After a year(-ish) hiatus, Porter's Picks is back and will be posting more frequently than once a year. Much more. Particularly with this awful winter we're having here in the Northeast, what better way to spend a snowy day or weekend than with a good flick or a good book? Please feel free to pass the word onto your friends! (Pretty please?)
I'll start with a quick update on what I've been reading. And, equally important, HOW I've been reading new picks...that's right I'm a recent convert to an e-reader thanks to a great Christmas present from my wonderful husband: the Nook. As a book-lover, I was initially (a year or two ago) aghast at the thought of reading a book on an electronic reading device. How could you curl up with a Kindle or a Nook? Wouldn't you miss the feel of turning an actual page - as opposed to tapping a screen to 'turn' (or swiping the screen)? Survey says - yes, you can curl up with a Nook because you are, in fact, curling up with a good book...just packaged differently. As for the tactile difference - I'm surprised at how quickly I've adapted to my Nook and how much I love it. Sure, there are still small glitches - sometimes it can take a few taps before the page actually turns - but that's the case with any newer technology and I'm sure these kinks will be worked out over time in future releases. Part of the reason why I changed my thinking is that it seems the e-reader is the future of reading: I recently read in a tweet posted by Publishers Weekly (case in point!) that the bookstore as we know it will be gone in ten years. Gasp!! So, for me, it became evident that I should ideally adapt now rather than have the change forced upon me in the near future. What surprised me was how easy and seamless the transition was. I have not yet mastered all of the features yet - i.e. how to 'lend' books to any Nook friends - but that's okay...I'll get there. For now, I'm really enjoying the ability to buy new content, anywhere & anytime, whenever I finish a new book.
And yes, I'm still reading (and giving) actual books and will continue to do so in tandem with whatever I'm reading on the Nook. For me, the Nook isn't entirely replacing reading traditional books but is a fantastic supplement and one I highly recommend if you're someone who is an avid reader...particularly people who have longer commutes or travel a lot--there's nothing worse than finishing a book and realizing you still have a few hours on a plane with only the in-flight magazine as reading material.
Now that you know HOW I've been reading...here are two of the books I've read in January, along with a very brief review or recommendation (more to follow later this week):
"Local Knowledge" - Liza Gyllenhaal
Written by a first-time author, this novel wasn't entirely what I expected when I started it...and that's a compliment. The story is told primarily in the voice of a middle-aged woman named Maddie who has recently embarked upon a new career as a real estate agent in an area about two hours north of Manhattan which has recently become the new 'It' area for New Yorkers seeking a second home but wanting a very different alternative to the Hamptons. Maddie seems perfectly suited to this niche as she is able to capitalize on her 'local knowledge', having grown up in this area and is currently raising her family in this town. This new venture may also provide a nice complement to her husband's profession--Paul is a homebuilder within their community. However, what isn't in the job description is how selling to these downstaters will change ways in which Maddie views her town, her family...even herself as she is captivated by their allure. In the telling of this story, the author weaves in subplots that don't feel forced in addition to alternating between the current point of view and stories from the past. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and have heard that Gyllenhaal is at work on a second novel.
"The Island" - Elin Hilderbrand
I'll start by saying that I really like books told in different narrators/voices; provided, of course, that it's done well. In Hilderbrand's case, this is almost always a given as she is a master at character development and each of her characters are drawn in a great detail.
I'll add that in the six or seven books I've read by this author, there was only one I found wanting - "Nantucket Nights". The rest I've either loved or tremendously liked and "The Island" was no exception.
Set in Hilderbrand's real-life home of Nantucket, this is the tale of two sets of sisters and about the various bonds (mother/daughters; aunt/nieces; sister/sister) and the difficulties each is grappling with over the course of one July. They all re-converge upon a family summer home that has been boarded up for more than ten years, in hopes that this summer retreat will provide answers or healing. The family home is set on a small island that is actually off the coast of Nantucket so these four women will really be immersed in spending 'quality time' with each other, whether they like it or not. I won't tell you the specific issues/struggles in the interest of not wanting to inadvertently spoil a plot point; what I will tell you is that if you like what I'll call "smart beach reading", this is for you. Hilderbrand's ability to convey a sense of place is incredible; just opening one of her books can make you feel like you've been transported to Nantucket or parts of the Cape. (or, if you've never been, you'll want to make Nantucket your next summer getaway!)
This one was a page-turner and, if you discover you like Hilderbrand's writing, you'll be happy to know that she typically writes a book each year, typically released every summer so there's no reason your beach bag will be without a new adventure set in Nantucket. For 2011, her new title, "Silver Girl", is set for a summer release.
