ON THE TRAIL WITH THEBOOKJEANIE

Life was especially hard in the Appalachian Mountains during the Great Depression of the 1930's.  One of the plans initiated by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) was a unique book delivery system called the Kentucky Pack Horse Project. Although the WPA is better known for ambitious building and infrastructure projects, literacy was also a major concern of the Roosevelt administration, particularly in rural areas. Over 2000 volunteers, mostly women, were recruited under the guidance of county librarians to carry books on horseback and mule to over a half million people.  Read more at http://newdeal.feri.org/works/wpa07.htm

New and Notable Fiction

Far from the poverty of the Appalachians, Amor Towles, in his first novel, Rules of Civility, explores 1930's Manhattan as seen through the eyes of  Katey Kontent, a young woman caught up in the fever of her independence and the endless possibilities of this grand city.  Smart and savvy Brooklyn-born Katey holds her own in the competitive corridors of the typing pool as well as in the jazz clubs and smoky bars where she and her Midwestern roommate, Eve, roam each night seeking the glamour and excitement that Manhattan has promised.  Soon they are both swept up by a self-indulgent crowd of recent Ivy League graduates who knock back martinis and swap witty remarks in the style of Kathryn Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. Jumping into taxis to hit one nightspot after another until dawn and motoring in style to weekend parties on Long Island become a way of life but Katey manages to keep her head and escape the typing pool when her boldness and intelligence catch the eye of a publishing maverick.  After a tragic car accident shatters their glittering social bubble, Katey and Eve take sharply different courses and Katey begins to question the authenticity of the lifestyle that she has been living.  This thoroughly entertaining novel is not only a compelling portrayal of the elegant and narcissistic social elite of the 1930's but it is also an insightful narrative by a resourceful and appealing heroine who begins to question and evaluate what is truly meaningful in life. 

Nanjing Requiem by Ha Jin presents another picture of the 1930's - this time in Najing, China, as the Japanese are shelling the city while Communist and Nationalist forces both try to repell the invaders without much success. The central character of this novel, Minnie Vautrin, was a real player in the horrific drama that played out as the Japanese overran this city in 1937. As the dean of Jinling Women's College, a Christian-supported institution, Minnie established a refuge for more than ten thousand homeless women and children, saving them from the brutally of the Japanese forces. Told in a straightforward and simple narrative, Nanjing Requiem pays homage to the selfless men and women who risked their lives to help the people of Nanjing, foreigners and Chinese alike.  Although Ha Jin tells an agonizing tale of man's inhumanity to man, he does so with an eye to the kindess and generosity that survived the heartless cruelty of the invading forces and manages to create a story that is at once uplifting while at the same time immensely depressing.  The simple beauty of the language is a counterpoint to the unspeakable outrages that the people of Nanjing had to endure.  Based on historical records and diaries, Nanjing Requiem is an impressive testimony to the endurance and tenacity of the Chinese people as well as to the remarkable individuals who despite all the dangerous risks, stepped forward to try and protect them.

Explore the Thorne Rooms 

Narcissa Niblack Thorne had always been fascinated by miniatures and dollhouses so in the 1930's, when she gained the resources, she began to create miniature replicas of architecturally exact rooms with the help of skilled craftmen.  Over the next decade, she designed and commissioned almost 100 rooms depicting in minute detail European and American furnishings from 1875-1940.  Each room was constructed on a 1:12 scale, that is, each inch represented 1 foot and appropriately sized textiles and carpets were woven specifically for each room as was furniture and other decorator items.  Recently I happened to come across a permanent collection of 20 Thorne Rooms at the Phoenix Art Museum.  A fascinating study of period architecture and furnishings as well as a magical entry into another world, these rooms served as an inspiration for a series of books for middle grade children.

Ruthie and Jack always knew about the Thorne Rooms but when their sixth grade class takes a field trip to The Art Institute of Chicago, they are finally able to see the amazing rooms first hand.  As they linger behind in the exhibit as their class files out, Ruthie discovers an unusual key near an open access door to behind-the-scenes of the miniature rooms.  When she picks it up, Ruthie finds herself shrinking to the size of the rooms and with Jack's help, she begins a magical adventure that will bring both of them in contact with former occupants of these historic rooms.  This adventure/mystery is not just for children - take a look at The 68 Rooms by Marianne Malone for a fantasy that will intrigue you from the first page.  If you become fascinated by the rooms, you can see 68 in Chicago, 20 in Phoenix, 9 in Knoxville, 1 in Indianapolis, and 1 in Los Angeles.  Easier still, take a look at this website:     

http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/thorne

Keep reading . . . see you next week!