Portrait of an Unknown Woman

Portrait of an Unknown Woman, by Venora Bennett

This historical fiction is set during the time of Henry VIII, but reads like it should be an episode on The Tudors. An interesting tale about discovering those that surround you on a more deeper level, whether or like what you find or not, this is definitely a great book by a brilliant author.

Meg is an adoptive daughter of Sir Thomas More, and she is the steady narrator through such uneven times. Religion is changing for England and King Henry is planning to divorce his wife, even leave the church if necessary, in order to marry Anne Boelyn. From Meg's eyes readers get to see how the family is being affected in such hard times when she has a father who deals too harshly with heretics and a husband who keeps secrets from her. When a painter named Hans Holbein enters the family drama in order to do a simple family portrait, he stays tangled within the workings of the More family. He has a keen eye for detail that lets him learn more than most. His scenes are always interesting as readers see the character grow over the years to become a better painter and get more crafty at hiding secret meanings inside his paintings. There are many secrets in this novel, some to do with unwanted pregnancy, some to do with punishing heretics, and others to do with hidden identities that may end up ruining King Henry’s legitimacy to the crown. Meg surely has her struggles cut out for her with a painter in love with her, a father she loves but does not agree with, and a husband who may be the key to changing everything in these dark times.

Being historical fiction, this novel definitely stresses the fiction. Based on real characters and some real events, it must be remembered that the majority of these events did not happen, but oh would it be amazing if they did. Henry VIII and Sir Thomas More are real characters, as is the adoptive daughter Meg Clements, but who I was surprised to find as real was Hans Holbein. His scenes were my favorite when he is given the chance to narrate what is going on in his head, but most interestingly while painting. His thought process for a painting is fascinating because he is constantly trying to figure out ways to sneak hidden truths into them. I find this fascinating.

This is a good book, but just from my previous experience, I might say that more females will enjoy this book than males. There is stuff for males inside the novel, but the title, the cover and the time period might scare them away. I would definitely recommend this book, but only to a certain type of reader who is interested in this era or at least knows something about the time. Otherwise, I think a reader might find themselves lost, however, I only havea minimal knowledge and was able to do just fine.

“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” - Confucius

These paintings are actual works by Hans Holbein:

The Ambassadors:
Sir Thomas Moore (the portrait that brought Hans Holbein to the novel):
A gift for Meg (her portrait?):
The painting that inspired the novel:

Up the Down Staircase

Up the Down Staircase, by Bel Kaufman

Another trip down memory lane: fall play junior year of high school. This is the book that became a play as well as a movie. As a future secondary English Language Arts teacher, I might call it the Freedom Writers of its time, a true inspiration. Even if you aren’t headed towards a career in education, this book still has a lot to offer. I have owned two copies of this book in my lifetime, and both have been taken from me by fellow book lover friends and never returned.

“Hi, Teach!” Calvin Coolidge is a new environment for Miss Sylvia Barrett, who expects anything but the conditions she finds at this troubled school. Still full of high hopes, the committed and idealistic teacher tries to do her best in a building that is falling apart with students who don’t care about school. She continues to “fight the good fight” against what stands in the way of good teaching, everything from school bureaucracy and teacher relationships to the personal lives of the students. Sylvia tries to do her best to inspire and motivate a classroom of extremely diverse pupils, but finds it hard without the support of her administration and a department head that does not have enough copies of Romeo and Juliet so recommends Ivanhoe instead. The students have their own troubles without interacting with a teacher they do not yet believe legitimately cares for them: the rebel Joe Ferone, the dreamer Alice Blake, the class president Harry Kagan, and the class clown Lou Martin, just to name a few. Of course, the teachers are not immune to having their own problems, with one teacher who would rather be a writer, a school nurse who wants to help but is forbidden by rules, a librarian who wants to keep her books inside the library, and another English teacher who feels she has found a balance and offers Sylvia constant encouragement. With everything going on at Calvin Coolidge, Sylvia has some hard choices to make about how to deal with the environment, how to reach the students (if possible), and whether or not to seek out a new job. It is a funny and touching story with lessons for teachers, students, parents and anyone concerned with public education, or even those who aren’t.

I have never seen another book written like this. Instead of the normal format, Russian-born Bel Kaufman offers up something original. The majority of the novel is portrayed in various forms of written text: letters to an old friend, administrative memos, teacher-to-teacher communications, student essays, as well as comments from the suggestion box that came to impact the classroom the most. This format offers a means for the characters to speak for themselves in a way that simple dialogue cannot convey. I will admit that in the beginning the format makes it hard to keep student names straight, but there is a lot of white space on the page that makes the reader feel successful with the amount of page turning going on. It serves as a completely enjoyable quick read, while having the impact of a major canonical literary work. “Hi Pupe!”

This book is definitely in my top favorites. I can and am recommending this book to all types of readers, but I think for all current and future teachers, it is a mandatory piece.

“Every reader finds himself. The writer's work is merely a kind of optical instrument that makes it possible for the reader to discern what, without this book, he would perhaps never have seen in himself.”
- Marcel Proust

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, by Jack Gantos

I'm sorry; I just had to. I am teaching this book in a sixth grade class I have been working in as part of my education program this semester. To prepare, I just spent my Sunday afternoon reading it from front to cover. Previously, I had only read Chapter 3 "Handful" when I adapted it to become my ribbon-winning (sometimes) Dramatic Interpretation piece for the Detroit Catholic Forensics League competitions during my senior year of high school. Finally having the chance to read the whole thing, I can tell you: it is a joy.

Joey Pigza is "wired." Due to his hyperactivity, he is not following the rules, never paying attention and constantly bouncing off the walls. His medications are supposed to help control this problem, but they aren't always reliable and tend to wear off. He has had these issues ever since he was born, just like his grandmother who raised him and his father who left him. When his mother returns one summer, things start to change. His mother is more loving and tends not to shut him in the refrigerator, but Joey's hyperactivity remains. In class, it becomes a serious problem as the teachers and administrators are constantly threatening to send Joey to the special-ed center downtown. Deep down, Joey knows he is a good boy at heart, but he can't always control himself. Separate incidents involving a pencil sharpener, swallowing his house key, a field trip to Amish town, and a pair of scissors gets Joey in too much trouble for him or his recently returned mother to handle. Joey tries his hardest to do the right thing, but something always seems to go wrong.

Just reading Chapter 3 was really not enough to enjoy Jack Gantos's writing from the point of view of a young boy with hyperactivity. The narration makes you totally fall for this kid and feel what he feels. Some parts just break your heart while others tend to lift your soul. Following Joey on this journey of trying to deal with his hyperactivity and medications that don't always work the way they should is brilliantly done by Gantos's style. You will definitely fall for Joey and understand the hard conditions that I am sure many young other students are trying to deal with as they grow up, both internal and external.

Even though this is a book for young adults, I believe it has something to offer for a reader of any age. I can't wait to see how my reading activity goes with this novel.

“We read to know we are not alone.”
- C.S. Lewis

Dexter in the Dark

Dexter in the Dark, by Jeff Lindsay

Third in the series, Jeff Lindsay always has something for Dexter up his sleeve, but this time it almost becomes too much for one of my favorite characters to handle.

Dexter Morgan, forensic analyst for the Miami Police Department, has a secret that only a few know about. And the only reason they know is because this secret helped save their lives at one time or another. Dexter Morgan is a serial killer. But don’t worry, he’s not out to get you; that is, as long as you aren’t a dangerous criminal yourself. Thanks to his cop foster father, Dexter has been trained to seek out and kill only the bad guys that the police can’t put away on their own. Can’t get a warrant? No problem, Dexter doesn’t need one once he’s sure he has found his guy. With the help of his inner voice, the “Dark Passenger,” Dexter is smart, meticulous, and unstoppable. However, upon arrival at a new crime scene, his “Dark Passenger” is scared off and Dexter is left alone. Dexter finds it difficult to work without his inner-voice giving him serial killer tips to help him out. And if it weren’t hard enough for this killer with a conscience, Dexter must also try to plan his upcoming wedding to girlfriend Rita, and deal with his soon to be step-children, Cody and Astor, that appear to have the same type of “inner shadow” as Dexter. On top of his regular life, trying to look normal, the now vulnerable Dexter must try to solve this new case with his foul-mouthed cop sister Deborah and without the “Dark Passenger.” It just keeps getting better when Cody and Astor get involved and possibly become the next victims of a new voice that shares the narration while stalking our Dexter.

The plot is exactly what you’ve come to expect from Jeff Lindsay: creative, engaging, and always intelligent. The style of writing, however, has changed somewhat in this novel. For starters, Dexter is not the only narrator. He is still our favorite, darkly comic voice, but he must now share time with two other narrators that do not compare to what readers have been used to. There is the new watchman figure, always on the periphery, identity unknown to the readers until the end. In addition, there is a type of third person narrator that has its own sections in italics. These sections seem interesting because they start to describe the origins of where Dexter’s “Dark Passenger” might come from, and whether or not there are others like him with the same passengers. Yet, these sections seem too repetitive and take away from the voice we really want to be hearing: Dexter’s. Jeff Lindsay still has his amazing writing talent; I just think his attempt at trying some new things is something we as readers could probably do without. When you strike oil with a narrator like Dexter Morgan, stop drilling.

I would still say that nothing compares to Jeff Lindsay’s first novel in the series, Darkly Dreaming Dexter, but once you start reading, you will not be able to stop. This is in major part to Jeff Lindsay, but I also like to think it is because of the characters themselves, even if they only seem real in my head. This is a definite series to have on your reading list.

“The ability to read awoke inside me some long dormant craving to be mentally alive.”
- Autobiography of Malcolm X, 1964

Dearly Devoted Dexter

Dearly Devoted Dexter, by Jeff Lindsay

The lovable serial killer with a conscience is back after his latest adventure. Dexter must try and stay out of the radar after Darkly Dreaming Dexter, but this may prove harder than expected.

When the ice truck killer from the last novel inserted Dexter and those around him into the fray, Dexter briefly comes into the spotlight after his previous life of lurking in the shadows. The already suspicious Sergeant Doakes seems even surer now that Dexter is a creep in need of supervision and takes it upon himself to survey the lab rat specializing in blood spatter analysis for the Miami Police Department. Doakes may have his suspicions, but Dexter is not going to let the sergeant find out what homicidal extra-curricular activities he’s been up to. Dexter Morgan is pushed even farther into his human disguise by spending time with his girlfriend Rita and her two kids. But when an ex-military psycho killer from Doakes’ past starts acting up in Miami, Dexter must come out of hiding to track him down with his cop sister Deborah and her new FBI boyfriend. This ex-military doctor kidnaps other former military figures, like Doakes, and mutilates the bodies in a “reverse-hangman” type fashion until very little of their original bodies are left. Will Dexter’s fascination with this new villain allow him to continue his search when Doakes becomes the next target? Or will Dexter let the crazed doctor take away the only person who suspects Dexter is anything but a genuine guy?

Jeff Lindsay has put out another fantastic piece of writing from the point of view of our favorite serial killer. Dexter’s unique narration offers hilarious comments from an exceptional personality of someone faking his way through everyday life. The other police characters are back as well as some new characters for the new case. All are brilliantly combined with a thrilling plot that makes even the most gruesome acts enjoyable.

I will give the same recommendation for this novel because I am a big fan of this book series for its constant originality in a popular genre where that rarely seems to be the case. You don’t have to be a gore lover to read this series, because in fact there is very little. Read the series for its unique point of view from the darkly comic main character in which everyone is sure to take pleasure.

“Reading is a discount ticket to everywhere.”
- Mary Schmich