Talent and Ego

Drawing Blood by Molly Crabapple
New York, NY : Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, [2015]
338 p. : ill. (chiefly col.) ; 23 cm.

I added this book to our collection this year since it had received such glowing reviews.  Booklist in a starred review stated, "Jaw dropping, awe inspiring, and not afraid to shock....There's no one else like her; prepare to be blown away by both the words and pictures."

I was not so taken with this memoir.  Crabapple is a talented and hardworking artist, and she does have a lot of daring and moxie as she jumps into risky adventures of international travel and pushes and pushes to have her intense drawing-based artworks accepted in the competitive New York art world (and she works constantly at improving her drawing and painting skills). So far so good, but her tale is also one of a massive ego, and also one of ethical contradictions where she is both entranced with the debauched world of the super-rich, while at the same time disdainful of it.  It's interesting, but problematic.  

There is also her use of her conventional attractiveness to both support herself and gain access to the exclusive realms of the super rich.  She works as a nude model, works with strippers and burlesque performers - and writes about the interesting, hard, exploitative and dangerous work that entails, but also seems to accept and at times endorse the sexualization and commodification of women.  Again, it makes for interesting reading, but it is troubling in that it goes largely unchallenged.

So would I recommend this memoir?  Well, I'd definitely mention it to someone curious about contemporary bohemian life and about ways that people make it in the art world.  Did I find it inspiring or wonderful?  Not so much.

Comic Wonders

The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore
New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2014.
xiv, 410 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 25 cm.

This is an amazing book of history, culture, and biography.  Jill Lepore has used her research into the origins of the Wonder Woman comic character to present a rich history of US feminism, bohemianism, pop culture and alternative lifestyles.

Lepore's history has at it's heart, the creator of Wonder Woman, William Marston - scholar, psychologist, pro-feminist, huckster, man of secrets and passions.  The book begins with the early US feminist struggles for suffrage and birth control and brings the story up to the present.  We find out in the course of the book that the people involved in Wonder Woman's origins include the famous feminist, Margaret Sanger - and that Marston has legitimate claims to the invention of the "lie detector."

The book is a personal history of Marston the two women who lived with him most of their lives and who had children with him, a history of the phenomenal rise of comic books in the US [and the "moral" backlash against them], a glimpse into the period of WWI, WWII, and - of course - a history of the the US feminist movement in the 20th century.  There is a lot in this well-researched book.

I'd recommend this book for any student interested in the history of comic books, interested in the women's rights movement in the US, or interested in 20th century US history and culture. The main drawback for this book is that it's kind of long for a high school history book - but with it's index, it would serve well for any research projects.

A Wake Up Call

The Awakening by Kate Chopin
New York: Bantam Books, 1992.
xx, 211 p. ; 18 cm.

This 1899 novel is on our student's AP list, and it is one that I've meant to get around to reading.  It's interesting because when I told my partner I was reading it, she said, "But you read that years ago!" I said, "No way, I'd remember that."  But she reminded me of the ending scene (which I won't give away here) and it suddenly dawned on me - oh yeah, I sure did!

In discussing my REreading of The Awakening, I said how - though it has a bit of the melodramatic, flowery style of the late 19th century - there is a lot to this novel that is decades ahead of its time and reminded me of the early writings of feminist movement writings of the 1950s and 60s (Betty Friedan's Feminine Mystique comes readily to mind). My partner mentioned that I should listen to Diane Rehm' show where she discusses Chopin's novel with several guests - that podcast is on my to-do list.

The novel is really a great study of the emergence of a feminist consciousness in a woman hemmed in by the constraints of a conventional white, upper-class life in late 19th century New Orleans.  Edna, the main character is a woman of restless passion, spirit and longings who settled early for having a family and sharing her life with a wealthy, decent man who is nevertheless condescending and patronizing toward her - but clearly not her equal in passion, curiosity and spirit.  The novel deals with all the complications and turmoil that ensues from Edna's struggle to escape the confines of the narrow role she is in at the beginning of the novel.

I think many young people would enjoy the novel well enough.  It is relatively short and the structure is straightforward.  However, I think many students would find it interesting (and surprising) that the novel was so controversial - since by today's standards it is so tame as to be almost bland.

The View from the Attic

Graphic from publisher W.W. Norton

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

New York : Norton, [1992], c1966.
189 p. ; 21 cm

I added Wide Sargasso Sea to our collection because it was on a list of AP literature titles and many of our teachers require students to pick from AP titles.  It may sound silly, but I was attracted to the book initially by its beautiful and evocative title. When I saw it described as a book that explores the back story of crazy Bertha in the attic from Brontë's Jane Eyre, I knew I had to read it.

It is a finely written book, capturing the clashing worldviews of post-slavery Jamaica and the conflicts between impoverished locals, former elite locals, and new European interlopers. Of course the age-old conflict of men oppressing women is also at the heart of the story.

It's a great read, in that it is told convincingly from the two main characters points of view - Mr. Rochester and his rushed bride Antoinette, who will become the crazy woman in the attic of Brontë's Jane Eyre.

It's not an easy read right off; it's suggestive, dreamy and atmospheric and a little tricky to get situated into, but once you've oriented yourself as a reader, it is a delight.  It has not circulated much among students, but that doesn't surprise me too much as it would be a weighty read for any young person. However, I'll definitely be mentioning it to readers who want novels with strong literary qualities - or any readers who are fans of Jane Eyre.

Purple Carries On

The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Delta Trade Paperbacks, [2003], c1982.
294 p. ; 18 cm.


I first read The Color Purple back in the early 80s, and so it was an interesting experience to reread it, now that it has become a classic of American literature and is still popular with readers - including our high school students.


There is a lot to recommend The Color Purple - strong narrative voice, dynamic characters, shifting relationships and conflicts, and satisfying outcomes. The novel deals with incest, abuse, women's rights, racism, and religion  - so it's not surprising that there is an inherent interest in the novel. Also the novel is very accessible, written in letter format - mostly imagined letters from the main character, Celie, and a few from her sister Nettie.


I remember back when I read Alice Walker's book, it was a popular sensation: many people were reading and talking about it, and then it became a major motion picture.  I enjoyed it a lot back then.  Reading it a second time I found myself less taken with it.


I'd say my greatest problems with the novel are the extreme character change in the main character - from timid, whipped-dog subservient victim to sassy, smart and free-thinking feminist - the set pieces where characters go on and on, basically expounding the author's beliefs about pantheistic religion, Afrocentric pride, feminist principles, and new-age self esteem. It's not that I disagree with all of her views; it's just that they seem out of place historically and out of character at times.  My last disappointment was with the unbelievable happy outcomes of the novel.  I like just a little more salt and less sugar to end my favorite novels - and without giving away the ending, there is just so much triumph and happiness in the end that I was scratching my head in disbelief.


Negative criticisms aside - The Color Purple remains a powerful, engaging story that many readers - young adult to old adult - are likely to enjoy.