Lisbeth is a Madwoman!

I spent Sunday and Monday snowed in during New York's post-Christmas blizzard. After two days of family fun, it seemed like the perfect time to curl up with a good book...or two! With little else to do, I indulged in some holiday leftovers and devoured The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played With Fire. Although I had heard many rapturous reviews of the series, it wasn't high on my to-read list. I'm not sure why, but I think my apathy may have stemmed from my lack of knowledge of all things Swedish, combined with the knowledge that the books had been translated. In the literary world there are very few things worse than a poor translation, and I was hesitant to pick up the series only to be disappointed. Finally, the "look at me" covers screaming off of every display table in every Barnes and Noble that I've been in for the past twelve months kind of pissed me off. Yes, I admit it. I judged the books by their covers.

The best review I'd heard of the series prior to reading the books was, "The first one is just good enough to make you want to read the second one, but the second one is really good." I wholeheartedly agree with that assessment! The first 100 pages were slow going - lots of background information and confusing Swedish place names. But the mystery picked up in the second half, and the second book was action-packed! I haven't read the third one yet, but I'm planning to do so over the long weekend.

One thing I really did appreciate about the series was the author's portrayal of Lisbeth. As far as main characters go, she's no angel, but I found myself rooting for her even when I didn't really approve of what she was doing. She is sometimes described as having Aspergers-like behaviors, and its tempting to blame her social awkwardness on the mysterious childhood event that she refers to in passing as "All the Evil." However, the author also hints that while the event may have contributed to these behaviors, they actually manifested earlier in life and are not entirely attributable to any one root cause. I like this. All too often an awkward main character's behavior is based on and blamed on trauma. In Lisbeth's case, it's not a black-and-white situation. She is many shades of gray, just like in the real world. And while her sense of right and wrong may be too rigid, she sticks to her guns and does what she believes in regardless of whether it is the socially correct thing to do. I like that too.

Although the books are far from upbeat, and expose many dark corners in the social landscape of Sweden, Lisbeth makes me happy. And even though she's barely present in the narration of the second book, her presence is always felt.
Happy New Year's Eve everyone!
- Rebecca DeWinter

Tis the Season

I finally got a chance to finish Just Kids, and it was good through the end. Towards the end I began to get slightly confused by all the characters that came in and out for a few pages at a time, and stopped paying as close attention. Then when important characters arrived I often had to go back and figure out which one he was. But aside from that, it is truly a lovely story. And I will admit that I cried a bit at the end. The nostalgia and romance really got to me in this story.

Yesterday at the airport I began my next book. It's long, but I'm hoping I'll be able to get through before I have to return to school. It's called Some Sing, Some Cry. The story begins in Reconstruction-era South Carolina. It's reminding me a little of Gone With the Wind, but I won't get my hopes up high just yet.

Miss. H.

I've Been Holding Out!

I've been s.l.o.w.l.y. working through a fantastic little autobiography by Patti Smith, best known for singing "Because the Night", for the past month and I haven't written a single post about it! It's called Just Kids.

The length of time it is taking me is absolutely not because it is lengthy, wordy, or in any other way difficult to get through. I simply have been reading it for five to ten minutes at a time, once or twice a week. But this book is fantastic in that it's easy to pick up and put down without missing or forgetting anything. It's not complicated or dense. It's simple and honest. And I happen to be loving it.

It's a romance story set in New York City at the end of the 60's. Smith has decided to forgo college and leave home, penniless, to establish herself as an artist. How beautifully bohemian! She meets Robert, her first love and fellow artist, and they create together, refusing to settle for anything but an artistic life.

Now, this probably sounds like an artsy-fartsy, hippie-dippy, unpractical story by modern standards. But I've gotten caught up in the romantic web that Smith spins as an author. And it helps that I've had my own secret romance with novels, movies, and stories about youth counter-culture and rock and roll in the late 60s / early 70s since I saw the movie Almost Famous at the age of 15. (I have several recommendations if anyone is interested!). So, I'll admit, Smith probably wouldn't have to do much as a writer to grab my interest. But, with as little bias as possible, I believe she does a fantastic job of writing and describing the confusion, love, ups, and downs it takes to find oneself as a young adult.

OK, now I've dished about my secret literary passion. What are some of the literary passions or genres that you other madwomen can't resist?

Miss. H.

Literary Gifts

December is upon us, and that means shopping, parties, celebrating (and for Miss Havisham, final exams...yuck!) In the spirit of the season, and as I plan my trips to the mall, I'm curious about the best literary gifts to give (and receive).

I have a long history of asking for books as gifts. As a child, my list for Santa Claus was primarily a wish list of Nancy Drew titles. But I also loved the "surprise" books that I sometimes received...you know, the books that someone purchased for me, that weren't even on my radar, and that I ended up loving. Books like Johnny Tremain, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and Number the Stars (thanks Aunt J, Mom and Grandma for opening my imagination to these wonderful stories!)

When I was fourteen, I asked for my own copy of Gone With the Wind, which I had checked out of the library at least four times the previous year. I still have that copy, although it has been read so many times that the pages have completely fallen out of the spine (and a few have fallen out of chronological order).

However, books as gifts can also be problematic. This summer I received a copy of The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest from a well-meaning giver. The only problem: I haven't read the first two in the series (or is Hornet's Nest second? I'm not even sure) Now I feel obligated to go out and purchase the other two, even though I really had no interest in reading any of them.

Let's not forget the writing element of literacy. When I was a teenager I looked forward to receiving a new journal every year for Christmas. Regardless of whether the old journal was half-full or overflowing, I would start a new one every year on New Year's Eve. I haven't kept a journal since senior year of college, but I'm seriously thinking of starting one up again...

I'm curious...what are your favorite literary gifts to give and receive?