature
Some great material!

• Tom Drury, Pacific (Grove Press)
  
  
• Elizabeth Graver, The End of the Point (Harper/HarperCollinsPublishers)
  
  
• Rachel Kushner, The Flamethrowers (Scribner/Simon & Schuster)
  
  
• Jhumpa Lahiri, The Lowland (Alfred A. Knopf/Random House)
  
  
• Anthony Marra, A Constellation of Vital Phenomena (Hogarth/Random House)
  
  
• James McBride, The Good Lord Bird (Riverhead Books/Penguin Group USA)
  
  
• Alice McDermott, Someone (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
  
  
• Thomas Pynchon, Bleeding Edge (The Penguin Press/Penguin Group USA)
  
  
• George Saunders, Tenth of December (Random House)
  
  
• Joan Silber, Fools (W.W. Norton & Company)
  

Large Themes Loom in Small Damages by Beth Kephart

Small Damages has grown on me, especially when reflecting on it after reading the final page. 

     Kenzie is a senior in high school, which should be a highlight of her life, and it is. However, she also has to contend with the fact that she is pregnant.  Her mother’s answer to this “dilemma” is to send her to Spain to a cortijo to be cared for, to deliver, and to not be a disgrace to the family and social network.  A teen mother and child out of wedlock is simply not something Kenzie’s mother could handle, and certainly not something she believes, nor wants, Kenzie doing on her own.

     Kenzie does a lot of soul-searching while in the countryside of Spain and away from her friends and boyfriend who are enjoying their summer on the shore.  She thinks adoption is the best way to go, but truly is conflicted about what to do – what really is the right choice for her to make.  In the comfort and safety of Spain and its people, Kenzie learns about love, loss, and healing through the meals she cooks with Estela, the horses and quiet nature of Esteban, and the music and stories of the Gypsies.  Kenzie has to deal with a mature reality that she doesn’t think she is ready to endure.  Yet, it is beautiful Spain and these strangers that become family for Kenzie, and, thus, teach her more about herself and support her to make her life decision. 

     What appears to be a simple story is a story with deeper meaning than meets the eye.  It’s a a story that provides insight into the emotional and psychological realities of life, no matter teenager or adult, and linger after the book is closed.     

   Since reflecting on the themes, and I've found myself appreciating the book..One of my favorite quotes is: "Don't judge, my father said.. "Evaluate.  Evaluate, especially youreslf, because no decision is a decision until the action has been made" (275).  Though, I still don't understand the cover art. The title, cover art, and story don't mesh for me.