Gasp!

The emotional residue of John Cheever's 'Falconer'

It's been well over a decade since I read John Cheever's "Falconer." While the details of the story have slipped from my mind, the emotional residue remains. It makes me remember where I was when I read it: San Francisco, 1994/5, lying in a loft next to a window overlooking San Francisco Bay. There was a bare bright light inches from my face. Cramped quarters, my former home.

I'm not sure what intrigued me about Cheever's book, but upon finding it in a common area of a hostel back then, I felt compelled to read it. And I did, all the way through. I couldn't shake the feeling of grayness, concrete and suffocation. It left an impact.

An article about Blake Bailey's new biography about Cheever on the New York Times' site made me remember that feeling as if I read the book yesterday. Some people are able to recall details of a story, but what I remember is residue. Sometimes I see it as a color or I'll "feel" the book's imprint energetically, even when I remember very little about the book itself.

It makes me question the importance of memory. If I ever had a brain injury, I would still carry the emotional residue of the books I've read. Maybe I wouldn't be able to recall reading them, but whatever impact it left on me would still be there.

Book Review: Priceless Memories by Bob Barker with Digby Diehl

Priceless Memories
by Bob Barker with Digby Diehl
Center Street, 256 pages, $24.99.
Scheduled to be released April 6, 2009.

The best celebrity autobiographies offer something more than cocktail stories. Famous people have access and privilege, enabling them to witness history in a unique way. A successful celeb memoir offers a window into the world, rather than just a recounting of one's life. Which is why "Priceless Memories" by Bob Barker with Digby Diehl, is a pleasant surprise. Not only does Barker write about his days on the TV game show, "The Price is Right," he also touches on broadcasting's golden age, animal rights, the end of World War II and American life in the '50s.

Rather than telling the story chronologically, Barker begins by recounting what he believes to be the most important moment in his career - a phone call from t.v. legend Ralph Edwards. The broadcasting giant needed a host for his show "Truth or Consequences" and Barker fit the bill. After a tedious audition process, he became host of the show. He recounts his relationship with Mark Goodwin, another powerhouse game show producer, along with how he began hosting "The Price Is Right."

These stories are to be expected, after all, Bob Barker was on television for fifty years. He has seen technology change, prices increase and legends pass away. As he notes about his audience, "Then, of course, we had the long hair during the hippie period. There were times I would point over to someone in the audience and say, 'What about this girl?' And a man would stand up, with his long hair, and say, 'What do you mean, girl?'"

The memoir contains a few surprises, such as Barker's childhood on a South Dakota. He is one-eighth Sioux and grew up on a Native American reservation. Both his mother and his former wife, Dorothy Jo, are spoken of in glowing terms. Dorothy Jo passed away in 1981 from inoperable lung cancer. Barker doesn't dwell on her death, but astute readers will sense his profound loss. He touches briefly on his "on-again off-again" girlfriend who shares his passion for animal rights.

His work in the animal rights movement extended beyond his admonition to 'have your pets spayed or neutered.' Barker got 'The Price is Right' to stop using fur or leather prizes. They also stopped featuring fishing equipment and aquariums. "Out of my respect for my beliefs and my vegetarianism, the staff stopped putting meat on the grills and barbecues that we gave away." He was less successful in getting the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants to stop using fur coats, so he quit those lucrative jobs. 

In the early-'80s, Barker and Mark Goodson decided to feature American-manufactured cars on 'The Price Is Right', rather than foreign imports. Despite corporate pressure, this practice continued for the duration of Barker's tenure.

Despite Internet reports to the contrary, Barker never gives readers the impression that he seriously considered roles in porn movies. As a funny aside, he tells readers that as a young man he went to meet a photographer for a modeling assignment. The photographer ended up being a porn director. Sensible readers will understand that these things happen all the time in the entertainment business, and there is no implication that it is anything more than a humorous story.

Indeed, it is Barker's humor and voice that readers will find most appealing. From the first sentence of the preface, "If you are fifty years old or younger, I have been on national television your entire life, and I would like to begin this book by telling you how I got there," you understand that this is Bob Barker talking. And he still worth listening to.

Book Review - I Can See Clearly Now: A Novel by Brendan Halpin

I Can See Clearly Now: A Novel
by Brendan Halpin
Villard Books, 288 pages, released March 24, 2009

"Music had always been his escape from all the stress and problems of the rest of his life, a wonderful sonic space he could escape into, and now all of his problems - Pamela's insistent come-ons, what to do about Julie, how to make his parents proud of him, everything - it was all wrapped up in the music...All the songs he'd written in the last week contained all of his uncertainty and fear, so playing them didn't release him from it."

It's rare to read a novel reminiscent of oh-so-many conversations about creativity, community and commerce. Brendan Halpin's new book, "I Can See Clearly Now" examines the lives of four young musician/songwriters who take part in a network children's television project similar to "Schoolhouse Rock." Set in 1972, these songwriters smoke pot and write catchy songs about science, history, math and english.

Each character struggles with the dichotomy between creativity and money. Julie, the most experienced songwriter, spent her career writing commercial jingles. She lives in an expensive apartment on the Upper West Side, yet has no street cred as a "real songwriter." Levon, an African-American musician, quit touring with a funk band to join the project because it pays well. Peter is a garden-variety folkie trying to find his creative voice, and Sarah is sweet and innocent with absolutely no confidence. Funding for "Pop Goes the Classroom" comes from Clark Payson, network executive whose father has been pressured by the FCC to create more educational programming.

Locked in a recording studio with unlimited money and pot, boundaries blur. Sarah and Peter pursue a creative and sexual partnership. Levon and Julie pair up as well, without the romance. The structure of these relationships - or lack thereof - will feel familiar to those in community-created arts.

The group's leader is enigmatic folk singer Pamela Sanchez. Rather than encouraging her fleet of songwriters to create, she wants them to concentrate on the creative journey. The songwriters become enchanted by their own brilliance. This artistic self-indulgence is symbolized by Pamela's mentoring relationship with Sarah. After a meeting with Pamela, Sarah is inspired to focus on her own feces in an effort to "cleanse herself." She strokes Sarah's ego, telling her she is the best in the group.

Pamela manipulates each songwriter and her effect is immediate. With the exception of Julie, the songwriters turn out obscure, irrelevant work. Relationships become strained. When Payson wants to see what his money has bought, he is disappointed. Julie, the commercial jingle-ist, is the only songwriter who understands that her art needs to be relevant to her audience.

"Pamela sighed. 'Yes, dear, but Clark is not an artist. Clark is a pencil pusher. He has a feel for commerce, but not art. He hired me to make the artistic choices knowing that his artistic senses weren't as finely honed as my own."

Dingo, their recording engineer/producer, knows the challenges of being a working musician all too well. Now that he has a family, he would rather spend more time with them than touring with bands on the road. Witnessing Pamela's influence on these young songwriters makes him work on finding a solution to all of their problems. But can he do it without compromising his own values?

Each chapter is dedicated to a character's point of view. Halpin seamlessly transitions between these perspectives. This type of structure allows readers to understand the interior and exterior of each life. These people are neither good or bad. Their motivations and intentions are spelled out without the editorial judgment of the author.

Above all, that is the reason this novel works so well. Everyone asks the same question: How can you make a livable wage as an artist without selling out your principles? As in life, characters comes up with their own answers. Breezily written, "I Can See Clearly Now" is deceptively deep.

Kat Von D to sign her book "High Voltage Tattoo" in Winter Park, Florida

I cannot tell a lie: I'm a fan gurl when it comes to Kat Von D. She's the tattoo chick on A&E's L.A. Ink. She's smart, sexy and a fabulous tattoo artist. If anyone could ever persuade me to ink my body, it would be her.

She'll be signing her new book, "High Voltage Tattoo" at Borders Books in Winter Park, Florida on Wednesday, March 4th from 1-4pm.  Borders is located at 600 N. Orlando Avenue in Winter Park.

I haven't read "High Voltage Tattoo" yet but reports of it indicate I should. It's a graphic book stylized like a goth journal. It traces her development as a tattoo artist, describing her methods and influences. And of course, there's the all-important ten page picture spread of Kat Von D.

The part that makes me the most curious is the celebrity section, which includes the usual suspects such as Nikki Sixx, Scott Ian and... David Letterman? Well, that requires an explanation.

Barnes & Noble and Borders also having financial difficulties

Books-A-Million wasn't the only one who took a dive. The Wall Street Journal reported that Barnes & Noble's net income dropped 29% during its fourth quarter last fiscal year. Unlike BAM, I've had a difficult time finding figures for their whole fiscal year.

Borders is having similar difficulties. This March 5th Bloomberg article details what the company has done in order to remain in business.

The big question is whether these bookstores are simply having the same problems everyone else is having or retail booksellers are in the same boat as newspapers. Is the problem an old business model, technology or bad economy?

Books-A-Million drops in net income

Birmingham Business Journal reports that Books-A-Million's net income took a nose-dive, but their fourth quarter was not as bad as their third. Nearly thirty-five percent... Son of a biscuit, that's a significant drop.

 

For those who don't know, Books-A-Million is a whole lot like Barnes & Noble. They purport to be the third largest retail book chain in the country. They are mostly found in the southeast and Atlantic states. Their corporate office is located in Birmingham.

 

With the advent of devices like Kindle and booksellers closing, it makes me wonder if booksellers will become as extinct as record and CD stores.

Book Review - The Body Broken: A Memoir by Lynne Greenberg

My review of The Body Broken: A Memoir by Lynne Greenberg was published in today's health section of The Birmingham News.

"While on her way to a party at age 19, Lynne Greenberg was nearly killed in a car accident. The vehicle flipped and dropped more than 30 feet into a cornfield. Greenberg's neck was fractured in a delicate area near the brain stem and spinal cord. Miraculously, her neck appeared to heal and she went on to have a normal life. Twenty-two years later, a sudden onslaught of neck pain and headaches consumed her. Greenberg writes about her experiences with chronic pain in "The Body Broken: A Memoir."

Library usage up around the country, funding on the decrease

Amanda Bonner from the Hoover Public Library has an article in the Hoover edition of today's Birmingham News persuading people to make good use of their local library. "Many of you, just like me, are probably looking for ways to cut back on spending. A library card is your ticket," she tells readers.

Many people around the country have the same train of thought. The public library is the place to go during difficult economic times. In the last month alone, countless newspapers around the country have reported the same thing. Library usage is up, way up.

The life of an NBC Page in the new economy

Felix Gilette of The New York Observer writes that the culture of NBC Pages has changed significantly since 2007.

"In recent days, The Observer spoke with a number of former pages who are trying to come to grips with the diminished opportunities in their chosen field. The jobs aren’t there anymore."

Read it through to the end and you'll find some astonishing insights, such as:

"According to one source, pages were regularly asked to keep an eye on their colleagues for possible infractions. 'It’s a culture of fear,' said the former page."

Maybe that NBC Page that Tracy Morgan punched out on last weekend's Saturday Night Live deserved it.

Book Review: Senior Smart Puzzles by Lindy McClean, illustrated by James Cloutier

My review of "Senior Smart Puzzles: Mazes, Hidden Objects, Same/Different Puzzles" by Lindy McClean was printed in today's Birmingham News. Why wasn't it published on Monday? Because now they publish the Health Section on Thursdays.

"McClean and illustrator James Cloutier have incorporated aspects of history into their games. Drawings consist of such luminaries as Babe Ruth, Betty Grable and the original Musketeers. Female and male figures wear fashions from the '30s, '40s and '50s. Cars, soda fountains and objects such as telephones also appear as they would have in days gone by. "

Read every last part of it.

Update: I've gotten a few questions about how to order this book. Here's a few ways how to buy a copy:

Through Amazon

The author's website

Your local bookseller should also be able to order a copy for you.

An interview with author Julius Lester

(Note: This interview originally appeared in November 2008 on Project 1968. It will mark the beginning of an in-depth look at the work of Julius Lester.)

 

Award-winning author Julius Lester became active in the Civil Rights Movement in the early 1960s. He worked in the 1964 Mississippi Summer Project and was also a member of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee. He co-authored his first book with Pete Seeger in 1965: "The 12-String Guitar as Played by Leadbelly." His best-selling book, "Look Out, Whitey!" was published in 1968. It is largely regarded as the first book to give context to the Black Power Movement in America.

 

Since that time, Mr. Lester has published 43 books, ranging from fiction and folk tales, to non-fiction and children's books. He has taught at the New School for Social Research and the University of Massachusetts. Being Jewish and African-American, Mr. Lester has frequently written about the role of identity and history in both communities.

 

He has accumulated numerous awards and honors, including the Newbery Honor, Lewis Carroll Shelf Award and the Coretta Scott King Award. He was also awarded the Massachusetts State Professor of the Year for his work in education.

Book Review - The Metabolife Story: The Rape of Cinderella by Michael J. Ellis

My review of "The Metabolife Story: The Rape of Cinderella" appears in the March 2nd edition of the Birmingham News.

"Once upon a time, an herbal supplement called Metabolife 356 was the biggest weight-loss product in the country. Millions were made on the tablet. Michael J. Ellis, inventor of the product and co-founder of Metabolife International Inc., was on top of the world -- until it all came crashing down. Ellis explains his downfall in "The Metabolife Story: The Rape of Cinderella."

Read all about it.

 

Pictures of Snow in Alabama

The Alabama state flower, Camellia, covered in snow. 

More Camellias in snow. 

A barn in Cullman, Alabama.