What's on My Nightstand? Four Books Reviewed by an Avid Reader

Four books graced my nightstand during the month of September. And I'd like to say upfront that it is a pure coincidence that The Penguin Group published them all. Yes, it is a complete and utter fluke; and no, sadly, I am not getting under the table handouts from The Penguin Group to write favorable reviews of their books.

* WRITER'S PICK:
The Second Assistant by Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare
ISBN 0452286107
The Penguin Group

While The Second Assistant is my top pick out of the four books reviewed in this month's article, I must also warn that those outside of the entertainment industry may not find it as fascinating and delicious as I did. However, if you liked The Devil Wears Prada, the book or the movie; and if you enjoy all such behind the scenes tales ("Swimming With Sharks", etc.) then this book is for you.

The Second Assistant follows Elizabeth Miller as she transitions from the world of Washington D.C. and politics to that of Los Angeles and entertainment. I once told my dad that actors are to L.A. what politicians are to D.C. This book and its juicy inside scoops, helps to prove that little analogy.

Like other books and films detailing the horrors of being an assistant, this one truly paints a painful picture. And yet, it still manages to stand out from the crowd. It is part insider information (names changed to protect both the innocent and the guilty), part soul-searching journey, and part chick-lit. I must say, I am not a big chick-lit fan; but the equation was perfectly balanced, like a good box of mixed chocolates. Just enough nuts and fillings to accompany the basic solid-dark.

"Lizzie", as she is called, struggles with culture shock, low-income, a high cost of living; and what seems to her, belittling errands and assignments ordered down from above. Along the way, Lizzie must decide to either tuck in her tail and head back east, or fight through the reality of her new life and trust that it will get better.

As a Texan who now lives in Los Angeles, and works in the entertainment industry, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Ask any of my friends, they've all heard me rave about it more than once. I only wish I had read it my first day here.

Following Lizzie through her many encounters was beyond refreshing. Finally I was no longer alone in thinking certain LA "norms" were completely odd. As The Second Assistant was based on a true story, the relief of knowing that I was not alone in my culture shock was an incredible feeling. And for the duration of the book, Lizzie and I were like best friends.

Upon reading the book's last word I made a promised to do two things. One, read the sequel, The First Assistant (which is available in hardback). And two, if any of my friends ever moved to Los Angeles, I would give them this book the moment they crossed the city line.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
ISBN 0143037145
The Penguin Group

Now for those of you not at all interested in Hollywood's dirty little secrets, Kim Edwards' novel, The Memory Keeper's Daughter would be my pick for you. This was chosen for my September book club. And while parts of the book were repetitive and dragged a bit, overall it was a fantastic read.

The book opens with forces that cause its protagonist, Dr. David Henry, to deliver his own twins. The first is a perfect baby boy. The second is a girl, born with Down's syndrome. The year is 1964 and the outlook of the world was dramatically different. Different in the way of mental illness, the institution of marriage, a woman's place in the home…these themes are the thread of the tapestry this book weaves. A story about sacrifice, sin, shame, responsibility, and guilt.

Dr. Henry, believing at the time to be acting in everyone's best interest, asks his nurse, Caroline, to take his daughter to an institution where they care for such lost souls. He then tells his wife that their daughter died. The absence of their daughter, fed by the burden of his secret as well as his eventual regret, builds a wall between Dr. Henry, and his wife and son.

But their daughter did not die, nor was she left at the institution. Unable to leave the baby in such a horrid place, Caroline ran away with the child. In a new city, she started a new life and raised the baby as her own.

Through awkward correspondence, however, Caroline and Dr. Henry are never quite out of each other's lives. They are eternally connected by his daughter's existence, and by the secret they both keep.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter is one of those rare novels that not only pulls you into another world, but also forces you to ask yourself, "What would I do?" It is a fantastic, and thought-provoking journey.

Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond
ISBN 0143036556
The Penguin Group

In his non-fiction work, Collapse, Jared Diamond compares various modern communities to those ancient, extinguished, and yet extinct. Exploring, and at times speculating on what caused the downfall of these civilizations, Diamond begs the reader to understand that we too could suffer the same fate. He implores the reader to no longer face the world with an egotistical, "it will never happen to us" attitude. His message is clear: the problems of the past are still the problems of today.

Diamond does an excellent job presenting his research. The book is divided into three main sections: Past Societies, Modern Societies, and Practical Lessons. Anyone who enjoys history will revel in the facts and speculations found in "Past Societies". And the knowledge gained from that first section only serves to enhance the questions posed in the second. Many of those questions we have heard raised before, Deforestation, pollution, over-population, etc. But these modern issues take on a new meaning and a more urgent significance when juxtaposed to those communities who now cease to exist because of those same problems.

Finally, Diamond's conclusions further propel the reader to both thought and action. Now I did not go out and protest for the rebirth of the electric car; but I have found myself more aware of the choices I make, and the effect those choices have on planet. And just a suggestion: before, during, or after reading this book, go see Al Gore's film "An Inconvenient Truth" if you haven't already. It will further enhance your studies.

Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick
ISBN 0670037605
The Penguin Group

I bought this last book, Mayflower, because I love history. I love both non-fiction and historical-fiction. And I especially love American history. So this book did not sit long on my "MUST READ LIST".

Mayflower explores the unknown facts about the Pilgrim's voyage to America, their first years in America, and the aftermath a generation or two later. While I did learn a lot about the subject, I was a little disappointed. They way Nathaniel Philbrick described both the boats, and the New England coastline made it hard for someone unfamiliar with either to really understand what was going on.

Yes there were a couple of maps, but even they were not enough to truly grasp what was happening. And it was annoying to have to stop reading in order to flip back to the corresponding map in an effort to try and figure out what was going on.

So if you like history and don't mind flipping, or you are familiar with New England's coastline, then go ahead and crack open this book. If not, I would recommend looking elsewhere for your studies on early American history.