Book Review: Fox 8 (illustrated short novel) by George Saunders

This 49-page illustrated short novel packs a powerful punch.

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I purchased my copy from Bolen Books

Illustrated by Chelsea Cardinal
Published by Random House,

an imprint and division of Penguin Random House

Published in 2018

On the surface Fox 8 is a cute story--I laughed out loud (I haven't laughed while reading in a long time)--about a fox who becomes enamored by the human culture and teaches himself how to talk and write human.

Dig deeper...

George Saunders has won many awards for his writing, including the Man Booker.  In the hands of this skilled author, Fox 8 is an allegory. Fox 8 is an entreaty from a member of a disenfranchised group.

'First may I say, sorry for any werds I spel rong. Because I am a Fox. So don't rite or spel perfect.' (p. 3)

I identify with these words. 

-I have dyslexia. Learning to read and spell was challenging. I still have challenges with language.


And yet, in many ways, I'm also a member of a privileged group--I'm a white North American. I have a roof over my head, food in my fridge, potable water runs out of my taps, there's money in my purse.

How can I be more compassionate, more understanding?

Night after night, Fox 8 sits outside under the window as a human mother tells her children bedtime stories. And night after night, he slowly learns the language. 

Once obtaining mastery, he attempts to use his new skills to help his pack adapt to the ever-encroaching human culture. But, after witnessing unexpected cruelty, he is forced to leave all he has known and begin a new. 

Wrapped in a charming package, Fox 8 compels us to take a cold hard look at ourselves--how do we treat those we consider "other"?

More...

About George Saunders

Imagine learning how to write short stories from George Saunders at Syracuse University.

Next Sunday Evening on this blog...

How a writer sleeps (short story) 

Soundly? Do we toss and turn? Do we answer that phone? Or let it ring? Who wakes us up too early in the morning? Who do we rise for--no matter the hour?

Book Review: The Birth House by Ami McKay (historical fiction)

A sturdy square oak rocking chair with a padded seat and back took pride of place in my grandparents' living room. The plaque, engraved in Icelandic, held words of thanks from a grateful community to its midwife--my great grandmother. 
In 2007, when I traveled to Iceland, I learned that my great grandmother had studied--much like a doctor or nurse- the healing science in Akureyri (a seaside city in northern Iceland) before she immigrated to Lundar, Mantioba, Canada in the late 1887.

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I purchased my copy from my local bookstore--Books on Mayne

Published by Vintage Canada, a division of Random House of Canada

Published in 2006

Set on Canada's east coast, The Birth House chronicles the life of Dora Rare. Dora comes of age, tagging after her brothers, during the First World War. Marie Babineau--Miss B--admires Dora's strength of character and teaches her the ancient healing science of midwifery. 

There is much to admire about this well-crafted book:  the poetic language, the captivating plot, the immersive historical backdrop, the characters that breath on the page, the...

'The Birth House also includes many design elements within the text of the book, including advertisements, invitations, old news clippings and an herbal notebook--all circa World War I.' -Ami McKay

Letters also help to bring the story to life. Unfortunately, one letter is dated 'August 11, 1918' (p. 307) and the reply is dated 'August 12, 1918' (p. 308) It would have taken more than a day for this exchange--especially in 1918.

Favourite quote... 

'I know him, have always known him. Same as I know he doesn't like too much sugar, not in his coffee, not in a girl... Same as I know that tonight at midnight or half past one or whenever he sees that the rest of the Bay is asleep, [he] will make his way up the road to Spider Hill and lay his body next to mine again.' (p. 355)

More...

Behind the scenes:  The Birth House (scroll to the bottom of the page)

Ami McKay writes about 'strong women doing remarkable things.' Please visit McKay's website.

Next post...

Sunday, December 16
5 PM PT (approximately)
Book Review:  Motherhood by Sheila Heti

What to read after reading The Birth House? 
Motherhood by Sheila Heti seemed the logical choice. Both books explore the role of women in society, both share a common theme--motherhood, both step outside the norm of the conventional book, both conclude... Ah, but to tell you more would spoil the suspense of waiting for my review.

Book Review: Independent People (an Icelandic classic) by Halldor Laxness

Knowing that my mom's people came from Iceland, a friend lent me her copy of...

"an Icelandic classic" ldyck

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first published (in two volumes) in 1934-1935

first published in Great Britain in 1945

paperback published in 2001 

by The Harvill Press an imprint of Random House

Set in rural Iceland before, during, and after World War I, Independent People follows Bjartur of Summerhouses', a sheep farmer, struggle for independence.

Bjartur of Summerhouses:  ' "People who aren't independent aren't people. A man who isn't his own master is as bad as man without a dog." ' (p. 41)

Fell King:  ' "The love of freedom and independence has always been a characteristic of the Icelandic people. Iceland was originally colonised by freeborn chieftains who would rather live and die in isolation than serve a foreign king." ' (p. 79)

This epic tale transcends the written word. Told in the old way, at night, around a campfire, you carefully listen to the storyteller. The story demands your attention.

'Poetry...shows us the lot of man so truthfully and so sympathecially and with so much love for that which is good that we ourselves become better persons and understand life more fully than before, and hope and trust that good may always prevail in the life of man.' (p. 244)

Bjartur fails to achieve his goal of financial independence, but, in the final pages, he learns that there's something more important--being connected to family.

 More...

'If you look at novels from a couple of centuries back, they are full of description, because novel writing evolved from storytelling. Modern readers consider that sort of lengthy description an intrusion by the author and an impediment to the flow of the story.' 

Gordon Long, 6 Key Differences Between Storytelling and Writing

"writers at the workshop" ldyck

Next post:  Sunday, June 24 (approximately 5 PM PST)

On June 8, Author Susin Neilsen visited the Mayne Island library and she... Well, you'll read all about her writers' workshop and author talk next Sunday.

"Abby at one of her favourite places" ldyck

Sharing my author journey...

Book review: Nation by Terry Pratchett (YA novel)

Published on 2008

by Doubleday

an imprint of Random House Children's books

in Great Britain

In the quake of a tsunami, two teenagers are left to rebuild the Nation. Mau is an islander. 'Daphne', 'ghost girl', 'Ermintrude' an upper-class cast-away. The culture clashes are simultaneously entertaining and thought-provoking. Mau isn't nieve and Daphne isn't all-powerful. It's a coming together to share knowledge and develop skills for mutual benefit.

Favourite quotes...

An islander:  ' "Imo [god of creation] made them [trousermen] first, when He was learning but He did not leave them long enough in the sun. And you will learn that they are so proud they cover themselves in the sun. They really are very stupid, too." ' (p. 111)

The priest:  ' "[T]he difference between the trousermen and the Raiders is that sooner or later the cannibals go away!"
"That's a terrible thing to say!" said Daphne hotly. "We don't eat people."
"There are different ways to eat people, girl, and you are clever, oh yes, clever enough to know it. And sometimes the people don't realize it's happened until they hear the belch." ' (p. 256)

Daphne and her father talking about the island...
Father:  "It's a long way from anywhere important, though."
Daphne:  "No, Papa. This is the important place. It's everywhere else that is a long way away." (p. 364)

What to read next?

Was Nation influenced by Robinson Crusoe? The thought prompted me to find my copy of the classic. I began to read but it begins with backstory--an old way of beginning a yarn. It didn't hold my interest. And I worried about the effect it would have on my writing. Everything I read shapes my writing. I put the book down and picked up...

Yiddish for Pirates by Gary Barwin

The connection to Nation:  a parrot. In the Nation, a parrot makes brief comic appearances. An African Grey named Aaron narrates Yiddish for Pirates. Aaron guides the reader through adventures on land and sea as he shares history lessons, Jewish culture, and love of literature.

Moishe 'recalled his father telling him that Jews were "the people of the book"--books were akin to blood, something that allowed them to live forever.' (p. 54)

Book Review: Cider House Rules by John Irving

From Life According to Garp to A Prayer for Owen Meany, I've loved John Irving's twisted sense of the world. And so it was only a matter of time until I meet and fell in love with Homer Wells (the protagonist of The Cider House Rules). 

Publishing date:  December 1993
Published by:  The Ballantine Publishing Group (an imprint of Random House)

Buy this book

My attempt to summarize the plot:  Boy is born in orphanage. Boy tries to be adopted -- fails three times. Boy finally leaves orphanage. Boy returns to orphanage.

Homer Wells, twenty-one, breathing in the steam from the hot tea; was waiting for his life to begin (p. 303)

My attempt to summarize what this book is about:  In one word -- waiting. The orphans are waiting to be adopted. Homer is waiting to begin his life. Wally is waiting for the war to start. Dr. Larch is waiting to see what the new board will do to the orphanage. The fruit pickers are waiting to pick apples. Candy is waiting to see if she will become Wally's bride or...

Yet it's so much more. It's a 'big idea' book...

Dr. Larch about Nurse Caroline...

He had heard her say, so many times, that a society that approved of making abortion illegal was a society that approved of violence against women... He had heard her say so many times, that abortions were not only a personal freedom of choice but also a responsibility of the state--to provide them. (p. 473)

Dr. Larch...

Always, in the background of his mind, there was a newborn baby crying... And they were not crying to be born, he knew; the were crying because they were born.

Why The Cider House Rules? What does this book have to say about rules?...

Homer:    "Some rules are good rules... But some rules are just rules. You just got to break them carefully." (p. 467)

Dr. Larch:  "I have no quarrel with anyone at prayer... It's when you start making rules." (p. 472)

Nurse Caroline:  "It's because even a good man can't always be right that we need a society, that we need certain rules -- call them priorities." (p. 473) 

Bottom line:  The Cider House Rules is a feel good book. And in my books, that makes it a perfect December read.

More...

On Tuesday evening December 1st, I, like all the other members of the audience, rested comfortably in palm of Mr. Irving's hand. He charmed us; he enlightened us; he made us laugh; he made us think. What was of most interest to me was what he said about how he writes. Here's what I heard...
-his books are ending driven. He doesn't begin a project until he has written the ending and several sentences leading up to it.
-he writes with his audience in mind; he believes in characters; he believes in plot.
-momentum for the story comes from his interest in creating challenges for his characters
-he wants to create characters that his readers will fall in like/love with and worry about.
-his writing is influenced by very old sources -- Shakespeare and 19th century novels
-he always writes about what he fears will happen
-he didn't become a full-time author until his fourth novel.
He asked us, "What type of practice does a doctor or lawyer have if they only practice two hours a day?"
By the time he wrote Cider House Rules (his 6th novel), he had learnt how to write 8 hours a day/seven days a week. He said that the key to writing a well-crafted book is to write slowly.

Next post:  Christa got an education when she submitted her story to a publisher. Now she has some advice for you.

Sharing my author journey...

Me:  Last week, I was thrilled to receive a rejection letter.
You:  You were what? Thrilled? Why?
Me:  I'll explain...