84, Charging Cross Road

84, Charging Cross Road, Helene Hanff, Penguin Press, originally sometime in the 1970s

I love discovering little books that have somehow for years slipped under my radar. Penguin just released a new edition of this book, so I discovered it for the first time yesterday afternoon, as I was shelving books. I immediately opened (being intrigued by the back cover) and read a quarter of it right away (while ignoring my customers). The book is a collection of correspondance between Hanff and an antiquarian bookstore in London. The correspondance took place between 1950 and the mid-1970s. A wonderful relationship developped between the sarcastic, humourous Hanff, and a bookstore employee Frank Doel. The book is a great recollection of times when books cost less than $5 and one kept regular mail correspondance. I really enjoyed it, and since it was short (I finished later that night on the subway ride home), it proved to be a lovely break from the books I have been reading for my management paper.
I recommend it to everyone who adores books and bookstores. 4/5 stars (because it was too short)
You may also like:
Salamander- Thomas Wharton
A Gentle Madness- Nicholas Basbanes
Mysterious Flame of Queen Loanna- Umberto Eco

DSpace

Another none-book post:

DSpace offers an adaptable, economical opportunity to establish an online archive. The open-source software is easily available, stable and continually monitored by an online community. On the other hand, there are many costs associated with establishing an online archive, including training for technical staff and users, marketing and maintenance. Ensuring users participate in the project is one of the major concerns, so the DSpace archives that is developed must be thoroughly researched to meet the needs of potential users. Because DSpace is adaptable, there is a continuing opportunity to adjust services to meet dynamic needs. The many examples of institutions that use DSpace are a testament to its success, but also good example to work through any problems that might arise. The pre-installation and post-installation work seems time consuming, with a constant need for technical staff to assist in the maintenance of the space and the need for evaluation. If the proper amount of time and resources are given to a DSpace project, it can become a very useful tool; however, it also has the possibility of being under-used or maintained. A good DSpace is invaluable, but a bad one is a waste.

The End of The End (or is it?)

The End, Lemony Snicket, Harper Collins, 2006.

For those of you who have not read the rest of Lemony Snicket's (aka Daniel Handler) Series of Unfortunate Events, you are missing out. And the last and thirteenth installment of the series about the three unfortunate orphans, Sonny, Claus and Violet Baudelaire, is just as good as all the previous. I do not want to give away too much about the End, but I will say it involves an island, a pregnant relative, some horseradish laced apples, and no solution to the mystery of the V.F.D. Although many questions are answered (like who Beatrice is) there are equally as many left by the end of The End. Despite the unanswered questions Snicket brings his series to a comfortable conclusion. I urge everyone who hasn't read the entire series to indulge in the world of Snicket's victorianesque cautionary tale. The illustrations by Brett Helquist add an Edward Gorey aspect to the novels. So ignore the age designation and be fortunate enough to read this wondeful series.
I give the book 4/5 stars, and the series 5/5 stars.
If you like Lemony Snicket, then try:
The Gashlycrumb Tinnies- Edward Gorey
Coraline- Neil Gaiman
Rare Beasts (Edgar & Ellen series)- Charles Ogden

Library 2.0: What exactly is it?

This post is a side note from my typical book reviews, it is the conclusions to my review of an article entitled "Do Libraries Matter? The rise of Library 2.0" by Ken Chad and Paul Miller. This is the last couple paragraphs and they tend to come off nicer than the rest of the review. The article itself left me more puzzled about Library 2.0 then when I started and was mostly just marketing hype from a company seemingly desperate to stay on top of technological advances. Anyway, here are my last couple of paragraphs:

“Do Libraries Matter?” does touch upon some key concepts of Library or Web 2.0. These include the flexible nature of the system and the low-costs of maintenance. Libraries do need to adapt to changing technologies in order to best serve their patrons and the community. This is the reason why there is a healthy dialogue on the ideas of Library 2.0. Libraries need to realize which aspects of Web 2.0 are most suitable for their industry, something the abundance of online library blogs shows is already happening. In Crawford’s article, not only does he explore the ideas of Talis, but also of countless other blogs and sites that have explored the same issues (Crawford). Not that Crawford’s article is considerably better than Chad and Miller’s, as his is essentially an overly long rant about other bloggers and “technology evangelists,” rather than an article on Library 2.0, but that is another article review, for another time (Crawford, 1). The problem with the Talis white paper is that is fails to get the point of the discussion. It offers nothing new or concrete to add to the discussion. Many of the concepts are so general that they are useless to any actual exploration of Library 2.0 and the focus is too much on scaring libraries into some sort of action, rather than offering solutions. The importance of the white paper is that it is an important first step to getting companies whose primary customer are libraries involved in debates on where libraries and library technologies are heading. What needs to happen next is Talis, along with other companies, need to bring the debate into a more constructive, practical realm.

My Swordhand is Singing, Marcus Sedgwick, Orion books, 2006.

In an earlier post I reviewed another of Sedgwick's books, the Foreshadowing, and gave it a glowing review. I wish I could say the same for My Swordhand is Singing, but no. The teen-fiction novel is set in a town in Eastern Europe (not sure which country, but probably Romania- although mentions of slivovitz makes me think Slovakia). The story is about a boy, Peter, and his Father, Tomas. They are the woodcutters in a small town. The book opens with the attack and murder of a fellow woodcutter. It turns out the guy was killed by vampires. More townspeople become vampires, including Peter's love interest. A group of gypsies come into town to help fight the threat, but the townspeople won't admit there is a problem. It turns out Peter's father knows more about vampires than he lets on. Anyway, you can imagine how it ends, lots of dead vampires and Peter being the hero.

What I enjoyed most about other Sedgwick books was the atmosphere that he was able to create. In this novel, that is lacking, as are strong characters and a consistent plot. I was really disappointed because his other books are so good. I felt like the book was rushed into print, leaving little time for the story or characters to develop.
I would have to give the book 1/5 stars.
If you like vampire novels, some other ones that have come out recently are:
The Historian-Elizabeth Kostova (2/5 stars)
New Moon- Stephanie Meyer (I haven't read this yet, but have heard great things)

History through letters

Dearest Auntie Fori, Martin Gilbert, 2004, HaperCollins.

This book is the history of the Jewish people told through letters written by Martin Gilbert to an elderly Hungarian Jewish friend, who left Hungary around WWII. The concept of the book is to bring this woman up to date on Jewish history, beginning from the beginning (Adam and Eve) and proceeding until post-WWII. Also, at the end, are numerous letters explaining Jewish traditions. Gilbert is best known as Churchill's biographer, but as of late has turned his attention to Jewish history, inluding his newly released book Kristallnacht.
Dearest Auntie Fori is a sweeping history, without ever feeling sweeping. Through the form of letters, the history remains a very personal story and is very readable. The book makes Jewish history accessible to those who might not know much about Jewish history (like me). I found it a very interesting read, but kept in mind the prominent historical bias. Gilbert's focus is not on the hotly debated topics of modern Jewish history and life, instead he attempts to avoid much comfrontation, instead focusing on leading Jewish people and large turning points in history.
Because this is the first Jewish history book I have read, I don't have much to offer in the way of recommendations. But I would give the book 3/5 stars.

The Elusive Writer

Mao II, Don Dellilo, first published 1991

This is the first novel I have read by Don Dellilo. His name has crossed my path many times so I decided to give it a go. Mao II is the story of a reclusive writer (Salinger/Rothesque). The writer, Bill Grey, decides that he is going to emerge from his years of hiding by allowing a young photographer to take his pictures. What follows brings Grey out from his hiding and into the world of political activism as he leaves the comfort of his retreat to try and help a young poet kidnapped in Beirut. Meanwhile, the other people whose lives revolve around Bill Grey, his assistant,Scott, and his maid/housekeeper/lover,Karen. The book is well written, but there are some plot gaps, especially closer to the end. The writing style is very similar to others of his generation, writers such as Philip Roth and Ivan Klima. I enjoyed it enough to try another couple of his books, which I have heard are much better.
I give it 3/5 stars,
You could also try:
The Human Stain- Philip Roth
Of Love and Garbage- Ivan Klima
The Amazing Adventures of Cavalier and Clay- Michael Chabon

If a book is free, read it

The Garneau Block, Todd Babiak, Random House 2006

There is always the temptation when you get a free book to look at it in the most favourable light possible. Everyone likes getting free books, especially when it was one you were planning on reading anyway. It is also nice when you get that free book signed and the author is nice and funny. But when it comes down to it, you can't forgive everything just because of a free book.
Random House is one publisher that truly recognizes the importance of librarians and booksellers to helping spread the word of books. I always appreciate this because some other publishers forget that if a bookseller or librarian doesn't want a book to sell/be borrowed, they have the power to stop this. Mostly, this is a note to authors- don't go into a bookstore and look down on the person helping you, they determine whether you sell of not.
Anyway, enough of a rant, on to the review.
Todd Babiak is a journalist for the Edmonton Journal, and his book was originally published as a series in that paper. Currently, the Garneau Block is on the long list for the Giller Prize. The plot of the novel involves a single block in Edmonton's Old Scona community. The block has been wrought with tragedy as of late. One of the families father was killed by police after he held hostage his wife and daughter. This event has a huge impact on the rest of the block and sets off a string of events that lead to the nearby University of Alberta, buying the property to build the new Vetrinary Medicine building. Secrets are revealed, relationships are built and destroyed, as the block's residences come together to save their piece of Edmonton's landscape. The Garneau Block is written as a giant cliche of Edmonton, something which I found detracted greatly from the book. Because the entire novel was built on cliche characters they all lacked depth and the plot was moderately predictable, even in its absurd twists.
Being from Edmonton (and lived there for 18 years), I think I found this more frustrating than those who have never been to Edmonton might. A friend of mine from work, who also got a free copy, has read the book and really enjoyed it. That is not to say the book didn't have some positive features. There was a humour about it that I enjoyed and the plot kept me reading to the end (I have been known to abandon books). But there was something missing, and I think this something was in the writing quality.
Despite it being free and about my beloved hometown, I have to give this book 2/5 stars
But, if you did like it, then try:
Number One Ladies Detective Agency- Alexander McCall Smith
The Way the Crow Flies- Ann Marie MacDonald
Watching Desperate Housewives

Czechs, Castrates, and Communists- oh my!

The People's Act of Love, James Meek, Harper Collins, 2005

James Meek's Booker prize nominated novel takes place in Siberia in the years following WWI. A division of Czech soldiers have come to occupy a town of religious zealots during the Russian civil war. In the town is also a man claiming to have escaped from a prison camp in Siberia and made his way to the town on his way to Vladivostok. Meek traces the stories of many of the central characters as the plot progresses. Central to the Czech division is a soldier named Mutz, who embodies the hopes of a newly created Czechoslovakia, as well as years of Czech literary tradition. Mutz character is the typical Czech absurdist character reminiscent of Hasek's Svejk and Vaclav Havel's plays. (As a side note: I was reading this novel at the same time that I was reading Havel's play The Garden Party for a class on Modern Czech Drama. Meek's use of Czech humour for his Czech characters is one of the highlights of his writing and some scenes bore a striking resemblence to the language and prose of Havel. Achieving this is very difficult for a non-Czech writer, as the Czech sense of humour is not widely appreciated). At the most basic level, this is a novel about love, and the things it can cause people to do (castration, cannabalism ect.) Meek's writing is wonderful and helps move the story along. However, there are a few plot gaps that could have been filled, primarily surrounding the Siberian camp escapee Samarin.
3.5/5 stars!
If you enjoy People's Act of Love, then try:
The Good Soldier Svejk- Jaroslav Hasek
The Last Jew- Yoram Kaniuk