The Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls

Bibliography
Schumacher, Julie. The Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls. New York: Delacorte Press, 2012. Print.

image from: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12858678-the-unbearable-book-club-for-unsinkable-girls

 

My Thoughts

"Unbearable Book Club

Mother-Daughter Literary Punishment Group

The Mother-Daughter Book Club & Conspiracy League

Literary Enslavement Society of West No Hope

Involuntary Book Bondage Guild

Intolerable Book Bondage Group for Wayward Girls

Unbearable Book Club of West New Hope, DE

Extremely Unbearable Book Club for Irresponsible Girls

Unbearable Literary Society for Impossible Girls

Society of Feminine & Literary Despair

Literary Punishment Guild

Unbearable Literary Society

Book Bondage Unbearable Literary Enslavement Club

Excruciating Reader's Group for Abominable Girls

Literary Trespassers Association for Delinquent Girls

Extremely Unbearable Book Club Meeting #5"

 

These are the names given to the book club as the story progresses. I found it humorous to see the changing title and how the title related to the action of the story. The book club starts because four girls (Cee Cee Christiansen, Adrienne Haus, Jill D'Amato and Wallis Gray) have an AP summer reading assignment. Some of the moms thought it would be fun to create a mother-daughter book club (this sounds like something I would do). The girls wouldn't normally be friends. Their social circles are not the same. Adrienne's mom explains, "It's good to interact with people you wouldn't ordinarily talk to, and read books you wouldn't ordinarily read. Be open-minded. Be willing to experiment" (Schumacher 28). As the story unfolds, I'm not convinced that they all became friends through the book club, even though they shared experiences. 

This is an enjoyable "fluff" book -- something I needed to read after my last book. I appreciated all of the literary allusions. The reading list is AP caliber ("Yellow Wallpaper," Frankenstein, Left Hand of Darkness, The House on Mango Street and The Awakening. I'm not familiar with the Left Hand of Darkness book, but I will order it for the library). There is even mention of my favorite childhood series, The Boxcar Children.

I liked a character's comment that "Books are a distraction but also a comfort" (Schumacher 217).

I liked the characters and found mystery in Wallis (wonder if and hope Schumacher will write another book from her perspective). I enjoyed the feeling of loving books shown in this novel. "I still loved opening a book and feeling like I was physically entering the page, the ordinary world fizzing and blurring around the edges until it disappeared" (Schumacher 5). Yep, I like that feeling, too.

 

At the first book club meeting, Adrienne is asked about what she thinks of the book. She explains:

 

"I found it almost impossible, after I'd just finished reading a book, to formulate an opinion about it. To me, a recently read novel was like a miniature planet: only a few hours earlier I had been breathing its air and living contentedly among its people--and now I was expected to pronounce a judgement about its worth? What was there to say? I enjoyed that planet. I believe that planet and its inhabitants are very worthwhile" (Schumacher 37).

I can relate to that! When I am engrossed in a book, I am there "visiting," and it's hard sometimes, even writing this blog, to pronounce what I thought. I think this is why I take notes and mark pages. When I'm in the book, I'm in, but once I'm finished, I often forget the chuckles and "aha" thoughts and connections I made while reading.

 

Wallis has a goal of reading a book a week. Last year, I read 39 books, which is the most I've read since writing this blog. I thought I'd try in 2014 to read a book a week. So far, I'm behind and the month of January isn't even finished. Adrienne's mother encourages her to "try keeping a list of all the books you read" (Shumacher 95). In 2000, I was getting my English Master's degree and started making a list of the books I'd read. It is interesting to see how my interests focused based on my books read. When working on my library science degree, I had to start this blog. I still keep my list, but now I have this record of my thoughts.

 

I thought it was humorous when Cee Cee explains "most of the books we read for school ended with someone dying, because teachers liked it when their students got depressed" (Shumacher 204). HA! I don't think we really do, it was funny to see that perspective.

 

Each chapter defines a different literary term (this is part of the summer reading assignment--to define & identify literary terms and a clever way for Adrienne to complete the task.). I found the last chapter's term and definition to be accurate. "Resolution: The part of the book you spend a lot of pages waiting for; the part where you get your questions answered. (But I'm not sure if that's true in my essay.)" (Shumacher 215). As a reader, I don't have to have everything answered, but I hate spending "a lot of pages waiting for" something that doesn't happen. It is frustrating. I wasn't frustrated at the end of this book, even though there are a few unanswered questions.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tweak

Bibliography
Sheff, Nic. Tweak New York: Ginee Seo Books, 2007.

image from:http://static.oprah.com/images/bookfinder/jackets/200708-omag-book-nic-sheff-284xFall.jpg


My Thoughts
I thought I'd better read this book if I was going to have it on the library shelf. Part One of the book was intense, and I really questioned whether I would put this out or not. I even looked up why I bought it (it is on the Outstanding Books for the College Bound list along with his dad's book Beautiful Boy). In fact, until I read Part Two of the book, I was not going to shelve it.  

This detailed, non-fiction book is not for the faint of heart. There are very graphic scenes of sex and drug use. I was afraid that my student readers would read this as a "how to" or as an endorsement that this type of behavior is acceptable. I won't promote this book (and I'm not sure why because I do have kids reading Ellen Hopkins and her stuff is gritty, raw and real). There is something that doesn't set with me about this book. I'm afraid the message Sheff is making through this memoir won't get to the audience.

Part One is a roller coaster of high after high, broken promises, hustling, drugs and more drugs. He started using meth when he was eighteen. This was after trying several other drugs and living an "overexposed" (adult) lifestyle as a child (Sheff 160). He "dropped out of college twice, my parents kicked me out...I broke into their house...I stole hundreds of dollars from the register...got arrested for a possession charge" (Sheff 5). He felt like he was "held captive by some insatiable monster that will not let me [Nic] stop" (Sheff 6). But the fact is, he doesn't want to stop (Sheff 20). He keeps in this vicious circle in spite of the many people who tried to help him. It made me so mad as a reader because I know it feels like to try and help someone who doesn't want or accept the help. Nic tries to stop, but he really doesn't. He often seemed like, "Oh well, can't stop, so I'll just keep enjoying it." He claims the meth "is more powerful than anything" (Sheff 34). Addictions of any kind are like this. He doesn't like who he is, both physically ["there's something about outward appearances that has always been important to me" (Sheff 36)] and inside his mind. He is a perfectionist, so when he can't be perfect, he excuses his behavior. This really upset me. Nic is a "good" kid with so many opportunities and privileges that he is just throwing away because of drugs. His "friend" Gack explains that the constant hunt for the next high is "living. Every day is an adventure" (Sheff 123). This is a sad, terrifying way to live life. The first part of the book ends with Nic praying to a god in which he doesn't believe and going back home (Sheff 125). His friend/sponsor Spencer will help.

Part Two starts with chipper Spencer getting Nic back on his bike. (Truly a metaphor here!). Spencer tells Nic to write down "a list of all the things you want out of life" and "in one year from today, one year, if you follow this program to the best of your ability, you will have everything you wanted and more" (Sheff 134). There is hope, but Nic doesn't believe it. "There's no way I can get these things--there's just no way" (Sheff 136).  Spencer tells Nic to be patient and talk to God. "The longer I experiment with relying on God, the more I will come to believe. So I try it. I ask God for help in every aspect of my life, even if I don't really believe it" (Sheff 144). As a reader, I'm hopeful and skeptical. He is clean, working a steady job and "for the first time ever, I want to take responsibility for myself and the effect I have on others" (Sheff 171). Hallelujah! Spencer tries to explain to Nic that "being sober isn't just about not using. Being sober is about the joy of a life of clarity and living by spiritual principles can bring" (Sheff 173). Things are going great until Zelda reunites with Nic. The longer they are together, the more Nic turns away from being clear headed. Nic even asks himself "What the hell is wrong with me? I have so much and I always want to throw it away. Why am I this way?" (Sheff 153). I feel for his struggle here. However, he's quite childish in his stubbornness that no one sees in her what he sees. [This should be a warning. If everyone else is telling you to get away from him/her, GET AWAY!]. Nic absolutely becomes consumed by Zelda and starts using drugs again. As the story built up, I knew exactly where that relationship was heading. Nic even tries to say it is "God's will for me....I don't want to hear anything different and I don't ask for any validation" (Sheff 208). NO! NO! NO! I don't even want to write about Nic's life with Zelda. It's immature and superficial. Nic explains that he "lashes out at everyone who tries to help me, just trying to scare them away so they can stop giving a damn about me and let me throw my life away in peace" (Sheff 259). This is Nic's mental attitude, and it's heartbreaking. Nic FINALLY realizes "I can't go with Zelda. I'll just get high again and all these days of hell in detox will have been wasted" (Sheff 284). Finally, he's getting it, even if he say he's going to "play this rehab game perfectly" (Sheff 292)!

The book is written in present tense, even though it is a memoir. As a reader, I felt like I was in the moment with Nic. I was happy when he was clean and disappointed when he used. The end of the book was disappointing to me. I've just endured 300+ pages to be left with part of the "family weekend" at rehab complete. This made me mad. I know I can do some research and find out where Nic is and how he's doing today. The epilogue had him moving to Savannah and working on this book. I really want to know what happened to Spencer.

Interestingly, a book that I was unsure of seems to draw much out of me for this post.

A Painted House

Bibliography
Grisham, John. A Painted House. New York: Doubleday, 2000. Print.

image from: http://houseput.com/img/Books/a-painted-house-by-john-grisham-isb.jpg

My Thoughts
This is my book club pick for our current read. Even though I can't attend discussion night, I wanted to read it, as I haven't ever read any books written by John Grisham. Of course, I took notes as I read, but when I finished, I also wrote down some thoughts and feelings.

I overall enjoyed the storytelling and the humor of the story. I envisioned the place--in fact, I know the place. I feel like I've spent time with my grandparents on their farm (and I'm luck to have felt them with me as I read). My dad is the narrator, Luke (even though my dad has more brothers and a sister). The characters are believable. I did not grow up picking cotton, but I've heard my family talk about it. When I was growing up, my grandparents were not actively farming, but they were still farmers. They had two gardens that we worked. They had to drive to town to buy anything and attend church. These were special times when we got to tag along. I've sat on the porch to wind down the day, discussing everything in life and nothing at all. Shelling peas. Waving to passersby. Learning scripture. Learning about life.

The story takes place during harvest time of 1952. Luke Chandler and his parents (Jesse & Katherine) live with Luke's grandparents on their Arkansas cotton farm. They hire some "hill people" and Mexicans to help harvest the cotton. Having these two groups stay on the farm creates some varying & intertwines story lines. I predicted one major event between "Cowboy" and Tally. However, the nearby Latcher family provided an unexpected twist to the story. Actually, there were two twists involving the Latcher's.

Seven year old Luke knows he does not want to be a cotton farmer. He knows the more people helping means less cotton he has to pick. He's happy for the help.

I thought the distinctions between the Baptists and the Methodists was humorous and sometimes truthful. When the migrant workers arrive, some of the townspeople are livid of the conditions the workers faced to get there. Luke explains, "I could tell Pearl couldn't wait for us to clear out so she could find her church friends and again stir up the issue. Pearl was a Methodist" (Grisham 17). Yep, Methodists are into fair conditions for people. "Most things were sinful in rural Arkansas, especially if you were a Baptist. As a general rule, the merchants and school teachers worshipped there [Methodist church]. The Methodists thought they were slightly superior, but as Baptists, we knew we had the inside track to God" (Grisham 83). HA!

The title reference starts on page 21. Luke's mom was "almost a town girl" and was "raised in a painted house" (Grisham 21). The distinction of the painted house is important. By having a painted house, you have the expendable income that most cotton farmers didn't enjoy. This theme of the painted house continues when Trot, one of the hill people, begins to paint the Chandler house. It is an extravagance that turns out to be accepted, including from Pappy Eli.

When I finished the book, I literally cried. I didn't cry for the events of the story, but I cried for the memories of my grandparents. I've passed this book on to my dad. It may be too close to home for him to like as much as me.

 

Cinder

Bibliography

Meyer, Marissa. Cinder. New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2012.

image from: http://www.dclibrary.org/sites/all/files/styles/large/public/cinder_2.jpg

My Thoughts

Cinderella as cyborg. Yep, I've read the book.

The first thing that drew me to this book was the cover. It is beautiful! The next thing that drew me to this book is I got to hear Marissa Meyer speak at two separate sessions at TLA this year. I became interested in reading The Lunar Chronicles. Thirdly, Meyer signed my book. Now, I must read it.

This is a Cinderella retelling, but it isn't. Yes, the main character's name is Cinder, and there is a handsome prince and a lovely ball to attend. There is also a wicked stepmother and stepsisters to contend with, but the story is more than this. The backdrop of the familiar story lends itself to a new story--one of a futuristic, empowered girl who is not all that she seems. There is the ever-present good versus evil story line that all fairy tales must explore.

"She kept her head high, even as her eyes stung, even as panic filled her vision with warnings and precautions.

It was not her fault he had liked her.

It was not her fault she was cyborg.

She would not apologize." (Meyer 338).

The Eastern Commonwealth is in negotiations with the Lunars. "Lunars were a society that had evolved from an Earthen moon colony centuries ago, but they weren't human anymore. People said Lunars could alter a person's brain--make you see things you shouldn't see, feel things you shouldn't feel, do things you didn't want to do. Their unnatural power had made them a greedy and violent race, and Queen Levana was the worst of all of them" (Meyer 43). Lunars have a problem with mirrors (explained in the story). This interaction between worlds provides a secondary story line to Cinder's story. The Lunars are the reason a plague has come to the Commonwealth, and it will be the Lunars who help find the cure. Of course, the evil queen's idea of a negotiation is to do what she wants--marry her.

Unlike the "usual" version of Cinderella, Cinder and the prince meet prior to the fancy ball. In fact, Prince Kai invites Cinder to be his "personal guest at the ball" (Meyer 164). Of course, Cinder doesn't plan to go, or rather, her wicked stepmother doesn't plan to allow her to go! Of course, our heroine prevails and does make it to the ball.

Even though this is a futuristic novel, there are qualities of "now" present in the book. For one, the story's setting takes on an Asian location. In the Q & A section of my book, Meyer explains that the earliest Cinderella story actually came from 9th century China. I didn't realize this. Each person, including cyborgs have in ID chip implanted in their wrists. This chip allows access to "money accounts, benefits, licenses" which made me think of Social Security card numbers (Meyer 169).

There were a few things I suspected to happen that did (of course, Cinder is the...oh, wait, don't want to spoil it here). I think Meyer gave too many obvious clues for me (but this might be perfect for a YA audience). It is fun to think something might happen, or how a story will all fall in place, and then it does. The ID chips did make me suspect that Cinder might be, well, I can't say. But I will state that I suspected at page 170 some of the outcome in the book. One of these outcomes is revealed on page 175 and another on page 240. Dr. Erland was exactly was I expected him to be.

I also kept thinking about Star Wars while reading this book. I'm not sure if it was the android connection (both stories main characters fix them) or just those common archetypes showing through.

Meyer sets up more stories with Queen Levana. Cinder knows something about her power "a perfect illustration overlaid the perfect woman--and they were not the same" (Meyer 361). I thought of Langston Hughes' poem, "We Wear the Mask."

There was no sex or language issues that I recall. There is a kissing scene at page 349.

Runaway

Bibliography
Van Draanen, Wendelin. Runaway. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. Print.

image from: http://img1.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n32/n162759.jpg

My Thoughts
A student recommended I read this book. Glad she did. WOW! This was a great story, and I now have another book to recommend to my "reality" fiction readers.

This is Holly's story. Holly is twelve and has runaway from another foster home. This time, though, is different because she has a journal and a plan.

At the beginning of the novel, Holly is resentful of the journal. She hates her teacher that gave it to her to write down her thoughts and feelings. "You think writing will get me out of here? You think words will make me forget about the past? Get real, Ms. Leone!" (Van Draanen 1). She continues to write. She begins to emerge. She transforms. "Maybe I was mean to you. Maybe you really did care" (Van Draanen 46). By the end of the book, she realizes that the journal is one thing that helped her survive her situation. "The most important thing is that this journal made me feel less alone. Like I had someone to talk to" (Van Draanen 244). It has become her most prized possession. She writes, "You can steal my money, you can steal my food, but man, touch my journal and I'm going to beat the crud out of you! It's mine, you hear me?" (Van Draanen 127). 

Her situation: I felt empathy for Holly. She was truly a victim of circumstance. Her father was killed in a tractor accident that sent her mother running into drugs, eventually overdosing and leaving Holly thrown into the foster care system. She is placed and fights it. She is placed again and again until the people who are bond to help her actually fail her. They don't listen. They don't believe. My heart breaks for Holly because I realize that this happens. How many times have "good intentions" turned into a horrible situation? She leaves the last home and decides she will head west and become a sea gypsy. She stows away on a bus and makes it to California.

Holly is a survivor. She's a quick thinker and has been to exposed to more "life" than most grown adults. She is aware of her surroundings and figures out how to make it. The journal helps her. Just as she resisted writing, she resists people, but as she spends more time on the streets, she realizes that not all people are the problem. She also realizes "how ungrateful I've been. I can walk, I'm healthy...I've got a lot more than I think I do" (Van Draanen 159). Pretty powerful revelation from a twelve year old homeless girl!

Writing poetry becomes an outlet. As she rages against her life, she creates some beautiful stanzas. In one poem, she writes, "I'm mad at everything and everyone. Why am I having to go through this? What did I ever do to deserve this?" (Van Draanen 150). My sentiments for her as well.

Books and dogs help her. She finds libraries whenever she can and reads as much as she can. She relates to dogs and cares for them. She wants to become a veterinarian and take care of dogs

Fortunately, I have never had to live on the streets to survive. I've never been hungry enough to eat out of trash cans or steal food. I have never lived in a cardboard box covered in trash bags. I don't know if I could find a soup kitchen by watching other people. I've always had someone I could call given the opportunity.

One person that helps Holly is Louise K. Palmer. She is a homeless woman who thinks Holly is her daughter. Holly pretends so that she can enter the shelter and get a warm meal, shower and clean clothes. Holly makes up a story about Louise's life, "and while I was making up the story, I pretended that the comb was a magic comb, and that it was untangling all the knots of her life" (Van Draanen 51). I liked the imagery here.

Another person that helps Holly is the rescue-wagon lady. Not only does she feed Holly (and other homeless people), she notices Holly. "In the background, just observing, she noticed" (Van Draanen 131). This means so much to Holly. Finally, an adult who sees the good in her. The rescue lady not only feeds the homeless, she defies the police to do it. I was proud of her for throwing the sandwiches.

Walt Lewis and his wife also try to help Holly. They give her a warm bed for a few nights and food, but their "good intentions" drive her away and back onto the streets.

When Holly finds abandoned stuff, she believes she's having good luck. Then she feels confused. "Here I've snagged some homeless guy's sleeping bag, I'm using his mat, eating his food, cashing in his cans...He's homeless. How low can you go?" (Van Draanen 187). This good luck doesn't last long and forces her to move around again.

Holly meets Sammie at the soup kitchen. Holly finds out that Sammie's life is not what Holly imagined. Sammie is serving in the soup kitchen for required community service. Sammie ends up taking Holly to meet Vera and Meg. When I finished this book, I read the author's note and found out Sammie was actually the first story Van Draanen wrote (Sammy Keyes and the Sisters of Mercy), but so many readers wanted "to know more about the homeless girl that Sammy rescues in the story" (Van Draanen 247).

We leave Holly's story when she stays with Vera and Meg. This mother-daughter duo looks like a great fit for Holly.

I love the last poem Holly leaves us

scraps of love

torn and tattered

faded, scattered

trashed

 

threads of hope

frayed and tangled

broken, mangled

dashed

 

backing, buttons

yarn and batting

quilted tenderly

wrapped up in

this warm repair

my patchwork family

 

 (Van Draanen 242).

Unleash!

Bibliography
Noble, Perry. Unleash!: Breaking free from Normalcy. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2012. Print.

image from: http://www.tyndale.com




My Thoughts
This is yet another book I received free at TLA. When I started reading it, I really wasn't into it. I kept thinking about all of the other things I could do/read/watch instead of this book. However, I stuck with it.

From the back cover: "Perry Noble challenges us to grab on to God's promise of full and complete living. Using the biblical story of David as a backdrop, he reveals the major barriers that often hold us back and keep us trapped in the mundane."

I liked the interweaving of David's story into a story of how we can live an "unleashed" life. I got out my spiral and took some notes while I read (I didn't have my flagging things close by to use.). Noble explains that "unleashing our lives is not about convincing God how great our plans are but rather understanding that we can live the life God has planned for us--right now" (Noble 11). Noble explains that "we think too small when it comes to the potential God has placed within us" (Noble 4). His example is amusing. He asks the reader to think of a number. "Nearly every time I do this experiment...they tell me a number in the ballpark of one to one hundred. But why? Why would we pick a number between one and one hundred when we have the option of choosing any number in the world? Why would we not pick 1,284,383?" (Noble 3). Good point!

I also found that while reading, I kept letting myself get distracted, or I was making connections between my religious teachings & beliefs and questioning what I was reading. This book really got me thinking about some things.

One thing Noble discusses is the "great American lie" where we say you can do anything you want to do. (53) I have told students some variation of this countess times. Noble argues that this is a lie because sometimes, there isn't enough belief in self or trying hard that can make some things possible. His examples are valid. However, Noble states that we are on "on this big ball of dirt called earth" for a purpose (Noble 55). God has a purpose for us. "The key to living a meaningful life is not to focus on what we want but rather on who Jesus is and what He wants for us. As we wrap ourselves up in Him, we find more purpose, meaning, and joy than we ever could have imagined" (Noble 55). Ok. I can believe that and I will stop spreading the "great American lie."

Another "ah ha" thing Noble points out in this book is the idea that "God never gives us more than we can handle" (110). Yes he does, according to Noble. God does so that we will learn to depend on Him (Noble 110). I am going to think about this the next time I want to tell someone this idea from 1 Corinthians 10:13.

Noble talks about three reasons we don't do what we know we should do (Noble 137).

1. "I'll pray about it"--this is inactivity!
2. Disobedience
3. Procrastination

I thought his discussion here was good, relevant and accurate. I will be thinking about this more.

I also learned that "one another" appears in the New Testament more than 50 times (Noble 154). God wants people to connect and be in each other's lives and support each other. I struggle with this. I want to be helpful to others, but I'm not always able to accept others' help.

I know I read this book at this time for a reason (or perhaps many). I look forward to how the teaching of this book unfolds in my life. There are other things that I could write about, but I think it's more personal than I want to share on this blog. Again, I took notes, wrote down some interesting ideas/thoughts/scriptures I want to remember, and let the words reach me where I am.

On a critical note, the book seems to repeat some things. I wondered if this was because it was an unedited proof or Noble was driving a point home (sometimes this would apply) or he just had to repeat. Also, at times I thought that Noble might be putting in "personal" examples that weren't true. I know I shouldn't think a preacher lies, but at times I did question him. Maybe I was reading too close to the truth, and my doubts were the devil's shadow.

Running: Getting Started

Bibliography
Galloway, Jeff. Running: Getting Started. Germany: Meyer & Meyer Sport, 2005. Print.

image from: www.jeffgalloway.com

My Thoughts
In June, I texted a friend who'd been running for a year and said, "I'm ready. Teach me to run." I started running with her, and she talked about the "Galloway method." I wasn't sure what this meant, but I did what she told me anyway.

This book explains the Galloway method (which is a run-walk-run method to avoid injury). As explained throughout the book, "I'm [Galloway] proud to be a wimpy runner who runs every day--instead of being forced to be a couch sitter because of never taking a walk break" (Galloway 225). It is a concise, informative and easily understood book geared to exactly what the title states--the beginner who is getting started. The book covers running basics, nutrition, and even how to enter and compete in your first race.

I like that the first chapter explains why people run. My friend who taught me is an artist. I marked the page in Galloway's book where he explains that "a number of artists...run because it improves their creative response" (Galloway 16). Running activates the right side of the brain---the "intuitive center of creativity" (Galloway 16). Chapter One also talks about the freedom during a run. There are no demands/distractions so "you can explore the inner parts that are YOU" (Galloway 19). Yep, I have felt that--even when I run with others.

Chapter Four discusses the most important equipment required for running--shoes. I didn't realize that runners wear shoes about two sizes bigger than the street shoe (Galloway 32). It makes sense, especially during those summer runs! I chuckled when Galloway wrote about "fashion injuries" that occurred when the shoe was picked because of the color match and not the comfort. His advice on when to purchase new shoes is helpful, too.

Galloway includes plans and starts the runner off slow but encouraging. It doesn't help to go full blast one day only to be down 3 days to recover from it. I kept thinking about the turtle--slow and steady wins the race (and as Galloway states wins it injury free!).

Something I learned from this book was about fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscle fibers. I don't think I've ever heard of this before, and I'm not quite sure I understand it well enough to know if I'm a fast or slow twitcher.

In the section about preventing injury, a surprising thing to read is Galloway's position on stretching. He says "don't stretch!" (Galloway 127). He states he's heard from runners that "either become injured because they stretched or aggravated the injury by stretching" (Galloway 127). The exception to this is when you have Ilio-tibial band injury. He also says to take 48 hours between runs. This break gives the muscles time for recovery. Later in the book, Galloway devotes an entire chapter to stretching.

As my regular running partner suffers from shin splints, I marked some pages that Galloway discusses regarding the reasons for and treatment of this pain. I think I will watch her form when running (and may have someone video me running to check my own form).

The book even has a "Trouble shooting" chapter. A funny thing I marked was inside a list of tips about street safety. Galloway writes, "Assume that all drivers are drunk or crazy or both" (Galloway 212). HA!

The book concludes with the "Being a good coach" chapter. Again, I thought of my friend who helped me get started and how I helped another friend come back to running. Running may be a singular sport, but it is more fun when done with others.

I look forward to reading more of Galloway's books as my own running journey continues.