It's Monday! What are you reading?

I'm participating in this event hosted by Sheila from Book Journey (be sure to visit her site). Here's what I'll be reading this week:

Reading Heaven is Here: An Incredible Story of Hope, Triumph, and Everyday Joy by Stephanie Nielsen for future book review

Starting Blue Asylum by Kathy Hepinstall for future book review
Starting The Cider House Rules by John Irving

Book Review: Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland

Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland
Published by: Random House Publishing Group
Published on: March 20, 2012
Page Count: 448
Genre: Adult historical fiction
My Reading Format: Advanced reading PDF by Netgalley
Available Formats: Hardcover or Audio CD

 

My Review: 

In 1892 Clara Driscoll, a recently widowed woman, walks in the door of Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company in search of a job that will help her support herself. The company and many others in New York City at that time had the rule that married women were not employable. Clara had worked for Mr. Tiffany prior to her marriage, and was ready to return to work after her husband's death and start over. Mr. Tiffany hires Clara to help him prepare stained glass windows for a chapel at the upcoming Chicago World's Fair, develop a new product (Tiffany lamps), and manage the women's department. Clara is no-nonsense, capable and in charge. She's also sensitive, aware of the injustices around her, and a loyal and loving friend. These characteristics are important as the story unfolds. 

In some ways Clara is glad to be out of her unhappy marriage, and she becomes married to her work. She develops close friendships with her fellow boarders where she rents a room, and enjoys the artists with whom she both lives and works. Clara develops a sincere fondness for many of her female employees, and counsels them at times on life outside the walls of Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company. Just as Clara is earning the respect she deserves from Mr. Tiffany, she abruptly leaves her job as she believes she's found the right man to marry, the brother of one of her boarder friends. The almost-marriage quickly turns disastrous, and Clara again finds herself returning to ask Mr. Tiffany for her old job back, and he is happy for her return. 

Throughout her career at Tiffany she struggles against the men in management positions unwilling to grant Clara and her department the respect they deserve and the proper creative license they need to have to do their best work. Though Mr. Tiffany owns the company and enjoys collaborating on designs with Clara when he can, the men in the hierarchy below Mr. Tiffany and above Clara manage to keep the hands of both of them tied. And outside the company, artists' unions which allow only men to become members are making rules that the rest of the artist community in New York City must obey regardless of gender.Through all of these struggles, Clara handles disappointment, worry and the ups and downs of her life as an artists with grace.

This book is a story of dichotomies. The bustle of New York City versus the tranquility of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The beauty of Fifth Avenue versus the squalor of the districts where immigrants crowd too many to a rented room. Clarity versus mental health issues. Being able-bodied versus living with a disability. Clara's own simple living quarters versus Mr. Tiffany's house in New York City and his estate outside the city. Clara is one of the only characters who passes back and forth between each of these worlds and its counterpart, and does it comfortably. 

Vreeland tells a beautiful story, and what's more wonderful is, since it's historical fiction, it's all based on truth. Though I know nothing about glass making, I found Vreeland's rich descriptions of the processes of how Clara's department and others at the company make beautiful works of art from glass to be fascinating. In fact, writing beautiful descriptions that paint pictures with her words is, besides having a good story to write, one of the most enjoyable things about Clara and Mr. Tiffany. I thought this book was a beautiful, well-written story. I found myself admiring Clara and feeling thankful that women like her came before women like me, making my life easier to live.

It's Monday! What are you reading?

I'm participating in this event hosted by Sheila from Book Journey (be sure to visit her site). Here's what I'll be reading this week:

I'll be back to reading Tropic of Night by Michael Gruber

January 2012 issue of Atlanta Magazine
Reading Heaven is Here: An Incredible Story of Hope, Triumph, and Everyday Joy by Stephanie Nielsen for future book review

Starting Blue Asylum by Kathy Hepinstall for future book review
March 2012 issue of Travel + Leisure

Arsonist's Read-Along, Days 3-4

This week I'm participating in a read-along of An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England by Brock Clarke with the bloggers at Literate Housewife and Indie Reader Houston. I'll be updating my blog as I'm reading, and checking in on what other book bloggers are saying. The event runs through Monday, March 19. 

Here are my observations from my last two days of reading (page 223 through the end of the book):


- Have you ever felt like things already aren't going well and then the rug gets pulled out from under you again, and again, and then one more time? That's what I kept feeling like for Sam, the narrator, during the last 100 pages of the book. So, sure he's not the most upstanding guy around, but when his whole world fell apart, piece by piece, all around him, I kept thinking things just couldn't get worse for him. But they did.
- I was really struck by Sam's attitude during all of this. He's not particularly angry about his circumstances. He's not even angry at the people in his life who turn out to be nothing what they've pretended to for years. Sam doesn't hold a grudge. He just keeps making notes for writing his own arsonist's guide, chalks it up to experience and moves on. That's a pretty powerful message.
- If you've read the book you know what happens to Sam at the end. I'm still struggling with his calmness and acceptance during all his transition at the end of the book. Perhaps he did what he did as a conscious choice, deciding life would be easier away from all the people in his life. The adults were certainly a little difficult, but what about his children? How could he justify spending time away from them since they were the only people in his life who had never tried to hurt him or pretend to be someone they weren't?

Overall, I really loved this book. It's completely different than anything I've read in a long time. Have you read it? What did you think?

Charles Dickens Turns 200

Last month lovers of Victorian literature around the world noted the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens' birth. NPR ran a story to mark the occasion that I particularly enjoyed, as it reminded me of my visit to the Charles Dickens Museum in London about 18 months ago. Perhaps it's time for a reread of one of his novels. 

Arsonist's Read-Along, Day 2

This week I'm participating in a read-along of An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England by Brock Clarke with the bloggers at Literate Housewife and Indie Reader Houston. I'll be updating my blog as I'm reading, and checking in on what other book bloggers are saying. The event runs through Monday, March 19. 

Here are my observations from today's reading (through page 223):

- All of the things that amused me yesterday and still making me laugh today. Descriptions. Strange family relationships. All the thoughts that go through the narrator's head.
- I got kind of weirded out with all the visitors Sam received at his parents' house in one day. If you're reading along, you probably know what I mean.
- I like how Sam is building his own guide as the story unfolds. As he mentions things that would be good to include in his guide, I like how some of them are specific to actually burning down writers' homes and some are just specific observations on life and how it all works.

Berenstain Bears

Recently, Jan Berenstain, who created the children's book series Berenstain Bears with her husband Stan, died at the age of 88. I read as many of their books as I could when I was in elementary school, and the books are still some of my favorites to give at baby showers and to children for holidays and birthdays. Alexandra Petri's article in the Washington Post celebrating this series and its creators struck a chord with me and I thought it was worth sharing.

J.K. Rowling's New Novel in the Works

Have you heard that J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, has a deal to write a book for adults? More details about the book will be released later this year. Get the whole story from USA Today.

Arsonist's Read-Along, Day 1

This week I'm participating in a read-along with the bloggers at Literate Housewife and Indie Reader Houston. The book they've chosen is one I've been looking forward to reading, so this is my excuse to read it now. It's called An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England by Brock Clarke. I'll be updating my blog as I'm reading, and checking in on what other book bloggers are saying. The event runs through next Monday, March 19. If you're reading along too, or just interested in knowing more about the book, see Indie Reader's post with her first reactions to the book.

Here are my observations from today's reading (through page 110):

- The scene and people descriptions are cracking me up. For example, "...and once, in a fit or anger or grief, someone hurled a Birkenstock through our bay windows. It was a man's right shoe, size twelve" (p. 6).
- I like the stream of consciousness on pages 51-52. Produce rolling around in the backseat of an elderly woman's car reminds Sam (the narrator) of the time his father tried unsuccessfully to have a garden, which leads the reader into that story. It's a clever way for us to find out more about Sam's dad.
- "I've recognized that stories were everywhere and all-important" (p. 74). Well, of course!

Oscar Books

Did you watch the Academy Awards three weeks ago? OK, so I'm a little behind in blogging about it. Besides watching to see the fashion, I love to see which movies win big and then go see them if I haven't already (and I don't go to the movies as often as I used to, so chances are good I haven't seen all the year's best movies). I was hoping for big wins for the two books I had read that had corresponding movies out in the past year: The Help by Kathryn Stockett and War Horse by Michael Morpurgo (I had also seen Jane Eyre and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). However, I've missed quite a few. Book Reporter has summed it up nicely here. My reading list is growing by leaps and bounds!

Rereading

The other day on Twitter I came across an article published in the Mail called "Reading a book really is better the second time round - and can even offer mental health benefits." I completely agree! I've reread several things in the past several years for the second time, and found those stories to be much more wonderful the second time around.

Here are a few of my favorite rereads:

Lord of the Flies (blog post coming soon on this one) by William Golding
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Pride and Prejudice (OK, anything Jane Austen)
The Color Purple (turning 30 this year, by the way) by Alice Walker
A Wrinkle in Time (my most recent reread) by Madeleine L'Engle
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Diary of Anne Frank
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

What are your favorite rereads?

Bookmans

This is just cool: Bookmans Does Book Dominoes.

It's Monday! What are you reading?

I'm participating in this event hosted by Sheila from Book Journey (be sure to visit her site). Here's what I'll be reading this week:

Reading Tropic of Night by Michael Gruber

January 2012 issue of Real Simple

Finishing Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews on audiobook
Starting Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand on audiobook
Continuing Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland for future book review

I'll also be participating in Come Read Along with the bloggers at Literate Housewife and Indie Reader Houston. The book they've chosen is one I've been looking forward to reading: An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England by Brock Clarke. I'll be updating my blog as I'm reading, and checking in on what other book bloggers are saying. This event starts today and runs through next Monday, March 19. I've got a lot of my plate reading-wise this week, and I've really gotten sucked into Tropic of Night....

Reread: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

I've just finished rereading Madeleine L'Engle's Newbery Award-winning book, A Wrinkle in Time, which turns 50 this year. I was probably 10 or 11 the only other time I've read it. I was surprised at how much seemed so familiar, even though it's been over 20 years since I read this classic. Besides enjoying this story again, I also really enjoyed the essay at the end written by science writer Lisa Sonne in 2005. In the essay, Sonne points out all the things that L'Engle imagined and included in her book that weren't yet discovered when the book was originally published in 1962. Much of what she conjured up has now been discovered by scientists to exist in our solar system and beyond. It was great to have that spelled out for readers at the end of the book in the version I read.

USA Today quantified the success of A Wrinkle in Time. And a good, entertaining summary of the novel can be found as part of the 90-Second Newbery Award Film Festival. Also, I like Kate Milford's post on McNally Jackson Kids' blog. Check it out.

It's Monday! What are you reading?

I'm participating in this event hosted by Sheila from Book Journey (be sure to visit her site). Here's what I'll be reading this week:

Rereading A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

November 2011 issue of Travel + Leisure

Finishing The Thank You Economy by Gary Vaynerchuk

Listening to Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews on audiobook
Starting Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland for future book review