The Poet Game by Salar Abdoh

What the *bleep* did I just read? This was definitely not my genre as far as books go, so there was that...And then it was written in a very casual, assume-you-can-pick-up-what's-going-on-as-stuff-happens way, so that wasn't helpful...And I just kept thinking, "This is so not real!"

I understand that intelligence agencies and counter agencies and rogue groups exist…I understand that their operatives are likely to try to infiltrate each others' groups to obtain better information...But I doubt that these operatives are flopping around like fish on the sand, given no information about their assignments and told to gather and report back. And I doubt that they're off randomly running into raunchy women and having pseudo-sexual experiences with strangers.

This is one of those novels that I just DON'T GET. So if you think an enigmatic, self-absorbed, Spooks-like novel of Muslim intrigue in New York sounds like fun, read this book. If you are thinking, "Dear god, could something be more enigmatic or self-absorbed than Spooks?!" DO NOT READ THIS BOOK. I really did not think anything could be more Spooks-like than Spooks. I was wrong.

~5/10~

DIY Cocktails by Marcia Simmons and Jonas Halpren

I am really tired, so I won't be saying much about today's book, other than that it is rock solid and spot on! Cocktails for Idiots! Seriously, though, if you read this and follow their guidelines for the basic versions of the cocktails, they're basically idiot-proof. It's when you start to get fancy that you're taking the life of your taste buds in your hands…

I do think this is a good beginner's book in a lot of ways. It explains, very conversationally, what differences in supplies are, for instance. However, I don't think they need quite so many cocktail recipes--for the beginners, they muddle things up a bit (pun intended), and for the more seasoned cocktailer, the explanations and basic recipes clutter the more interesting recipes. They would have done better (and sold twice as many books) to make it a two-part series. Book 1: Cocktail Basics. Book 2: Fun Cocktail Recipes.

I will leave it up to you--try this guide out and see if you like it!

~6/10~

My Wicked Wicked Ways by Sandra Cisneros

Sandra Cisneros wrote one of the few pieces of modern literature that we studied in high school that I actually LOVED, The House on Mango Street. So finding some of her poetry at the library was exciting.

This collection of poems that she wrote in the 70s reflects the roller coaster of emotions, events, and passionate love affairs that she had in her twenties. Or, as she puts it in her introductory poem, "these are the pearls from that ten-year itch, my jewels, my colicky kids who fussed and kept me up the wicked nights when all I wanted was . . ."

Talk about dot-dot-dot. Ellipses with power!

Sandra Cisneros' writing exudes power. And I never realized until now how fiercely independent she was when it came to men. Not that she shunned them, but these poems speak to her preference to engage in these passionate love affairs that sweep you up and away until the wind goes out of their sails (at which point, well, what's the point anymore?) rather than "settling down" and committing to sharing yourself with another person forever. I shudder to think what we would have lost if she had settled down--what writings would have never come to pass?

I also never knew how much time she spent in Europe. This collection really inspires you to want to grab life by the *ahem* and have grand adventures. Go travel! Go love! Go celebrate!

To be fair to the author's intent, not all of these are positive, adventurous poems; several of them are quite the opposite, depicting people trapped in unhappy circumstances. Cisneros doesn't turn a blind eye to the hardships of life. But she does contrast them beautifully with the adventures to show you that life is all things--good and bad. The point is to live!

Who knows if what I'm taking away is a reflection of her intent…But I was moved by these poems and highly recommend them to others!

~9/10~

Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris

Well, I promised and now I have to deliver. Unfortunately, Clybourne Park, rather than leaving me awed, left me feeling creepily unsettled. I much preferred the inspiration of intrepid souls overcoming obstacles in A Raisin in the Sun than the insipid, very direct fighting about whether people and their actions are bigoted or perpetuating institutionalized racism.

This play continues the exploration of race and class and housing issues begun in A Raisin in the Sun. The first half shows you the story of the white family who decided to sell their house to the black family in the 50s and the second half is about the subsequent white "gentrification" of the area in the 00s.

I really didn't enjoy reading the snappy dialogue--I'm sure it's much more "natural" when acted out in front of you, but I felt the words carried less weight for being flung about. I also felt that there was too much disconnect between the characters. The whole play just dripped acid.

I prefer to believe that groundbreaking plays should leave you with positive or inspirational feelings. This is not to say that they should depict the world through rose-colored glasses, but they should show you how to fix problems, and not just carp about them. For instance, I can complain all day about being a woman, but would you pay to see a show like that?

Okay, fine, many people have, but cynicism and rancor just breeds more cynicism and rancor. If I propose a show about my struggle against a sexist system to rise up in the ranks of a male-dominated company and become a highly paid, well-respected professional, now, doesn't that sound like something you would much rather pay to see? You're nodding your head--or if you aren't, you should be. Positivity! Inspiration! This is what I expected from a Pulitzer-prize-winning play!

I was let down. And I'm irked that the main idea for Norris' play came from another (superior) work--I don't think we ought to praise someone so much for creating something so intentionally derivative. Not even derivative, but piggybacking! Newsflash: Educated white male sees opportunity for success, capitalizes on groundbreaking work of black female. (Who, by the way, died of cancer in her 30s--yeah, that's right, I'm playing the cancer card!) Clearly all's well on Broadway.

I will begrudgingly say that this is probably worth reading, although I think it is a poor example of constructive conversations about privilege, race, and class (mostly due to lack of any kind of positive conversation model).

~7/10~

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

I have read very few plays that made me sit back in awe at the end the way that this play did. Usually when written down, plays lose some of their power, but DAMN! I am in awe of what such a seemingly simple three-act piece was able to accomplish.

Simple, because really, this is a play about a family that grumbles a bit when together--don't we all--but when dealing with outsiders, sticks together and sticks up for one another. This is a play about an unexpected gift providing you with the ability to live out a dream. This is a play about some people just being who they are and others wanting more. And these simple things coalesced to accomplish so much.

And I'm not even talking about politics or civil rights. In these areas alone, yes, this was (and, sadly, continues to be) a groundbreaking play. But even just the intensity of human emotion and these universal situations that allow you, no matter who you are, to connect with the characters…This is what playwriting should always be about.

And yes, I did just end a sentence with a preposition. That's how much I loved this play!

Stay tuned for when I read Pulitzer Prize-winning Clybourne Park. (Does anyone know what beat A Raisin in the Sun for Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1960? I'll give you a hint--it's one of only eight musicals to have ever won a Pulitzer and it's nowhere near as good as this.)

~10/10~

Wind Song by Carl Sandburg

This collection of Carl Sandburg poetry was published near the end of his life. I believe most of the poems in the book were first published in other publications or books, but that doesn't make them any less powerful when tied together in this one.

Really, Wind Song depicts for you the wonderful, mostly rural world of Middle America. Sandburg's poems tend not to be antagonistic or overtly political in nature, which is probably why he is known as an icon of American literature. His note in the beginning of the book says it all--treasure the poems that speak to you and feel free to disregard the rest.

I myself am partial to poems that contain direct messages. "Little Girl, Be Careful What You Say" is a good example of how some of the poems included dispense wisdom to the reader. I think the message, "be careful, be careless, be careful, be what you wish to be" speaks volumes. Act however you wish to be perceived by others.

"Mother and Child" also struck a tone with me. I feel like it captures so well the love a mother has for her children and behind that, although these aren't explicitly addressed, the hidden worries. A mother doesn't just love her child for who the child is, but for who they are going to become. And you can tie that to just about anything--politics, for example: you may love your country, but even more than that, you probably love the future you hope will come to pass as laws and social norms change (read: improve) in your lifetime.

Of the rest of the poetry that describes Middle American culture, I will say nothing, other than that it speaks for itself and that nothing has really changed in 50+ years.

~6/10~

The Essential Scratch & Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert by Richard Betts

I saw this in a bookstore and thought, "No way that actually works!" The book is literally a scratch 'n' sniff guide to all wine-related smells. Betts' whole schtick, a very common one for American vintners and wine experts, is that anyone can be a "wine expert." They say this because they know it helps them make more money.

So naturally scratch 'n' sniff was the next step in that marketing scheme.

I do not have a sensitive schnoz, so although I was able to smell all the scratchy smells, I could already tell that I would have difficulty separating the smells of a glass of vino. But the book still had some relevant information.

I was pleasantly surprised by the chart at the end. Using the written guide, I imagined what I wanted to taste and it actually matched up with the resulting wine suggestion. So maybe I "know" what the smells are supposed to smell like in wine even if I can't separate those smells out individually.

Would be a good gag gift book to get on sale…Other than that, I'm not sure if it's worth it.

~5/10~