Wait, a Music Review??? Natalie Maines Rides Again!

It's been years since the Dixie Chicks were crucified for an off-hand comment lead singer, Natalie Maines, made about President Bush in front of a London audience. Country music exploded and the trio was banned from radio.

They roared back with an indignant and multiple Grammy-winning album, Taking the Long Way, in 2006.

And then they disappeared. The sisters, Martie and Emily, surfaced in 2010 as the Courtyard Hounds.

Lead singer and spitfire, Natalie, remained largely out of the spotlight. I would see her pop up on the Internet here and there at this or that benefit concert. But it wasn't until earlier this month that she released any new material. Mother is her first solo album -- a mixture of covers and original songs co-produced by Ben Harper.

Truthfully, I wasn't quite sure what I thought of this album when I scrolled through the samples available on Amazon and iTunes. But, the bottom line is that I adore Natalie Maines: her voice, her song choices, her writing chops, her sensibilities (political and otherwise). I've written a lot about her and the Chicks on this blog over the years. For me, they are that definitive, formative band that's followed me from adolescence into adulthood.

I downloaded the album a couple of days after release and I'm SO glad I did!

This album has been labeled a rock album, but it's not the stereotypical rip-roaring, guitar-screaming sassiness you might immediately expect from Maines. It falls squarely on the moody, bluesy, singer/songwriter, introspective side. She covers seemingly unusual choices like Eddie Vedder's (Pearl Jam Eddie Vedder!) "Without You," and Patty Griffin's "Silver Bell." The crown jewel for critics seems to be her emotive interpretation of the late Jeff Buckley's "Lover You Should've Come Over."

It's a ballsy album, and I'd be seriously disappointed if I got anything less from Natalie Maines. While the songs are mostly mid-tempo and ballads, she's just such a damn good singer. This is one of the albums that compels you to actually listen closely to the lyrics, and I can hear that activist, humanitarian, introspective, philosopher rebellion in these songs. She has a point of view, and it's painted all over this album.

By far, my favorite song on the whole thing is "Take It On Faith" which Maines co-wrote. And she just so happened to perform it on Letterman recently. While I love the album, Maines is one of those artists whose live performance is just as good, if not better, than her recordings.

You're welcome!

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

I resisted reading The Knife of Never Letting Go for years. This one has gotten really positive buzz all over the place. Even from crotchety Facebook "real life" friends who don't seem to like anything...ever. And from all of the reactions I've read, and from my own experience reading Ness's A Monster Calls, I was hesitant. Beyond hesitant, really. Unwilling, more like. Because I knew this book was going to hurt to read. I knew it was going to tackle tough subjects and break my heart. I knew there was a damn good chance it would make me cry and leave me reeling. 

Because Patrick Ness is acutely tuned-in to emotional triggers. I don't find him an author that is overly manipulative. Mitch Albom is manipulative and maudlin (don't ask, it's probably a post all its own). Patrick Ness simply knows how to write painfully true characters. 

That said, teen boys can be some of my least favorite characters. Their brand of whining and hard-headedness can be supremely annoying. Thus, I didn't particularly care for Knife's narrator, Todd Hewitt, in the beginning. He's kind of dense and stubborn to a fault. He's resistant and unwilling to compromise. He's insensitive at times. However, the magic in this book is that Todd's behavior is permissible and forgivable.  He's ill-informed by those around him who choose to keep secrets about his civilization's history and his own family legacy. He's misled and mistreated, scared, daunted by officially turning into a "man" at the age of 13. Ness is exceptional at writing characters who are flawed and realistic...who are thrown into exceptional, painful circumstances. Todd grows, and I loved reading it.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Barnes and Noble does a much better job of summarizing this book than I could ever do...

Todd Hewitt is the only boy in [Prentisstown] a town of men. Ever since the settlers were infected with the Noise germ, Todd can hear everything the men think, and they hear everything he thinks. Todd is just a month away from becoming a man, but in the midst of the cacophony, he knows that the town is hiding something from him — something so awful Todd is forced to flee with only his dog, whose simple, loyal voice he hears too. With hostile men from the town in pursuit, the two stumble upon a strange and eerily silent creature: a girl. Who is she? Why wasn't she killed by the germ like all the females on New World? Propelled by Todd's gritty narration, readers are in for a white-knuckle journey in which a boy on the cusp of manhood must unlearn everything he knows in order to figure out who he truly is.

So despite my doubts from early on, I fell in love with these characters. I felt for Todd as he learned his settlement's--and his world's--history. I cringed when he made bad choices, and I mentally begged him not to be so damn stubborn. I cheered for Viola for her resourcefulness and reason. I adored Todd's dog, Manchee, and his simple, loyal voice. I hated the villains: Aaron, the religious fanatic and hypocrite, the dictatorial Mayor Prentiss, and his factions. 

And I was right in my assumption that Ness would rake me over the coals. I cried and I cheered, and I was utterly swept along by the intensity of this story. I hated him at times for making me feel more than I wanted to. Sadder or madder. And I rooted for the characters in their best moments, bouncing e-mails back and forth to Heather when I was lingering near a cliffhanger or had just come through a big surprise twist.

And if it gives you any indication of how invested I was in this story, for the first time in my reading life, I sought out spoilers for one particular aspect of the plot that I thought might well kill me with anxiety. Just to prepare myself mentally and emotionally for its coming. That sounds utterly crazy, but it's true. 

Beyond my warm feelings for the characters, I admire what Ness does here in the larger sense. He's dealing with issues of information overload. There is no privacy for the residents of Prentisstown, and he thoroughly explores the power struggles that breed and multiply, and the complications that arise from a steady flow of noise and a lack of solace. It's us. It's now handled metaphorically--our noise, our lack of privacy, government intent on secrets, the withholding of information as important as that which is available for the masses. 

I read this book in two days, which for me is extremely fast, and I immediately downloaded the second book in the trilogy, The Ask and Answer. Am I emotionally prepared for it? I have no idea. But I can't wait to try and to see where we end up. 

And I have to thank Heather. She forced me to read the book, you see. I'd hummed and hawed about it for so long that she sent the e-book for my birthday in November. Heather, you're always right. 

Pub. Date: July 2009 

Publisher: Candlewick

Format: E-book

ISBN-13: 9780763645762

Source: A gift!

A Schizophrenic Weekend Recap, and Currently Reading!

Good morning, friends! This weekend was super fun and pretty laid back all around. Recap? Well, sure!

Greyson spent three and a half days with his dad since his daycare was being renovated on Thursday and Friday of last week. He had a great time hanging out with his older siblings, and he got a swanky new haircut.

Handsome, eh?

I spent Wednesday night and Thursday reading The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. And WOW. The very enthusiastic review will be coming down the pike tomorrow.

Friday night, while David was driving up from central Texas, I waged war on the house: laundry, dog hair, cleaned bathrooms, put toys away.

Saturday we went to see the movie, Olympus Has Fallen, which I actually really enjoyed. It was non-stop action and shoot-em-up bloodiness, but Gerard Butler is always sassy and fun to watch.

I tried to fend off a sinus headache Friday and into Sunday morning, so I wasn't good for much besides lazing around. After it passed on Sunday morning, we tackled some yard work: weed-eated my overgrown front flower beds, planted some Purple Queen, and filled the bird bath with flowers and new plantings around the base (Moss Rose).

Purple Queen

Moss Rose

While I haven't followed through on my raised garden beds I was so hoping for this year, I do have a planter full of banana peppers in my back yard. They are coming along nicely!

And back to books (this is the jumpy, schizophrenic part I referenced in the title...ahem!)...after I ripped through The Knife of Never Letting Go last week, I haven't had much mojo to start another book. Until I snatched Kindred by Octavia Butler from the library yesterday.

I'm reading this one for the Estella Project. If you haven't heard about it, this is mine and Heather's latest Estella Society project. Readers submitted their BEST OF THE BEST books. The goal is to read three from the list before September 1st.

• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
• The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman
• Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini
• The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
• Wicked by Gregory Maguire
• A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
• Kindred by Octavia Butler
• The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
• Bad Science by Ben Goldacre
• A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

I already own The Glass Castle, A Fine Balance, The Sparrow. However, I'm also really excited to finally have a push to read more of Octavia Butler's work. I picked Kindred up at the library yesterday, so it'll be my first undertaking from the list. Beyond that, The Glass Castle and The Sparrow are my intended reads. I'm not feeling the pull toward A Fine Balance as much. 

What did you do this weekend? What are you reading this week? 

Hosted by Sheila of BookJourney!

Pinning and DOING in May!

May marks another round of Pin It and Do It hosted by the effervescent and kickass, Trish of Love, Laughter and a Touch of Insanity. Pinterest went by the wayside in April because it was just, well, overwhelming. All of April was overwhelming. I typically use the later hours of my workday to pin (if time allows) because my brain is generally leaking out my left ear at that point. Sadly, I was too dang busy to leak in April.

So now I'm back in it to win it at the "Pinterested" level with a commitment to complete 4-7 pins. So my first completed pin came early in the month when I discovered SUGAR ANTS IN MY KITCHEN. I was so not a happy camper. Those little effers can sneak in anywhere, and they made their happy little trail right down from my kitchen window to my counters.

I was looking for an immediate and effective way to fight off the little buggers, so of course I turned to Pinterest and found these easy, organic tips. In addition to cleaning off my countertops, stashing any cluttery stuff that impeded my view, wiping the whole place down with vinegar, and sweeping/mopping, I also put out a BIG ASS PLATE OF CINNAMON. It was big enough to warrant all caps. Seriously.

The next day: far fewer ants. There were a few stragglers, but not nearly the bunch I'd had before. Since then, I've put out good ole fashioned bait traps, but I'm leaving the cinnamon for its effectiveness, too.

Pins on my horizon:

Spicy Rice Noodles

Baked Black Bean Burgers

Smoked Fish Dip

Sausage and Bean Soup with Pasta

What are you pinning and doing these days? 

Weekend Cooking is hosted by Beth Fish Reads. 

The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood

I'd heard of Ann Hood before I read The Obituary Writer, but only in that passing way that makes your ears perk up at a remembered name, but I had no idea what she'd written. 

Until my book club swooped in, yet again, with a wild card. I gave this novel absolutely zero attention until the book club served it up to me. 

The result? Pleasantly surprised! 

From Goodreads:

On the day John F. Kennedy is inaugurated, Claire, a young wife and mother obsessed with the glamour of Jackie, struggles over the decision of whether to stay in a loveless but secure marriage or to follow the man she loves and whose baby she may be carrying. Decades earlier, in 1919, Vivien Lowe, an obituary writer, is searching for her lover who disappeared in the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. By telling the stories of the dead, Vivien not only helps others cope with their grief but also begins to understand the devastation of her own terrible loss. The surprising connection between these two women will change Claire s life in unexpected and extraordinary ways. Part literary mystery and part love story, The Obituary Writer examines expectations of marriage and love, the roles of wives and mothers, and the emotions of grief, regret, and hope.

I really enjoyed the atmosphere in this book. When our book club met, Trish and I both said that parts of this one -- the story line containing Claire in the 1960s -- was like stepping into an episode of Mad Men. Claire reminded me a lot of Betty Draper. Less dramatic, surely. Fewer ridiculous twists. But the overall sense of discontentment and longing, the internal struggle with whether to stay or go, really intrigued me. 

I often do find myself drawn to books and films and television shows that deal with the role of the wife. Especially from bygone eras and the feelings of discontentment that seemed to accompany a woman's limited choices. It might seem like a downer, but overall I find it interesting. The Hours comes to mind, in particular. I was reminded of Mrs. Brown's story from that novel. 

But back to The Obituary Writer...

The story line involving Vivien Lowe was much more problematic. It was still a pleasure to read with gorgeous writing and Vivien was a multi-faceted character, but there were moments that made me lift an eyebrow. Jarring things that weren't terribly believable that took me out of the narrative. For instance, Vivien is an obituary writer. She can sit with a grieving person, have a discussion of their lost loved one, and write a pitch-perfect obituary that really captures the person's essence. The grief-stricken seek her out to do this for them. 

How the hell do you make a living doing that? It was clear that Vivien led a meager, small life. But really??? I found that totally unbelievable and it was never explained.  

There were also moments (two specifically), that the Claire and Vivien's names got transposed in the text. In a section about Claire, she was referred to as Vivien, and vice versa.  Ummm, editor? Every one of us in the club caught that, but the writer and editor didn't??? Or maybe it was on purpose. But if it was done on purpose it wasn't terribly effective. Just confusing. And weird. 

At this point you're wondering if I really liked the book. And the answer is that I really did. Despite the nagging issues, this one, on a scale of one to five stars, would probably get a three. It was a nice, pleasant, quick, atmospheric, worthwhile read. Did it totally blow my knickers up? No. But I'm glad the book club prompted me to read it. 

Have you read any of Ann Hood's fiction? What did you think? 

Pub. Date: March 2013 

Publisher: W.W. Norton

Format: E-book

ISBN-13: 9780393081428

Source: Purchased by moi!