Book Review: Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

You need to read this book.

In short, the book is about Eleanor and Park, two unlikely misfits who fall in love on a school bus. Eleanor is chubby with wild red hair, and is desperately trying to survive in the home of her abusive step-father. Park is half-Korean and half-Irish and uses music and comic books to figure out who he really is.

When you begin this book, be prepared for high school memories and adolescence to come flooding back to you. You will remember your first love. You will remember fighting with your parents and feeling like no one understands you. You will remember turning on your favorite song and trying to block out all the feelings you want to rid yourself of but at the same time make you feel alive.

And when you really dive in, you will want to reach into the pages and pull Eleanor out of her terrible world of poverty and despair. You will thank God for Park and his comic books and his beautiful hair and even his eyeliner, because maybe at least he is able to be himself.

And when you near the end, you will ugly-cry, as I did, for the last twenty pages, tears pouring down your cheeks and snot running down your chin. And when you are done, you will want a hug, and I hope you are lucky enough to get one, and afterward you will curl yourself into a ball and think about how blessed you are to have people who love you. If you’re an adult, you will thank God for the family that loves and supports you, and hope that every child can find the “deep and wide as the ocean” type of compassion and support that parents should feel for their children.

And finally, you will dream of your one true love and hope that one day you will feel this intense, soul-crushing love that Eleanor and Park do. Or perhaps you will thank your lucky stars that you have found that love, and promise yourself that you will never let it slip through your fingers.

Why you might like this book: It’s beautiful. It makes you feel alive. It causes your soul to ache. This book has non-traditional protagonists and an unconventional love story that is a surprising breath of fresh air to other young adult romance books I’ve read. It's cheesy, sure, but it also gives a realistic look at teenaged love.

Why you might not like this book: This book has been censored from some school districts having inappropriate and negative content. I guess I’m not sure why that would make you “not like this book,” but it’s the best I have. In response to the censorship, author Rainbow Rowell released this statement: “When these people call Eleanor & Park an obscene story, I feel like they’re saying that rising above your situation isn’t possible. That if you grow up in an ugly situation, your story isn’t even fit for good people’s ears. That ugly things cancel out everything beautiful.” As follow up, NPR did a great story on Rainbow Rowell and “why ugly stories matter”- see here. 

Similar Titles I’ve Read: Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, Paper Towns by John Green, Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

I would recommend this book to: all of my book club girls, all high schoolers, and basically everyone.

“Holding Eleanor's hand was like holding a butterfly. Or a heartbeat. Like holding something complete, and completely alive.” -Rainbow Rowell, Eleanor and Park

Book Review: The Book of Matt by Stephen Jimenez

The story of Matthew Shepard is one that I’m sure everyone my age and older is familiar with. An unsuspecting, innocent, gay college student in Wyoming is brutally attacked and tied to a fence by two homophobes and left to die. It’s a heartbreaking story and one of the leading civil rights stories of our day. Matt’s parents, Dennis and Judy, created the Matthew Shepard Foundation to support LGBT youth and in 2009, Barack Obama signed into legislation the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

In my tenth grade English class each year, we watch the HBO TV movie The Laramie Project as an introduction to our unit about tolerance and individual responsibility. The Laramie Project is a play from the Tectonic Theatre Project in New York. The play’s story revolves around a town shattered and rebuilt by the murder of Matthew is based on interviews and transcript of many people involved or close to the case. It’s a real tear jerker, with plenty of emotional moments and a powerful message: people are people, and to hurt someone out of hate is wrong.

So let me tell you how surprised I was when a student told me about The Book of Matt, a new book about Matthew Shepard.

“Basically, Matthew Shepard was addicted to meth, and he was killed over drugs, not because he was gay,” he informed me in a matter-of-fact, albeit non-judgmental manner.

Shocked at this statement, I politely told him that I hadn’t heard of that side of the story, but that I would check it out. And so, true to my word, two weeks ago I checked The Book of Matt out from the library.

The Book of Matt turned out to be a fascinating read. It presents a completely different side of the Matthew Shepard murder, one of promiscuity, addiction, and underground drug rings. Through a decade-long research process Jimenez, a gay man himself, argues that Matthew Shepard was not killed because he was gay. In fact, Aaron McKinney, one of the killers, and Matt knew each other longer before that fateful October evening. Rather, the murder is attributed to a struggle over methamphetamine and the money that comes with dealing it. This thesis is carefully crafted by Jimenez through thousands of hours of interviews and networking with the people of Laramie, WY, as well as Denver, CO. Many of these people were also interviewed by the Tectonic Theatre Project for The Laramie Project.

To me, the question that remained while I read the book and still remains: If it wasn’t about being gay, why is that the story we have all been told?

Jimenez attributes several reasons that the hate crime story spread like wildfire including: the close proximity of the murder to that of James Byrd, Jr in Jasper, TX; two friends of Matthew’s who knew nothing about his illicit activities and so immediately suspected gay hate, Bill Clinton’s desire to turn media attention away from his impeachment scandal, and cover-ups from Laramie police officers who may have also been involved in the drug circle. Most importantly, Jimenez touches on a profound truth about America: we love our victims as much as our heroes. It is easy for us to portray Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson as evil gay-hating rednecks, and Matthew as an innocent martyr, crucified for his beliefs. Matt has become an American myth, almost dehumanized as a result of this martyrdom.

Stephen Jimenez attempts to uncover the truth about Matthew Shepard and find out the human behind the story. In the process, he also humanizes in some way the murderers Aaron and Russell, their families, and other citizens of Laramie.

While this book does not shed Matthew Shepard in the best light, let me assure you that Stephen Jimenez in no way condones Matt’s murder. Instead, he argues that Matt, while a victim, was not the only one. Perhaps the most interesting part of the story for me was learning more about Russell Henderson, Aaron McKinney’s wingman in the whole process. Although he received two consecutive life sentences, and definitely did terrible things like failing to prevent the murder from happening, he was also preyed upon by Aaron and beat up that night; therefore, to lump him in the same category as Aaron McKinney seems unjust. He too, was a victim; a victim of family problems, of hanging with the wrong crowd, of abuse, and of drugs.

The story of Matthew Shepard is horrific, sad, and should have been prevented. However, as my English classes pointed out when we discussed this book, to cover up the truth even to do something good can still be wrong. Methamphetamine is a terrible, terrible drug and has ruined more lives than just Matt, Aaron, and Russell’s, and I think that Jimenez is trying to expose the problem with this drug as much as the truth about the murder.

Why you might like this book: This is an extremely controversial book, but I believe much of what Jimenez says. As Jimenez delves into the story, he reveals much more about Matt, Aaron McKinney, and the town of Laramie than is usually revealed in the folktale that has become the Matthew Shepard story. Although he is not the best writer, I truly believe that Jimenez has done his research and has struggled to uncover the truth.

Why you might not like this book: Many people are very offended by this book, basically arguing that Jimenez is a poor, unreliable journalist with no credibility or soul (see here). Most importantly, people believe that this could take away or taint all of the good that has come out of Matt’s death.

Similar Titles I’ve Read: None that I can think of, to be honest. However, you may be interested in Judy Shepard’s memoir The Meaning of Matt.

I would recommend this book to: fellow English 10 teachers or teachers that use The Laramie Project as a teaching tool, and others interested in the Matthew Shepard story.

Talking about this book with my classes was a great way to talk about what is “true” and how life is more complex than right or wrong, black or white. Could both The Book of Matt and The Laramie Project be true? Could both reveal truths about life without being factual? Both argue that the murder was wrong and that people do not deserve to die in senseless, terrible ways. Hopefully, through both media, people will be reminded of the lesson we all need: life is precious and should not be wasted.

P.S. You can watch Stephen Jimenez give a book talk about The Book of Matt here.

Audio Review: Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom

Mitch Albom is wonderful and his short and powerful stories just pull at your heartstrings. Have a Little Faith, published in 2009, is no different. It was the perfect audiobook for this cold and dreary February- short enough to listen to in a week with an engaging narration by Mitch Albom himself.

The story begins with the author, Mitch, running into his childhood rabbi while at a speaking engagement. His rabbi, Albert Lewis, has come to ask Mitch an important question: will Mitch perform his eulogy when he dies? Although a strange request, Mitch reluctantly agrees, and begins regular visits with Albert at his home and work. Mitch and the rabbi’s meetings blossom into a beautiful relationship between teacher and student.

Around the same time, Mitch becomes involved in a charity campaign in his hometown in Detroit. Through his outreach to homeless shelters and soup kitchens, Mitch meets Henry Covington, a former drug addict and convict who has reversed his life and become a pastor at I Am My Brother’s Keeper Ministries. Mitch alternates between stories about Henry’s life and Albert’s life. The result is a beautiful story of faith and its ability to unite all peoples, regardless of your personal religion.

Why you might like this book: Short, sweet, and heartfelt. It’s full of little life tidbits that encourage you to be the type of person you’ve always wanted to be and to believe in whatever faith you follow. It caused me to reflect on my life, how I treat others, and, as morbid as it sounds, what people might say at my funeral. On my deathbed, will I feel as at peace as Albert Lewis about my faith and the good I have done for the world?

Why you might not like this book: If you have no soul, this might not be for you :)

Similar Titles I’ve Read: Tuesdays with Morrie, Five People You Meet in Heaven, Heaven is for Real

I would recommend this book to: anyone and everyone, including my husband, the non-reader!

I leave you with words from the book, spoken by Albert Lewis: “God sings, we hum along, and there are many melodies, but it's all one song - one same, wonderful, human song.”