Category: Book Review

Noah’s Castle by John Rowe Townsend

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)11 Comments

There are rumors of hardships to come in England and Norman Mortimer’s is not the type of man who just sits around and waits for things to happen.  He is a man of action and forward thinking.  Anticipating the worst, Norman moves his family from their lovely home to an old drafty castle looking home, a fortress really.  He secretly starts spending a lot of time in the basement with his son Geoff, hammering away at something that his wife and his other three children Nessie, Barry, and Ellen know nothing about.  Later it is discovered that Norman has built shelves all along the basement walls and has stock piled canned good and food staples.  He plans ahead by purchasing clothes for his children in larger sizes to accommodate growth.  In Norman’s plan, his family will be able to survive whatever hardships come their way and he will protect them and their home from the outside world.

But can such a plan work?  As the times get hard, and food is being rationed and stores are closing and people are starving…. what are the moral realities here?

Well hello dystopian fiction!

Days after I have finished this book I am still questioning how I felt about it.  I started out finding it slow and immediately taking a string dislike to Norman as a father and especially as a husband.  His lack of including his wife in any of his decisions and how he treated her as a possession without an opinion rubbed me the wrong way.

Early on in the book I sat it down and went on to a different read.

This past weekend I picked the book up again during the read-a-thon and found to my surprise that I was getting into the story line.  As England took the predicted economy turn, I had to wonder was Norman a genius or a control freak?  Or both?  I especially liked Norman’s son Barry who seemed to have a good head on his shoulder’s and cared about others outside his home as families were literally starving to death.

What was interesting is that this book was originally published in 1975 and recently re-published.  While there were parts of the book I enjoyed reading and found interesting, the ending felt unfinished to me and I found I had many questions unanswered.  I closed the final page with out a solid feeling about the book that still has not really left me.

I found on-line that apparently there once was a TV series of Noah’s castle that is out on DVD.


I also found this ring tone for Noah’s Castle which is supposed to have been taken off the ending theme song.

I received my copy for review of this book from October Mist Publishing

The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)30 Comments

Arnold Spirit (known as Junior at home) is a 14-year-old Spokane Indian.  He was born with water on the brain, is regularly picked on by his peers, and loves to draw pictures.   He refers to the world as a series of broken dams and floods and his pictures are tiny lifeboats.   He loves basketball, and is fairly good on the Spokane Team.  He decided if he stays in the reservation all his life he is never going to go anywhere just like his parents.  They too had dreams once of being something more.  He requests that they let him go to the rich white school in Reardan which is 20 minutes away.  His parents agree.  This destroys his friendship with his best friend Rowdy, who has always been this crazy Native American kid who will beat up anyone who looks at him twice.  This once meant Rowdy  was a source of protection to Junior, and now includes Junior in the beating category.

What happens when Arnold (known as Arnold when he switches schools) is that he once again finds himself the blunt of jokes and discrimination.  He stays at his new school, determined to make it work, even sometimes having to walk  the twenty minutes to and from when his dad does not have enough money for gas in the car.  Eventually he makes a few friends along the way, and is able to find a happy medium between his life on the reservation and his school that is not.

Confession time.  I picked this book up as part of Banned Books Week.  It came to my library late but I still wanted to read it.  After I brought it home with several others I looked up why it was banned.  On line it said that is was banned for talk of masturbation, racism, and vulgar language.  I almost returned it to the library unread.  It was honestly, the first of all the banned books that I read this past couple of weeks that I can say I questioned if I wanted to read it or not.  I  don’t condone banning, not in the least, but I do believe in our rights to choose  to read a book or not.



However, I listed this book on a post about the books I had received at my library and I started receiving comments from people who had read this book saying what an amazing read it was, some even calling it a favorite.  A few others who hadn’t read it said that they had been wanting too.  To all of these people, I say thank you.  If not for you, I may have missed out on an incredible reading experience.

So I was cautiously optimistic when I opened up the book, still reserving the right to put it down at any time. (Oh the conversations I have with myself sometimes… :razz:)


I didn’t put it down.

The parts that I felt may have been unnecessary were so small.  They did not take away from the book.  I read this story told from a 14-year-old boys perspective and I have to say I really enjoyed the incredible insight he brought into race, stereo types, and color.

The pictures throughout the book are so important to the story line and really give Arnold’s story a life.  The pictures add to what he is feeling, be it happiness, confusion, anger, or pain.  You can see it all, and for me, I could feel it as well.

As Arnold shares his story I was reminded again how strong prejudices can be when people see through eyes of judgment.  What I also seen was that the power of friendship and acceptance has a much stronger presence and hold.

While I would not say hand this book to your young child, I do think it is an important read for older YA and holds within its pages an amazing read that I will not soon forget.


I picked up this book from my local library

I would however, love to own this read.

The Wife’s Tale by Lori Lansens (Wordshaker On Line Book Club review)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)46 Comments

Mary Gooch’s universe has shrunk to the trail she has worn from her bedroom to the refrigerator.  Disappointment and worry have worn Mary down to not leaving the house, hiding from the world behind food.

On the eve of their silver anniversary Jimmy, Mary’s very attractive athletic husband does not come home.  She is forced for the first time in years to action and she boards a plane alone to search for her husband.  So begins Mary’s to self discovery as she opens her eyes to a world she no longer believed in… only to find herself along the way.


This was our Wordshaker On Line Book Club pick and 24 people (both bloggers and non bloggers) who read Book Journey joined in on this read-a-long.  This was my first experience with Lori Lansen’s writing and I was really impressed with the style in which the book flows.

Of course, the main character Mary gave me mixed feelings.  On one hand you cant help but feel bad for this woman who let her eating go too far.  Yet on the other hand I wanted to shake her out of her slump and get her motivated to make positive changes.  Thanks goodness I was not a character in the book!  I would have been an annoying neighbor that would have asked her to come rollerblading or biking.  😛

Yet, author Lori Lansens knew what she was doing when she developed the character of Mary.  As Mary learns to make positive choices for herself – we can’t help but cheer her on.  And yes, Mary throughout the book becomes more and more likable, leaving you at the end a little sad that your time with her is over.

I have not had the opportunity (yet) to read any of Lori Lansen’s other books.  I have heard The Girls is a wonderful read and I look forward to having a chance to enjoy that one soon!

But this is just my thoughts…. here’s is what the Wordshakers thought of the book:

We had a good discussion on how people look and judge those who are obese.  The judgment and labels that are pinned on those who struggle with their weight is maddening.  Degrading.  And you can see why Mary would have chose to stay inside rather than venture into the world any more than she had to.

The discussion over how we felt about Jimmy was intense.  Some understood Jimmy’s reason for going away but others found this to be a cowards way out.  Over all, it did get Mary out of a lifelong slump and if Jimmy had not left, more than likely nothing would have changed.

The majority of the group felt that they would recommend this book to others.  On a scale of 1 – 10, 10 being the best out of the 24 who read it, 7 was the average rating.

Please watch for my upcoming Author Chat with Lori Lansen!

So – if you have read and reviewed this book please add your review to the LINKY below.  I have a very generous giveaway coming up with 9 (yes NINE) signed copies of books by Lori Lansens.  Anyone that shares their review here through linky will automatically get an entry into this giveaway.

Powered by Linky Tools

Click here to enter your link and view the entire list of entered links…

In The Presence Of My Enemies by Gracia Burnham

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)13 Comments

I read this book many years ago, pre blogging.  It had touched me very deeply.  This past weekend a friend of mine who I went to school with had the opportunity to meet Gracia Burnham and this triggered this post, and a little information from my good friend Barb.

Sheila


Gracia and Martin Burnham had been Missionaries in the Philippines for 17 years, starting in 1986.  They lived among the people and were well-known.

Then tragedy struck.  They were kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf, a terrorist group with ties to Osama bin Laden.   The Burnham’s were snatched away from friends and family and thrust into a life on the run in the Philippine jungle.  Others that were captured with them were either eventually released for ransom or beheaded.  The Burnham’s would remain in captivity for over a year, they faced near starvation, constant exhaustion, frequent gun battles, cold-hearted murder—and intense soul-searching about a God who sometimes seemed to have forgotten them.

The kidnappers demanded $1,000,000 for their release. A ransom of $330,000 was paid, yet the kidnappers refused to release them. During the eventual rescue attempt by the Philippine Army on June 7, 2002, Martin was killed by three gunshots in the chest and Gracia was wounded in her right leg.

This is their story as told by Gracia Burnham.


This book touched me deeply.  I could not imagine such a terrifying experience as what Gracia and Martin had gone through, day-to-day not knowing if this would be the day that they died.

Here is what Barb emailed me about her time with Gracia Bunham this past weekend:

Gracia was wonderful sharing her story of faith and forgiveness ….sometimes teary but mostly, surprisingly made us laugh. After a brief video explaining her terrifying time in the jungle, she talked about the time spent there and what has happened in her life since. She showed us the clothing she wore in the jungle, one was her (don’t remember what it was called) but it was a giant piece of fabric sorta like a sarong but sewing in a circle. They had thrown it to her on the boat to cover herself since she was only in shorts and a t-shirt. Besides for clothing, she used it as a blanket, her bathroom (by pulling it up around herself and holding it with her teeth), and in the same way her changing room WHEN she had clothes to change into after bathing in the river (since her captors never let her out of their sight of course), a tear wiper, and a giant kleenex, and also the other captors used theirs with a large branch as a sling to haul off their injured. Many of her captors are now in prison for life and a few actually WRITE her from time to time! One letter she had to have translated was very “nice” sounding:  “Dear Gracia…..Do you remember our time in the jungle?” (at this she said something funny, like how could she forget?) and the bad guys actually sent her a bright orange prison t-shirt that said “DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS” across the front and they WROTE MESSAGES to her on it! She said, “What am I suppose to do with this? It’s not something I could wear to the mall!” But amazingly, three of her captors have given their lives to Jesus Christ! Her two oldest kids are married to kids of New Tribes Missionaires and her son is now flying planes the same as his dad ……. I wish I had brought a notebook and took notes. I had her sign my book In the Presence of my Enemies, and then went and bought her other book. I thought, Darn I should have bought this first so I could have had her sign this too. I decided on the hard cover version. When I opened it last night, it was already signed!

Barb (back left), her daughter Lexie, and Gracia Burnham

I still own this book and if you are interested in a read that is emotionally charged, and a brilliant example of strong faith under the worst of circumstances, I highly recommend you read In The Presence Of My Enemies.

The Burnham’s capture and captivity were the subject of a July 2008 episode of the TV series, Locked Up Abroad.

I purchased my copy of this book many years ago

When Life Throws You Lemons… Make Cranberry Juice! by Shari Bookstaff

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)20 Comments


When my kids were learning to walk, I remember walking behind them, ready to catch them if they stumbled backward. I never dreamed that thirteen years later my kids would be walking behind me, ready to catch me if I stumbled backward.

I was 42 years old when I was diagnosed with a benign, operable, brain tumor. Doctors predicted a short hospital stay followed by a speedy recovery. Complications arose, giving me unexpected life-long obstacles.

A divorced mother of two beautiful, talented, wonderful children, I had high hopes for a bright and happy future. I had a secure job that I loved, and I was beginning to date again when my brain tumor was diagnosed.

My life since that fateful day has been focused on regaining basic human functions: breathing, swallowing, walking, etc. I am working again, and trying to be a good mother to my two beautiful, talented, wonderful children.

Putting a positive spin on life’s disasters doesn’t always work, but looking for, and accepting, positive things in spite of life’s disasters works. Instead of making lemonade out of lemons, I add life’s sweet sugar and cranberries to my lemons. This makes life much more palatable.

Shari Bookstaff

Ok… yes I admit it… I was partially drawn to this book because book is in the author’s name. It’s true.. I am that girl.  😛  BUT, before you go rolling your eyes (if it’s not too late) I did find more in this book than a really cool authors name… I found a fighter, a survivor… and a down right funny woman!

What Shari goes through in this book would put some of us down for the count.  In a time that would be easier to go lay back in bed with the covers up to your eye brows, Shari writes of a determined spirit.

Here is a part of the book:

At night when I couldn’t sleep, I asked myself some very difficult questions.  I had questions about the value of my life, questions about my future, questions about why this happened to me, and questions about my dogs capacity for humor.  My questions had no right answers just like my problems had no solution.

These were some of the questions I asked myself:

What should I do if my life is over but I am still alive?

When I get to Heaven, will I be able to walk normally?

It is said that as long as you have your health, you have everything.  Well what if I don’t have my health, then what have I got?

Is my glass half full or half empty?  Who cares if I don’t like the beverage?

How can I accept my physical limitations and believe that I can continue to improve physically as well?

Where’s Nemo?

Page 116

I enjoyed reading Shari’s story very much.  This is a book that as Shari would say, helps you exercise your right to choose how you are going to go forward from the lemons that life tends to toss our way.

AMAZON RATING

I received this book for review as part of a Pump Up Your Book Blog Tour


The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)52 Comments


Slipping in right under the dead line – I pinky swore with Alita from Alita.Reads that we would both read this book in September.  She totally smoked me…. but I am done with the book and here is my review.  Thanks Alita – what a blast!  😀


The letters comprising this small charming novel begin in 1946, when single, 30-something author Juliet Ashton (nom de plume Izzy Bickerstaff) writes to her publisher to say she is tired of covering the sunny side of war and its aftermath. When Guernsey farmer Dawsey Adams finds Juliet’s name in a used book and invites articulate—and not-so-articulate—neighbors to write Juliet with their stories, the book’s epistolary circle widens, putting Juliet back in the path of war stories. The occasionally contrived letters jump from incident to incident—including the formation of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society while Guernsey was under German occupation.   Juliet finds in the letters not just inspiration for her next work, but also for her life.

An epistolary novel is a novel written as a series of documents. The usual form is letters, although diary entries, newspaper clippings and other documents are sometimes used. Recently, electronic “documents” such as recordings and radio, blogs, and e-mails have also come into use. The word epistolary comes from the Latin word epistola, meaning a letter.


Click to see Alita's review

I know I know… I could have written my own synopsis… but honestly… I am tired and my brain is fuzzy and words to describe this delightful book are totally escaping me so if I would have written the synopsis it would have been one word:

Delightful.

Uniquely written, this book is made up entirely of letters.  Yes!  Letters!  Correspondence back and forth, fun and witty and informative – letter by letter we piece this story together… the remarkable start of The Potato Peel Pie Society and the books they enjoyed!  I love books – about books!

Pride and Prejudice

Wuthering Heights

Past and Present

The Cantebury Tales

The Pickwick Papers

Selected Essays Of Elia

The Collected Poems of Wilfred Owen

Letters of Seneca

Selections from Shakespeare


I have enjoyed a few books centered around war this past year and have to say this is the best one I have read.  As I mentioned earlier, books about books is really a soft sell for me…. I just love to rad about other book lovers.  They fascinate me!  I loved reading about other people in the “Society” and how the book club developed.  I group that started out as a “cover story” that became rea… did I mention that I love that?

I know I am gushing and repeating myself and doing all sorts of things that when I read this review tomorrow I will roll my eyes – but honestly I have to get this out there – read this book!  Warm and welcoming characters that will invite themselves into your heart.

This would make a wonderful book club read!


I wanted to include a recipe for Potato Peel Pie… I did not have the time to make this as I had hoped to… however if I ever get my book club to read this I think I will have to put in the effort:

  • 2 cups raw, grated potato skins (I added some of the white part to keep the texture somewhat tender), use mashed potatoes for filling
  • 1/3 cup grated onion
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 3 Tbs flour
  • beetroot
  • sour cream (optional)
  • chives (optional)
  • butter (optional)
  • garlic (optional)

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a small pie plate. Mix grated potato peels with egg, onion and flour. Press the mixture into the pie plate and up the sides to form a crust. Bake crust for 20-25 minutes. While the crust is baking, cook potatoes, drain and mash. You can add your favorite mashed potato flavorings here i.e. garlic, onion, milk, butter, salt, etc. Fill crust with mashed potatoes and sprinkle with beetroot. Bake in oven at lower temperature of 375 for 10 minutes or until browned.

    • I received this book for review

    Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret by Judy Blume (Banned Books Week)

    Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)64 Comments

    Twelve year old Margaret has a lot of worries for her young age.  She wonders if she will ever need anything beyond her training bra.   When the time comes to kiss a boy, how will she even know how?  And she is desperately afraid that she will be the last girl in her club to get her period.  As if this wasn’t enough, she also has a new home and a new school.  And where does God fit into all of this…


    Ok.  I think I became a reader through Judy Blume’s books.  Ok…. maybe I started with my collection of Nancy Drews and then on to the Hardy Boys, but in those early years of double digits, Judy Blume was my author of choice.   I fondly remember reading this book and it was a pleasure to pull it out again for this re-read.

    Judy writes well with her sixth grade voice of Margaret, page by page going through Margaret’s fears and hopes for her new school and for herself.  When Margaret’s teacher asks the students to share what religion they are, Margaret starts to wonder about that too.

    What I love about this book is how Margaret takes her questions to God.  Throughout the whole book God is her companion and much like a voiced diary, Margaret shares it all.  The book is funny and sweet and a wonderful book for young girls as the are starting to ask their own questions.  I think this book would be a wonderful discussion book that could be shared between mother and daughter.

    Reading this book again made me laugh out loud (all I am saying is six cotton balls…. ) and reminded me of the wonderful stories and characters I had found with Judy Blume.  It brought me back to a time when I worried about such things and it was good to read a book about a girl who had concerns like me.  😀

    Check out all the covers for this book… how fun are they!


    Did you ever read this book?  What cover was your copy?

    Why was Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret banned?

    Due to its relatively frank treatment of adolescent sexuality and religion, this book is one of the top 100 most frequently challenged books at libraries (i.e., books that have been requested to be banned), according to the American Library Association.

    A fun FYI: This book was seen being read by Sawyer from the hit TV show LOST, on the beach, demonstrating his indiscriminate desire for reading material. He disliked the book, calling it “predictable”, with “not nearly enough sex”.

    Freedom Writers Diary by Zlata Filipovic w/ Erin Gruwell (Banned Books Week)

    Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)42 Comments

    Twenty three year old Erin Gruwell was a new teacher in Long Beach, California.  Erin was filled with energy and ideas and was not deterred when she was given the students referred to as the “unteachables”.  Going optimistically head long into the class it did not take Erin long to see the invisible lines drawn between race, color, and social status.

    When a picture is passed through the room making fun of a student, Erin brings up how hateful things like this start wars.  Mentioning the Holocaust she is shocked to find that most of the students in her room had never heard of this.  Using her own money, as the school would not provide books for such social outcasts, Erin teaches the students through reads like Anne Frank, and slowly builds the trust not only in her, but in each other.


    I always try to read a book before I watch a movie although, such as in this case, it does not happen that way.  When I seen this movie years ago I did not even know it was a book.  The movie was phenomenal and even as I write this review and I think of this powerful story it brings tears to my eyes.

    I had purchased the books years back after realizing it was a book and as many of my books do… it sat on the shelf until recently.  Reading this book, was  just as wonderful as the movie.

    I can not stand hate.  It is a dirty four letter word.  I can not handle families torn apart and people judging each other for anything.  Having lost all of my immediate family members to tragedies, it breaks my heart to see families choose not to speak to one another over whatever differences they feel they have.

    What I wouldn’t give to have one more conversation with my mom.  My dad.  My sister.

    I am getting off course, but this book brings out a lot of emotion as I felt again within the pages, the hate, the labels, the teachers who looked at these students as a waste of their time and the schools money.  What Erin does costs her much, but the outcome…. is priceless.  Within this true story you will find the power and passion of one person, who erased the invisible hate lines by daring to cross them and showing love to students that were starving for it.

    An amazing and powerful read that if you have not read – I highly recommend you do.  And this week, if you can make the time, I challenge you to rent this movie.  I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

    Amazon Rating


    Why was The Freedom’ Writers Diary Banned?

    On March 11, 2008, an English teacher at Perry Meridian High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, Connie Heerman, was suspended for a year and a half without pay for using the Freedom Writers Diary in her classroom against the wishes of the school board.[ Administrators objected to racial slurs and sexual content in portions of the book. Heerman had received permission the previous year to attend a workshop based on the books and obtained permission slips from the parents involved. The school board contends that Heermen did not properly follow the rules to receive permission to use the book. Erin Gruwell commented on the controversy, saying, “The best way to get a teenager to read a book is to ban it. When someone who is a daunting authority figure says, ‘Give us your book’, I think these students [thought], ‘There must be something powerful in these words’.

    *FYI.  The Diary of Anne Frank is also a banned book.

    (1982) Challenged in Wise County, Virginia due to protests of several parents who complained the book contains sexually offensive passages. (1983) Four members of the Alabama State Textbook Committee called for the rejection of this title because it is a “real downer.” (1998) Removed for two months from the Baker Middle School in Corpus Christi, Texas after two parents charged that the book was pornographic. The book was returned after students waged a letter-writing campaign to keep it, and the review committee recommended the book’s retention.


    The Face On The Milk Carton by Caroline B Cooney (Banned Books Week)

    Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)51 Comments


    15-year-old Janie Johnson feels plain.  Ordinary.  She wishes she had a better name like her friends Sarah-Charlotte Sherwood and Adair O’ Dell.  Those are names that say something.  She thinks maybe she could start spelling her name with a “y”, like Jayne.  Or two”y’s”, Jayyne.   And maybe her last name could be something cooler, like Johnstone.  How will she ever be anyone as Janie Johnson?

    All of this changes when one day at lunch she sees a face on the milk carton of a little three-year old pigtail girl.  The face, is Janie’s face.   She remembers the dress in the picture and suddenly her world is turned upside down.  Is she a missing child?  Are her parents not really her parents?  If she is not Janie Johnson….

    then who is she?



    The Face On The Milk Carton was a quick and good read.  As I was reading this book I could not help but feel I had seen this somewhere and had a flash back to a younger version of me watching an After School Special about this.  (Anyone remember after school specials?  They were on tv around 4:00 in the afternoon and they were stories with a message. )   Sure enough, I looked it up and this was actually a tv show and seeing the actress that played Janie, it all came back to me.

    The book deals with typical teenage angst.   Janie gives me the impression in the beginning of just being bored.  Of course that rapidly changes as she starts to have anxiety over what she discovered on the milk carton and starts to explore what that could possibly mean for her and the people she loves as her parents.

    I thought the book was handled well and as I finished it I really had no idea why this book would have made the banned books list.  Other than a brief possible sexual opportunity – which is considered, but declined, there really was nothing in the book.

    The books ends suddenly and many questions are still left unanswered.  Apparently to my surprise, the story doesn’t end with this book.  There is a sequel to the  book called “Whatever Happened To Janie?”  AND then it goes on to a third book called “The Voice On The Radio” and concludes this series (4 books now… it is a series) with “What Janie Found“.

    I never knew about the other books so that was interesting.  Also interesting is that none of the other books are on the challenged or banned lists.  😀

    Why was Caroline B Cooney’s Face On The Milk Carton Banned?

    The faintest reference to the idea of sex (a possible first encounter) was all that it took for a challenge to be made to this book. Subsequent protests involved a perceived “challenge to authority” that occurred when Janie becomes to determined to establish her true parentage.

    I borrowed this from our local library


    ROOM by Emma Donoghue

    Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)37 Comments

    Jack is 5.  He lives with his ma and he loves to sit at TABLE and play games using RUG.  He sleeps in WARDROBE and spends hours of time with his ma every day.  Jack loves his life. To his mother, it is a nightmare.

    What makes Jack different from all other five years olds is that he has spent his entire life in a single room having never see anything beyond and not even knowing that anything exists beyond the room.  Jack’s mom was abducted when she was 19 and has been kept locked in this room for the past 7 years.   Told from the perspective of 5-year-old Jack, we experience his life through his eyes.  He likes his routines and he enjoys how they make up games using paper bags or string.  He hides when Old Nick comes to visit at night.

    But things are about to change.


    ROOM is an extraordinary read.  I stepped into a read like no other I have read.  It took a few pages to get into the way Jack talks, and to fully get the understanding of his world, but once there, I could hardly put the book down.  What impressed me throughout this book was the devotion of Jack’s mother.  Everything is for Jack and what that brings out in this read is a mother and son relationship that many of us would envy.  Jack is smart because ma has all day to teach him words, and spelling, and meanings.  When Jack asks questions about what he sees on tv, ma has all the time in the world (quite literally) to explain to him.

    What an amazing world Emma Donoghue created within these pages.  I was astounded at the great detail of Jack’s character.  It wasn’t hard for me to imagine five-year old Jack being so smart because of all the access he had to be taught.  While this book is a fiction read I could not help but think about the real abductions that happen in this world, and stories like Ma and Jack;s that are sadly true.

    I would say this book is one of the best books I have read this year and would highly recommend that you take the time to read this powerful that at times made me laugh, and eventually…. made me cry.

    Picador.com has a layout of what ROOM would look like.  Take a look and now imagine Ma in this room (and only in this room) for seven years and Jack for his entire life (yes, he was born in there too – on RUG).


    I am going to activate the Spoiler Page for this read (see button below) as there was one part that disturbed me a little even though I worked hard to wrap my mind around it.  A few bookish friends have also requested discussing the book in detail once I had read it so the spoiler page will be a safe place to do that.


    Born in Dublin in 1969, Emma Donoghue is  an award-winning Booker-shortlisted writer, now living in Canada with my family. Her books are ROOM, THE SEALED LETTER, LANDING, TOUCHY SUBJECTS, LIFE MASK, THE WOMAN WHO GAVE BIRTH TO RABBITS, SLAMMERKIN, KISSING THE WITCH, HOOD, STIRFRY (fiction), as well as INSEPARABLE, WE ARE MICHAEL FIELD, POEMS BETWEEN WOMEN and PASSIONS BETWEEN WOMEN (literary history).

    Peter Carey, Emma Donoghue, Damon Galgut, Howard Jacobson, Andrea Levy and Tom McCarthy are today, Tuesday 7 September, announced as the six shortlisted authors for the 2010 Man Booker Prize for Fiction. For over four decades the prize – the leading literary award in the English speaking world – has brought recognition, reward and readership to the outstanding new novels of the year. The shortlist was announced by Chair of judges, Sir Andrew Motion, at a press conference held at Man’s London headquarters.

    The six books, selected from the Man Booker Prize longlist of 13, are:

    Peter Carey Parrot and Olivier in America (Faber and Faber)

    Emma Donoghue Room (Picador – Pan Macmillan)

    Damon Galgut In a Strange Room (Atlantic Books – Grove Atlantic)

    Howard Jacobson The Finkler Question (Bloomsbury)

    Andrea Levy The Long Song (Headline Review –
    Headline Publishing Group)

    Tom McCarthy C (Jonathan Cape – Random House)

    Book Journey has updated the 2010 reading map to include ROOM

    Cover Story:  It works.  Its plain and simple and makes me want to know more about a book with this cover and this title.

    Amazon Rating

    My author chat with Emma Donoghue

    I received this book for review in New York at BEA in May 2010