Book Review: The Return of the Dapper Men

It is quite difficult to write a "children's" book that also appeals to adults. Being that the adults are the ones who will be stuck reading it over and over and over again, authors need to make their stories appealing to both audiences. Striking this balance can be anywhere from hard to impossible. However, the solution seems to be "The Return of the Dapper Men" which will have kid and grown up fans alike.

The plot is simple, as is typical of children's books, but it is philosophical so adults can get something out of it as well. The story takes place in Anorev where only children and robots live. The clock has stopped ticking and therefore time has ceased. No one remembers the past but instead lives in the present or "now". That is until one day when a boy and a robot journey to find "time" and bring the past back to Anorev.

The real interesting aspect of the story is the relationship between the boy and the female robot. Though they are not the same, they understand each other and are the only characters in Anorev who still pose questions and want to remember the past. Their characters work on many levels as they prove to children that people can be friends despite their differences and that thinking and being unique can change the world.

Children will love this story because it is written almost like a grandfather telling a bedtime story. The pictures are gorgeous and intricate so there is more than enough to look at. Younger readers can take the story at face value that there was a world where time didn't exist. Older readers will understand that the plot is actually symbolic. While adults, will appreciate the philosophical touches. This book makes readers from 4-104 think and question!

In regards to the illustrations and graphics, the book is perfect! The pictures are vibrant and suit all ages. Even the words in the story seem to mesh with the artwork making one full artistic piece instead your typical "picture book" experience.

The only issue I had with the book is that it lost me around the middle of the story when some fantastical events took place that I didn't exactly understand. I felt like I had fallen down the rabbit hole. Fortunately, it picked me back up and I believe that the author added some strange aspects in order to keep the reader on their toes. Additionally, it challenges adult readers as "The Return of the Dapper Men" is certainly not your mother's picture book.

-DLP

Book Review -- Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America

It is very hard to write a book about Nintendo for various reasons. Firstly, the company is still powerful today; continuing to crank out fantastic games and be on the cutting edge of gaming. Secondly, it was a trailblazer in the early 1980s and people of that generation (like myself) think of it fondly. In fact, we may even think of Mario as one of our childhood friends. Lastly, it is a company that was built on fun and entertainment with little to no scandals. It is because of this that a book written about Nintendo and Super Mario must tread lightly in order to not offend the company in its current state, not offend the children (now adults) who grew up loving Mario and hating Bowser, and to make the story compelling enough to be readable. Jeff Ryan makes a concerted effort it fill all of these requirements though at times he falls short.

First and foremost, I have to out myself as an adult who adored all things Mario when I was a child. Because of this, I may be bias when it comes to literature on the topic. For the first two parts of the book, I thought that Ryan did an excellent job. He told the reader about the founding of Nintendo in the 1800s as a card company and the struggles that they faced to the point that they almost began marketing Popeye ramen noodles. Fortunately, the president of the company hired his son-in-law to help Nintendo get off its feet and hopefully thrive…one day. I believe we all know the rest of the story from here: first an arcade game was created followed by a console that could be played at home. The consoles sold like hot cakes and decades later we now have the Wii, of course with many other products in between.

Ryan makes the company’s history enthralling to the point that I was unable to put the book down. However, as he began to write about Nintendo’s more recent projects the story became boring and dull. Towards the last two parts, it seemed as if the author was just giving a plot summary of each game produced by Nintendo. Of course he mentioned the other gaming systems at the time and the competition between those and Nintendo, but even that didn’t spice up the book. Being that many of Nintendo’s games are updated versions of past games, the book becomes a bit repetitive (to no fault of the author).

Additionally, Ryan's writing style did get on my nerves from time to time. His excessive use of clichés, metaphors, and similes made me feel at times like I was reading an SAT prep book. Some of his statements were humorous while others attempted to draw connections between things that held no common significance. Also, he seems to be in awe of Nintendo and therefore believes that Nintendo (and Mario) will always win out over other gaming systems.
Overall, this is a good book for Mario lovers but doesn’t have much depth. It lacks interviews with employees or even users. There is some critical thinking on the author’s part which makes me feel as if I am reading a dissertation instead of a published piece of nonfiction. If it does nothing else, it will make you want to brush the dust off of your old console and make that little plumber save the princess.

-DLP

*This book goes on sale at the beginning of August so be sure to pre-order your company.

Book Review: American on Purpose

This was on my list of books to read while driving cross country as it was advertised as a comedy and I absolutely love Craig Ferguson. I figured that it would keep me occupied for hours sitting in a car. I was right! I really enjoyed this book because it was funny but also included his personal story which made it touching. Unlike some of the comedy books that are currently out, (though I do love them) this addresses some heavy topics in a humorous way without making light of them.

Ferguson starts the book with his reflections on the 2008 White House Correspondents Dinner. It is clear from this introduction that he has made it big in America despite the fact that he wasn't a citizen until recently. He then takes the reader back to Scotland where he was born and raised and mostly disliked by his peers. Growing up, he suffered through the local school system but found solace in a trip to NYC. He promised himself that he would return to America someday. Before that happened, Ferguson had a horrific descent into alcohol and drug use. It was during this time that he married his first wife and got his first divorce. After dragging himself back from this dark period in his life, he excelled and even surpassed his expectations for himself. Of course he suffered through a couple more marriages and divorces as well as some dead end jobs before he landed his position on CBS and his wife Meg. It is a contemporary twist on the American Dream/Rags to Riches story.

Though he uses humor in his writing, he is quite serious about the mistakes that he has made. I continued to laugh at his descriptions of debauchery in which he was involved but he was sure to explain that this was one of the worst parts of his life. His insights into Hollywood, the entertainment industry, and just Americans in general is right on. Sometimes it takes an outsider to truly see someone's quirks. In this case, it is a whole nation's quirks. Ferguson does an excellent job of poking fun without making fun. I laughed throughout the book but was emotionally touched which is unique for comedies.

-DLP

Book Review: My Horizontal Life

First, I have to say that I read "Are You There Vodka, It's Me Chelsea" before reading this book and absolutely loved the former. I picked this book up because I had so enjoyed her other ones. While I liked this collection of stories, I did not find it as compelling as her other books and certainly not as funny. Still, there are several stories in this collection that may be laugh out loud in public.

In this book, Chelsea has collected a bunch of stories about her various one night stands. It begins with a story about catching her parents having sex and continues, relatively chronologically, through her various sexual experiences. She tells of the time she had sex with a "midget/nugget"; an experience with her gynecologist that was not what she had expected; her findings on ChocolateSingles.com; and what to do if you find that your underpants have skid marks.

While not all of these are funny, there are certainly some laugh out loud moments. As is typical with Handler, she can oftentimes be offensive and politically incorrect. I found her cast of friends to be the most interesting and humorous part of the stories. Her interactions with, and perceptions of, her friends were fantastic. Still, the good did not outweigh the gross and there were certain times where I wanted to skip ahead for fear of becoming queasy.

Overall, I have to say that this is her weakest piece. While I enjoyed it, to a point, I have to endorse "Are You There Vodka..." over this piece.

-DLP

Book Review: Conquistadora

I took a chance on this book because it sounded like something in which I might be interested. I love Caribbean history and jump at the chance to read any fiction about that are or written by someone from that area. This was a double win for me! When it arrived on my doorstep, I could barely get it out of the box fast enough. For the first hundred pages, I was in awe and refused to sleep if it meant putting this book down. As I got to about page 200, I began to lose interest. Once 250 rolled around, I found myself falling asleep and by page 350 I had no motivation to pick it up. However, I did finish it and thought that the overall novel was so-so.

This epic follows the life of Ana from her years as an only child living in her parents' loveless house to her education at a convent where she first fell in love. Throughout her childhood, she was inspired by stories of her conquistador ancestor. When she marries, she convinces her husband to move to Puerto Rico and live out her dreams of being a conquistadora. Of course, things do not go as planned and what started off as an idyllic notion becomes a devastating reality. Despite the losses she must endure, she never loses sight of her dream to be a conquistadora.

As I previously stated, the first 150 pages were simply divine! Author Esmeralda Santiago gave fantastic insight into the upbringing of Ana and her emotional background. Her relationship with her best friend Elena is incredibly compelling as is her marriage to her husband. Yet, things get muddled about halfway through the novel as Santiago gives pages and pages of background information on extremely minor characters. While at times this could be helpful, it detracts from the overall plot and makes the novel sluggish. Additionally, she used certain plot contrivances over and over ago. Therefore, events that were supposed to be incredibly moving or shocking ended up being neither. By the end of the novel, I felt no connection to any of the characters. There was little or no character development yet some people in the novel would act completely out of character with no explanation or corresponding development.

Another issue that I had with the novel, was that many important lines or phrases were written in Spanish without any translation. I have read many books that contain phrases from other languages where the author typically gives the reader a hint as to what the phrase meant, for those who don't speak the language. Unfortunately, Santiago did not help the reader in this way. Instead, I looked up some of the words online which became tiresome and interrupted the flow of reading. When I stopped translating the sentences, I felt that I missed important dialogue. However, I think if you have a background in Spanish you won't face these difficulties.

Though I feel as if the cons outweigh the pros in regards to this book, I still think that there are some pros. I felt that the history that was presented was done so very well. Some historical fiction can get bogged down in the history or, on the flip side, not give enough information to the reader. Santiago did not have this problem. She introduced Puerto Rican history, as well as that of the Caribbean, without slowing down the story. Additionally, you didn't need to have any background in the subject matter in order to understand the novel. I also think that there is hope for this novel, though not in its current state. She has some great characters, a compelling plot, and a clear ability to write. Unfortunately, this novel dragged on for about 200 pages too long. If it were trimmed down and tightened up, I think it would be a fine novel!

-DLP

Book Review: the Ninth Wife

Folklorist single female meets serial husband...I thought this was a recipe for novel perfection. The characters sounded quirky and the plot was enchanting. However, the novel that arrived on my doorstep was very different than the one described to me. While it was "The Ninth Wife", the characters were dull and superficial, and the plot was sluggish at its best times and absurd at its worst. This wasn't anything like the reviews I had read. Still, I plodded through in hopes of finding that novel I had been promised. Alas, it was no where to be found.

The plot of the novel is centered around 35 year old Bess who is beginning to feel like love has passed her by. At her birthday party, she meets an Irish musician and they fall head over heels for each other. Yet, he has a secret...he has been married eight times before. While she knows she loves him, she begins to question how he could have had so many past wives. So she sets out, with an odd array of characters, to find his previous wives and get the real scoop on her boyfriend.

The story alternates between chapters focused on Bess and those written by her boyfriend, Rory. I actually found Rory's chapters to be the most interesting and well written. Sadly, they were interspersed with Bess-centric chapters which were slow, superficial, and (in my opinion) annoying. Bess' grandparents were also intriguing characters who I felt had a lot of potential, yet they were overshadowed by Bess' desire to find love. Not all is lost in this novel. Stolls clearly has some great ideas and has crafted some fantastic characters. Sadly, they do not get to shine because Bess takes center-stage. It is for this reason that I probably will not recommend this book but I anxiously await Stolls next novel as I believe she has great potential and has some fantastic ideas.

-DLP

Let's recap

My fellow romper passed along some recent reads and I tore through both Pledged and Midwives. I must admit, my opinion differs slightly regarding both of these books. Like DLP mentioned, I too hoped Pledged would truly provide the secret life of a sorority girl. I love sordid details - who doesn't? I found it to be an interesting mix of Greek (a delightful guilty pleasure tv show) and journalistic research. I found Robbins to be a highly sympathetic author, truly curious about discovering the motivations of these women - why did they feel so compelled to join a sorority? I understand the urge to belong in college. It is hard to find one's place on campus; regardless of size. While perhaps not as sordid as I had hoped or filled with new revelations about Greek Life, I think Pledged is a reliable read, providing all sides of the sorority story. Did I wish the individual girls' stories were a little bit more like the tv show Greek? Yes. However, I enjoyed the narrative devices Robbins employed, right down to the use of AIM away messages as a precursor to each section. I found this book to be a perfect blend of fact, slight fiction and intrigue. At its heart, this book is an exploration of how women come of age in their collegiate years.

Setting Pledged aside, I turned to Midwives. And again, like my fellow romper, I tend to shy away from reading books with the Oprah's book club stamp. There is something about books that 'catch on' through popular culture that make me feel wary; like I'm wasting my English Literature degree and that I should be reading 'real' novels instead (read: difficult, the classics). But let's face it, I'm already 'wasting' my English Lit degree - I'm an arts administrator and not only that, but I work in marketing and I don't write the copy; I design the ads. And while I genuinely believe that I learned time management and analytical skills that serve me well in the workplace, I also genuinely believe that I could have learned these skills working towards any degree in a subject about which I loved. Additionally, I love contemporary novels. I'm a 1950s to present gal. There are works dating prior to 1950 that have captured my attention, but these days when I choose a book to read, chances are, it was written after 1950. I digress.

Midwives. I agree with DLP's conclusion that the narrative voice was engaging and the parallels she found with To Kill a Mockingbird. However, I cannot truly place this book on the same plane as To Kill a Mockingbird, which, in my opinion, is one of the greatest novels every written. The primary difference is that Midwives did not speak to my humanity in the same way. Still, Midwives is a solid read in my book and worth the time.

--KER