Player Piano

Author: Kurt Vonnegut

Publisher: Dell Publishing (1952)

From Wikipedia:

“The novel follows Doctor Paul Proteus, an engineer at the Ilium Works. The novel takes place in an America of the future where machines run everything and do everything, making people almost afterthoughts. Specialization is the norm, and all of the wealthy upper-class people have doctorate level degrees, with eight years of schooling for everyone; consequently it creates a society of well-educated thinkers and not doers. Paul seems to be on his way up the ladder of success in this techno-utopia – a perfect wife, a fast-track position at Ilium Works and a shot at a major promotion. But he is plagued with doubts about what modern life has become. Through a strange series of events, Dr. Proteus joins a revolutionary organization called the Ghost Shirt Society and even becomes its leader, at least in name. These Ghost Shirts, their name taken from the Native American Ghost Dance, succeed in destroying much of Ilium’s mechanized infrastructure. Yet, they realize the lack of hope in their mission, and at the end it becomes clear that their goal was to give man hope instead of revolutionize society.”

Player Piano is the first book I’ve read by the renowned Kurt Vonnegut and I really wish it wasn’t. This story took me five months to read and the book is a mere 296 pages for frak’s sake. The ebbing and flowing of the narrative didn’t work; it made the story too boring at times to care. The relevant social commentary about man versus the machine, was effective however, the exposition was slow-moving and dull. I’ve read my share of dystopic stories including social commentary that manage to make the story entertaining; Vonnegut fails in this respect in this small book that’s packed with potent material. It’s unfortunate this was my first Vonnegut novel; I hear better things about his other works. I hope I’m not disappointed again.

Would I suggest this book? Most people who have noticed me reading a Vonnegut novel have not read this one particular story. If you are a Vonnegut fan, you won’t miss it. As your first Vonnegut book, pass.

Book Challenge Progress

As far as my book challenge progress goes, I’ve read ten books out of the forty I have listed in my book challenge. Slow going but I have read a total of eighteen books this year (double the amount of books I read last year this time around) so I’m on a roll!

I’ve discarded a few books that have bored me at the first chapter (honestly, if I can’t get past the first chapter, why bother reading it when I have too many other books to read?) therefore the titles have completely been deleted off my list. I’ve already started my reading list for next year but perhaps it’s too soon?

Below, a few tips to complete a reading challenge for yourself:

Ditch your MP3 player

It’s easy to tune out everyone and listen to music on your morning commute which I understand. If you want to really finish that book you’ve been reading for over a month, take a break from your music, leave the mp3 player at home and focus on your book.

My commute is fairly short (50 minutes to and from work) so I would normally listen to some tunes while crossing the Williamsburg bridge. When I committed to completing any book I was reading at the moment, those five minutes waiting on the train platform and those fifteen minutes on the train to my destination piled up which allowed me to read at least a chapter (depending how short) or a quarter of a chapter. Add those minutes up to the commute home? And I’ve read two chapters (or one, again, depending on length) in the day.

I used to listen to my iPod while reading but found myself actively paying attention to the melodies than my story. As much as I like to tune out completely, the soundtrack of screeching train brakes and automated train advisories proved to be less distracting and intrusive.

Carry the book (or e-reader) with you

You have no idea how much time flies when you wait for someone at dinner, lunch, or brunch. Not to mention, your commute to wherever you may socialize as well as work. All those times in between add up to completing the book you’ve been reading since two months ago. You’d be surprised how much quicker the book is read when the work is physically always in plain sight.

Create a goal

Take the time to check in on how many books you want to read for the month or year, execute, and complete. Write it down so you can see it and take mini strides to complete, whether it’s a chapter or half of one; if the intention is there, it will be easier to follow through.

When I look at the book (or books) I’m reading, I commit to completing either a chapter a day, finishing the chapter I started at work during lunch, during my commute, or when I’m in bed. Because completing the book is on my mind all the time, I make that much of an effort to devote my time to reading about another world or someone else’s life.

Compile a “Books to Read” list

Coinciding with my “Read Books I Own” list, the book queue I created has significantly helped me accomplish my goals.

Make a list of books that sound interesting, that you’ve seen a blurb of on a talk show, mentioned in a newspaper article, a friend has mentioned, and so on and commit to reading those books. There doesn’t have to be any particular order or genre (unless you choose it that way), it’s all about the love of reading in an organized fashion.

Join or Organize a Book Club

I have to say, being part of a book club is tons of fun. Not only do you share your love of reading, you get to discuss these books with folks and read genres you may never have thought of reading unless suggested.

In my book club, we’ve read non-fiction, young adult, historical fiction, literary, horror, and books with magic realism. The variety I’ve encountered in close to two years is more than I’ve ever encountered in my reading lifetime. I’m a Stephen King fan so I read everything he’s written. Book club allows me to venture out and explore stories I’d never pick up otherwise.

If you have friends that share your love of literature, organize a book club that chooses a book once a month, then meets at a member’s home or a different locale; whatever works for the book club. I find that hosting makes the members of book club connect not only as book lovers but as friends as well. If you don’t know any book lovers, there are many book clubs on Meetup.com if you plug in your zipcode.

or (for those who like to go it alone)

Track your progress

Pay attention to how long it takes you to read books. I place a sticky on my bookmark with the date I started and space for the date of completion to be aware of my reading stealthiness. When you can gauge how long it normally takes you to finish a story, you can track how many books you will complete by the end of the year and realize that when a book is taking you over six months to finish on your list that’s 300 pages, abandon and move on to the next.

I started The Hobbit three times before I finally physically lost the book. Will I read it? Probably not. Chances are, I’m just that into it no matter how many people love it.

For those with e-readers, I don’t own one so I have no idea what that would look like.

Do What Works For You

At the end of the day, organize your reading habits however you please. These are a few ways that have allowed me to accomplish my reading goals. If not, I don’t know how many books I will have read at this point this year.

Happy Reading!

The Power of Writing

Being unemployed sucks. Especially when I have to make the time to look for work (instead of write). I feel guilty doing other things other than look for work!

However, I’m using creative visualization for my employment so I’m no longer stressing this teensy factor. I’m writing more often and reading loads (book reviews to come soon).

I’m definitely in a much different place this year than I was last year. I’m not planning a trip anywhere. I’m not taking a writing workshop. But I’m writing more.

Death With Interruptions

Author: Jose Saramago

Publisher: Harcourt (2008 in English; 2005 in Portuguese)

death (that’s right, death with a small d), has decided to stop killing people in this unnamed country. The minister doesn’t know what to do. The country is in an uproar with all these people hanging in limbo between death and life. The maphia (yes with a ph and not an f) take matters into their own hands. But that’s not what this story is about. death eventually starts killing people again in which she sends violet colored envelopes to folks telling them they have a week left to live, to give them enough time to get their things in order for their demise. When an envelope is returned to her not once, twice but three times, she visits the cellist who has managed to evade her death letter and things change for her.

Bad Dreams by R.L. Stine

I haven’t read a R.L. Stine since the mid-nineties.  I tried to read something from him in the early 2000s but I couldn’t finish the work. The title was Dangerous Girls which was a vampire novel, prior to the Twilight series.

Hiatus

December is halfway done (and the year is almost gone!) and I have not had many new posts. For any loyal followers, I apologize. Life gets in the way. And working six-day weeks doesn’t help either. I don’t even have the energy to hang out with my friends and I’m going to have the energy to write? If I had a desk job, that’d be easy. But this homegirl stands on her feet about ninety percent of the day with two breaks in between. Yeah, if you had my job, you wouldn’t want to do anything but sleep either.

The remaining posts of this year will most likely be book reviews (I didn’t reach my quota of forty books this year – not even thirty!) and then next year is about writing bootcamp! I don’t know what that even means yet but I’m creating something for myself to gear up for MFA applications and to make writing routine (even when I’m crazy busy).

As for right now, reading the books I’m reading (Scott Westerfeld’s series – Uglies, Pretties, Specials) and other random books on the side.

Cheers, folks!

Girl in Translation

Author: Jean Kwok

Published by: Riverhead Books (2010)

Kimberly Chang and her mother move from China to New York through the help and efforts of her aunt. In order to survive, both Kim and her mother work at the sewing factory the aunt runs and live (squat) in an absolutely awful apartment with subpar conditions.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Author: Rebecca Skloot

Published by: Crown Publishers (2010)

Henrietta Lacks, born in Virginia, was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1951. She was admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital where a sample of her cancer cells were taken for testing without her knowledge. After she died, her cancer cells multiplied and scientists were able to use her cells for curing diseases all over the world.

Reading Habits

My reading habits have changed recently. I’m not sure if it’s the change of my living situation, taking my writing seriously, or the fact that I’m applying to obtain my MFA degree for the second time around that’s been a direct result of reading more.

I do more reading at home now. Before, I’d only read on the commute into Manhattan. Now, I read prior to going to sleep as well as on the train. I read before bedtime that last year but then I got busy or I was wasting time on the Internet.

I’m on roll this year as well – reading and writing different genres. Could this be what grad school is all about? I shall see!

What kind of reading habits do ya’ll have?

Hush

Author: Nicole Braddock Bromley

Published by Moody Publishers (2007)

The author of this book discusses her journey from the effects of her sexual abuse to healing through the love of God. Her stepfather sexually abused her and when confronted with the repercussions, commits suicide. Nicole starts junior high school with this on her mind but she gets through it with the support of her mother, new stepfather, and God.