Sunday, October 14, 2007

The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World

My first foray into young adult literature in years was pretty successful but I've decided not to give this book a rating since using the current ratings system it would be competing against the likes of Gabriel Garcia Márquez and Richard Russo and John Updike and Cormac McCarthy. And as enjoyable as the book was, it just doesn't seem fair to compare it using the same scale as I did for the aforementioned authors. Anyway, I hope to occasionally pick up a book that will be added to the Resident Alien's library that I can easily enjoy while caring for my newborn. E.L. Konigsburg, you might recognize her from From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, weaves the tale of rich, young Amedeo Kaplan who befriends an aging neighbor and is taken on a historical journey to personal revelation. This book joins Hoot and Holes. Three books down, a gazillion more to go.

3 comments:

Cathy said...

Okay-
I can jump in with the youth book conversations! I loved my children's lit. class in college and enjoy picking out books for my older nieces and nephews. (and I also love children's books.) Anyway, one of my favorites is The Phantom Tollbooth. If you haven't read it yet get it from your library and read it quick (before R.A.) comes. I still pick it up once in awhile. And since I'm not very good at writing reviews, here's what Amazon had to say about it, "As Milo heads toward Dictionopolis he meets with the Whether Man ("for after all it's more important to know whether there will be weather than what the weather will be"), passes through The Doldrums (populated by Lethargarians), and picks up a watchdog named Tock (who has a giant alarm clock for a body). The brilliant satire and double entendre intensifies in the Word Market, where after a brief scuffle with Officer Short Shrift, Milo and Tock set off toward the Mountains of Ignorance to rescue the twin Princesses, Rhyme and Reason. Anyone with an appreciation for language, irony, or Alice in Wonderland-style adventure will adore this book for years on end."

Elizabeth Prata said...

good luck!!! Are you officially overdue?

Christie said...

Thanks. I will be officially - in my book anyway - overdue in 3 hours, 50 minutes.