What I'm Reading Now - Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Yes, we've talked before about my penchant for reading, and loving, Young Adult novels. So it's not too much of a surprise that my latest read is a highly regarded YA novel with the wordy title "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe," by Benjamin Alire Saenz. Like every other section of the library, the YA section has a few good books, a bunch of mediocre books and a few really horrid books that make you wonder how they ever were published to begin with. Knowing that, I try not to grab too many from the shelf without researching them a bit on the interwebs. When it comes to YA, even more so than adult books, the award-winners and top-reviewed books are almost always well written, fun and memorable. I find the top reviewed adult books to be more hit or miss on the fun and memorable scale.

Not to mention, the Wikipedia entry for ADDSU taught me a new word: Bidungsroman! Can't wait to use that one in everyday conversation.

And I'm Done Update:

This is a wonderful story of a budding relationship between two teen boys in 1987 El Paso. Saenz is unlike most YA storytellers, in that he paces the tale in a calm voice and lets his characters take center stage. Saenz watches them grow slowly throughout the story, never rushing it. While there is action, the driving force behind ADDSU is the main character Ari's struggles to understand the world around him. And then to understand the world inside him. There were more than a couple times when Ari's confusion with the world and his coping strategy of retreating into his own noisy thoughts reminded me of a teen boy I knew back in the 80's.

It's a powerful story. Nicely told.

Yes, I'm 46 Years Old and I Read Young Adult Novels

Not only that, but some of my favorite novels of the last ten years are young adult novels.

And apparently, I'm not the only one. Here's Jen Doll writing about her young adult novel addiction on Vulture.

Why? Well, first, let me make it very clear: I read Young Adult novels because there are fantastic authors working in that genre. It's that simple. There are other reasons, that I'll get to later, but the main reason is there are wonderful YA books out there. Perhaps we can all thank JK Rowling and Harry Potter for bringing the masses to the Young Adult sections of the bookstore and library. Since the first Harry Potter novel was published back in 1997, authors both new and established have realized that they can sell books in the YA category. And the talent has moved there.

Of course, the other reason I love YA novels is that's where the action is! Sorry adults, but for the most part, you're boring. That decade or so from middle school through college...wow, what incredible years those are. Both good and bad. The emotions and experiences of those years; nothing else can compare to it. Your first kiss, your first love, your first heartbreak, best friends, worst enemies. First experience with death, with sex, with driving, with living on your own. The agony and ecstasy of puberty. Wishing everyone would just leave you alone...and wondering why no one will pay attention to you.

It's no wonder authors love to write about that time. There's so much to be said.

If you're looking for a few good YA books to see if you too appreciate it like I do, or if you already know you love it and just need new recommendations, here are a few I've read recently:

-Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher / I'm actually in the middle of this one right now. Just brutal. The story of a high school girl named Hannah Baker who committed suicide. Hannah tells most of this story herself. It's heartbreaking. This one will make you think back to your own high school years and wonder, "what did I do...and what were the effects of my actions."

-The Fault in Our Stars by John Green / I've written about this one already. One of the most wonderful, life-affirming books about cancer, and ultimately death, you'll ever read. I can't recommend this one highly enough.

-The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky / The story of, yes, a wallflower, and his rough journey through high school. This book is written mostly as letters from the main character, Charlie, to an unknown person and can be a bit hard to get into because of the format. I found the movie, directed by the book's author, to be better - you won't hear me say that often.

-Wonder by R.J. Palacio / You think you had it tough in middle school? You don't know tough. The story of August Pullman, a fifth grader with drastic facial deformities. Sounds a bit like an after-school special, but this one is very well-written, using multiple narrators to show how one person can change many lives.

-Winger by Andrew Smith / Wow. Just wow. This one is extremely funny, but heart breaking as well. Pick this one up first thing.

-The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider / This one did not end the way I wanted it to, but hey, that sometimes happens in life, right? This is the story of Ezra Faulkner and how a horrible car accident turned his high school life upside down...but brought Cassidy Thorpe into it. High school love...is there anything else like it?

Gotta go read. Talk to you soon.

Silver Linings Playbook - A Novel

You know...a book. Not a movie. Yes, I realize there is a movie, but we're going to talk about the book (but to show that I am a guy and am not completely unaware of the movie's charms, I will post a few photos of Jennifer Lawrence as well.)



OK, now that you've got that out of your system, let's talk about the book. I realize some of you may not even realize Silver Linings Playbook is a book. The movie got a lot of pub and won a lot of awards, plus the book is five years old now.

So just let me say this, whether you've seen the movie or not, please pick up this fantastic book immediately.

Matthew Quick has penned an amazing tale of people, and mental illness, and loss, and people, and sports, and family, and people, and the EAGLES! If you've read the book, you know what I'm talking about..."AHHHHHHHHHHHHH..."

The main characters here: Pat and Tiffany, are about as odd a couple as you'll ever find in literature and yet they both seem very real. Very, very flawed and real. Throw in Pat's Dad, who will be familiar to anyone that has grown up in a family obsessed with sport, Pat's Mom, his family and friends, his therapist...and Kenny G (the evil Kenny G) and you've got quite a cast of characters.

Silver Linings Playbook is one of those rare, wonderful books in which the very act of reading through the pages makes you want to be a better person. It makes you want to stand up for other people - people that are like you, and unlike you. Through Pat's eyes, you see the world in a different way, and want to treat those in it differently.

It's just wonderful.

Check out Matthew Quick's very 90's-looking website here. And read up on his young-adult novels, which have all won quite a bit of acclaim as well.

Please head over to Amazon, or your local library and grab this novel right now. Tell them Hank Baskett sent you.

(And yes, I know the movie comes out on dvd in like a week - read the book first!)

Book of 2012 - The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Seems odd that I'd finish reading my pick for book of the year for 2012 on January 6th, 2013, but there you go.

Let me just say this: if you have not read The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green, yet, please stop reading this blog immediately and go pick up a copy...I'll wait.

Hold on...I don't think everyone is finished reading yet...

OK. That was amazing, right?

I'm hardly the first to heap praise on this novel. After all, TIME Magazine named it the #1 fiction book of 2012. It also sold out its 150,000 first printing after Green promised he'd sign every single copy with the Sharpie color of your choice. Still, I was totally unprepared for the feelings this book brought out from me. It's been a while since I was moved to tears from a book, but the characters here - Hazel, Augustus, and Isaac - had me outright crying. And not just once.

But don't think this is a book of sadness and pain. Well, it is, but it's also a book about life and how to be remembered. By someone. By anyone.

It is, more than anything else, a book to make you consider your own life. Why are you here? Will you be remembered? Will your life matter?

I simply can't recommend this book highly enough. Read it now.

"I'm on a roller coaster that only goes up, my friend."

Less than a week to Nanowrimo!

Yes, we are officially less than a week away from the start of Nanowrimo. Interested in writing a 50,000 word novel in the month of November? Well, head over here and get signed up.

I've got lots of ideas running through my head...check out my novel here.

Should be fun.

Let's write!

The Invention of Hugo Cabret...a Must Read!

And a must see!

First, thanks to my brother, who presented The Invention of Hugo Cabret to my son a year ago for Christmas. The book is a wonder; a masterpiece concoction of writing and illustration.

I should have realized that it was ready-made for the transition to the big screen. Martin Scorsese, of all people, took his talents and applied them to this magnificent story and the result is easily the best film I've seen this year. And many critics agree.

The movie is powerful and touching. And the 3-D is fabulous - well worth the extra few dollars.

This is the movie you should be going to see with your entire family before the holidays are over. You won't regret it - and it just wouldn't be the same on the small TV screen at home.

Then, on your way home from the theater, with the glow of the movie still in you, don't forget to stop off and pick up the book.

Where have all the writers gone?

Yes, I know the blog has been pretty slow lately, but I'm trying to write this Nanowrimo novel, you see. Don't worry, I'll still get the race calendars up, but probably not much else for November.

Although I do have something to discuss today! What's with all the talented writers dropping down into the young adult ranks? Are the publisher's just desperate to find the next Harry Potter? Surely there's no more money in the Young Adult and Children's market than there is in the Adult market...is there?

Two of my all-time favorites are doing a LOT of this, to the point where they barely write adult novels anymore. Yes, I'm talking to you Pete Hautman and Rick Riordan. Others trying their hand at young adult novels are Ridley Pearson, Dave Barry and Carl Hiaasen. What the heck is going on?

Why I remember when I was a kid...you had to go straight from Encyclopedia Brown to Stephen King with no stops in between. If that was good enough for us, then why do these modern kids get all these quality writers working just for them?!

You damn kids! Get off my lawn!