2011: Book 39

For the Sins of My Father: The Legacy of a Mafia Life by Al DeMeo

288 pages

Completed 4/24/11

For a tale of death, greed, murder, and cheating, DeMeo's story of his childhood with his Mafioso father was heartwarming. A man who truly seemed to care for his only son, yet struggling with keeping up his obligations, the elder DeMeo's luck finally runs out; as does the younger's.

Planning to stage his father's murder, helping him to establish identities in the Bahamas, and meeting hordes of "uncles,' the younger DeMeo revisits the moment when he realized his father was not just a used car salesman. With poignancy that would touch any reader, the discovery of his father dead leaves Al in shock, as does the subsequent "tell-all" books and a legal case that seems to never go away. An easy read, it is still as full of heart as any father-son story.

2011: Book #35

The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin

272 pages

Completed 4/7/11

Written in letter form, this novel is written from the vantage point of almost-adult Matt to his baby sister Emmy, in hopes that she will understand why things are the way they are. Living for years in South Boston under the rule of their seemingly-psychotic mother and never-ending roatation of her boyfriends, Matt involves a man in their lives that he believes will help them out of their perilous situation. But when Murdoch realizes just how off the deep end Nikki really is, he scuttles out, leaving an adolescent Matt to not only survive himself, but care for his two younger sisters.

Defintely written at a young adult level, this book nonetheless was intriguing and offered a good story. While perhaps not necessarily challenging, the emotion itself is a force to be reckoned with.

2011: Book #34

Family Album by Penelope Lively

240 pages

Completed 4/3/11

Told from nine points of view - the six children of two parents and their nanny - set in the outskirts of London, this novel was a bit slow to get into, but I am so glad I did. Revealing the secrets behind the family, while combining their past stories with their current lives was written so well that not once did I feel lost in terms of whom was speaking.

Intriguing, I couldn't believe the ease in which huge secrets were revealed. With the mother being oh-so-cheery and living alongside her lost-in-his-own-world husband, the children have very different takes on what went on during their childhood, and each had their own unique voice. Well done; I truly enjoyed this read.

2011: Book 30

Slow Motion: A Memoir of a Life Rescued by Tragedy by Dani Shapiro


256 pages

Completed 3/24/11

Living the high life with her married boyfriend, Dani Shapiro is a college dropout in the eighties whose drinking problem is spiraling out of control when she gets a call that will change the course of her life. When she reports to the hospital where both of her parents lie after a horrific car accident, Shapiro has to make a lot of decisions, with almost no support.

With sufficient background information on her family and college-years, Shapiro manages to tell a moment-in-time memoir without leaving the reader guessing about much. The turn of events that leave her referring to time as before-the-accident and after-the-accident changes Shapiro in the nick of time.

2011: Book 24

The World Made Straight by Ron Rash


304 pages

Completed 3/16/11

This novel tells the tale of Travis, a high school-aged young man who gets in over his head after stealing marijuana plants from a cruel drug-dealing farmer. The subsequent events lead to Travis living in a broken-down trailer with the town's ex-teacher pot dealer, Leonard, and his pill-popping girlfriend. Falling for a headstrong college-bound girl who insists on remaining chaste, dealing with his father's rejection, and accepting the consequences of dropping out of high school, this coming-of-age tale is one to remember.

But this book is not just Travis' story; intertwined is Leonard's  own sad tale, as well as a mysterious and telling doctor's log from the 1800s. In the small town, everything is connected, and the ending of this book will leave readers stunned.

2011: Book 19

The Boys of My Youth by Jo Ann Beard


224 pages

Completed 3/2/11

This disjointedly told memoir revisiting the death of her mother, the bonds of her friendships, her adolescence, and the falling in - and out - of love with her husband, Beard presents an interesting read. A great balance of humor and darkness, the emotion is raw throughout.

I was a bit confused by the ongoing stories interrupted by reflections of childhood, but realized it was a wonderful way of presentation for Beard's memoirs.

2011: Book 16

Scratch Beginnings: Me, $25, and the Search for the American Dream by Adam Shepard


240 pages

Completed 2/22/11

The tale of a recent college graduate who decides to take $25, drop himself in the middle of North Carolina, and meet set goals in one year's time, this memoir's interesting concept drew me in. However, my interest didn't hold for very long. Shepard didn't struggle very much - or if he did, he didn't present it well - and left me completely underwhelmed.

Giving himself one year, but reaching his goals way sooner, and then abandoning the remainder of the year left a bad taste in my mouth. Barely touching upon topics rampant in homeless shelters and in the bottom rung of society - drug use, addiction, mental illness, crime, prison - Shepard seems to have painted a rose-colored glasses view on his fortunate "way up". In search of the real American Dream, Shepard should have relied on the character Derrick to present the reality of it.

2011: Book 11

Growing Up Jung: Coming of Age as the Son of Two Shrinks by Micah Toub


261 pages

Completed 2/13/11

If you are a fan of Carl Jung or Freud's early work, this is the memoir for you. Raised by two Jungian psychologists, Michah Toub finds himself relating to the outside world with a very Jungian point of view. The interludes of story are connected in a very research-paper way, so if you are not looking to feel as if this is a required reading book for your Psych class, I'd skip it.

I, however, as a Psych major, enjoyed this book thoroughly. Toub's humorous tales of coming of age, love and loss, and his parents eccentricities amused, and the history, background, and personal opinions of Jung and his approach to the field of psychology were informational. I did expect more eccentricity, I suppose, but Toub's well-adjusted self was much unlike what I was hoping for. Running With Scissors this was not.

LIZ: BOOK #24

Too Close to the Falls by Catherine Gildiner

400 pages

Completed 5/24/10

An account of Gildiner's own 1950s childhood, full of town characters, her religious school-based upbringing, and the challenges that came along with those, shapes this book from the very beginning.

Employed at her father's pharmacy at four, put on delivery duty with the one African American man in town soon after, Gildener's sharp humor amuses throughout this memoir without being predictable.

A good memoir about coming of age in a time before my own, with an undercurrent of self-discovery, this memoir was good, but not one that I'd recommend.

LIZ: Book #2

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

213 pages

Completed 1/2/10

Being sick and stuck at home for almost a week now, I have been flying through books, and this was no exception; this was an incredibly quick read. I literally finished this diary-like novel in 3 hours. Revolving around socially awkward high school freshman Charlie in the 90s, these entries are being written to an unknown receiver and focus on his happiness, struggles, and confusion about coming into his own.

I am a memoir lover, so I am surprised that I have so many fiction books waiting for me on my bookshelf. This book, however, read much more like a memoir. Coming of age is hard for any teenager, let alone one who is dealing with loss, depression, and the ups and downs of making new friends. When Charlie started forging bonds with upperclassmen, I was reminded of one of my favorite movies, Almost Famous. His love of music, tendency to question the outside world, and inner conflicts, the comparison was only reinforced for me with Charlie's announcement one night that he "feels infinite."

This book is definitely more suited to a young adult audience, but considering it has been on my books-to-read list for a few years now, I just had to get to it. I felt more could be provided in the ending; what is presented as a sort of epilogue left me with more questions than closure to the story. But, if you are stuck at home sick (like me!), this is a good quick read.