BOOK REVIEW: One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Title: One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

Author: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Translator: H.T. Willetts

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Year published: This edition: 2014

ISBN: 978-0-374-53468-4

Genre: fiction, historical fiction, Russian literature

Pairs well with:

stale bread,

weak tea,

and extremely cold weather.

I initially started reading One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich with a tutoring student. My student was assigned the novella in the fall of 2019 for a high school course on Russian Literature, and we both enjoyed the book.

The novella is fairly stark and straightforward in both tone and style, but it was an interesting look inside a Soviet gulag or prison. Although the story takes place over a single day in a prisoner's life -- Ivan Denisovich -- it feels as if it takes place over weeks, if not a months. The author, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and the translator of this edition, H.T. Willets, describe the prison, prisoners (called "zeks"), guards, and so on with such careful precision that it's hard to not feel almost as if you are right there next to them. The novella is both crisp and pared down to the raw bones of the story while also being rich with detail -- but the details add to the stark tone. 

While it was sometimes hard to keep track of characters -- the story jumps between their last names, middle names used like last names, full names, and nicknames --  the story moved along at a good pace and it's easy to keep track of the main character since the entire story revolves around his activities over the course of the day. The book moves from Ivan's first moments in the morning through to his last moments in the evening and much attention is given to warmth, work, and food. And, interestingly, although Ivan's life could be viewed as steeped in misery, he finds moments of enjoyment and clearly has found his place within the hierarchy of the prison guards and other prisoners.

The novella isn't long, but the subject matter and intricacies can be complex and heavy on the heart and mind. Despite the heaviness, I strongly suggest this book, particularly as an introduction into Russian literature. 

Find a copy on Amazon HERE.

3 ways to increase your reading during difficult times

I've heard from many friends and acquaintances that the global pandemic, and now social and police injustice sparking protests and riots across the country as more and more black lives are lost or brutalized by the police, plus our government seemingly preparing to attack its own citizens, has caused them to feel lost, confused, unfocused, and generally unable to engage with their usual interests and habits. 

And, I'm right there with all of you.

For the past couple of months, I've really struggled to keep reading and engaging in my other interests and hobbies, and the further I got from those things, the worse I felt about myself and life in general. 

Yet, I've been struggling with how to re-engage with my hobbies and interests.

I've spent hours and hours scrolling on my phone, watching television without really paying attention, picking up and setting down books and hobbies, and just not enjoying anything. I am already predisposed to depression and I felt like I was slipping pretty quickly into a massive depressive episode. Without making some concious changes, I knew it was going to just get worse and worse. 

So, I decided to be proactive and set up some rules around my needs, interests, and the way I was living life in order to create new habits or re-ignite old ones. I'm still struggling on some days and sometimes during moments of pretty good days, but I feel like the changes I've made have helped me to not sink too far down, and I've reinvigorated my reading habit. 

While they aren't perfect and life isn't happy rainbows and unicorns every day, these three tips have helped me to ramp up my reading again -- I hope they'll help you too.

1. Read first thing in the morning

Like making your bed, going for a run, or any other good habit, if you read first thing in the morning, you'll be able to tick it off your list of accomplishments for the day. And, if you love reading as much as I do, it will start your day on a positive note. 

I've been finding that if I start my day with 20 minutes of reading -- my personal minimum amount of time -- then I usually come back to reading later in the day.

2. Have a designated reading spot

I don't just read anywhere in my home. Instead, I consciously cultivated a corner as my reading nook. Is it special and fancy with grand bookcases and luscious furnishings? Nope. Not at all. But, it is comfortable with a stack of books at the side of my reading chair and ottoman, a few blankets, and a table for a cup of coffee or glass of water, and it has great natural light during the day with a lamp for darker days or the evening. I don't do much else sitting there. That spot is reserved just for reading. And, because it's cozy, I love to sit there, so I read a lot by cultivating a special, comfortable reading experience. 

3. Read something easy or familiar

My TBR (to be read) pile is quite large with some pretty heavy reading material -- I like complex topics, but also what my mom once called "depressing" genres. Right now, I just can't handle that type of material when the world feels darker, heavier, and more depressing than at any other time in my life. 

I've given myself a break and instead picked up lighter and easier books. I've been reading some chick lit, young adult, and humor. I've also been reading some very short books and children's books, as well as re-reading books I love and am already overly familiar with. 

A friend and I planned to read Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi and to have a virtual dinner date to discuss the book, but I found it so heavy and sad (it's about the effects of slavery through several generations and from Africa to the US) that I had to put it down. By following the three habits above, I've managed to go back to the book in small chunks, interspersed with some of my favorite chick lit novels. And, I'm glad because Homegoing is superbly written and incredibly timely.

It's ok to put in some focused work at renewing your reading habit. It's ok to set up a comfy spot that you use just for reading. It's ok to read books that you normally wouldn't pick up simply because the genre or reading level is easy. 

If you're looking for your next read, I'd love for you to check out my reading lists on Bookshop.org -- not only can you puruse books, but you can purchase too. Each purchase through Bookshop.org helps support independent book sellers across the United States.

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Comfort reading during difficult times: When in Doubt, Add Butter by Beth Harbison

2020 has been....not what any of us imagined it would be. Am I right?

For many of us, the stress hasn't been just heightened, it's been completely disruptive to our normal habits and interests. In my case, I haven't been able to focus enough to read a lot, nor to read anything too heavy. 

A friend and I decided to read Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi together with plans to do a virtual dinner date (we'd make the same dinner and then meet via Skype or Hangouts to discuss the book), but I started to find the serious nature and devastating scenes to be too much right now. I had to put the book down (I've since picked it back up).

Instead, I switched to something much easier to read in terms of subject matter, and a book I already have read and love: When in Doubt, Add Butter by Beth Harbison. This is city girl chick lit (can we make that a new category, like a sub category of chick lit?).

Title: When in Doubt, Add Butter

Author: Beth Harbison

Publisher: St. Martin's Press 

Year published: 2012

ISBN: 9780312599096

Genre: fiction; chick lit

Pairs well with a big bowl of pasta,

cupcakes, comfy pajamas,

and your favorite comfort beverage.

Our protagonist, Gemma Craig, not to be confused with Jenny Craig of weight loss diet fame. Gemma is a single woman living in Washington, D.C., and a personal chef with a different client each night of the week. Two are what you might call wanna-be power women -- well to do women who care more about appearances than substance and who are clamboring to be among the D.C. elite. Then, there's the mysterious Mr. Tuesday, a bachelor that she never meets but flirts with by brief notes about the meals she prepares for him. Then we have Lex, owner of a department store and with a personality that's much like a doting and supportive uncle. Lastly, is the mysterious Oleksei family, owners of a lucrative dry cleaning business...or is that just a front for mafia ties? And, along the way, we also meet Willa, an obese, housebound gambler, and a few other supporting characters, not least of which are Gemma's cousin, Penny, and Penny's daughter, Charlotte. 

When in Doubt, Add Butter, will definitely make you hungry -- maybe for dishes you'd never normally try (eggplant in pomegranate walnut sauce, anyone?) -- but it will also warm your heart as you follow along on Gemma's adventures and misadventures as a personal chef, a friend, and a one night stand.

While the book does not include any recipes (pretty much my only complaint...), it is delicious in other ways. I've read other books by Beth Harbison, and this one is my favorite. The characters and plot are just tight enough to keep me interested, but not so tight that I can't reasonably understand what's to come in the story, and the characters are all well imagined with strengths, weaknesses, and the other characteristics that make them feel real. If Gemma were an actual person, I'd want to be her friend (and not just for her cooking skills).

Overall, this is a good, light read and perfectly filled my need for material that wasn't depressing or too serious.

Get your copy of When in Doubt, Add Butter by Beth Harbison now via my shop on Bookshop.org -- you can find it and other chick lit novels I love HERE or click the image below.

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