The Reading Life

Now that Wimbledon 2009 is a wrap, and the U.S. Open doesn't begin until August 31, I can get down to the business of improving my game instead of watching the greats go at it. Sure, I'd been taking lessons, playing a few games a week, and sprinting up and down the hillside stairs near my house (yeah, right), but it wasn't enough. It's never enough. I required some deeper insights about how one becomes a calm, cool and confident player. So, I naturally I turned to my mom--a former Tretorn shod, pom-pom sock-strutting tennis ace who could rip the fuzz off those hot pink tennis balls back in the glory years of the sport--the magnificent 1970s. So I asked her, "Mom, how did you manage (with three whiney pre-schoolers in tow) to learn to play so well?" She replied, "I read The Inner Game of Tennis, dear."  What?? She got game from reading a book! I was flabbergasted. Tennis magic from a book. Well, I'm no autodidact like mom, but The Inner Game of Tennis really is everything it's cracked up to be.

This is the classic guide to playing a sport without beating yourself or your over-priced racquet up in the process. The book's philosophical underpinnings--Zen Buddhist principles as served up by author/guru/tennis pro W. Tim Gallwey--are the secret.  The heirs to Gallwey's approach include Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig, and more recently, Shop Class as Soul Craft.  In a nutshell, Gallwey tells the uptight players of this world to dial down the self-critical, self-doubting ego chatter in our heads and develop a heightened state of relaxed concentration and awareness of the ball. You know, the tennis ball, that thing you're supposed to pay the utmost attention to. Stop playing the "outer game," Gallwey instructs. Stop fixating on external stimuli (winning, doing everything right, nerves, your opponent, the foxy tennis coach on the adjacent court), and start directing your thoughts to the "inner game" by trusting your mind/heart and body to move in the naturally proper way, to self-correct without getting up in your own grill, to let things happen in order to unlock all your potential. As Gallwey sagely observes:

You probably get the gist. It's all that "ancient Indian philosophy meets 1970's feel good stuff" that we've largely managed to forget over the past few decades. And, there's something else that we've forgotten over the years: the look and feel of the book's early design carefully amplified Gallwey's message. Its format (unlike the newer paperback edition) is perfectly square. The dust jacket features a close-up shot of a very white, very fuzzy tennis ball emerging from the surrounding darkness. When you remove the dust jacket, there is a lovely embossed tennis ball on the pale green cover. Each of the book's chapters begins with a page featuring nothing but the title and a simple black-and-white photograph of a tennis ball seen at close range--like a meditative icon. All of these subtle touches and repetitions collectively reinforce a primary teaching: concentration (in this case, on the ball). The newer edition is perfectly fine, but lacks these graceful touches, these demonstrations of close, loving attention to the book's core message. Somehow, the format got smaller and the title got a whole lot longer: The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance. Now, that's a mouthful. What the current edition lacks in artfulness, it delivers in practicality. It is tidy paperback that can be read on the go. Whether or not tennis is your game, it is worth spending a bit of time this summer improving your "inner game" with this champ of a guide. For those looking for something with fewer ball and racquet references, don't miss Gallwey's forthcoming book, The Inner Game of Stress which hits shelves August 18.

--Lauren

Recommended for readers of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Pete Sampras' memoir, A Champion's Mind: Lessons from a Life of Tennis, and James Blake's memorable Breaking Back: How I Lost Everything and Won Back My Life.

The World According to Toad:  In honor of the reissued edition of The Wind in the Willows, The New York Times waxes nostalgic on the simple genius of Kenneth Grahame's classic story: "The Wind in the Willows is a children’s book that, unlike most, doesn’t describe a world without grownups; instead, it parodies the grownup world."

Bee on the Big Screen: Variety is reporting that Chris Cleave's Little Bee has been acquired by BBC Films, with Nicole Kidman nabbing a starring role.

Moving and Shaking:  The top slot in Movers & Shakers today belongs to a textbook: Educational Psychology. Now I understand we are slowly creeping towards the fall semester, but I think the #2 title - Iced Tea by Fred Thompson - is more appropriate for mid-July.

People often ask us how we decide what to read next. My answer is that I don't really decide--I just start reading. I don't commit to just one book (I often have several going at once), and I am not one of those readers who feel compelled to finish every book they start (I know many who find this appalling--sorry dad!). This policy helps me deal with the blessing and curse of our jobs (there are so many books to read, and so little time to read them all!) and affords me the freedom to crack open any book that crosses my path and dive right in. Things that help me sort through what to keep and what to give in a box of books include anything from a clever title (a couple of us are hopelessly in love with After the Fire, a Still Small Voice), to a great quote (Colm Toibin's blurb on the cover of John the Revelator earned it a spot on my shelf), or a really good cover (yes, you can sometimes judge a book this way). This brings me to my current crush, Johannes Cabal the Necromancer, by Jonathan L. Howard. In the true spirit of a crush, I fell hard and fast--loved the cover, was intrigued by the epigraph (the opening stanza to Emily Dickinson's "A Clock Stopped"), and dug the pen and ink illustrations at the start of each chapter. I admit to being a sucker for Faustian tales, so the story of a snarky scientist who hastily sells his soul to the devil before he realizes he does in fact, need it, was enough to hook me. As an added bonus,the first chapter made me laugh out loud--always a good sign. I am only halfway through, however, so like many crushes, this one could flame out quickly. So far, it's a fun ride, and it looks like many of our customers have enjoyed it, so I’m not too worried.

Here's a taste of the first chapter to entice you, wherein our soul-less Johannes Cabal confronts Satan in hell, and they strike up a deal (cue The Charlie Daniels Band):

--

"Frankly I don't think your challenge is entirely fair."

There was a period of silence for a long moment.

Satan's periods of good nature--in common with many managerial types--lasted precisely up until the moment he was challenged. He scowled monstrously the smile falling from his face like a greased pig off a church roof…

"Not entirely fair," repeated Satan, all trace of jovial hail-fellow-well-met gone. "Not entirely fair?" His voice became that of the inferno: a rushing, booming howl of icy-evil…

"I am Satan, also called Lucifer the Light Bearer…"

Cabal winced. What was it about devils that they always had to give you their whole family history?

"I was cast down from the presence of God himself into this dark, sulphurous pit and condemned to spend eternity here…"

"Have you tried saying sorry?" interrupted Cabal.

"No, I haven't! I was sent down for a sin of pride. It rather undermines my position if I say 'sorry'!"…

Satan leaned back in his throne, and his voice dropped to the low tone of somebody who is about to abort an interview. "Look up 'Satan' in a thesaurus at some point, mortal. You'll find terms like elemental evil,' 'wickedness incarnate,' and 'the begetter of sins.' If you find 'nice chap,' 'good bloke,' and 'the embodiment of fairness,' then I would suggest you buy a new one. Do you accept the deal?"

--Daphne

Recommended for fans of Christopher Moore, Buffy, and readers who love cheeky anti-heroes.

"Rock Stars of Yeast and Flour": Cookstr's Katie Workman catches up with urban bakers Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, owners of Brooklyn and Charleston's Baked outposts and the authors of Baked: New Frontiers in Baking. [The Daily Beast]

True Crime: Bestselling author John Grisham is working on a screenplay of the 1997 rape and murder of Navy wife Michelle Moore-Bosko and the "Norfolk four," who Grisham believes were wrongly convicted. [The Virginian-Pilot]

Another Famous Book by Nabokov?: Playboy magazine has secured first serial rights to Vladimir Nabokov's The Original Of Laura, the late author's final, unfinished novella.  [The New York Observer]

Moving & Shaking: This morning's No. 1 Mover & Shaker, Richard Hughes's 1929 novel, A High Wind in Jamaica, thanks to Andrew Sean Greer's "You Must Read This" praise on All Things Considered. "To say A High Wind in Jamaica is a novel about children who are abducted by pirates is to make it seem like a children's book. But that's completely wrong; its theme is actually how heartless children are." [NPR]

--BTP

The Buzz on Mars:  Famed astronaut Buzz Aldrin chatted with The Wall Street Journal this week on his recent memoir, Magnificent Desolation, and provided an interesting sidebar on Mars:

WSJ:  Do we need a settlement on Mars?

Mr. Aldrin: Yes, we shouldn't be dependent on a program that can be cancelled once we've gone and returned. We need to start something that has a self-sustaining nature. Six people can't get that done. But 40, 50 or 60 can. You need to build a thriving, self-sustaining settlement that doesn't need extensive re-supply from Earth.

In other news: Buy! Buy! Buy!

Pynchon on the Big Screen?  Publishers Weekly is reporting that Thomas Pynchon's upcoming novel, Inherent Vice, is quietly making the rounds in Hollywood.  Considering Mr. Pynchon's well-known disdain for the public spotlight, it will be interesting to see how (and if) this project develops.

--Dave

Farewell Brave Doctor: Jerri Nielsen FitzGerald, (1952-2009)
The Associated Press reports that Dr. Jerri Nielsen FitzGerald, the courageous physician and explorer who diagnosed her own breast cancer, performed self-administered surgery and chemotherapy in the South Pole (while awaiting her dramatic rescue months later during an Antarctic ice storm) has died of breast cancer at age 57.  She shared her unimaginable experiences in Ice Bound: A Doctor's Incredible Battle for Survival at the South Pole, a survival story that captured the hearts of readers around the world.  [AP via Yahoo.com]

The Art of Publishing:  ABRAMS Celebrates Its 60th
Today's issue of Shelf Awareness salutes the 60th anniversary of ABRAMS. The publisher transformed itself from turning out stodgy art books into a global house featuring everything from gorgeous art, and home and garden lifestyle books to the blockbuster Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.  Dip into the interesting profile on the publishing company's charismatic founder Harry N. Abrams, and QAs with Eric Sanderson (of the just released Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York City) and Sisters Grimm series author Michael Buckley.  [Shelf Awareness]

Dinner Might Be Late
Kate Gosselin's family cookbook, Love Is in the Mix: Making Meals into Memories is set to release on October 13.  But, Christian publisher Zondervan is stewing over its next move for the book amid Kate and Jon Gosselin's divorce announcement and the fate of the couple's hit t.v. show "Jon & Kate Plus 8" which is on hiatus until August. [Grand Rapids Press via Publishers Lunch]

--Lauren

More YA books challenged...
In Illinois, parents tried to get Sherman Alexie's Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian pulled from the required summer reading list at Antioch Community High School. From a parent: "If there were just swear words, I could deal with that. But sections of this book are just vulgar." (Daily Herald)

But they failed. One of the parents, like other grown-ups involved with recent Gossip Girl controversies, suggested warning labels. Bookshelves of doom responds:

Would Lord of the Flies and Hamlet and American Psycho and The Hunger Games get slapped with one that reads VIOLENCE INSIDE? For that matter, would American Psycho get the SEX sticker, too? Jeepers. Some books would be so plastered with stickers that we wouldn't be able to see the cover art anymore. Who would decide how much 'offensive' content was enough to warrant a label? ETC. [Moments later: Actually, I may have to reconsider my previous opinion. Because a CAUTION: DOG DEATH sticker would come in way handy in some cases. Or maybe something a little more broad, like DANGER: MAY CAUSE UNCONTROLLABLE SOBBING.]

Who's really reading YA?
Joanne at Tomorrow Museum speculates that YA books sales are up because teens enjoy the immersive and solitary experience of reading.

Paul at Futurismic redirects:

This is a mantra we heard over and over again during the massive YA genre fiction circle-jerk last year, and it’s always backed with the unvoiced assumption that only Young Adults read YA. I’ve worked in a library, and I can assure you that’s an observable falsehood; most genuinely popular YA is successful precisely because so many adult readers with an expendable income enjoy the same titles.

Quick links...
The New York Times reports on the growing disconnect between teenagers and Holden Caulfield:

Teachers say young readers just don’t like Holden as much as they used to. What once seemed like courageous truth-telling now strikes many of them as “weird,” “whiny” and “immature.”

Melissa Marr closes her "first adult deal," by which we mean non-YA book deal. Graveminder is described as "Six Feet Under laced with ancient Irish evil and a dash of Faulkner." (Publisher's Weekly).

Susan Beth Pfeffer announces that This World We Live In, her third post-moon-crash apocalypse book following the fabulous Life as We Knew It and The Dead and the Gone is coming out April 1, 2010.

Happy reading.--Heidi

Strike Three for Moneyball: Due to a difference in "vision," Sony Pictures has benched the planned big-screen adaptation of Michael Lewis's bestselling Moneyball. The Steven Soderbergh film was halted just days before shooting was to begin. Brad Pitt was set to star as the Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane. [LA Times]

Paging Jessica Seinfeld: Another call of plagiarism has hit the Healthy Living bookshelf. A Massachusetts woman is suing The View's Elisabeth Hasselbeck, claiming Hasselbeck's The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide contains "dozens of paraphrased as well as word for word regurgitations of phrases" from her own book on Celiac. [Seattle PI]

White House Book Club: Former Vice President Dick Cheney will be making $2 million dollars to write his memoir, which will be published in Spring 2011 by Simon & Schuster's Threshold Editions. [NY Times]

--BTP

Two great women, 169 years: While you're making your Canadian travel plans to Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Games, you might also want to consider booking a flight to Toronto for late October for the International Festival of Authors. The IFOA always brings in a top-shelf lineup, but they've just announced a rare event for their opening night on October 21: a conversation between Alice Munro, the shy septuagenarian superstar who will be making "her only onstage appearance of the fall" in support of her upcoming story collection, Too Much Happiness, and Diana Athill, the ninetysomething memoirist whose Somewhere Towards the End has brought in awards and raves from both sides of the Atlantic (and who has been around long enough that over a half-century ago, as I was recently reminded in a review of the new Jean Rhys bio, she helped rediscover Rhys and shepherded the Wide Sargasso Sea into print). Meanwhile, when I see the words "October" and "Munro," my thoughts turn not to Toronto but to Stockholm--maybe this will be the year...

Galley crackdown pending?: The FTC floats new rules that would allow them to go after bloggers who plug products in exchange for money or freebies. Will that include review copies of books (which reviewers had been lining their shelves with--and selling to the Strand--for decades before anybody heard of that word "blog")? Ed Champion, among others, rants.

Labor theory of value: While many of Britain's iconic writers have been selling their archives to well-funded university libraries in places like Texas and Georgia (I just happened to be flipping through Ted Hughes's (excellent) letters yesterday and ran across some advice he gave to a fellow poet to treat his page proofs well "because places like Texas buy proofs--eventually."), John Berger has agreed to give his papers to the British Library, in exchange for some harvest help at his farm in the French Alps. (Via Reading Copy.)

"I hadn't been sacked since I was 15": An unnamed UK student literary magazine asks Stranger on a Train author Jenny Diski to be their guest editor, then fires her when she isn't sufficiently complimentary about their stories (and doesn't choose their own favorites, which, I'm just going to venture a guess, were probably written by their friends--or perhaps themselves). (Also via Reading Copy.)

Beach Buddies: The Washington Post recently asked authors which book character they'd most like to join for a day at the beach.  Picks by Colson Whitehead (Quint from Jaws) and Arthur Phillips (Captain Ahab from Moby Dick) were among my favorites, but Philippa Gregory nailed it:

I should like to spend a day at the beach with Jake Barnes from "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway. Firstly, Jake is tremendously laid back and cool with an inner sorrow, which would be good for a day, though tedious for too long. He can fish and he loves Nature, so I think we would have a reflective session perhaps from a small boat and then a barbecue of grilled fish and chunky bread. He is a virtuoso drinker, so I anticipate some chilled white to start and a strong red for the later evening. He just can't bring any of his dopey friends.

Party Like It's 1959:  From the "in case you missed it" file, The Wall Street Journal ran a great review this week on Fred Kaplan's 1959.

Of course, it's an old trick to pick a year -- say, 1945, with the A-bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, or 1970, with the shooting of antiwar students at Kent State -- as the cusp of a new era or the end of an old one. But Mr. Kaplan, a magazine writer and columnist for Slate, makes an intriguing case that 1959 was an authentic annus mirabilis.

Birthday wishes:  Finally, a very happy birthday to one of our favorite authors, Salman Rushdie, who turns 62 today.