Sunday, September 30, 2018

October's Schedule




October's Schedule



September was a great month! Not only did I finish the scheduled books early, but reviewed an extra Forgotten Favorite, and created a new category for New Authors and Books.




This month the focus will be on my favorite holiday: Halloween! I plan on reviewing some well-known horror novels and non-fiction books on some real-life people involved with the supernatural. It promises to be a fun time to scare up a good book that will be worth reeling and writhing about. Haha haha! (Laughs like the Crypt Keeper from Tales from the Crypt)





Classics Corner: Turn of The Screw by Henry James


Classics Corner: The Call of Cthulhu and Other Stories by H.P. Lovecraft


Weekly Reader: The Six Women of Salem by Marylynne K. Roach


Classics Corner: The Shining by Stephen King


Weekly Reader: Marie Leveau: The Voodoo Queen of New Orleans by Martha Ward


Classics Corner: Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews


Weekly Reader: The Secret Life of Houdini: The First Real Super Hero by William Kush


Classics Corner: The Witching Hour by Anne Rice


Forgotten Favorites: The Lamplighter by Anthony O’Neill


Weekly Reader: Edgar Cayce: The Sleeping Prophet by Sidney Kincaid







Forgotten Favorites: Very Special People: The Struggles, Loves, and Triumphs of Human Oddities by Frederick Drimmer; An Amazing Biography of Some Very Special People Indeed




Forgotten Favorites: Very Special People: The Struggles, Loves, and Triumphs of Human Oddities by Frederick Drimmer; An Amazing Biography of Some Very Special People Indeed


By Julie Sara Porter


Bookworm Reviews





In the 2017 musical biopic of P.T. Barnum, The Greatest Showman, the sideshow performers such as Charles “General Tom Thumb” Stratton, a little person, Chang and Eng, conjoined twins, and Lettie Lutz, a bearded lady crash a swank party that they have been denied entry by the party goers and Barnum himself. They sing the triumphant Oscar nominated song, “This Is Me” where they admit that yes they are different, but they will persevere despite the derision of others. It's a stirring unforgettable moment.


Fans of movies of the Golden Age of Hollywood may be familiar with the 1931 film, Freaks which deals with a conniving trapeze artist and her strong man lover who conspire to murder her husband, Hans, a little person, for his fortune. Most of the movie’s cast includes various real life sideshow performers including Violet and Daisy Hilton, a pair of conjoined twins (whose characters get engaged during the movie), Lady Olga, a bearded lady (who in the movie gives birth to a daughter fathered by Pete Robinson, a human skeleton), Johnny Eck, a legless man, Frances O’Connor, an armless woman, Prince Randion, who was born with neither arms or legs (but in the movie shows he is capable of lighting and smoking a cigarette), and Harry and Daisy Doll, a brother and sister team of little people who play the main character, Hans, and his female friend, Freida. (The DVD/Blu-ray of the movie includes a documentary in which each performer’s lives are described before and after Freak’s release.)





Even though they were made 87 years apart, both The Greatest Showman and Freaks show the struggles faced by people who were once called “Freaks”, or “Human Oddities.” People who look different because they are too short, too tall, are conjoined, have white albino skin, are missing arms and legs, are bearded women and many others. Their stories were stories of constant struggles of being accepted by society including families who constantly worried about them, smothered, or abandoned them, finding work (most of which ended up working in sideshows), and finding acceptance or love. Author, Frederick Drimmer gathered their stories in his 1976 book, Very Special People: The Struggles, Loves, and Triumphs of Human Oddities. Many of these people may not be well-known to modern Readers, but they are unforgettable in their strengths, determination, and willingness to make a life for themselves. Each story seems to say, (to quote the song): “ I am brave/I am bruised/I am who I’m meant to be/This is me.”





The stories are divided into eight parts and 34 chapters which explore various people sorted by their abnormalities. They are moving, heartwarming, honest, and even at times humorous (when asked if she would March in the Easter Parade, the bearded Lady Olga said “Absolutely not, someone may mistake (her) for a Supreme Court Justice.”) Above all, they are inspirational. Not many Readers would forget the story of Hermann Carl Unthan, a man born without arms who became an accomplished violinist and also learned to swim, ride horseback, and target shoot with his legs.





Another fascinating story is that of Violet and Daisy Hilton, the conjoined twins who appeared not only in the film, Freaks but in another movie called Chained For Life. The two were abused by their guardian and her husband until they came of legal age and took their guardians to court. The Hilton Sisters had short-lived marriages but played the saxophone in vaudeville and befriended such performers as Bob Hope (who taught them how to dance) and Harry Houdini (who taught them to mentally block each other out when they wanted alone time.).





There is also the chapter about Julia Pastrana, a Mexican woman with hair on her face, arms, and legs. She also captivated audiences with her graceful dancing and singing in both English and her native Spanish.





One of the most well known stories was that of Joseph Carey Merrick AKA, The Elephant Man, an Englishman with neurofibromatosis, a skin condition which causes lesions and tumors all over the body. Merrick was the subject of the play and movie, The Elephant Man, the latter of which was directed by David Lynch and starred Anthony Hopkins and John Hurt as Merrick. Told by Merrick’s friend and mentor, Sir Frederick Treves, The Elephant Man’s chapter is about a man frequently shunned, abused, and put on display by a cold and uncaring public only to be permitted to permanently reside at the London Hospital and became a celebrity because of his kind amiable personality and childlike nature. Merrick made use of a dressing kit, even though he couldn't use its contents, by imagining that he was a dandy man-about-town. After he attended a pantomime of Puss in Boots with Treves (hidden behind a boxed seat curtain), Merrick spoke about the play as though it was a real event asking questions like “Do you suppose that poor man is still in the dungeon?”





One of the most fascinating aspects of the book is how it goes to extremes from people with too many limbs to those who don't have enough and from people who are below and above average height. Robert Pershing Wadlow, who was dubbed the Alton Giant because of his vast height, was one such example. By the time he began school, he wore clothes that fit a 17 year old and by the time he was eight, he passed his hand-me-downs to his father. The chapter is filled with moments where Wadlow held silverware that seemed doll house-like in his hands, where he had to lay hotel beds side to side so he could get a good night's sleep, and above all where a slight fracture could lead to debilitating problems later. Wadlow’s excessive height caused the calcium in his bones to be weakened and he died at the young age of 27 when he was 8 ft 11.1 inches tall. Nonetheless he made good money as the spokesperson for a St. Louis based shoe company that offered him free shoes as a bonus. (Something he desperately needed since he outgrew shoes almost as soon as he received them.)





From the problems of the very tall to those experienced by the very small and Drimmer shows that in the section describing little people, one of whom was Charles Sherwood Stratton who went under the stage name “General Tom Thumb Jr..” Drimmer writes that Stratton could not reach doorknobs without help, was often unable to get out of beds that were high off the ground, and was unable to do many of the physical tasks in his small town of mostly farmers and whalers. After he was introduced to P.T. Barnum, Stratton became a consummate performer who sang, danced, and did imitations of people like Napoleon. In his years of show business, Stratton met many notables like Queen Victoria and Abraham Lincoln (who hosted Stratton's White House wedding to fellow little person, Lavinia Warren.)





While many people look down on sideshows today saying they were exploitative, Drummer's writing reveals that in the time period in which many of these human oddities lived, there weren't too many other opportunities for employment or acceptance for people with extreme physical abnormalities. Sideshows not only hired them but the performers often found love and friendship among others who were equally physically different. (That closeness even spread during the off-season when many human oddities settled in Gibsonton, Florida, a small town outside of Sarasota. According to Drimmer’s book, so-called normal residents of Gibsonton were so used to the human oddity population that they treated them like any other local as fellow citizens, schoolmates, church goers, and PTA members.)





Very Special People shows that despite the exterior, the human spirit can triumph within individuals. It also shows that anyone at anytime could be an outcast. This idea is best demonstrated in the introduction in which Drimmer's daughter dreamed that her arms disappeared and she was mocked and jeered at by the people around her. “Stop looking at me like that,” she screamed. “What if I am physically different from you? I am still a human being! Treat me like one! I have the same-exactly the same feelings as you! I am you!”

New Author/Book Alert: World Shaken: Guardians of the Zodiac by J.J. Excelsior; First Book Looks To Be The Start of A Great Series



New Author/Book Alert: World Shaken: Guardians of the Zodiac by J.J. Excelsior; First Book Looks To Be The Start of A Great Series

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews




One of the perks that I have in being a freelance Editor/Proofreader/Review is being there when a new book or author is discovered. It is amazing being at the forefront of the creation of something that hopefully will be read and loved by many. I had that feeling with Jordan Frost’s The Midori Chronicles. I have that again reading World Shaken: Guardians of the Zodiac by J.J. Excelsior. This has the potential to become a great graphic novel or animated series and it would be thrilling if it did. This book is a beautifully illustrated and intrinsically plotted story which seems partly a tribute to the old pulp novels of the Golden Age of Science Fiction and partly has the strong characterization of post-modern science fiction.




Something weird is happening to the various planets and bodies in our solar system of the Milky Way Galaxy. Each area seems to be in the grip of some disaster whether by natural, biological, or psychological means and no one knows what's going on. The seas of the water planet, Neptune have become polluted with oil and are deadly. Even though Pluto has an artificial sun for warmth, its temperatures are plummeting below freezing. Volcanoes are erupting and ash is raining down on Mercury. The Sun is diminishing. The residents of the Moon are in civil war. A plague is affecting Jupiter's citizens. The rings of Saturn are missing and the people are succumbing to insanity. There are floods on Mars, earthquakes on Venus, and twisters on Uranus. (There is no mention of how Earth is affected. It may not be a part of this book or Earth’s status may be saved for a later book.) It's not a pretty sight.




Each celestial body is guarded by an immortal being who is not only that world’s guardian but represents their sign of the Zodiac. Excelsior clearly did her homework. In astrological lore, each sign corresponds with a different celestial body and she shows those connections that the characters have with their worlds. (Of course scientifically nobody could exist in these worlds but that's what science fiction is for: to imagine the impossible.) The guardians are: Mika, the Highest Leo who rules the Sun, Azare, the Highest Virgo and Tormod, the Highest Gemini who rule Mercury, Atalanta, the Highest Taurus and Nefsunsi the Highest Libra who rule the land and sky respectively on Venus, Serenity, the Highest Cancer who is in charge of the Moon, Santrista, the Highest Aries who heads Mars, Advilion, the Highest Sagittarius who is the leader of Jupiter, Saturn, the Highest Capricorn who heads (naturally) Saturn, Namur the Highest Aquarius who becomes the leader of Uranus in place of the former Highest Aquarius, Gia, Xenobia, the Highest Pisces who leads Neptune, and Magnocer, the Highest Scorpio who has control of Pluto.




While their worlds are afflicted with problems, the Guardians meet and try to find the solutions and to find out what is wrong with them. The biggest problems however are not outside their worlds. The biggest problems are within the Guardians themselves. Even though they are a strong-willed powerful bunch who are clearly worried about their individual worlds and their people (of course showing it in various degrees), they don't get along with each other. Most meetings usually end in a physical, verbal, or magical smack-down between two or more Guardians. No wonder Namur calls them out later by declaring that they can't talk to each other without arguing, let alone find solutions to save their worlds.




We, the Readers, learn the cause of the problems and it's the Guardians themselves or so it seems. Celeste, a Goddess-like being who rules over the Guardians created these disasters. In a Job-like fashion, she hopes that the troubles would bring the Milky Way Guardians together to put their egos aside and unite to protect their worlds. No such luck. Not only do the Guardians have to struggle with each other, but Celeste also has to deal with the Man of Fire, another God-like being who has his own posse of astrological guardians that he wants to put in the Milky Way Guardian's places.




Excelsior is a brilliant new voice in the world of science fiction. Both her words and her illustrations show this. The book’s illustrations are detailed in a black and white graphic style. She draws various action oriented beings in dramatic poses such as Xenobia struggling to protect her people in Neptune's pollution infested waters. Another gripping illustration shows an irate and suspicious Santrista attacking Namur after she discovers Gia, the former Highest Aquarius, is missing.

The heroes pictured are thankfully not all white males. Excelsior portrays the Guardians as various ethnicities, sexualities, and races. She also shows many strong female characters in active roles fighting enemies and defending their home worlds as do the male characters. If this series ever does take off, it will be a boon for fans of all genders, races, and sexualities to find characters to identify with.




Excelsior's illustrations show heroic figures doing brave things like characters from those old pulp novels who wake up thinking of nothing but their next adventure and how to save their worlds. However, the dichotomy between what the characters look like and who they are is very different. Instead of God and Goddess-like too- good-to-be-true Heroes and Heroines, Excelsior's writing shows that these are characters with hang-ups, insecurities, and egos of their own.




Excelsior shows that she knows a lot about the astrological signs by featuring characters that behave according to the personality traits that correspond with their sign. This makes for a fascinating multi-faceted bunch but a group that can easily turn on each other and one that will take a miracle to function as a team. When you have a quick-tempered and impulsive Aries like Santrista, a sociable but vain Libra like Nefsunsi, the logical but modest Virgo, Azare, and the fatalistic manipulative Capricorn, Saturn, among others, it's no wonder that these characters don't get along.




By far the two best Guardians are Xenobia and Namur. As the Highest Pisces, Xenobia is very intuitive and compassionate towards her people. She clearly longs to protect them and heal the waters to her beloved planet. However, she can also see the bigger picture of the suffering other worlds and begins the process of bringing the 12 Guardians together. She is willing to challenge the others’ isolationism to form a real team.




While Xenobia illustrates the best behavior in an experienced Guardian, Namur illustrates the struggles of a newly made Guardian. His former mistress, Gia died and he is left with the struggles of a planet ravaged by twisters and filled with terrified people (including his precocious younger sister), the grief of losing his mentor, lover, and childhood friend, and deciding to join a group whose members can't stand each other. While Gia showed her Aquarian streak by becoming so concerned on a humanitarian level for her people that she was driven to despair, Namur also reflects the character of Aquarius. He is an outsider from the Guardians because his newly named status and shows his independent and rebellious nature by refusing to join the team.




The book is very open-ended as the characters take virtual and psychic journeys to each other's worlds to get a close look at the disasters. It leaves the Reader excited for more as does the introductions of Man of Fire’s Guardians who are more interchangeable and not nearly defined as the Milky Way Guardians. It doesn't help that all their first names start with “Z”. (The only one we get to know somewhat is Zahina, an Aquarius who bonds with Namur's sister, Aurora and befriends Namur.)




These plot angles of the virtual psychic trips into the worlds and the arrival of the other Guardians provide the book’s climax and leaves the Reader waiting impatiently for the next interplanetary journey. If the first book is any indication, it should be a brilliant and exciting one indeed.

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

New Author/Book Alert: Whispers in the Dark New Dawn's Light Book (The Midori Chronicles) by Jordan Frost; A Brilliant Start to a Potentially Great Fantasy Series





New Author/Book Alert: Whispers in the Dark New Dawn's Light Book (The Midori Chronicles) by Jordan Frost; A Brilliant Start to a Potentially Great Fantasy Series

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews


Spoilers: In my work as a Freelance Editor/Proofreader/Reviewer, I have come across new books written by new up-and-coming authors. I believe that everyone has a story inside them waiting to be told. That's probably why there are so many people these days taking full advantage of self-publishing sites and e-books hoping to get an audience for their stories.
So because of this, (and to combine the two aspects of my career: the Editor/Proofreader and the Blogger/Book Reviewer), I am creating a new category with this blog, “The New Author/New Book Alert” to give some brand new authors and books the recognition that they deserve. Some may be first-time authors with their first novels. Others may be authors who have published a few things here and there but could use an extra shout out.

Now let out your most agonizing groans (Ugghh), because there are rules to this little series:
1. It must be a new book released within this year. Last year is possible, but nothing earlier than 2017 for this category. (You have Classics Corner, Forgotten Favorites, or Weekly Reader for older books.)
2. While I am mostly interested in new authors, I am also interested in authors with new releases that have received little recognition. For example, I am also interested in authors who have yet to be on bestseller lists, haven't won awards, aren't publicly recognized as authors, or perhaps moved from one form of writing to another. Maybe they moved from short stories to novels, or nonfiction to fiction and so on.
3. The book can be released either as an e-book or print. But a print review will take longer for me to post because I have to receive the copy first.
4. This is not a regular series by any means just whenever I receive notice. It could be once or twice a month or not at all. Sometimes I will seek them out via Upwork or Facebook. Usually they seek me out or someone refers them. If you know of any new authors or are new authors, or have a new book by an author that needs more recognition, please let me know by email at juliesaraporter@gmail.com. You may also DM me on Facebook or LinkedIn. If you are also an Upwork client, do not hesitate to contact me and make an offer there.
5. You are in luck that I usually like everything that I read, but I won't be shy in saying that something needs work. I am polite with my criticisms but honest. I have written very few completely negative reviews and the few I have were classics (Wuthering Heights, Infinite Jest, and American Psycho are recent examples.) so chances are, it will be a positive review. Mostly.
6. The reviews are fairly long. Read some of my other entries for examples. While I do evaluate the book in terms of whether I like it or not, they are more like analyses than reviews where I focus on certain aspects like characterization or thematic elements. That's not bad in and of itself but if you want to put the review on Amazon (or want me to do it), it might have to be abbreviated. Which I give you permission to do so. I am promoting your work so you should do whatever you can to make yourself noticed as I am reviewing and editing books to get noticed.
7. I don't mind reviewing books as I  said, but I WILL NOT review any book that I am asked to edit. I consider it wrong since I am involved in the making of the book. So if you wish to hire my services, please make up your mind if you want me to edit and proofread the book or publish a review for it. I won't do both jobs for the same book.
8. If you want to pay me, I won't stop you but you are not required to. (I will not reveal whether it is paid, if you do not wish me to. )Payment is between $10.00-30.00, plus the price of the book. (It may increase if I get more.) If I am broke, I may ask for the price of the book in advance. I will compose the review on Google Docs then after it is aired on my blog, I will send an invoice via Wave app. If you are also on Upwork as I am, then you may pay me through that.
9. I may give you the review to evaluate afterwards but only to see if I got key points in plot
and character names and spellings right. The opinion will not change.

Now the rules are out of the way, let's go to the inaugural review of an inaugural author. I present Whispers in the Dark Part One New Dawn's Light( The Midori Chronicles) by Jordan Frost.

Jordan Frost is not a recognizable name in the world of epic fantasy, but her first novel, Whispers in the Dark should prove to be a good first step.

The world of Midori (a very pretty name. It’s a common Japanese female name that means “Green.” The significance is not yet known.) is ruled by Lord Kane, a tyrannical elven sorcerer. Periodically, he demands the world's best mages come to him as sacrifices. (The outcome is every bit as unpleasant as you can imagine.) The only thing that can stop him is a prophecy in which a child, born of illegitimate blood of the deceased royal family, will conquer him and restore the throne. Various characters set out to either find the missing heir or to escape from Kane’s prison and avoid recapture.


The plot is a typical one found in these type of genres where a group of rebels seek to overthrow a tyrant. That's not a bad thing. Interestingly enough, I am reading Hero With A Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell which discusses archetypes. Whispers in  the Dark is an example of the Heroic Journey in which the characters receive the Call to Action (Find the Heir), are given the Tasks and Commands along the way (Search for the Witch, Go Through the Dark Woods), and so on. It's an archetypal journey and this book is no exception. However, the characters are brilliant and make this journey an amazing albeit familiar one.

Various characters have their own agendas as they travel through the land searching for the heir and avoiding Kane and his goons. Boone, a roguish thief is assigned to deliver information to a witch who will also point him in the heir’s direction. He uses both his clever wiles and the muscles of a large kind barbarian that he meets along the way to avoid trouble.

Titus, a healer is ordered by Kane's guards to search the vast library for any potential leads on the heir. He is fascinating as he debates the task he is ordered to perform and the disdain that he has for Kane. He acts with both hatred at the tyrant and fear of losing his head.

Some of the most interesting characters are two couples that circumstances force to travel together. Jensen, one of Kane's former guards escapes from prison with Solana, a haughty mage and potential sacrifice. Much of the humor is found between this odd couple trying to one-up each other with Solana’s intelligence and studies of magic competing against Jensen’s fighting skills and ability to use weapons that can detect and remove magic. Often Jensen uses a light-hearted approach by flirting with Solana or joking about their circumstances which Solana will bite back with an eye roll and a sarcastic response. (Usually, she will retort, “There's something wrong with you.”)They become closer as the book goes along. It is unclear by the end of the book whether they become lovers, (though Jensen develops romantic feelings for Solana, revelations in the plot prevent him from expressing them.), but they already show that they make a good team of friends who are occasionally at each other's throats.


The other interesting couple are Garret Draig, a pirate captain and Miriana, a mage and Solana's twin sister. Miriana isn't as feisty as her sister. In fact she lived a very isolated life in which she read novels and dreamed of a life of adventure and romance with Gerard, the heroic captain of her books. She is rescued by Garrett en route to being offered as a sacrifice to Kane. While Garrett is a nice guy who wants to protect Miriana, the boorish sometimes chauvinistic captain is hardly the romantic hero of her dreams. In fact, Garrett mocks this romantic portrayal which was actually written by a friend of his. It is a very clever meta moment in which a character pokes fun at the tropes in fantasy and romance in a book that is a tribute to them. It is as though Frost enjoys playing in a fantasy world but doesn't mind mocking the logistics inside it.

The action moves along briskly and some questions are answered (including a potential identity for the missing heir), but more are raised and enough suspense is created for the Reader to look forward to the next book and what else Frost has to offer.

Sunday, September 16, 2018

Banned Books Special: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini; A Moving Novel About Friendship in Time of War and Conflict



Banned Books Special: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini; A Moving Novel About Friendship in Time of War and Conflict

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews




Spoilers: When we are kids, we are told and believe that everything is going to be okay. We believe that our best friends will be our best friends for life, our families will always be together, and that the bad things that happen in the world that grown-ups talk about on the news won't possibly affect us. We look forward to our favorite games, cartoons, summer vacations and holidays like Christmas with great excitement. As we grow older and are hit with the realities of death, divorce, poverty, war and so on we become more aware how dark life really is and look back on those childhood days with an idyllic nostalgia.




Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner is about that. It is told from the point of view of Amir, an Afghan man who recalls his childhood friendship with wondrous detail and how that friendship changed because of world events and Amir’s own weaknesses.




Amir’s best friend growing up was Hassan, the son of his family's servant. The two grew up in 1970’s Kabul and even though they are separated by class, ethnicity, and religion (Hassan’s family are poor Hazara Shiite Muslims while Amir’s are wealthy Pashtun Sunni Muslims.), the two share some things in common. They both lost their mothers as infants (Amir's died in childbirth and Hassan's walked out on him and his father shortly after he was born.) and their fathers were also childhood friends as well as master and servant. Amir and Hassan share many interests such as American Western films, adventure stories which Amir reads and Hassan listens, and kite flying. Kite flying is a particularly important past time as the two participate in the annual Kite Flying Festival Events in which Amir flies the kite and Hassan runs after it. Hosseini develops his two lead characters really well as he explores their childhood games, interests, and families. Even though there are some conflicts, the two are portrayed with the innocent idealism of childhood. They are ready for fun days, adventure, and dreaming of their future until life and reality hits them in the faces forcing them to mature long before they reach adulthood.




The two families become affected by the Soviet attack on Afghanistan and the constant days of bombs, armies, and fighter planes that fill the Afghan landscape. They are also affected by the increasing racism that Amir’s classmates feel towards other ethnic groups like the Hazara. One classmate, Assef openly admires Hitler’s Final Solution and is fond of taunting and physically bullying Hassan for being from a different ethnic group.

Besides the troubles from the outside world, Amir also recognizes conflict at home. While Hassan swears unconditional loyalty to Amir, Amir feels guilty that he doesn't feel the same. As an adult, he is filled with guilt for all of the times that he teased Hassan for being illiterate or pushed his loyalty by bossing Hassan around. Above all, he feels remorse for his jealousy that his father, Baba treated both Hassan and Amir equally and that he got along with the active practical Hassan better than the introverted literary Amir.




Both the political and the private struggles culminate during the Kite Flying Festival when Hassan is attacked and raped by Assef and his friends. Instead of defending his best friend, Amir ran in fear. Ashamed of his actions, Amir orchestrates the dismissal of Hassan and his father, Ali from Amir's family home and his life.




Even though the two friends are separated, the Soviet-Afghanistan conflict and Hassan's rape followed by Amir’s inaction continue to follow Amir. Even as he and his father flee Afghanistan for America and live a life as impoverished refugees, Hassan continues to haunt Amir like a ghost. Even when Hassan’s not there in body, he’s still there in spirit and in Amir’s consciousness.




Despite the troubles both in his former country and in his mind, Amir begins to settle in America. He rekindles his relationship with Baba as the old man mourns his former life, befriends only other Afghan refugees, and health declines. Amir becomes his caregiver seeing a man who he once thought of as having a high honor code, shriveled into despair. Amir also marries another Afghan immigrant with a troubled romantic past and begins a career as a talented best-selling author.




Just when Amir begins to settle in his new life, he receives a letter from an old friend that forces him to return to Afghanistan. The chapters when Amir returns to Afghanistan are among the most heartbreaking as he sees a country torn apart by war. He travels among destroyed buildings, little vegetation, the Taliban ruling their country with violent and religious dogma, adults with missing limbs and gone mad with grief, and children who have been deprived of their childhoods. Afghanistan becomes like a giant graveyard as Amir recalls his youth which seemed so pleasant at the time and contrasts it to the destroyed country before him.




Amir's return to Afghanistan also gives him a chance to confront his past guilt. He learns the truth of some family secrets involving his father, Amir, and Hassan and also learns of Hassan's current whereabouts. In one suspenseful passage Amir encounters a former enemy turned Taliban leader, and Hassan's young son. This moment and the aftermath when Amir bonds with the boy give Amir a second chance to face his old fears and atone for his past inaction in running when Hassan needed him the most.




The Kite Runner is a moving novel about a friendship that is torn apart by war, deception, and conflict. But ultimately it is about getting beyond that conflict and reconciling with and forgiving others and oneself.

Weekly Reader: Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination by Neal Gabler; A Comprehensive Biography About The Good and The Bad of The Man Who Taught Us All To Wish Upon a Star




Weekly Reader: Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination by Neal Gabler; A Comprehensive Biography About The Good and The Bad of The Man Who Taught Us All To Wish Upon a Star

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews




Like the subject of last week's biography, Barbie, the image of Walt Disney and the company he produced are what we put into them. Are Disney's products beautiful works of art and offer a sense of magic, escapism, and wish fulfillment to those who come into contact with them? Are they over commercialized pieces of tripe that distort the original stories from which they came turning them into sentimental nonsense? What about Walt Disney himself? Was he a brilliant artist who created wonderful characters and worlds? Was he an anti-Semitic perfectionist who peddled mindless drivel to the masses?




Neal Gabler's comprehensive biography of Disney gives us both sides to his character: the creative innovator and the driven perfectionist. Like many people, he was neither good nor bad and Gabler gives us this multifaceted look at him.




No matter what we feel about Disney and his creations, what can be agreed upon is that they are pure escapism. Whether you ride the rides at the Disney park, watch your favorite animated feature for the hundredth time, or laugh at the antics of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and their friends you are transported to another vibrant, clean, beautiful, and hopeful world. This theme of escapism is not coincidental. In fact, Gabler’s book shows that this was a theme that Disney had been looking for his whole life.




Even though Disney was born in Chicago in 1901, he and his family moved to Marceline, Missouri when he was four. Even though Disney's father was a hard taskmaster, he had an idyllic childhood in Marceline. Gabler’s writing showed Disney’s childhood years as one of playing with friends, studying at school, and exploring nature. Disney would return to his nostalgic feelings about Marceline and recreate that childhood town or towns just like it in movies like So Dear To My Heart and Pollyanna and on the Main Street U.S.A. section at Disneyland.




Disney's early career showed the beginnings of his tremendous talent and his detached nature. He created early characters like Oswald The Lucky Rabbit, the precursor to his later characters. One of his most creative early works were the Alice Comedies, which depicted a live-action girl interacting with animated characters.

Unfortunately, those early years also taught Disney a lesson about betrayal. Charles Mintz, one of Disney's colleagues signed a contract with Universal Pictures giving him the rights to Oswald and taking Disney out of the loop. This moment would become the groundwork for Disney's guarded personality and suspicions towards his employees.




Disney's desire for escape and imagination not only came into creating his characters but in remembering how they were created. He often told the story that he created Mickey Mouse during a train ride in which he drew a mouse figure and suggested the name Mortimer for the little fellow. His wife, Lillian, didn't care for the name and suggested Mickey instead. The truth is more prosaic than the legend. Actually Mickey was created and named during a brainstorming session between Disney and his animators in which they suggested various animals and settled on a mouse.

Despite the dispute in his creation, Mickey became a success after the release of his first sound cartoon, Steamboat Willie. The popularity of the character was also helped by the original Mickey Mouse Club in which children were invited to attend screenings of the cartoon shorts as well as the merchandise with Mickey plastered all over the place. (Proving that Disney like the company after him would be an expert on marketing and commercializing his characters.)



Despite the perception of Disney and his company becoming conservative and formulaic, the book reveals Disney's willingness to take risks and innovate his creations, particularly during the early years. One of his most famous examples was in making Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, his first feature length animated film. Many thought that no one would sit through a feature length cartoon. Disney and his animators tried unique approaches to animating the movie such as using a multiplane camera to provide background detail to the landscape and rotoscoping (filming live action humans and animating over that image) to capture facial styles and features. He also improved upon the original story by providing names and personalities to the seven dwarves and offering dark visuals such as a terrified Snow White running through the woods where hallucinations frighten her and the beautiful Wicked Queen using ingredients like a scream of fright, an old hag’s cackle, and the dark of night for a magic potion to turn her into an old peddler. Disney’s first animated feature was such a success and pleased him so well that to the end of his life, he considered Snow White and Mary Poppins as the only two features he considered perfect.




Besides his pleasure for Mary Poppins on a technical level including combining live action and animation in the scene where Mary, her friend, Bert, and her charges, Jane and Michael Banks go
on a “Jolly Holiday” through a chalk drawing of the countryside, Mary Poppins also touched Disney on a personal level. He identified with George Banks, the father who is unable to spend time with his children and regretted it in the end because Disney did not spend as much time with his wife, Lillian and daughters, Diane and Sharon as much as he liked. Disney also loved the Sherman Brothers song, “Feed the Birds”, a moving song about an old bird woman feeding birds outside St. Paul’s Cathedral who urges people to give money to feed the birds for “tuppence a bag.” He loved the song so much that whenever he met with the brothers, all he would have to say is, “Play it” and they knew which song he wanted to hear.




Sometimes the risks didn't always pay off. When Disney created the movie Fantasia, he intended it to be a continuing project of animated shorts put to classical music much like they already did with the Silly Symphony shorts. The movie would then be updated every few years with new segments. He also wanted to make the movie a full sensory experience by inserting odors into the theaters including floral, gunpowder, saltwater and other scents. Unfortunately despite Disney's ambitions for the project, Fantasia tanked in its initial release discontinuing his proposed ongoing project idea for the movie until 1999 when his company released Fantasia 2000. Many children were reportedly bored by the music, parents either objected to the animation segments or felt that they were inappropriate for children. Classical movie buffs, including Igor Stravinsky whose piece “Rite of Spring” was used in the movie (and whose “Firebird Suite” would be used for Fantasia 2000) thought that Disney's animated segments distorted the music’s original styles. Disney took this failure as a personal blow. It's a shame that Disney didn't live long enough to see the hippy generation give Fantasia a new life as an ultimate visual experience just as they did with Alice in Wonderland, which also similarly tanked upon its initial release. Both Fantasia and Alice in Wonderland obtained cult followings and then later received the critical and commercial success that they originally had been denied proving that sometimes Disney's vision wasn't always wrong, just far ahead of his time.




Gabler also explores Disney's darker nature with great detail. Despite giving a warm welcoming persona, in truth he was very guarded and standoffish to his employees. He wasn't above showing preferential treatment to animators who had been with him from the beginning or that he favored including his legendary “Nine Old Men” such as Ollie Johnston, Milt Kahl, Ward Kimball, and Woolie Reitherman. He considered them friends and would laugh and joke with them and approve of their ideas for scenes and characters (making it perfectly clear that his word was the final say.).

However, he wouldn't have as much camaraderie with other animators like Freddie Moore (who had been fired by the company twice.) and many of the artists that did the lesser known work such as in-betweeners and clean up. (Those who didn't draw the initial characters but went scene by scene frame by frame to make sure the characters and scenes were uniform and mistake free.) This hierarchy created dissension in the ranks as many who were not in Disney's favor feared his criticism and wrath. He often made public examples of them either in the studio or in the Sweatbox where they watched the rushes. Many of the animators who weren't in Disney's favor either quit in fury or were outright dismissed.




This “With me or against me” attitude was particularly noticeable during the Animator’s Strike of 1941 in which a group of animators led by Art Babbit campaigned to unionize Disney's animation team. Disney was an ardent anti-Unionist and refused. While the strikers and the corporate office eventually came to a negotiation, Babbit resigned and Disney considered him a traitor to the end of his life.




The strike and Disney's mistrust of some of his employees created a fear of Communism in him. Disney was a “friendly witness” to the House of Un-American Activities and wasn't above naming names based on nothing more than mere speculation. Unfortunately Disney's staunch anti-Union and anti-Communism stance as well as the images in some of his works (such as Jim Crow in Dumbo, the Big Bad Wolf impersonating a Jewish peddler in the Three Little Pigs, and the movie, The Song of the South which had been so criticized by the NAACP and other groups that Walt Disney Studios still refuses to re-release it in any form) led to accusations that Disney was both racist and anti-Semitic, accusations that Gabler dismissed.

Gabler cited that Disney hired both Jewish and African-American employees and had close friends that were both. At most Gabler writes that Disney could have been guilty of being “racially insensitive” as so many people in Hollywood were at the time by using stereotypical characters for cheap laughs and making inappropriate remarks. Another proof of Disney not being anti-Semitic Gabler believes could also be seen in his other works particularly the World War II propaganda cartoons. The darkest one (among the darkest animated works the Disney company produced even to this day), Education for Death comes down hard on Nazi anti-Semitic policies by depicting a young Aryan boy destroying others and ultimately bringing about his own destruction because of them.




Gabler also explored how the public persona of Walt Disney as the warm family-friendly benevolent creator and works was both a virtue and a prison to him and his company. This even started at the beginning with Mickey Mouse. In the original shorts, Mickey was a mischievous troublemaker who often played pranks on his adversaries. However as his popularity grew, Mickey shifted towards a heroic nice guy making him seem dull and bland in comparison to his colleagues the temperamental Donald Duck and the clumsy Goofy. Donald even eclipsed Mickey in popularity because audience found his flaws more relateable rather than Mickey's goody-two-shoes character. (In fact one of Mickey’s most popular cartoons The Sorcerer's Apprentice shows Mickey reverting back to his more mischievous persona by using magic to make a broom come to life and gather water to disastrous results.)




Walt Disney himself would suffer from the strain of maintaining a clean cut personality that he had honed by the 1960’s. This personality and his desire to churn out wholesome family films became a straightjacket that he couldn't quite break free from.

By the 1950’s, Disney's cartoons were no longer daring or original despite or perhaps because he also created Disneyland (which Gabler considered Disney's escape of all escapes.) and such shows as Davy Crockett and the Mickey Mouse Club. Disney instead seemed corny, stodgy, and emblematic of the safe middle-class America. Instead during that time the true animation innovators came out of Hanna-Barbera with Tom and Jerry, Warner Bros. With Loony Tunes, and Dr. Seuss with Gerald McBoing Boing, all of which claimed Academy Awards for Animated Short Subjects (which used to be a lock for Disney and his crew.). According to Gabler, when Disney saw To Kill a Mockingbird, he reacted with envy saying, “We should have done that.” However, he knew that the image that he created for the people would never permit him to make a dramatic film about rape and racial tension. It wasn't until Disney released Mary Poppins in 1964 and made plans for his EPCOT, community of tomorrow (which became Walt Disney World) that Walt Disney retained some of that original magical spark that had eluded him when he became formulaic.




Even though Disney died in 1967, his company still continues to be both loved and loathed by many. Those who say that the company deviated from Disney's vision (or saying he is rolling in his grave or would be upset) are missing the point. The company that Walt Disney left behind is just like he was. They are innovative in style but with conventional storylines. They are wish-fulfillment and formulaic. They are creative in giving us memorable characters and commercial by throwing merchandise at us. They are unafraid to be different by coming to television, creating adult films, adding new facets to the company, shifting from traditional to computer generation, and are willing to adapt for the subsequent generations, but they also peddle in escape and entertainment. They are and have always been exactly what Walt Disney wanted them to be.



Weekly Reader: Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell; A Beautiful Transformative Novel About Life, Death, Reincarnation, and The Legacy We Leave Behind




Weekly Reader: Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell; A Beautiful Transformative Novel About Life, Death, Reincarnation, and The Legacy We Leave Behind


By Julie Sara Porter


Bookworm Reviews





Spoilers: I admit that when I first approached Cloud Atlas, I did with great trepidation. I had heard about the book's structure and I was concerned whether I would be able to follow it. After having read difficult books like Ulysses and Infinite Jest, I thought this would be another book that tries to show off to its Readers only to confuse them.





I shouldn't have worried. Instead what I found was one of my favorite books that I read this year. David Mitchell didn't tell just one memorable story. He told six of them. I joke that he probably couldn't decide whether he wanted to write an adventure, a romance, a political thriller, a comic satire, a science fiction, or a post-Apocalyptic fantasy then just said, “Screw it, I'll write all of them.” That he could take these extremely different genres and provide extremely different narratives from various people that are diverse in gender, age, ethnicity, and social status shows not only a tremendous writing talent but an ability to use that talent to provide the Readers with these multiple stories and characters.


It is a brilliant and beautiful book that focuses on six people over the course of many centuries.
The six characters are:
Adam Ewing-An American notary in 1840’s New Zealand and Hawaii who protects and befriends an escaped slave and becomes involved in the Abolitionist cause.
Robert Frobisher- A disinherited bisexual composer in 1930’s Europe who writes letters to his male lover, Rufus Sixsmith, about his relationships with an abusive older composer and his seductive wife.
Luisa Rey-An investigative reporter in 1970’s California who becomes involved in a conspiracy concerning the mysterious death of a nuclear scientist and his research on the company he works for.
Timothy Cavendish- An elderly vanity publisher in 21st century London who is stalked by members of a criminal family and ends up incarcerated in a nursing home by his scheming brother.
Sonmi 451-A clone in futuristic Seoul, South Korea who is rescued from her monotonous life at a fast food restaurant and gets caught up in the Resistance against the Neo Capitalist Police State she works under.
Zachary- A young man in the distant post-apocalyptic future Hawaii who aids a newcomer to his village who tells him a great deal about the past of his people.



On the surface, these characters and stories don't appear to be related but the more the Reader digs, the more they learn how these stories are linked as one gigantic chain that transcends centuries.
While living with the disagreeable composer, Vyvyan Ayres, Robert discovers the first half of Adam Ewing’s journal and is upset that he couldn't find the other half considering “a half-finished book is a half-finished love affair.”
Luisa finds an album of Robert’s “Cloud Atlas Sextet” and is moved by the music. Not to mention that the nuclear scientist/informant who aids Luisa is none other than Rufus Sixsmith, Robert's former lover who gives her Robert's letters.
Timothy receives a novel of Luisa’s exploits and at first dismisses it as trite as though it were written by a child. (The book implies the novel about Luisa was written by a young neighbor that she took a maternal interest in.) While he is incarcerated, Timothy seems to enjoy reading about Luisa's exploits and gutsiness.
Sonmi 451 watches films which she calls “disneys” (In this future proper nouns replace common terms for objects) with a fellow rebel. One of them is based on Timothy's life, incarceration in the nursing home, then escape from it.
Zachary’s people worship Sonmi 451 as a goddess. (In her story, while escaping she stayed temporarily in a community whose members are implied to be the ancestors of Zachary's people.) Later Zachary's friend, Meronym shows Sonmi's interrogation on a device called an orison. She then says that Sonmi was a human woman not a goddess.


These traces of the characters and how each one learns of the last are like those Russian matryoshka or nesting dolls where one leads to another to make a full picture. They show that our works such as primary sources like letters and journals, music, books, movies, and stories are what will last and how people will remember us long after we are gone. Bodies may die but history, art, and literature will continue to tell our stories in one form or another.


Another common theme that these stories carry are those of struggles between the powerful and powerless, those who are corrupt and imprison and those who fight and escape.
In Adam’s journal entries, we learn that he befriended a slave, Autua who stowed away on the same ship he traveled. At first Adam is ambivalent about slavery, following the presumed “White Man's Burden.” When he sees the goodness and loyalty in Autua and also the cruelty and deception of many white people, including a doctor who is poisoning him just to rob him later, Adam and his wife become committed abolitionists and help free other slaves.
Robert is made a pariah because of his sexuality and is used by Ayres who steals his work and seduced by his conniving wife and daughter. Robert is then left with a shattered reputation, tremendous debt, and a broken heart. He pours out his love in his sextet and final letter to Sixsmith (whom he realizes too late is the real love of his life) before he escapes the only way he can: through suicide.
Luisa fights against the corrupt corporation that murdered Sixsmith to keep quiet about his research concerning a flaw in the nuclear power plant he worked for. (Tellingly enough this would be the same corporation that Sonmi works for in the future.) She plans to go public with Sixsmith’s research despite multiple attempts on her life. (Including in one passage where her car is pushed into the ocean. Thankfully, she survives.) The idealistic reporter manages to smuggle the information to Sixsmith's niece and forces the dismissal of the greedy CEO who had Sixsmith and his allies murdered.
Timothy is incapacitated by his brother, his weakened body after he suffers a stroke, and above all a tyrannical staff particularly a nasty head nurse who prefers to medicate her patients rather than help them. In a humorous section (contrasting with the other more serious stories), Timothy engineers an escape from the nursing home with three other patients who manage to steal one of the patient's family member's car. (He always leaves the keys in the ignition during his visits.)
In her report to an interrogator called the Archivist, Sonmi explains how the death of a more obstreperous friend caused her to question her life of sameness, forced cheerfulness, and routine work of serving people drug enhanced food. When she is “kidnapped” i.e. liberated by a Resistance member, she tells the Archivist about her journey into forbidden areas, real friendships and emotions for the other rebels as compared to the phony ones in the cloning facility. She also learns some harsh discoveries about the world around her and the clones’ real purpose. She also is aware that much of her journey was fabricated by spies and traitors but she wants her story to be told anyway so future generations will know who she fought and why.
Zachary’s world is reduced to an almost primitive state. He is aware of warfare between various tribes and also suffers from a traumatic experience in which his father was killed and brother, Adam was enslaved. He appeals to Meronym, who though an outsider, is a Prescient, someone who still has memories of history. During their night journey, Zachary and Meronym protect each other from slavers and Meronym empowers Zachary with knowledge of the past. He is able to use that knowledge to counter his fears which manifest as a demonic figure called Old Georgie that once cripplied him with guilt and terror.


The strongest link within these characters is revealed as we learn that they are the same character reincarnated over time. This is proven as each one learns that they share the same birthmark shaped like a comet somewhere on their bodies. While this may seem odd to some people, many Readers who are aware of other stories of reincarnation know that souls can be reborn as different genders or races. The characters share memories, dreams, and connections to one another. Zachary's brother is named Adam who is sold into slavery; the same name as the first character, Adam Ewing, a man who fought against slavery.
Both Ayres and Robert share a dream about a brightly colored restaurant in which the servers are all identically dressed women with the same faces foreshadowing Sonmi's life.
When he first encounters Luisa in a broken elevator, Rufus Sixsmith reveals that he feels an intense connection to her that he can't explain. This implies that he recognizes his late lover, Robert in her.
While Timothy's connections to the others are through popular culture, he uses these references to link himself to the others. He compares one character to “Mrs. Robinson” in The Graduate (referring to Robert's ill-advised affair with the older and married, Mrs. Ayres and the unfortunate love triangle with her daughter, Eva.) Timothy also makes a reference to the movie, “Soylent Green” (referring to Sonmi's discovery that clones are made and processed for food, the same food she used to serve at the fast food place.)

These connections are made even deeper in the 2012 movie, Cloud Atlas directed by the Wachowksi Siblings where the characters in all six stories are played by the same actors playing multiple roles. Some that follow reincarnation believe that not only are we reborn in different lives but the people around us are as well. In multiple lives the people we know now may have been or will be lovers, family members, heroes, or people we just met or will meet on the street.


Cloud Atlas is a strange book, no doubt about it. It is also a beautiful book about how connected
humanity is through delicate strands or ripples in time and shows that after we die, our souls and legacies live on and carry over into future generations.










Monday, September 10, 2018

Weekly Reader: Barbie and Ruth: The Story of The World's Most Famous Doll and The Woman Who Created Her by Robin Gerber; A Brilliant Biography of Two Amazing Women, One Real and One Plastic



Weekly Reader: Barbie and Ruth: The Story of The World's Most Famous Doll and The Woman Who Created Her by Robin Gerber; A Brilliant Biography of Two Amazing Women, One Real and One Plastic
By Julie Sara Porter
Bookworm Reviews

Barbie has always been a double-edged sword with people. She is the image people put into her. On the one hand, many criticize her for her body and for providing girls with unrealistic expectations on how they should look. (A very creepy fact is that some women have gone through numerous plastic surgeries to receive Barbie’s exact appearance including augmenting their bodies to get her extreme measurements.) She also has been parodied as a bimbo fashionista in pop culture such as the movie, Toy Story 2 and the ‘90’s pop song, “Barbie Girl” by Aqua. (I apologize for the earworm. I am suffering for it, believe me.)

Barbie has also had her share of defenders. She is seen as the ultimate career woman having taken on various occupations from model, to astronaut, to doctor, to teacher, to computer programmer, to video game designer. Besides her various occupations, Mattel’s executives are never afraid to reinvent Barbie's brand such as creating multicultural friends for Barbie, dressing her in traditional costumes from around the world, creating her in the likeness of various well-known real-life women such as Olympic gymnast, Gabby Douglas and ballerina, Misty Copeland, and recently providing various sizes and body types for the doll including petite, curvy, and tall. Many ad campaigns focus on Barbie's abilities to inspire young girls to fulfill their dreams such as “We Girls Can Do Anything” and “Imagine the Possibilities”. (The latter campaign is particularly clever and charming as it shows young girls taking on adult jobs such as executive, coach, college professor, veterinarian, and paleontologist to a group of bemused but delighted adults.)

While Barbie appears to be an expert at reinventing herself to fit with the times, she could also take a cue from her creator, Ruth Handler (1916-2002) who knew a lot about reinvention and about being a high powered female executive in a man’s world. This brilliant book covers Handler's success in leading Mattel to its highest popularity thanks to their blond beauty and also her struggles as a female executive and controversies when she was indicted for fraud.

Ruth Handler's background as the tenth child of  a Polish Jewish immigrant family suggests one which was both crowded and overwhelming for her parents. After her mother received gall bladder surgery, the then six month old, Ruth Mosko lived with her older sister, Sarah who then raised young Ruthie instead of her parents. Through Sarah, Handler learned to be a working woman and not to be content to stay at home with the children and household while her husband worked.

When Handler married her husband, Elliot in 1938, it was a strange attraction of opposites that helped the two create the toy company, Mattel. The company may have been named for Elliot Handler and his and Ruth’s then partner, Harold “Matt” Matson (Matson would later be bought out and leave the company.), but there was no doubt who was the real head. Elliot was the laid-back easygoing creator of such toys as the Uke-A-Doodle and the Burp Gun while Ruth was the strong-willed forceful executive who made sure not only that the toys were made, but that they were made right.

Many are familiar with the story of Barbie's creation but for those that aren't here it is: Observing her daughter, Barbara and her friends play with paper dolls, Handler noted that the clothes “did not look right.” Observing that most dolls looked like children, including the ones marketed as teenage dolls, Handler saw that girls ,like her daughter, would pretend to play as though the dolls were adults. She thought it would be interesting if there was a doll that actually looked like an adult.

In 1956, the Handlers visited Germany and Handler saw her inspiration: a hard plastic doll that was adult in appearance called Bild Lilli. Bild Lilli was originally an adult sex toy based on a comic book character and was often given as a gag gift at bachelor parties. Despite her lascivious reputation, Handler was transfixed by the doll’s blond hair tied in a ponytail, bendable body, and parade of wardrobe and accessories. She bought some of them and took them home to see if her designers could create an American version of the doll. (Royalty issues prevented Mattel's acknowledgement of Bild Lilli’s contribution to the creation of Barbie for some time, but they have since been cleared and Mattel acknowledged that Bild Lilli was indeed the inspiration for her American cousin.)
After some difficulties with the molding process and experiments with Barbie's makeup and initial wardrobe, the doll finally made her debut at the 1959 Toy Fair dressed in a black and white one-piece bathing suit.

Barbie at first received a lot of criticism because of her seeming sex appeal and that many parents did not want their daughters playing with such an adult doll. Toy Fair itself produced few orders for the doll. However Gerber’s writing showed Handler as a persistent marketer and executive and was not about to let her brainchild fail. She approved of a marketing campaign which focused on Barbie's glamor, beauty, and that when little girls played with Barbie they were imagining themselves as the women they wanted to become. (An early commercial contained a catchy jingle: “Someday I’m going to be like you, 'til then I know just what I’ll do…..Barbie, beautiful Barbie I’ll make believe I’m you.”) Girls became fascinated with the doll and persuaded their parents to not only buy her but her ever growing wardrobe and accessories.

The ‘60’s were a good time to be both Barbie and Ruth Handler. Gerber's book shows that Barbie's world expanded to include her anatomically incorrect boyfriend, Ken (apparently Handler wanted to make him more correct but concerned toy designers opted not to in case of controversy and Handler relented), her best friend, Midge, Midge’s boyfriend and later husband, Alan, Barbie's African-American friend, Christy, and  Barbie's sisters, Skipper and Tutti (the latter was eventually renamed as Kellie), and such additions as her Dream House and Car.

Handler's world at Mattel also increased. She and Elliot continued to make successful toys such as Hot Wheels, an intentional competitor to Matchbox. Handler also gained a reputation as a tough and loving boss.
She had a regular group of young men whom she called “her boys” and enjoyed bantering with. Mattel was also known to promote female executives more so than many other companies at the time.
Handler also could be quite domineering. She had a very strong attention to detail and was concerned about producing the best products under the Mattel name. She was known to order the recall of an entire line if the product did not meet her specifications. She also loved to be involved in every aspect of her company including research, development, design, accounts and others. She also could be argumentative and resort to snappy rejoinders when male executives did not want to work with a woman.

These details run counter to Handler’s behavior during her later charges of fraud in the late ‘70’s. The Handlers made some bad investments including trying to purchase Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey Circus and brought on some unscrupulous executives. One of them was Seymour Rosenberg, a previous financial genius, who was known for his business acquisitions. When Rosenberg was indicted for fraud, he also named The Handlers as complicit in his dealings.
While Gerber stops short of whether she believed Handler's guilt or innocence, she does raise questions whether an executive with a strong attention to detail, desire to be involved in every aspect of her company, and was able to challenge male executives would suddenly not be aware of Rosenberg's mismanagement of funds and kowtow to him because he insulted her for being a Jewish woman.
Despite maintaining her innocence, Handler resigned from the company that she created in 1978 and was sentenced to community service. (which she used to co-create a charity, Foundation for the People reinventing herself as a philanthropist.)
While Elliot, Rosenberg, and other male executives at Mattel were also charged with fraud, Handler cited sexism as part of the reason the media was particularly tough on her ridiculing her abrasive behavior and downfall.
While Handler may have been grasping at straws or assuming a martyr complex, the fact that many male executives particularly in the ‘80’s were lauded as corporate sharks and praised for their domineering nature invites this possibility. Lucky for the Reader, Gerber offers no opinion either way and allows the Reader to decide for themselves whether Handler was a white collar criminal or was an innocent victim railroaded by dishonest colleagues and a misogynistic press.

Besides her legal issues, the book also reveals Handler's family troubles particularly with her children, Barbara and Kenneth. (the dolls Barbie and Ken were both named for them.) The Handler children hated being associated with the dolls. Barbara had many disagreements with her mother while growing up and got into heated arguments with her wondering why she didn't stay home like other mothers. Barbara rebelled against Handler's working mother status by marrying young right out of high school and having children. She remained estranged from Handler until only a few years before Handler's death.

Kenneth had an equally difficult time growing up. He rejected his parent's wealth from Mattel particularly Barbie because he believed that they “created a forced conformity within children.” He later became a playwright, photographer, and artist. Like his sister, Kenneth married young but was bisexual and had affairs with men. Ultimately, he died of AIDS in 1994. Because of Handler's unwillingness to acknowledge her son’s sexuality or disease, Gerber’s book says that to this day different accounts  report various erroneous causes of Kenneth Handler's death such as encephalitis or a brain tumor. Handler's difficulties with her children showed that sometimes people who are successful in one way can falter in others and despite having good intentions by honoring her children with the dolls’ names, Handler ultimately caused distrust and unhappiness within them.

Handler had difficulties with her health as well which unfortunately coincided with her trial for fraud. She had breast cancer and received a mastectomy. Eventually she marketed prosthetic breasts called Nearly Me for women who were going through similar procedures proving once again that Handler was able to reinvent herself despite tough times.

Despite leaving the company, Handler’s reputation improved in the ‘90’s when Mattel's then CEO, Jill Barad paid tribute to Handler and her influence. Barad put Handler front and center once more as an honorary member of the company she helped create, allowing Handler to give interviews and receive accolades until her death in 2002.

Ruth Handler was a brilliant strong-willed independent woman who took an idea of an adult fashion doll and made it a success. Barbie may be a fascinating character but not nearly as much as the woman who has been referred to as “her Mom.”


Banned Books Special: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie; The Story of a Spokane Native American Boy is Both Humorous and Heartfelt



Banned Books Special: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie; The Story of a Spokane Native American Boy is Both Humorous and Heartfelt
By Julie Sara Porter
Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: Sherman Alexie's National Book Award YA Novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian has the unfortunate and dubious distinction of having both book and author being banned and challenged at different times. The book has received accusations of “profanity, frank sexual discussions including masturbation, frequent alcoholism, and a negative portrayal of the home life of the Spokane Native American tribe.” (among other things) If this laundry list wasn't enough, in 2018 it's author, Sherman Alexie has been accused of sexual harassment by several women. These allegations caused many schools and libraries to cancel Alexie's scheduled readings and also caused Alexie to decline the Carnegie Award for his current release, You Don't Have To Say You Love Me: A Memoir and for the American Indian Library Association to rescind it's 2008 Award for Part-Time Indian.

While the former accusations are technically true, like many banned and challenged books, Part-Time Indian is so much more than what it's accusers believe it to be. More on that later.
Now for the latter accusation towards Sherman Alexie himself, I am a proud supporter of the Time's Up Movement and if these allegations against Alexie are true, they are certainly awful. He should avoid making public appearances for now since it will only make him, his audience  and accusers uncomfortable. Should his current books remain on shelves? I hope so for they still have something to say. However, it is up to the patron or customer whether they wish to borrow or buy them. Any future endeavors? Perhaps a cool-off period would be wise for some time until all legal issues are finished and then publishers etc. can do what they feel is right depending on the verdict and Alexie’s plea.

But what about The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian? An award winning well-written book that has been published and praised beginning a full ten years before these accusations came about? I have always believed that the artist should be separated from his or her work. There are plenty of good novels as well as films, shows, and other forms of art made by people who have done horrible things and were horrible people.
 With Mists of Avalon for instance, I admire Morgaine as one of my favorite female characters in literature. I cite the book as a prominent influence assisting me down my path as a Wiccan and a Feminist. However, I find Marion Zimmer Bradley's sexual abuse towards her daughter deplorable and inexcusable.

I feel the same way about Arnold Spirit Jr. Why should a bright, talented, funny protagonist get punished because his creator behaves terribly towards women? I say give Alexie the allegations and the trial, but leave Junior alone. He’s a great kid even if his author isn't.

It's not like Arnold Spirit Jr. doesn't have enough problems of his own which he deals with both humor and earnestness in this wonderful book that has the ability to make its Reader laugh or cry or do both.
14-year-old, Arnold Junior lives on the Spokane Reservation in which everyone he knows lives on or below the poverty line. He is no stranger to going to bed hungry and he has several relatives or friends’ relatives who are alcoholics.
His father is a depressed alcoholic who while doesn't beat him mercilessly like his friend, Rowdy's father does, disappears for days on end on a drunken binge. Jr.’s sister, Mary AKA Mary Runs Away is a high school graduate who has dropped out of life by just remaining in the family's basement in a deep depression.

Besides his family and social background, Junior’s health is a concern. He is a hydrocephalic, a condition which causes excess fluid in the brain. He is nearsighted in one eye and farsighted in the other so that causes him to wear thick large glasses. He is susceptible to seizures and speaks with both a stutter and a lisp. All of these problems give Junior permanent membership in, as he dubs it, “The-Black-Eye-Of-The-Month Club”, constant bullying by other kids and a pair of 30-year-old brothers who really should have something better to do than beat up a 14-year-old boy.

Any one of these problems would be enough to put most people into despair and a permanent state of depression. But Junior is able to challenge his life's difficulties with his sarcastic wit and talent for drawing.
Junior is often given to one-liners that often poke fun at himself and the people around him.

One passage at his grandmother's funeral displays Junior's wit perfectly. A white billionaire whom Junior recognizes as Ted gives a long clichéd speech about how he relates to the Indian culture and feels Indian in his bones. Junior merely rolls his eyes and privately riffs the guy’s attempts at humility. (“Do you know how many white strangers show up on Indian reservations every year and start telling Indians how much they love them? Thousands. It's sickening. And boring.”)

Besides his words, Junior's drawings reveal his true soul especially with his drive to become a cartoonist.
 The illustrations by Ellen Forney are the highlights of the book as they reveal Junior's thoughts and often make many good points in clever satiric ways.



For example, an illustration of Junior's parents is titled “What My Parents Would Have Been If Somebody Had Paid Attention To Their Dreams.” The pictures depicts Jr.’s mother as “Spokane Falls Community College Teacher of The Year 1992-1998” and his father as “The Fifth Best Jazz Sax Player West of the Mississippi.” (Complete with “a stylish bob from Vidal Sassoon for $50.00” for Mom and “a white dress shirt from KMart -cause he likes to 'keep it real,’” for Dad.) Illustrations like this show the humorous asides that Junior makes to try to make sense in a world where his parents have long ago given up on their dreams that were closed because of their race and socioeconomic status.

Besides Junior's sense of humor, another thing that pushes him along is his desire to move from the Reservation and see other places. On his first day at the Reservation high school, Junior becomes aware that the textbook that he is given is the same one his mother used-over 20 years ago. In a fury, he hurls the book at the front of the classroom. Instead of becoming angry, Junior's teacher sees a burning desire in the teenager to make something of himself. He also remembers that Junior's older sister, Mary, wanted to be a romance novelist and like everyone else including her parents gave up on her dream. The teacher recommends that Junior transfer to Reardon, the nearby mostly white school in which the only other Native American is the school mascot.

The transfer causes more problems for Junior to handle. The white kids treat him like he’s a strange sideshow attraction. People on the Reservation think Junior sold out and is acting white, particularly his best friend, Rowdy who gets into some violent fights with Junior.
 It is only when Junior gains some success on the school's basketball team and befriends a couple of outsiders in Reardon: Gary, the school nerd and Penelope, a  popular girl who is also bulimic, that he begins to adjust to his new surroundings.

Despite all of his troubles, Junior is aware that he has the love and support of his family. This is particularly shown when over the course of the book, Junior and his family attend three funerals, each one sadder than the last. Junior holds onto his mother and father, grateful that they love and support him. He also reflects about how many of the Reardon kids don't have a father or mother in the picture. Junior knows that despite the poverty and difficulties, the Reservation also includes family that are tied by love, blood, and support.

Like many banned and challenged books, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is greater than the accusations thrown at it. It is funny, moving, tragic, and is a truly memorable story of a boy who acknowledges, mocks, and embraces his family and heritage.