Audiobooks! Love 'em or leave 'em alone?

People often ask me how I read so many books during the course of a year. My secret is that I listen to about 30% of them. Listening can be a tricky thing and I've learned it isn't for everyone. There are so many factors that go into determining what makes a good audiobook listening experience and what doesn't.  What follows is what I have learned about listening to audiobooks and a list of some of my favorites.

1. Listening to audiobooks while undertaking a large project or undertaking a boring task is a great way to stay motivated until the task is finished.

I don't tackle mounds of ironing, cleaning cupboards or the refrigerator without an audiobook handy. The crazy thing is that I find myself almost looking forward to these tasks if I know I have some good listening ahead of me. Laughing while Bill Bryson reads In a Sunburned Country while cleaning the refrigerator sure beats stewing about why no one else cleans up their slops while trying to figure out how old that bottle of hot sauce is.
The same goes for quilting. I love piecing, but dislike the actual hand quilting and sewing borders on my quilts. (I'm in the process of learning the quilt-as-you-go and it may alleviate the hand quilting blahs.) Long audiobooks such as How Green Was My Valley or Karl Marlantes' Matterhorn offer a little reward to this tedious job. The funny thing is that now I can look at quilts and remember what I was listening to while I quilted sections of them.

2. A bonus: When an author reads his or her own book you know the pronunciations and emphasis are correct.

Most of the time I love it when an author reads their own book. I forgive a lot in style, oration and voice quality in some cases, but look at it as a great gain in regards to the book being read with the correct emphasis being put on certain words, topics, etc. I often wonder while I listen to a book read by professional narrators if they have studied the correct pronunciation, are they missing the intended humor or if they know what the author intended emphasis to be put on. The author reading his/her own book solves these problems. Of course, some authors really don't have voices that are easy to listen to or read in such a way that it is distracting. One of my favorite authors to pick on in this regard is Barbara Kingsolver. She reads in an I'm-reading-this-book-to-you sort of way, rather than relaxing and putting herself in to the story. That's my take anyway... One of my favorite author/narrators is Bill Bryson. His humor, awe of nature and sarcasm (at times) come through clearly. I also enjoyed Edwidge Danticat's narration in her Brother, I'm Dying. I loved knowing that all the pronunciations of Caribbean towns, words, etc. were correct as well as the portrayal of emotions experienced by family members as they immigrated to New York City.
Another favorite was Neil Gaiman reading his children's short stories, especially his inclusion of his daughter's voice and comments into his explanation of why he wrote the stories. These I found to be exceptional. Note: this is not to say I only listen to books read by authors. I have many favorite non-author narrators.

3. Audiobooks are a great way to experience books/genres you wouldn't normally read.

Okay, you are probably asking why anyone would read a book if they didn't really want to, so let me explain. These are books that you as a reader have some interest in, but keep putting aside because there is something more intriguing you want to read first. I'm talking books like certain classics, for me it was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Watership Down, Dandelion Wine, A Room with a View and Roots. They all turned out to be books I was glad I finally read with Watership Down and Dandelion Wine even becoming  favorites. Other books in this category for me are historical books, biographies and even some of my beloved memoirs.

4. Audiobooks are a great way to unwind.

In the course of my listening, there are times that I just want to unwind with something light. When this happens, its not uncommon for me to start and stop several books a short ways in because they just aren't hitting the spot, so to speak. However, I have stumbled across a few new favorites this way. In fact, this is how I got acquainted with Melanie Benjamin, one of my new favorite authors for historical fiction. It began by listening to her popular Autobiography of Tom Thumb. This led to my listening to her Alice I Have Been  and her most recent,  The Aviator's Wife. Now I belong to the group of fans restlessly waiting for her to publish a new book! A couple of other books that I have stumbled across and enjoyed are Major Pettigrew's Last Stand and the very short,  The Mark of Zorro.

5. Audiobooks are often free!

Most of the audiobooks I listen to can be downloaded for free from my public library. My library also has a room with audiobooks in different formats; cd, mp3, etc. If classics aren't available, they can often be found in the public domain, download-able at no charge at sites such as Librivox or several other similar sites. I have listened to the v-e-r-y long War and Peace this way, as well as the brief Short Stories by Scott Fitzgerald.

Here are some of my other favorite audiobooks:

Audiobook title	Author last name	Author first name	Comment
Mr. Fox	Oyeyemi	Helen	Can be confusing at times, but the narration is exceptional.
Sailing Alone Around the World	Slocumb	Joshua	Free on Librivox
Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society	Shaffer	Mary Ann	Best narration. Period.
Mistress of the Art of Death series	Franklin	Ariana	A fun listen with British narration
Book of Night Women	James	Marlon	Authentic Caribbean-sounding narration
The Dinner	Koch	Herman	Hard to stop listening to.
Lost in Shangri-la	Zuckoff	Mitchell	Captivating.
Their Eyes were Watching God	Hurston	Zora Neale	Southern-style seems authentic
Benediction	Haruf	Kent	Laid back style of narration fits.
The Historian	Kostova	Elizabeth	I don't like vampires, but I liked this book.

There is much more that could be said about audiobooks, but it will have to be on another post. Besides, I would love to know what you think about audiobooks.  Do you like audiobooks? Do they work for you? Why or why not?

!Surpise!

Alphabet reading returns!

 

 Featuring: K * L * M

Its good to be back blogging again after a hiatus to accommodate my new schedule as a full-time employee outside the home. During that time, I re-started my alphabet reading picking up at "K" where I had left off. My choice was Mary Karr's, Liars' Club, a memoir that had been nagging me to read it for some time. Karr's language is such that her East Texas childhood was easy to visualize. My "L" selection was a short memoir, Let Me Go, Helga Schneider's cathartic account of finally meeting her Nazi mother after 27-years of abandonment.  Lastly, for my "M" pick, I walked along with Moying Li as she visited her memories of surviving China's cultural revolution. Her account added another layer to my understanding of that difficult time in Chinese history.

 Liars' Club by Mary Karr

Mary Karr's Liars' Club belongs to the group of abuse memoirs whose writing and occasional humor salvage them from becoming annals of self-pity and blame. While Karr doesn't scurry away from the pain of her childhood or from divulging the shortcomings of her parents, her mentally ill mother, in particular, she doesn't scare the reader away with the sheer weight of her emotional trauma. Although, I'm reluctant to put it in the same positive category as Jeanette Walls' Glass Castle, Liars' Club didn't strike me as a negative book.

One aspect of the book that I found exceptional was Karr's ability to recreate vividly clear childhood memories. I found her knack to assemble the right words together (right in the sense that they were adult enough not to bore a nature reader, but simple enough that they felt true to childhood memory) on paper in an elegant way. While Karr is not "elegant" in the same way that say, poetess Mary Oliver is, her sentences flow with a beauty of her own. She's not given to overusing words or limiting her vocabulary to typical American-ese. She puts into service a nice variety of descriptors, action verbs without the array seeming gaudy or contrived.

Mary Karr

A second impression I left with was a respect for Karr's strength to survive and thrive in spite of her tumultuous childhood. I found this aspect of her story highly motivating, feeling that given the magnitude of Karr's hurdles she overcame that anyone could survive any obstacle.

Lastly, Liars' club gave a clear picture of the barren East Texas 1960s culture. I found it interesting how different East Texans were, but yet how much they were the same. 

Liars' club garners   4 stars from me. I recommend to readers who loved The Glass Castle.

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Let Me Go by Helga Schneider

"I'm seeing you again after twenty-seven years, Mother...." pulls the reader into Let Me Go by Helga Schneider from the get-go of this memoir. Unlike The Liars' Club, Schneider doesn't hold back describing her feelings and emotions over being the daughter of an unrepentant Nazi mother. Her raw emotion sprinkles the 166 pages that comprise this book. Frankly, I found it a relief that the book was short because of its intensity. Although this wasn't a memoir that I was eager to pick up, I found it to be a highly important book. In that regard, I'd put it in the same category as The Diary of Anne Frank. The state of Schneider's mother's mind, her Nazi brainwashing .

and inability to let go of her Nazi prejudices and ways were incredible to say the least. Although this is not a book I would care to read again, I found it to be an essential book in regards to the information it offers about the Nazi mindset and World War II history.

Highly recommend for World War II historians and memoir readers. 

4 stars

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Snow Falling in Spring by Moying Li

the cover of this book proclaims Booklist's opinion that this book "will grab readers with the eloquent account of daily trauma and hope." I agree. Although, I don't think this is the best memoir of Mao's China, this would serve as a good introduction to readers who want a short, palatable book about the Cultural Revolution. 

Why this book only received 3 stars from me is because either Moying Li's family and friends didn't suffer to the degree that other memoirists did or she tones it down. There is loyalty, trust and lenience that doesn't exist in other books such as Wild Swans.

Moying Li

Wild Swans, by the way, is the best account I've read to date about the cultural revolution and the one I would recommend first and foremost. While I do not regret reading Snow Falling in Spring, I would only tout it to readers who want a quick, brief history of the cultural revolution.

3 Stars

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Audiobook that were amazing!

Vacation Time

 As many of you know, I started a new full-time job recently. I LOVE it! But, one of the effects is that my reading time has been cut considerably. With being new plus the loss of another employee, I logged 51 work hours this last week. My only reading took place during my lunch hour and as I fell asleep at night. However, I am not complaining in the least. It is wonderful to get back into the work world, be challenged and learn new things. So, why am I writing this? Because I believe it is time to take a short vacation from blogging while I get adjusted to my new schedule. My target date for restarting the blog will be the first Sunday of September. Adios everyone, see you in a few weeks!

What's new? July Edition (Small Publishers)

From Island Press comes Discovering Big Cat Country by Eric Dinerstein

Right off the bat, I need to say that I received this e-book free of charge through NetGalley. It is part of a series of short books printed for the express purpose of making readers aware of threats to the environment. 

Chapter 1, Tigerland:   The author relates his experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer tracking tigers for the purpose of recording a population count in that mountainous area of Nepal. The reader learns how tigers are tracked, about the Nepalese culture, environment, landscape amid dangerous and sometimes humorous anecdote. In fact, I really liked the author's sense of humor and felt it made the book.

Eric Dinerstein

Chapter 2, Kingdom of the Snow Leopard:  Dinerstein returns to Nepal for the purpose of seeking snow leopards with Helen Freeman, director of education at the Seattle Woodland Park Zoo. They search for the snow leopards at a higher elevation than previously attained. Although there is much for the reader to take away from this section, I didn't find it as entertaining as the first section; however, there was plenty to take away from an educational standpoint.

Nice kitty!

Discovering Big Cat Country is a mere 52-pages long, entertaining, but not like a normal adventure book in the sense that there is not some big feat that Dinerstein is seeking to achieve. As stated in the first paragraph, the goal of the publisher is to inform the public of environmental concerns in regards to big cats and their habitat. The book accomplishes this in an entertaining way.

4.0 stars

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The Fastest Growing Religion on Earth by Doug Bremner

*Thank you to the author and the Making Connections group (GoodReads) for making available a free copy of this book for review purposes.*

Doug Bremner

This book provided an interesting trek through the process of discovering one's ancestors. Granted, at times the minute detail of transcribing documents at e-mails between Mr. Bremner and his contacts seemed overdone, but the end result was a good education in the entire process of genealogical tracking. Doug Bremner takes the reader through the system of finding out who his real grandmother and hence mother (an adoptee) really were.  Bremner admits he is addicted to genealogy and recognizes that he isn't alone in his obsession citing several cases. His obsession drove him to obtain a blood test which claimed he is 44% Northern European, 34% Middle Eastern, 22% Southeastern European and 4% Sub-Saharan African. OMG! Incredible to be able to obtain that detailed of information through a DNA test. How does a DNA test isolate descent anyhow?

There were a few aspects of this book that disappointed me especially since it began by unveiling why the Mormons have such a high interest in genealogy. I thought Bremner would visit the Granite Mountain Record Vault (picture below) in his quest, but this did not happen. Anything burrowed away in a granite mountain arouses my curiosity. Also, I thought the writing could have been crisper. But all in all, it was an enjoyable

book although not one that would appeal to a large number of readers due to the limitation of its subject matter. However, if you are curious about genealogy or how one person solved his own hereditary mystery , it would be a worthwhile read.

My rating: 3 stars

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The Photographer's Boy by Stephen Bates

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, Premier Digital Publishing, through NetGalley.

I really liked the subject matter of this book, Civil War photography, with black and white photos sprinkled throughout the book. It gave the book the same feel of pretended authenticity  that Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children offered with its black and white photos of children doing odd things. Obviously, both stories are very much fiction, but my intention is to note what a great tool the black and white photography is for books of this ilk. In both cases, I found the quality of writing lacking, but the pictures were useful in drawing the reader back into the story  through showing what the narrators saw. By comparing The Photographer's Boy to Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, I do not intend to infer they are equals, in my mind Miss Peregrine's is superior, but The Photographer's Boy has its charm. 

There are two story line's advancing throughout this book: one of young Alfred Barker,  photographer's boy to Matthew Brady, a famous Civil War photographer, and a second of Gene and Izzie Hoffsettler, the new owner's of Alfred Barker's house. Gene and Izzie find some glass plates etched with Civil War photos in an outbuilding while cleaning up the place in their attempt to turn it into a bed and breakfast. Of course, the plates put them on the trail to find the history behind them. This leads them to a friendship with Miss Annabelle who knew the Barker family.

I like the look at Civil War history through photography. I like the photography. The quality of writing brings this book down. As much as I'd like to rate it higher, I can only dole out 2 stars.

Lots of love for audiobooks!

Headin' Down South

This week's blog finds us Headin' Down South and getting acquainted with half a dozen generations descended from Kunta Kinte. From there, we visit Georgia and a medley of colorful characters with Carson McCuller's classic, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. Our final stop is to admire thirteen of  Mississipian, Eudora Welty's, short stories.

Roots by Alex Haley

The classic story of 6 generations beginning with Kunta Kinte's capture by black

slavers in Gambia, Africa. I believe the description of the crossing to America in the belly of a slave ship was one of the most heartbreaking accounts I have ever read. How can anyone be so cruel to another human being?!

Kunta Kinte relays his story to his daughter who ensures that it is repeated for each successive generation.

Alex Haley

This novel chronicles so much more than just the family's history such as what stays the same for each generation as well as the many changes that occur over time. All in all, an encapsulating history of a family that likely could serve as a blueprint for so many others who began in slavery.

Short bio: Alex Haley graduated from high school at the age of 15. Haley dropped out at the age of 17 to enroll in the coast guard. Finding himself bored, he purchased a typewriter and began writing stories and drafting love notes for his friends. Enough of his stories were published by magazines that Haley felt encouraged to continue writing. Soon after, Haley became chief journalist for the Coast Guard and held the rank until his retirement in 1959. Haley is credited with an increase of interest in genealogy.

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Carson McCullers, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

We all know that two of the biggest human motivators are love and fear. McCullers uses both in this celebrated masterpiece.

I found The Heart is a Lonely Hunter to be an ingenious piece of writing in the sense that if I asked readers of this classic who the central character was, I believe most would answer without hesitation "the deaf mute, John Singer. (Although, in hindsight, I am reading reviews that put as Mick as the main character. I would respectfully, disagree. This book could exist without Mick, but not John Singer.) I would agree in spite of the fact that the "narration" comes from shopkeeper, Biff Brannon; drunk, Jake blount; girl student, Mick Kelly; maid, Portia and her father, Doctor Copeland. Each character respects Mr. Singer, seeking him out in order to tell him their dreams and problems. Each believing that Mr. Singer agrees with them and is interested in what they have to say.

At times, I thought there were too many characters to follow and keep straight. But by the end of the book I was glad for each unique viewpoint of Mr. Singer. One reason for my thinking this book borders on ingenious is how McCullers is able to show the reader how our eyes and hearts can deceive us. We so often see and trust that the way we want things to be is the truth of a matter. The slower pace and crisp writing style help lull the reader into trusting they know all about Mr. Singer. There isn't any convoluted phrasing, the author doesn't take the reader at a breath-taking speed around sharp curves, there aren't any tricky twists in the plot, so there is no deception, right?

Carson McCullers

McCullers also does a phenomenal job of contrast with her characters. Young vs. Old, Handicapped vs. Non-handicapped, Poor vs. Not-so-poor, Male roles vs. Female roles, Black vs. White, Communist beliefs vs. Capitalist beliefs, not to mention coming-of-age issues vs. elderly issues. Its amazing how many topics can be touched on in a 307-page novel that doesn't feel fast-paced.

I mentioned in the opening paragraph that love is an issue in this story. With a title like, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, one would expect it to be. Also, I am a believer that fear, not hate, is the opposite of love, so to me it is natural than any story containing fear must contain love as its antithesis. Unfortunately, what is loved and what is feared is so integral to the story that I'm not willing to divulge what those things are for each character, but will only say that each has something they are willing to live (or die) for.

In conclusion, what makes this novel so worth the reading in my opinion is that it can be discussed at length from so many angles.

Short bio:  Born the daughter of a jewelry store owner, McCullers first aspired to be a musician beginning piano lessons  at the age of ten. She moved to New York City with the intent of studying at  Juilliard School of Music. During a bout with rheumatic fever McCullers became interested in writing to the point that she abandoned music. McCullers published her first story, "Wunderkind", at age 19.

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Thirteen Stories by Eudora Welty

The Wide Net - William Wallace Jamieson's wife Hazel vanishes. William and neighbors drag a wide net to find her. Where is Hazel? And why did Hazel want to disappear?

Old Mr. Marblehall - Mr. Bird? Nobody ever looks to see who is living in a house like that.
Keela, the Outcast Indian Maiden - Freak show slavery
A Worn Path - For the love of a grandchild, elderly Phoenix Jackson walks the worn path.
Petrified Man - If you wanted to run from the law, how would you disappear?
A Still Moment - A priest, a naturalist and a violent man, "What each of them had wanted was simply all."
Lily Daw and the Three Ladies - Who's really feeble-minded in this story?
The Hitch-hikers - Why you shouldn't pick up hitch-hikers...
Powerhouse - Powerhouse and his Keyboard....You can't tell what he is. ... he looks more Asiatic, monkey, Jewish, Babylonian, Peruvian, fanatic, devil.

Eudora Welty

Why I Live at the P.O. - Sister vs. family
Livvie - He had built a lonely house, the way he would make a cage....
Moon Lake - A summer camp story
The Bride of the Innisfallen - This story is set in Ireland on a train.

Short bio: Welty was awarded Guggenheim fellowships, numerous O. Henry Awards and National Book Award nominations, a National Medal for Literature and entry into France's Legion d'Honneur. She was the 1973 Pulitzer Prize winner for her novel The Optimist's Daughter.  She died on July 22, 2001, at the age of 92.

UP NEXT: ??? Surprise. Tune in next week and see.

Next Stop on the Reading-Steinbeck-Chronologically Tour

John Steinbeck

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Pertinent Data:

Title: The Red Pony

Publication Date: 1933

Setting: Ranch near Salinas

Number of Pages: 92 pages (Bantam Pathfinder edition)

Main Characters:

Jody Tiflin, Billy Buck

Carl Tiflin, Jody's Mother

Grandfather, Gitano

Gabilan, the Red Pony

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Overview of Story:

The Red Pony consists of four coming-of-age stories about Jody Tiflin. In the first, The Gift, Jody learns that his hero, ranch-hand, Billy Buck is not infallible. Billy tells Jody that 'a little rain won't hurt a pony' when he leaves the pony out while Billy is at school and goes off himself to work in another part of the ranch. That afternoon a heavy rain comes up and the pony becomes ill. In spite of Billy's life-saving efforts, he is unable to save the pony, Gabilan.

The second story, The Great Mountains, Jody learns that he has desires that his father doesn't understand. Jody is fascinated with the mountains that surround the ranch especially when an old man, Gitano, comes walking out of them. 

Death confronts Jody again in the third story, The Promise. However, this time, a colt is born that Jody's father entrusts him to raise.

Lastly, Jody learns that his father's ugliness of temper gets him in relationship trouble with those nearest to him. He also learns from his Grandfather that leading an adventurous life doesn't always translate to happiness.

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Thoughts:

Steinbeck's spare prose is on display in this book. His commitment to showing vs. telling about his character's lives also is obvious.

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Pertinent Data: 

Title: To A God Unknown

Publication Date: 1933

Setting: valley of Nuestra Senora, California

Number of Pages: 240 pages (Penguin edition)

Main Characters:

Brothers - Joseph, Thomas, Burton, Benjamin

Elizabeth Wayne, Rama Wayne

Juanito, The Priest

Inanimate Characters:

The Oak Tree

The Mossy Rock

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Overview of Story:

Joseph Wayne, a young man who heads west to settle in the Nuestra Senora valley in California, claims for his own a site beneath a large oak tree. Joseph sees the tree as a physical representation of his deceased father and believes it contains his spirit. His course in life mirrors what happens to the tree. The theme of man's relationship with nature is dominant in this novel.

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Thoughts:

Steinbeck is well on his way to becoming the author we recognize in his masterpieces such as East of Eden. He's got the "Steinbeck style" going, the dialogue between characters is like what we are used to although at times it feels a little stiff or contrived, the symbolism is prevalent (particularly with Biblical characters) and the use of a main character who hasn't lost his worldly innocence is present in Joseph Wayne. 

What occurs in this novel that I hadn't seen portrayed in other Steinbeck stories (I've read 6 of his books including this one) is mysticism. The oak tree that shelters Joseph's house has protective powers and gives him wisdom, while a mossy rock that rests in a fresh spring in a grove has the ability to influence thought and to sustain or take life. I'm used to Steinbeck offering up realistic scenarios, so this mystical twist was a surprise.

Like so much of Steinbeck's work, To A God Unknown, contains symbolic links with Biblical characters. All the brothers have Biblical names with the exception of Burton who ironically is the most religiously rigid of all the brothers. Joseph's father blesses him in a manner reminiscent of the Biblical Patriarchs before he heads West. Brother, Benjamin, is the youngest, Joseph is the favorite. Brother, Thomas, doubts the power of the land to revive after a drought not unlike his namesake, Doubting Thomas and the Wayne clan thrived as a unit rather than as individual families corresponding with Jacob's family in Genesis.

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Quote:

"...I am cut off. I can have neither good luck not bad luck. I can have no knowledge of any good or bad. Even a pure true feeling of the difference between pleasure and pain is denied me. All things are one, and all a part of me."...Joseph put his arms around the tree and hugged it tight against him.

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Pertinent Data:

Title: Tortilla Flat

Publication Date: 1935

Setting: Tortilla Flat, Monterey, California

Number of Pages: 207

Main Characters:

Danny, Pilon, Pablo, Jesus Maria, The Pirate and his dogs, Big Joe

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Overview of Story:

Danny's uncle dies leaving him the owner of two houses in the section of Monterey, California known as Tortilla Flat. This humorous story revolves around these  good-hearted paisanos who only require a few friends and a bottle of wine to enjoy life.

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Thoughts:

The theme of friendship being of the highest importance accentuates this novel. The all for one and one for all theme rings true throughout, although  the attempts to help one another often end hilariously. When I first started reading, I had no idea this book would be a satire on society's values (the "sweeping machine" anecdote), a question of what comprises freedom (can a person work and be truly free?) and the value of friendship and what does friendship look like.

Unlike so much of Steinbeck's work, I didn't catch any Biblical reference or symbolism. This story was more about the values of socialism vs. capitalism than any of Steinbeck's books I've read so far. It is also the first book to use humor and satire. The mystical theme reoccurs when a blue light shines over a supposed treasure.

I enjoyed Steinbeck's use of quaint vocabulary words such as "kyoodling". In context: But the dogs waved their tails happily and sought out a rabbit and went kyoodling after it. A quick look at Dictionary.com states pronunciation is as follows:
kahy-ood-l

 and the definition is "to bark or yelp noisily or foolishly; yap"

Steinbeck's use of old-style chapter titles such as these:

How Danny, home from the wars, found himself an heir, and how he swore to protect the helpless,

How, under the most adverse circumstances, love came to Big Joe Portagee,

How Danny's Friends threw themselves to the aid of a distressed lady

The only knock I have this novel is that some of the chapters don't flow smoothly one to the other as  in other parts of the story. What I mean is that some chapters almost seemed to be individual short stories introducing new characters for the paisanos to interact with. What made it herky jerky is that this happens for several chapters consecutively. I had a similar feeling with Pastures of Heaven, although Tortilla Flat was much better because Danny and some of the paisanos are featured in each chapter.

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Quote:

Danny arose unsteadily and held himself upright against a tree.  "Pilon, I swear, what I have is thine. While I have a house, thou hast a house. Give me a drink."

"I must see this to believe it, " Pilon said in a discouraged voice. "It would be a world wonder if it were so. Men would come a thousand miles to look upon it. And besides, the bottle is empty."

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 A look at some Southern Lit classics.

A Brief Stop in Australia (Pt 2)

 

One of my desires for this year was to imbibe in Australian literature. While exalting over finding a copy of Nevil Shute's A Town Like Alice at my local used bookstore, the owner called my attention to a book she had run across entitled Mutant Message Downunder. She told me everyone that she has recommended it to had loved it, but that she wasn't sure about the accuracy of everything in the book.  Always up for reading something new, I purchased the book and decided to give it a go.

Mutant Message Downunder by Marlo Morgan

When I finished the book I said, "Wow!" for I had read it in one day, entirely intrigued with the Aboriginal wisdom and their difficult existence. Originally self-published as a memoir detailing the author's experience with a group of Aborigines who practically kidnapped her to go walkabout with the express purpose of giving her their message for the world. However, the book left me with a few niggling questions, such as why would Aborigines want a complete stranger to go walkabout with them? Why would Aborigines entrust an outsider (an American at that!) to proclaim their "message"? This took me back to re-read a note from the author in the beginning of the book that emphasized that her story was true in spite of doubters! Not convinced, I made the decision to do a little research to find out what aspects of this memoir were causing controversy. I turned to Wikipedia for some answers, and found that the author admitted at a later date (after a good deal of pressure from critics) that the story was indeed fiction. It seems the book offended many Aborigines that Ms. Morgan would pose as their "messenger". It does seem pretty brazen on her part! It is also disappointing. It would be nice to have available a first-hand account of Aboriginal life.

Urulu

But in spite of the controversies, the book does offer some good insight into Aboriginal religion, traditions and culture. -Of course, its difficult to know how much is accurate without some background of the Aborigines.- Nevertheless, the book does contain many quote-worthy statements, here are a couple:

~These people believe everything exists on the planet for a reason. There are no freaks, misfits, or accidents. there are only misunderstandings and mysteries not yet revealed to mortal man.

Marlo Morgan

~I liked the idea of looking back over my life and considering even when it appeared I had made mistakes or poor choices, on some level of my BEING, it was the best I could do at the time and in the longrun it was going to prove to be a step progressing forward.
 

In spite of the author's confusion over what entails fiction and what doesn't, Mutant Message Downunder is a riveting tale. Would I recommend it? Only if the reader knew before reading that it is fiction and they were okay with that.This was a 3-star read for me.

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Tracks by Robyn Davidson

Now here's a book that I DO recommend with no hesitation! You know how on the jackets of books they will say things like "Absorbing", "Genuinely astonishing..." and "...a landmark in the genre.."? Well, Doris Lessing lauds Tracks on its front cover saying "This will rank among the best books on exploration and travel." and I fully agree with her. this is why:

1) Robyn Davidson makes no attempt to impress, astound or toot her own horn. What this lady accomplished is amazing! How many women do you know who walked 1700 miles (mostly alone) across the Australian Outback with 4 camels and a dog? But, Davidson doesn't pat herself on the back, rather she freely admits when her mental state is in shambles including her doubts and fears in herself. The honesty was refreshing.

Robyn Davidson

2) The reader gets a firsthand account of the desert terrain, its beauty and pitfalls. Davidson doesn't hold back in describing man's destructiveness of the Outback, but this is not a running diatribe about the environment or a plea on behalf of an environmental organization. Davidson abhors the lack of concern about the desert and its natural inhabitants, particularly the detrimental mining practices, but she keeps her focus on telling her story.

3) Often adventure memoirs are written by Westerners visiting a foreign location and attempting something daring. This book is written by an Australian attempting a desert crossing with camels in her own country. Its in her own lingo, about her own country and her own countrymen, and the crossing is accomplished in her own Aussie way. The result is a wonderful picture of Outback culture.

4) If you ever wondered what its like to train, ride and care for camels, this book gives an up close look. Honestly, I don't understand her attachment to the beasts (her word), but they do provide entertaining drama! I feel more educated about camel's needs and care for having read this book.

5) Facts about desert creatures, plants, Aboriginal lifestyle, Australian history

Robyn & her camels

and culture are sprinkled throughout the book. It left me wanting to visit Australia!
Some Aussie-talk just for fun

~Name calling. What Robin found a 'mate' is not according to the drunken stereotypical Australian Outback male:  wog, pom, rice-eye, boong, poofter, slope, wanker to name a few of the milder racist terms. (Robin found these men very distasteful.)
~Camel's names. Dookie, Bub, Zeleika and her calf, Goliath. Dog. Diggity
~Aussie terms. Widdershins    Translation = water-worn gulleys
Above it was an ancient whip bucket which I had Buckley's and none of being able to use.
Translation = no chance of using the whip bucket

Quotes from book

Re: Eddie, an older Aboriginal-tongue speaking man who walked with her for about 100 miles of her journey.

Road train in Australian Outback

For the next two days Eddie and I walked together, we played charades trying to communicate and fell in to fits of hysteria at each other's antics. We stalked rabbits and missed, picked bush foods and generally had a good time. He was sheer pleasure to be with, exuding all those qualities typical of old Aboriginal people - strength, warmth, self-possession, wit, and a kind of rootedness, a substantiality that immediately commanded respect. And I wondered as we walked along, how the word 'primitive' with all its subtle and nasty connotations ever got to be associated with people like this.

Re: her sudden fame  as the 'camel lady'

The reaction was totally unexpected and it was very, very weird. I was now public property. I was now a kind of symbol. I was now an object of ridicule for small-minded sexists, and I was a crazy, irresponsible adventurer (though not as crazy as I would have been had I failed). But worse than all that, I was now a mythical being who had done something courageous and outside the possibilities that ordinary people could hope for. And that was the antithesis of what I wanted to share. That anyone could do anything. If I could bumble my way across a desert, then anyone could do anything. And that was true especially for women, who have used cowardice for so long to protect themselves that it has become a habit.

This was a solid 4-star read for me and recommended to Around-the World and adventure memoir readers.

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The next two stories in my chronological Steinbeck tour.

Happy reading and see you Monday for the next post!