The Zahir, Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho's The Zahir is a story about a novelist in Paris and the quest to find his missing wife. Although it is fiction, it is based loosely on certain real-life events. Written from the perspective of the novelist as narrator, the story goes through various themes, primarily obsession and the meaning of life. It makes you wonder what life would be like living unconventionally, and what it means to have true love and be free at the same time.

This novel is not only exciting, but it is extremely thought-provoking. It really makes you examine your own life and think about your own values. Is your daily life agreeable with who you really are? The intensity of emotions covered in this book are so incredibly human that the reader can't help but empathize with the different characters. And, for the lack of a better term, the "spiritual" journey always makes for an interesting read. Perhaps a better term would be "cosmic"...the journey to discover one's cosmic relationship. Haven't we all wondered, at one time or another, if there's something more to life than what we see before our eyes?

About the author:

Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian author originally from Rio de Janiero. A child of an engineer, Coelho didn't get much support for his interest in writing at an early age. His parents actually committed him to a mental institution due to his refusal of a traditional life path. Coelho eventually submitted to his parents' wishes and entered law school, only to drop out and find his way back to writing again after extensive traveling and drug use. He spent time as a songwriter before encountering a spiritual awakening while walking the 500-mile Road of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. From that turning point began his career as a full-time writer.

Paulo Coelho has written many other books, two notable titles being The Alchemist and Eleven Minutes.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky, transports readers into the mind of a young boy examining life, but not truly living it. Throughout a series of haunting anonymous letters, “Charlie” examines the realities of being an introverted teenager.

Charlie is a teenager who is fairly clueless about social interactions. The youngest of three children, Charlie accepts what happens around him as fact, but never immerses himself into the action. Charlie’s older brother plays football for Penn State while his popular older sister is in a highly dysfunctional relationship. Following the suicide of a close friend, Charlie begins high school without any friends. He soon becomes close to a boy in his shop class, and his stepsister. With each letter, an optimistic ambivalence develops revealing a mask of glossy staidness. Charlie also delves deeply into literature, immersing himself more fully into the books than into life. Told in simple, imploring language, you are emerged into a world that enjoys a desperate happiness. Exposing raw emotions, this book carries the reader from tears to laughter with a quick, disorienting turn of phrase.

Book Review of Walking on Eggshells: Navigating the Delicate Relationship Between Adult Children and Parents

Author Jane Isay traveled across the country interviewing parents and their adult children to find out how they dealt with some of the most difficult issues that plagued their relationships with each other.

At first glance, this book may appear to lean toward self-help, perhaps eluding the attention of many self-assured readers. But, Jane Isay delivers a book of wisdom and guidance that is relevant to anyone who has, at one time or another, been frustrated with his or her adult child-to-parent relationship. Not only does Isay provide us with stories that are similar to our own – she also gives us applicable advice that help us to relieve this tension and better understand each other.

Isay describes the hardships that come with step-relatives, in-laws and siblings, and offers insight into creating a well-oiled family machine. She writes of the special effort mothers of sons must put forth with their daughters-in-law, and reinforces the number one golden rule in dealing with all adult children. The book as a whole is very uplifting and gives hope to those who suffer from communication problems in their families. Ultimately, it reminds us of how important and worth the extra effort these relationships are.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A New York City native, Jane Isay took an interest in writing and psychology early on. One parent was a columnist for the New York Post, the other a psychologist. She gained experience in these areas while working for the Yale University Press, and furthered her career with positions as an editor and a publishing executive in New York. She went on to publish several of her own books, all based in her interest in psychology, and presented Walking on Eggshells in 2007 to high acclaim.

Isay is currently finishing up her next book, Unfinished Business: Staying Close to Your Adult Siblings.

Valley of the Dolls Book Review

Valley of the Dolls is a quintessential cult classic. It masterfully intertwines the lives of three beautiful and poignant women behind a thin veil of satire. Although written in the 60’s, Valley of the Dolls touches upon many themes and issues that still plague women. Playing upon timeless metaphors, Jacqueline Susann is able to explore them from an utterly feminine perspective. While it is meant to be scandalous, Susann draws the reader so far into the characters that it is not impossible to understand the motivations and choices that ultimately lead to a horrifyingly twisted fate.

Anne is an austere WASP that coasts along on her beauty and infallible pleasantness. Desperate to fall passionately in love, she spends years pining for an attractive lawyer who is not ready to settle down. Anne holds onto this notion of passionate love, forever trying to escape from the truth. Neely, a promising actress, warps from a bright and sparkling girl to a devious woman intent on getting her way. Jennifer is trapped within her own self-created persona of a sex bomb. She cannot escape the reality she has created for herself, never able to embrace her inner Zelda Zonk. All of the women slowly divert from their strong friendships to a stronger relationship with the aptly named “dolls.” The brightly colored barbiturates provide the only escape they can attain from their own ambitions and anxieties.

Based around real Hollywood lives, Valley of the Dolls adds an astounding depth and sadness to what could be considered a trashy beach read. To imagine stars such as Judy Garland spewing this kind of venom will make you seriously reconsider the Wizard of Oz. While the subject matter may be salacious, the dialogue rings true even after 40 years.

“The Bronze Horseman Comes to an End with The Summer Garden”

The Summer Garden is different from any other book. After reading Paullina Simons’ first two books in the trilogy, I could not wait to read the third. I knew from the first chapter that this book would keep my attention for years. It is an emotional roller coaster ride. The books detail the relationship between Tania, a Russian girl and Alexander, a soldier in the Red Army. Alexander has many secrets and they all come to a head in The Summer Garden.
After years of being apart, Alexander and Tania are finally together in the United States and raising their son. They begin a nomadic life and travel from state to state getting jobs where they can. Tania is dealing with a husband who is trying to come to terms with his dreadful war experiences. He is a different man from the one she married. He is jealous, weary, and mentally drained. Tania is struggling with raising a child and trying to keep her husband’s past a secret.
Simons’ characters come to life. The book spans from 1945 to 2000. As a reader, I speculated if the characters would stay together or would if the stress on their marriage be too much for even two soul mates? The characters struggle to find stable jobs and the book deals with every issue about the 20th century: women in the workplace, the Vietnam War, sexual harassment, and even Darwinism.
Although most readers think of The Bronze Horseman as their favorite Simons’ book, I have decided The Summer Garden is my favorite. The Bronze Horseman is about the beginnings of a relationship, young love, and two people trying to find each other. By the time a reader gets to The Summer Garden, the characters must face each other as imperfect partners with an imperfect life. I find it much more interesting to see how they overcome problems to stay together.
Sara Lien
BRIO Public Relations Director

Tatiana & Alexander Brings History to Life

I loved The Bronze Horseman and I did not want it to end. I was in luck because the next book in Paullina Simons’ series is Tatiana & Alexander. This book picked up where The Bronze Horseman left off. Simons’ chronicles the relationship between the two characters with such extreme detail that the reader sometimes feels like an intruder in their lives.
The heroine, Tania, leaves Russia and is on the adventure of a lifetime. She escaped death several times, discovered she was pregnant, and landed on Ellis Island. Simons’ has a very extensive knowledge of Ellis Island history. She has firm statistics about the number of immigrants that landed at Ellis Island. She described in detail the process for assimilation into the United States during World War II. A reader can smell the disinfectant of the white tiled hallways of Ellis Island as Tania struggled to come to grips with her new reality. Tania must take care of her infant son, find a job, and cope with the culture shock of being in a new, unfamiliar country. She left Alexander in Russia and has no idea if he is dead or alive.
Meanwhile in Russia, the reader gets a firsthand account of what it was like for Alexander to be in a prison camp. Alexander was tortured and beaten as he tried to escape the confines of several prisons. He was under constant surveillance. All he desired was to find Tania and get back to his life.
Simons continued her epic love story with detail and creativity. Her writing style will keep the reader on the edge of their seat. Tatiana & Alexander is love story with historic detail, charismatic characters, and enemies to relish. This is the second book in a trilogy. I will review The Summer Garden next. There is a rumor that Simons is writing the screenplay for The Bronze Horseman. I can’t wait to see the movie but, as always, I know it will not compare to the book.
Happy Reading!
Sara Lien
BRIO Public Relations Director

The Bronze Horseman takes me on a Wild Ride

Several years ago, I was in a used bookstore in downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was the type of used bookstore with endless stacks of dusty, worn books piled to the ceiling. I love used bookstores because I am a great believer in finding a book that is a diamond in the rough. After searching through the stacks, I was ready to realize I would not find that diamond today and then when I looked down and saw a soft cover book on at my feet with a large statue of a horse on the cover. It looked interesting and long! Almost 1,000 pages. I picked it up and after reading the first page, I knew The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons would take me on a journey of a lifetime.
The description contained Russian history, a loving family, and a heart wrenching love story. After I started reading it, I could not put it down. It was in my purse, I would read it at lunch and sometimes in the car during traffic. The story began in 1941. Tania, the heroine, lived in Leningrad with her mother, father, older sister and twin brother. The family shared a two room apartment and Tania had to sleep in the same bed as her sister, Dasha. Simons tells the story of how an average family living in a communist country dealt with the onset of a World War.
Paullina Simons is originally from Russia and brings a vast knowledge of Russian history along with a very gifted storytelling style. A reader does not just read this story; they live it. Her description of how World War II affected a person’s everyday life will break your heart.
The Bronze Horseman was the first in a trilogy of stories about Tania and her lover, Alexander. The story continued with Tatiana and Alexander and The Summer Garden. Both books are very hard to find in the U.S. I recommend Amazon or Abe Books to order. You will not be disappointed with this novel that may compare to Doctor Zhivago.
Happy Reading!
Sara Lien
BRIO Public Relations Director

My Summer Reading Goals

Well BRIO book club readers, my time here as a PR intern at BRIO has come to an end. I have learned a lot being here, and look forward to having more free time during the summer to read. I have a few reading goals that I have set for myself this summer in order to broaden my reading horizons.

1) Read one novel that has been independently published. Being at BRIO has taught me that some very creative stories have come from independently published authors, and I would love to contribute to the independent and contract publishing effort.

2) I want to try and re-read a book that I read in high school. I am thinking either The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald or Catcher and the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Reading books like this for class as a high school student is very different than reading these classics for pleasure as a college student.

3) Another criteria in my reading list is read a book by a first-time author. Maybe the independently published novel will cover both of my requirements in one, but I want to find a new author, in order to find another author that I enjoy reading.

4) I also want to read another pop culture book like the Malcolm Gladwell books. I am thinking to try and read Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. Maybe this is the summer I will finally get to it!

5) I am slightly behind in the times, and have not read any of the Twilight books, because I felt like I was not being loyal to my love of the Harry Potter books. Maybe I will see what this whole Twilight deal is about and read the first novel by Stephenie Meyer.

While I do have more time in the summer to read, it is still super busy, so giving myself a list of five books to read I feel is fair. If I have more time I would love to read more, so any other suggestions are much appreciate. I am sure other BRIO book club readers would appreciate the suggestions as well!

Happy reading and have a wonderful summer!

Deb Carneol
BRIO PR Intern

Guilty Pleasures

Everyone has at least one guilty pleasure. For some people, it is that little piece of Godiva chocolate, or the extra 15 minutes you tack onto your alarm in the morning, or a bubble bath. I admit it, those are my guilty pleasures, but so are Jodi Picoult novels. I am not embarrassed by any of my guilty pleasures, but nonetheless all of them add that extra bounce in my step for the day.

My favorite Jodi Picoult novel is My Sister’s Keeper. This is her 11th novel. This story is about Anna a perfectly healthy young woman who is constantly in and out of the hospital because of sister, Kate. Kate was diagnosed with leukemia at age two, and Anna was the perfect match to help donate blood and bone marrow to her older sister. Kate gets very sick, and needs a kidney to survive. Anna finally becomes sick of being her “sister’s keeper” and hires a lawyer to become medially emancipated from her parents. The rest of the novel deals with Anna and her relationship with her mother, father, sister, and lawyer.

I found myself getting angry with Anna and sympathizing with her at the same time. I tried to think about what I would do if I was in Anna’s situation, but it is an impossible place to put yourself. Anna had been poked and prodded since the time she was born, and she was at the end of her rope. If my sister needed a kidney, I would be the first in line to give it to her, but I have never had to give any part of myself to her before. The novel really made me look at and appreciate my relationship with my family.

There is a heightened sense of emotion in this novel, if you cry easily grab an entire box of tissues. You will find yourself trying to understand all positions in the novel, and you feel a connection with every character in the novel.

Jodi Picoult is an author that has defined reading expectations for women and some men in my generation. With 16 successful novels to her name, Jodi Picoult knows the right combination of character development, plot, and word choice to keep all readers engaged and involved throughout the novel.

There is more to look forward to with author Jodi Picoult. She has a new novel out called Handle With Care. My Sister’s Keeper is also scheduled to be released as a movie on June 26.

Deb Carneol
BRIO PR Intern.

Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time Book Review

Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time Book Review

So as my weeks here at BRIO come to a close, I sat down to think about what other books I have read recently, and I realized that I need to find more time to read, because the titles were not jumping out at me as readily as they did toward the beginning of my internship. Thank goodness it is almost my summer break, and I will be able to conquer a stack of books this summer. (Any summer reading suggestions are appreciated in the comments for a future blog idea.)

After thinking hard about the books I have read, I finally decided to write about The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon. While I have not read this book as recently as the others I have blogged about, this book did touch me deeply, and it was a really good story.

Haddon writes this story in the first person from the point of view of Christopher John Francis Boone, a 15-year-old autistic boy. The story revolves around Christopher and the dead body of Wellington, the neighbor’s dog, which has been speared by a garden fork. Christopher is determined to solve the mystery of Wellington’s death, but uncovers a greater mystery surrounding his dead mother.

One thing that I do remember most about this novel is its consistency to stay true to the narrator throughout the novel. It is told from the first person of someone with high functioning autism, and that was carried through past the plot of the book. Instead of numbering the chapters 1,2,3,4… Haddon only uses prime numbers, which holds true to the behavior of Christopher. The chapters are also slightly disjointed, going from the plot, to a character analysis, or something about the narrator’s life that does not directly correlate to the immediate plot of the story.

It is a novel where you really start to feel for the main character and want him to figure out the mystery he is trying to uncover. It is also a good book to read if you are generally interested in high functioning autism. Haddon does an impeccable job allowing readers to understand how people with autism view life, and does it in a way that compels the reader to learn more. With only 226 pages, this is a quick read that would entertain you and teach you too.

Deb Carneol
PR Intern