Fighting the Current [Library Binding]

Heather Waldorf (Author), Karen Lee (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2004

The 13 stories in this collection by Japanese writer Junzo Shono are linked by the daily life of a husband and wife and their children. The stories are like the back of a tapestry where threads seem to cross randomly. Births, weddings, school activities, a suicide attempt all occur out of view. Readers understand crucial events through ordinary days.But these quiet tales have a cumulative power. Toys, birds, and playing cards relate to human lives as portents, parallels, parodies. The mother, with her secret sorrows, and the puzzled, bemused father savor reveries and survive unexplained misfortunes. Shono's vivid snapshot technique, the layering of images, events, and conversations, creates an effect Western readers may find more akin to an Ozu film crossed with haiku than to traditional short stories.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up–Theresa Stanford, 17, is adjusting to the serious blows that life has dealt her. Her parents are divorced, and she doesn't get along with her mother. Her father was recently hit by a car and left with the mental abilities of a kindergartner. Then, the drunk driver's vindictive brother sets fire to the house where Theresa lives with her aunt. It burns to the ground and Aunt George dies in the blaze. But not everything is dark. The teen finds herself drawn to Ethan, a new boy in her Canadian town, and he helps her through her problems. He knows a lot about coping, because his beloved sister has cystic fibrosis. Ethan and Theresa's relationship has believable trials, but overall it grows and, by the end, they're planning a life together. Her dad improves, and he and her mother, who discover that they are still very much in love, plan to remarry. Although Theresa finds this troubling, she and her mother eventually form a truce. The book has a few minor flaws: the dialogue is sometimes stilted and preachy and many of the scenes and conflict resolutions are told rather than shown. However, the most important moments are always dramatized. The characters are believably imperfect, and they work through their troubles in realistic ways.–Catherine Ensley, Latah County Free Library District, Moscow, ID --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"A meaty read, Fighting the Current will leave thoughtful readers asking 'Who am I?'" -- Dave Jenkinson, Editor, CM: Canadian Review of Materials --Dave Jenkinson, Editor, CM: Canadian Review of Materials

"Waldorf's novel achieves a Nancy Drew breeziness while at the same time addressing serious issues." -- Deirdre Baker, Toronto Star --Deirdre Baker, Toronto Star

"You are drawn in...from the very first page...This is a very intense, very real book." -- Katie Stuart, Independently Reviewed --Katie Stuart, Independently Reviewed --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
  
• Library Binding
• Publisher: San Val (August 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1417694548
• ISBN-13: 978-1417694549
• Shipping Information: View shipping rates and policies
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, June 21, 2008

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fighting the Current (Paperback)

Tee's senior year of high school should be filled with happy memories of friends, family, and college dreams. It's anything but that. A local drunk hit her father and he's in rehabilitation with the ability of a five-year-old. Since she doesn't have much of a relationship with her mother, Tee is living with an aunt who is a popular author.

It's time for Tee to put her life back together. She is a good student and wants to get an early acceptance to a prestigious university. Ethan is a new student and the two have more than a study relationship.

They find out that they both have home situations that are different than the norm: Ethan's younger sister struggles with cystic fibrosis and, like Tee's father, hospital and doctor visits are a part of life.

Tee's father loved the outdoors and was working with her to build a canoe. It's left unfinished in the garage and it's a reminder of the past. Tee knows she's got to move forward, but where does her father fit in? How about her mother, too, who is longing for the family that she once had?. There are more tragedies ahead, as well. Can Tee rebuild what has been broken and also finish what's been started?

I absolutely loved FIGHTING THE CURRENT. It's one of the best I've read in a long time. I found myself wondering what Tee was going to do. This book was full of unpredictability and surprises. This book's theme appeared to be that even though relationships can change over time, love remains and you have to see it in a different light. I highly recommend this book!

Reviewed by: hoopsielv