The Glass Castle

Stars: 5/5
Author: Jeannette Walls
Subjects: memoir, alcoholic father, dysfunctional family, poverty, homless people, West Virginia, Arizona, Nevada, California, New York
ISBN: 9781439156964
Copyright Year: 2009
Other Comments:
The Glass Castle is a stunning memoir of a dysfunctional family and astonishing optimism and hope.  Jeannette Walls recounts how her parents were - brilliant but unfit to raise children - and how she and her siblings banded together and raised themselves.  Walls gives details of different moves their mother called "adventures", when the bills piled up too high.  She also writes about the horrible conditions of poverty from rats mistaken for opossums to leaking and buckling roofs to armies of termites and roaches.  She also tells of her parents both loving and selfish gestures toward their children and how - in the end - the children left their parents for a better life in New York.  Even after all this, their parents follow them and choose to be homeless just to be near their kids.  This is a memoir of hard work, heartbreak, and ultimately fulfillment.  I loved it - however it's not for the faintest of heart.

The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains

Stars: 5/5
Author: Nicholas Carr
Subjects: Neuropsychology, Internet--Physiological effect, Internet--Psychological aspects, science
ISBN: 9780393072228
Copyright Year: 2010
Other Comments: Nicholas Carr, in one of the most important books I've ever read, explains the physiological effect of the internet on our brains.  An avid internet user and consumer of digital technology, Nicholas isn't someone who is one-sided.  He did his research - from the effects of inventions of all sorts on society to the newest studies on the intricate workings of the brain, Carr explains how the internet is one huge distraction machine - and how it's training our brains to be unfocused.  I would encourage everyone to read this phenomenal and frightening book.  Especially teachers and professors who use technology in the classroom.

Kaffir Boy

Stars: 3.5/5
Author: Mark Mathabane
Subjects: Africa, apartheid, poverty, South Africa, oppression, tennis, gangs
ISBN: 0684848287
Copyright Year: 1986
Other Comments: Kaffir Boy is the autobiography of Johannes (Mark) Mathabane.  The word "kaffir" is of Arabic origin and means "infidel".  It was used as a degrading term by South African whites and is the equivalent of the word "nigger" commonly used in America (paraphrased from the preface).  This non-fiction work is about Mathabane's childhood years up until the age of 18.  This book paints a vivid portrait of the absolute inhumane conditions of apartheid.  From endless poverty to extremely unsanitary conditions to gang wars to overall oppression - Mathabane explains honestly how the minority of white South African citizens ruled over the majority of black natives with an iron fist.  This book was a haunting and devastating read.  I would recommend this to anyone who does not know what apartheid is or has little knowledge of it.  Also, there appears to be a sequel titled Kaffir Boy in America.

You Remind Me of Me

Stars: 3/5
Author: Dan Chaon
Subjects: identity, psychology, city and town life, fate and fatalism, middle west, psychological fiction
ISBN: 0345441419
Copyright Year: 2004
Other Comments: Dan Chaon's You Remind Me of Me is about two half brothers.  The first one, Troy, is given up for adoption when his mother, Nora, is 15 years old.  The second one, Jonah, comes along approximately five years later and lives with Nora's son until she commits suicide.  Jonah finally finds Troy and tries open a connection between them based on familial ties.  However, Troy is more concerned about his predicament of potentially losing his child and being put on house arrest for selling drugs to pay attention to the lonely Jonah.  Jonah eventually becomes so desperate he does something drastic.  This story is beautifully written, but extremely depressing.  It truly is psychological fiction.  I felt nothing but pity for Jonah and Troy, wishing, hoping they would find ways to better lives.  Although the novel ends fairly happy, I was still left with a sense of grief.  This story wasn't my favorite thing I've read by Dan Chaon.  I actually had the privilege of meeting him at the college I attend and was excited to find out that he currently lives in Ohio.  He is hilarious in person and I actually preferred his short stories.  He also acknowledges that his occupation is a short story writer in the back of this book.

Featured Artists

This doesn't have anything to do with books really, but I would like to feature some artists that I know to promote their work and get their name out there.  Hope you enjoy!

• Chuck Marshall (painter): http://chuckmarshallfineart.com/index.html
• Mark Marshall (photographer): http://markmarshallphotography.zenfolio.com/
• *Laila Nur (singer/songwriter): http://www.facebook.com/givemeapen4ever/posts/202201899825327?ref=notif&notif_t=share_comment#!/pages/Laila-Nur/100869459962620?sk=wall
• Christopher Gallagher (photographer): http://www.flickr.com/photos/griamacegallagher/
• Claudia Susana (photographer): http://claudiasusana.com/
• Christy Peffly (photographer): http://photosbychristypeffly.blogspot.com/

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