The Singles: A Novel by Meredith Goldstein, 2012

Meredith Goldstein is the advice columnist for The Boston Globe's Love Letters.

The Singles: A Novel is Goldstein's debut novel and I truly enjoyed it.  The book contains the same wit and sensibility that make Love Letters a mid-day treat for me while I am at work.

Beach Read
This book makes for a great beach read - the story is fast-paced and after a few chapters, I found myself anxious to find out what would unfold.

The characters are identifiable, have humorous character quirks and interesting story lines that are neither too contrived nor predictable.  Witty observations and scenes help usher the story along.

Book Report
The novel tells the story of five people who RSVP yes to a wedding without a guest.  In other words, as a "Single."

Each chapter is written from a different character's point of view and skillfully weaved together so that events are neither confusing nor awkward.  Instead, they turn out to be quite humorous.

(The interwoven character stories worked in a way that The London Train did not.)

The story begins the day before the wedding, culminates during the wedding, and ends the day after.  Flashbacks provide details to each of the character's struggles.

The majority of the Singles are part of a group of college friends, but two Singles, an uncle and son of a family friend, add dimension to the standard formula of "what happens to a group of friends once they graduate from college."

The novel weaves together each Single as they relate, bond and unknowingly help each other by the mere fact that they happen to be attending a wedding alone.

Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey by Lady Fiona Carnavon, 2011

I picked up Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle by the Countess of Carnarvon because of my obsession with the PBS series "Downton Abbey."

The book is written by Lady Fiona Carnarvon, who is the current Countess of Carnarvon.  In other words, she lives in the breathtaking Highclere Castle that serves as the backdrop for "Downton Abbey." 

My cynical self believes that there is a ghost writer while my bookworm self feels that the book reads more like an infomercial than a compelling biography.

I enjoy biographies since they transport you into another life, but this biography presents a contrived, one-dimensional view to sell an image and to continue to build off of the success of "Downton Abbey".

Lady Almina - The Early Chapters Years
Almina was the illegimate daughter of wealthy banker Alfred de Rothschild and a separated French woman, Maria, also known as Mina.  "Almina" was a combination of her parents' name - something quite clever.

(I'm surprised narcissistic celebrities today with a penchant for odd names have not combined their own names to create one for their offspring.)

Reflecting English demeanor and attitudes, affairs were generally tolerated as long as there was discretion.  I'm sure that the large sums of money and connections that de Rothschild possessed also eased the tolerance.

Society was aware of Almina's heritage and de Rothschild made it known that he planned to financially support his daughter.  Because of this, Almina was deemed a suitable match for the 4th Earl of Carnarvon, who was the owner of Highclere and in large amounts of debt.

It was the perfect marriage of old nobility and financial debt with no nobility and a ton of money.

Highclere Castle
Already a gorgeous estate, Highclere Castle was able to maintain its standard, modernize and become even grander with the de Rothschild money infusion.

Earl and Countess Carnavon were not just masters to their servants, but also of the woodsmith, farmers, groomsmen, etc. who worked on the surrounding castle grounds.

It was a village where the inhabitants relied on the Earl for their livelihood.  Since people not only worked for the Earl, but also lived on his land, their entire lives were in the hands of one man.  

The End
Despite my "Downton Abbey" obsession, once the infomercial feeling crept in, I was not able to shake it or muster up the American can-do spirit to complete the biography.

Perhaps my cynical self gave up too soon, but overall, I did not find this book to be a satisfying read.

Th London Train by Tessa Hadley, 2011

The London Train by Tessa Hadley is comprised of two stories focused around unraveling relationships.  There is a connection between the two stories, but the connection is inconsequential and tenuous.

As a result, the novel does not completely work - each story is a bit slow and ends abruptly and unsatisfactorily.

The story is average at best, but a quick read after slogging through On Saudi Arabia.

One of the main reasons I picked up the book and stuck it out is because my boyfriend is English.  I felt that by reading the book, I was showing my support and solidarity.

Instead, I realized that a better (and more enjoyable) way of doing this is to watch Downton Abbey together.

On Saudi Arabia: Its People, Past, Religion, Fault Lines - and Future by Karen Elliott House, 2012

I picked up On Saudi Arabia: Its People, Past, Religion, Fault Lines - and Future by Karen Elliott House since I know so little about the country.

Having covered Saudi Arabia and the Middle East as a reporter, House is extremely knowledgeable about the history, current affairs, and social and political climate of Saudi Arabia.

Known for its wealth, Saudi Arabia is still ruled by the Al Saud monarchy.   Ascension is a bit complicated since Saudi men have multiple wives, resulting in dozens of Princely sons.

Women are not allowed to appear in public without a related male and are covered head to toe in shapeless black material called an abaya.  Saudi Arabia remains one of the few nations with no female athletes in the Olympics. Men do not shake women's hands

Despite this gender backwardness, Saudi Arabia remains relevant due to its oil exports - one in every four barrels of oil exported around the globe is from Saudi Arabia.

Oil is the only economy in Saudi Arabia and despite its support of sending youth abroad to be educated, the Saudi culture remains a non-entrepreneur, complacent spirit heavily influenced by religion and appearances.

Cars come with prayer mats while hotels include arrows pointing to Mecca for the four-times-a-day prayers.  Despite the relevance of prayer though, only men are allowed in mosques.

House warns of  a murky future for Saudi Arabia as the succession between Princes in their 70s remains uncertain, compounded by a society/youth that is becoming bored and frustrated by the lack of opportunities within Saudi Arabia.

With the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011, Saudi Arabia will need to keep its people, both men and women, content.  Complacent and non-revolutionary by culture, Saudis are known for their patience and ability to put up with hassles, which buys Saudi Arabia time.

However, changes will be needed when Saudi Arabia is no longer able to remain prosperous and keep its people content through its oil.

On Saudi Arabia provides an extremely well-researched and knowledgeable overview of Saudi Arabia.  Although it can be a bit dry at times, it provides a comprehensive overview of the country.

Having gleaned a few bits of information about Saudi Arabia from various news stories throughout the decades, I had a very hazy picture of the country.  After reading this book, I have a much better knowledge and understanding of the country.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, 2012

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore  by Robin Sloan seems like a clever book.  The author's bio on the back flap talks about him splitting his time between San Fran and the internet.

The story centers around a protagonist in his 20s who befriends a cute Googler.  They date, although I do not believe the term "dating" is ever used as it may be too antiquated for younger generations.

Despite garnering good reviews and having some humorous quips, this novel was a bit too trendy and surrealistic a genre for me and ended up in my "started but not finish/perused" category.

Also, despite being an Agatha Christie fan when I was younger, I no longer read mysteries and tend to enjoy mysteries more as they unfold on screen versus on pages.

Blasphemy by Alexis Sherman, 2012

Blasphemy is a collection of previously published and new short stories from Sherman Alexie which depict Native American culture, struggles and experiences.

Unlike other groups that have assimilated in America (e.g. Chinese, African, Jewish), Native Americans are separated geographically on reservations and culturally given the history of the "founding" of the United States.

Included in Alexie's stories are tales about an encounter with a man who earns a living by traveling to different reservations to fight, students transitioning to college life with the added adjustment of living off their reservation, and a man dealing with his father's death.

Whether a subtle or a crucial part of the narrative, the short stories are all from a Native American point of view.  A common theme throughout each story is identity, with characters navigating life while grappling with what it means to be Native American.

Despite the lack of assimilation, many tribal traditions seem to be disappearing, leading to this struggle with identity.

Also contributing to this struggle is the poverty and poverty's children - violence, dead end situations, alcoholism - which are prevalent on reservations.  The violence especially makes for tough reading, but the depictions are honest rather than gratutitous. 

Some of the stories are captivating while others are more tedious, but since the mood and tone of the stories are a bit depressing, I decided to take a hiatus and start another book.

Miscellaneous Notes
My interest in this book was sparked by an exhibit on the Innu Nation of Canada where children were encouraged to document their life after the community had been forced to relocate.

Included in the exhibit were Facebook postings, which makes me wonder how the internet will impact a culture already facing so many challenges and struggling to define their identity.

One final note is that The New York Times released their 100 Notable Books of 2012 today, and Blasphemy made the list.

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach, 2011

One of The New York Times's Top 10 books of 2011, The Art of Fielding is a coming of age story set in the Midwest.

The story centers around a gifted baseball player, Henry Skrimshander, whom fellow baseball player Mike Schwartz mentors, pushes and transforms.

Seemingly destined to spend his life in his small South Dakotan hometown, Skrimshander finds himself enrolled in a small Wisconsin private college where Schwartz is the baseball team captain.

The story includes three other characters whose lives are interwoven as Skrimshander reaches his peak and then falls from grace.

The title, The Art of Fielding, refers to a book that Skrimshander treats as his bible and is so convincingly described and quoted, that I believed it to be an actual book.

The characters are engaging and by the final few chapters, the tension was so high that I couldn't stop reading.  The story lines and characters were never confusing and it was easy to relate to each of the main characters.

Having attended a small college and befriended some of the athletes, the characters and observations ring true as well.

That said, the book did not meet my expectations given its distinction as one of the Top 10 and Top 5 Fiction books of 2011.