The 19th Wife

Hmmm. I'm not entirely sure what I think about this book, which purports to be the story of Ann Eliza Young, the 19th wife of Brigham Young. It was engaging, in the sense that I kept reading until I was finished (except for the two days the book spent on the window sill at KCVI, accidentally left behind), and the story kept me hooked. Maybe it was the leaping around in time, between the early days of the Latter Day Saints and the present, but somehow I just didn't connect with the characters. Perhaps there was an element of frustration with the gullibility of the converts, or maybe it was the fact that 98% of the book was buildup, and then the real action of the story, Ann Eliza's escape from Brigham Young, was sort of rushed in at the end. In any case, it's a good enough read, if you're interested in the phenomenon that is Mormonism, but not one of my faves.

And God Created the Au Pair

And God Created the Au Pair is the funniest book you've never heard of. I found it by chance on the shelf at the Calvin Park Library several years ago, and laughed out loud all the way through. It's composed entirely of emails between two sisters, one in Canada and the other in England. They are comparing notes on their lives as mothers of young children, and using this outlet to keep themselves and each other sane. It is irreverent, wry and hysterically funny. If you're down in the dumps, have a look at this. I've just now discovered that the authors, Benedicte Newland and Pascale Smets, have been writing sort of a sequel, called Sister2Sister, in serial form, in the British paper The Telegraph. I hope it will be published in book form, but if not, you can read it online.

Aack! I just went to the KFPL catalaogue to check something about this book, only to find that it's gone!! I'm going to put in an RFP to replace it. In the meantime, there's a copy for sale on Amazon for 1 cent!

Cleaving

I just finished Julie Powell's book Cleaving. Wow. Quite different from Julie & Julia, but no less entertaining. Although this book contains lots of recipes and discussion of food too, there is also a heaping helping of sex and an astonishingly frank account of a difficult phase of her marriage. Add to the mix the fact that she spent six months learning to be a butcher, and then travelled around the world in search of meat-related experiences, and you have a funny, poignant, engaging and fascinating read. I highly recommend it.

Leaving the Saints

While I'm on a roll with memoir, a totally different kind of upbringing is the subject of Leaving the Saints , by Martha Beck. Some may know her as a columnist in O Magazine, but before that she was the daughter of a very senior member of the Mormon community in Provo, Utah. This book details her coming to terms with that upbringing as an adult, and it is fascinating and unsettling. (She also has another wonderful book, Expecting Adam, about the birth of her son who has Down Syndrome.)She's a brilliant woman and a wonderful writer.

Under the Tuscan Sun, Julie & Julia

More in the category of "Don't Judge a Book by its Movie": Under the Tuscan Sun , by Frances Mayes, was a delightful read about a couple's adventures restoring an ancient house in the Tuscan countryside, aided by quirky local characters and involving various calamities. The movie took the female character and created a bland, Hollywood romantic comedy for the story, missing all the humour. I can't imagine how Frances felt about it when she saw it.

Another book that is quite different from the movie is Julie & Julia by Julie Powell. Julia Child isn't even in the book, although there are a few excerpts from what appears to be her diary from early in her life. But Julie Powell's writing is funny and familiar, irreverent and irresistible. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I can't wait to get into her new book, Cleaving.