Behind the Book: TIMOTHY AND THE STRONG PAJAMAS
(Second in a occasional series featuring highly biased editorial book lovin'; spoilers ahoy.)
I first heard of Timothy and the Strong Pajamas by Viviane Schwarz when it showed up on Arthur's "Future Planning" list in the fall of 2006. "'Strong Pajamas'?" I said to Arthur. "What is that?"
He grinned and said, "It's a book Alison Green is publishing for Scholastic UK. You'll love it."
"Ooo-kay," I said -- or more likely thought, because you do not say "Ooo-kay" doubtfully to your boss. But when I saw the layouts a few months later, Arthur was proved right, as he usually is, because this book is the picture-book equivalent of a baby seal: utterly delightful, totally kid-friendly*, and perfectly irresistible. You can try to withstand its charm, but you will fail.
And why wouldn't you want to give in? The book focuses on Timothy Smallbeast, a rodent-like creature of indeterminate species, but definitely about six human years in age. Every night, Timothy tries to make himself stronger by drinking a "big mug of fortified milk" and eating "three extra-tough cookies," doing some exercises, and thinking "STRONG thoughts." (Writers will notice that the author has already tapped into a primal childhood emotional desire -- to be bigger, stronger and more powerful -- thus rendering her hero both psychologically real for his age and instantly sympathetic to children; illustrators will notice that the "STRONG thoughts" vignette shows Timothy meditating with his legs crossed, which makes his thinking visually interesting and is cute as heck to boot.) Unfortunately, his pajamas get worn out through all that activity, so his mother sews on "lots of sturdy patches" and "six very red buttons" using "the strongest thread."
And the next morning, when Timothy opens his bedroom door, he pulls it right off its hinges! Mom's magic has turned his nightclothes into "Super Strong Pajamas," complete with the "PATCHES of POWER" and "BUTTONS of BRAVENESS," as his darling best friend Monkey says. (Monkey is a red-and-white-striped sock monkey, for the record.) Clearly Timothy must become a superhero, and in short order he rescues a falling elephant, helps an old lady with her groceries, frees a princess from a tipping tower, drags an alligator back to the zoo, and other such heroic escapades. (Nearly all of this action is accomplished on one spread: Illustrators will notice the efficiency of Ms. Schwarz's comic-book-like boxes, while writers will see that none of Timothy's adventures are described in the text, and the charm of the whole is increased immensely by Monkey's supportive asides.)
As Timothy and Monkey head home for the night, they meet a tired bear who needs to get back to the forest to hibernate. Timothy graciously volunteers to carry him there, but as he turns to leave the forest, he realizes Monkey is trapped underneath the snoring bear! All that can be seen of him is his little white-tipped tail, and when Timothy tries to rescue him --
The pajamas lose their super strength! What can Timothy do?
It is at this point that, every single time I read this book, I have to stop and say Monkey's next line aloud:
That is British pluck, my friends, and also the cutest thing ever. Except for what Timothy says next: "'Oh no!' sobbed Timothy. 'My monkey is being hibernated on by a bear, and I can't go to sleep without him!'" Poor Timothy! (Writers: Note that despite Timothy's super-smallbeast abilities, he still has the emotional needs and insecurities of the book's target audience, and Ms. Schwarz has now both provided wish-fulfillment through his adventures and kept him real in his fears.)
But the elephant lady whom Timothy helped earlier happens to be passing by, and with a great trumpet call, she summons the old lady, the princess, the alligator, and everyone else who benefited from his assistance. (Illustrators: Observe that the design of the elephant's call -- a great red lightning bolt slashing diagonally across the spread with the words "COME AND HELP TIMOTHY!" -- visually echoes and reverses the design of the elephant lady's first appearance, where she cried, "SOMEBODY HELP MEEE!") They come running, and with a "ONE! TWO! THREE!" they pull Monkey loose from the bear. ("FREE as a bird!" Monkey says.) This is a wonderful story development, for rather than Timothy having to dig for renewed strength in himself, as has been done in children's books two hundred times over, he finds strength in his friends, as we all do every day; and it subtly makes the point that regular people (and elephants and alligators) working together can do as much as fantasy superheroes.
The elephant lady takes them all home, where "Timothy's mother shook her head when she saw the state of his pajamas." And of course, as Timothy falls asleep, she sits down to fix them "better than ever." The very last picture could be Timothy's dream, or his next adventure, and it's the perfect pendant piece for this wonderful, good-humored little book.
Timothy came to us through the editor Alison Green, who has her own imprint at our sister company Scholastic UK. Alison is a children's-books rock star in the UK for editing The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler among many other lovely picture books. (Editors in the UK usually specialize in either picture books or novels, in contrast to the United States, where we hardcover editors tend to be jacks-of-all-children's-book-trades.) Since I used to oversee the publication of all foreign imports for our imprint, I was put in charge of the U.S. edition of Timothy, but Viviane and Alison made such a perfect book that I had very little to do editorially besides remove the U's from "favourite" and turn the single-quote marks to doubles. Still, I loved looking at it every single time -- if only for the pleasure of saying "Fear not!" as quoted above -- and I'm immensely proud of the finished product. (If you see the book in person, note the special uncoated paper the interiors are printed on, and contrast that to the smooth, heavy paper of, say, The Light of the World; it's a subtle difference, but this is more right for Ms. Schwarz's easy, breezy watercolors, and I think it again underlines the child-friendliness of this book.)
Timothy was published earlier this month and has already received two starred reviews. I adore it mightily for the charm of its writing, illustration, and story, its effortless insight into childhood emotions, and Monkey's boundless enthusiasm; and I hope you become boundlessly enthusiastic about it too.
Want it? Amazon.com | B&N.com | Powell's | Booksense
__________________________
* I admit I do not know if baby seals are actually child-friendly. Approach at your own risk.
I first heard of Timothy and the Strong Pajamas by Viviane Schwarz when it showed up on Arthur's "Future Planning" list in the fall of 2006. "'Strong Pajamas'?" I said to Arthur. "What is that?"
He grinned and said, "It's a book Alison Green is publishing for Scholastic UK. You'll love it."
"Ooo-kay," I said -- or more likely thought, because you do not say "Ooo-kay" doubtfully to your boss. But when I saw the layouts a few months later, Arthur was proved right, as he usually is, because this book is the picture-book equivalent of a baby seal: utterly delightful, totally kid-friendly*, and perfectly irresistible. You can try to withstand its charm, but you will fail.
And why wouldn't you want to give in? The book focuses on Timothy Smallbeast, a rodent-like creature of indeterminate species, but definitely about six human years in age. Every night, Timothy tries to make himself stronger by drinking a "big mug of fortified milk" and eating "three extra-tough cookies," doing some exercises, and thinking "STRONG thoughts." (Writers will notice that the author has already tapped into a primal childhood emotional desire -- to be bigger, stronger and more powerful -- thus rendering her hero both psychologically real for his age and instantly sympathetic to children; illustrators will notice that the "STRONG thoughts" vignette shows Timothy meditating with his legs crossed, which makes his thinking visually interesting and is cute as heck to boot.) Unfortunately, his pajamas get worn out through all that activity, so his mother sews on "lots of sturdy patches" and "six very red buttons" using "the strongest thread."
And the next morning, when Timothy opens his bedroom door, he pulls it right off its hinges! Mom's magic has turned his nightclothes into "Super Strong Pajamas," complete with the "PATCHES of POWER" and "BUTTONS of BRAVENESS," as his darling best friend Monkey says. (Monkey is a red-and-white-striped sock monkey, for the record.) Clearly Timothy must become a superhero, and in short order he rescues a falling elephant, helps an old lady with her groceries, frees a princess from a tipping tower, drags an alligator back to the zoo, and other such heroic escapades. (Nearly all of this action is accomplished on one spread: Illustrators will notice the efficiency of Ms. Schwarz's comic-book-like boxes, while writers will see that none of Timothy's adventures are described in the text, and the charm of the whole is increased immensely by Monkey's supportive asides.)
As Timothy and Monkey head home for the night, they meet a tired bear who needs to get back to the forest to hibernate. Timothy graciously volunteers to carry him there, but as he turns to leave the forest, he realizes Monkey is trapped underneath the snoring bear! All that can be seen of him is his little white-tipped tail, and when Timothy tries to rescue him --
RRRRRIP!
The pajamas lose their super strength! What can Timothy do?
It is at this point that, every single time I read this book, I have to stop and say Monkey's next line aloud:
"Fear not! We shall meet again in spring!"
That is British pluck, my friends, and also the cutest thing ever. Except for what Timothy says next: "'Oh no!' sobbed Timothy. 'My monkey is being hibernated on by a bear, and I can't go to sleep without him!'" Poor Timothy! (Writers: Note that despite Timothy's super-smallbeast abilities, he still has the emotional needs and insecurities of the book's target audience, and Ms. Schwarz has now both provided wish-fulfillment through his adventures and kept him real in his fears.)
But the elephant lady whom Timothy helped earlier happens to be passing by, and with a great trumpet call, she summons the old lady, the princess, the alligator, and everyone else who benefited from his assistance. (Illustrators: Observe that the design of the elephant's call -- a great red lightning bolt slashing diagonally across the spread with the words "COME AND HELP TIMOTHY!" -- visually echoes and reverses the design of the elephant lady's first appearance, where she cried, "SOMEBODY HELP MEEE!") They come running, and with a "ONE! TWO! THREE!" they pull Monkey loose from the bear. ("FREE as a bird!" Monkey says.) This is a wonderful story development, for rather than Timothy having to dig for renewed strength in himself, as has been done in children's books two hundred times over, he finds strength in his friends, as we all do every day; and it subtly makes the point that regular people (and elephants and alligators) working together can do as much as fantasy superheroes.
The elephant lady takes them all home, where "Timothy's mother shook her head when she saw the state of his pajamas." And of course, as Timothy falls asleep, she sits down to fix them "better than ever." The very last picture could be Timothy's dream, or his next adventure, and it's the perfect pendant piece for this wonderful, good-humored little book.
Timothy came to us through the editor Alison Green, who has her own imprint at our sister company Scholastic UK. Alison is a children's-books rock star in the UK for editing The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler among many other lovely picture books. (Editors in the UK usually specialize in either picture books or novels, in contrast to the United States, where we hardcover editors tend to be jacks-of-all-children's-book-trades.) Since I used to oversee the publication of all foreign imports for our imprint, I was put in charge of the U.S. edition of Timothy, but Viviane and Alison made such a perfect book that I had very little to do editorially besides remove the U's from "favourite" and turn the single-quote marks to doubles. Still, I loved looking at it every single time -- if only for the pleasure of saying "Fear not!" as quoted above -- and I'm immensely proud of the finished product. (If you see the book in person, note the special uncoated paper the interiors are printed on, and contrast that to the smooth, heavy paper of, say, The Light of the World; it's a subtle difference, but this is more right for Ms. Schwarz's easy, breezy watercolors, and I think it again underlines the child-friendliness of this book.)
Timothy was published earlier this month and has already received two starred reviews. I adore it mightily for the charm of its writing, illustration, and story, its effortless insight into childhood emotions, and Monkey's boundless enthusiasm; and I hope you become boundlessly enthusiastic about it too.
Want it? Amazon.com | B&N.com | Powell's | Booksense
__________________________
* I admit I do not know if baby seals are actually child-friendly. Approach at your own risk.
Whew
I am also pleased to report that The Blue Star by Tony Earley is just as beautiful and funny and poignant as Jim the Boy. I don't think I will have time to write a fuller review, alas, so I'll just say that Jim discovers girls -- or one girl in particular -- and has to wrestle with that pleasure and responsibility in the shadow of World War II. The particulars are so perfect that this very local and simple story becomes universal and heartbreaking; it's wonderful, and I cried. The first chapter's here (though eggh, reading it on the USA Today site really can't compare to reading it in a book), and a nice interview with Mr. Earley from a few years ago here.
(I will also note -- fodder for a future blog post -- that Mr. Earley has mastered the rhythm of language in creating fiction: His sentences get longer and faster and less punctuated when his characters are swept up in action or emotion, the same way Philip Pullman breaks up the lines when the sky splits open in The Golden Compass or Jennifer Crusie runs on every sentence in a sex scene. Mary Karr wrote an article for the Chronicle of Higher Education years ago where she pointed out that you can understand T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land if you just read it out loud and listen to the rhythms and breaks, ignoring the footnotes entirely. The same thing happens in good prose: Every comma counts.)
(I will also note -- fodder for a future blog post -- that Mr. Earley has mastered the rhythm of language in creating fiction: His sentences get longer and faster and less punctuated when his characters are swept up in action or emotion, the same way Philip Pullman breaks up the lines when the sky splits open in The Golden Compass or Jennifer Crusie runs on every sentence in a sex scene. Mary Karr wrote an article for the Chronicle of Higher Education years ago where she pointed out that you can understand T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land if you just read it out loud and listen to the rhythms and breaks, ignoring the footnotes entirely. The same thing happens in good prose: Every comma counts.)
Two Cool Applications
All you cool kids probably knew about these things already, but I didn't, so I will share. Direct from O, the Oprah Magazine, one of my favorite airport reads (a women's magazine with a book section! One that means it!):
- Talkster, a phone service that lets you make free international calls -- even cell phone to cell phone -- in exchange for listening to a ten-second ad. KTBB and I tried it out today, and it's a little confusing to set up, but very cool if it works long term.
- Google 411. Dial 1-800-GOOG-411 and put the power of Google to work from your phone. (The ArsTechnica blog says that Microsoft's LiveSearch 411 is superior, though: 1-800-CALL-411.)
Title and Tittle-Tattle
Some days, I think about retitling this blog "The Usual Crazy," as that would more accurately reflect the everyday state of my mind than the calm verdure of a Brooklyn Arden. I aspire to that verdure, though. The trees there would be gorgeous and arching and delicate, like the sycamores over Poets' Walk in Central Park, and everyone would lie on blankets reading books or toss Frisbees to happy dogs or do yoga. Mmm.
- Returning to real life: I just accepted an invitation to speak at SCBWI-Illinois's fall conference in Chicago on November 15, 2008.
- I'm also going to be speaking at SCBWI-New Jersey the first weekend in June. I don't know what topics I'll be covering for either one, so your suggestions are appreciated.
- Actually, for June I was thinking I would do an updated submissions talk, since I haven't done one of those in -- yeesh! -- four years; or I would give the character speech again, since I haven't put it up on my website and therefore I can still use it. But I am a glutton for writing punishment, so if someone gives me a better idea I'll probably get all excited about that and go after it.
- Elizabeth Bunce's A Curse Dark as Gold is garnering marvelously good reviews, including a star from the BCCB. Yay Elizabeth!
- Last Friday James and I went to the movies together. We both saw a film about attractive young people in New York City, only his involved a rampaging, greedy monster without any apparent motive for the destruction, and mine involved Bill Clinton. (Republicans, you can thank me for that opening later.) His was Cloverfield; mine was Definitely, Maybe (not to be confused with Lisa Yee's next novel Definitely Maybe -- hers doesn't have a comma, and that makes all the difference). While D,M was a little contrived, it was both non-cloyingly sweet and yet admirably realistic about the occasional pain and confusion of romantic relationships -- the fact that you grow into and out of some people, and sometimes the timing isn't right, and there can be more than one true love for you in life . . . Altogether, a charming, nicely grown-up romantic comedy; and when James and I met up again outside the theatre afterwards, we were both perfectly satisfied with our selections. You can read an interview with the screenwriter/director of D,M here.
- I'm off to Chicago this weekend to visit my dear friend KTBB, who's in the country for a medieval history conference. We plan to see the Chris Raschka exhibit at the Art Institute and eat pizza while watching the Oscars.
- My Oscar picks: "No Country for Old Men"; Daniel Day-Lewis; Julie Christie; Javier Bardem; and, let's see, Ruby Dee, as the surprise sentimental vote. The thing I'm most looking forward to is the musical performance of the song from "Once," though. Love "Once."
- End of procrastinatory rambling.
Book Sale Redux and Lenten Reflections
I mentioned this in passing in a bullet point below, but it's really worth highlighting again: Park Slope United Methodist is holding its annual Book Sale this weekend, Saturday the 23rd from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sunday the 24th from 1-4 p.m. This is a fabulous event if you're a book lover, as the prices are cheap ($2 hardcover, $1 paperback) and the stock is plentiful and diverse -- I vow every year that I'm not allowed to buy anything until I've read everything I purchased the year before, and then of course I need Pale Fire or the Naomi Novik dragon books or Bel Canto (which I adored) or A Backward Glance . . . (You may remember my post on this from last year.) CDs, DVDs, videos, tapes, records, and puzzles are also for sale.
The church is also accepting donations for the sale this afternoon (Monday) from 12-7 p.m., Thursday from 7-10 p.m., and Friday from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. The books, CDs, DVDs, records, etc. should be in good condition and not unsaleable (e.g. no The Collector's Guide to the Best Eight-Tracks of 1979, second edition, please). You can bring them to the church at 6th Avenue and 8th Street in Park Slope at any of the times mentioned above. Hope to see you there!
Finally, if you follow the traditional Christian church calendar, you know that we are now in the season of Lent. I grew up in the Southern Baptist church, which does not practice Lent, so it's a tradition I've been learning about only in my past seven years as a Methodist; and while I am not a very good Lenten practitioner (Lentenee? Lentenizer?), I find the season's thinking about devotion, discipline, sacrifice, and service clarifying and challenging. This year I've been reading two blogs reflecting on the season:
The church is also accepting donations for the sale this afternoon (Monday) from 12-7 p.m., Thursday from 7-10 p.m., and Friday from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. The books, CDs, DVDs, records, etc. should be in good condition and not unsaleable (e.g. no The Collector's Guide to the Best Eight-Tracks of 1979, second edition, please). You can bring them to the church at 6th Avenue and 8th Street in Park Slope at any of the times mentioned above. Hope to see you there!
Finally, if you follow the traditional Christian church calendar, you know that we are now in the season of Lent. I grew up in the Southern Baptist church, which does not practice Lent, so it's a tradition I've been learning about only in my past seven years as a Methodist; and while I am not a very good Lenten practitioner (Lentenee? Lentenizer?), I find the season's thinking about devotion, discipline, sacrifice, and service clarifying and challenging. This year I've been reading two blogs reflecting on the season:
- Amoroma, where my friend and former Scholastic Store colleague Larry Litman shares words and pictures from the churches of Rome (where he now lives); and
- The Park Slope United Methodist Church blog, where our pastor is posting excerpts from various writers, thinkers, and devotionals every day.
Your Patriotic Duty
Happinesses (with Footnotes)*
Today weatherwise was a miserable day in New York, but I was all singin' in the rain because of these:
Boots! Or more specifically still: WELLIES! I got these for my birthday last year from my dear friend Rachel, and -- true story -- people have approached me on the street, said "Pink boots!", and walked away.
(When I was wearing the boots, I should add. Though it would be more marvelous still if I wasn't.)
Anyway, gentlemen, and ladies of that persuasion, if you are still looking for a gift for your ladylove tomorrow, I highly recommend a pair of brightly colored rainboots. They are practical, they are colorful, they keep you dry, they are a party for the feet. (Mine are from J. Crew, though you should be able to find a cute pair in a shoe store near you.) Hurrah!
And then, browsing the giveaway pile at work while making some copies, I found this:
I imagine certain readers just shrieked and said "Really? Really really?" like I did upon seeing this, for it is, indeed, a sequel to Jim the Boy by Tony Earley, truly one of the loveliest, sweetest, most poignant novels I've ever had the pleasure of reading. After that book, I felt that Mr. Earley could legitimately claim the title of "the next E. B. White" for the purity of his prose and the delicacy of his emotional development. His humor! His characters! His understanding of boy psychology! His heartbreak! It's one of the few novels that I will buy an extra copy of whenever I see it in a used bookstore, just for the pleasure of giving it away** . . .
And I loved it so much I am absolutely terrified to read this sequel. It could be The Queen of Attolia and I'll love it more than the first book; it could be Rose Daughter*** and a case of diminishing returns. In either case, I think I will prolong my fears and try to finish***** one of the other books I'm reading before I take up this one. Still, it exists, and that mere fact is enough for a "Yay!"
******
_________________________
* And sometimes, aren't footnotes a happiness all by themselves?
** The other novels in this category: Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian (though I always feel vaguely like giving this book to someone is giving them their first taste of crack for free), The Big Love by Sarah Dunn, To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis, and many (though not all) of the books on this list.
*** I must have read Beauty by Robin McKinley ten times my sophomore year of high school -- my least-favorite year of high school, when my freshman-year friend group broke up and my crush started dating a freshman band bimbo**** -- and I adored The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword madly when I found them later (not to mention her short prose -- The Door in the Hedge is a terrific collection of retold fairy tales). Rose Daughter came out while I was in college, her first new novel since I discovered her, and I was terribly excited to read it, and terribly deflated when I was done. While I don't begrudge any author the right to make a stylistic change, Ms. McKinley's swing away from character and action toward lushness, symbolism, and to my eye, self-indulgence, really did not work for me, and Spindle's End confirmed me in this opinion. I haven't read a novel by her since. If I should pick one up, let me know.
**** All right, not a bimbo (actually now a real-estate agent, as I just discovered by Googling her). But it's fun to remember her like that.
***** Not "try and finish," which is grammatically incorrect, as a schoolteacher told us in a letter regarding Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, requesting that the "try and" construction not appear quite so much in Book 7. (We obliged her where possible.) I just spotted a "try and" in Barack Obama's Dreams from my Father, though, which is wonderfully written, with much truth and pain, if not well copyedited.
****** Thank you for putting up with my happy burbling.
Boots! Or more specifically still: WELLIES! I got these for my birthday last year from my dear friend Rachel, and -- true story -- people have approached me on the street, said "Pink boots!", and walked away.(When I was wearing the boots, I should add. Though it would be more marvelous still if I wasn't.)
Anyway, gentlemen, and ladies of that persuasion, if you are still looking for a gift for your ladylove tomorrow, I highly recommend a pair of brightly colored rainboots. They are practical, they are colorful, they keep you dry, they are a party for the feet. (Mine are from J. Crew, though you should be able to find a cute pair in a shoe store near you.) Hurrah!
And then, browsing the giveaway pile at work while making some copies, I found this:
I imagine certain readers just shrieked and said "Really? Really really?" like I did upon seeing this, for it is, indeed, a sequel to Jim the Boy by Tony Earley, truly one of the loveliest, sweetest, most poignant novels I've ever had the pleasure of reading. After that book, I felt that Mr. Earley could legitimately claim the title of "the next E. B. White" for the purity of his prose and the delicacy of his emotional development. His humor! His characters! His understanding of boy psychology! His heartbreak! It's one of the few novels that I will buy an extra copy of whenever I see it in a used bookstore, just for the pleasure of giving it away** . . .And I loved it so much I am absolutely terrified to read this sequel. It could be The Queen of Attolia and I'll love it more than the first book; it could be Rose Daughter*** and a case of diminishing returns. In either case, I think I will prolong my fears and try to finish***** one of the other books I'm reading before I take up this one. Still, it exists, and that mere fact is enough for a "Yay!"
******
_________________________
* And sometimes, aren't footnotes a happiness all by themselves?
** The other novels in this category: Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian (though I always feel vaguely like giving this book to someone is giving them their first taste of crack for free), The Big Love by Sarah Dunn, To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis, and many (though not all) of the books on this list.
*** I must have read Beauty by Robin McKinley ten times my sophomore year of high school -- my least-favorite year of high school, when my freshman-year friend group broke up and my crush started dating a freshman band bimbo**** -- and I adored The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword madly when I found them later (not to mention her short prose -- The Door in the Hedge is a terrific collection of retold fairy tales). Rose Daughter came out while I was in college, her first new novel since I discovered her, and I was terribly excited to read it, and terribly deflated when I was done. While I don't begrudge any author the right to make a stylistic change, Ms. McKinley's swing away from character and action toward lushness, symbolism, and to my eye, self-indulgence, really did not work for me, and Spindle's End confirmed me in this opinion. I haven't read a novel by her since. If I should pick one up, let me know.
**** All right, not a bimbo (actually now a real-estate agent, as I just discovered by Googling her). But it's fun to remember her like that.
***** Not "try and finish," which is grammatically incorrect, as a schoolteacher told us in a letter regarding Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, requesting that the "try and" construction not appear quite so much in Book 7. (We obliged her where possible.) I just spotted a "try and" in Barack Obama's Dreams from my Father, though, which is wonderfully written, with much truth and pain, if not well copyedited.
****** Thank you for putting up with my happy burbling.
You Know It's Time to Quit for the Day When . . .
. . . you're trying to write flap copy for a gorgeous, poetic, brilliantly imagined novel about a 13th-century pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and you find yourself typing this:
In this extraordinary novel, [author's name redacted] reveals a medieval world as rich and compelling as the contemporary world it foresees, and a character who KICKS ASS, baby. READ IT.
Sigh.
In this extraordinary novel, [author's name redacted] reveals a medieval world as rich and compelling as the contemporary world it foresees, and a character who KICKS ASS, baby. READ IT.
Sigh.
There Will Be Milkshake Silliness
If you have seen the brilliant and inscrutable There Will Be Blood:
- Todd Alcott analyzes the movie (in four parts) with regard to Daniel Plainview's motivation and psychology and the image systems of the movie.
- You can listen to the "I drink your milkshake!" audio clip all day!
- And have it bring all the boys to the yard. (They're like, it's better than yours.)
- Damn right, it's better than yours.
- I'd teach you, but I'd have to charge.
- Ahem, sorry. Cool fact of the day: The milkshake line is actually rooted in real history -- the Teapot Dome scandal of the 1920s, when Senator Albert Fall explained oil drilling in the Senate by saying "If you have a milkshake and I have a milkshake and my straw reaches across the room, I'll just end up drinking your milkshake." P.T. Anderson took that and ran. (Source.)
- Finally: recipes.
Blogiversary Grab Bag (with Lots of Announcements, Invitations, and WOO-HOOs!)
- The New York Giants! WOO-HOO!
- The Light of the World just picked up its third starred review, this one from Publishers Weekly. Also WOO-HOO!
- And A Curse Dark as Gold got a marvelous review from Bookshelves of Doom recently, following another lovely review from Teensreadtoo. There will be lots more on this book coming in the next month or so.
- (And anyone who wants to buy me the "Wimsey & Vane 4eva" shirt from BoD is more than welcome to be so generous.)
- The very funny Men of Jane Austen personal ads. I feel insulted on behalf of my dear Mr. Knightley -- he's behind Edmund Bertram, ugh. (Thanks to Jimmy for the link.)
- A cool little thing for teachers and parents: The Scholastic Teacher Book Wizard, to help you find the right books at the right reading level for your students and kids.
- I'm obsessed with politics right now, and loving Andrew Sullivan's blog on the Atlantic thanks to that. (He offers really cool non-political links too.)
- And Barack! WOO-HOO! I went to an Obama march across the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday, and it was energizing and inspiring and so exciting to be out with other people who were equally fired up about the possibilities this candidate offers. I have never been involved in a political campaign this early before; I have never cared as much about one specific candidate as I do right now. And a great deal of that comes from the movement gathering around Barack, the sense that I personally can help make a difference today. At church recently, our excellent pastor pointed out that for all the candidates' talk about change, change only happens when there is a true people's movement behind it, as Martin Luther King Jr. and all his supporters created, as women did for decades leading up to the 19th Amendment and then again in the 1960s and 1970s. Our issues are more complicated today, the injustices less clear-cut, but Barack makes me want to take to the streets and help in whatever way I can, and that's why (or rather yet another reason why) I'm going to vote for him.
- If you're undecided as to the Democratic candidates, I encourage you to read this fair-minded New Yorker article from a couple weeks ago, laying forth the two very different ideas of the presidency put forth by the two candidates. They're both good people, and I'll vote for either one in November; but Hillary, as a Clinton, carries so much partisan baggage both within and without -- the "vast right-wing conspiracy" both real and imagined -- that she cannot help but to perpetuate this partisan conflict as president. (And that's if she can defeat McCain, which I doubt, because he's more likely to attract the independent vote and anyone who worries about all the Bill complications.) Barack offers a different and, to my eye, more empowering and attractive vision of a presidency for everyone, and working with everyone -- the United and not the Democratic States of America.
- Again, end of lecture.
- Besides my political obsession, I'm also drowning in work right now, with the typeset pages of Fall 2008 books circulating, line-editing to do on Spring 2009 books, and concept editing on Summer 2009 and beyond -- not to mention acquisitions pending, Sales Conference coming up, and Spring and Summer 2008 publicity to help coordinate. Thus I'm a little behind on my SQUIDs, but I hope to get them all out by Presidents' Day.
- An eBay question: How does one set a high bid and not have it show up in the bidding? I'm trying to purchase some lots of Georgette Heyer Regency romances -- my favorite dessert reading of the moment -- but often I'll put in a bid (say, $10.54) above the current stated high bid (say, $9.27), only to be told I've been outbid on that item, with no record of what this high bid actually is. Could someone explain to me how this happens?
- Mark your calendars: The Park Slope United Methodist Church book sale will be Saturday, February 23, and the afternoon of Sunday, February 24. If you'd like to donate books, you can do that on Monday the 18th or the evenings of the 21st and 22nd. This is an awesome event for either donating books or picking up new ones -- I hope you all will come!
- And if you're a Carleton College alum living in New York, don't forget the Nationwide Trivia event this coming Saturday, 3 p.m. at Mad River Bar & Grill on the Upper East Side. New York has a title to defend!
- If you're coming to New York for the national SCBWI conference, you may be interested in this list of my favorite NYC things to do from last year (plus lots of great suggestions from other people). I'll be at the cocktail party Friday night and Betsy's drink night after.
- And if you feel a desire to attend religious services Sunday morning, you're also welcome to come to my wonderful, unusual church, Park Slope United Methodist in Brooklyn. You take the F train to 7th Ave. in Brooklyn, then walk downhill to 6th Ave., turn right, and the church is at the corner of 6th Ave. & 8th St. Sunday services are at 11 a.m. (This invitation is also always open to any interested New Yorkers.)
- Upcoming on the blog: A joint review of The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer and Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson (hint: one has a much higher body count); a response to Jon's request for thoughts on the editor/author relationship; writing notes from Kindling Words; some great recipes; my mindfulness resolutions; more behind-the-book stuff; a whole new set of poems in April; and doubtless much goofiness.
- Today, February 4, is the third anniversary of the reconstitution of this blog, and what a fun three years it's been. Thanks to you all for reading!
Click Lit: The Legend of the Wandering King
I wrote this essay a long time ago for a Scholastic promotional newsletter, and the permalink thus far has been on Arthur's blog, way down at the bottom of the page. But as I link to the essay from my books-I've-edited page on cherylklein.com (and I can never mention that URL without wanting to laugh), I'd like to have a more stable location for it, so I am reposting it here. Feel free to ignore it and carry on with your day, though you should read the book -- it's lovely.
July 25, 2005 -- Every reader knows the click. It’s that moment in a book when you give yourself up to it, when you say “yes” and surrender to the world and the characters. It’s when you shut the door, turn off the e-mail, and take the phone off the hook; it’s going through the wardrobe, down the rabbit hole, into the secret garden, on the Hogwarts Express. It is, in short, the moment you fall in love with a book, and of all of reading’s many pleasures, it’s perhaps the most thrilling and addictive.
Every editor knows the click too. For me it happens when I recognize a gesture or a feeling in a book, something real from the range of human experience (often, though not always, my own experience): when I encounter something true. And of all the wonderful things I get to do as an editor, I have to say the click moment is perhaps the most exciting part of my job, because not only do I fall in love with a book, I know I’ll get to share it with other readers as well.
In the spring of 2002, my boss Arthur Levine brought back a brilliant new novel from the Bologna Book Fair, about an Arabian prince who longs to be a poet and an fabulous, deadly, enchanted carpet. Because the book was written in Spanish, Arthur asked Macarena Salas, an editor with Scholastic en Español, to read the book for us. She adored it. He asked Dan Bellm, an award-winning poet and translator, to translate three chapters for us. Dan gladly obliged. And when we received the pages, they included these lines describing the power of poetry:
"Everyone who was present that day could sense that words had a mysterious magical power, that they could reach the heart and make the oldest things new again, over and over, if only one used them with feeling and passion. And once the audience understood this, they never forgot it."
A truth expressed in a way we’d never imagined it before. And just like that: click.
The book was The Legend of the Wandering King by Laura Gallego García, and Arthur A. Levine Books is proud to be publishing the complete novel this coming August. Legend tells the story of Prince Walid of Kinda, a handsome, courteous, charming young man who longs to attend the great poetry competition at Ukaz. But his kingdom boasts one greater poet than he-a poor carpet-weaver named Hammad-and out of jealousy, Walid curses him to create an impossible work of art: a carpet showing the history of the entire human race. Hammad dies weaving it. Men go mad seeing it. And when it is stolen, Walid discovers his life’s quest: to recover the carpet and earn forgiveness for his mistakes.
The book has a marvelous background in historical fact: Walid’s story was inspired by the life of Imru’l Qays, a real prince of Kinda in the late fifth century C.E. Laura mentions Qays in her author's note, and I had a wonderful time fact-checking his biography: Qays was twice kicked out of his father's court for writing erotic poetry; he went on a mad and successful quest for revenge against his father's murderers, a tribe called the Banu Asad; he did indeed win the poetry competition at Ukaz; and legend has it that Emperor Justinian I sent him a poisoned cloak -- which killed him -- for winning the love of the Emperor's daughter. Stories like this, almost better than fiction (poisoned cloaks!!!), are exactly what make me love history (emphasis on the "story"); and I loved The Legend of the Wandering King all the more for introducing me to him.
And I loved the resolution Laura brings to her story as well, where Walid finally sees the pattern of his life unfolding like the pattern in that magical, entrancing carpet. The Legend of the Wandering King is about pride, about fate, about the choices we make that determine the direction of the rest of our lives, and about our ability to reverse those choices by making other ones: about the freedom we have to decide our lives every moment we live them. I moved to New York from the Midwest in 2000 basically on a dare from Dave Eggers: I read a piece in Harper's Magazine where he was asked by a college-age fan how he (I quote) "kept his shit real," and he responded that there was no real shit or unreal shit -- there was only saying "yes" to opportunities whenever they came. I had an opportunity; I made my choice; and it's resulted in my life as it is now, unpredictable and wonderful. And the opportunities continue: I could meet my future husband on the way to lunch; I could break my leg falling down the Scholastic staircase on the way back from lunch; I could get the next Harry Potter in the mail this afternoon. Legend not only reminded me of those first heady weeks in New York in 2000, it reminds me that that time, those chances and possibilities, happen every day of my life.
And, I’m delighted to say, it’s absolutely crammed with click moments. I hope it might click with you too.
Wordly Wonderfulness & Graham Cracker Goodness
I am just back from Kindling Words, and already missing the crisp Vermont air, the copious food, the constant talk about writing, editing, narrative, the Business, and books we love (and loathe), and of course the excellent company. However, there is one thing I do not have to miss, and that is Andrea Tompa's Graham Cracker Goodness (as I am hereby naming it). For non-KW attendees, Andrea is an associate editor at Candlewick; for KW attendees, this was the stuff that was at the back of the baked goods table in the round Tupperware, which you may not have had a chance to eat because I personally ate about a quarter pound of it, with no regrets. It's that damn good.
Andrea Tompa's Graham Cracker Goodness
1 sleeve graham crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 pkg chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 10" x 15" cookie sheet with tinfoil. Place crackers flat on the cookie sheet so that they're all touching each other and so that they extend right to the edges. (Use pieces of crackers if necessary to make it work out.)
Melt butter and sugar and boil 3 minutes. Pour over crackers. Put in the oven for 5 minutes, or until bubbles form all over.
Pull out the cookie sheet and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Put in the oven for an additional minute, then take it out and spread the chocolate for the edges.
Let it cool. Put in the freezer for 3 hours (or more), then take out the frozen sheet and peel off the tinfoil. Break the bark into pieces. Can be frozen or stored in a tin.
The lone way I believe this ambrosia can be improved is through the addition of marshmallow, thus turning it into a s'more -- any ideas on how to try it? And some writing notes from the wonderful talks this weekend coming soon.
Andrea Tompa's Graham Cracker Goodness
1 sleeve graham crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 pkg chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 10" x 15" cookie sheet with tinfoil. Place crackers flat on the cookie sheet so that they're all touching each other and so that they extend right to the edges. (Use pieces of crackers if necessary to make it work out.)
Melt butter and sugar and boil 3 minutes. Pour over crackers. Put in the oven for 5 minutes, or until bubbles form all over.
Pull out the cookie sheet and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Put in the oven for an additional minute, then take it out and spread the chocolate for the edges.
Let it cool. Put in the freezer for 3 hours (or more), then take out the frozen sheet and peel off the tinfoil. Break the bark into pieces. Can be frozen or stored in a tin.
The lone way I believe this ambrosia can be improved is through the addition of marshmallow, thus turning it into a s'more -- any ideas on how to try it? And some writing notes from the wonderful talks this weekend coming soon.
Brooklyn Arden Rave: The Attolia Books by Megan Whalen Turner
(Some material cross-posted from my reviews on Goodreads, and lots o' spoilers below.)
Not long after I read the manuscript for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows last year, I thought, Well, there's one more thing off my Death List. The Death List, or "Bucket List," as the recent film with Jack Nicholson calls it, is the list of things one must complete before one dies; and if I had died before knowing how Harry, Ron, Hermione, et al.'s fates resolved, I would have been one seriously hacked-off corpse. This Death List thought was followed by the depressing realization that I didn't really have any more series books on the Death List. . . . I mean, I'm curious about The Book of Dust, certainly, but if I am out ice-fishing, say, and an angry polar bear attacks, I will not think Dammit, I don't know what happens to Lyra as it chases me across the ice.
Well, I am happy to say a literary reason to live has been restored to me, and he is named Eugenides. Eugenides is the hero of a trilogy of books written by Megan Whalen Turner, beginning with The Thief and continuing on in The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia, and I adore him. In The Thief he first appears as a young idiot-braggart-criminal dragged through a vaguely Byzantine world on a mission to steal the national treasure of Eddis, with a fair number of excursions into the mythology and topography of that country. I admit I got halfway through this and asked Monica and Donna, "Eh, I'm feeling kind of bored, should I keep going?" The answers were resounding yesses, so I did. And I enjoyed the payoff to all the stories thoroughly, although the book also ends up doing that annoying Walk Two Moons trick where the reader doesn't get information the first-person narrator knows, solely because the author wants to keep it from you -- which makes me feel tricked by the narrator, which I dislike. However, I was impressed enough by the writing, the world-building, and the characterizations to go on and read the sequel, The Queen of Attolia . . .
And glory, I loved The Queen. It is written in third person, which removed my cause for annoyance in The Thief, as I don't mind third-person narrators (that is, the author) keeping information back from me until they deem appropriate, as long as they deploy said information intelligently. And the intelligence here! I felt like Ms. Turner was accomplishing the fictional equivalent of playing a perfect chess game or composing a Mozartian sonata, so carefully is each piece of information provided to the reader at precisely the right time and in precisely the right order. This incredible complexity is given emotional warmth and depth through the slowly developing love story between the Queen and Eugenides -- a romance at first impossible to believe* (she cuts off his hand in the opening pages), but one that pays off beautifully by the end. I especially recommend this to fans of Possession or Gaudy Night or Fire and Hemlock, as, while this isn't as self-conscious a literary romance as any of those, the Queen and Gen operate at a similar level of intelligence to the lovers in those novels. Fabulous, fabulous.
Then, finally, I loved The King of Attolia even more than The Queen. There's all the chess-game pleasure of the politics again, and the mystery of Eugenides's motives and behavior, which this time is seen entirely from the outside, and primarily through the perspective of a young Attolian guard named Costis, who finds it impossible to believe his Queen could love such an idiotic Eddisian. The emotional pleasure here derives from Costis's (and the entire court's) slowly growing respect and liking for him, the deep romantic satisfaction of seeing the Attolian royal marriage develop into all it promised, and Gen's own growth into the king he is meant to be. And as in the previous two books, Ms. Turner beautifully combines the ways of gods and man.
My guess is that the fourth book (and please please please let there be a fourth book) will focus on what happened to Sophos; why Eddis is the last Eddis as per the short story included with the King paperback (because surely that country must be combined with Attolia under Gen's rule, right?), and the coming war with the Medes. And then, perhaps, the birth of an heir to Attolia? Given the intricacy of Ms. Turner's plot construction, I understand why she has taken so long between books, but lord, I hope I don't have to wait four years for this next one. I could get chased by an angry polar bear before then, after all -- and then, dammit, I wouldn't know what happens to Eugenides! And Megan Whalen Turner does not want my icebound zombie stalking her house.
In other words, Ms. Turner: Write faster.
__________________________
*A friend remarked that she experienced a bit of what I was feeling about The Thief's first-person narration in Eugenides's mid-book declaration of love -- that Turner had cheated with her use of POV and hadn't set up these feelings in his character -- but I think the book stays far enough out of his mind much of the time, allowing him his privacy, almost, that it's believable, especially considering the extreme intelligence and reserve of these two lovers/combatants. And I've reread all three books twice now, I think -- the first time in a long time I've finished a series and immediately gone right back to the beginning -- and the second time through, I picked up on a lot more of the extremely subtle clues to his feelings I missed on a first read. (And in fact, having written all this, I really want to read them all again.)
Not long after I read the manuscript for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows last year, I thought, Well, there's one more thing off my Death List. The Death List, or "Bucket List," as the recent film with Jack Nicholson calls it, is the list of things one must complete before one dies; and if I had died before knowing how Harry, Ron, Hermione, et al.'s fates resolved, I would have been one seriously hacked-off corpse. This Death List thought was followed by the depressing realization that I didn't really have any more series books on the Death List. . . . I mean, I'm curious about The Book of Dust, certainly, but if I am out ice-fishing, say, and an angry polar bear attacks, I will not think Dammit, I don't know what happens to Lyra as it chases me across the ice.
Well, I am happy to say a literary reason to live has been restored to me, and he is named Eugenides. Eugenides is the hero of a trilogy of books written by Megan Whalen Turner, beginning with The Thief and continuing on in The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia, and I adore him. In The Thief he first appears as a young idiot-braggart-criminal dragged through a vaguely Byzantine world on a mission to steal the national treasure of Eddis, with a fair number of excursions into the mythology and topography of that country. I admit I got halfway through this and asked Monica and Donna, "Eh, I'm feeling kind of bored, should I keep going?" The answers were resounding yesses, so I did. And I enjoyed the payoff to all the stories thoroughly, although the book also ends up doing that annoying Walk Two Moons trick where the reader doesn't get information the first-person narrator knows, solely because the author wants to keep it from you -- which makes me feel tricked by the narrator, which I dislike. However, I was impressed enough by the writing, the world-building, and the characterizations to go on and read the sequel, The Queen of Attolia . . .
And glory, I loved The Queen. It is written in third person, which removed my cause for annoyance in The Thief, as I don't mind third-person narrators (that is, the author) keeping information back from me until they deem appropriate, as long as they deploy said information intelligently. And the intelligence here! I felt like Ms. Turner was accomplishing the fictional equivalent of playing a perfect chess game or composing a Mozartian sonata, so carefully is each piece of information provided to the reader at precisely the right time and in precisely the right order. This incredible complexity is given emotional warmth and depth through the slowly developing love story between the Queen and Eugenides -- a romance at first impossible to believe* (she cuts off his hand in the opening pages), but one that pays off beautifully by the end. I especially recommend this to fans of Possession or Gaudy Night or Fire and Hemlock, as, while this isn't as self-conscious a literary romance as any of those, the Queen and Gen operate at a similar level of intelligence to the lovers in those novels. Fabulous, fabulous.
Then, finally, I loved The King of Attolia even more than The Queen. There's all the chess-game pleasure of the politics again, and the mystery of Eugenides's motives and behavior, which this time is seen entirely from the outside, and primarily through the perspective of a young Attolian guard named Costis, who finds it impossible to believe his Queen could love such an idiotic Eddisian. The emotional pleasure here derives from Costis's (and the entire court's) slowly growing respect and liking for him, the deep romantic satisfaction of seeing the Attolian royal marriage develop into all it promised, and Gen's own growth into the king he is meant to be. And as in the previous two books, Ms. Turner beautifully combines the ways of gods and man.
My guess is that the fourth book (and please please please let there be a fourth book) will focus on what happened to Sophos; why Eddis is the last Eddis as per the short story included with the King paperback (because surely that country must be combined with Attolia under Gen's rule, right?), and the coming war with the Medes. And then, perhaps, the birth of an heir to Attolia? Given the intricacy of Ms. Turner's plot construction, I understand why she has taken so long between books, but lord, I hope I don't have to wait four years for this next one. I could get chased by an angry polar bear before then, after all -- and then, dammit, I wouldn't know what happens to Eugenides! And Megan Whalen Turner does not want my icebound zombie stalking her house.
In other words, Ms. Turner: Write faster.
__________________________
*A friend remarked that she experienced a bit of what I was feeling about The Thief's first-person narration in Eugenides's mid-book declaration of love -- that Turner had cheated with her use of POV and hadn't set up these feelings in his character -- but I think the book stays far enough out of his mind much of the time, allowing him his privacy, almost, that it's believable, especially considering the extreme intelligence and reserve of these two lovers/combatants. And I've reread all three books twice now, I think -- the first time in a long time I've finished a series and immediately gone right back to the beginning -- and the second time through, I picked up on a lot more of the extremely subtle clues to his feelings I missed on a first read. (And in fact, having written all this, I really want to read them all again.)
Omnifarious Amphibian Photos
Some thoughtful content on writing or editing or something coming eventually, I swear. In the meantime, now on my Flickr page: the Frog's visits to the Scholastic office; a bizarre Texas ranch; and the December all-new-first-time-ever-indoor Killer Klein Croquet game.
View the complete set here.
View the complete set here.
Plaices & Names
A couple of weeks ago, I went to the American Museum of Natural History in hopes of seeing their "Mythical Creatures" exhibit. It was sold out, alas, but I then wandered the halls enjoying the many animal exhibits, including the wonderful names and physiognomies of some of the creatures. I offer these now in hopes they will bring a little natural, nomenclatural, polysyllabic delight to your day:
- Bloodbelly Comb Jelly
- Cookie-Cutter Shark (a truly creepy but cool fish -- read the link to find out why)
- Stoplight Loosejaw (also awesome)
- Black-Blotched Porcupinefish
- False Cleanerfish
- Juvenile Snook
- Sheepshead Seabream
- Tripodfish (check out the picture -- it's one of those creatures that proves that if God is the Creator, he has a sense of humor)
- Powderblue Surgeonfish
- Jericho Worms (fascinating and weird)
- Stonechat
- Eurasian Wryneck
- Alpine Accentor
- Common Siskin
- Yellow-Hooded Wagtail
- Ruddy Shelduck
- Whooper Swan
- Great Bustard
- Black-Faced Cuckoo Shrike
- Superb Lyrebird
- Crimson Rosella
- Glossy Drongo
- Nkulenga Wood Rail
- White-Bearded Bulbul
- Lemon-Rumped Tinkerbird
- Cameroon Sombre Greenbul
- Variable Sunbird
- Fiscal Shrike (always appears at tax season)
- Rattling Cisticola
- Spectacled Antipitta
- Broad-Billed Motmot
- Cinnamon-Bellied Ground Tyrant
- Scale-Throated Earthcreeper
- Greater Yellowlegs
- Lesser Yellowlegs
- Pectoral Sandpiper
- Pomarine Jaeger
- Common Stilt
- Bufflehead
My Awesomest Christmas Present
Muhammad Ali could float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. Me? I'd just hit you with my right hook . . .
my left hook . . .
and then, for the knockout,
my NARRATIVE HOOK! Hee!
All credit for this hilarious dorkery goes to my dear friend KTBB, who created the concept of and the embroidery on these wonderful -- and very warm -- gloves. Thanks again, KT.
Why I Support Barack Obama
An anonymous commenter below wrote:
And while I swear this will not become the all-politics-all-the-time-blog, I wanted to answer the commenter in a real post and explain why I support Obama. (Note that all this is greatly influenced by the Andrew Sullivan article I cite below -- really, go read it.)
The answers to the questions about Obama's education and health care plans are both yes; take a look at his website (under Issues) and you can find thoughtful answers on both subjects, with specific reference to the failure of No Child Left Behind. As for issues of Iraq and the economy, any new president is going to have a tough time dealing with the morass of the Middle East and the fine balance of inflation and recession -- not to mention the nine million other issues that will be on his desk on January 21, 2009 -- but he is an intelligent and judicious guy, and I trust him more than I trust any other candidate to do what's genuinely right and not what's politically expedient.
And that's what my support of Obama is pretty much based on: I trust his brains, his sincerity, and his passion to make him into the president that we need now. The president we need is someone who will be able to bring the country together, to genuinely inspire people, to win the respect of Republicans as well as Democrats, and to restore our country's spirit and reputation both here and abroad after the devastation inflicted by the Bush administration. I think this spiritual restoration is at least as important as whether the president can actually enact his/her policy (and indeed would make it much more likely that s/he would be able to enact that policy), because this country is bruised and bleeding, not just from the war and our teetering economy, but from our loss of faith in public service, public servants, and public ideals.
And Hillary Clinton is simply not the candidate to make that restoration happen. I was watching the debate on Saturday night, with all the talk about change, and I felt sorry for her because she really does have all the years of experience making change in Washington, whether in the White House or the Capitol or the Child; and I do think she has learned from the 1994 health-care debacle and become a better, wiser public servant. I'm proud she's my senator from New York. But she is also the most divisive figure in American politics today, because her history (political and personal), her last name, and yes, her gender just polarize far people than than she brings together. That's not the person we Democrats need at the top of the ticket this November, and more importantly it's not the person the entire country needs as president next January.
(As for Edwards, he's basically running a campaign based on division -- a class war of us vs. them, regular people vs. the special interests, have-nots vs. haves -- and that is not only of limited appeal in an election but of limited use when it comes to governing the whole country. I like the guy, just as I greatly admire Clinton, but I don't think he's the one we need now.)
Which brings me to Barack, who is not just my candidate-by-elimination but my candidate of choice. He is not perfect on the campaign trail -- not always inspiring, warm, gracious, with the common touch, the mixture of Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy that people want him to be. And he will not be a perfect president; I imagine there will be a pretty steep learning curve his first months in office as he tries to enact all his promises and runs into Washington gridlock. And will he be able to enact all those promises and get everything right? No.
But one of the things I like most about him is that he's not a political animal -- he's a public servant and an intellectual, two things we are in critical need of in the highest office in our land. He was a community organizer before he went to law school, and a law professor before he went into the Illinois State Senate. He writes many of his own speeches, and writes them well, which counts for a heck of a lot with me because good writing signifies so much else -- clear thinking, an orderly mind, passion. (Who wants to read a book of speeches -- or anything really -- written by George W. Bush?) He is becoming more of a political animal, sure, because you have to be to be a viable senator and Presidential candidate. But I have faith in those community and intellectual roots.
And I like his positions on the issues. People who say he's vague and inspecific must be referring to his statements during public appearances and not his actual policies, because everything is laid out in nuanced detail on his website. (And really, what good politician gets specific about policy during a public appearance? It puts everyone to sleep.) He has called Iraq "a dumb war" from the start and supports talking to everyone in the region, not giving Syria and Iran the silent treatment because they won't play nice. (I think 16 months may be too quick a withdrawal, actually, but getting out eventually is the important point.) He is strong on Social Security, health care, the environment, education. He doubtless resembles the other Democrats much more than he differs from them, but again, I have faith in his principles and ideas, and trust the details to be worked out later. And he is young, but I trust him to get good advice.
Finally, the man inspires. Go to an event. Listen to his speeches. Look at the record turnout in the Iowa and New Hampshire caucuses -- a turnout caused partly by the spiritual desperation of the country and everyone's hope for change, but also by record numbers of youth voters, many of whom are voting for him. Republicans like him and he works well with them. At his best he is an orator in the tradition of King and Kennedy, and I believe he could have a similarly galvanizing effect on this country, in a way no other candidate, Democratic or Republican, will be able to achieve.
So that is why I will support Barack Obama in the New York primary on February 5, 2008, and then hopefully in the general election in November. End of lecture.
With a seventeen year old son about to sign up for the draft, I would love to see the fighting disappear before the draft appears, but I wonder if Obama has enough power in Congress to follow through with his promises. This is a war about profit not morals.
As a teacher, I wonder about No Child Left Behind and how that will impact us once Bush leaves office. Will Obama know enough to understand the unrealistic expectations of No Child Left Behind has on our educational system?
Does Obama have a solid Health Care Plan?
Will he pull us out of a recession or dig us deeper by trying to do all his promises too quickly?
And while I swear this will not become the all-politics-all-the-time-blog, I wanted to answer the commenter in a real post and explain why I support Obama. (Note that all this is greatly influenced by the Andrew Sullivan article I cite below -- really, go read it.)
The answers to the questions about Obama's education and health care plans are both yes; take a look at his website (under Issues) and you can find thoughtful answers on both subjects, with specific reference to the failure of No Child Left Behind. As for issues of Iraq and the economy, any new president is going to have a tough time dealing with the morass of the Middle East and the fine balance of inflation and recession -- not to mention the nine million other issues that will be on his desk on January 21, 2009 -- but he is an intelligent and judicious guy, and I trust him more than I trust any other candidate to do what's genuinely right and not what's politically expedient.
And that's what my support of Obama is pretty much based on: I trust his brains, his sincerity, and his passion to make him into the president that we need now. The president we need is someone who will be able to bring the country together, to genuinely inspire people, to win the respect of Republicans as well as Democrats, and to restore our country's spirit and reputation both here and abroad after the devastation inflicted by the Bush administration. I think this spiritual restoration is at least as important as whether the president can actually enact his/her policy (and indeed would make it much more likely that s/he would be able to enact that policy), because this country is bruised and bleeding, not just from the war and our teetering economy, but from our loss of faith in public service, public servants, and public ideals.
And Hillary Clinton is simply not the candidate to make that restoration happen. I was watching the debate on Saturday night, with all the talk about change, and I felt sorry for her because she really does have all the years of experience making change in Washington, whether in the White House or the Capitol or the Child; and I do think she has learned from the 1994 health-care debacle and become a better, wiser public servant. I'm proud she's my senator from New York. But she is also the most divisive figure in American politics today, because her history (political and personal), her last name, and yes, her gender just polarize far people than than she brings together. That's not the person we Democrats need at the top of the ticket this November, and more importantly it's not the person the entire country needs as president next January.
(As for Edwards, he's basically running a campaign based on division -- a class war of us vs. them, regular people vs. the special interests, have-nots vs. haves -- and that is not only of limited appeal in an election but of limited use when it comes to governing the whole country. I like the guy, just as I greatly admire Clinton, but I don't think he's the one we need now.)
Which brings me to Barack, who is not just my candidate-by-elimination but my candidate of choice. He is not perfect on the campaign trail -- not always inspiring, warm, gracious, with the common touch, the mixture of Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy that people want him to be. And he will not be a perfect president; I imagine there will be a pretty steep learning curve his first months in office as he tries to enact all his promises and runs into Washington gridlock. And will he be able to enact all those promises and get everything right? No.
But one of the things I like most about him is that he's not a political animal -- he's a public servant and an intellectual, two things we are in critical need of in the highest office in our land. He was a community organizer before he went to law school, and a law professor before he went into the Illinois State Senate. He writes many of his own speeches, and writes them well, which counts for a heck of a lot with me because good writing signifies so much else -- clear thinking, an orderly mind, passion. (Who wants to read a book of speeches -- or anything really -- written by George W. Bush?) He is becoming more of a political animal, sure, because you have to be to be a viable senator and Presidential candidate. But I have faith in those community and intellectual roots.
And I like his positions on the issues. People who say he's vague and inspecific must be referring to his statements during public appearances and not his actual policies, because everything is laid out in nuanced detail on his website. (And really, what good politician gets specific about policy during a public appearance? It puts everyone to sleep.) He has called Iraq "a dumb war" from the start and supports talking to everyone in the region, not giving Syria and Iran the silent treatment because they won't play nice. (I think 16 months may be too quick a withdrawal, actually, but getting out eventually is the important point.) He is strong on Social Security, health care, the environment, education. He doubtless resembles the other Democrats much more than he differs from them, but again, I have faith in his principles and ideas, and trust the details to be worked out later. And he is young, but I trust him to get good advice.
Finally, the man inspires. Go to an event. Listen to his speeches. Look at the record turnout in the Iowa and New Hampshire caucuses -- a turnout caused partly by the spiritual desperation of the country and everyone's hope for change, but also by record numbers of youth voters, many of whom are voting for him. Republicans like him and he works well with them. At his best he is an orator in the tradition of King and Kennedy, and I believe he could have a similarly galvanizing effect on this country, in a way no other candidate, Democratic or Republican, will be able to achieve.
So that is why I will support Barack Obama in the New York primary on February 5, 2008, and then hopefully in the general election in November. End of lecture.
Cinematic New York City Sightings
Before I forget, two fun location notes: The climactic faceoff in Michael Clayton occurs in the cavernous second-floor lobby of the Hilton at 53rd and 6th Ave. -- aka the location for the SCBWI Midwinter conference. You can stand where George Clooney stood!
(Mmm, George Clooney. . .
What? Oh. Sorry.)
And in I Am Legend, one scene takes place on Mercer Street between Prince and Spring Streets, directly behind the Scholastic building -- you can actually see the Scholastic Store sign off to the right. It's good to know Clifford the Big Red Dog survives the viral apocalypse.
Both films are highly recommended, by the way, the first for standout performances and crackerjack writing and plot construction, the second for incredible special effects, cinematography, and suspense. (James and I spent the half-hour after I Am Legend discussing our emergency plan in case of a terrorist attack, however, so don't go see it for a light good time.)
(Mmm, George Clooney. . .
What? Oh. Sorry.)
And in I Am Legend, one scene takes place on Mercer Street between Prince and Spring Streets, directly behind the Scholastic building -- you can actually see the Scholastic Store sign off to the right. It's good to know Clifford the Big Red Dog survives the viral apocalypse.
Both films are highly recommended, by the way, the first for standout performances and crackerjack writing and plot construction, the second for incredible special effects, cinematography, and suspense. (James and I spent the half-hour after I Am Legend discussing our emergency plan in case of a terrorist attack, however, so don't go see it for a light good time.)
Press Call
First, if you missed it, the link in "Raymond Carver" in my post below connects with a fascinating New Yorker article from a couple issues ago, all about the editorial relationship between Raymond Carver and Gordon Lish, his editor throughout the 1970s. Lish helped Carver create the distinctive, elliptical style that first won him fame -- in fact, Lish may have actually created that style -- but by the 1980s, Carver was ready to try a different direction, and the article charts the tug and pull of that change.
Second, via Five Bucks, an absolute must-read Atlantic article by Andrew Sullivan about why Barack Obama is the candidate we need now:
Obama's Jefferson-Jackson speech was also amazing.
Second, via Five Bucks, an absolute must-read Atlantic article by Andrew Sullivan about why Barack Obama is the candidate we need now:
Obama’s candidacy in this sense is a potentially transformational one. Unlike any of the other candidates, he could take America—finally—past the debilitating, self-perpetuating family quarrel of the Baby Boom generation that has long engulfed all of us. So much has happened in America in the past seven years, let alone the past 40, that we can be forgiven for focusing on the present and the immediate future. But it is only when you take several large steps back into the long past that the full logic of an Obama presidency stares directly—and uncomfortably—at you.
At its best, the Obama candidacy is about ending a war—not so much the war in Iraq, which now has a momentum that will propel the occupation into the next decade—but the war within America that has prevailed since Vietnam and that shows dangerous signs of intensifying, a nonviolent civil war that has crippled America at the very time the world needs it most. It is a war about war—and about culture and about religion and about race. And in that war, Obama—and Obama alone—offers the possibility of a truce.
Obama's Jefferson-Jackson speech was also amazing.