"Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother"

Chances are you've heard of the last book I read, "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" by Amy Chua. There has been a lot of controversy surrounding this book and the Yale law professor who wrote it. Many have taken this book as a "how-to" parenting guide, which according to Chua is not how it is supposed to be read at all. She says that it is simply a memoir of her ups and downs in the realm of child-rearing and ultimately her realization that trying to be a "tiger mother" doesn't always work.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast read and had a lot of quite funny moments to it. Maybe it helps that I'm not a mom and can't be offended by Chua's comments about Western parenting... She made a lot of good points though about parenting today. I agree with her that up until a certain age, children shouldn't have a choice when it comes to most issues. What Mom and Dad says goes, and if you don't like it, then too bad. As my dad used to say to me and my siblings, "Life's tough." Although Chua sometimes takes it to the next level (threatening to burn your daughter's stuffed animals if she doesn't play her piano piece perfectly is taking it a little far in my opinion), her love for her daughters is apparent and I think it comes across that all she wants is what's best for them.

I'd be curious to hear what you think, especially all my parents out there. Do you agree with Chua or think she's just plain crazy?

Here's an interview with Chua where she explains her perspective a bit more:

The Tree of Life

I am going to break the rules of my own blog and review a movie- *gasp*! But before you get too shocked, I'll tell you my reasons for doing so.

Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life" was, for me as a writer, a wonderful study in the many different ways there are to tell a story. Malick wasn't afraid to push the boundaries with this film, which is probably the reason why it has received such mixed reviews. Just go out and ask a few people who saw it what they thought. You'll probably get a lot of different responses, ranging from "Malick's a genius" to "I didn't get it. All of a sudden there were dinosaurs on the screen- WTF??"

Everyone knows when they are learning how to write that stories are supposed to have a beginning, middle, and an end with the climax preferably coming somewhere in the later middle section. It's called basic plot development. This is not so with "The Tree of Life." If you're one of those people who needs a clear narrative and all the loose ends tied up, chances are you won't like this film.

Now, I'm married to a guy who went to school for film and I've learned many things about the technicalities of what makes a good movie from him. One of them is that voice-overs are VERY hard to pull off well. Too many directors use voice-overs to slap the viewer across the face with the far too obvious or to manufacture a response from the viewer by telling them how they should be feeling. Needless to say, I'm not a fan of either of these. That said, Malick used voice-overs quite a lot but in a way that, for the most part, I appreciated. Others may disagree though, like one of my local movie critics who called it "overdressed melodrama." It's very subjective.

Chastain & Pitt

I'm coming to the one aspect of the movie that I couldn't really come to terms with. The plot revolves around a father and mother with three sons in rural Texas, the father (Brad Pitt) being overpowering borderline abusive and the mother (Jessica Chastain) falling into the nurturing but silent stereotype. And it is this stereotype that bugs me. Despite the mother being portrayed as this saint-like figure who loves her children and would do anything for them, she doesn't have a spine. When her husband yells at her or her kids, she never gives a response. Who knows, she may have good reason for this, but it is never looked at in-depth. Her character is not developed in the least whereas Brad Pitt's father figure is delved into in what for this film was great detail.

With all of this said, "The Tree of Life" is a movie with spectacular cinematography and excellent acting. It is well worth seeing just to be able to experience film in a way you may never have before. Although I believe it is impossible to truly capture life on a screen, "The Tree of Life" was a valiant effort and Malick should be applauded not only for a beautiful movie but also the unconventional means he took to convey a story.

Still Life with Woodpecker

It's hard to know where to even begin when describing the book "Still Life with Woodpecker" by Tom Robbins. It's about a princess and an outlaw who fall in love against all odds. And it's about a pack of Camel cigarettes. "Still Life" combines the philosophical, imaginative, and sociological aspects of life and rolls them all together.

Tom Robbins is quite the character and after reading an interview with him, I began to understand where he's coming from a little bit more. I loved his explanation of what he tries to do with his writing:

     "What I try to do, among other things, is to mix fantasy and spirituality, sexuality, humor and poetry in combinations that have never quite been seen before in literature. And I guess when a reader finishes one of my books -- provided the reader does finish the book -- I would like for him or her to be in the state that they would be in after a Fellini film or a Grateful Dead concert. Which is to say that they've encountered the lifeforce in a large, irrepressible and unpredictable way and as a result their sense of wonder has been awakened and all of their possibilities have been expanded."

"Still Life" was a perfect summer read for me and I really enjoyed it (despite initially being confused when I started the book on where it was all going!). I would love to hear your comments on "Still Life" and for those of you who've read Robbins' work, suggestions for my next Robbins adventure!