Graphic Memoir: Marbles by Ellen Forney

The full title of this week's selection is Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me, by Ellen Forney. The graphic memoir came out in 2012 and I was immediately interested. But of course, as often happens, I am just now getting around to reading it about two years later.

The Situation: Ellen Forney is a cartoonist living in Seattle, doing her weekly strip and feeling great. She feels great about her work, she feels even better about her ideas for future projects, and she's generally just enjoying hanging out with friends and living her life. She may seem a bit spastic and manic at times, and has even experienced dramatic lows in the past where she hasn't felt so great. But things are so good right now that she can't even remember what that low was like. So when she is diagnosed as bipolar by her psychologist, Karen, Ellen agrees that she is displaying many of the symptoms of a manic episode, but wants to avoid taking drugs, specifically lithium, at all costs. Also, she doesn't want to give up smoking pot, and sort of neglects to tell Karen about that part of her life. Ellen fears lithium will stifle her creativity. So despite Karen's warning, Ellen believes she can adequately prepare in advance for the oncoming low, and continues to do what she has always done.

The Problem: Just as Karen warned, the low eventually hits Ellen, and it hits her hard. Most days, it is an incredible thing if Ellen is able to stop lying on her bed, only to make it to the living room so she can lie on her couch. Karen immediately prescribes the lithium, but the drug doesn't help much when the patient is already experiencing a low. Now Ellen remembers what the previous lows were really like, and knows she won't be able to get to those fabulous projects her manic self had prepared for her now depressed self. Since Ellen never wants to experience a low like that again, she agrees to try lithium, but doesn't like the side effects, mainly the memory loss. What follows is a process of Karen and Ellen attempting to find just the right cocktail of medication that will stabilize Ellen's mood without ruining her health, or, and possibly most important to Ellen, taking a toll on her creative side. With so many historical creative types that were diagnosed with some form of depression, Ellen wonders if the "crazy artist" is more than just a stereotype. She certainly can't ignore how many of them were known for mental instability. But even more disturbing was for how many that instability ended in suicide.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a graphic memoir that tells of the author's journey through the first few years of her life after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, most of which involves her and her psychologist attempting to find a combination of medicine that works for her. There is much discussion regarding the high number of artists and writers from the past who were known for also having some form of depression, and whether these creative geniuses were creative (or even genius) because of their disorder, or in spite of it. Did the medication help them with their work? Or did it cause their work to suffer? And what effect will the medication have on Ellen? Is it worth the risk to her mental sanity to not take medication in order to guarantee that she stay creative? When trying to answer these questions, Ellen makes use of a pretty long list of famous artists, a list that includes Virginia Woolf, Mark Twain, Emily Dickinson, Victor Hugo, Mary Shelley, Vincent Van Gogh, and of course, Michelangelo. And the more research she does on the subject, the more she realizes that the artists community has a higher concentration of depressives than most, so there appears to be something behind the cliche of the "crazy artist."

My Verdict: This one had a rough start, but then got really good really quickly. And the fact that it is a graphic story means it is a quick read with very little chance of the reader's interest being lost. With humor and wit and honesty, Forney tells the story of her journey through the early years after her initial diagnosis. There are many moments that will make you laugh, and quite a few that will make you sad. But for me, there were a great many that just made me hopeful and made me smile. By the end of the book, I was rooting for Forney and for her work and creativity. She adequately addresses the issue I am sure many face when considering medication for various conditions. Many people wonder not only about what it will do to their creativity, but also just their personality in general, fearing they will somehow no longer be "themselves." I think Forney's story could help a lot of people, and the way it is presented is just icing on the cake.

Favorite Moment: Although it was incredibly sad, for some reason I appreciated a part of the story where Forney simply drew herself lying on her bed under the covers for several panels in a row, because when she was depressed, this is all that she did and all she felt like doing. Maybe it was how honest it was, but I really liked that.

Favorite Character: If forced to pick someone besides Ellen, I would pick Karen, her psychologist. It was clear to see why Ellen stuck with her throughout this whole exhausting process and never went looking for another doctor, despite the myriad of prescription drugs Karen had her try.

Recommended Reading: As a follow-up to Forney's story I would recommend Coming of Age on Zoloft by Katherine Sharpe. Sharpe's story is also about being diagnosed with depression and her trials with various medications and how they affected her. It isn't presented in graphic form, but still an interesting memoir.

Science Fiction: On Such a Full Sea by Chang-rae Lee

As promised, I am following up last week's post on The Surrendered by Chang-Rae Lee with his most recent novel, On Such a Full Sea. I knew that this book would be different from The Surrendered based on the fact that other readers had been placing it under the categories of science fiction and dystopian fiction. And while I wasn't a huge fan of The Surrendered, I didn't severely dislike it either, so I had somewhat moderate hopes for this book.

The Situation: Fan is one of B-Mor's (what used to be Baltimore) best fish tank divers. Although she is incredibly small, often mistaken for being much younger than her actual age of 16, she is able to hold her breath for an incredible amount of time, making her one of the most efficient fish tank divers in the facility, which is what B-Mor is. The fish tanks that Fan works in provide fish to the much wealthier, and heavily secured, Charter areas of the future United States of America. Once China had environmentally ruined all of its cities, the surviving citizens settled around the globe, with Fan being a descendant of the ones who chose B-Mor as their new home. Now facilities such as B-Mor provide food and produce to the Charters, while enjoying a fairly nice, albeit modest life for themselves. At least it is better in the facilities than it is in the counties, where there is anarchy, crime, and often extreme violence. Fan has a decent job, is surrounded by family, and even has a steady boyfriend named Reg.

The Problem: One day Reg does not show up for work, and nothing much is thought of it, until he keeps not showing up, and is never heard from again. His disappearance isn't talked about much, even by Fan, who doesn't really talk much at all. But one day, Fan just up and leaves B-Mor, with no warning. The only evidence of her departure is a simple video showing her leaving the settlement voluntarily, taking no one with her. It is assumed she has gone off to look for Reg, or maybe even her brother Liwei, who was given admittance into a Charter because of his intelligence, long before Fan was even born. Despite Fan's size and age, her chances of surviving out in the counties are actually quite good, given her almost mythical nature and intelligence. But she still must be careful of people who would wish to take advantage of her, and also do what she can to hide the fact that she is pregnant. And while she is well aware of the dangers of the counties, surviving the dangers of the Charters may be something she isn't prepared for.

Genre, Themes, History: As I said in the introduction, this book has been tagged as both science fiction and dystopian fiction. While the future that Lee paints here in On Such a Full Sea isn't quite like what can be found in a book like Enders Game, or even The Dog Stars, where an illness has wiped out most of the population causing the survivors to trust no one, it does have some instances of advanced technology, fear of certain illnesses, and a new way of life that has caused the American population to be divided into three clearly separate classes: the counties, the facilities, and then the Charters. Downward mobility is incredibly easy, and upward mobility is of course incredibly difficult. Only the incredibly smart or the incredibly athletic have any chance to make their way from a facility to a Charter. Making it out of a county is pretty much out of the question. And even within Charters there are still separations, made obvious by where people live and how they live. While the counties are more or less left to their own devices as to how they wish to live, the facilities and the Charters are incredibly structured. Also, while the counties are subject to cases of incredible violence and brutality, there is little crime in facilities as well as Charters, as neither allows the citizens to own firearms. It is yet another take on what the future of our country could look like should we continue on the path we're on. And the narrator, while not quite third person omniscient, isn't really first person either. It is a strange hybrid of the two, making me believe that it is either someone close to Fan who knows her story, or someone from a governing entity that was able to observe her every move throughout her journey. The ending also leaves open the question of whether this narrator has her best interest in mind or not.

My Verdict: I was hoping to like this book more than I did The Surrendered, and I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. Lee's writing in this book is very clean and easy to grasp, even as he is explaining a world that is very different from ours and something we have never seen before. And although Fan doesn't speak much (in fact, there isn't much dialogue at all compared to most books, or maybe it just seems that way because Lee doesn't use any quotation marks), she is an incredibly intriguing protagonist, and her actions say it all. Lee's future, while incredibly different from what we have today, isn't completely inaccessible either. And he makes it clear that while the Charters are the wealthiest class with the most opportunities and resources available to them, that doesn't make their situation ideal, or mean they are automatically the happiest class. But at the same time, he doesn't make the people of the counties out to be some honorable group of rebels fighting against the machine. All three classes have their problems. I can see how some would take issue with how some of the events throughout Fan's journey are linked together. And be forewarned, this book has the dreaded ambiguous ending, but I think it is one that gives the reader something to think about, as opposed to something to just be frustrated over.

Favorite Moment: Hopefully without giving too much away, I'll say my favorite moment is when Fan is rescued from a would-be pedophile.

Favorite Character: Although she is almost unreal and leans slightly outside of the realm of believability, I pick Fan. She's incredibly wise and courageous and resourceful for a 16 year-old. And I always admire a character that knows when to keep their mouth shut.

Recommended Reading: For me, On Such a Full Sea is an interesting cross between Aldous Huxley's Brave New World and Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games, with a little bit of George Orwell's 1984 (and some of Haruki Murakami's 1Q84) mixed in. Any of those books would be a great follow-up.

Historical Fiction: The Surrendered by Chang-rae Lee

I decided to post about Chang-rae Lee's The Surrendered for this week, because next week I will be covering his most recent book, On Such a Full Sea. Thankfully, such a thing is made so much easier when one of the books can be found on the shelves of the UTSA library. Makes discovering new authors that much easier (and cheaper).

The Situation: As her health is in a steady decline and she knows she won't be around for much longer, June decides she wants to locate her son, Nicholas, who had left years before to roam Europe. At first Nicholas sent letters and post cards. But as time went on, the letters became shorter and the correspondence was less frequent. Now Nicholas barely writes at all, and seemingly only to ask for money, which June is more than willing to send. But now that she has decided to end her cancer treatment, sell her home and her antique shop, she is going to hunt down Nicholas herself. But she knows, even with all of the money she has, that she can't do it alone. So she not only employs the help of a private investigator, who was the one who let her know that Nicholas was in Italy, but she also wants her son's father to come along too. 

The Problem: It has been a good 30 years since June has seen Nicholas' father, and she knows he would rather have nothing to do with her or their son. In fact, she had already sent the private investigator to approach Hector, but he was unsuccessful. While both June and Hector have their own haunted past separate from each other, their shared past isn't much better. As an orphan of the Korean War, a half-starved June stumbled upon the orphanage that Hector worked for after his stint in the armed forces. They cared little for each other, but both had an intense interest in the wife of the missionary couple that came to run the orphanage up until it was destroyed in a tragic fire. Both June and Hector lost the only thing they cared for, and have avoided each other ever since. But now, June is a desperate and dying woman, and seeks the help of the one person who most likely wants nothing to do with her.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel that begins in the Korean War, as June and her family are forced to flee their home and the dangers that have befallen their country. June eventually ends up in one of many Korean orphanages, waiting with the other children to be adopted out by an American family and taken to the states. Through June, Hector, and Sylvie, one half of the missionary couple that came to run the orphanage June stays at, the reader is given a picture of the effects that the brutality of war can have on a person, and also on how that person treats others. June experienced war by watching her home and family be destroyed. Hector was a soldier and had direct dealings with the dead and dying. Sylvie grew up as a missionary kid, moving from country to country with her parents as they worked in some of the most desperate places on earth. She would eventually (*spoiler alert*) end up an orphan herself, and turn to addiction as a way to cope. These are essentially three hurt and broken people attempting to make the best of a bad situation, and failing terribly. Thirty years later, June has made a life for herself, only to end up with stomach cancer, and Hector is still coping in his own way with his own miserable existence. But the book is also about reconciliation and the healing that can come from facing your demons, despite how that process can seem worse than the initial pain.

My Verdict: I have seen reviews from other readers refer to The Surrendered as a "departure" for Lee. I'm actually not quite sure how I feel about it since so much of the story is so hopeless and I have a hard time liking anyone in it, despite the fact that what has happened to them and what has caused them to be how they are now is not in the least their own fault. But a lot of what they do is just so awful. And for me, the ending just doesn't offer much in the way of resolution, but maybe that is the point. At the very least it is an interesting story and there is some real concern for the characters, no matter how many times they screw up or set up their own demise. Maybe after I read On Such a Full Sea, I'll have a better handle on Lee's writing and be able to offer a better verdict.

Favorite Moment: When given the task of shooting an informant who had endangered the entire group, Sylvie's father decides to show mercy to the man instead, even though that may mean certain death for the rest of them. He refuses to let the Japanese soldiers turn him into a murderer.

Favorite Character: This is really hard because, like I said, it is difficult to like any of these people. I suppose my favorite would be Ames Tanner, Sylvie's husband. He has his own flaws, and is pretty blind to what is going on with his wife, but he seems genuine in his concern for both her and the orphanage. 

Recommended Reading: I recommend checking out Anthony Marra's A Constellation of Vital Phenomena. It is also a historical fiction novel, but set during the Chechnya War, however many of the themes are similar. The book was also longlisted for the National Book Award, and awarded the inaugural John Leonard Prize given by the National Book Critics Circle.

Door Stop: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

No, your eyes do not deceive you. This post is indeed on Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. I, like many of you probably, believed for a long time that no one actually ever read this book...not all of it. Why would they? I've never even heard of anyone ever being assigned it in school. But I assure you, as unbelievable as it may seem, even to myself, I have in fact read all 1168 pages of Atlas Shrugged.

The Situation: It is commonly understood that Dagny Taggert is the real power behind Taggert Transcontinental Railroads. Her official title may be that of Operating Vice President, but since her older brother James, that actual president, is incapable of making a real decision, much less one that affects the railroad for the better, Dagny runs the show and does an excellent job of it. James deeply resents his sister's ability to make effective improvements, brilliant business deals, and other decisions that only further the influence and profit of an already great railroad. He will sometimes make decisions of his own, ready to take the glory for them if they succeed, but even more ready to shift the blame to someone else if they fail. James also makes his decisions under the guise of helping the common good, and accuses his sister of only caring about making money. So while James and his friends in Washington seek to force major businesses into sacrificing for the common good, Dagny is making friends and striking deals with the leaders and owners of those businesses, making the best of the increasing amount of restrictions James and his friends attempt to impose.

The Problem: Just as Dagny and her like-minded business partners make incredible strides in the industry, James and his friends in Washington find a way to take those advancements from them in an attempt to spread the profits around and give everyone equal access. This ultimately causes the competent to run at a loss, and the incompetent to have the means to produce, but because they are incompetent, they don't produce enough. If that wasn't bad enough, it seems that accidents such as trains derailing and mills catching on fire are happening more and more often. Plus, the inventors, scientists, and leaders of the large companies are disappearing and abandoning their companies and causing whatever market they were in to suddenly have a shortage. It soon becomes clear to Dagny that none of this is an accident, and someone who was once a childhood friend has admitted as much and is proud of being a part of it. But Dagny is resolved to never abandon Taggert Transcontinental and continue fighting, even when there are now two opposing sides who insist on having her lose.

Genre, Themes, History: Clocking in at just about 40 pages shy of 1200, this book has earned the heading of "door stop." In fact, this is the second longest book I have ever read...War and Peace still holds the blue ribbon for first place in that category. Atlas Shrugged could also fall into a few interesting and unexpected (to me at least) genres such as science fiction, dystopian fiction, alternate history, historical fiction, mystery/thriller, and even romance. It takes place in an unspecified time period, when railroads were still a massive deal. The best estimation would be late 1800s to about 1930s or depression era America. The primary theme is probably greed, along with capitalism. It is reiterated over and over, without shame or any attempt to disguise it, that people should be able to invent and produce whatever they can, and do with it what they want, and hold onto the profits however they please. In fact, they are encouraged not to share anything: not their genius, not their product, not their profits, nothing. And anyone who thinks otherwise is not only an idiot, but also evil. The man who serves as the poster child of this philosophy is presented as somewhat of a Jesus figure, while preaching almost the exact opposite of what Jesus preached during his ministry. And at one point, Rand makes an appearance in her own book. At least I think she does. There is a point where the greed poster child points out a female writer who has followed him and explains that her books and ideas were not accepted by the public. The reader doesn't actually get to meet the writer or hear anything she has to say, but it seemed to me that Rand had placed herself within her own book. This isn't unheard of, of course, but if this writer is supposed to be Rand, then I'd say she is also making it clear that she supports what the greed poster child stands for.

My Verdict: This book is exhausting. Make no mistake about it. Most books become easier to read as you go along because you eventually find a rhythm to reading them and get used to the language, allowing you to read faster and faster the further along you get. With Atlas Shrugged, I had the opposite happen. Yes, I did find a natural rhythm after about page 200 that allowed me to go along a little smoother, but for the most part, all 1200 pages were a struggle. It was part the ideas that were presented, part the complete absence of likable characters, and part the epic speeches that every character seemed to feel entitled to make. One in particular goes on for 60 pages. For me, with a speech that long, and especially for one that was advocating what it was advocating, I not only eventually lose interest, but I also eventually just get angry. I felt like I was listening to the rant of a drunk man where the longer he insists on holding you hostage with his nonsense, the harder you find it to be polite. I have a hard time believing that even if you agree with what was being said, you'd be okay with having to read all of these speeches that are essentially making the same point over and over again, which more or less boils down to people wanting to keep their money and not share with anyone, but it's said with fancier words and high rhetoric in an attempt to be convincing. From what I gathered, they want everything, and they believe they deserve it because they are the inventors and producers. And if you don't agree, then God help you. Those who don't agree not only endure the speeches, but the insults within them. As I mentioned before, those who don't agree are made out to be idiots and the evil of the earth. The book has every inventor, producer, scientist, and genius turn out to be selfish and greedy, and proud of it, and only those that don't invent and produce and who aren't geniuses could possibly be the ones who believe in sacrifice and sharing. Even Dagny, who doesn't completely agree with what is being said in the beginning, holds the same basic belief. But I eventually lose all respect for her opinion when it becomes clear that she is simply attracted to the most powerful man around. 

For me, there just aren't any likable characters in the book, and I can't get behind what it preaches. The story itself, without all of the philosophy, is actually quite good. But around page 600, Rand takes what I like to refer to as a "Huck Finn" turn. Essentially, a Huck Finn turn is when a completely unlikeable character is introduced into the story and ends up sticking around for the reminder of the novel, despite the reader's desperate wish that they would disappear or be killed off. I named the situation after Mark Twain's novel because it happens twice within Adventure of Huckleberry Finn. First when the duke and the king make their appearance and are allowed to stick around for a ridiculously long time, and second when Tom Sawyer shows up on the scene near the end of the book. Such a turn also takes place in Atlas Shrugged, and it is brutal. So, for these reasons, it won't surprise anyone when I say that I did not like this book.

Favorite Moment: When Eddie Willers, a childhood friend of Dagny's who now also works at Taggert Transcontinental, makes a discovery about himself in relation to how he feels about his friend and coworker.

Favorite Character: There really isn't anyone I can choose here. I mean no one. Even the ones attempting to do good are terrible. Just awful.

Recommended Reading: As a follow-up to Atlas Shrugged, I recommend Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, because if what Rand had put down in this book were to actually happen, I believe the world Huxley presented in his book is a pretty reasonable and eventual outcome. 

Contemporary Fiction: Safe With Me by Amy Hatvany

I agreed to review Amy Hatvany's Safe With Me, mostly because I had read her previous book, Heart Like Mine, just last year and enjoyed it a great deal. I expected the same kind of honest sincerity I encountered before and was curious to see if I would also hear more intriguing female voices. 

The Situation: It has been a year since Hannah has lost her 12 year-old daughter Emily in a tragic car accident. Now she is focusing on the impending opening of her hair salon's second location. She fills her days with the renovations going on downstairs, and lives in the small apartment upstairs, having decided to rent out the house she used to share with Emily, since being there alone proved to be too painful. Hannah admits that she is still far from over her daughter's death, but while friends and family try to comfort her and bring her closer to closure, Hannah stays guarded and protective of her time and feelings. But when a young girl walks into the new location with her mother, Hannah starts to believe that this could be the girl who received Emily's liver after the doctor declared her brain dead. Now the memories and emotions that Hannah has been trying to downplay and avoid take center focus again, just when Hannah was hoping to get everything back under control.

The Problem: While Hannah still grieves over her daughter and wonders if she should be honest with Maddie and her mother, Olivia, about her suspicions, the mother-daughter pair have problems of their own. While Emily's liver may have saved Maddie's life and was the answer to her family's prayers, they still must deal with James, Maddie's father and Olivia's husband. For as long as Maddie can remember, James has been an abusive husband to Olivia, though her mother would never admit it to her. Olivia lives in fear while hating her life and who she has become, while Maddie attempts to navigate her new life outside of hospitals, in a new school, and through the fake online profile she has created for herself. Things only become more desperate as James' rage increases, but Olivia doesn't see many options, and fears that her new friendship with Hannah could only make matters worse.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a fiction novel mostly set just outside of Seattle, Washington. The main theme seems to be that of domestic and spousal abuse, but the book also addresses organ donation, and the difficult decision family members sometimes have to make just after they receive news that no one wants to hear. The story switches between the three main characters, moving from Hannah, then to Olivia, then to Maddie, and then back to Hannah again to start the process over, with each chapter focusing on the actions of a different character. While Hannah and Olivia have a third person narrator for their chapters, Maddie gets to tell her story from her own point of view. And because Maddie gets to use her own voice, it becomes clear that she knows a lot more than her mother, or her father, even realizes, and that she has secrets of her own. Maddie's story is not only of someone who grew up watching her mother be abused by her father, but also of someone who has been sick for the majority of her life and doesn't quite know who she is separate from her illness.

My Verdict: Domestic abuse is not at all easy to read about, and I doubt very seriously it is easy to write about. What I loved about Hatvany's Heart Like Mine are the same things I loved about Safe With Me. Hatvany approaches the subject with honesty, but without getting too heavy-handed with the message. She doesn't shy away from the hard stuff, but doesn't just dwell on them either. And while Maddie may be the only one who gets to tell her story in her own voice, the reader still gets a clear sense of what Hannah and Olivia are going through. Few parts of the book seemed rushed, and the ending seems well thought-out, and not just something Hatvany put together simply because the book needed and ending.

Favorite Character: I decided my favorite character was Hannah. She essentially experiences a parent's worst nightmare, and like most people, she is way too hard on herself for feeling the incredible amount of grief that comes with such a situation. But ultimately, she is able to function, doesn't alienate herself completely, and does her best not to take her grief out on everybody else.

Favorite Moment: *spoiler alert* When Maddie decides to delete her fake online profile and break it off with the much older guy she has been chatting with online.

Recommended Reading: For this book I am going to recommend the young adult novel Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, mostly because it also deals with domestic abuse and its effects on children. Plus, like Safe With Me, it switches narrative voices, this time between two teenagers who have formed an unlikely relationship.  

Nonfiction: Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan

That's right. I am reviewing the book written by the Hot Pockets guy. Not only am I a fan of Jim Gaffigan's stand-up routine, but I am also a fan of the show My Boys and the character he played on it, Andy Franklin. His delivery is always so spot on, and I looked forward to seeing how his humor translated onto the page in Dad Is Fat.

The Situation: Jim and his wife Jeannie currently have five children. Five young children. There is eight year-old Marre, six year-old Jack, three year-old Katie, one year-old Michael, and the newborn, Patrick. At the beginning of the book, Gaffigan introduces the cast of characters and gives them titles, such as Marre being the founding member of the Dad Is Fat company, Jeannie being everything from director to casting director to usher, and Jim himself as simply "Dad."

The Problem: Of course Gaffigan loves his big family, but the seven of them currently live in a small two-bedroom apartment in New York City. At one point in the book, Gaffigan explains the sleeping arrangements, which involves one more crib than necessary and one less bed than is actually needed. At one point at least one child is sleeping in the master bedroom before Jim and Jeannie go to bed, and then when they do, two of the older kids are sharing a bed while a younger child occupies a crib in the living room/kitchen/dining room. By the end, all seven of them are in one bed, the master. But the issues with raising a big family in New York City don't stop with the space shortage. Gaffigan discusses the difficulty of everything from going to church, going to the park (which is essential since most New Yorkers don't have yards), dropping the kids off at school, picking them up from school, taking everyone on vacation, naps, birthday parties...everything comes with its own complications when five young children are involved. And Gaffigan tells the reader at the very beginning that the credit for any success he may have had in the parenting area should be given to his wife.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a nonfiction, humor book written by a comedian, actor, and writer, with help from his wife Jeannie. Unlike other nonfiction books by celebrities that I have covered on this blog, such as Tina Fey's Bossypants and Steve Martin's Born Standing Up, Gaffigan doesn't go into a whole lot of detail about his life growing up. He does talk a little bit about what it was like growing up in a big family, especially since now he has a big family of his own, but the book primarily focuses on life with his kids. And of course, it is incredibly funny, and every semi-serious point is punctuated by a sarcastic or deadpan one liner. Gaffigan even occasionally addresses the reader directly, either to thank them for buying the book, blame them for something that happens, or to offer some absurd piece of advice or an idea.

My Verdict: I am sure if I had kids of my own I would have appreciated this book a lot more. Even so, it is still incredibly funny, even for the childless. As I mentioned, Gaffigan is able to translate his deadpan observational humor onto the page. While I was reading Dad Is Fat I was able to hear his voice as I read, which doesn't always happen for me when I read a book by a celebrity. The book is both honest and funny, while still making some very good points and helping to enlighten. And probably one of the best things about it is that Gaffigan is not afraid to poke the most fun at himself.

Favorite Moment: The description (with accompanying pictures) of the sleeping situation is pretty great. But I also enjoyed reading about his dislike of camping, mostly because I whole-heartedly agree with him.

Favorite Character: I usually don't pick a favorite character with nonfiction books, but since Gaffigan gives a cast list at the beginning of the book, I will go ahead and say my favorite is Jeannie. First of all, the woman has had five kids. Second, she now lives with and takes care of said kids in a small apartment in New York City, while helping Gaffigan with his career. And even he admits he could easily be counted as a sixth kid.

Recommended Reading: I would recommend both Tina Fey's Bossypants and Steve Martin's Born Standing Up. Both are also incredibly funny and worth reading.   

Contemporary Fiction: Claire of the Sea Light by Edwidge Danticat

I wished I could have covered Edwidge Danticat's Claire of the Sea Light sooner, as it came out in August of last year, but I am glad I was able to eventually get to it and discuss it here. It is my third Danticat book after Brother, I'm Dying and Breath, Eyes, Memory, and I knew I would get another interesting look at life in Haiti.

The Situation: Nozias, a fisherman in Ville Rose, Haiti, takes his daughter Claire to her mother's grave every year on her birthday. Claire never knew her mother as she died in child-birth, and she still knows very little about her as her father doesn't speak much about her, or about anything really. And while the trip to the grave site is an annual tradition, this year the ending will be slightly different as Nozias has finally come to the difficult decision of giving Claire away so she can have a better life with another family. It isn't a decision he is making for money, and he knows it is one that would bring Claire's mother much grief if she were alive to witness it. Even so, he has decided that this, her seventh birthday, will be the last birthday on which they will visit her mother's grave together.

The Problem: As Nozias prepares to hand Claire over to Madame Gaelle, the local fabric store owner, Claire suddenly goes missing. In Ville Rose, there are many possibilities as to where she could have gone. The sea could have claimed her, as it has claimed so many over the years. But she also could have simply run off, knowing full well that she was about to be handed off to someone else and would most likely never see her father again. Soon, everyone gathered at the beach that night is looking for Claire and calling her name, while Nozias pretends not to panic. And as the history of Nozias and his daughter is told, so is the history of other citizens of Ville Rose, as well as their connection to Nozias and Claire, as well as each other.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a fiction novel set in modern-day Haiti, although there is never an actual year given. Also, parts of the story go back at least ten years, before Nozias had even met Claire's mother. And for a good chunk of the novel, maybe even more than half of it, the story isn't even focused on either Nozias or Claire. Danticat tells the story of Madame Gaelle and her life full of loss and grief; of Max Senior and his attempt to protect his position as well as his school; of Max Junior and his desire to prove himself to his father while creating a whole other kind of trouble; of Louise and her scandalous radio show that few approve of but everyone seems to listen to; of Bernard and life in the Ville Rose slums; and of Flore and her attempts to live her life despite the cruel hand it has dealt her. It is one of those novels that starts in one place and spreads out like a spider's web across the town, connecting characters to each other and to the town itself. On the surface it is a story about death and life as there are several instances where as one life is ending just as another one is beginning. But it is also about family, and the kind of pain being part of one can bring you. 

My Verdict: When this is done well - starting with one character and moving throughout the community, jumping from one character to another, connecting them along the way - it can make for an incredible story. When it is done badly, it just becomes confusing and frustrating, especially when it feels like a writer is just leaving a character behind when the reader just became interested in them. But Danticat does it very well. Instead of it feeling like Nozias and Claire have been neglected for the majority of the book, it feels like the reader is getting several stories for the price of one. And the fact that they are all woven together creates a curiosity as to where the story could be going next, and a wonder as to what other secret could possibly be revealed on the next page. Sure there is an ever-present concern as to whether Claire is okay and will ever be found, but Danticat made it where I was okay with waiting for the answer while learning about other people who at first seemed to be completely unrelated to the basic story. Lover's of Danticat's previous books will appreciate this one as well, as will anyone else interested in writer's from the new immigration.

Favorite Moment: When Louise uses her radio show to expose a great injustice that has occurred in Ville Rose.

Favorite Character: I have decided to pick Madame Gaelle because of her generosity despite having gone through her own amount of pain and grief. She shows her generosity to both Nozias and Claire even before agreeing to take the young girl into her home. Also, she was generous to Claire's mother before she moved in with Nozias.

Recommended Reading: I recommend one of Danticat's earliest works, Breath, Eyes, Memory. It is part set in Haiti, part set in New York City, and tells the story of a young girl who joins her mother in America after having lived most of her life without her.