Cairo Life :: My Reading Room

I love the sunshine, but sometimes it's just too hot to sit outside (or too cold). To my rescue comes this overstuffed chair and a good book to help me maintain my sanity while enjoying the sunshine. Taken June, 2012.

Reverb10 :: Achieve

I've decided to be a part of Reverb10. It's a 31-day blogging challenge where you reply to the daily writing prompts that are designed to get you to reflect on this past year as well as provide some insight for the upcoming year. I'm going to give myself 5-7 minutes for each post.

Day 28 :: December 28, 2010 :: Achieve

• What's the thing you most want to achieve next year? How do you image you'll feel when you get it? Free? Happy? Complete? Blissful? Write that feeling down. Then, brainstorm 10 things you can do, or 10 new thoughts you can think, in order to experience that feeling today. (Author: Tara Sophia Mohr)

I want to continue to read books for leisure. I'm amazed at how many people I know who haven't read a book (front to back) in years. Who does that? Well, apparently my friends. The good news is that I'm in a reading group. And although I live and work away from my group, I still keep up w/the readings and I submit my comments in advance. I also ask for a recap from the group and I call at least one of the members for other missing deets from the recap.

Books on the Literary Sistas reading list for 2011 (Jan., 2011)

We mostly read fiction, which I love. We've only read books by African-American authors. Love that too. Our reading list for this year seems amazing. So excited about it:

• Let the Lion Eat Straw by Ellease Southerland (Paperback) 171 pp

• Powder Necklace: A Novel by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond (Paperback) 304 pp

• Glorious by Bernice L. McFadden (Paperback) 240 pp

• Wench: A Novel by Dolen Perkins-valdez (Hardcover) 304 pp

• 32 Candles: A Novel by Ernessa T. Carter (Hardcover) 352 pp

• The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives: A Novel by Lola Shoneyin (Hardcover) 288 pp

I have most of the books on this year's reading list for my group and I've already begun to read one of the books. So, I'm off to a good start.

I'm saying I want to do this like the fact that my friends have fallen off will rub off on me. Not gonna happen. I will, however, mix in some other books along w/the my reading groups selections. Matter of fact, I've been reading "Who Stole the News?: Why We Can't Keep Up With What Happens in the World and What We Can Do About It". Just want to read a bit of non-fiction too.

My Good Reads list is current as is my Shelfari on Facebook. Now, I'll just have to see if I can continue to post the book review that usually goes along w/my completed readings because ... I did fall off in that regard last year.

BOOK REVIEW: "I Am Not Sidney Poitier" by Percival Everett

BOOK REVIEW: "I Am Not Sidney Poitier: A Novel" by Percival Everett (2009)

The story is about a character named Not Sidney Poitier. The word play is there and Everett takes advantage of it.

This book has a lot of funny moments. Actually, the first 20 pages of this book are pure comedy. Everett eventually goes over the top with his ridiculousness. I'm not mad about it, but funny is funny until ... well, until it's not funny.

Interestingly enough, some people's real life names are a major part of the book, though the novel is obviously fiction. For example, there's a Ted Turner in the book (Not Sidney's guardian); that character seemed true to life. I also like that the author is an outrageous character in the book too. Meaning there's a character in the book named Percival Everett and he's a bit of a loose cannon.

I was more than a little bit annoyed at the number of times the main character receives a blow job. And when I say the number of times, I'm saying it was more than two and I lost count. None of those instances seem to have any humor. Or maybe it's the kind of humor that's not my kind of humor. Whatever, the case, Everett lost me there. I had an attitude and almost didn't finish the damn book.

So back to the funny stuff ... many of the scenes in Atlanta will have you in stitches. There are several different conversations with Not Sidney's accountant, his guardian and his professor; those are bonfide funny. Oh, and the towns people are a riot too.

And for some reason, Everett decides to poke fun at Black Entertainment Television (BET) and he just make a mockery of them. Well, the truth is they've made a mockery of themselves for years, Everett's just piling on.

Overall, I'm glad that I read the book and finished it. It's a different style of writing. It's as if the book is a string of short stories; though there's some connection (almost like Langston Hughes' Simple character). I know that I kept reading because I wanted to know where the book was going? How would it end? It ended up as more of a decrescendo ending, but not too disappointing.

BOOK REVIEW: "Before I Forget" by Leonard Pitts, Jr.

BOOK REVIEW: "Before I Forget" by Leonard Pitts, Jr. (2009)

This book was a selection for my reading group, which much of the reading I do is for. Love those girls. Been together for over ten years, probably more like 15 years.

At 336 pages, this was a nice-sized book. But I popped it open anyway only to close it up tight quite quickly. If you've read the book, you shouldn't be surprised that it's majorly depressing; I couldn't take it. I know some of the people - at least I know someone like many of the characters in the book. So maybe the 'depression' is dealing w/those kinds of characteristics in real life is exhausting; I didn't feel like having that heaviness in my life and reading about it too. So I had to take a time out. I put the book down for 3-5 days.

But I was somehow drawn to Mo. I did not like his smugness, but I liked his honesty. How can you be smug and honest? Well, he was never both at the same time.

Anyway, (SPOILER ALERT) I have a post on Good Reads that you all should be able to access.

• Book review of "Before I Forget" by Leonard Pitts, Jr. on Good Reads

Additionally, I've crafted this sort of reading guide (as a mindmap) to try to address some of my concerns and issues with the book. I felt that at many times in the book, Pitts did a very good job of covering the little details, but at the end, I felt I came away with too many loose ends dangling.

NOTE: You can use your cursor to move the map (much like a Google map). Also, if you place your cursor over the smaller boxes (the ones w/the lines in them), the additional information will pop up.

Summer 2010 Plans

Just when I thought my life would slow up and I could enjoy the summer, it arrived and I'm not ready.

I've only managed to get one thing done so far: wrote an article for a journal.

And it seems summer will be over before I know it. At least my summer will be. In D.C. for about two weeks to hang w/fam and friends. Then to Chicago to do more of the same. Considering a trip to Denver for the AEJMC conference. Then back to Cairo for the 2010-11 academic year.

Here's what I hope to squeeze in over the next few weeks:

• Reading "The Great Negro Plot" by Mat Johnson (reading group's summer read)
• Begin to write a movie script
• Write an e-book
• Update my blogs more consistently
• Workout daily

That should be plenty, right?

BOOK REVIEW: "What Doesn't Kill You" by Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant

BOOK REVIEW: "What Doesn't Kill You" by Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant (2009)

"What Doesn't Kill You" was my reading group's last reading selection for 2009. I've been trying to keep up w/the readings though I'm currently living in Cairo. Reading this book was a welcome break from the last few weeks of teaching during the hectic Fall semester.

It was an easy and quick read. The book was written in first person. The main character, Tee, was witty and I liked her thinking which was often hilarious. Based on the title, you can ascertain that someone is going to experience a lot of drama. So much drama that it can only make you stronger. That character is Tee. Well, according to one of my reading group members, Tee doesn't really go through anything really difficult. It's a good point though I won't elaborate for fear of giving away too many details of the book.

We concluded that Tee did put herself in some situations that could have been avoided - easily. Still in the end, I enjoyed the book. Though it did wrap up nicely and neatly with a big red bow. There were a lot of issues, yet Tee ends up with a happy ending. Did I want her to suffer more? No, but all of her problems did not have to be solved. It makes the book more realistic.

I've read most of DeBerry and Grant's books, and they are good writers. I like the characters that they introduce because they are real. One thing that continues to baffle me is how they manage to co-author the books. What's the writing process like when there are two writers? Well, my reading group and I had a conference call w/the authors and that question was asked. They say that they definitely don't split up the writing based on characters. They say they were so in tuned to Tee's character in "What Doesn't Kill You" that the writing just flowed for them.

What's interesting for my reading group is that this was the second time that we had a conference call w/them about one of their books. We also talked to them about "Better Than I Know Myself". And my reading groups history w/DeBerry and Grant goes back to the group's inception. The first book that we read was "Trying to Sleep in the Bed You Made". That was well over ten years ago. Love that.

BOOK REVIEW: "Stand the Storm" by Breena Clarke

BOOK REVIEW: "Stand the Storm" by Breena Clarke (2008)

I read this book for my reading group. But first the back story on getting the book.

I've been living in Cairo since August. At the time before I relocated, I did not have foresight to get the books for my reading group and have them shipped. And who knew that it would be such a challenge to get anything, let alone books, shipped into Egypt - even if I work at a university.

When my first visitors confirmed their visit, I went on a shopping spree via Amazon. I purchased several book including "Stand the Storm" for my friends to bring w/them. This turned out to be a good idea. Except for when my friends arrived and doled out the goodies, there were some books missing including "Stand the Storm". So I double-check the shipment info from Amazon, bugged my sister countless times because I'd sent everything to her house and fretted about where the books might be. Well, several days into their visit, turns out that my friend 'forgot' that he stashed some of the books in some compartment in his luggage. Whew, that was close.

I nearly started immediately on "Stand the Storm". I really enjoyed reading this book. At times, I could not put it down. It's a historical fiction about slavery; well, not so much about slavery as it about a family of freed slaves. or should I say free people. The terminology is interesting. But the plot resonates: they make a name and a life for themselves, but in some ways, they are always slaves.

There are many struggles that the primary family, The Coates', experiences. I like the way that Clarke intricately writes the details of their lives. They are a family that makes hand crafts: tailoring, knitting, embroidery and more. There are even some scenes from the Civil War that depict things in ways that I've never read about before. The story is set in Washington, D.C.; Georgetown in particular. And there is some mention too of how the government was struggling to deal with the issue of slavery.

I have not read Clarke's "River Cross my Heart," but I like her style of writing. She does a fairly good job on giving some depth to the characters.

The "Stand the Storm" Reading Group Guide is a good one.

BOOK REVIEW: "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell

BOOK REVIEW: "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell (2000)

It's true that I've owned "The Tipping Point" for some time. Never read it. I think I originally bought it in 2005. Who knows. what I do know is that my copy is in storage. However, my friend was cleaning house as she was preparing for a move and she was going to toss the book. So now I own two copies. I promise to share this one.

And it's definitely worth sharing. This is one of those books where I'm thinking "Why didn't I read this sooner." I can't say that it will help me out in my daily life. But I am one of those persons who often thinks about things and wonders "How did that happen"? I'm just curious in that way.

The book is sort of about epidemics and how they happen. When something goes from being a small thing to being a big thing and what 'tips' it into being a big thing. Some examples include fashion trends and the spread of diseases. He also elaborates on how word of mouth messages are passed along. It's fascinating, at least the way he frames it. Gladwell provides countless historical examples of the theory of "The Tipping Point". One of my favorite examples in the book is the story of Paul Revere. Gladwell gives the back story of Revere's message ride and the strength, not just in the message, but the messenger and it's impact.

I am surely recommending "The Tipping Point" as your leisure reading. It only got a bit boring to me in the end when Gladwell wrote at length about the issue of teenage smoking. I just think he went on too long on this topic and he lost my interest.

I'm planning to read "Outliers" in the next few weeks. That's Gladwell's most recent book. I also own "Blink" though that did not grab my attention right way. I've tabled it indefinitely.

And what are you reading?

BOOK REVIEW: "Down the Nile" by Rosemary Mahoney

"Down the Nile: Along in a Fisherman's Skiff" by Rosemary Mahoney

This book was given to me by a friend from college as I departed to relocated to Cairo, Egypt. I did enjoy it because it was an easy read. I got through it in about two weeks and I was taking my sweet time.

It's about a woman who decides to row a boat down the Nile River. Seems uneventful enough, but it's full of numerous Egyptian filled tales. Some of the tales, I think, are just those happenstance moments and not generally how life is in Egypt. The author makes mention of two different stories about having conversations w/Egyptian men and the topic always veers to foreign women and sex.

I did like reading about Amr, a reluctant felucca captain. She wrote about him in a way that I feel like I know him. His positiveness and his frustrations were highlighted quite nicely. Now I want to go to Aswan and say hello to Amr.

One story that stood out for me was the chapter about Amr's sister. When Mahoney wrote about Hoda and Hoda's friends, I felt like I was in the room amidst all the cheery chaos. Maybe I'm just enamored w/hearing/reading about a lifestyle, the Muslim woman's, that is often suppressed.

Mahoney's writing was descriptive too. And it was nice to visualize the places that I've yet to travel to. Her choice of words was quite extensive. I eventually got out a highlighter to make note of all of the words I'd never heard of before. Some of them were rowing terms like ghat and gunwales, but there were others like uxorious, faience and opprobrium. Made me realize that I do not currently own a dictionary and I need to do something about that.

At the first mention Florence Nightingale (most popularly known as a British nurse), I just kind of brushed it off thinking that it was a single point of reference. But then there was another mention and then countless mentions and all so appropriately referenced, that I will more than likely read Nightingale's "Letters from Egypt: A Journey on the Nile". Mahoney also makes mention of French writer Gustave Flaubert as much as she mentions Nightingale. The point was made that although those folks traveled the Nile centuries ago, alot has changed, but some things have not changed.

Even though Mahoney encountered some difficulty getting a boat to row in the Nile, the book is more about the journey - getting the boat and the relationships she encounters on the way. I enjoyed it and I'd recommend it as well.

BOOK REVIEW: "The Sisterhood of Blackberry Corner" by Andrea Smith

Andrea Smith's "The Sisterhood of Blackberry Corner" is a really good read. I could have finished it sooner, but I was just taking my time.

It's about a group of black women in South Carolina in the 1950s. At times, the book does dip into the 80s too. The topic is abandoned children and how best to handle those situations so that they do not become worse situations. I think that is a good description of the plot w/out telling you the plot.

I love the characters. The main characters are Bonnie and Thora Dean. I have been trying to figure out who would play each of those women if the book became a movie. My reading book always cast the movie. It's a fun thing to do.

There are also some secondary characters that stand out. Like Ruby-Pearl, a member of The Sisterhood of Blackberry Corner.

I also like that the book was not quite predictable. I knew that one situation was possible, but I did not expect the ending.

The author did a good job of covering all of the details about the ending too. Except we do not know what happened to Tilde, who was not the most liked person in the story.

I like this one in terms of dialogue and the strength of the characters. I am a bit numb on the main topic though. This should make for a really good discussion for my reading group though.

Additional resources:

• reading group guide
• interview w/the author
  

I'm off to finish reading "Black Thunder" by Arna Bontemps. I've read one of his books before. He's old school; Harlem Renaissance old school. Should be a good read.

BOOK REVIEW: "After the Dance" by Lori Johnson

Author Lori Johnson's debut novel "After the Dance" is a love story. It's a fun read and if the title reminds you of a song, then you know good music. Johnson confesses that she is a lover of all things music (especially old school music) and weaves lots of music and music titles throughout the book. The reference to "After the Dance" is related to a tune by the legendary Marvin Gaye.

But there is, indeed, alot of dancing in the book. The two main characters, Carl and Faye, dance around many issues and situations and they get their groove on too - in more ways than one.

There is also a focus on friends and family, especially the extended family. It's a good mix for the reader to see how Johnson includes a cousin, an uncle, an ex-wife, a best friend and a flurry of others into the plot of the story.

Couple that w/topics such as body image, infidelity, adoption, friendship, love and deceit and you'll be done flipping the pages in a day or two.

My reading group selected "After the Dance" to read because some of my reading group members used to be in a writing group w/Johnson. The book was a pleasure to read - and an easy read at that - it had a good flow to it. I kinda figured out how the book would end, but how it would get to that ending was quite interesting.

If you want a nice and easy read, "After the Dance" is a good one. Pick up a copy, share it w/a friend, enjoy the read. You can read an excerpt here.

Reviews:

• Urban Reviews
• RAWSISTAZ Literary Group
• Publishers Weekly (scroll to the fiction section)
  

Feeling like I'm making progress

So I've been a bit of a busy body lately.

For some reason, I've gotten into the bad habit of staying up late - like 2 a.m.; then I usually get up by 9 a.m. I need more sleep and as a result I usually end up taking a nap. But I've had a few napless days lately.

Here's what I've managed to accomplish:

• Went grocery shopping
  
• 30 minute walk through the neighborhood (lots and lots of hills; almost got bitten by a dog and almost got hit by a car-twice)
• awesome Pilates class on Tuesday morning (another class tomorrow afternoon)
• completing the semester; graded final projects; completed grading for one course
• made lots and lots of cards (for submission, of course)
• walked to the nearby shopping district to get some shopping done (very refreshing; just can't buy what you can't carry)
• started working on my next article for Craft Critique
• ran the sweeper
• finished reading "After the Dance"
• paid some outstanding bills (like the cable bill where I have not received a paper bill for months; I only know that it is overdue when I receive the overdue bill - crazy)

There is more, but some of it is just too personal and I am not going there.

A New Earth

You know that I am a member of the Oprah congregation ... I dvr the show regularly.

At any rate, I have not gotten beyond, say chapter 3 in "A New Earth". But that's because there are other things and people consuming my life right now - and that is okay.

I have, however, been peeking into the classes on Monday night. There is something that I like about them. I sometimes think that 90 minutes is just too much time; even though they tend to go into great deal when responding to emails and others via phone or Skype.

I like the classes because I can work on my crafting while listening to the discussion.

So although next Monday is supposed to be the last class, Oprah will continue the class as a part of her Soul Sessions Series on XM Radio. That is so cool. I think I will enjoy that since she has interviews with a variety of people. I like Eckhart Tolle, but again 90 minutes of him and O can be a bit much on some nights.

Meanwhile, when will I get through the book? I think I will set a goal to get through it in the next 6 weeks. Let's see how that goes...

Five Things I Like

I was browsing the web and I came across Ali Edwards' blog (actually I have it bookmarked and I check it out every few weeks). Who is Edwards? Well, check out her blog and you will get a general idea. She definitely gets 'cool' points though.

One of the older posts was about documenting the Five Things That You Like. So I thought I'd address the topic myself:

popcorn

sunshine

hip hop music / The Roots

being outdoors

reading

And not particularly in that order. So simple, huh? It doesn't take much to be happy.

Lovin the Sunshine

I'm currently living in Pittsburgh. The weather is okay; really, it's just fine. We get all four seasons. But some days I just don't see the sunshine enough.

Well, I was on Spring Break and at the last minute (4 days in advance), I decided to travel to Los Angeles. How cool was that? Nothing but blue skies and sunshine. Total bliss.

However, it was nice to return to The 'Burgh and get a nice dose of sunshine and warm temps too. So much so, that I blew what was supposed to be a rather productive day. I worked out briefly, ran some errands, went rollerblading, then took a nice brisk walk, then did some reading outside and I also got some crafting done. Maybe that's why the sun does not come around more often for me...

Oh, and I did knock off one of my New Year's resolutions: to travel to a city that I have never been to before - no not L.A., but I went to a resort in Palm Desert which is about 90 minutes from L.A. Gorgeous. The picture was taken in Palm Desert. Love that.

...Too Many Words at Once

I love to read. I read a lot. I've reduced the number of mags that come directly to my house, but I still get one trade magazine, TV Week, one journal, Popular Culture and I have a daily delivery of USA Today. Those are just the hard copies; I read a wealth of info on the web too.

But what I don't do is multiple books at one time. I like to focus on the content. So guess what I am doing? Reading more than one book at a time. I am reading James Frye's "A Million Little Pieces". I know that I am late on this one. And it's a bit strange reading it after Oprah glossed him over on her show. Still it's an easy read that does not require much focus.

Also on my immediate list is Dr. Wayne Dyer's "Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life". I saw him on Ellen a few weeks ago and it piqued my interest. It's a good one, however, I determined that it would be best is I read a section and then try to 'practice' what I've read. For example, the second section focused on 'just be'. So I am working on being non-judgmental and just letting things be...

I have "The Secret" on my bedside. I've read this one already, but I'm back to it and I've flipped through it in the past week or so. I also actually began my visual journal. I could do a much better job on the journal especially since I make cards and various paper crafts, but oh well. I'm doing one and that is a good step.

My reading group is reading "Upstate: A Novel" by Kalisha Buchanon - this is for our annual retreat. I have yet to start reading this one, but I am anxious to get to it. It is written solely using letters.

Finally, I am about to pick up "Finding Your Own North Star..." by Martha Beck. My colleague recommended it and I have been on the hunt for it ever since. No one has it actually in store, but I can order it. Whatever, I guess I will have to place the order in the next day or so. The book is supposed to help guide me in finding my passion in life.

So enough of the blogging thing, I've got some reading to do ...

BOOK REVIEW "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

"Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I liked this book because the storyline was so unlike other books that I have read. It was a fictional story of the war in Biafra. I don't know if it was my ignorance or not, but at first I thought that the war component was made up. But the Biafran War was real and the images described in the book frequently bought tears to my eyes.

But the story's focus is on a small cast of characters, their lives and how their lives change dramatically in wartime.

Without giving away too much, the romance between the two main characters was portrayed so lovingly when things were going well, but the tense times were also realistic - the human factor is just that no matter what country you live in.

There were some unanswered questions mainly in reference to 'who really slept w/who'. And like in real life, I have not real reason for wanting to know; just curious.

The book was long; I felt like it could have been edited a bit to reduce the page count, but it was a good read. Toward the end, I was really anxious to complete the book so I slugged through it at a pretty good clip.

"Half of a Yellow Sun" New York Times Book Review

Next up for the Literary Sistas Reading Group is "Upstate: A Novel" by Kalisha Buckhanon.

So much reading to do ...

I was working on a reading list because there are so many books that I want to read now. Actually since there are so many, I've considered some e-Books, but I have not gotten that far just yet. I'm hoping to get one in the next few weeks though.

So here is my short reading list:

"Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini

• I'd like to read this one prior to the seeing the movie

"Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert

• Seeking as much positivity in life as I can muster up

"The Abstinent Teacher" by Tom Perrotta

• I read a review about this one in USA Today; the library has lots but the reserve list is uge so I wait

"Basic Black" by Cathie Black

• She was on Oprah and I enjoyed the interview; I've read other good reviews about the book and I need to read it for myself

There are other books on my list too:

"Give It Up ... My Year of Learning to Live with Less"

• I'm planning on doing this in baby steps - for at least three to four months: reduce shopping to once a month; wash clothes once a month; reduce miscellaneous spending, etc. (this is a work in progress)

"Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs"

"How Starbucks Saved my Life"

"Five Wishes"

"How to Win Friends and Influence People"

"Slam"

Good stuff. Check them out first hand or get to giving some as gifts!

BOOK REVIEW: Small Island by Andrea Levy

"Small Island" by Andrea Levy

Incredibly thoughful book; excellent writing; well developed characters; very lively and insightful

Here's a book where I could have never determined that it would end the way it ended. Andrea Levy writes in an often comical way. The three main characters encompass varying degrees of humor; the humor is never forced and so conversational.

I loved this book.

BOOK REVIEW: "Third Girl from the Left"

"Third Girl from the Left" by Martha Southgate

I had a tough time with this book; at least to start. It was heavy on the sex side! And that threw me for a loop. There was all kinds of sex, sex, sex. I felt so prudish and as a result, I stopped reading the book for a day or so. I could not see the purpose of what I thought was gratuitous sex.

The book was supposed to be my reading groups July selection. I sent them an email with my early thoughts. Unfortunately, we ended up not meeting in July and thus did not have to read the book. I thought that we would table it for future use.

Well, future use ended up being September. We had a really good discussion; including comments on all the sex. Some folks did not think that it was a lot of sex especially since the book started in the 70s time period.

Other highlights:

• discussion on the mother-daughter relationships


• discussion on lebianism


• The Tulsa riots

I noticed that some of the characters and events were under-developed like the daughter or the main character, Angela.

Overall, I thought that the book was okay. It was distinctly different than Southgate's previous work, The Fall of Rome. I pushed myself to complete the book. I was thinking: I am not a fan of urban fiction and I want to read different stories about different people and here's my chance to do that.

Here's a link to a Q&A w/Southgate about the book.