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Archives for September 2016

09.22.16 |

“The Whip” by Karen Kondazian

the-whip

Inspired by the true story of a woman, Charlotte “Charley” Parkhurst (1812-1879), this blend of fact and fiction tells the tale of a courageous nineteenth-century heroine. “The Whip” explores the tragic, and for much of her life, unorthodox life of a woman who chose to live as a man.  “Charley” even voted in the 1868 American election before women were allowed at the polls!

Charlotte suffered a series of devastating losses in her younger years.  Her African American lover, who was a runaway slave, was murdered and she lost a daughter.  But, she went on to succeed in a profession that those of her own gender were not allowed to pursue.  “Charley” became a renowned stage coach driver and shows us a fascinating portrayal of this admirable historical figure and delves into  the complex character of a tough woman combating old-school tradition and unhealthy stereotypes.  She identified with male-dominated activities and interests, so she dressed like a man and learned to project a male image so convincing, her colleagues never questioned it.

“After much cogitating on the subject, she decided that it seemed that one could reinvent oneself in this new mysterious, musky world she was invading – and who that new self was, people did not question.  Perhaps it was the men’s clothes, the short hair, the pungent smell of sweat she allowed.  Or perhaps it was just that people were too involved in their own person to really look, observe and give a damn.”

“The Whip” is action propelled and a riveting story.  It showcases the best and the worst of America as our country began to transition into a progressive society. This book was highly recommended by a friend and its been difficult to keep it on the shelf!  You can find a copy now on our new book table…Enjoy!

 

09.08.16 |

Vinegar Girl “An irresistible, contemporary take one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies”

Dysfunctional family relationships are Anne Tyler’s forte and her retelling of Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” gives her plenty to work with!

In Tyler’s revamping, the shrew is Kate Battista, an abrasive preschool teacher with a bad hairdo and an unapologetic way with “honest” truths. (“I hate small children… They’re not very bright, if you’ve noticed.”) Once a “thorny child” and a “sullen teenager”, Kate is now housekeeper to her scientist father, the controlling and selfish Dr. Battista and her attractive, popular teenage sister, Bunny.  When a prestigious research project of Dr. Battista’s is threatened by the imminent deportation of his brilliant Russian lab assistant, Pyotr Cherbakov, he decides to marry Kate off to get the young man a green card. You can imagine how well this goes over with Kate. She is furious, but you find yourself wondering if she will give in to these two characters’ charm.

Tyler gives a simple pre-feminist tale a number of clever tweaks.  Shakespeare’s blunt shrew-tamer, Petruchio, is one of his more problematic male characters.  In a neat twist, Tyler rewrites his boorishness as foreignness and a lack of finesse with the English langage..  Pyotr seems as much an outsider in polite society as Kate: “In my country we have proverb,” Pyotr was saying. Don’t they always, Kate thought. “We say, ‘Work when it is divided into segments is shorter total period of time than work when it is all together in one unit.” “Catchy,” Kate said.

I have really enjoyed this story.  I read “Shrew” so many years ago and this new, sharp interpretation did not disappoint.  This novel was written and published through the support of The Hogarth Press and the Hogarth Shakespeare Project, both of which support Shakespeare’s works retold by acclaimed and bestselling novelists of today. You can find “Vinegar Girl” in the fiction section.

Keep reading!

 

JeNel

 

 

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