Snapshots in Diversity: Special Series- DEBORAH

In honor of Cultural Diversity Month this month I asked a few bloggers to share about their cultures. One of these bloggers was Deborah of Books, Movies, and Chinese Food. She has written a funny and poignant post to wrap up the series, so please read and leave a comment with any comments or questions you may have. Discussion is good! Thank you so much, Deborah, for sharing with us!

~I get this question all the time "So where are you from?" I reply "Well I live in No. Va now, I grew up in Hampton Roads, but I was born in Roanoke, VA". Their response is "No, I mean where are you REALLY from?" I reply again "um...the US?" The response to that is "No, what is your background, your ancestors?" It's like they're not satisfied until I admit that my family is not from the US. I also have been told I speak really good English. Um...why wouldn't I?

So to satisfy anyone out there who has been asking, my mother is from Malaysia but her family is Chinese. My father is from Burma (Myanmar) and is part of the Chin ethnic group. We call ourselves Burmese-Chinese but I guess technically we are CHIN-ese heh heh. I get asked all the time though if I'm Filipino or Vietnamese. If my picture showed up in one of those "Guess What Asian They Are" quizzes, no one would guess me.

Growing up Asian American has been difficult at times. I was one of the very few AA kids in my grade, and throughout my entire 13 years in public school, I can remember probably less than 75 kids all together who were Asian. Therefore if you were Asian, you stood out. I would get teased constantly about my eyes, all the way up to middle school. People would come up to me and pull their eyes and go "Chinese, Japanese, Siamese" at me. I seriously do NOT get the point at that. So my eyes are a little bit more squintier than Caucasian eyes. It does not mean I see less than they do.

It's expected for an AA to major in two things in college - engineering or premed. I tried out the engineering route. Really. I wanted to be a chemical engineer. Unfortunately that did not work out too well. I'm now a history major. There aren't that many Asians in history. Both in my undergrad and grad courses (so far) I'm the only Asian. If you've seen The Joy Luck Club, my life was pretty much like that. Model minority was the perfect phrase to describe us. We had to do very well in school. We got grounded for getting B's, if you got an A-, you were lectured as to why you didn't get an A. Straight A's were never rewarded, they were expected. Which was why I totally envied the kids in my class who got money for getting just B's!!!

While this all may sound like I’m bothered by being Asian American, I’m not. I might have had problems while I was growing up but now I’m proud of my heritage and who I am. I really enjoy learning more about Asian history and culture and am looking forward one day to visiting China and Burma and experiencing my history firsthand. And also eating all that yummy food.

Snapshots in Diversity (c) is a special series running on Lost in Books through the end of April. Please be sure to bookmark the blog so you can catch the next wonderfully interesting personal essay/interview.

Fairy Tale Fridays: One eye, two eyes, three eyes...

Fairy Tale Fridays
Hosted by Tif Talks Books

The fairy tale this week was the Brothers Grimm's story One-eye, two-eyes, and three-eyes. The story is of 3 sisters, one with one eye, one with 2 eyes, and one with three eyes. Only the mother and two sisters hate two-eyes because she only has two eyes like a common person. They treat her horribly and don't feed her or clothe her as they should, giving her only whatever might be left.

However, two-eyes is given a gift that helps her and even earns the admiration of a prince who marries her. Later her sisters come to her door begging for food because they have run into bad luck and Two-eyes, being the better person, takes them in and gives them food and treats them so well that they repent and regret what they did to her for the rest of their lives.

I think this was an interesting story and a twist on the Cinderella tale. I think it is a story worth reading and you can find it online, too.

Lenore Answers 20 Questions!

This is the feature 20 Questions where we get to know our fellow book bloggers a little bit better! Today I want to welcome Lenore of Presenting Lenore! Thank you, Lenore, for participating and sharing today!





20 QUESTIONS

1. Last book you bought: I just ordered the third book in Patrick Ness’ Chaos Walking trilogy called MONSTERS OF MEN. In order to get free shipping, I also ordered Laurie Halse Anderson’s FEVER 1793.

2. Last book you got in the mail: Since I live in Germany, my “getting books in the mail” system is rather complicated! In most cases, publishers send to my US address, my dad gathers up the urgent reads, packs them in a flat rate box and sends them over to me a couple times a year. I also pack my suitcase full of books when I when I visit home and bring them back to Germany. The last book my father reported me getting in the US is: FOR THE WIN by Cory Doctorow which I will definitely “import” to Germany to feature in my upcoming Dystopian August theme month. The last book that was sent to me in Germany by a publisher was: LOVE IN A TIME OF HOMESCHOOLING by Laura Brodie. I will be reading and reviewing this very soon.

3. The first book you read over and over: Well, that I can remember…that would be the Illustrated Classic Edition of James Fenimore Cooper’s THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS from Moby Books. I loved that book and read it until it fell apart. A few years ago, I found a copy at a yard sale for 20 cents. Score! I have read the unabridged version too, but I only read it once.

4. Children's book every child should read: Every child? Hmmm…maybe something like MY PICTURE ATLAS by Roger Priddy. I wish more children knew something about other countries in the world.

5. Favorite place to read: In bed. There is just something so cozy about it. Especially with my cats cuddled up next to me.

6. A book you bought just for the cover. I’ve bought quite a few picture books just for the cover. If I like the illustration style on the cover, then I’ll take a chance and hope I like the story too.

7. Scariest book ever read: Probably DEADLINE by Randy Alcorn. In it, three friends are in a car crash, two die and one survives. One of the friends goes to heaven and the other, doesn’t. But “hell” isn’t a devil with a pitchfork. It’s just eternal darkness with no contact with anyone, and that’s scary.

8. Most romantic book ever read: I adored the romance between Beauty and Giles in Sherri Tepper’s novel BEAUTY, a sci-fi retelling of Sleeping Beauty with faerie and other fairy tales mixed in. The romance is far from the focus of the story, but it’s just sooo sad.

9. Book that changed your life in some way: Every book I read has some effect on me. I learn something new and/or my perceptions about something evolve.

10. Book you've re-read the most times: HEART OF DARKNESS by Joseph Conrad. I read it for the first time in high school where I had the most amazing English teacher, Dr. Seewer. I read it again in college and then I’ve read it a bunch more times.

11. Book you needed the Cliff's Notes for: The only Cliff’s Notes I’ve ever read were for Shakespeare’s plays.

12. Book you needed the dictionary for: ELLA MINNOW PEA by Mark Dunn – starting in the later chapters where the vocabulary gets very inventive due to the fact that there are an increasing number of letters of the alphabet characters must avoid using.

13. Book you like that no one else does: Well, I see a lot of hate for the YA novel SWOON by Nina Malkin, which I don’t really get. I loved it! The writing was just so outstanding. And the voice! WOW. But there are a ton of 1 star reviews on Amazon, LibraryThing and GoodReads. It seems to provoke a very strong reaction.

14. Book you don't like that everyone else seems to: OUTLANDER by Diana Galbadon. I like the concept a lot, but there were some elements of the story that were too unnecessarily brutal and sadistic for me.

15. Number of books you own (you can guess): Somewhere north of 1500 at least (in Germany alone – I don’t even want to think of the books I have in storage). Probably only 10% of those are books I’ve already read as I usually pass read books on – unless I really loved them or find them useful in some way.

16. Number of books on your TBR list (that you have not acquired yet): My wish list at Amazon is hundreds of books long by now. That’s where I usually go when I see a book on the blogs that looks really fascinating. Then, when I go on one of my buying sprees, I check to see which ones are my must haves.

17. Must-have reading accessories: A purring kitteh is nice.

18. Literary Destination You Want to Go To: A friend of mine has been dying to visit the Moomin theme park in Naantali, Finland. We’re planning to go this July.

19. Top Three Favorite Authors: This is tough for me to answer, as I am not really someone who has to read through an author’s entire oeuvre. I love debut novels, so I read a lot of those. But let’s see, in current adult fiction, I really like David Mitchell (for his willingness to experiment with story structure), Jasper Fforde (for his inventiveness and humor) and Lionel Shriver (for her amazing writing). And in current young adult fiction, I have to mention Suzanne Collins (for her HUNGER GAMES trilogy), Mary E. Pearson (for her intelligent YA), and Lemony Snicket (because he makes me smile until my cheeks ache and you can quote him endlessly).

20. Three Bloggers You Want To See Participate In This Feature: I’d like to see more YA bloggers featured, such as Steph Su Reads or Pop Culture Junkie, and maybe a blogging author such as Beth Kephart.

From Becca:
Thank you for participating, Lenore! Your dystopian theme month is awesome! Great idea. I agree with you that children should know more about the world. Not only where they are and what their name is, but about the culture of the countries, too. I love to read cuddled up with my purring cat, too. She loves to curl up in my lap to enjoy the latest selection with me. :) You have mentioned several books I haven't heard of so I am going now to look them up!

Check below to see who is appearing on 20 Questions next!

~Allie of A Literary Odyssey (5/6)
~Children's Book Author Ann Whitford Paul (5/13)
~20 Questions Gets Some New Questions! (5/20) (Clarification: Keeping some questions, blending a couple of questions, and adding a couple new ones!)

Proverbs from Around the World for Cultural Diversity Month

"Join with good men and you will be one of them." -Venezuelan Proverb

"There's a risk in every jump." -Puerto Rican Proverb

"You must always be careful with something that's greater than you are." -Shoshone Proverb

"Your whole destiny is involved in the attitude you take towards your sin." -American

"Those who wish to sing always find a song." -Swedish

"Every man goes down to his death bearing in his hands only that which he has given away." -Iranian

"God promises a safe landing but not a calm passage." -Bulgarian

"He who knows nothing, doubts nothing." -Brazillian

"The man being carried does not realize how far away the town really is." -Nigerian

"Write injuries in sand, kindnesses in marble." -French

"A book tightly shut is but a block of paper." -Chinese

"Wisdom does not come overnight." -Somalian

"All things are difficult before they are easy." -Italian

"Children aren't dogs; adults aren't gods." -Haitian

"Pay attention to the whispers, so we won't have to listen to the screams." -Cherokee

"Say nothing about another that you wouldn't want to hear about yourself." -El Salvadoran

"Among the weak, the strongest is the one who doesn't forget his weakness." -Panamanian

"You can't see the whole sky through a bamboo tube." -Japanese

"Every man is the builder of his own hut." -Tahitian

"Dig your well before you're thirsty." -Hindu

"Many will show you the way once your cart is overturned." -Kurdish

"This world is a harsh place, this world." -Zulu


Today's proverbs from around the world are brought to you by:

Contemplate
The Quotations Page
Creative Proverbs
Special Dictionary

What Books Are You Intimidated By?

The Book List is just a short and fun meme that allows you to share books and make a list of books! Who doesn't love lists?!?


This Week's Topic is:

3 Books That Intimidate You

Here is my list:

1. The Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki
I have actually read part of this ginormous 1200 page book, that is reputed to be the first novel ever written (it was written in the 11th century). However, I feel it is a book I am intimidated by because let's face it focusing on one book is not my strong suit- and this one is the chunkiest of the clunkers! Will I ever finish it? Maybe. I am going to try it again. One day. :)


2. Ulysses by James Joyce
Not only is it a 500 page clunker but it is also such a multi-level literary masterpiece. What if I don't understand it? I need the Ulysses Cliff's Notes.




3. All Russian Literature
Can I just throw an entire category of novels in here? I don't know why, but Russian Lit seems just over my head. I have attempted Crime & Punishment three times and The Brothers Karamazov once, and Anna Karenina once and I haven't been able to finish any of them. I can't keep the names of the people or places straight. I feel like I need an outline just to get past Chapter five of any of them!



So what about you? What books intimidate you? Have you ever attempted to read a book that intimidated you? What about the book intimidates you?

• Write a post on your blog that is a list of 3 books pertaining to the topic above. It can be super short or long and windy. Choose your own M.O. :)
  

• You may include photos with your lists, especially if that helps illustrate your point.
  
• You link back to the week's post here on Lost in Books in your post so if someone else wants to play, they can find their way here.
• Then you come here and leave your link in the Mr. Linky so other people can find your post and your list!
• There is no obligation to post every single week. Participate when you can!
  

Sound fun? Join in!

Monsters, Religion, and Romance on What I'm Reading Monday

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey. You can leave your post with the Mr. Linky there.

Books I completed the past week are:
1. Is There a Monster Over There? by Sally O. Lee (Children's ARC)

Books I am working on:
Fiction:
1. It Happened One Night by Lisa Dale (pg. 240 of 350) (ARC)
2. Web of Deceit by Darlene Cox (pg. 58 of 272) (ARC)
3. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne (pg. 193 of 224) (for a challenge)

Nonfiction:
1. Bright Lights, Big Ass by Jen Lancaster (pg. 200 of 380) (Random Read) (zero progress this week)
2. Recovering My Voice by Aruni Nan Futuronsky (pg. 300 of 324) (ARC)
3. Live Fast, Die Young: My Life with James Dean by John Gilmore (pg. 90 of 272) (for a challenge)
4. Hinduism: A Brief Introduction by Kim Knott (pg. 34 of 160) (for a challenge)

ARCs Coming Up Next in the TBR Pile:
1. Letters to Rosy by C. Ellene Bartlett
2.Children of Dust: A Memoir of Pakistan by Ali Eteraz
3. The Truth Lies in the Dark by Kristen Callender
4. One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
5. Fireworks Over Taccoa by Jeffrey Stepakoff

Books for Challenges Coming Up Next in the TBR Pile:
1. The Blue Notebook by James A. Levine
2. Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2 by Steve Stockman
3. Looking for Alaska by John Green
4. Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler
5. History of Japanese Art by Penelope E. Mason

Reviews posted this past week:
1. Dark Remedy: The Impact of Thalidomide and It's Revival as a Vital Medicine by Trent Stephens and Rock Brynner
2. Talk to Me Like I'm Someone You Love by Nancy Dreyfuss (ARC)

Books still needing to have reviews written or posted:
1. Is There a Monster Over There? by Sally O. Lee (Children's ARC)

Current giveaways on this blog:
None this week but stay tuned

Book Montage:

Talk to Me Like I'm Someone You Love by Nancy Dreyfus

I can see how upset you are, and I feel terrible.

This is a small book but a powerful tool to utilize. More than a book, it is a relationship problem-solver that uses the simple but interesting method of conversational flash cards to help the user switch from arguing to problem-solving. Some of the cards help you shift gears, while others help you set limits, get clarification, and even apologize when you alone can't find the right words.

Now, you may be thinking, 'she wants me to hold up a flash card in the middle of an argument?' Yes, in a nutshell. Dreyfus, a psychotherapist by trade, says that just the simple switch in format can help break the tension and re-focus energies, while reading a message may get through to your partner in a way that your saying the same thing could not. Tone of voice sometimes carries meaning that you have no intention of giving. She actually came up with the idea while counseling her own clients in couples therapy.

Of course, Dreyfus discusses in the introduction just how to use these cards in the most meaningful way for your situation and your particular relationship. Some cards may not be for you, but use the ones that are. There are 101 cards included, with a short explanation of why this message and when to use the message and even examples of clients she has known that have used this card and the result. There is even room included in the back of the book to create your own message flash cards if you feel inspired.

Here are a few examples of the messages on the cards. But I will let you read Dreyfus' book to find out the rest and to discover just how to use the cards to the benefit of your relationship (even if it seems silly when you start) and why the cards are grouped the way they are in the book. I was thinking while I was reading it how great it would be for people with ADHD, as we often forget exactly what we want to say in conversations, especially disagreements, and how it could be a good tool to help us re-focus and not get lost on tangents.

SHIFTING GEARS
1. This feels awful. Can we start again and really listen to each other?
3. I wish you could hear this as me saying "yes" to myself--not "no" to you..

SETTING LIMITS
20. Talk to me like I'm someone you love.
23. What you are saying is worth listening to, but I am so totally flooded, I can't take in one more thing. I wish I could, but I can't.

FEELING VULNERABLE
35. I'm afraid that if I say I'm sorry, you'll make everything all my fault.
37. I think I'm supposed to know how to do this, but honestly, I have no idea.

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY
40. I can see that my anger has been destructive and that I've really hurt you.
46. I'm probably sounding like a parent right now, and I can appreciate that it's a turnoff.

GIVING INFORMATION
59. When you are so intense, it's hard to take in what might be valid about what you are saying.
61. Your behavior embarrassed me. I'm trying to tell you, not to make you feel bad, but so I can feel close to you again.

GETTING CLARIFICATION
65. When you say things like that, it sounds like you are thinking of ending our relationship. Is that what you really mean?
71. It would mean a lot to me if you could just repeat back to me what you think I'm trying to get across.

APOLOGIZING
78. Even though I've been arguing my position like a crazy person, I now see where your point of view makes sense.
82. I'm sorry that I acted as if there was only my reality.

LOVING
86. I am not _______ who hurt you in the past. I am ________ who loves you now.
92. I love you. I hate fighting. Can't we just hug?

MAKING UP
94. I can see how upset you are, and I feel terrible.
100. I want to hug you and I'm not sure I am welcome. May I come closer?

THE STATISTICS:
RATING: 4.5 Stars
BOOK #: 20
RECOMMENDED BY: n/a
CHALLENGES: ARC Challenge, 100+ Books in 2010, A to Z Challenge
PUBLISHER: Tarcher/Penguin (c) 2009
GENRES: Nonfiction, Self-Help, Relationships
FORMAT/PAGES: Spiral-Bound/Paperback/282
HEY, FCC!: I received this book from Lisa Roe of Online Publicist. I did not receive any compensation for this review. It is my honest opinion of the book.

TSS: Snapshots in Diversity: Special Series- NYMETH

In honor of Cultural Diversity Month this month I asked a few bloggers to share about their cultures. One of these bloggers was the awesome Ana (Nymeth) of Things Mean a Lot. If you don't know Ana, you should. She is a kind, funny, and intelligent person with great taste in books and a quirky writing style that I love. Thank you, Ana, for sharing about your culture!

~It goes without saying that culture is all around us – and this means that one’s own culture is often very to describe unless we are given the chance to temporarily step outside it. When someone asks me about Portuguese culture, I tend to draw a blank, simply because I’m too immersed in it to be able to portray it accurately. I’ve lived abroad before, but only for periods of about six months, which wasn’t enough for me to gain much insight. This was something that crossed my mind as I read Aarti’s excellent guest post for this series last week: the fact that she’s well-versed in two cultures makes her more aware of them both. That’s not the case with me, which is why I’ll probably not be able to tell you as much. Apologies in advance!

A simply example: I never knew my culture had a mostly conservative dress code until I lived in the UK and realised that actually, I quite like wearing skirts shorter than knee-length. This might seem completely obvious from the outside, but for me it was very easy to mistake my environment’s punitive response to women who wear short skirts for a personal preference for longer ones. I should note, however, that I live in a small city in the north, and that this might not be true of Portuguese culture as a whole.

When I think of culture, I think more of smaller and more concrete things like cuisine, traditions, rites or general habits than I do of personality traits. This might be another consequence of lack of distance, but it also has to do with my belief that culture is only one of the many forces that shape us. I’m quite shy and reserved, for example, and I know that Portuguese people are reputedly effusive. But I’m far from an oddity among my family and friends. Possibly this general belief has to do with the fact that we greet even casual acquaintances with two kisses, one on each cheek. But in our cultural context, the gesture isn’t at all intimate. I do it often, and I don’t think much of it even though I’m generally shy – this is because for me, doing it doesn’t mean I’m stepping out of my reserve.

A common belief about my culture is that we’re inclined to be “nostalgic”, whatever that means. This is an image that Portuguese people are as likely to perpetuate as anyone else, but I could never quite grasp what is generally meant by it, even though entire philosophical tracts have been written on the subject. On a related note, I hate the myth that the word “saudade” is untranslatable and exists in no other language, as if its meaning was something completely ineffable. In fact, the word exists in German (sehnsucht) and if English had the noun “missage”, it would exist too. It doesn’t; but the verb “to miss” gets the idea across just fine. Of course, words are never exactly the same in different languages, but in this particular case, the meaning is not that far removed.

The things I value the most about my culture are much more practical and concrete than a general feeling of nostalgia. They’re the things I miss when I travel; the habits I don’t see myself changing even if I fulfil my ambition of living in different parts of the world. For example, we have late-night habits. We eat dinner between 8 and 9:30pm; we only use the word “evening” from 8pm onwards (“7 in the afternoon”, “8 in the evening”); we’re not likely to go to bed before midnight; and evening entertainments, such as concerts or cinema sessions, rarely start before 9:30pm.

Then there’s the food, to which I’m quite attached: yes, we do eat a lot of codfish, and yes, most people like olive oil. And we have bread with nearly every meal, and those custard tarts sprinkled with cinnamon you might have heard of really are that delicious. Finally, there are the celebrations. Unlike most of the population, I’m not Catholic, but my family still takes part in many of them for their cultural and social significance. Christmas means the world to me – and when we say “Christmas”, we often mean “Christmas Eve”, which is perhaps more important than Christmas Day itself. The tree never comes down before the sixth of January, though the Feast of Epiphany is not as big as it once was. On Easter, people spread flowers on the ground outside their doors, put food on the table, and open their houses to the local priest and to their neighbours. And around midsummer, different cities have different feasts in honour of local Saints. In my city, people go out into the streets and stay out all night – they eat, they sit around bonfires, and they hit each other on the head with plastic hammers and rub leek sprouts on the noses of perfect strangers who have the misfortune of walking by. I kid you not. But please don’t ask me how it all began.

Thank you again, Ana, for sharing about Portuguese culture with us. When I first heard the word saudade, I fell completely in like with it. I really connect it (rightly or not) with my father, my childhood, and with my pre-fibro body and life. These are things I feel nostalgia for that are gone forever and are no longer attainable to me. I like your descriptions of the different celebrations, such as the Feast of Epiphany. I grew up Protestant but it wasn't until I became Catholic that I had any idea what significance Epiphany had or ever celebrated it in any way. I don't know how I would feel about getting hit on the head with a plastic hammer, though, hmmm...lol

Snapshots in Diversity (c) is a special series running on Lost in Books through the end of April. Please be sure to bookmark the blog so you can catch the next wonderfully interesting personal essay/interview.

On My Wishlist #2

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where you can list all the books that you desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click here.

The Heart is Not a Size by Beth Kephart
Published 2010
Recommended by: Kathy (Bermudaonion)

Georgia knows what it means to keep secrets. She knows how to ignore things. She knows that some things are better left unsaid. ...Or are they?

When Georgia and her best friend, Riley, travel along with nine other suburban Pennsylvania kids to Anapra, a squatters' village in the heat-flattened border city of Juarez, Mexico, secrets seem to percolate and threaten both a friendship and a life. Certainties unravel. Reality changes. And Georgia is left to figure out who she is outside the world she's always known.

Beth Kephart paints a world filled with emotion, longing, and the hot Mexican sun.

Bone China by Roma Tearne
Published in 2008
Recommended by: Marie @ Daisy's Book Journal

An epic novel of love, loss and a family uprooted, set in the contrasting landscapes of war-torn Sri Lanka and immigrant London. Grace de Silva, wife of the shiftless but charming Aloysius, has five children and a crumbling marriage. Her eldest son, Jacob, wants desperately to go to England. Thornton, the most beautiful of all the children and his mother's favourite, dreams of becoming a poet. Alicia wants to be a concert pianist. Only Frieda has no ambition, other than to remain close to her family. But civil unrest is stirring in Sri Lanka and Christopher, the youngest and the rebel of the family, is soon caught up in the tragedy that follows. As the decade unfolds against a backdrop of increasing ethnic violence, Grace watches helplessly as the life she knows begins to crumble. Slowly, this once happy family is torn apart as four of her children each make the decision to leave their home. In London, the de Silvas are all, in their different ways, desperately homesick. Caught in a cultural clash between East and West, life is not as they expected. Only Thornton's daughter, Meeka, moves confidently into a world that is full of possibilities.But nothing is as easy as it seems and she must overcome heartbreak, a terrible mistake and single parenthood before she is finally able to see the extraordinary effects of history on her family's migration.

The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon by Sei Shonagon
Published in 1002
Recommended by Eva of A Striped Armchair

One of the great classics of Japanese literature, The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon is by far our most detailed source of factual material on life in eleventh-century Japan at the height of Heian culture.


No Will But His: A Novel of Katherine Howard by Sarah A. Hoyt
Published in 2010
Recommend by: Marie of The Burton Review

As the bereft, orphaned cousin to the ill-fated Anne Boleyn, Katherine Howard knows better than many the danger of being favored by the King. But she is a Howard, and therefore ambitious, so she assumes the role Henry VIII has assigned her-his untouched child bride, his adored fifth wife. But her innocence is imagined, the first of many lies she will have to tell to gain the throne. And the path that she will tread to do so is one fraught with the same dangers that cost Queen Anne her head.

So what is on your wishlist? I'm sure you will have some to add to mine! lol

Take Me Away Saturday is Back with a Trip to Hungary!

Take Me Away Saturday

I had some Take Me Away post overload and had to put this feature on hiatus. But I am bringing it back and thought Cultural Diversity Month was an excellent time to do so. Only this time it will be a monthly feature as oppose to a weekly feature. It is a time-consuming post to put together. Thanks for understanding and I hope that you enjoy today's post!

For those of you unfamiliar with Take Me Away Saturday, I started it because I love books that take place in different cultures and are about different cultures. Take Me Away is a way to share with other readers books that can transport them into another culture. Each week I feature a different country or culture (ex. Cherokee, Jewish, etc. that do not have a specific country per se) and list some books that can transport you there. (Note: ex. not necessarily books by a German or an Australian, but books set in Germany or Australia.) I try to provide a variety of fiction genres as well as nonfiction selections.

I am keeping a map of the countries we visit, which you can see at the bottom of this post. There is also a list of both countries and cultures visited in past Take Me Away posts. Check them out and discover some good books to read.


This week we are visiting the country of Hungary, which was the country/culture scheduled next when the feature went on hiatus in December.

Here is an easy to see map of Hungary:
For more information on this country, click here.

Click on the titles of the books below to read reviews and/or purchase the book. Note: I do not receive commissions if you purchase a book through the link I provide, whether from Amazon, Indiebound, or otherwise.

Embers by Sandor Marai
Two very old men Konrad and Henrik, "the General" once the closest of friends, meet in 1940 in the fading splendor of the General's Hungarian castle, after being separated for 41 years, to ponder the events that divided them. This 1942 novel by a forgotten Hungarian novelist, rediscovered and lucidly and beautifully translated, is a brilliant and engrossing tapestry of friendship and betrayal, set against a backdrop of prewar splendor. Publisher: Vintage Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
When a motherless American girl living in Europe finds a medieval book and a package of letters, all addressed ominously to "My dear and unfortunate successor..." she begins to unravel a thread that leads back to her father's past, his mentor's career, and an evil hidden in the depths of history. In those few quiet moments, she unwittingly assumes a quest she will discover is her birthright: a hunt that nearly brought her father to ruin and may have claimed the life of his adviser and dear friend, history professor Bartholomew Rossi. What does the legend of Vlad the Impaler, the historical Dracula, have to do with the 20th century? Is it possible that Dracula has lived on in the modern world? And why have a select few historians risked reputation, sanity, and even their lives to learn the answer? So begins an epic journey to unlock the secrets of the strange medieval book, an adventure that will carry our heroine across Europe and into the past -- not only to the times of Vlad's heinous reign, but to the days when her mother was alive and her father was still a vibrant young scholar. In the end, she uncovers the startling fate of Rossi, and comes face to face with the definition of evil-- to find, ultimately, that good may not always triumph. Publisher: Little, Brown and Co. Genre: Historical Fiction, Adventure

We Are On Our Own by Miriam Katin
This WWII memoir is the debut graphic novel from Katin, an animator for Disney and MTV. It tells the story of toddler Katin—here called Lisa—and her mother, Esther Levy, Hungarian Jews who must flee Nazi persecution. With her husband off fighting in the Hungarian army, Esther is forced to abandon all their belongings and take on the identity of a servant girl with a bastard child. She survives however she can—whether making alterations on the bloodstained uniforms of dead soldiers or surrendering her body to an adulterous German officer. Katin shows Esther's harrowing experiences with an objective eye, but her own experience of the time is the fragmented memory of a child; unable to understand the vast tragedy unfolding around her, she focuses on the loss of a pet dog. The story flashes forward to the '70s and even later to show the long-term effects on Katin and her family's faith. Katin's art is an impressionistic swirl; early scenes in sophisticated Budapest recall the elegance of Helen Hokinson, while the chaos of war is captured in dark, chaotic compositions reminiscent of Kathe Kollwitz. This book is a powerful reminder of the lingering price of survival. Publisher: Drawn and Quarterly Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir, Graphic Novel

Revolution in Hungary: The 1956 Budapest Uprising by George Konrad and Erich Lessing
On October 23, 1956, what began as a mass rally in Budapest quickly evolved into the Hungarian Revolution. Within days, millions of Hungarians were supporting the revolt. It lasted until November 4th when it was crushed by Hungarian Security Police and Soviet tanks and artillery. Between 25,000 and 50,000 Hungarian rebels and 7,000 Soviets were killed, thousands were injured, and nearly a quarter of a million people left the country as refugees. Erich Lessing was the first photographer to arrive in Hungary, and he documented the short-lived uprising and its aftermath in a series of world-famous photographs, reproduced here in stunning duotone. They bring to life once more the hope and euphoria of the first days of the revolt, so soon to be followed by the pain and punishment of its brutal suppression. 230 duotone illustrations. Publisher: Thames & Hudson Genre: NF, Photography, History


The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld Series #1) by Gena Showalter
His powers--inhuman. His passion--beyond immortal. All her life, Ashlyn Darrow has been tormented by voices from the past. To end the nightmare, she has come to Budapest seeking help from men rumored to have supernatural abilities, not knowing she'll be swept into the arms of Maddox, their most dangerous member--a man trapped in a hell of his own. Neither can resist the instant hunger that calms their torments...and ignites an irresistible passion. But every heated touch and burning kiss will edge them closer to destruction--and a soul-shattering test of love.... Publisher: Harlequin Genre: Fiction, Romance, Fantasy

The Hungarian Cookbook by Susan Derecksey
Susan Derecskey worked in publishing and journalism until she met a transplanted European journalist named Charles Derecskey, by origin a Hungarian from Transylvania, and embarked on the globe-trotting uncertainties of life with a foreign correspondent. Already an accomplished cook in the French mode, she began to cook Hungarian, first as a treat for her husband, then as a parlor trick, finally as an obsession.

When the Derecskeys returned to the United States, Susan already had an extensive collection of notes and recipes she had accumulated and tested wherever they were: the Congo, Paris, Germany andas culmination -- Hungary. Here, in the fine restaurants of Budapest and the more modest establishments and homes of Transylvania, she learned how the classic dishes should be made and developed that instinct for the cuisine that separates the gifted cook from the merely skillful one.

Her husband and two young sons cheered her on through the writing of The Hungarian Cookbook. They still gather every summer in the big kitchen at Ledgewood in the Adirondack Mountains, where many of the recipes in the book were put to the test. This annual ceremony of renewal is bound to feature such enshrined favorites as kohlrabi soup and chicken paprikash and one or more of those fabulous Hungarian desserts. Publisher: William Morrow Genre: Nonfiction, Cookbooks/Cooking, Culinary Culture

Kingdom of Shadows by Alan Furst
In spymaster Alan Furst's most electrifying thriller to date, Hungarian aristocrat Nicholas Morath—a hugely charismatic hero—becomes embroiled in a daring and perilous effort to halt the Nazi war machine in eastern Europe. Publisher: Random House Genre: Fiction, Thriller

Valeria's Last Stand by Marc Fitten
The Hungarian village of Zivatar may be isolated, but it is not completely immune to the changes sweeping the country. The Soviets have left, and the villagers are warming to the blessings of capitalism—expensive cars, cheap women, and California fruit. It’s all too much for Valeria, the village grouch. And yet, Valeria is not immune to change, either. A routine trip to the market leads to unexpected love, and sets off a chain reaction through the entire village. A remarkably accomplished debut novel, Valeria’s Last Stand contemplates love, lust, tradition, and transition with wisdom and warmth. Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Genre: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Romance/Relationships

Living in Hungary by Alain Fleisher
Since the fall of communism, former Eastern Bloc countries are becoming increasingly accessible to visitors from around the world. Part of Flammarion's "Living in" series, this beautiful book will certainly encourage travelers to explore Hungary, a country steeped in culture and history. Luckily for the contemporary tourist, buildings from ancient times through the 20th century have been preserved or restored, so that a great variety and depth of tourist attractions are to be seen in every part of Hungary. Publisher: Rizzoli Genre: NF, Photography, Arts/Architecture, History


This is, of course, not an exhaustive list. There are many more books out there. Do you want to share book recommendations that feature Hungary? Or do you want to share other thoughts? Please leave a note in the comments! I love the feedback!

Be sure to check back for another trip in books! Here is what is coming up next:

May: The South Pacific island nation of Fiji
June: The Central American country of Honduras


The Take Me Away Map of Countries Visited:










Where we've been and the books that take us there:
The Americas and the Caribbean
Guatemala
Peru
Brazil
Chile
Haiti
Europe
Triple Threat-Baltic States
Spain
Norway
Middle East
Turkey
Yemen
Asia
Russia
Vietnam
India
Japan
Taiwan
Africa
Egypt
Sierra Leone
Kenya
Zimbabwe
Australia, Pacific Islands
New Zealand
Cultures Across the World
Australian Aborigines
Sioux Nation
Inuit Culture

Lisa of The Little Reader shares for Autism Awareness Month

April is Autism Awareness Month and I am very excited that Lisa has agreed to share with us about her brother. Lisa is a blogger over at The Little Reader. Thanks so much, Lisa, for sharing today.


Where is your brother on the Autism spectrum?
My brother, Jun, is a 39 year old adult living with autism disorder, that is, at the extreme end of the autism spectrum.

When did you first notice the symptoms?
My parents noticed the symptoms when he was very young, maybe one or so, when he did not begin learning speech patterns and was having trouble functioning in social situations with other children.

What symptoms characterize your brother's situation?
When Jun was younger, there was a lot of repetitive behavior, temper tantrums, and potentially dangerous behaviors that eventually led my parents to seek professional help and group home placement. His condition necessitated more constant care than my parents were able (and possibly willing?) to handle and the home he is at is able to provide amazing support and care.

Which symptom(s) do you find easiest and also most challenging in handling?
Although it seems as though it would be challenging, the lack of verbal communication is surprisingly easy to overcome because Jun is able to communicate basic needs (food, bathroom, sleep, etc.) in sign language. The most challenging thing, for me, is the distance. My brother is in Florida and I am in Hawaii, so I don't get to see him very often at all. He is unable to travel, so the only time I see him is if I visit, and it's only for a couple hours at a time, due to the regulations of the home.

For my parents, I can imagine that the decision to move him to a group home was very difficult and emotionally challenging. I mean, it took them another 10 years to decide to have another child (me) because of the possibilities that remained for having another autistic child. This was about 35 years ago now, so the resources and knowledge was vastly different and certainly had an impact on their decisions.

Does Jun work? If so, what type of job does he do? How does being autistic affect his ability to work? How does it affect his relationships with his boss and co-workers?
Jun has a job folding newspapers and inserts and he loves folding laundry, so he actually eagerly awaits laundry day and handles all of the folding for the 20 individuals in his group home. I wouldn't be surprised if it is the highlight of his week.

How does it affect you emotionally as a sister of a person with autism?
The hardest part emotionally, for me, was the fact that my grandmother and my mother, did not really acknowledge Jun as a part of the family. I just couldn't understand that, being just a child myself, but because of it, Jun didn't become a part of my life until I was an adult. When people would ask how many kids my mom had, she'd always say one. It was as if pretending that he didn't exist would make it true.

Here is an excerpt from my personal journal after my first visit with him in over a decade, back in 2005:

i can't explain the emotion that i feel about him, towards him. he is my brother and a stranger. yet he recognized me. he got excited when he saw me, took my hand and walked me around. i signed him out and we went for a walk around the facility, which is really an old neighborhood converted into a campus for the mentally and physically handicapped. i wanted to speak to him, understand him, but i can't. he laughed with me for no reason and that feeling of shared joy almost brought tears. i want to know my brother, but i don't even know where to begin. i don't know if an autistic mind is something i can even know or understand, but i will try.

It's five years later now and I have visited him several times since then, though not as many as I would have liked. Personally, I am proud of my brother and wish that he wasn't so far away so that I could visit more often. The smile that I get when I visit is enough to make me happy to call him my brother.


What is something you want others to know/understand about life with autism?
Although Jun is autistic and does not function in "normal" society, he is a very happy individual that does contribute to society. I think there is a misconception that there is no quality of life for individuals like my brother, but that just isn't true. Although he isn't high functioning and although there are challenges, he is a human being with a big heart and a big smile.


What resources do you recommend to people who want to learn more about autism spectrum disorders?
For books, I would suggest any of Temple Grandin's books. She has a great way of conveying what it is like to live with a spectrum disorder in a practical manner that's highly readable.

On the web, the Autism Society has a lot of great resources and information.

--
the little reader
http://thelittlereader.net


Thank you so much for sharing with us about your brother and what life with autism is really like. It is important that we understand past just the label of "autistic" or whatever the label happens to be in a situation. The first step is sharing and bringing awareness and you have done that today. Thank you so much for the strength to tell your story.

Cultural Diversity Links

As you may know (especially if you follow this blog), April is Cultural Diversity Month. We have had Aarti and Mayra share about their own cultures and three more bloggers are slated to share their stories as well. I am excited!

Today I wanted to share some links to sites about culture and that promote cultural awareness that you may not have known about. They contain some very interesting information. Just take a look:

The World Monuments Fund keeps track of endangered cultural sites such as Tam Ting in Laos, Taos Pueblo in New Mexico, and the Historic Landscape of Sevilla in Spain. It creates a list of the most endangered cultural sites every year and works to preserve the cultural heritage.

The Matador Network is a "community of travelers, adventurers, and grassroots organizations." The network provides a dense archive of travel writing, environmentally-conscious articles, and essays on how to be more culturally aware as you travel around the world.

The website Precious Children via PBS has an article on Diversity in the Classroom with activities that promote racial and cultural awareness. It is important to begin these activities early but it is never too late to start.


There are many sites out there that promote cultural awareness, but these are three to get you started. Feel free to share favorite sites that promote cultural diversity.

Michelle of The True Book Addict answers 20 Questions Today

This is the feature 20 Questions where we get to know our fellow book bloggers a little bit better! Today I want to welcome Michelle of the book blog, The True Book Addict. Thanks for sharing today, Michelle!


20 QUESTIONS
1. Last book you bought: I bought a TON of used books. Some notables from the last couple of batches...Wings by Aprilynne Pike and Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates. My most recent purchase of a new book was Angelology by Danielle Trussoni.

2. Last book you got in the mail: Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus which I'm reading for a blog tour with Other Shelf Tours.

3. The first book you read over and over: Little Women

4. Children’s book every child should read: The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton

5. Favorite place to read: my huge armchair in my library

6. A book you bought just for the cover: The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber

7. Scariest book ever read: Hell House by Richard Matheson

8. Most romantic book ever read: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

9. Book that changed your life in some way: two books (read in high school) that started my lifelong passion for history (pre-history)--Chesapeake by James Michener and The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel

10. Book you’ve re-read the most times: Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice and Little Women

11. Book you needed the Cliff’s Notes for: Beowulf

12. Book you needed the dictionary for: can't recall, but I'm constantly looking up words!

13. Book you like that no one else seems to: I was surprised to hear several people didn't like The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I loved it!

14. Book you don’t like that everyone else seems to love: Any Given Doomsday by Lori Handeland

15. Number of books you own (you can guess): 1700+ fiction and probably 1000+ in non-fiction and Christmas books.

16. Number of books on your TBR list (that you have not acquired yet): anywhere from 50 to tens of thousands!

17. Must-have reading accessories: my snuggie, proper lighting (or a good reading light), a footstool or somewhere to put my feet up.

18. Literary Destination You Want to Go to: Medieval Europe or Hogwarts

19. Top Three Favorite Authors: Anne Rice, Stephen King, Jane Austen

20. Three Bloggers You Want to See Featured in the Future: Wordsmithonia, My World, Red Headed Book Child

Thanks for hosting such an awesome feature Rebecca!

Thank you for participating, Michelle! I loved reading your answers! I still need to read Wuthering Heights- been meaning to for forever! One of those books, you know?

Check below to see who is appearing on 20 Questions next! There's a great lineup you won't want to miss!:

~Lenore of Presenting Lenore (4/29)
~Allie of A Literary Odyssey (5/6)