At first glance, Carson’s books look like a lot of work. Most of them have their roots in classical Greek or Latin literature, aren’t formatted like anything you’ve ever seen before, and seem so bizarre you aren’t sure which way is up. In this instance, first impressions are deceiving (kind of).

Autobiography of Red

This novel in verse originates from the fragmented poetry of Stesichoros. (What, you haven’t heard of him?) Stesichoros had the unfortunate problem of coming “after Homer and before Gertrude Stein, a difficult interval for a poet;” much of his poetry has been lost over time, as well as classical scholar’s knowledge of his life.

Anne Carson begins with the little remains of his work we have left to create a modern day epic of Greek proportions. The novel reads part Beckett play, part Greek tragedy, & part contemporary poetry. The work is timeless, or rather, it is literature that transcends time and place. Although it is set in the present day, the struggles of a Greek hero are just as relevant to our modern day life as they were over 2000 years ago.

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The sequel to Autobiography of  (& did I mention it came out THIS WEEK!) Except the characters have new names and the verse looks different on the page (instead of sprawling lines, they are close-knit like columns). Anne Carson’s style forces us to question what is essential in the story. Does it matter if the names of the characters change? The genders? The setting? Isn’t the story just as applicable? Can it be just as true?

Nox

I’m going to be honest here, I’m a sucker for books that come in boxes. After her brother died, Anne Carson compiled a notebook to grieve the loss. The result is Nox.  Her notebook has been reproduced in an accordian-folded scroll, contained in the box. The book is a work of art. Diving through cultural layers, Anne Carson produces a portrait of grief and family.

Antigonick

A retelling of Sophocles’ Antigone. (Anne Carson translated, Bianca Stone illustrated). Antigonick is beautiful–Bianca’s drawings are printed on semi-transparent paper, bound intermittenly. The verse is arranged like a free-form poem and spreads across the page. The book follows the story of Antigone pretty closely, though it does vere off course every once and awhile (I doubt Kreon discussed Hegel in the original), but the modernization of the text only adds to the depth of the story.

It’s a book for ladies, but it’s written to women and men. In Lean In Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, describes her years of experience in reputable professional environments (Google included) in which she witnessed a trend: women tended to sell themselves short compared to men. They tended to take fewer risks and be less fearless, which serves women poorly in the competitive business world. Women need to understand this divide, why it exists, and “lean in” – sit at the table in meetings, and not in the extra chairs lined up along the walls, and voice their ideas.  And there’s a lot more to it; she explains her experience with maternity, and how she thinks both women and men can better facilitate women’s careers during this phase of life. (She tells women that the best time, perhaps, to have kids is while they are at the peak of their careers.)

I read this book in advance of its publication and it made my day to see that it made the cover of the New York Times Book Review. This book is extremely important, and I think that its being a conception of a woman who is the COO of Facebook only validates its contemporaneity. It’s seriously great.

I always respect a book that is written with a mindfulness of the form: it lives up to its expectations, as a piece of work that people pick out of all the possible choices in the bookstore, and sit with quietly for hours. Is it worthy? Five times out of 5, this book absolutely is. I hope that all of my friends and coworkers internalize an understanding of the still-problematic place of women that Sandberg brings to light here: be fearless, make impact, take risks to get there.

I hope that the ideas here reach every “stuck” 20-something. And every graduating senior woman – high school or college – will benefit from reading Sandberg’s book; please skip the towels and give them this instead.

Watch Sheryl Sandberg’s TEDtalk – the precursor to this book and a fine introduction – here. Also follow her on Twitter and (haha) Facebook.

by Whitney

Sometimes the world gets too intense, boring, weird or any other thing the world gets too much of. When these things become readily apparent in our every day lives, we like to take a little vacation, to get away from the intensities of existence, the vicissitudes that are intrinsic to being human.

There are three forms of escapism: TV, Literature, and Hard Drugs. Watching the telly gives many a people great satisfaction and it’s the most accessible form of “getting away”. Turn it on and become an automaton. Literature requires much more <work> but induces a far superior stupor than television and generally the escape made is very well received. Hard Drugs produce a complete escape from reality, one is left thoroughly <gone> and without <work>. The draw to this is undeniable, but the plunge back into reality can be quite harsh, leaving the user only wanting more. Burn out is probable, and often it is the TV/Lit user that is left to maintain the physical state of the reality blasted HD user. You will become a wretch most like. Burnout is inevitable and your TV/Lit friends will leave you. So, in summation the best and safest forms of escape are indeed TV and Literature, of which literature is the triumphant winner.

But sometimes, even for us Lit users, the allure of the automaton is just too great, and you sit down, turn on the television, flip around, nothing, open up Netflix, look around, “Oh, here’s this show I’ve been hearing about, Downtown, no, Downton Abbey? Yeah… I wonder what it’s like? Let’s try it.”

So, now you’re trapped! Ensnared! Unwittingly you have watched Downton Abbey, and found it not to be what it claims to be, viz. television. You thought you were going to be watching TV, become an automaton, but what was up with all the emotions you were made to feel? The Anxiety. And what was up with the overwhelming sense of DREAD, is that not what you were trying to escape in the first place? It was, but now by means of trickery you are in a dual reality. You must deal with your life, as before, but now you’ve got to worry about a whole host of rich folks and the scurrying servants that live and snuggle and fight and kiss and plot beneath them! But how have they hooked you, it’s just a television show, right? No.

Here I propose that by powers unknown, wizry, voodoo, magic, whatever you want to call it, you have been given, under the guise of <just TV> , Hard Drugs. People, I warned you earlier, burnout is inevitable, your friends will leave you – you will crash and burn. If you continue on this path, you will not live to see another episode of the spectacle that has become yourlife. Oh despair! But, what if I told you there is a way out, and, for you that have been spent and used up by this show (Hard Drugs), there is still hope!

AGENT GATES AND THE SECRET ADVENTURES OF DEVENTON ABBEY (A PARODY) is your antidote! This is a graphic novel that totally erases the long lasting effects of using Downton. It’s a miracle worker! It’s as if you’ve never been touched by Matthew’s back injury (he couldn’t have babies for heaven’s sake!) or Edith’s wedding day abandonment (that jerk!). Whoa! Just talking about those events makes me need to escape them. Good thing I’ve got AGENT GATES AND THE SECRET ADVENTURES OF DEVENTON ABBEY (A PARODY). This graphic novel is so funny! It had me laughing again! I hadn’t laughed since Bates was accused of stealing Richard’s cuff links. I was freed by it, and so can you! Having trouble sleeping after O’Brien killed Cora’s baby (Oh GOD kill that pickle curl headed woman now!)? I’m not, because I have escaped my dual reality with AGENT GATES AND THE SECRET ADVENTURES OF DEVENTON ABBEY (A PARODY).

Come by Lemuria today and get your cure for only 14.99 USD, a  mere pittance for it’s potency!

Our First Editions Club members are much more than just a pin on a map.  However, isn’t it cool to see how far and wide our membership reaches?  Check out the First Editions Club page on our website for more info about the history of the club and for all of our past book selections.

by Zita

A Gluten-Free Diet may seem like one of the many passing diet fads, however Dr. William Davis’ Wheat Belly Cookbook makes what may seem like an impractical or impossible diet a possible lifestyle. “Wheat is not the ‘healthy whole grain’ it was pretending to be…it is in reality a major contributor to the world’s worst epidemic of obesity” says Davis in his introduction.

Between recipes for Pecan-Breaded Pork Chops and Chocolate Almond Biscotti, Davis intersperses success stories from people who have become healthier by steering clear of gluten. For some the change in diet was due to health problems, but for most it was a desire for change and a healthier lifestyle.

By far the best part of this recipe book are the gluten-free bread recipes: herbed focaccia, breadsticks, walnut raisin bread, the list goes on. Not only are these recipes gluten-free, but they also use carbohydrates that don’t raise blood-sugar. Even if you aren’t willing to commit to staying away from your favorite pasta or sandwich, these recipes are a wonderful way to introduce a healthier lifestyle to your family, even if it is just one night a week.