Lemuria Books – Page 149

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Nightwoods by Charles Frazier

On October 10, 2011

I finished reading Nightwoods last week, and I will for sure be recommending it to many Lemuria readers during the holidays coming sooner than we’ll all be ready! Nightwoods is fast paced, plot driven, and well written. Although I usually read psychological realism, and usually character driven fiction, I found myself really enjoying this “story”. Since I had never read a Charles Frazier novel, but had, of course, known of his fame in Cold Mountain, I knew that I was in for a treat.

Initially what captivated me were the ease and powerful way in which Frazier uses sentence fragments. Not many writers can use this art form successfully without the writing seeming choppy, but Frazier seems quite at home and comfortable with their use:

A cool November day, blue sky and sunlight thin and angling, even at noon. Leaves entirely off most trees, but still hanging tough and reddish brown on the oaks.

As I was reading this new Frazier novel, in my mind I was subconsciously comparing the setting to some of my long time favorite plot driven novels, such as Tim Gautreaux’s The Missing, as well as Ron Rash’s Serena. Readers who liked these fast paced, often mysterious plots, will also like Nightwoods, for Frazier, who grew up in the mountains of North Carolina is an expert in placing action in colorful settings.

At the beginning, the protagonist, a no-nonsense capable “outdoorsey” woman, has received from a social child care worker young twins who are the orphans of her previously murdered sister. Never having been married, and certainly never a mother, even Luce realizes immediately that there is something peculiar about these six or seven year old twins, mainly that they don’t talk. Trying to gain their confidence and love, Luce tries all sorts of things to get the “fire loving and setting” kids to start communicating. The reader learns that they probably witnessed the murder of their own mother and makes allowances for their behavior. They are quite clever and confident and certainly not dumb! Frazier’s use of the flashback shows perfection as the reader also puts bits and pieces together of Luce’s past, as well as the past of her new significant other, who is actually the grandson of the old man who rented Luce the old resort hotel where she lives.

Toward the end of the novel as the action and suspense rapidly increase, the reader leans forward as the twins flee into the mountains to escape their mother’s murderer. Beautiful woodsy settings, expertly and carefully detailed by Frazier add to the delight of this story. This novel is sure to be recognized nationally. After all, Cold Mountain, Frazier’s first novel was an international best seller and also won the National Book Award in 1977. Thirteen Moons, published a few years ago, was a “New York Times” best seller.

Come hear Charles Frazier read from this new novel on Tuesday, October 11, at 5 p.m. An autographed copy of Nightwoods is a rare opportunity to be seized, as well as a chance to hear a prominent contemporary writer, a master of the written word.

Nightwoods by Charles Frazier is our October First Editions Club pick along with What It Is Like to Go to War by Karl Marlantes.

Click here to read Joe’s blog piece on Nightwoods.

-Nan

The Chucks (Part 2)

By Former Lemurians

On October 9, 2011

In Culture, Fiction

Dear Listener,

With the Chuck Palahniuk event just around the corner (October 20, don’t forget!), I wanted to discuss what CP means to me. When I was thirteen or fourteen, I started reading Palahniuk. I started with Choke, continued with Fight Club, moved on to Lullaby, found Survivor, and finished Invisible Monsters. As a teenage boy, I became simply engrossed with the intricacies to which Palahniuk goes to utterly disgust his reader. I loved being thoroughly shocked by the last five pages of the book. Nothing made me happier than finishing a book and immediately starting from the beginning to try to piece together what exactly it was that had just happened. As I grew older, I started reading classics, and was unable to keep up with Palahniuk’s quick production of novels. At some point in that regression of obsession, I picked up his 2007 novel Rant. That is when everything changed.

Along with most men of my generation, time travel, to me, is a revered philosophical discussion. Granted there is never a right answer, only illogical logic, I can have a conversation about time travel for hours and hours. When you consider the different types of time travel (i.e. Back to the Future Time Travel, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure Time Travel, Terminator Time Travel, etc.), and the paradoxes that ensue through those types, the discussion can become complex and heated. In Chuck Klosterman‘s most recent book of essays Eating The Dinosaur (2009) there is an essay that deals entirely with time travel in pop culture. (And if you think about it, time travel really wouldn’t exist without pop culture, right?) In this essay (titled “Tomorrow Rarely Knows”) Klosterman covers several classic works like H. G. Wells’ The Time Machine, Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, and a 1733 novel by Irishman Samuel Madden called Memoirs of the Twentieth Century.

He goes on to discuss the 2004 movie Primer, which looks at time travel from a very realistic standpoint. (i.e. the inventors are actually engineers, they use the machine to make money, there is technical mathematical jargon in the dialogue, etc.) He also discusses several time travel paradoxes. At this point in the essay Klosterman actually mentions our hero Palahniuk in reference to Rant. Klosterman writes:

“In his fictional oral history Rant, author Chuck Palahniuk refers to the Godfather Paradox as this: ‘The idea that if one could travel backward in time, one could kill one’s own ancestor, eliminating the possibility said time traveler would ever be born — and thus could never have lived to travel back to commit the murder.’ The solution to this paradox (according to Palahniuk) is the theory of splintered alternative realities, where all possible trajectories happen autonomously and simultaneously.”

Even after reading Rant more than a dozen times, there are still facts and thoughts that pop into my head. Every read through the book shines light on a different hypothesis on who the characters are. Several of the characters may or may not exist as one person who has allegedly (maybe) killed several of his relatives and infected the entire world with some sort of un-treatable rabies. In Rant, these kinds of events may or may not take place, but they are definitely told through the eyes of his friends and colleagues. As mentioned earlier, the entire book is written as a fictional oral history. Rarely do I pick up Palahniuk anymore, unless it is Rant.

If you want to hear more about time travel, here is an excerpt from a footnote from Klosterman’s essay:

“Before [Michael J.] Fox plays ‘Johnny B. Goode’ at the high school dance [in the 1985 movie Back to the Future], he tells his audience, ‘This is an oldie… well, this is an oldie from where I come from.’ Chuck Berry recorded ‘Johnny B. Goode’ in 1958. Back to the Future was made in 1985, so the gap is twenty-seven years. ”

Klosterman goes on to explain that no one would refer to Back to the Future as an oldie today, even though the time spanned is very nearly the same. He points out that “as culture accelerates, the distance between historical events feels smaller. This, I suppose, is society’s own version of time travel.”

In this scene from Back to the Future, Chuck Berry’s cousin Marvin Berry calls him to give him an example of the “new sound he’s been looking for.” If this happened, and Chuck Berry stole his own song from Marty McFly, who wrote “Johnny B. Goode”?

For The Chucks, Part 1, click here.

cpcp

by Simon

The Story of Charlotte’s Web

By Former Lemurians

On October 8, 2011

In Biography/Memoir, Oz: Children's Books

It is such a hard question when someone asks you to name your favorite book. I have so many and often that depends when I read the book. I feel certain that some books I liked at one time tend to have to do with when I read them, how old I was, what mood I was in…the list is endless.

Charlotte’s Web is my all time favorite. My parents read it to me when I was young. I read it in elementary school, in middle school and again in high school. I most recently read it to a class of 3rd graders. If you had seen that class sit and listen so intently, you might also think there is not a better story.

E.B. White, the author of Charlotte’s Web, grew up amidst animals and stables on a farm. His surroundings in life were much like the scenery so well described in the book. The book jacket of the newly released, The Story of Charlottes’ Web: E.B. White’s Eccentric Life in Nature and the Birth of an American Classic by Michael Sims, states that Mr. White follows the maxim “Write what you know.” Boy, does he ever? There are numerous readers who have lived on that farm with him.

It appears those that follow that bold maxim do well. John Grisham, a former lawyer, turned best seller writes legal thrillers. He writes what he knows. Tim Keller, founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, has written five books housed in our religion section and has one on the way. He writes what he knows. Jeanette Walls, a writer and journalist, wrote The Glass Castle. A very popular memoir of Walls’ life as a child–on the go with her dysfunctional parents. She writes what she knows. Karl Marlantes most recently wrote a book about What It Is Like to Go to War. He leaves out no details-provides the reader with what he himself experienced. He writes what he knows.

That being said, books have a certain appeal when they are coming directly from the author’s being and heart. Perhaps that is why Charlotte’s Web is adored by so many. There is a sweet little farm somewhere–where the story unfolded to E.B.White.

I’m only half way through The Story of Charlotte’s Web, only half way through learning about E.B. White’s life. It is a pleasure to read. You follow every step of this little boy’s life as he becomes the man who wrote so many classics. You receive a history lesson intertwined with his life story. Follow his foot steps, see what he learns, and what he knows. -Quinn

Shakespeare and Company: Shopping for Books Abroad

By Former Lemurians

On October 7, 2011

In Staff Blog

Editor’s Note: Kaycie, a former Lemuria bookseller and blogger pictured left, is now living in Paris while she studies French via New York University. We are lucky to feel that we have our very own Lemurian abroad, in Paris no less, and are tickled to share some of her more-or-less book related experiences from France. Enjoy.

I just made my second visit to Shakespeare and Company. If you don’t know about Shakespeare and Co., I’ll give you this brief description: it was opened by Sylvia Beach and became the hang-out for many of the 1920s expats—you know, people like Hemingway and Joyce. That bookstore closed during the German occupation and never reopened, but the one that’s alive and well today is a tribute to Beach’s store. It primarily sells English language books (British covers, so it’s fun to see those in comparison to the books I saw every day working at Lemuria bookstore), and they also have a reading room/library and a piano to play upstairs. I love it.

I bought a tote bag to carry my schoolbooks in and an anthology recently released by Tin House called Fantastic Women: 18 Tales of the Sublime from Tin House, which features stories from some of my favorites including Aimee Bender, Karen Russell, Miranda July, Kelly Link, and Lydia Davis.

Here are some photos of Meryl and me exploring the store. (It was hard to get photos inside because so many people were packed in there, but suffice to say it’s magical.)

-Kaycie

This little nook is actually part of the children’s section. That wall behind Meryl is plastered with people’s love notes to the bookstore and to each other.

The Chucks (Part 1)

By Former Lemurians

On October 7, 2011

In Culture, Fiction

Dear Listener, When I was a freshman in high school, my cousin and I traded books. He gave me Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture ManifIesto (2003) by Chuck Klosterman. In return I gave him my treasured (and personally annotated) copy of Choke (2001) by Chuck Palahniuk.

DIGRESSION: Unfortunately this blog isn’t going to focus on Chuck Palahniuk, even though we have an awesome event featuring Palahniuk on October 20, 2011. (which if you’re reading this blog you should already know about) Please don’t fret, though! This is actually the first of a two part blog in which Palahniuk and Klosterman’s writings somehow coincided with each other at a pivotal time in my reading career. Part one is going to focus on Chuck Klosterman. Part two will focus on Chuck Palahniuk, and will appear within the next two weeks. END OF DIGRESSION

At this time in my life I had just begun to really understand what made reading a more conceptual form of entertainment than watching television/playing video games. That is not to say, however, that I did not watch my fair share of television/play my fair share of video games. That is precisely what made Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffsso enthralling: I was READING criticisms on what I had already WATCHED. He also analyzed whole chunks of pop culture that I had no idea even needed analyzing. As a counter-culture kind of kid, I ate it up. I’ve enjoyed it so much I’ve consistently read everything that Klosterman has released.

Needless to say, I was pretty excited when I heard he was going to release his first complete work of fiction Downtown Owl in 2008. That year I received it for Christmas, after many wishes. I was done with the book before Boxing Day (December 26) could strike.

Having been a Palahniuk fan, I felt like I saw through Klosterman’s plot. I wasn’t disappointed, but I was a little disappointed. I loved it, but was unimpressed. I wanted it to be better. I wanted it to be more complex. It was Klosterman’s writing, but I wanted it to be Palahniuk’s.

After I had been working at Lemuria for a month or so, I found out Joe had an advanced reading copy of Klosterman’s newest work of fiction The Visible Man. No matter how much I wanted Klosterman’s fiction to reflect more intrigue like Palahniuk’s, it doesn’t mean I love Klosterman’s writing any less. I was excited to read this book. I finished it within two nights. It was absolutely fascinating. It made me realize how his fiction writing still plays on the same themes as his nonfiction writing has in the past several years: the technology age, voyeurism, honesty.

This song by Widowspeak from their self titled album released earlier this year captures the emotional theme of The Visible Man:

There is something hazy about the plot the reader knows. But just because it is hazy, or inaudible, doesn’t mean it doesn’t still exist. The singer’s voice from Widowspeak may not be easy to understand, but to me that does not detract from the beauty of it. And much like The Visible Man if you listen hard enough you may be able to make out what is happening right before the jig is up.

Read The Chucks, Part 2

by Simon

Charley reviews Richard Paul Evans first kids book

By Former Lemurians

On October 6, 2011

In OZ: Young Adult Fiction

Charley Hutchison is a 6th grader at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School and an amazing reader. His voracity for reading reminds me of my own at his age–I constantly was in trouble for reading under my desk while the teacher taught the lesson. Richard Paul Evans is best know for his adult novels such as The Christmas Box and The Gift. However, in his first novel for young adults, Evans uses his own childhood for the basis of Michael Vey, who has Tourette’s syndrome like Evans. Here is Charley’s take on Richard Paul Evans’ first foray into young adult literature:

As I was reading Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans, I was reminded of The Lightning Thief, in which Percy Jackson sets out on a quest to discover why he has special powers. In Evans’ science fiction mystery, the reader is kept guessing throughout the book. It was this suspense that held my attention until the last page. I thoroughly enjoyed the book because of its riveting, suspenseful plot.

Just like Percy, Michael Vey sets out to discover why he has special powers. When we first meet him, he is just an average teenager, other than his Tourette’s syndrome. But then we learn an electrifying secret…literally. He has the power to push electricity into other objects, including people. As Michael struggles with his new found abilities, he discovers he is not the only one with special powers. He learns that a cheerleader named Taylor can scramble the signal in your brain to effectively “reboot” you. The reader is along for the ride as the two begin to unravel the secrets of their past, discover the mysteries of their powers, and learn what all this means for their future…if they have one.

Michael Vey, the Prisoner of Cell 25, is a novel about the discovery that you can always use your unique abilities for good and to triumph over whatever obstacles life may throw at you. At the end of the book, I was still wanting more, and luckily for me, there will be more…six more. The next book in the series will be Michael Vey: Rise of the Electroclan.

Jerry Mitchell’s Review of Karl Marlantes’ What It Is Like to Go to War

By admin

On October 5, 2011

In Culture

Many of you may have attended the May 2010 event for Karl Marlantes’ first book, Matterhorn. It was a memorable night but it seemed to me that we would never be so lucky to see Karl again. I had the pleasure and honor of taking him to the Eudora Welty house and about town. I also thought that Matterhorn would be Karl’s only book, but much to everyone’s delight he has given us this fall. I have found his new book profoundly moving, and I think this is a book we should all read.

I enjoyed reading Jerry Mitchell’s great write-up for Karl’s book and would like to share this quote with you:

Gunnery Sgt. Terence D’Alesandro, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, said publicly that Marlantes “is the absolute master of taking the psyche of the combat veteran and translating it into words that the civilian or non-veteran can understand. I have read many, many books on war, and this is the first time that I’ve ever read exactly what the combat veteran thinks and feels. Nothing I have ever read before has hit home in my heart like this book.”

Please read the full article in The Clarion Ledger.

Join us this evening for a signing at 5:00 and reading to follow at 5:30.

Click here for more information about What It Is Like to Go to War.

Murakami Love at Lemuria: Norwegian Wood

By admin

On October 5, 2011

In Foreign Fiction

In getting ready for the long-awaited release of 1Q84 on October 25th, I was pleasantly surprised to find evidence of Lemuria-Staff-Past who have also been devoted fans. Walker (Lemuria Class of 2006) said he would be happy if we shared some of his thoughts on one his favorite Murakami books and a recommended first read. Here’s what he has to say:

Murakami’s Norwegian Wood was the novel that broke the author into mainstream success. Compared to Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World or Kafka on the Shore, the narrative is straightforward: a college boy’s coming-of-age story, told through his romantic involvement with two very different girls. But this book is the most affecting, personal, and character-driven Murakami I’ve read, and I loved it.

It’s a coming of age story with all of what I count as some of the author’s big draws: simple, elegant sentences, sexual frankness, and quiet thoughts on everyday scenes. When Murakami writes that his character just drank coffee, read a chapter in a book, then went to get beer, you don’t doubt it, and you feel for some reason that you would like coffee, a good book, and then some beer. It’s a weird and calm effect he has. Also, in this book, you get to read about what everybody eats and drinks. You will know what every character ate and drank every time they do it. It’s great. There’s a diligent and gentle attention to surface detail that’s almost strange.

This book would serve as a great introduction to Murakami, his writing and voice are wonderful here, the story is clear and intimate, and if you’re leery or not in the mood for fantastic elements, they’re none to be found.

-Walker (Lemuria 2006)

For an introduction to Murakami and preview of 1Q84, click here.

1Q84 is coming October 25th. Click here to reserve your copy.

hmhm

Operation Chuck: Fight Club

By Lemuria

On October 5, 2011

In Newsworthy

You might have heard us reference some of our publisher reps on our blog. Publisher reps can really make a difference in getting the best books, the best authors and service to an independent bookstore. No doubt we are working hard with Random House to throw a great party for Chuck Palahniuk and our 36-year anniversary. Liz Sullivan, one of our reps from Random House, joins our blogging efforts devoted to Chuck Palahniuk, acknowledging the “wee bit” of excitement that has spread through the store like a fever. -Lisa, Blog Editor

Chuck Palahniuk has a new novel coming in October, a delightful book called Damned. Better, Mr. Palahniuk is touring to one of my bookstores, Lemuria Books in Jackson, Mississippi. Lemuria has never hosted Chuck before and to say the least, they are a wee bit excited. The store has made t-shirts and posters promoting the event. They are planning a party with a band, and an art show, and they blog about Chuck every three days or so. Their enthusiasm is what makes my job fun. Nothing, seriously NOTHING, is better than an excited bookseller telling people about books they have to read (and buy). Okay, so maybe chocolate is as good….and I’m sure that Gianna can suggest a few things to do with inmates, but occupationally, book excitement is the best.

I’m still not going to date a convict. Moving on.

So Lisa, the terrific bookseller and editor for Lemuria’s blog, emailed me two days ago and asked if I’d write a Chuck-related blog piece for Lemuria since I’m such a big fan. While I want to support my stores in any way possible, I was confused. I actually had only ever read about a few samples of Chuck Palahniuk books (reps are supposed to read excerpts of books in order to obtain a taste of the writing and story). I’m a little crazy, though, and sometimes I suggest ideas without thinking them through completely. For example, let’s say that I suggest that I read all of Chuck Palahniuk’s books between now and the Lemuria event on October 20th and then I could write authoritatively about the man’s writing. Never mind that we’re talking about, like, a dozen books in 22 days and I have a full time job. (I don’t have a social life…but no, I’m still not going to date a convict.)

I am Liz’s Mental Illness and Blurry Eyes.

One book down, started this morning, finished tonight. I started with Fight Club because I saw the movie long, long ago…and I admit I didn’t really like the movie much. I’m not a Brad Pitt fan and the Marla character was one dimensional and the only sympathetic female character (Bob with the man boobs) is killed.

I appreciate that the book Fight Club is slightly different from the movie. Marla is significantly more compelling in the book, for one thing. The “twist” is more transparent and far more believable. And while the idea of Fight Club is about male bonding and the definition of masculinity, there’s enough satire to keep me from throwing the book across the room.

I am Liz’s outraged Intro to Women’s Studies curriculum.

Fight Club is juvenile. It glories in the vulgar practical jokes and tiny acts of anarchy that pervade the service industries. It shouldn’t be taken as a textbook. It’s one of those books where I think most of the readers take it too seriously and consider it The Catcher in the Rye of the 90s. The afterward is testament to the ridiculous responses this book has produced, and actually makes me think I might like this Chuck Palahniuk guy. We’ll see. I have quite a few books to go.

I am Liz’s inability to sleep.

I realize that I’m going to be reading a Chuck Palahniuk book about every day and a half for a couple of weeks, and that’s on top of the reading I need to do to prepare for my next sales conference. And that full time job. (Still no to the convicts, though.) I don’t sleep much. Filling my time and brain with the unladylike lit of Chuck Palahniuk could rot my brain, but I’ll try to chronicle my mental collapse properly.

-written by Liz Sullivan

See all of our Chuck Palahniuk blogs here.

Click here for Info about the Oct. 20 event.

The Night Circus Goes On

By admin

On October 4, 2011

In Newsworthy

Please enjoy the photos we took of The Night Circus Event with Erin Morgenstern. If you took some great ones, post them on our Facebook page. Thanks to everyone who came and a special thank you for all the Tweets before, during and after The Night Circus. For those of you who missed The Night Circus, it was certainly a dream, but we still have signed copies of this magical book. A Big Thank You to Erin Morgenstern: We loved meeting you and love your book!