As I've mentioned before, I have hundreds of book blogs on my feeds list. Some of them I check as soon as I see they've been updated, others I glance at when I get the chance, still others I drop in on only once in a blue moon. The Six LDS Writers and A Frog blog is one of those blue moon ones, but I happened to read a post a few months ago in which author Jeffrey S. Savage asked for hints on how to promote his new fantasy series. Numerous people said, "Send out ARCs and let people review them on their blogs." Being the smart guy that he is, Mr. Savage is doing just that. If you're interested in participating in his Find Your Magic Farworld 2008 Blog Tour, check this out. I think it's a fabulous idea.

Not everyone understands my obsession with books and reading, so it's nice when I discover kindred spirits. After reading Anna Quindlen's essay (I hesitate to call this slim volume a "book") How Reading Changed My Life, I know I've "met" one of these like-minded folks.

I'm going to go ahead and admit it right now - Quindlen doesn't say anything new about books and reading. Her words are not mind-blowing or even especially unique. I'm not even sure her observations warrant the dramatic title she gave them. Still, I enjoyed reminiscing with her as she described her lifelong love affair with the written word. It began for her like it did for many of us - as a child. Quindlen describes a big club chair that sat in the living room of her childhood home; she spent lots of time "sprawled in it, reading with my skinny, scabby legs slung over one of its arms" (5). Despite her mother's efforts to push Anna outdoors, she says, "The best part of me was always at home, within some book that had been laid flat on the table to mark my place, its imaginary people waiting for me to return and bring them to life" (5).

In subsequent chapters, Quindlen writes about the history of books, the banning of books, and the future of "real" books in our computer-dominated age. I despise reading books on the computer, so I appreciated this observation:

A laptop computer is a wondrous thing; it is inconceivable to me
now that I ever did without one ... But a computer is no substitute for a
book. No one wants to take a computer to bed at the end of a long day, to
read a chapter or two before dropping off to sleep ... No one wants to pass
Heidi on disk down to their daughter on the occasion of her eighth birthday
... (63-64)

No book on reading would be complete without a discussion of the various ways readers get lost in books. Quindlen describes how books saved her sanity after endless days of "disarray, of overturned glasses of milk, of toys on the floor, of hours from sunrise to sunset that were horribly busy but filled with what, at the end of the day, seemed like absolutely nothing at all" (31). She concludes that reading provides the same escape now that it did when she was a kid. It allows her to "escape from a crowded house into an imaginary room of [my] own" (31).

One thing I found really interesting is that although Quindlen finds reading lists "arbitrary and capricious" (71), she includes 11 at the end of How Reading Changed My Life. Their titles range from "10 Mystery Novels I'd Most Like to Find in a Summer Rental" to "10 Books for a Girl Who Is Full of Beans (Or Ought to Be)" to "10 of the Books My Exceptionally Well Read Friend Ben Says He's Taken the Most From." The lists include old favorites as well as titles of which I've never heard.

Even though the information in Anna Quindlen's essay won't move any mountains, it provides an engaging way to pass an hour or so. Readers of all ages will recognize themselves, especially in the young Anna, who lies lost in her reading while her friends play outside, oblivious to the adventures waiting between the pages of a book. Anyone who loves books will find themselves here, in Anna's.

Grade: B

(Book Image from Powell's Books)

After reading Jodi Picoult, I felt some lighter fare was in order. Literally. I picked up The Biggest Loser Cookbook the other day at Borders, and was excited to "read" it for the Soup's On Challenge.

The basic philosophy behind The Biggest Loser "diet" is to eat mostly unprocessed, natural foods. In the words of trainer Kim Lyons, "If God didn't make it, don't eat it" (xi). Thus, the recipes in the cookbook rely on natural ingredients, as well as some specialty foods that you probably don't have sitting in your pantry. The recipes aren't exotic, but you will probably have to make a special trip to the grocery store before trying most of them.

The recipes are divided into 6 categories: Breakfasts; Hearty Snacks; Sandwiches, Soups, and Stews; Sides and Salads; Main Courses; and Sweet Snacks. They come from past contestants on The Biggest Loser and from chef Devin Alexander. All of the recipes seem fairly easy to prepare; some have as little as two ingredients. As I was flipping through each section, I was surprised at the variety and originality of the dishes presented. I marked plenty recipes I want to try (after a trip to the grocery store, of course). I also liked that nutrition facts were listed for each dish.

I only found one recipe I could make with the ingredients I had on hand. It didn't turn out so well, but I think that was my fault :) Here's the recipe:

Jodi Picoult excels at examining "ripped from the headlines" issues in her novels; her newest, Change of Heart, is no exception. The story involves Shay Bourne, a 33-year-old carpenter who becomes New Hampshire's first Death Row inmate in nearly 60 years, when he is convicted of murdering two people. His victims are 7-year-old Elizabeth Nealon and her stepfather, police officer Kurt Nealon. Because of the heinous nature of the crimes, Shay is sentenced to death by lethal injection.

The bulk of the story takes place 11 years after Shay's conviction. With the day of his execution edging closer and closer, Shay begs for the chance to make his death meaningful by donating his heart to Elizabeth's younger sister, Claire, who will die without a transplant. Prison officials scoff at the idea, but determined ACLU lawyer Maggie Bloom promises to help him carry out his wish. With the help of Shay's spiritual advisor, Father Michael, Maggie puts her ambitious plan into action. The plan, of course, is not without its complications. For one thing, Father Michael has not divulged his big secret - he served on the jury that convicted Shay - to either Maggie or Shay. More importantly, however, is the fact that a good chunk of Americans believe the Death Row inmate is, in fact, Jesus Christ. Although Shay makes no such claims, the evidence seems irrefutable - not only is he a 33-year-old carpenter of ambigious birth (he's been in foster care all his life), but he's also performing miracles. Fellow inmates see him turn water into wine, erase hideous sores from an AIDS sufferer, bring a bird back to life, and distribute one piece of Bazooka chewing gum to multiple prisoners. Father Michael hears him preach from Gnostic texts, despite the fact that Shay has had no religious training whatsoever. Because of all this, thousands gather outside the prison, convinced that Christ's Second Coming has come to pass. Of course, there are also hordes of opposers, who claim the inmate is exactly what he appears to be - a cold-blooded killer.

In true Picoult fashion, the story is told alternately by the key players - Maggie, Father Michael, June Nealon (the victims' wife and mother), Claire Nealon, and inmate Lucius DuFresne. Each narrator offers a different perspective of Shay Bourne. Maggie knows he's no Jesus, but she's committed to helping him anyway (gaining media attention for the ACLU along the way, of course); Father Michael's guilty conscience pushes him into helping Shay, but the more time he spends with the man, the more he's convinced that Shay really is Jesus Christ; June Nealon wants nothing to do with the devil who killed her family, but she's forced to consider his offer to save the life of her daughter; Lucius doesn't know what to think; and Claire's voice offers a startling revelation when it's finally heard at the book's conclusion. While the characters puzzle out the mystery of Shay Bourne, the reader is forced to ask herself some tough questions, the least of which concern the Death Penalty. More disturbing are questions such as these: Can a person erase his past evil acts with enough good ones? How can people who profess to be Christians act in ways that are decidedly unChristlike? If there is a God, how can He allow good people to suffer? Which God/religion is correct? When Jesus comes again, will believers recognize Him or will He be condemned once again?

I've read all of Picoult's novels, and the thing I like most about them is the way she examines hot button issues from all sides. She has the ability to make me empathize with a variety of characters, even those who have committed reprehensible crimes. Her books are entertaining, with interesting characters, lots of racing-the-clock action, a little romance, and a little courtroom drama, but most of all, they make me think. Because of the religious issues Picoult tackles, Change of Heart has stuck with me more than her other novels. I definitely don't agree with a lot of the ideas presented, but the book provides fascinating fodder for discussion and debate.

Do I recommend the book? Absolutely. It's fascinating. Did I like the story? Kinda. There were parts of it that rubbed me the wrong way, and other aspects (like the ending) that I loved. Is it a good read? Definitely. It's got a little bit of everything, including enough suspense to qualify as a page-turner. Is it one of Picoult's best? Not really, but I think it has to be said that Picoult at her very worst is better than most authors at the top of their games. Although I wasn't thrilled with Change of Heart's storyline, I still consider it a solid contribution by this always-intriguing author.

For another view of the book (which somewhat matches my own), check out this post.

Grade: B