Sunday Salon: Copyright and Book Reviews

Do you ever omit direct quotations in your reviews due to copyright concerns? 

When I wrote my review this week of Dragon House, I changed tactics when I read the copyright statement and learned that, "no part of this publication may be reproduced." 

That seemed harsh. I wanted to get my review posted so I omitted all quotations.

I pulled several other books I'm planning to review and found the opposite in their copyright. For example, The Lunatic, The Lover, and The Poet allows for, "brief quotations embodied in critical reviews." Many of my other books have similar policies.

It feels good to me when an author or publisher specifically states that book reviewers may quote passages. I like that we were important enough to be included.

If you are reviewing a book that allows for no reproduction, do you omit passages in your reviews or include them anyway?

Wishing you Aloha from Kauai and a good week of reading.

Just finished: Walking the Gobi by Helen Thayer (review in process)

Currently reading: The Lunatic, The Lover, and The Poet by Myrlin A. Hermes

Booking Through Thursday: Plot Twists

Thursday's topic of discussion is,

"I love books with complicated plots and unexpected endings. What is your favourite book with a fantastic twist at the end?"

It's a funny coincidence that this question comes after my review yesterday of Dragon House. The lack of a complicated plot did not always hold my interest.

Maybe that's why I enjoy mysteries. Anyone else feel the same way?

My vote for the best book with twists and turns is by Jeffrey Cohen. The title is Some Like It Hot Buttered. The protagonist owns a movie theater which is perfect for a film buff like me.

When I thought the mystery had been solved there was still more to come. I loved it. It's been several years since I read this book but I remember it fondly. Perhaps I should dust off my copy and do a book review.

Any other Jeffrey Cohen fans?

Dragon House by John Shors

A Vietnam veteran dies before completing a center for homeless children in Ho Chi Minh City. Can his daughter, Iris, finish the task? Accompanying her is a childhood friend, Noah, who has lost his leg serving in Iraq. Will his bitterness end working with the children and can he reclaim the life he has lost? Minh and Mai,the two homeless children we meet,will they somehow find their way to this place of refuge and realize their dream of having a home? Then there is the evil Loc, who the children must pay to be safe. Does he get what he deserves in the end?

Dragon House is a story of hope, survival and coming to terms with the past. Set on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, the book follows the lives of street children and some good Samaritans who come to help them.

The strongest developed characters in the book are the children. I wanted to adopt them all. Perhaps in connecting with these characters, the author hopes it will inspire others to reach out and help.

The story follows a predictable path without many twists and turns. I found it hard to stay with the book because of this. From the start it was obvious where the novel was heading.

Even with a predictable plot the book raises questions about war and if the trillions of dollars spent on them would be better served helping the world's poor. Sometimes the author states his point when there is no need to. The lives of the characters speak for themselves and we can draw similar conclusions.

I think each reader will come away wanting to help children living in poverty. Perhaps that's the best achievement of all.

Have you read Dragon House? If so, please share your comments.

Rob's Grade: A B C D

More Dragon House Reviews:

Bibliophile By The Sea

(Note: I received a complimentary copy of Dragon House from the Library Thing Early Reviewers Program with the understanding I would write a review).

Dragon House by John Shors. Copyright 2009. New American Library. 354 pages. ISBN9780451227850.

Sunday Salon: Rambutan, Tea and Books

I know it's Monday but Sunday got away from me. Our 98 year old Auntie was released from the hospital six days ago and life is hectic. I'm thinking there must be a good book on care giving that I should read. If you have any ideas, let me know.

Rambutans are back in season on Kauai. This is one of my favorite winter fruits. Driving home from church I saw that Judy had opened her rambutan stand for the first time this year. I stopped and loaded up a bag for ten dollars.

Tea brings book lovers closer. This past week a book friend from Colorado was on Kauai. I invited her to my home for Afternoon Tea. We've never met before but have been participating in Paperback Swap's monthly tea exchange for the past three years. I think my homemade scones were a hit. If anyone wants the recipe just let me know.

Books In Progress. I finally finished Dragon House and will have a review up this week. Once it's published I won't be getting any more gentle reminders from Library Thing Early Reviews. Oh, to be guilt free.

Walking the Gobi by Helen Thayer is my current book. We're discussing it this Thursday at the Lihue Library. The book arrived Saturday and I'm really, really into it. Helen writes about her 81 day, 1,600 mile trek across Mongolia's Gobi Desert. I feel like I'm walking with her without dealing with the heat, sand in my face and smell of the camels.

I'm going to be on national radio this week! As I've mentioned before, I'm a travel writer specializing in Hawaii. Arthur and Pauline Frommer called today and want to interview us on their national radio show. We're taping this Thursday. I'll let you know when it airs.

Wishing you Aloha and a good book week.

GLBT Mini-Challenge for January: Importance

"They're saying that this (civil unions) is a civil rights issue. Martin Luther King was never able to change his color from black to white, but people have left the homosexual movement."**

This is a direct quote by JoAnne Georgi who is encouraging our lawmakers to vote against civil unions in Hawaii.

What Georgi fails to realize is that sexual orientation is hard wired in each of us. I don't wake up each morning and decide if it's going to be a gay or straight day for me. All of my days are gay and fulfilling. It's who I am.

GLBT literature is important because it helps people know us better and become less afraid. It also made a significant impact on my coming out as a gay man. Reading the personal experiences of people who walked a similar path in life gave me courage to be who I am.

I'll be posting more GLBT reviews soon. In the meantime be sure to join my contest for a free copy of, The Lunatic, The Lover and The Poet, by Myrlin A. Hermes. It's a new book in GLBT literature. Deadline to enter is February 14.

For more posts on the importance of GLBT literature, refer to the GLBT Reading Challenge website.

**Opening quotation from, "Kauai Reacts to Vote, by Michael Levine, The Garden Island Newspaper, Saturday, January 23, 2009.

Free Book: The Lunatic, The Lover and The Poet

I'm eagerly awaiting the release next week of The Lunatic, The Lover and The Poet by Myrlin A. Hermes. I've pre-ordered my copy from Barnes and Noble and would like to do the same for a reader of this blog.

If you'd like a chance to enter, just leave a comment on this post by 9:00pm (Hawaiian Standard Time), Sunday, February 14. This contest is open to readers everywhere.

Myrlin Hermes grew up on Maui and was one of the first people to leave a comment on my new blog. Here's what she had to say about her book:

"It's a prequel to Hamlet based on the premise that the prince was actually in love with Horatio, who narrates the tale. The plot is inspired by Shakespeare's sonnets.."

For more information, be sure to check out the book's Facebook page and blog.

The Sunday Salon: Trouble for eReaders?

Will eReaders like Kindle and Nook face the same fate that word processors did years ago? I'm thinking there's trouble ahead.

Just like PC's replaced the need to have a dedicated word processor, I think the new Apple Tablet is going to do the same for eReaders.

The Applet Tablet is similar in size to the Nook but offers a PC with Internet and phone. True, it will cost more. I'm betting $700.

So far I've resisted the urge to jump in on the Nook craze. I'm still reading print books. Maybe the Apple Tablet will change my mind.

What's your feeling on this?

Booking Through Thursday: To Flap Or Not

Thursday's topic of discussion is:

Do you read the inside flaps that describe a book before or while reading it?

The book jacket is going to make or break the sale with me. It's an important marketing tool. What I don't like is when the flap misrepresents the book. 

There are words on the flap that make me drool. Here are some of my recent buzz words that led to purchases or library holds: "Vermont," "English Countryside," "Bookshop," "Nile," "Muscular," okay, some weakness here, "Village" and "Bakery."

So, yes, I'm a flapper. If you are too, what buzz words whet your appetite?

Out In The Garden by Dean Riddle

Riddle's passion in life is creating beauty and simplicity both in the garden and out as a gay man.

I've found that owning too many things, period, is spiritually burdensome; it spoils the atmosphere of my goal." p.212

With folksy charm, Riddle shares his life journey centering around his Catskills home and garden.

"When I was making my first garden I felt something was being born that already existed. I felt like a sculptor, though I've never used a chisel in my life." p65

Riddle's love of gardening developed early in life in South Carolina. As a child he noticed that, "the world frowned on men who liked soft things." Riddle grew up feeling different from the other other boys and at age 23 concluded, "you are gay...you are fine."

During his career Riddle was turned down for a gardening assignment because the client did not want a gay man working for her. I loved his response back:

"I hope she has discovered that groves of gay people populate the world of gardens, gracing it nicely, much like the frisky fox gloves at the edge of her dark green forest." p136

Riddle is fully alive and present in the garden. It's "dead serious business," according to Riddle and represents his artistic expression.

If you've never stepped foot in a garden before, planted something into the earth, composted or spread manure in your flower beds, this book may be too much outdoor life to hold your interest.

The problem I have with the book is that it covers too many themes and doesn't feel balanced between them. Library of Congress for example, has cataloged the book under "Gardening" with no mention of Gay literature.

The book is beautifully illustrated by Jeffrey Fulvimari. His drawings fit the charm of the book and writing style of Riddle.

I'll leave you with one quote from the book that I treasure. While it represents Riddle's feeling about the need to start his own garden, it reminded me of how I felt before coming out as a gay man.

"I knew something inside of me was asleep, trying to wake up and live and grow, kick up its heels and dance." p64

Riddle found his passion in the garden, and in living a simple life with good friends and food. If I come back as a plant or flower in my next life, it would be a pleasure to be in his garden.

Rob's Grade: A B C D

(Note: This is my January review for the GLBT reading challenge. The book was purchased by me on Bookins).

Out In The Garden, by Dean Riddle, copyright 2002, Harper Collins, 245 pages, ISBN 0-06-018805-7. 

Sunday Salon: Dealing with Guilt

I keep getting messages from Library Thing that I owe them a book review. Several months ago they sent me a complimentary copy of Dragon House by John Shors for my opinion.

While I did sign up for their Early Reviewer program, their frequent reminders made me want to read the book even less. At the same time my Catholic guilt set in and I wanted to be free from the obligation.

The only thing left to do is pick up the book and read. After the first chapter last night I'm hooked on the story. That's a good feeling.

The main character (Iris) has decided to return to Vietnam and continue the work her father started. She's a book reviewer in Chicago (how perfect) and is taking with her a disabled Iraq veteran who is a friend from childhood. The opening scene with her father dying struck a chord. It was beautifully written and reminded my of how I felt a few months back when my Mom died.

If I get a chance today I'm going to finish my book review of Out in the Garden, by Dean Riddle. I love the play on words in the title. The author is gay and out in real life too.

How's your Sunday going? Do you ever resent feeling obligated to read a book?

Booking Through Thursday

Thursday's topic of discuss is:

What books did you get for Christmas (or whichever holiday you may have celebrated last month)? Do you usually ask for books on gift-giving occasions or do you prefer to buy them yourself?

I normally buy my own books but keep an active wishlist on Amazon and Paperback Swap for friends to use. (Memo to check after writing this post to make sure it's up to date). Reading interests are so personal I don't think I would ever buy a book for someone unless I knew it was truly wanted.

This year I received one book under my tree from a friend and fellow "book addict" in Pennsylvania. We "met" several years ago in the tea swap game on Paperback Swap. Each month members exchange tea and fellowship.

Charlie and I have a tradition to choose a book off of each others list for Christmas. This year he sent me, The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food, by Jennifer 8 Lee. If you follow the link it will take you to the book's blog site.

The author writes to, "understand Chinese food and the people who make it." My partner Jeff is a chef and I know he'll enjoy reading this book too.

What book was under your tree or menorah? I look forward to hearing from you.

Typically British for 2010: A Reading Challenge

I love Britain so this challenge is my cup of tea. My former mother-in-law was a Londoner and introduced me to all things British. It's in honor of her that I still have afternoon tea.

I remember being in a Pub with her when she told me to ask the burly guy at the counter for a "Spotted dick." It took a lot of coaxing until I reluctantly went up to him. My first thought was that I may not be walking right later. I'm still here and the Spotted dick* he handed me was a delicious dessert.

Since I'm trying to clear my library clutter this year, I went through my stacks to find works of fiction for this challenge that were first published in Great Britain. I found four books which will qualify me for "Gordon Bennett" standing.

The Book Stops Here by Ian Sansom

Oscar Wilde and a Death of No Importance by Gyles Brandreth

The Lambs of London by Peter Ackroyd

Hello, Darling, Are You Working? by Rupert Everett

Thanks to Book Chick City for hosting this challenge.

*Spotted dick is a steamed suet pudding with currants and served with custard.

Musing Mondays: Reading Resolutions and Goals

The Monday topic this week is: With the New Year here already, do you have any reading resolutions or goals (challenges aside) for 2010? Perhaps a new author? Genre? Want to read more non-fiction? Write more reviews?

My reading resolution is to enjoy the home library I have and read from my shelves. I'm going to do my best to reduce the number of books I buy. This means being careful when shopping on-line and in bookstores.

Whenever I think of buying a book in 2010, I plan to check to see if my public library has a copy. Here in Hawaii there are over 50 libraries and they are all connected. Chances are that one of them will have what I want.

In December I had a rough go when Barnes and Noble offered free shipping on purchases of $10 or more. That was way too convenient and easy (although very nice).

My other resolution is to read faster and write one review a week. If you don't see a review you can help by sending me a reminder. Your support helps!

(Musing Mondays is hosted weekly by Rebecca at Just One More Page).

My GLBT Reading Challenge for 2010

I have many books on my shelf (unread) that fall under the gay literature heading. This year I've decided to read and review one each month as part of the GLBT Reading Challenge. I'll do my best to find books that inspire and enlighten.

By reviewing twelve books in this category I'll qualify for Rainbow status. Very appropriate for someone living in Hawaii.

First up in January is Out In The Garden by Dean Riddle. According to the book jacket, the author dispenses hands-on gardening advice and talks about growing up gay in South Carolina.

February's pick will be Hit By A Farm: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love The Barn, by Catherine Friend. This follows the adventures of a lesbian couple new to farming.

Shakespeare's Sonnets by Samuel Park will be my March title. Set at Harvard in the 1940's, the book follows a scholarship student in love with poetry, with being gay, and with stirring up trouble. I'm looking forward to seeing how Shakespeare is involved.

What happens after March? Stay tuned and I'll post more titles as I find them in my library.

Thanks to Amanda at The Zen Leaf and to Jen for organizing this challenge.

Be sure to comment along the way and join the discussion.

Favorite Bookmark, January 2010

My January bookmark pick is made from recycled tea bags. It's hand painted by an artist in South Africa as part of the Original T Bag Design project. This organization provides income to 124 people.

Their motto: "When Life Gives You Tea Bags, Make Art."

A Paperback Swap friend gave this to me in a holiday game. I liked it so much that I decided to turn the bookmark into a Christmas tree ornament.

Which brings me to my tree. It's still up on January 1 but today I'll begin the process of packaging the 500 plus ornaments for another year. The longest I've left a tree up is February. I hate for the holiday season to end. Maybe after the tree is put away I'll head to the beach for a long swim.

As we begin the New Year 2010, I wish all of you the best in life and plenty of good books to make the journey one to remember.

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!