Books I Love

A few weeks ago my sister-in-law asked me to recommend some of my favorite books, with a short description of why I loved them. (SO DEMANDING, Shelby!) Depending upon where I am in my life, various books have impacted me in a way that caused me to open my mind, shift my thought process, or just delve into a different world in a way that is essential and necessary to all of us. Books are firmly placed on my list of favorite things, close to Tina Fey and pizza from Sottocasa in Brooklyn (I'm the worst, hahaha, I know). I thought I'd share the list here (not included are books I read and loved as a child), because it is very important to me that everyone knows I am a bibliophile and all I do is read and expand my mind and think deep, intellectual thoughts and have never watched the entire season of Orange is the New Black in two days because what even is Netflix?

The View from Saturday: Newberry Medal winner, after she won it twenty-nine years before for From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. (I remember teaching my second-graders the meaning of Caldecott and Newberry awards, and then on our library day, they'd race around the room to find copies of books with the medals emblazoned on the covers, while I stood silently and proudly survey the kingdom I had created, knowing my work was done.) It's a story of four 6th-graders put together for a trivia competition, and deals with physical disabilities, blended families, bullying, racism, the environment, all the things we need to teach and discuss with our kids. (Our kids, Candice?! OUR??? I know, if I had kids of my own I wouldn't have the time to type this post or watch the newest episode of RHONY, uh, I mean, make my own almond milk from scratch. It's easy to have lofty ideas of child-rearing when you're not doing it. I know. But I don't.) It weaves their different lives together in a way that is simple and beautiful and refreshing, and gives you hope for the rising generations. (Plus lots of fun trivia!) It's one of my go-to gifts for the younger crowd, but I think all adults should read it. Konigsburg is one of those authors who speaks so much truth through her young characters. (Roald Dahl is another.)

Middlesex: Opening sentence: "I was born twice: first, as a baby girl, on a remarkably smogless Detroit day of January 1960; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Petoskey, Michigan, in August of 1974..." I find that authors who identify strongly with their heritage create the most intriguing and beautiful stories; Jeffrey Eugenides, of Greek descent, has written a book that takes us from a family's beginnings overlooking Mt. Olympus to the influx of immigrants and the age of industrialization, through the race riots of Detroit and beyond. History is best learned from a personal perspective, and in Middlesex you get this. Moreover, it offers a new look at how we identify, how this motivates our interactions, and the importance of nature vs. nurture. Poetical prose at its finest. I think it is more important than ever to have a better understanding of gender identity, and this book really helped set me on that path.

Open: Andre Agassi's autobiography. Incredible sports stories and just an amazing life with some real insight. The following quote is my greatest takeaway from a page-turner: "Remember this. Hold onto this. This is the only perfection there is, the perfection of helping others. This is the only thing we can do that has any lasting value or meaning. This is why we're here. To make each other feel safe." If you love sports, especially tennis, read this. Pop culture fanatic? This is a great pick. Autobiography buff? You won't regret it. 

How Green Was My Valley: A gorgeous tale of a family in a Welsh coal-mining community. It tells of their lives and struggles in dealing with the changing landscape, both literal and social, as years of mining have wreaked havoc on the land and family.

Circle of Friends: Fiction that I read once a year. Irish authors and stories are among my favorites. It's the tale of two unlikely friends, Benny and Eve, one the overly-cared for daughter of helicopter parents, the other an orphan raised by nuns. It opens when they're about ten-years-old, following them through their college years. It is set post-WWII Ireland and deals with the rich vs. poor and Irish vs. Protestant clashes that were so prevalent, but in a more personal, everyday manner. Also, friendship, betrayal, relationships, new love. It's my comfort book, the mac 'n cheese of the literary world. Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man is another favorite comfort read, but set in the South. So maybe THAT is my literary mac 'n cheese and Circle of Friends is my shepherd's pie.

The Alchemist: You may have already read it, as it is everywhere, but this deserves the hype. It's an allegory of a shepherd traveling to Egypt to find treasure, and that "treasure" means something different to every person. I first read it when I moved to SLC and was rediscovering myself and creating a new life. (That sounds very Eat, Pray, Love, but I must LIVE MY TRUTH!) I wish I had my copy with me, as I'd include some of my favorite passages, but that's kind of the beauty of it; depending upon where one is in their own journey, it speaks to all of us in different ways.

A People's History of the United States: Howard Zinn is a master historian, and whatever you were taught in school was not enough. This is something every American should read to learn what really went down since Columbus landed, and to remind us that the authors of history have long dictated the stories that are told and the people and events remembered. It tells of the birth of a nation from the perspective of women, Native Americans, enslaved peoples, immigrants, and others who for so long have not been heard.

Gilead: Okay, so I have not finished reading this, but it is amazing. If you're looking to feel the way that Steinbeck is making Ricky feel (email specific note to Shelby, it stays), this is it. My friend gave it to me based upon my love for East of Eden and How Green Was My Valley, and she was on target. She told me it would take a while to read, not because it is that long, but because you need time to digest what is being said and to reread passages. I've marked up my copy. The words just stop you in your tracks. Truly sacramental.

The Crucible of Doubt: Religious book by Terryl and Fiona Givens. It has really helped my to find a more comfortable place in the Church, and brought me closer to what it means to be a true follower of Christ. Navigating the waters of being Mormon when not everything the leaders say sits well with you is very tricky, but this has helped me have a better understanding of the Gospel. The Givens are THE BIZNESS, and this needs to be required Mormon reading.

East of Eden: Steinbecks's finest. About it, he said, "It has everything in it I have been able to learn about my craft or profession in all these years...I think everything else I have written has been, in a sense, practice for this." Indeed, John. Indeed. If you grew up in CA, you did a lot of assigned reading from Steinbeck, even in Kern County, where some fools were always trying to place The Grapes of Wrath on the list of banned books. I didn't read this until a few years ago, although I DO think it was based on the recommendation of a fellow Golden Hawk. It's the story of a family that parallels the Book of Genesis, so breathtakingly written, and painting a beautiful picture of the Salinas Valley. Within this family's history is the idea of the Hebrew word Timshel, "thou mayest," meaning that mankind is neither compelled to pursue sainthood nor doomed to sin, but rather has the power to choose. I think that in a world where it is becoming so easy to indulge and take the easy way and become focused on the trivial, this lesson is so empowering. It is hard, effort is required, it takes self-control, change is necessary, but we are in charge of our own destiny. 

One Summer: 1927: Nonfiction that may be one of the best I've read. Bill Bryson will never steer you wrong. Focuses on the flight of Lindbergh, Babe Ruth's big season with the Yankees, and Al Capone's rise, which all coincided "one summer." With each of these, Bryson takes you back to events that led to the aforementioned three, and you'll find yourself enthralled by Babe's life, the xenophobia surrounding the Sacco and Vanzetti case, President Harding's love child, everything that sets the stage for the summer of 1927. THIS BOOK IS INCREDIBLE and an entire history class could be taught from it alone. Between the two of us, I believe AJ and I have read eight of Bryson's books. He is a favorite.

Tender at the Bone: Autobiographical book (she has four that, when all read, fill in the various parts of her life, but this is my favorite) from Ruth Reichl. Former NYTimes food critic and editor of (now defunct) Gourmet magazine. She was a part of the farm-to-table movement in Berkeley and has really LIVED. The chapters are interspersed with her favorite recipes, but not in a cheesy, self-promoting, Food Network star kind of way. I've given this book to some of the important food people in my life, and I have NO REGRETS. It's also just kind of about finding oneself in culinary discoveries, and how important of a role meals play in our lives in bringing people together and creating memories.

The Joy Luck Club: The story of four Chinese-American women and their mothers who immigrated to America. It's a fascinating history of China in the 20th century (it is fictional but based in truth), and it's crazy to read of all the drastic changes that country has experienced. (Wild Swans has a similar feel, but IS nonfiction, more in-depth, and a little more daunting.) Moreover, it tells of the daughters and their attempts to find their place in America while still retaining a sense of their past. It's a good reminder that our mothers had lives before us, while also highlighting the difficulties inherent with being a woman and facing the ever-evolving stages in life.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X: This was assigned reading in my last quarter of college, and that term was one of my best. I had two classes with Dr. Meriwether: African-American Studies 1865-Present and Africa: From Colonialism to Independence, and I was shaped in ways that continue to help me evolve. Malcolm X's life is one of the most heart-breaking and triumphant, and a perfect example of the power within us to open ourselves to the perspectives of others and to do better and be more. Because he did that. I think in the wake of the current social upheaval and the Black Lives Matter movement, this is a must-read. 

I am currently reading Gilead (see above) and American Gods. Also amazing - American history, mythology, religion, intrigue, etc. A copy of it was left in a pile of books on our neighbor's stoop, and Lee was all "YAAAAASSSS, read it!" I was never much into fantasy, but Game of Thrones and Harry Potter (which is so obvious that I shouldn't even need to put it on the list) opened me up to a new genre. Thank you, Jo and George. Waiting in the wings are James Baldwin's The Fire Next Time and Mary Beard's SPQR: A History of Rome.

Spring Breakers

Growing up, my family spent the week of Spring Break at Leo Carrillo, where we would camp, body surf (not me, PASS), do dutch oven cooking, scrounge up quarters for the coin-operated showers, read stacks of Baby-Sitters Club and Trixie Belden books, and basically be at the beach (in our cove) from 9-5. It was a full-time job, and the Urmstons were willing to do it. Living on the East Coast has allowed me to explore new beaches, and this past March I found myself on the gorgeous shores of the Sunshine State.

Mural on the way to our cove

URMANIUM 2015, Leo Carrillo State Beach

When AJ started at UVA Law last year, he was placed in Section G, the group of fellow students that became his crew and classmates for the year. I love them all. Within that group were the Backrow Bandits (direct all questions regarding this to him), which included Jasmine, who is a native Floridian; her family generously offered to let us stay in a condo they have in Melbourne. This perfectly fit in with the our family motto to always be "Ballin' on a Budget", and we leapt at the chance to get out of Charlottesville. (But I can't emphasize enough how gorgeous it is in the spring and fall. Family and friends, we will be there just one more year, plan accordingly.)

My first experience with Florida was through reading Judy Blume. Judy Blume is the BIZNESS. Kids these days need fewer Disney Channel characters in their lives and more Sheila Tubman, Tony Miglione, and Rachel Robinson. (There was recently an "Are you there ---? It's me, ---" reference, and someone was all, "Oh, like the Chelsea Handler book!", and I wanted to slap them silly.) In Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself, Sally's family temporarily relocates to Florida to help with her brother's health problems. The story is set just after World War II, and opens with her family sitting shiva for a great aunt and cousin who died in a Nazi concentration camp. (Look at Ms. Blume, spreading knowledge and understanding to unsuspecting ten-year-olds!) It's a perfect balance of heavier subjects with the imagination and daily observations of a young girl missing old friends and finding new ones, all the while looking to her idol, Esther Williams. Obviously the Florida of the 1940s is different from the Florida of today, but as we explored the various beach towns, I saw the pink and turquoise stucco buildings that Sally described, and I audibly yelped. Those are interesting moments, when something brings you happiness because of what you are experiencing in the present, but a deeper emotion is felt as you are pulled back to something joyful from your past...and yet there is a yearning ache you can actually feel inside. Childhood nostalgia is something else. (This helps explain the success of Fuller House.)

Our drive south (listening to Bill Bryson's At Home) took us to Florence, SC, where we indulged in some bbq at Wholly Smokin'. Hands down, the BEST baked beans (spicy and with chunks of bacon) I have ever had. I also highly recommend the baby lima beans and roasted corn, as well as the warm loaded baked potato salad. The brisket and pulled pork were gold stars all-around, but those sides? LIGHTS OUT. (Look, I'm fully aware that none of you will ever roll through Florence, so this food journal is basically for us, because it is usually in those magical culinary moments when I am most overwhelmed with my love for AJ. This is either a very healthy OR unhealthy revelation, we really can't be sure.)

We began our stay cheering on our (current) home team, the Washington Nationals, in their spring training game against the Marlins. Getting to watch Ichiro Suzuki and Bryce Harper play was legit, and AJ even chatted up the Marlins bullpen, much to the chagrin of both me and the old dude working security, whose shouts and gestures AJ failed to notice.

In a league of his own

Our second night there, the Esmailbeguis had us over for a delicious home-cooked meal (shout-out to Seeta!), after which we were introduced to what became our favorite vacation hot-spot, Dell's Freeze. A towering pile of peanut butter soft serve dipped in chocolate? Don't mind if I do...three nights in a row. Ice cream is my favorite thing ever, and the house I grew up in was about a mile away from a chocolate-dipped soft serve stand that we would walk to in an attempt to find respite from the triple-digit summer heat of Bakersfield. (We also tried to make some fresh-squeezed orange juice with our cousins one time, using the citrus from the surrounding groves, but all I remember is a lot of sticky pulp and someone cutting their hand on broken glass.) Otter-Pops and sprinklers in the front yard were also very dependable, but Grandma's pool was the best.

We unwindulaxed at a different beach every day, including a nature preserve, and the calm Atlantic Ocean, with its sandy white beaches, continued to give as only God can. The indigenous flora and fauna is unlike what you'll see in the rest of America, and it's as though you've taken a trip to a new country, but without having to deal with getting new passports because both have expired and been misplaced and someone can't seem to find their birth certificate.

We hit up Cocoa Beach, home to the world's largest Ron Jon Surf Shop and Kelly Slater. Kelly has been crowned World Surf League Champion a record 11 times, and was the youngest (20) and oldest (39) to win that title. More importantly, he dated Pam Anderson (whom I saw a couple times filming Baywatch at Leo Carrillo! It all comes full circle...), and voiced a character based upon himself in Surf's Up, one of the greatest animated films ever made. While there we went to Yelp, our trusty travel companion, to track down some tasty eats. We were guided to The Tiny Turtle, where we grooved to 311 and Bobby McFerrin while stuffing our faces with Caribbean-inspired tacos and hot dogs, two of man's greatest contributions to the world. Sorry, Jonas Salk. Afterwards, we headed to Ron Jon, where AJ flashbacked to his puka shell necklace-wearing days and reminisced about the vacations his family took to the land of the hanging chads.

On our drive home we stopped in Savannah, GA for dinner and a quick exploration. That city is unreal. The architecture is so varied yet all breathtaking, and heaven is walking the streets and avenues under a canopy of trees dripping with Spanish moss languidly floating in the breeze. (Yes, I DO love and adore Southern literature and its descriptive cliches, WHY DO YOU ASK?) Dinner was outside at Sly's Sliders and Fries, where you absolutely cannot go wrong - see menu below. Also, free Mortal Kombat arcade game to play while you wait! (That means nothing to me, but I can appreciate a good throwback gratis distraction when I see one.)

 Now Imma let 311 sing this one on out. Amber (Click on link to the left!)