(#17) / A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Solider / by Ishmael Beah / (Book)

Opening

Bibliographic Information:

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Solider / by Ishmael Beah

ISBN-13: 978-0374531263 / Farrar, Straus and Giroux

p. 229 / Price $9.60 (Amazon)

2007

Body of Content

Summary: The book “A Long Way Gone” tells the autobiographical tale of a young, 13-year-old boy whose life and country become saturated with turmoil and violence with the outbreak of civil war in the country of Sierra Leone.  After the destruction of his village, and the unknown fates of his family, Ishmael travels with a group of friends – trying to escape the violence that befalls his country.  But ultimately, Beah is captured by the governmental forces that are fighting the rebels – and they enlist him as a child soldier in the conflict.  Under the sway of political propaganda and the cloudy effect of powerful drugs (mostly cocaine and methamphetamines), Beah struggles through the story – committing violence and killings as a soldier.  The story is both commentary on violence and human rights – and ultimately, a struggle of a boy trying to reclaim his humanity.  

Critique: The story is gripping, heart-wrenching, and unapologetic in its description of wartime violence. [Spoiler Alert]  But, the story does not stop there.  Although the story provides undisturbed candor into the thoughts and actions of a boy soldier, Beah’s rescue from a horrific situation leaves the reader with a paradox – the insane evil resting within humanity – and the opposite – the innocent-laden goodness within humanity.  Beah literally commits dozens of murders within the wartime novel.  But, he finally flees to America – adopted by a journalist whom he had previous met at a UN conference – and now speaks on human right issues.

Beah’s portrayal (of an innocent child – turned into a killer – and finally able to recover his humanity) is a redemption story as much as it is a survival tale.  But the duality – the paradox of humanity – is a theme throughout the book.  And that paradox – of goodness and evilness – is a theme of a French theologian by the name of Blaise Pascal.  Beah’s story is one that explores the actions possible by human beings as a race – and as an individual person.  Like Pascal, there is both great concern and great hope for the human race within A Long Way Gone.  Beah’s story touches on many subjects throughout the book’s journey, but the philosophical issue of human ontology rests as a major theme – that turns a theoretical exercise into a first-hand account of war and redemption.              

Teaser: Ishmael’s homeland is devastated by a civil war.  Suddenly, he flees his home – only to find myself conscripted into an army – as a child soldier.  Can Ishmael hope to regain what he lost?  

Information about the Author: The author, now 31 years old, was born in Sierra Leone.  During a civil war in his home country, Beah fought as a child soldier.  After the war, an American journalist adopted him – and he now lives in New York City.  Currently, Beah works for the Human Rights Watch – within a committee specializing in issues related to children.  In his past work with the United Nations, he has met with notable leaders such as Bill Clinton and Nelson Mandela (Wikipedia, 2011).

Upon the release of the book, Beah spoke with Jon Stewart on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show.  The host reflects, “I’ve rarely read a book that’s made my heart hurt” (Daily Show, 2007).  The author responds to the fragileness of life and the ease of becoming a killer and the difficulty of returning to society (Daily Show, 2007).   

Supplemental Material

Genre: Autobiography / Historical Nonfiction / Adventure

Curriculum Ties: History – child soldiers, imperialism, African history, United Nations / Theology – ontology, paradox of humanity, Pascal, “Problem of Evil”   

Booktalking Ideas: 1) How could a child become a soldier in a national conflict? 2) Does Ishmael ever find other members of his family?  

Reading Level: This book is certainly towards the upper bracket of high school – but I contend that it is thoroughly a teenage-intended book – with a teenage protagonist, short length (229 pages), and simple writing style.  Thus, the book is best for ages 16-19.

Challenge Issues and Defense: The subject matter is raw and the premise is dark.  The best defense strategy looks at the intentions of the work – as it does not seek to glorify violence, but instead, expose it for the inhumanness that it represents.  The book also received numerous awards, including a number three mention in an article by Times for Top Ten nonfiction books of 2007 (Grossman, 2007).

Personal Reasons for Inclusion: “A Long Way Gone” is a powerful book in own right – a book that I had my high school juniors read for their European history class. 

Last Thoughts

References:

Grossman, L. (2007). Top ten nonfiction books [Webpage]. Retrieved from http://www.time.com

/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1686204_1686244_1691772,00.html

The Daily Show. (14 February, 2007). Ishmael Beah [Video]. Retrieved from

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-february-14-2007/ishmael-beah

Wikipedia. (2011). Ishmael Beah [Webpage]. Retrieved from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishmael_Beah

Listening to (Music):

Artist – Sixpence None the Richer / Album – “Divine Discontent”   

(#3) / Tantalize / by Cynthia Leitich Smith / (Book)

Opening

Bibliographic Information:

Tantalize / by Cynthia Leitich Smith

ISBN–10: 0763627917 / Candlewick /

p. 336 / $ 6.80 (Amazon)

Body of Content

Summary: An orphan girl by the name of Quincie Morris moves into the household of her Uncle Davidson, and in the process, inherits the family business.  Once an Italian eatery, the restaurant is undergoing remodeling and remarketing efforts as a vampire-themed establishment.  In this small-town setting, more than meets the eye – as mythological creatures abound of the book’s pages.  After the murder of the chef incumbent, Quincie’s world grows even more complicated.  The police start an investigation into the murder of the chef.  Faced with an increasingly unreliable family (Uncle), ever absent best friend (Kieren), and a strange replacement cook (Brad), the protagonist must grip to separate her feelings from reality.  Pressured by impeding deadlines, Quincie must balance her school work with business responsibilities.  But with murders and monsters looming around the turn of each page, more than the fate of one character rests in the decisions made by Quincie.        

Critique: [Spoiler Alert] The book Tantalize contains a literary feature common in many YA novels – that of the ambiguous ending.  In adult literary works, it is common to write a very well-defined conclusion – whether it includes an event like a birth, a death, a wedding, etc. – or more simply, an impression like a character coming to realization of their identity.  YA books (often) include less direct approaches when forming their conclusions.   

In Tantalize, no one dies. Well, in fairness, basically everyone in Quincie’s life dies before the last chapter – but the last chapter does not resolve anything – as she, Brad, and Kieren all live to fight another day.  The ending of the book contains an ambiguous nature since the reader learns of all three fates – the characters soon separated by geography, but all alive: Quincie stays; Brad runs to San Antonio; and Kieren roams the nation in his herd.  Such features also create a lack of “falling action”.  Without a clear intentionality to the book’s conclusion, the climax of the book is muddled, too.  Typically, a novel contains a few chapters of falling action – after the climax.  But for Tantalize, the ending feels rushed.

Personally, I enjoy novels with clear endings.  This holds true partially due to the reading satisfaction – i.e. the book offers a resolution to the story’s events.  But further, it reminds me that the author had a story worth telling.  Ambiguous endings are more than a stylistic error; they reveal a lack of content.  Instead of offering a well-thought out thesis, ambiguous endings (often) only deliver topical significance.  Books are meant to have a beginning, middle, and ending.  Indirect resolutions start to negate more than just the ending of the story.  While I respect the author as a person, the novel Tantalize did not provide a satisfying conclusion – and like slaying the dragon at the level-five castle in the original Super Mario Bros – I realize that my princess resides in a different (literary) castle.         

Teaser: Quincie is a high-school girl growing up quickly in the real world – filled with murders, business responsibilities, and love interests. Can she keep her head or become the latest victim in a string of murders?   

Information about the Author: Cynthia Leitich Smith writes YA books along with illustrated books aimed at younger audiences.  She is mostly known for her series of books that developed from Tantalize.  Many of her works deal with issues related to Native Americans, partially due to her own heritage from the Muscogee Creek Nation.  Currently, the author also is professor at Vermont College of Fine Arts – teaching courses dealing with writing and YA program concerns (Wikipedia, 2011).  Smith resides in Austin, Texas – and her living experience there helped shaped some of the background details of the novel’s setting (Smith, 2011b).  

Smith holds a varied writing past – having attended college for degrees in journalism at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, along with time spent at The University of Michigan.  As part of her college time, Smith spent time abroad in Paris.  She also has lived in various states within the U.S. (Smith, 2011a)   

Supplemental Material

Genre: Horror / Paranormal Romance / Dark Comedy / Crime Drama

Curriculum Ties: Cooking / Mythology

Booktalking Ideas: 1) Can Quincie learn the identity of Vaggio’s murderer? 2) Will Quincie fall for the mysterious Brad – or the allure of Kieren?      

Reading Level: Grade 8 up – as assigned by School Library Journal (Amazon, 2011).  The darker themes of the novel – kidnapping and rampant death – make this a novel more for older teens.  Yet, the interest in paranormal romance will likely mean younger readers will, at the least, have a desire in reading the book.

Challenge Issues and Defense: The book deals with a handful of adult themes – from alcohol consumption – to language – to sexuality – to kidnapping – to horror-themed violence.  This is a book that would have difficulty receiving placement in the children’s section of a library, but overall, would fit reasonably well in the YA section of a public library.  It is difficult to defend the book on artistic merit – for the inclusion of such themes.  Perhaps by looking at the intentionality of humor by the author would lessen the perceived “dark” quality of the novel.   

Personal Reasons for Inclusion: I wanted to include some novels which I didn’t enjoy – and this book represented the antithesis to my joyful experience with the two books in the Hunger Games canon.

Last Thoughts

References:

Amazon. (2011). Tantalize [Webpage]. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Tantalize-Cynthia-

Leitich-Smith/dp/B003D7JSZU/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1

Smith, C. L. (2011a). About the author: Cynthia Leitich Smith [Webpage]. Retrieved from

http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/CLS/about_cyn.html

Smith, C. L. (20 October, 2011b). LIBR 265 [Class Interview]. Retrieved from

https://nexus.sjsu.edu/index.html

Wikipedia. (2011). Cynthia Leitich Smith [Webpage]. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Cynthia_Leitich_Smith

Listening to (Music):

Artist – Katy Perry / Album – “Teenage Dream”   

(#2) / Catching Fire / by Suzanne Collins / (Book)

Opening

Bibliographic Information:

Catching Fire / Suzanne Collins

ISBN-13: 978-0439023498 / Scholastic Press

p. 391 / $9.99 (Amazon)

Body of Content 

Summary: Catching Fire picks up the story of Katniss and Peeta, as they return to their families in District 12.  Now residing in the homes once reserved for victors, the two young protagonists must come to terms with all that happened in the Games – and all that might unfold in the future.  As Katniss and Peeta travel to the other districts – as part of the scheduled victors’ campaign – something is different and unscheduled.  The Empire holds a fragile peace – as the districts express an uneasiness of the burdens placed on them.  The President of Panem lobs threats against Katniss – her family – and her district.  Katniss expresses a desire to leave – to run into the forest and flee whatever events might unfold next.  Caught between feelings and loyalties – between both Gale and Peeta – Katniss faces a decision.  But as the lottery for the Quarter Quell draws near, this year’s Games could change the lives of more than just the lonely heroine.     

Critique: Catching Fire contains several themes, but it does a fine job expanding on the class warfare between the districts and the Capitol, which are peppered throughout the first book.  The novel’s narrative structure allows for this opportunity, as Collins spends more time providing background details regarding the world of her dystopian canon.  The protagonists travel to the other districts – an opportunity that, in itself, few people from District 12 will ever experience.  The reader finds out that many of the districts perform laborious, tedious work – filled with harsh, bitter, and scarce lifestyles.  The Capitol – and to some extent, the wealthy districts like 1 and 2 – however – enjoy a different lifestyle.  The Capitol lives a life of luxury – filled with advanced technology, food delicacies, and lavish attention to fashion trends.

The Capitol is responsible for the gulf between the two classes – for the annual Games are weapons against sedition – showing the Empire’s power to take the districts’ children at will – and a threat to subjugate the districts with the same relentlessly – if the districts do not play their role as subject.  These districts finance and supply all the luxury enjoyed by the Capitol.  Much like the Roman Empire, the Capitol is Rome – and the districts are Roman territories.  From their lavish dinner parties to their application of futurist tech, the Capitol is wrapped in the easy life, while the districts spin toil.  The theme is more evident in Catching Fire – and it helps build the tension in the novel.  Overall, it makes the struggle faced by the heroes more believable. 

While the second book is slightly paced differently than the first book, this is a welcomed exchange.  Collins could have taken the easier road and written a true sequel – an episodic addition – one termed The Hunger Games 2.  Instead, she continues with the canon’s narrative – and all the decisions and framework set in motion within the first novel have consequence.  Collins uses the class warfare to provide realistic implications for the story and her characters.  Catching Fire is still a thriller, but more elaborate storytelling allows the novel to enter the drama genre.   

Teaser: Set after the events of The Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta return to District 12 – as victors of the Games.  But there is a scent of rebellion still in the air.

Information about the Author: (See entry #1 – for information regarding Suzanne Collins)

Supplemental Material

Genre: Science fiction / Dystopian / Thriller / Drama

Curriculum Ties: History – Historical conspiracies / Comparison to the Roman Empire  

Booktalking Ideas: 1) Can Katniss and Peeta escape certain death for a second time? 2) Katniss is a catalyst – but what exactly is she a catalyst for? 3) As the Empire’s secret veil lowers, more of the other districts becomes known to the readers – what are we to make of District 13? 

Reading Level: Grade 7 up – Catching Fire embodies the same style and similar content to its predecessor.  School Library Journal believes the readership level is the same for both – even with “a truncated version of the Games” (Amazon, 2011). (See entry #1 for related details).  

Challenge Issues and Defense: Much like the first book in the series, Catching Fire contains a fair amount of violence.  However, the books are structured differently.  Catching Fire deals less with the Games – only about a third – compared to two-thirds of The Hunger Games.  As a book defense, the reader is again left with redemptive impressions regarding the violence – that there is social commentary – that the book does not just contain violence for the sake of violence.

Personal Reasons for Inclusion: After reading the first book for LIBR 265, I purchased the second book in the series within a week – and I plan on reading the final book once the semester finishes.  I’ve quickly become a fan of this series.

Last Thoughts

References:

Amazon. (2011). Catching Fire [Webpage]. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Catching-Fire-

Second-Hunger-Games/dp/0439023491/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322005100&sr=8-1

Listening to (Music):  

Artist – Elevator Worship / Album – “For the Honor”