Natsume's Book of Friends: Volume 7

by Yuki Midorikawa, 191 pages

When Natsume discovers someone's going around attacking harmless yokai and stealing their blood, he can't help but involve himself, despite Nyanko-sensei's protestations. Who would do such a horrible thing? And why? The truth may be as unsettling as the violence itself and its implications more far-reaching.

Ooh, a big bad! While we've watched characters reappear and relationships develop across volumes, the series has so far remained fairly episodic in its main plots, without much in terms major, multi-volume story arcs. But here, while the immediate action is wrapped up, the conclusion leaves the antagonist behind the real conflict free, active, and dangerously interested in sensitive Natsume and his yokai kitty. Although we're only now starting to see its significance, Midorikawa actually introduced us to the threat in an earlier volume, and that subtle, carefully-employed continuity makes Natsume's world feel all the more substantial.

This volume also includes a short, unrelated earlier work about adolescent love and superpowers.

The First Book of Earthsea: A Wizard of Earthsea

by Ursula K. Le Guin, 183 pages

One day, the name of the wizard Ged will be legend throughout the island-sprinkled world of Earthsea. But all legends must begin somewhere, and Ged's does so in a humble village on the island of Gont, where an early youthful triumph is followed by a fateful lapse in judgment, setting him on a quest to learn what he can of magic, the world, and the shadow he's accidentally brought into it.

A Wizard of Earthsea sports many of the elements that go into great fantasy: ambitious upstarts, wise mentors, magic lessons, dramatic ballads, dragon encounters, life-and-death struggles, and brushes with destiny. How Le Guin manages to include all of them so effectively in less than 200 pages is a marvel. Her tight, highly descriptive prose is both straightforward and poetic, making it impossible not to instantly visualize the world, characters, and action depicted and leaving the reader pondering the clear but powerful philosophical questions raised. Any fan of Harry Potter or The Kingkiller Chronicle's Kvothe will recognize the seeds of their iconic stories in Ged's, but his journey is his own. And, happily, this is just the beginning.

Wandering Son: Volume 1

by Takako Shimura, 203 pages

What do you do when you suspect you were born in the wrong body? Fifth-graders Nitori and Takatsuki find they share the same secret--each wishes they were the other's gender. With one another's encouragement and a little nudge from a mutual friend, they begin the process of self-discovery, comforted that they are not alone in their predicament. But acknowledging to themselves and each other what they truly feel is not the same as opening up to their families, friends, teachers, and the rest of the world. Will they ever be able to be themselves?

Although the characters are rather difficult to distinguish from one another until you get to know them, and scene-change queues don't always register right away, this well-written, simply-drawn story deals with the confusion and pressures of its adolescent principals gently and thoughtfully. Puberty is awkward enough without their added complications, and the reader readily wishes these youngsters happiness and acceptance, though the journey will surely be long and far from easy.

Wandering Son was recognized as a recommended work by the 2006 Japan Media Arts Festival judges and was nominated for YALSA's 2012 "Great Graphic Novels for Teens" list.

"Designated Fat Girl" by Jennifer Joyner

249 pages

Jennifer Joyner struggled with food addiction for most of her life. Though she kept it in check as an adolescent, she began to binge uncontrollably as an adult. Even as she passed 300 pounds and was warned by her doctors that her health was in jeopardy, she couldn't go more than a couple of days without devouring huge amounts, usually of fast food. Her self-esteem, which was shattered as a child by the cruelty of other kids and later an abusive boyfriend, left her constantly yearning for comfort. Food was all that could comfort her, even after she got married to a great guy and had two beautiful children. After trying every diet and pill she could think of, Jennifer finally tried gastric bypass surgery. Unfortunately, it didn't go as smoothly as it was supposed to, and she ended up with a whole new set of health problems.

This shockingly open, honest memoir really struck a cord with me. As someone who has struggled with an eating disorder, I related to a lot of Jennifer's story. I think a lot of people don't realize that food addiction is an eating disorder and often has similar roots as anorexia and bulimia. Just as with those more commonly known disorders, people with binge eating disorder go through elaborate lengths to hide their problem (though are often not as successful due to weight gain), have a lot of self-loathing, and ofter suffer from anxiety and/or depression. I love that Jennifer is so upfront about her struggle--she shows readers who have similar problems that they are not alone and that they can get better. It seems that the percentage of Americans with some kind of disordered eating pattern is probably very high due to all the conflicting influences about food: thinness is idealized, yet cheap, unhealthy food is everywhere. That's why it's important for people like Jennifer to start the conversation so more people are aware of these problems.

"Confederates in the Attic:: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War" by Tony Horwitz

406 pages

When Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Tony Horwitz returned to Virginia after years of dashing around war zones as a foreign correspondent, his primary childhood interest--the American Civil War--was rekindled when he encountered people who reenact the Civil War. He was intrigued by these men who dress up in period costumes and go to extreme measures to be as authentic as they can: sleeping on the ground in freezing temperatures, walking miles barefoot, eating nothing that didn't exist before the 1860s, and more. Intrigued, Horwitz decided to take a closer look as these "hardcores." One thing led to another, and he ended up spending two years reporting on why Americans are still so obsessed with the war and the ways in which it resonates today.

As I was growing up in rural southwest Missouri, I knew plenty of people who were obsessed with the Civil War. I've been to reenactments and I've seen plenty of Confederate flags waving in front of homes or stuck on bumpers. Horwitz does a great job of reporting on this. He tells the stories in a lively, interesting way without passing judgment, letting his subjects' actions and words speak for themselves. Many of them claim they just want to honor their heritage, and some--like the hardcore Rob, with whom Horwitz embarks on a five-day whirlwind historic tour they call the "Civil Wargasm"--seem to really mean that. Others, however, use the Civil War as a mask for racism and opposition the Federal government. Even I was shocked by the intensity with which some people Horwitz talked to loved the Confederacy and what it stood for. It's pretty scary, actually. Horwitz also talks to many black Americans about their thoughts on the Confederacy and the people who idolize it, bringing up the fact that even though some whites have no malicious intentions when they wave their Rebel flags, they can't control the implications that the symbols of the Confederacy have for other people. Overall, I think Horwitz did a fantastic job exploring the Confederate subculture in America and how the War still affects us, 150 year later.

PLEASE READ! Changes and September Stats

As most of you probably know, I am heading off to be a Colorado librarian. I promise to get all the books I've read in before I go! :)

Heather C.D. has graciously agreed to take over the administrative duties of the QuickWitLitniks. Yes! We will be doing stats this coming Sunday together so she gets the swing of the whole process.

PLEASE enter your stats for September before Sunday evening. It is really helpful when you do your totals so we don't have to do it for each and every one!

Thanks and remember to coerce and threaten your fellow staff. We can't lose this thing now!!!!

Jen

The Word for World is Forest (Hainish Cycle)

by Ursula K. Le Guin
(1972 | 189 p)

In a far distant future the resources of Earth have been exhausted. To survive humans must travel to other planets, gathering necessary resources and shipping them light years back to their overpopulated home world. This story is about what happens when the materialistic and militaristic Earth humans encounter an indigenous population quite contrary to what they know.

This is only the second book that I've read from the Hainish Cycle but I already know I'm going to enjoy the whole series. I studied anthropology in college and the anthropological context of these novels alone is enough to keep me hooked. In The Dispossessed we learn about the cultures on Urras and Anarres. Anarres is a colony of utopian anarchists who fled the materialistic (very Earth-like) culture of Urras. In The Word for World is Forest we meet the Athsheans, who seem to resemble little green Ewoks. They are a loosely organized population of tribes with no central government. They're pacifists, knowing nothing of war or murder, until the human colony comes with their gift of death.

The Word for World is Forest follows the same archetype as Avatar or Fern Gully, short-sighted man exploits and nearly destroys an untainted world that they can't understand. No matter how many ways I hear that story it always kicks me in the gut and makes me want to go hug a tree.