The Blue Notebook by James Levine, 14/81

This is a deeply sad book, and an engrossing book too. The story of a child prostitute in Mumbai, Bartuk was sold into slavery by her father, and taken from her family's countryside home to Mumbai's red light district. On the 'Common Street' that becomes Bartuk's home, the children are kept in cages barely large enough for movement. They are given barely enough food to sustain life. Most horrifically, they are expected to have sex with a dozen or so men every night. It is difficult to overstate the horrors of the Common Street, and Bartuk escapes the horrors of her life by writing in her diary, a blue notebook she must keep hidden. It would be easy to become engrossed in this book merely because of the shock value. Certainly the conditions are horrific, more so because Bartuk and her friends are composite characters based on children Levine met during travels in Mumbai. But there is more literary merit to this novel than just shock, and Levine has produced a compelling protagonist and engaging plot. Bartuk's writing and quick mind sometimes disguise her youth, but the reader is constantly reminded of her age by the series of euphemisms she has developed to refer to anatomy and sexual activity. The reader is intimately aware of the precariousness of Bartuk's situation, and one in which the reader is given no definitive ending. This seems appropriate, as Bartuk's life is so precarious, so too is her fate. This novel is not just a work of literature, it is also a call to action. Bartuk is only one of many, and the author makes clear his intention to donate proceeds to children's charities. Levine has crafted a moving and unforgettable character; her story is one that will not easily be forgotten.

James Levine, The Blue Notebook (Spiegel & Grau, 2009) ISBN: 038552871X

Category: Published in 2009, 1/9, 14/81

American Gospel, 44/81, 2nd Round

American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of the Nation, by John Mecham, non-fiction category

I went to a discussion group last year where we talked about the Constitution, the Founding Fathers, and religion. I wish I had read this book before going, because I would have been more able to defend my case. This book examines the true religious principles that guided the writing of the Constitution.

The basic idea of the book is that religious freedom has always been important in the history of America. The Founding Fathers did not want to eliminate God, or Providence as they often referred to him, completely from public life, but that they felt it best to leave the matter as open as possible, so that each person could define that Providence however they wished. They also designed the Constitution and the Republic to make it more difficult for minorities to control the whole, but also so that they would also be protected.

Meacham does a great job in this book. I found it extremely readable, and certainly relevant. The book is not very long, but it has over 100 pages of appendix, including source notes, bibliography, and selected documents that he quotes in the book. The only thing it lacked was an index, which I would have appreciated.

Still, such a great book. Here is my favorite quote:

"Democracy is easy; republicanism is hard. Democracy is fueled by passion; republicanism is founded on moderation. Democracy is loud, raucous, disorderly; republicanism is quiet, cool, judicious--and that we still live in its light is the Founders' most wondrous deed."

Lysistrata 45/81, 2nd Round

Lysistrata by Aristophanes, play category

The basic plot behind this book is pretty well known. The Greek women get tired of war and decide force a peace treaty. Their weapon of choice is sex - they will withhold intimacy from their men until the men agree to call off the war.

As might be expected, the dialogue is pretty full of innuendo and at time explicit reference to sex. There are lots of jokes about it. I'm not sure how this would be staged in today's world.

I was fine with that. What bothered me was the translation. For instance, apparently the Spartans had an accent that marked them out from the Athenians. The translator chose to interpret that as a country hick accent. Then there was the attempt to make the dialogue modern and hip, which is of course, at least 20 years out of date.

Not a bad play, although the whole idea shouldn't have taken as long as it did to stage. One act would have been enough. But if you want to read it, find a different translation. This one was done by William Arrowsmith and it is really jarring to read.

Still Life, 41/81, 2nd Round

Still Life by Louise Penny, global reading category

Inspector Gamache of the Surete de Quebec arrives in a small town to investigate the death of a well-liked old lady. She has been found shot with an arrow. Was it accident or murder? There don't seem to be many suspects, but as he digs a little deeper, he uncovers lots of secrets in the little town.

I haven't read much in Canadian mysteries, so I was happy to hear about this one. I enjoyed the look at the little town, at Quebec life, at the language, and at the police force. Gamache is saddled with a rookie who just can't seem to learn from her mistakes. I found that little dynamic pretty funny. And I loved the characters.

This one was really well done. I thought I knew where the story was heading, but I was wrong. I just found out that there are 2 more in the series, and I am looking forward to reading them as well.

The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld (40/81)

Strange things happen at midnight in the town of Bixby, Oklahoma. Time freezes. Nobody moves. For one secret hour each night, the town belongs to the dark creatures that haunt the shadows. Only a small group of people know about the secret hour - only they are free to move about the midnight time. These people call themselves Midnighters. Each one has a different power that is strongest at midnight: Seer, Mindcaster, Acrobat, Polymath. For years the Midnighters and the dark creatures have shared the secret hour, uneasily avoiding one another. All that changes when the new girl with an unmistakable midnight aura appears at Bixby High School.Jessica Day is not an outsider like the other Midnighters. She acts perfectly normal in every way. But it soon becomes clear that the dark creatures sense a hidden power in Jessica . . . and they're determined to stop her before she can use it.

Well I enjoyed the Uglies Series so much that I thought I would give this Trilogy a whirl .... This is book one of the Midnighters Series ....

What would you do if you managed to have an extra hour in the day ....... You are among a special group of people that can walk around in this hour while everyone else is frozen in the moment ........ Sounds great until you find out that there are creatures that come alive in this special hour at midnight that are trying to Kill you .... It sort of takes the buzz away !!!

I enjoyed this first novel ... And it stopped in a way that I am just itching to pick up the next book .... This would be classed as a Young Teen Read with really like able characters in Dess, Rex,Mel, Jonathan and Jessica the new girl in town ......

Can Jessica find out why the Darklings want her so much ........ And why is the small town of Bixby so strange !! A great new Fantasy Novel .....

A rate this book 4 ****

The Book of Lies

The Book of Lies
Brad Meltzer
fiction
Grand Central Publishing
mmp June 2009
432 pages

from the back: "In chapter four of the Bible, Cain kills Abel. It is the world's most famous murder. But the Bible is silent about one key detail: the weapon Cain used to kill his brother. That weapon is still lost to history.

In 1932, Mitchell Seagel was killed by gunshots. While mourning, his son dreamed of a bulletproff man and created Superman. The gun used in this unsolved murder has never been found. Until now. Today in fort Lauderdale, a young man named Cal Harper encounters his long-missing father--who has been shot with the same gun that kidded Siegel. But soon after their reunion, Cal and his dad are attacked by a killer tattooed with the ancient markings of Cain. What does Cain, history's greatest villain, have to do with Superman, the world's greatest hero? And what do two murder, committed thousands of years apart, have in common?"


This is my first Brad Meltzer book. Picked up for the cover, purchased because it sounded interesting but it would have gone on my library list if I didn't need a "New to You Author" book. I wasn't sure how quick I could get it at the library or if I'd feel like reading it when it came....

Normally, I can get into a book and finish quickly, even with other stuff going on. This one was different. Not because it was bad, but because it has that so-scary-it-could-be-real feel to it. All the characters were alive to me and I needed to take breaks to get them out of my head. Surprises and twists kept me guessing and I'm extremely glad I kept reading, the ending was fantastic and not rushed, leaving us just enough unanswered questions to wonder about. I inhaled the last third, without even potty breaks :)

5 stars

Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris (39/81)

A new Sookie Stackhouse book is always a treat! Sookie is a sexy, sassy cocktail waitress who works at Merlotte's Bar in Bon Temps, Louisiana. She's just a regular gal, with all the normal hopes and fears, about dating, boys and life in general - oh, and she's telepathic. And her boyfriends have included Vampire Bill, her first love and the were-tiger Quinn. And Bon Temps is a pretty normal rural town, where murders are mercifully rare. Well, maybe not that rare, as Sookie keeps finding out in this award-winning, New York Times bestselling series!

This is book 9 in the Sookie Stackhouse series and I don't know what I am going to do because it is the last one for the present :( ............ I loved this book especially the relationship between Sookie and Eric really funny at times ... Now that the vampires have come out to the world it is time for the rest of the supernatural crowd to come out .... But is the world ready to handle that .......... Sookie has clocked up alot of favours over the past while and it is now time to call them in as someone is out to get her again !!!

The usual crowd are all in the book ... Werewolves, Vampires, Werepanthers,Witches, Shape shifters, Demons and of course Fairies .......... I really loved this series and one that I will be reading again soon :) ......... It is an easy read with lots of dangers and funny moments .... So if you love your fantasy you will love this series ........

I rate this book 41/2 ****