Werewolves in Their Youth

My first book for 2006 is Werewolves in Their Youth. This volume collects nine stories by Michael Chabon, author of the novel Wonder Boys, which has been turned into a wonderful film by Curtis Hanson. Chabon is also credited for the story of Spider-Man 2, which I just watched on HBO a while ago. Both Wonder Boys and Spider-Man star Tobey Maguire, who makes geek boys seem really hot.

In “Green’s Book,” we follow Marty Green, a therapist who spends only 3 weeks a year with his daughter but has managed to come up with a book on how to raise children. At a graduation party for his mother’s friend’s son, he runs into and away from Ruby, the girl he used to babysit when he was thirteen. Green is finding it difficult to connect with his daughter, he can’t understand why he has remained distant. And it’s only by acknowledging the events of that night in Ruby’s bedroom that he will be able to finally connect with his little girl.

I also like “Son of the Wolfman,” where a woman who has been trying to have a child for years finally finds herself pregnant after getting raped. How she and her husband deal with this is just simply heartbreaking.

I found this book by accident last week: I was just on my way to Casaa to get myself some lunch when we came upon several orgs selling books along the AS Walk. I finished reading the book in 2-3 days--a record for me since it now takes me a while to finish anything at all. I read most of it during my commute to and from school and when I had some quiet time alone in a mall after I got lost during my attempt to use another route. But that’s another story.