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Seeing a World in Colors

On September 8, 2010

A Book Review of “The Book Thief” by Mark Zusak

I’ve read books with narrators of all sorts, but I think reading a tale about a little girl as seen by the Angel of Death is a new one for me. You’d think that the Angel of Death might bring some nasty, dark twist to the whole thing, but he doesn’t. He’s absolutely lovely in his descriptions of things. He sees the world and people as colors and is saddened by the fact the more of us don’t see all of the colors the world has to offer. It is for that reason that he likes children. Only from the mouth of a child will you hear an innocent, colorful description that may or may not be grounded in reality.

“The Book Thief” centers on Liesel Meminger during World War II. Her father is a communist and she and her mother and brother must flee for safety. In the end, she is the only one we know to end up in a safe place. Her brother passes away and as the Angel of Death comes to retrieve his light soul, he becomes enamored by Liesel. Against all protocol for an angel of death, the Angel of Death keeps tabs on Liesel and her life.

What Zusak illustrates is how hard life was in small German towns during World War II beyond the death camps of which we know. In this story there is a duality of someone who is protecting a Jewish man but also becoming a Nazi soldier to save his family and trying to reconcile those differences, a girl who is seeing racism right up close and experiencing the lower-class families all around her watch their lives dissipate.

Liesel’s salvation is words. She is taught to read and thrives on reading. She helps others survive through her love of literature and it’s no coincidence on Zusak’s part that that the Angel of Death is so good with words himself.

“The Book Thief” is a wonderful book and a thought provoking read.

Suicide and Other Cheery Topics

By Kate

On September 8, 2010

In books, reviews

A Book Review of “The Virgin Suicides” by Jeffrey Eugenides

It’s been so many years that I can’t describe exactly why, but when I read the Pulitzer Prize-winning book “Middlesex” by Jeffrey Eugenides I feel in love with it. He described the emotions, the anguish of the main character so poignantly that it was hard to believe that the author could have not shared experiences that his character endured.

A recent subscriber of http://www.goodreads.com/, the site suggested I read more books by Eugenides. First I attempted to read “My Mistress’ Sparrow is Dead: Great Love Stories from Chekhov to Munro” but I only made it through the first short story before returning the book to the library. So instead I decided to read “The Virgin Suicides.”

I watched Sofia Coppola’s version of “The Virgin Suicides” when it came out but don’t remember much about my reaction to the film. In looking up details now, I realize that it starred a ton of famous people. (My guess is having the last name Coppola helps when you are casting your first movie. Not trying to be catty … just is very talented … but still.) I do distinctly recall not really getting the film because it was depressing and I couldn’t see why you would want to see a depressing movie.

Enter, the book.

If you’ve not read “The Virgin Suicides,” this is only a slight spoiler alert because the ending is revealed on the first page or two of the book. The four sisters central to the story commit suicide. From there, if you can believe this, it is all downhill. Downhill from suicide!

The thing is, Eugenides is an artist in the way he uses words to express himself. I wish I could be eloquent. And because of this “The Virgin Suicides” was a very worthwhile read. Just don’t read it while you’re in a bad mood!

Smooth Away … More Like Sand Your Flesh Off

By Kate

On August 17, 2010

In reviews

As a parting gift from my old job, my whole team catered to my ridiculous love of As Seen on TV Products. I received a whole Space Bag® of fabulousness. Rather than bore you with a listing of every item I received, I thought I would do one better: bore you with reviews on each individual item. Points I will be covering are inventiveness, practicality and, most importantly, does it work.

The first product I decided to review was Smooth Away, a product that claims to gently exfoliate while at the same time removing your hair.

I waited until Shave Your Legs Friday (and yes, shaving my legs is an infrequent enough event that it deserved its own title) so I would have more hair to work with. I am not a beat or anything, but I did have legitimate hairs that needed removed.

Upon opening the packaging I was welcomed with this cute, pocket-sized kit. Smooth Away® gets total points for thinking about hiding away what could be considered embarrassing toiletries.

It’s when you open the super cute pouch that things start to go south.

Do you spot what’s wrong in there? Let me make it more obvious.

Now when I see the number 3 followed by the letter M, I conjure up images of tape, Velcro, super glue and sandpaper. Particularly that last one. A quick look at the 3M part of Smooth Away® confirmed my suspicions.

Sandpaper.

But I’m no wimp. I peeled off the adhesive backing on the sandpaper and stuck the sandpaper to the Smooth Away® applicators. (Yes, there are two applicators. One large one for your legs and one small one for your more delicate bits. I decided against testing this item with the sandpaper on my delicate bits. Frankly, I wouldn’t have shared publicly if I had, but once I saw the sandpaper, I was out like George Michael.)

After a few deep breaths, I put the applicator on the hand and got ready to go to down sandpapering my leg.

I started rubbing my leg furiously with the Smooth Away® sandpaper, with brief rests in between to see if any hair was going away. Instead all I felt was hot, hot heat like fire going down my shin.

I have no after photos for you. I can’t show you a hair-free leg. Well, I could post a picture of how my legs looked after I shaved them with a razor, but that’s not the point of this review.

So how did the Smooth Away® rate?

Inventiveness? Yes
Practicality? Maybe
Does it work? NO

Getting Fresh With You

By Kate

On August 13, 2010

In reviews

Last night Wonder Boy and I checked out Fresh at the Parkland Theatre. Both the movie and the theater were a great find.

Parkland Theatre shows movies at only $2 a ticket and the concession stand is stocked with lots of $1 items. The inside was a hoot with stadium seating, super cushy seats and a laser show that went on for the entire time before the movie started playing.

Fresh, a movie we were referred to by Songbird, talks about eating fresh and local food. It was minimal on the shock value and didn’t show too many disgusting images of animals being treated horribly, thanks goodness. That or I’ve just been desensitized to some of this video clips. There was one brief period early in the film involving baby chicks where my eyes welled up and I decided I would leave the theater if it continued. Fortunately it did not.

Throughout the movie the focus alternated between people who used antibiotics, chemicals and just plain stupid farming practices to make our food and then people who farm organically and sustainably. At the end of the movie, Wonder Boy and I both felt inspired to work a little harder to buy food at local farmers markets (there are plenty in the area — after all, we live in the Midwest), supporting restaurants that also buy local, organic food and to eat less processed junk.

One man interviewed in the movie talked about his roommate college in, someone who wasn’t from the US, who said to him, “You know what Americans fear the most? Inconvenience.”

Very true words.

Picking Cotton

By Kate

On July 27, 2010

In books, reviews

A review of “Picking Cotton: Our Memoir of Injustice an Redemption” by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton with Erin Torneo

One in six women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime, according to RAINN, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. Some of these women will be able to confront their attacker through our justice system, but many will not. “Picking Cotton: Our Memoir of Injustice an Redemption” is the story of one woman who got to point out her attacker in a police lineup and watch him be sentenced in court to a lifetime in prison. It is also the story of a man sentenced for a crime he didn’t commit and how survived our prison system.

“Picking Cotton: Our Memoir of Injustice an Redemption” is an easy read, despite the rough topic at hand. It begins with a foreword (a part of books that I admittedly often skip) showing Jennifer Thompson Cannino, the rape victim, and Ronald Cotton, the purported rapist, hanging out as friends. I was immediately intrigued.

Without giving away the meat of the story, what I found most valuable were the lessons in the importance of good police work, slid evidence and careful application of sentences as severe as the death penalty, a topic I won’t go into my opinion of but which this book clearly shows has it’s flaws. (Learn more from the Innocence Project.)

I challenge people to read this book and learn about forgiveness, the legal system (more than what my beloved Law & Order shows on television) and circumstances that I fear happen all too often in our country without anyone knowing it.