Book Review - Kim Korson's I Don't Have a Happy Place

Browsing through NetGalley, I came across Kim Korson's memoir, I Don't Have a Happy Place: Cheerful Stories of Despondency and Gloom. How could I resist a title like that? Thank You to Gallery Books for the advanced copy of Korson's memoir in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT - In her memoir, Korson pieces together stories from her life that paint her as a cynic. Korson's glass is usually half or maybe even entirely, empty. She has her grump on for every occasion. The book starts out with stories from her awkward childhood growing up in Montreal. As a young adult, Korson moves to New York and finds that her career choice of being a theatrical agent, isn't the best fit for her personality. When she meets her future husband, Buzz, there are bumps in the road and a very unromantic marriage proposal. Korson battles with living in a dodgy part of Brooklyn and then with the decision to move away from the city to a small town in Vermont. Flexibility and change are not her strong suits. The book has chapters with camp stories, observations at a funeral and a family trip to Walt Disney World, all infused with Korson's sarcasm.

LIKE - Korson is hilarious. I want her to be my best friend. Seriously. She has a quality in her writing that is so open and honest, that even when she is being a complete cynic, I couldn't help but love her. I also found myself nodding along, as I share a lot of her quirks. I resist change too Kim! Korson has an off-beat way of seeing the world and her writing is just catchy. There were many times where I paused to laugh or marvel at her phrasing. Korson is a strong protagonist, but I also enjoyed the other characters that fill her universe. In particular, the chapters on her love of Christmas and her trip to Disney World, had me cracking up. 

DISLIKE - Not a single dislike. I Don't Have a Happy Place was a highly entertaining and enjoyable read. I devoured it in a single afternoon.

RECOMMEND - YES! YES! YES! I want more from Korson right now. I was disappointed that she doesn't have a bigger internet presence. She so funny that I want my daily tweets from her and such. She reminded me a lot of David Sedaris, who is one of my favorite writers. I think as soon as this book is published, Korson is going to be huge. She better be writing a follow-up!

Book Review - Ilan Stavans and Joshua Ellison's Reclaiming Travel

I enjoy reading travel writing, nearly as much as I enjoy the actual act of traveling. While perusing the travel section of NetGalley, I came across Ilan Stavans and Joshua Ellison's book Reclaiming Travel. The blurb on the book made it seem like an examination of how the world views travel and how to become a better traveler. My Interest= piqued. Thank you to Duke University Press Books for an advanced copy of Reclaiming Travel, in exchange for an honest review. 

PLOT - In Reclaiming Travel. Stavans and Ellison examine a wide range of subjects related to travel. They start with travel in mythology and travel writing from early explorers. They look at travel from immigration and war, as a contrast to our contemporary leisure seeking travel. The book explores mapmaking, photography and the explosion of kitsch culture. The overall theme that ties the sections together, is a examination of what makes travel an art form? How does one go from being a tourist to being a traveler?

LIKE - I liked the scale in Reclaiming Travel. This short book spans a great number of topics and feels very inclusive of many of the most important areas relating to travel. My personal interest was primarily with the modern travel, especially theme parks and cruise lines. This is one of those books that is filled with interesting factoids and I kept pausing to share tidbits with my husband. For example, I had no idea that Paris was the world-wide top tourist destination. I was surprised at the scale of Chinese workers in the hospitality industry. I also enjoyed the section on photography. It's amazing how much digital photography and cell phones have shaped our culture and the way in which we capture vacation memories. I felt that there was a strong argument against our current need to photograph and document everything.

DISLIKE - I have two major complaints about Reclaiming Travel,  both of which really hindered my enjoyment of this clearly well-researched book. First, the writing was too technical. It read like a text book, certainly not something that I would purchase at a bookstore. Maybe this was the intent? If I had not been reading this for a review, I likely would not have finished it. However, worse than the density factor, was the voice of the authors. They came across as very smug and quite honestly, the very question of tourist or traveler, is obnoxious. This attitude that was sprinkled throughout the book, made it difficult for me to respect their authority as experts in this field. It was very off-putting.

RECOMMEND - Although Reclaiming Travel does have plenty of fascinating chapters, overall, I cannot recommend this book for most people. It might be useful for academics in Sociology or History. 

Book Review - Linda Morganstein's Girls in Ice Houses

A few months ago, I received an email from author Linda Morganstein, after she came across my blog. Morganstein, who has written many books, offered me a copy of her latest novel, Girls in Ice Houses, in exchange for an honest review. Thank You Linda for the opportunity! I also need to mention that I always think that it's a ballsy move when authors contact me and I hope that when I have my novel finished, I'm bold enough to put my writing out there in the same way.

PLOT - Los Angeles based paparazzo, Maxie Wolfe is in a heap of trouble. In efforts to get a shot, Maxie gets into a physical altercation with the celebrity's agent, Fisher Jacobs. Maxie and Fisher are both arrested and subsequently sentenced to undergo anger management classes. The two women wind up in the same anger management class and a shared disdain towards each other that begins to turn into a mutual admiration and attraction. When Fisher must return home to deal with family matters in Minnesota, she invites Maxie along for the trip. In Minnesota, Maxie develops a love for both Fischer and Fischer's highly unusual family. She also rediscovers her passion for photography, a passion that has nothing to do with hunting celebrities. 

LIKE - Girls in Ice Houses is filled with highly likable characters. I was ready to move in with the lovable Jacobs clan. The Jacobs reminded me of slightly less odd-ball Wes Anderson characters. Maxie is also a very likable protagonist. She is guarded and unsure of herself, but that tough exterior begins to melt when she discovers a whole group of people who love and accept her. Morganstein has a keen sense of humor in her writing and I enjoyed how her story shifted settings from the hustle of Los Angeles to the quiet of Minnesota. I connected with the theme of Maxie finding herself through her photography and rediscovering a passion. I really got a kick out of seeing a mention of artist, Kehinde Wiley. I graduated high school with Wiley! 

DISLIKE - The sweetness of this story overshadows some very serious dysfunction. I wanted to know more about Maxie and her father, which felt like it could have been a whole book itself. Some of the conflict was resolved too easily. I thought that Maxie caved too quickly when Fischer invited her to Minnesota. I liked Maxie and Fischer, but I never quite believed their love. Maxie was so guarded throughout the story, that it felt out of character for her to make that transition to loving Fischer. It felt like a piece of the story was missing.

RECOMMEND - Yes. Girls in Ice Houses is a fun read and I think that many readers would find it enjoyable. I liked Morganstein's style and I'd be inclined to read another novel by her. Although I thought this was a good story, my gut tells me that this is not Morganstein's best work. 

Another note, I noticed on the internet that Girls in Ice Houses as classified as LGBT literature. I'll be honest, I'm not sure what exactly a book has to contain to be placed in the LGBT category. Yes, the two main characters are lesbians and they have a relationship, but I'd classify this as a romantic comedy with some very serious overtones. I think it's LGBT fiction in the same way that modern books with female protagonist get labeled "Women's Fiction". It's just funny to me. I mean to say that this story has broad appeal, appeal that stretches beyond anyone identifying as LGBT.