The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

I have come to appreciate why Goethe is considered, probably, the greatest German writer. The Sorrows of Young Werther is considered the first great tragic novel of European literature. I will read more of Goethe! An interesting look at the decent of the title character into deepest depression.

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

Pulitzer Prize winner for the year. There was some big surprise because the book beat out others by authors such as Philip Roth and John Updike. Here is what the Pulitzer Prize judges said about the book:
The Pulitzer judges said the book "packs a cumulative emotional wallop, bound together by polished prose and by Olive, the title character, blunt, flawed and fascinating."

I found their assessment right on. I loved how humanely the characters were portrayed and developed. Do you like or not like Olive? I think that as people really think about all of the characters in the book, they will see the struggles they have as they take the personality and character traits that came to them naturally and add in life's experiences and how they affect the way we deal with our lives and the people around us. I saw so much of myself in Olive and understand what it is like to be judged by people for outward things that they see, neglecting the true heart that is underneath that has trouble expressing itself.

I highly recommend this novel to others. Be warned, however, that there is some very bad language in the book, at times.

The True History of Paradise by Margaret Cezair-Thompson

Interesting story portraying life in Jamaica during from its beginning through the 1970's. I was not aware of all of the turmoil and violence there and the mixture of cultures.

A neat quote from the story: 'I want to say I never stopped loving Monica. But age bring me wisdom. I stopped loving her when I lost the courage to stand up to my father. You understand? The love you have in you [sic] heart for somebody--that is not enough. I remember them teachin' me in school the difference between a noun and a verb: a noun is, and a verb does. Well, love don't count one rass [sic] unless it's a verb. I stopped loving Monica.' (pg. 271)

Stolen Lives by Malika Oufkir

Stolen Lives is the amazing story of Malika Oufkir, her brothers and sisters, and mother as they are punished by King Hassan II of Morocco for the failed coup be her father, General Oufkir. Malika recounts her life story as she and her younger siblings (the youngest 3 years old) are imprisoned because of their father's actions. An incredible story of the violation of basic human rights...the victims, in this case, innocent children!

The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene du Bois

The Twenty-One Balloons was such a fun, fantasy-filled book! The story captured my imagination like the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory did. I think it was one of the better Newberry Award winners that I have read. It is sad that I took so many years to discover this story of Professor William Waterman Sherman and the magical island of Krakatoa!

I need to spend more time in my life "traveling by balloon"--leaving where I am taken "to nature" in an unrushed, free, spirit of awaiting what new worlds there are to discover around me.

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Maniac Magee! At first, I struggled with having to suspend belief regarding how so much was not really believable. However, I came to understand that I needed to look at this story more as a parable with a lot of symbolism. I think a person has to ask a lot of questions about who does this character represent? How are names significant to the story? I think that the story is a lot deeper than just a children's story that would appeal to 12 year old boys.

The obvious criticism in the story is about prejudice, racism, and stereotypical or uninformed traditional thinking which can box people into totally unrational, illogical thinking. Maniac dealt constantly with people's fears of things they really knew nothing about, just had been made afraid of all of their lives. They were living in a state of fear...paranoia...about so many things...the Finsterwalds, the East side vs. West side, attitudes about elderly people, attitudes about people living in poverty, etc.

One of the best, most telling moments about what the story was really all about was when Maniac describes the things he did as dares to keep the McNab boys going to school. When he talks about the dare to put his hand into the hole and proceeds to not only put his hand in, but his whole arm and comes out without any kind of harm to himself. There is a real difference between those things that really can do us harm (like the incident that made Maniac flee...the incident on the trolley trestle) and what he stood up to...traditional fears that had no true foundation. Maniac refuses to deal with fear based around tradition and not fact.

A wonderful story!!! But, the story does require a very thoughtful reader to get beyond the surface extremes to a deeper, much deeper message. I realize that I will need to go back, again, to do another reading to see what other symbols I missed on my first time through.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

I thoroughly enjoyed Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer!!! The book was a lot of fun, the characters memorable, the plot is engaging, and the information about different types of fairies interesting. I wish they would make a movie of this one!!! I would so enjoy it. Throughout my read, I could picture who would play each of the character, what they would look like, and how the scenes would look. Colfer did such a fine job in creating these images. I highly recommend the book as just fun, light-hearted read and look forward to reading others in the series.