In Defense of Elitism by: William A. Henry III

3 Stars

I picked up In Defense of Elitism because it sounded like an interesting philosophical read. The basic premise is this: Those people who are more valuable to society deserve greater privileges and respect. In the past such value was measured by blood and lineage, but in modern America this can simply be those who contribute the most to society. The author does a good job of outlining this premise. I was hoping that he would offer multiple arguments to support this premise, as well as discuss multiple arguments against it, ideally offering counters to such arguments.

Instead, the author focuses on only one argument in favor of this premise: elitism works better than egalitarianism. To support this argument, Henry examines the state of the work force, school systems, culture, and other things. He paints the failings of all of these areas due to a leaning towards egalitarianism and away from elitism, and suggests that by focusing on more elite systems the failings would disappear.

Though it was not the book I had hoped to read, I have a different, rather larger problem with the book. All information and research contrary to his argument he assaults with a hefty sledgehammer of skepticism. He attacks any and every possible weakness, at times dismissing strong reasonable pieces of research. After he does this, he presents his own information, but does very little to support or defend it. He merely asserts his claims and assumes that we should accept it. As a result, I felt that he was being unfair to the opposition and overly generous to his own claims.

In addition to this, I felt that he was arguing for some unsavory things that didn't necessarily have all that much to do with the arguments concerning elitism and egalitarianism. I won't go into detail, but at times it felt more like a personal rant than anything else. As a result, I found the book quite disappointing, and I would not recommend it to anyone.

Dark Lady's Chosen by: Gail Z Martin

Series rating: 6 stars

Dark Lady's Chosen is the fourth book of the Chronicles of the Necromancer series. In thought I would review the series, since I haven't reviewed any of the other books on this blog. The first three books are The Summoner, The Blood King, and Dark Haven. The Summoner and The Blood King were excellent fantasy books. I wouldn't say that they were particularly unique in any way, or groundbreaking, but well written, fairly paced, and very entertaining. If the series rating was based solely on those two, I think that I would give the series a 7 or an 8.

Unfortunately, the third book, Dark Haven, was a 500+ page book with probably about 100 pages of plot development. It was a long book with very little to show for it. Dark Haven was also too wordy, though not nearly to the same degree. In my opinion, Dark Haven and Dark Lady's Chosen should have been one book. I feel like there was only one book worth of content between the two of them.

Despite the excessive wordiness of the last two books, they were still enjoyable. I think I would recommend the series to fantasy lovers. Those uninterested in fantasy novels should probably give these a skip.

As end note, I would just like to say that Gail Martin's middle initial "Z" is a bit silly. I don't know what she or her publishers were thinking.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

7 Stars

Nobody Owens (Bod, for short) finds himself suddenly orphaned as a toddler. He then has the great fortune to wander into a graveyard, where he is immediately adopted by the resident ghosts. This book follows his up-bringing by this bizarre community, through both the tender and the terrifying. The Graveyard Book was the 2009 Newberry-Medal Winner. (Deservedly, in my opinion.)

A very interesting concept, this book lives up to that pique. Gaiman is a great story-teller. He weaves in noticeable and plot-driving details without making them annoyingly obvious, and his imagination in throwing in folk lore about the dead--and other grisly graveyard inhabitants--is limitless. He also has a good sense of humor, and plays it well here. This book definitely made me want to read more of his work; unfortunately, I've heard that Coraline is terrifying and Stardust just plain crude. But, if he writes another book for children anytime soon, I will be seeking it out! (I've been wavering between giving it 7 and 8 stars and decided to err on the side of caution. But it really is very good, and I would definitely recommend it to people with a taste for the eerie!)

The Classics Reclassified by Richard Armour

7 stars

The Classics Reclassified is for those who hate classics. It is also for those who love classics. The Iliad, Julius Caesar, Ivanhoe, The Scarlet Letter, Moby Dick, Silas Marner, and David Copperfield all receive a humorous summary. Richard Armour's sharp wit spears the plot holes, the characters that don't make sense, the things that ought to have been left out, the excessive details, and everything else that your English teacher was too proud to point out.

Those of you who love the classics will enjoy a hearty chuckle. Those of you who hate the classics can laugh at their expense. Either way, laughter will ensue.

A few children's reads...

So, for a slight change of pace, I decided I wanted to add a brief list of a few favorite picture books. I like some more than others, but I'd say they all fall within the 8-10 Stars range. They are all different styles and genres and are only really related insofar as they are some favorites of mine, sorry.


The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds:

I have loved Peter H. Reynolds' loose-style illustrations ever since I've known of him, but this book especially holds a place in my heart. It's a book every artist really ought to own. Sarah, this means you. If you don't have it already, you need to. ;D (And, I have to add that the first time I read this book, it was a Spanish translation called, "El Punto", which actually I may have liked even more, since that title added some interesting double meaning to the whole...)


Ms. Rubinstein's Beauty by Pep Montserrat:

This has been a favorite ever since discovering it a couple of years ago. It is the only work so far by this author illustrator, but it's a great one. For a far more poetic (albeit a bit of a plot spoiling--read it AFTER you read the book, I'm telling you!!!) review than I can give, please visit:
http://fusenumber8.blogspot.com/2007/02/review-of-day-ms-rubinsteins-beauty.html


City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems:

The gorgeous pictures by Jon J Muth are what attracted me to this book to begin with, but it is as beautifully written as illustrated. Poignant, silly, sweet, sad, and wonderful all rolled into one. And, did I mention the gorgeous pictures?







Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss:

So, perhaps it is a tad cliché to include Dr. Seuss, but really, the guy was a genius. This is one that I don't remember reading as a child, but just might rank as my favorite of his books. It doesn't have the same depth of meaning as some of his others, but the alliterations and rhyming patterns are FAN. TAS. TIC. Not than anyone expected anything else.







Snow White illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman:

I mention the illustrator, not the author, because, truthfully I have never loved the tale of Snow White. It's really, very dark. This retelling is no exception as it sticks pretty close to the Grimm version. BUT. If you have never loved Snow White, either, this book might just change your mind. And all because of a person known as Trina Schart Hyman. Who I adore. I have never been disappointed in a book she's illustrated, because even if the book were completely terrible, her illustrations would make it all worth while. No, seriously. Check it out, and you will see exactly what I mean.


The Sleeping Beauty by Mercer Mayer:

I know, I know, another fairy tale with beautiful pictures. But, this one, I choose not just for the amazing illustrations, but because this is my very favorite re-telling of the tale of the Sleeping Beauty. Ever. And I've read a LOT of re-tellings. Mercer Mayer manages to add all sorts of interesting twists to the timeless tale while managing to be true to the story. It is a real classic. And, just so that you know, if you have a hard time finding it, that's because it's now out of print. And people like to steal the library's copies and take the hit in fines just to have a copy. Unfortunately for the rest of us, it really is that good.


The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein:

This book makes me cry. It has some of Silverstein's typically funny poetry, but it is much deeper than many of his other, sillier reads. Plus, it's about a tree, and we all know what a tree-hugger I am. But, then, since my dad had this book around for as long as I can remember, maybe this book is WHY I'm a tree-hugger.









The Eleventh Hour by Graeme Base:

Those of you who have never read any of Graeme Base's books need to move it to the top of your to-do list. Especially if you love bright colors. Or puzzles. Or clever rhymes. Or intricate illustrations. Or well-thought out children's books. ... Yeah. Enough said.

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

4 Stars -3 for content (Yes, meaning it actually gets only 1 Star...)

"The novel, set in post–Spanish Civil War Barcelona, concerns a young boy, Daniel. Just after the war, Daniel's father takes him to the secret Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a huge library of old, forgotten titles lovingly preserved by a select few initiates. According to tradition, everyone initiated to this secret place is allowed to take one book from it, and must protect it for life. Daniel selects a book called The Shadow of the Wind by Julián Carax. That night he takes the book home and reads it, completely engrossed. Daniel then attempts to look for other books by this unknown author, but can find none. All he comes across are stories of a strange man – calling himself Laín Coubert, after a character in the book who happens to be the Devil – who has been seeking out Carax's books for decades, buying them all and burning them." (Taken from wikipedia.)

I'm only posting this, because based on the synopsis you might actually be tempted to read this book (the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a mysterious book character burning a certain author's life's work, unusual setting, etc.). It starts out with so much promise! Ruiz' writing style is very lyrical and beautiful, and in the beginning there are lots of interesting and poignant interactions between Daniel and his widowed father. It carries on in this lovely way for about 60 or 70 pages and then, WHAM! Random sex scene. And then lots of garbage-y suggestive language for pretty much the rest of the book. :( This book is about 1/5 "Great Expectations", 1/5 "The Historian" (by Elizabeth Kostova), and, unfortunately about 3/5 parts smutty and salacious talk, gritty encounters, and people being absolutely horrible to one another. Boo. I hate when a very gifted author gives in to the temptation to make his book more "exciting" by adding a lot of unrealistically grimy atmosphere and language. I find it very difficult to believe that the vast majority of Spaniards in the 50s had such horrible marriages, and I scoff at the apparent take-home message that sexual intimacy is very rarely a good thing and that only when it's between young, unmarried, and inexperienced individuals. Again, boo. I have to admit that I did not read the whole book, but because of Ruiz' compelling storytelling, I skimmed about the last half of the book to find out the answers to the mysteries presented. An interesting plot-line, unique European setting, occasional flashes of hope and genuine human emotion, and an intriguing search for answers are, unfortunately, not enough to save this dark tale from the smelly pit into which the author has chosen to cast it.