The Woman in the Window

The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn  432 pages

Dr. Anna Fox lives alone, unable to go outside her New York City home. She spends her days drinking wine, watching old black and white movies, and spying on her neighbors.  Very much in the feel of Rear Window, actually   When the Russells move into the house across from hers, she sees them as a perfect family.  However, one day Anna think she hears a scream. And then another night, looks through her window ans sees something she shouldn't.  Or did she?  Now, her world is starting to unravel, making her wonder what is actually real, and whether she saw what she saw.

This is the kind of thriller where you think you know what's happening.  After all, Anna Fox is agoraphobic. She's on medication. And she drinks a lot of wine.  You're sure you can't trust her as a narrator. However, there are things that you admit don't quite add up. Did Anna really see something? And if so, what did she really see?  It's the best kind of story because it actually makes you keep second-guessing yourself.  And when the twist comes, as you thought might happen, I'll bet you'll be completely surprised.  I was, and totally loved it.

The Women of Easter

The Women of Easter by Liz Curtis Higgs           Hardback Book: 226 pages                

Great book!   It gives the reader a more focused look at several of the women who were believers, followers and disciples of Jesus, strong Christians in their own rights.    Mary, the mother of Jesus, Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, Mary Magdalene, Salome, and a host of other women mentioned in the Bible by name or by station in their own rights not as servants, not as chattels, not as the wife, daughter, sister of, but strong, faith warriors following Jesus at the risk of great peril to themselves in a historically male dominated culture during a time when women were not to even be seen in the synagogue but had to sit behind a wall away from the men in their own little quiet group straining to her the teachings of the rabbi as best they could.   Women were not lead characters but shadows behind the scenes in a society that did not value them nor their contributions yet, Jesus valued them often mentioning them by name or relating stories including women as equals at a time when that just wasn’t done.   Jesus even appeared to Mary Magdalene before He appeared to his apostles.    Women tend to have low self-esteem at times, devaluing their worth but this book points out many examples of just how women are daughters of the King and worthy of praise.    The book discusses Bible verses that talk about how women were part of the group of followers around Jesus and how they ministered by preparing the meals for the camp, cleaning up, likely washing the clothes of Jesus and the apostles helping as best they could while learning the teachings the Messiah delivered to them and the men surrounding Him.    No one was excluded.   Women did not have to take a backseat to the men.   They were valued, honored and respected by Jesus even as he hung on the cross dying he cared enough about them to address what they were going through on His behalf.    He had to go through all the pain and suffering to achieve forgiveness for the world.   Hanging on the cross  after having been beat up by the Roman guards, spit on, punched, flogged with a whip like a cat of nine tails that cut the flesh from his bones as well as laying deep, long cuts on his body then to have spikes driven through his hands and feet into the crossbars of wood he was crucified on all that and he still had the compassion for the women standing there crying over what was being done to Him.    He told them not to cry.   His mother who was beside herself with grief over what He was going through, He loved so much He made sure she would have someone to look after her on earth when He was gone.   He told her, “Woman, behold your son.”   Looking at his disciple John who was standing beside her.    He looked at John and said, “Behold your mother.”   John understanding took care of Mary bringing her into his home and treating her like his mother to her dying day (she was a widow by this time).    Amazing grace.     A joyous, inspiring book.   I highly recommend it, it delves deep into the scriptures and puts you, the reader, right in the midst of what is being discussed.   Excellent, Excellent, Excellent book.   Makes you say, “Hosannah!” right along with them.    

In the Unlikely Event

In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume          Audio Book: 14 hours    Mass Market Paperback:  512 pages                  

Set in the 1950s throughout most of the book, the author blends her own knowledge and experience of a traumatic time when during 1950 and 1951 when 3 airplanes fell to the ground in Elizabeth New Jersey.    Judy Blume lived in Elizabeth, New Jersey at the time and wrote this story as a fictionalized version of her very real experience.   She also consulted a couple of defunct local Elizabeth, H. J. newspapers for background and details (memories only go so far).   She describes in vivid detail the horror of being a teenager and seeing the aftermath of the carnage.   She notes in the book how one young woman was wearing a bracelet and how the only thing they found of her body after the crash was her arm with the bracelet still on it intact.   Many of the people who experienced the tragic event went into shock and some had breakdowns (the mother of one of the pilots mentioned in the book) over losing loved ones.    Horrific occurences to be witness to.   No one there will ever forget it.   Often while reading I felt Judy Blume was exorcising the demons she was fleeing and I pray the experience is a cathartic one for her.     The main character Miri Ammerman, I have the strong sense was Judy Blume during that time.  It felt as though Judy was working out dealing with the distress she is still filled  with I am sure.    I will never forget seeing the film “Faces of Death” back in the 80s.    One of the early things you see in that film is the aftermath of plane crash and all that is strewn on the suburban street where most of the wreckage fell.   Body parts even went through some of the homes on the street and this is similar to what Judy Blume describes.    That was a film and I still recall it vividly, actually having been at school and having witnessed the planes coming toward you as they drop from the sky. not knowing if you would be killed, then not knowing who you knew who may have been killed (and later getting the verification of your worst fears) as you wade through the bits of debris that minutes before had been an entire aircraft aloft in the sky.    She describes what the characters were thinking, the chilling dreams they had if they could sleep at all and how one girl flips out and can’t stop tap dancing and whirling around the floor until she drops to the floor in exhaustion later fearing sleep for the nightmares that might come and being unable to eat because her body rejects any morsel she tries to put into it.    Judy Blume describes the girl’s experience going under psychiatric care in such an all-encompassing multi-level experience that I have to wonder if she didn’t write that from her own ptds journey.   Many characters make up this story with many true to life situations.   The mood lightens throughout but all in all this is a very somber look back at trying times.   The book ends in the late 1980s – 35 years after the plane crashes.   It reveals the fates of the survivors of that grave time, those that moved on and those that tried to.    As with life, good things, changes, bad things, some folks left,  some stayed in Elizabeth – Judy Blume as of 2015 was living in the Florida Keyes,  but as my grandmother used to say, “No matter how far a bird flies, his tail (tale) is always behind him.”   I feel Judy has tried to move away from those memories and maybe after having gotten them out of her mind and put down on paper now the healing can begin for her.    The book left me feeling she had unburdened herself.   I hope that is true.   It is definetly not a feel good book but a probe into the psyche of the broken.    Really well written as Judy Blume books tend to be, just be sure you are in a place where you want to delve into a depressing story. 

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin (5 stars, audio, 260 pages) 

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry shows the life that happens in between all the book reviews. Foul-tempered A.J. Fikry is the reclusive bookseller at Island Books, far removed from the world. He has very specific preferences in his reading material, and will brook no argument as he scares away the vendors who come a long way to visit him. In fact, he would hate this book. His wife died, his store is in a sales slump, and his “pension” vanishes overnight, so all he wants to do is drink himself to death. An unexpected surprise promises to breathe life into this exhausted shell of a man.

As a librarian and book reviewer, I am surely the intended reader of this book, and what can I say except that it worked. The literature reviews at the beginning of each chapter, mostly for short stories, set a perfect tone. The author demonstrates clever knowledge of the book business, with funny and true book banter. Potential complaints against it include: too sappy, too gimmicky, too neat. I liked all of those qualities, though. I essentially told my wife the whole story as it progressed, and she was invested in even the second-hand telling. This is a funny, touching story with characters that feel real. It’s familiar, perhaps even too cliched, but it’s still a short and entertaining read that I enjoyed immensely.   

Ornament & Illusion

Ornament & Illusion: Carlo Crivelli of Venice, edited by Stephen J Campbell, 215 pages

Although, as the subtitle indicates, Carlo Crivelli was Venetian, he spent most of his career in the Marches, the semi-independent cities and towns on the Adriatic side of the Papal States.  Working outside the main centers of Italian art and culture, he was overlooked by Vasari, and despite acquiring fame in the late nineteenth century, critics of the twentieth tended to dismiss him as backward-looking and provincial.  The bulk of Ornament & Illusion is an argument against that conclusion.

It is readily apparent that Crivelli was a master equally adept at rendering the gorgeous and the grotesque.  The essays included here further explicate the ways in which his work combined the original and the traditional for deliberate affect, particularly his use of ornamentation to create a sense of interaction between the image and the viewer.

This Savage Song

This Savage Song, Victoria Schwab, 427 pages, audiobook length 10:09:00


Verity is a city of monsters. Every act of violence casts a shadow, and these shadows stand up and walk. And kill. Kate Harker’s father rules one half of the city, where people pay for safety, and August Flynn’s parents rule the other half, where people fight for it. But August is a monster himself, the rarest kind, a soul-eater, who can pass for human, and he’s been tasked with spying on Kate at her new school. As the frail truce beween the Harkers and Flynns threatens to collapse, the two teenagers attempt to unravel the secrets that threaten not only their lives and their city, but their souls.

I enjoyed this book quite a lot. Schwab is skilled at taking simple concepts and building a compelling story out of them: though the plot was fairly straightforward and at times even predictable, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially when written with the skill that the author brings to the table. There were a few minor points that strained my suspension of disbelief, though. There is a scene where the school counselor gives Kate anxiety medicine with no prescription, just hands over a bottle of pills, which I found completely ridiculous, especially as it has no payoff with regards to either the plot or her character arc. However, generally I thought this book was well-written and enjoyable, and I look forward to reading the sequel.

Call Me Mrs. Miracle

Call Me Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber            Audio Book: 4 hours, 56 minutes      Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages                   

Angel, Emily Merkle is sent to help Holly Larson, who is dealing with low esteem when her long-time boyfriend breaks up with her because she has no mothering skills (he has an 8 year old son with his ex-wife), 3 months after their breakup, Holly’s brother is called up to service in the Army and sent to Afghanistan.   Her brother is in a pickle because he is a widower with an 8 year old son, himself, with no one to look after his son while he is away serving Uncle Sam.     Step up Holly, who really never was much for kids, just in short doses.   Emily Merkle goes to work at Finley’s, a family owned department store.   The H.R. department at Finley’s make a typo on Emily’s name tag which reads, Emily Miracle.    Rather than change it, Emily tells staff and customers to call her Mrs. Miracle.    It works as she is like Mrs. Claus all grandmotherly and dear so they put her to work in the toy section.   Jake Finley, son of the owner studies trends trying to keep their business afloat and buys a shipment of 500 robuts that retail for $250 each because he believes against the store’s Buyer’s wishes.   Jake’s dad gives him the blues believing the buyer that they will be stuck with them because with the downturn in the economy, people won’t want to shell out that kind of money for a toy.    It is 2 weeks before Christmas and they aren’t selling this causes a huge rift with Jake and his Dad as the business has not been performing well financially for some time.    It is wonderful and magical or heavenly I should say, how people and things come together throughout the story.   A really good story that has been made into a film.    Debbie Macomber even includes recipes for some of the food mentioned as well as quotes from Mrs. Miracle here and there.    A very good read.   This book, a mug of hot chocolate and a plate of cookies would go so well together.    It is a great feel good holiday book with descriptions of carriage rides through Central Park,  the lighting of the tree at Rockefeller Center, and of course sitting on Santa’s lap, bringing lots of good holiday scenes to mind.    I especially liked Mrs. Miracle, she is like a banana pepper – sweet and spicy!   Good job, Debbie Macomber.

Mr. Miracle

Mr. Miracle by Debbie Macomber              Audio Book:5 hours       Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages          

Harry Mills is an angel sent to earth as a college professor on a mission to help the people that attend his classes.   Addie Folsom has dyslexia but is determined to try to make it at college if at all possible, everyone in class has an issue they are dealing with,  the Latino kitchen worker who while on her breaks tries to stand as close to the classroom doorways as she can to glean as much from the lectures as she can before she gets caught by campus security officer (who has a bit of a Gestapo complex) or the veteran in the class who attends with his service dog by his side to help calm him when his PTDS kicks in.   There is a young man who has just been released from prison who wants so much to do better with his life and get a college education but puts people off by his brash way of speaking and his many jail house tattoos.   Can’t read a book by its cover.    All of these people have lots going on in their lives and backstories that come out during their time together in Harry Mills class.   Lots of side stories, Harry’s mentor (angel) is a barista at the on campus coffee shop – sounds a lot like Starbucks but they don’t say it is.    Like Clarence before him, Harry is trying to earn his wings so to speak.   He is trying to prove he has got what it takes to help humans with their circumstances.    Harry has lots of rules to abide by and the head of the college seems to be a demon or heavily influenced by the darkside and laying in wait to thwart Harry in every attempt at goodness he tries to accomplish.    Being that this is Harry’s first time actually on earth instead of observing from heaven (while playing his harp), he has a few things to learn such as how to avoid the divorced French Teacher who is like a hound in romantic pursuit of him and almost gets him sacked from his job over a private champagne picnic in the classroom, or how he hadn’t noticed the DO NOT WALK ON THE GRASS sign as he cut across the grass on his way to class his first day getting him in bad from the start with his boss at the college.   There is another thing going on with Addie besides dyslexia, one of her brother’s friend has always been a jerk to her since they were little.   To say they hate each other seems to be putting it mildly, but, when he, Erich, is in a car accident breaking both wrists and their mothers who happen to be best friends have non-refundable tickets for a cruise at the same time that Erich is requiring someone to be his caretaker till he heals enemies end up having to confront each other because they love their moms.     It was a fun story.    Debbie Macomber is a good writer, but there were a couple of things I thought she didn’t address that could have been done although it would have sent the story line in a completely different direction if she had.  Nonetheless, I still liked the story very much and would recommend it to folks who love holiday stories, angels and romance novels.    I think it would make a great Hallmark movie.

The ABCs of Success

The ABCs of Success:  The Essential Principles from America’s Greatest Prosperity Teacher by Bob Proctor         Audio Book:  4 hrs. 37 mins.     Paperback Book:  224 pages             

See your job in the scheme of things, step back and look at your job through the eyes of the customer.    Don’t let the goof offs hold you down nor hold you back so that when you go home at night, you can feel good about all that you accomplished.   Remember there wouldn’t be airplanes today if the Wright Brothers had let the fear of whether they could accomplish their goals hold them back.   As you dream so you shall become.   Set a goal and once you get there you can see how to get to your next goal.   Millions of people live their lives conforming to what other people want them to or expect them to be.   They lose themselves in this constricting existence.  Why?   It takes courage to step out on your own – it’s so much easier to follow the crowd and it is what we are taught as little kids so few people follow their true dreams and passions but Bob Proctor says it does take courage to stand out from the crowd or for the teenager to say no when the other kids are going down the wrong path.   Henry Ford says develop that difference with all you’ve got.   There is no compensation for conformity.   The secret to freedom is courage- the secret to courage is freedom.   I love this guy.   I plan to read every book I can find by him.   What a great life coach.   He has such inspirational things to say, man.    Wish he was my best friend – it would be good on those days when you feel beat down or just don’t have the oomph to look on the bright side this guy cuts to the heart of issues and would motivate a person to be their utmost best.   Knowledge is true liberty he says.   Think different.   Positive thoughts create the law of attraction – you are a living, breathing creative magnet and you attract things into your life that are in harmony with you.    Everything in this world vibrates because everything is a mass of energy.   Most people wish positive but think negative as a creative individual if you think positive thoughts expect the best to come and you will attract only good things to make your dreams come true.   Man, if this guy was your Dad you would grow up with all the get up, get out and get going attitude you would ever need.    What a self-starter!   He quotes Billy Graham as saying, “the smallest package in the world is the man who is all wrapped up in himself.”   Bob Proctor says,  “positive leaders shine and attract like people into their world.   Only you can decide which person you will be.   We are all two people, first ,we are the person we show to the world, second we are the person we are.    We need to unify both of those people helping to develop this inner vulnerable person who is a deep thinker and sensitive to the potential assaults from the world with the exterior person who tries to show a teflon persona to the world.   We need to use our brain to solve the problems we are afraid of and tap into the power of our conscious and unconscious to focus our intention- that is a fire to be kindled.   If you want to become a millionaire you must decide to do it.   The difference between you and a millionaire is you want to be a millionaire but the millionaire decided to become one and did what he had to do to achieve  millionaire status.     So simple, yet so reasonable.   Loads of good stuff to be found here.   I highly recommend this book and Bob Proctor as a serious spur you on to success author.    His enthusiasm is contagious.   And that is a good thing.    Get up and look for the circumstances you want and go for them!   Yay, Bob Proctor!     

A Few of the Girls

A Few of the Girls by Maeve Binchy      Audio Book: 11 hours     Hardback Book:  336 pages         

If I had to describe Maeve Binchy’s writing in one word, it would be, “touching.”     Her stories are funny – laugh out loud at times – sometimes, so deeply sad when she introduces you to the occasional character that is desperately lonely or whose life seems so unfair, so unfulfilling or so unjust you will feel the person’s pain even taste the salt of their tears she is an extremely clever writer because she captures not just the reader’s attention, but, more so, the reader’s emotions.    Irish culture is so vibrant and Maeve brings the reader right into the midst of it in such a beautiful way.   Her words are like pixies here, there and back again but always magical and fun, even in her melancholy characters there is still some sunshine to their lives, just not always enough to suit them.    To give you an idea of the fun in all of her stories she once said, “In Irish etiquette it is said that when you hold a dinner party you should always invite four talkers and four listeners but no one in Ireland knows four listeners!”   Lovely lady.    The written word is sadder for her passing (2012), but lucky for the works she left us with.   Wonderful author.  Great stories to be found here.   A treasure.

All the Money in the World

All the Money in the World by Laura Vanderkam            Hardback Book:  248 pages                

Laura Vanderkam poses the question, “What would you do if you had all the money in the world?”    She notes that o.k. folks want to pay off their house and other debt, but, what she hears mostly is:

                I would travel.

                I would have fun.

                I would help all the charities I believe in.

                I would start my own business.

                I would help out all the people I know and make them happy.

               

Predominantly people want to follow their dreams.    They want to give back to their families, friends and charities.   They do want to take care of their responsibilities but the major theme is fun and making others happy.   Funny thing about prosperity it feels better when we are gifting others.   Strange, huh?   It is not all about self.   Everyone she polled described how much happier they would be if they could do something for someone else of course, they also mentioned taking dream vacations but everyone talks about if I had all the money in the world…and after Disneyworld or a Carribean Cruise, buying a house in the Bahamas, they want to take their family, too, or their friends.    They want to make a difference in the world.     Such good things.    I wish we all had all we need and then some for fun and philanthropy.    Laura Vanderkam thinks we look at money incorrectly.    She says that we shouldn’t see money as this elusive scarce thing we have to scrimp and try to squeeze every dollar we can to get by.    She thinks we ought to look at our finances as a tool.    A tool to make ourselves or someone else happy which comes back to us with the joy of giving and makes us feel good.   She discusses how people tend to put things off and work to hard and miss too much chasing that elusive someday when we are all financially solid.    She thinks people let too much go by waiting for someday when I can afford it.   She is adamant that someday seldom if ever comes.    There will always be something going wonky holding us back from what happiness we could have if only we would allow ourselves.    Her philosophy is go for it.    If taking the kids out on a fun adventure would make everyone happier do it.   Do it now.   Don’t wait.    What happens if you scrimp and save avoiding strawberry milkshakes and a picnic at the park or a stroll to the Zoo or take in a matinee because in 6 more years you might be better off financially.   Her theory is we will be happier and more content in our lives if we do the things that will make us happy and spend time with our loved ones laughing – grab the memories – that is what will sustain you through the tough times.   You might not be able to buy everyone you know presents every day but spend time with them, don’t lose touch, do hide behind your lack of finances and stay home when you could splurge on a bottled water and a walk with a friend where you could talk and laugh and go home feeling life isn’t so bad.    Laura cherishes the memories and how we make each other feel.   Stack up the memories for a saner, more fulfilled, and yes, happier life.   All things will come in their time but do stop and count the petals on a flower with your little ones now and then, you’ll all be glad you did and not having a million bucks in your bank account won’t bother you like it would if that was your only goal in life to chase dollars.   Experience life don’t waste it crunching numbers or blowing everything you have on an elaborate wedding when you could use those thousands of dollars to have a great honeymoon,  or keep in the bank till you decide just how you could use it to create cherished memories.    They last a lifetime.   So does stresss if you let it.   Live now don’t put it off = no one is promised tomorrow.   GO FOR IT!     The author makes a lot of good points and the book is very reader friendly.    She cites many examples throughout and will inspire the reader to stop for pizza on the way home and treat your family so you don’t have to lose family time slaving over the stove and missing out on all the funny stories and heart to hearts you could be enjoying.    Money is a tool to use however it brings the most pleasure.    I like how she thinks.    I did stop for a pizza on the way home and had a lot more evening time to devote to hugging my cats.   Hey, they qualify as family, too.     

Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant

Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler            Hardback Book: 303 pages               

I loved this book!    I learned about it when reading a magazine that included an interview with Kristen Stewart (of the film series “Twilight” fame).    She mentioned in the article it was her favorite book.   I remembered the title and thought I would check it out.   She was right.   It is a most excellent story.   Near and dear to my heart this story is.   When I read the inside cover to see what the story was about I was hooked.   It is a great telling of the story of the Tull Family.    Dad is a salesman younger than the mother.  Mother is a beauty nearly considered an old maid because she has not accepted any of the many marriage proposals she has received from all of her suitors over the years, till she was swept head over heels by savvy talking, tall handsome Beck Tull, that is.    They have a good life together while it is just the two of them but once the children come, and Beck is on the road all the time, things begin to change.   Beck begins to stay on the road more and more, and his wife Pearl assumes role of both parents though the reader will often question her ethics.    As more distance grows between Beck and Pearl, an animosity grows in her or perhaps was always there just comes to the forefront more and more as time passes.       Little things the kids do begin to grate on her nerves and she lashes out smacking them hard across the face,  screaming at them and threatening to throw them out the window or other bodily harm.   The oldest Cody responds by being belligerent, not doing great in school and running the streets making mischief.   He doesn’t really have friends only the occasional partner in crime.  When Cody was a baby and got really sick once, Pearl got so scared.  She and Cody were home alone, she didn’t know any one (she wasn’t the type to seek out people to become friendly with), Beck was gone and he was her only help as far as she considered it.   She did eventually get Cody’s fever to break and he did get well, but, that close call made her think, what if Cody had died?   Pearl decided then and there, she needed a spare child in case something happened to the first.    She told her husband when he returned from his most recent trip.   “We need to have another child.”   Beck was astonished, “Really?”   He was all for it, as Pearl was never much for romance.  They got on it right away.   Enter child number 2, Ezra.    Where Cody was brash and in your face and fearless, Ezra was meek and mild with a smile that lit up his face that everyone who met him seemed to fall under a spell and always liked and praised him.   This miffed Cody something awful.    Their mother made no secret that Ezra held a special place in her heart.  Cody spent his life doing everything he could to make Ezra’s life horrible, yet, Ezra adored Cody and hero worshipped him.    Some years later along came Jenny who always seemed to fall for the wrong guy.   Her relationships were always flawed though she tried her best.    One day Beck just tells Pearl he is leaving and does so.    Pearl thinks he will return, even though she receives a note from Beck now and then with postmarks from all over the country telling how great he is doing occasionally enclosing a small check to help with expenses for the children.   Pearl doesn’t tell the children right away but just says, “Your father is busy on the road.”    This goes on for quite sometime and while she assumes the children have figured it out, they don’t pay much attention to their father’s absence believing he is working on the road.    There are so many things that happen, the story is so well developed, the characters so real and the situations described with such finesse I had to force myself to put the book down when I had other things I needed to do.   This is such an excellent book, I highly recommend it.     There is so much more I could tell you about this intriguing book, but, I don’t want to give too much away.   I think you will find yourself reacting Charlie Brown’s, “Arggghhhhh!”  out loud a lot while reading this one.   It is gripping.   Well done, Anne Tyler.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The Lord of the Rings:The Fellowship of the Ring, J.R.R. Tolkien, 410 pages

Bilbo Baggins has lived a comfortable, if eccentric, life since returning from his adventures (recounted in The Hobbit), writing his book, adopting his nephew Frodo, having dwarves over for tea – and only occasionally using his magic ring to hide from unwelcome guests. However, the wizard Gandalf has long suspected that this ring might be more than it appeared, and some years after Bilbo’s eleventy-first birthday party, when he left the ring to Frodo and vanished from Hobbiton, Gandalf’s suspicions blossom into hard, terrible truths: this ring is the One Ring, receptacle of the greater part of the Dark Lord Sauron’s power. Pursued by the dreaded Ringwraiths, Frodo and his faithful companion Samwise Gamgee, joined by Gandalf and six others of the Free Folk of Middle-Earth, form the Fellowship of the Ring, charged with taking the Ring to the heart of the Enemy’s power, the Fire-Mountain, there to cast it into the Cracks of Doom and destroy it, ridding the world of Sauron forever.

This is, of course, the classic work of high fantasy, the grandfather of the genre. It is a dense read – Tolkien was an obsessive linguist and worldbuilder, and it shows in the attention given to passages in Elvish and lengthy poems about events long-past. However, those who deride The Lord of the Rings for its supposed dryness are, in my opinion, missing the richness of the tapestry Tolkien weaves, the surprising bursts of humor and the beauty and the sadness of his prose. It is a masterful work.

Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli     303 pages

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he's pushed out--without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he's never met.

Pretty straight-forward love story about a gay high school boy who falls in love with his pen pal who happens to be one of his classmates, he's just not sure which one. It's a story of "coming outs" in many different ways. It's a solid story with good characters and it has a quirkiness that many teen readers will enjoy. Albertalli does a good job of writing a male voice - and a gay one, at that - so she's clearly done her homework. It doesn't shy away from it's purpose, which is to present a romantic comedy featuring a gay main character. It's funny, sweet, and poignant.

Why I'm No Longer Talking To White People About Race

Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge     249 pages

In 2014, award-winning journalist Reni Eddo-Lodge wrote about her frustration with the way that discussions of race and racism in Britain were being led by those who weren't affected by it. She posted a piece on her blog, entitled: 'Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race'. Her words hit a nerve. The post went viral and comments flooded in from others desperate to speak up about their own experiences. Galvanised by this clear hunger for open discussion, she decided to dig into the source of these feelings. Exploring issues from eradicated black history to the political purpose of white dominance, whitewashed feminism to the inextricable link between class and race, Reni Eddo-Lodge offers a timely and essential new framework for how to see, acknowledge and counter racism.

A quick read on why intersectionality is important, especially as it pertains to social justice causes, like feminism. Important points are made about why all voices must speak up when it comes to anti-racism.

The Power

The Power by Naomi Alderman    341 pages

"In The Power the world is a recognisable place: there's a rich Nigerian kid who lounges around the family pool; a foster girl whose religious parents hide their true nature; a local American politician; a tough London girl from a tricky family. But something vital has changed, causing their lives to converge with devastating effect. Teenage girls now have immense physical power - they can cause agonising pain and even death. And, with this small twist of nature, the world changes utterly."

That summary from the publisher is easier to use than to try to summarize this book myself (and it's shorter).

This story basically explores what the world would be like if the power balance changed, where women had all of the power in their hands (quite literally) and in doing so, exposes and engages with our contemporary world. The fact that women and girls have this power, which can actually kill a person, flips a lot of what our culture experiences, and in doing so, makes you really think about cultural dynamics in a new way.  Some of these girls and women in the story become quite ruthless and I could totally understand that.  After generations of being repressed, held down, abused, etc etc etc, when the power dynamic shifts, there's bound to be some violence.

The book begins with some letters between a man and a woman, then the story begins, and that the end, we return to the letters. There are also references sprinkled throughout the book that refer to archaeological discoveries.  It is clear that this story is being written after the Cataclysm (as it's called when girls and women discover they have this power).  There are several instances in the story when things happen and you think, wow, that's so violent. Those women are so violent.  And then you think about that fact that in our world, right now, it's men who are violent. Who are perpetrating violence. 

It's fascinating to have this story turn things around in such a way. The author intelligently pulls apart common social custom and assumption and then twists them in a way that you see them anew (kind of like twisting someone's head around so they can see behind them). Yes, a violent kind of analogy, but in keeping with some of the feel of this story. 

I found this book difficult to put down and now plan to add it to my personal collection (yes, already starting that birthday wish list).

La Belle Sauvage (The Book of Dust #1)

La Belle Sauvage (The Book of Dust #1) by Philip Pullman   464 pages

"Malcolm Polstead is the kind of boy who notices everything but is not much noticed himself. And so perhaps it was inevitable that he would become a spy..."

Malcolm has a calm personality and has an advantage in that his father runs an inn called The Trout, on the banks of the Thames. Malcom and his daemon, Asta, routinely overhear news and gossip, but during one unusual winter, Malcolm catches wind of something new and potentially dangerous. He finds a secret message and the spy it was intended for finds him.  Drawn into a web of intrigue, Malcolm sees reason for suspicion everywhere, and everyone seeming to be interested in the same thing: a baby girl named Lyra.

This book is a prequel to The Golden Compass and I think it makes the most sense if you're already familiar with that trilogy of books, or at least the world that Pullman has created.  I really enjoyed this book, although I would hesitate to give it to a really young reader.  I found it more violent than The Golden Compass and there were a few parts that, if I had read them when I was 10, would have given me nightmares.  As an adult, I found some parts to be a little much.

I did really like the adventure and intrigue in this story and how the plot kept building, along with the tension. You don't have a good sense of whether or not Malcolm is going to come out of this completely intact, and while I trusted Pullman . . . well, I wasn't sure at times which direction the story was going to take.  I find the original trilogy to be better, but it's a treat to be able to revisit this world again.

My Not So Perfect Life

My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella               Audio Book: 12 hours     Paperback Book:  464 pages         

This story reminds me a lot of “The Devil Wears Prada.”       Same type of work obsessed boss, with little time to sort out her home life because she devotes so much of herself to her job.    Driven, hard person who makes the heroine of the story, Katie (Kat) Brenner’s life difficult.     Katie is mad to live in London though she feels a little out of place as a Junior in a fast paced firm.    She shares an apartment with two roommates in order to keep her living expenses as bare bones as possible and she subsists on a miniscule diet mostly vegetables to keep on the cheap between checks.    She hasn’t yet earned her place in the clique at work though her co-workers treat her tolerably, at least they speak.   Her boss just dismisses her for the most part because she is always preoccupied on the phone, texting, in meetings, etc.   Katie longs to be her boss with they posh clothes and the home that looks like it should be featured in House Beautiful (and likely has) and the family, a loving husband and two bright and well- mannered children.    Katie grew up on a farm in Somerset and tries to hide her background to fit in with the London set.     Her Dad and Step-Mum miss her and always tell her they want her to be happy but reading between the lines the reader knows they are desperate for Katie to come back home.    Her Dad is always coming up with some entrepreneurial idea that he never follows through with due to the cajoling of a Mr. Haney type that is always trying to sell him something that sets her Dad off on another big idea that he just doesn’t have the wherewithal to bring it to completion.   Her Step-Mum loves her Dad dearly and goes along with all of his ”big ideas”, but, even she can’t make them work.    They finally decide to turn their farm into a tourist site for city dwellers wanting a country life experience.   Around this time, Katie loses her job.   Last one in first one out.    She is devastated and can’t think how she will make ends meet.   Her Dad asks for her help with their latest venture and since Katie has time on her hands, she agrees to come home on a sabbatical – she can’t admit she got fired – to help them establish their brand, their website and to help them get things started.   Her advice is invaluable and things turn out to be better than expected so much so that while on sabbatical, the boss that fired her books her vacation on Katie’s Dad’s Somerset farm.    Revenge is sweet and hilarious and everyone learns a lot from this new venture.   It is lively, funny and brilliant.    I can’t get enough of Sophie Kinsella’s writing.   Always witty and laugh out loud funny and true to how people really think and act.    Loved it. 

The Truth According To Us

The Truth According To Us by Annie Barrows                 Audio Book: 18 hours, 52 minutes     Paperback Book: 529 pages                      

This book will hold your interest from beginning to end.    Very well written and developed characters.    You will come away feeling that you were actually a witness to all the events described here.    The town of Macedonia, West Virginia held a very southern sympathetic view during the War Between the States, however, the State of Virginia had divided into two sections because folks in the western part of the state wanted to stay in the Union, all that is except the town of Macedonia.   So, going with the majority,  the state of Virginia was divided into two states forming Virginia (seceded) and West Virginia (did not secede) it was entered into the Union as a Federalist region though the pocket that was Macedonia remained loyal to the South for the most part.    This story involves many of the families in the town who are proud of their southern heritage and held many artifacts of their confederate ancestors.    The story involves the town’s past history as they celebrate the town’s sesquicentennial and a young woman who is awarded the task of writing a book on the town’s history through the writer’s project of Roosevelt’s WPA New Deal program.  The girl in question is a poor little rich girl who doesn’t want to marry her family’s choice of husband for her so she and her father (a senator) have a falling out and he takes away her expenses so she has to fend for herself.    Her uncle happens to work with the WPA and gets her on relief so she can get the job that is open (that requires no skills – she’s never worked before).    She balks at first not wanting to go live amongst hillbillies and can’t imagine how she will achieve the research and writing of a book for them.    The story takes place in 1938 and the family she ends up staying with, the Romeyns, are so endearing, even the black sheep scoundrel has reasons for his behavior.   He does play dirty at times though and uses people.    Their back stories and dark secrets are smoldering underneath the facades almost everyone puts on.    Everyone except Jottie, the fixer in the Romeyn family – she is genuinely a good fun-loving person, o.k. she does know how to use the term “oh honey,” in that sickly sweet way some southern ladies declare that can express  sentiments of sincerity, insincerity, sarcasm and aspersion interchangeably.   I learned all about the “oh honey” and “well bless your heart” phraseology when I married into a family with roots in Virginia.  Yikes!   Those steel magnolias weren’t kidding!   They can praise you and strip your feelings to the core with either of those phrases depending on their tone and inflection.   Amazing.    Praise or belittling and you never know which way the knife will fall.   The townsfolk in this book use it with fierce accuracy and dole it out like icing on a cake.   This was such an enjoyable read I hated to come to the end, I liked it that much.   The children are like the little rascals and “Scout” from to Kill A Mockingbird always up to something.   Five stars for this one.

The Fall of Japan

The Fall of Japan by William Craig         Hardcover: 368 pgs.       

According to the history account we learned in school, World War II ended after the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  The unprecedented destruction prompted Japan’s surrender; it then signed the surrender document in Tokyo Bay two weeks later on September 2, 1945 (almost exactly 6 years after the conflict began).  This book gives the details of those events, showing that the “real-time” situation was very complicated and could have ended quite differently.  It also covers the weeks and months leading up to the defeat, including a narration of the ferocious Battle of Okinawa (the last battle of the war), the firebombing of Japanese cities and the development and dropping of the atomic bombs.  Craig shows that surrender was what you might call a “process” for the proud Japanese.  Even after the Japanese government had officially given up, some Japanese soldiers refused to do so, instigating rebellions and an attempted coup to keep Japan in the war.  The Pacific war was a very bloody and cruel business and its end was also gory and brutal, as this book shows.  We see especially the agony of atomic bombing victims, the terrible privations of American POWs at the hands of the Japanese and the tragic suicides of many Japanese officers to avoid dishonor and somehow atone for Japan’s defeat.  But there is also hope, as some Japanese leaders come to terms with their defeat and the Americans show magnanimity toward their formerly bitter enemies.  If you can handle the descriptions of slaughter and suffering, this is a very informative book for better understanding the end of the war and the beginning of the friendly relationship America and Japan enjoy today.

Human Acts

Human Acts by Han Kang (3 stars, 226 pages, paperback) 

This novel tells several perspectives of the events and aftershocks of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising in South Korea. It starts off following a boy, Dong-ho, looking for his friend among the bodies of those slain by the military. The following chapters run with the perspectives of other characters introduced in the first chapter, taking place up to 33 years after the event itself. More and more heartbreaking details about the events of one fateful day reveal themselves as the story goes on.  

There’s a good chance you never knew this happened. (Even if you were tuned into world news in 1980, the only American newspaper carrying coverage of this event on Newsbank was the Christian Science Monitor.) Maybe you never knew that South Korea even had dictators at all. I sure didn’t. The book struggles with difficult themes of death and whether a culture or even just a person can recover from atrocity. And I really mean struggles. I’m not certain the author (and/or translator) knew 100% what she wanted to say.

This was a difficult book to read. Every new chapter brought with it the realization of who we were following and what they were going to tell me, and I would moan and say aloud “Please no!” Whatever it was I was afraid of did not fully manifest, though. I was never reduced to a puddle of sorrowful tears, like I was expecting. The language was brutally beautiful and evocative, but somewhat scattershot. I was always left a little unsure how to feel. But then, this is a very difficult theme to write effectively about, and not a theme I seek out, so I don’t really fault the author (and/or translator). Ultimately, this is a troubled, difficult exploration of grief.

The Violin of Auschwitz

The Violin of Auschwitz  by Maria Angels Anglada   109 pages

This succinct novel reveals and chronicles Auschwitz prisoner Daniel’s skill as a crafter of fine violins and subsequent creation at the demands of this captors. The camp’s two most dangerous men make a cruel wager: If Daniel can build an acceptable violin within a certain number of days, the Kommandant wins a case of the finest burgundy; if not, the camp doctor, a torturer, gets to do with Daniel as he pleases. Without knowing how much time he is allowed, driven only pride of workmanship and fear of failure, Daniel tries to recapture his lost art to create an exquisite instrument against all odds.

Although this novel is brief, the emotion is evokes is no less poignant that any tome about World War II. I can’t say it better than the book jacket: “Written with lyrical simplicity and haunting beauty—and interspersed with chilling, actual Nazi documentation—The Violin of Auschwitz is more than just a novel: It is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of beauty, art, and hope to triumph over the darkest adversity.”

Revival

Revival  by Stephen King   405 pages

I used to read Stephen King religiously, investing money and shelf space with each book as they were published. After a while, however, I was so disillusioned with the endings that I stopped wasting my precious time (I swear the man must get paid by the word!) and basically abandoned the horror genre altogether. The other day, however, a patron was overly enthusiastic about Revival, so I thought to give King another chance.

In his signature fashion, King slowly and methodically builds the narrative of this five decade story that follows Jamie Morton and his periodic encounters with Reverend Charles Jacobs, the man referred to as Jamie’s ‘fifth element’. The Reverend suffers a personal calamity, and subsequently banished from town after delivering The Terrible Sermon in which he blasphemes God and mocks religious belief.  The Reverend has a secret obsession with science that grows as the novel unfolds; although questionable experiments benefit people in tragic circumstances, the Reverend’s real agenda is entirely his own.  Although deliberately withdrawn from religious practice, over the ensuing decades, the Reverend takes up the mantle as a revivalist, carrying out research on people as he perfects his science, experiments done under the guise of healing through God. The few times Jamie and Reverend encounter each other through life have profound consequences on both men, creating a bond that “becomes a pact beyond even the Devil’s devising, and Jamie discovers that “revival” has many meanings.”

I’ve always appreciated King’s attention to detail, great characterization, and master storytelling, and this story does not disappoint in that regard. While the novel was a good read, and thankfully much shorter than the books for which I abandoned him a few decades ago, and the ending doesn’t resort to nonsensical aliens, I’m not willingly to commit to another of his works in the immediate future.

The End of Alzheimers

The End of Alzheimers: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline by Dale E. Bredesen, M.D.        Audio Book: 9 hours, 22 mins.       Hardback Book:  320 pages      

Excellent book on how to prevent or reverse the ravages of Alzheimers Disease.    The third deadliest disease in America, Cancer being number1 and Cardiac Arrest being number 2.     Fascinating study of things we can do now to prevent the onset of Alzheimers, things we can do to slow it if it has already started and please God, let this information reverse the disease in its tracks for those dear people already suffering with it at every stage of decline.    Oh what a terror that Alzheimers is.    I watched it take my Aunt away from us by degrees over 8 years from the stage where she was cognizant of losing control of her actions, “Help me, I can’t stop myself,” when she kept going around and around the table at a family reunion trying to pick things up compulsively  as if she thought she had to pack up everything obsessively.  So I walked around with her and gave her some napkins to put out and said, “How about you put these out for everyone?”   To about 6 months later when her daughter was talking to her sister about her and I’m thinking to myself, “why are they doing that?  She is right here and hears everything they are saying as if she wasn’t even there.”  My Aunt looked up at me and said, “They think I’m crazy but I’m not.”   I felt so sorry for her.    She deteriorated to the point she couldn’t walk at times, like she stiffened up and couldn’t think how to relax her muscles.   She kept thinking people who were long passed away were coming over or she needed to go to them or she would think her grown kids who have grandchildren of their own were babies and she wanted to go over to her mother’s to get them.   I always went along without disagreeing with her and just diverted her attention to something else.   Her daughter would get frustrated with her and say, “ (whoever’s name) is dead.  They’ve been dead for years.   You know that.”    And even though she might say the same thing several times about the same people, I saw the deep despair and shock come over her whenever she would be told someone she thought she would be going to see or thought they would be coming in the door any minute – were dead.    It was like she lived her grief over and over and over every time.   That was heartwrenching and an eye opener to show the true monster that is Alzheimers.   It goes beyond forgetfulness to gut wrenching pain to finally it is like the person is lost within themselves and eventually loses their ability to discern the words they want to say to eventually losing their ability to speak altogether.    They become almost childlike in their responses either the joy of an infant showing in their eyes to tantrums and some folks even lash out physically in angry outbursts they no longer have the ability to understand clearly nor express what they are feeling that upsets them.    It is the most devastating thing to be unable to help them because they are slowly losing all comprehension and its like they are being pulled away from you and you are helpless to hold on to them.   Like watching a beautiful rose wither away before your eyes and try as you might, you can’t bring it back.    Dr. Bredesen has done extensive research, testing, studies and has arrived at the following conclusions:  Alzheimers isn’t one disease but three.     It is a shrinking of the brain caused by inflammation in the veins in the brain and he suggests taking supplements of vitamin B1 and B12, Folic Acid, Vitamin  C,D,E, K2, Resvertitrol, daily.   He  recommends getting keytone strips to test yourself on a regular basis and more simply recommends no sugar at least 3 hours before bed and preferably cutting as much sugar out of our diets as possible instead going on a low carbohydrate diet.    He says exercise is absolutely essential and says long periods of sitting are detrimental.   If only small amounts of exercise, walking, etc. can be done it is still better than not doing anything.   We should stay away from toxic chemicals completely.    We all need to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night and 9 if possible.   Sleep is very important.   He also says we must practice stress reduction this is important to the healing process.   He fears not enough is being done to counteract the effects of Alzheimers due to financial gain for its treatment, political figures use the topic as a ploy for appealing to masses but haven’t done much to help cure it in any way and don’t support medical research enough unless they are campaigning as many dollars are raised from those on the other side profiting from the proliferation of things as they now stand.     He also suggests we use filters on any electrical equipment in our bedrooms and says no one should have t.v. or computers in their bedrooms at all.     Diet-wise he stresses keeping hyrdrated throughout the day but tapering off in the evening so that once asleep we won’t be awakened to make numerous hasty trips to the bathroom due to needing to urinate.   Like sugar, not much liquid should be ingested the last 3 hours before bed.    He said foodwise there are green light, yellow light and red light foods to be mindful of.   Red light are avoid at all cost foods:  Sugar, Bread, Pasta, Rice, Cookies, Cakes, Candy, Soda, Glutten, Diary, processed foods, tuna, shark swordfish and pineapple.   Yellow Light foods to have in moderation are:  Corn, squash, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, beans, berries, wine, coffee, grass fed beef, pasteurized chicken,  white and red potatoes, and peas.   But, Green Light foods we can indulge to our hearts content Dr. Bredesen says.   Green Light foods are:  Mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, green leafy vegetables, Lettuce, Kale, Spinach, Wild Caught Fish:  Salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, anchovies, Probiotic foods like sauerkraut and kimchi, jicama, leeks, Sweet Potatoes, rutabagas, parsnips, green bananas, herbal tea, green tea and black tea, and last but not least, onions and garlic.    There are so many tips, and good information in this book it is worthy for all of us to read as Alzheimers isn’t just hereditary disesase but a dietary and lifestyle one as well.   Good for you, Dr. Bredesen!   Oh and on that no sugar thing, he does at least give us sweet lovers one reprieve – ice cream made with coconut milk.   Though he cautions we should also keep track of our insulin levels while admitting that blood test strips aren’t cheap.    He is thorough and has two websites he lists in the book:  www.drbresdesen.com

 and www.mpicognition.com

     Fascinating and my prayer is life-saving.   Good on you, Dr. Bresdesen.   He is also on Facebook, I noticed.   One of the many bright stars at UCLA.

Gangster Nation

Gangster Nation by Tod Goldberg              AudioBook:  11 hours, 25 min.  357 pages              

Great book – well written and like a good Scorsese crime film plot it has all the old school mob and new school g’s.    Lots of plot twists, guilty and innocent fatalities, hitmen, FBI, surveillance, Quantico spying technology, and some of the best dialogue.    Like the hitman in Grosse Pointe Blank you get to know Sal the main character and hitman extraordinaire what has happened in his life up to 9/11, much of his murderous past, his love for his family and come to know that while his career is extreme, other than that he is a pretty honorable, nice guy that would make good friend material.   Hey, we all have our flaws, doesn’t mean underneath all that we aren’t good folks.   Like with the Red Baron, he was known as the Bloody Red Baron for all his kills but in his biography he says he didn’t go out seeking to kill anyone, actually he preferred just to down their plane and hope his opponents were able to survive.   He said he didn’t go out to kill but to perform his job to the best of his ability.    Sal Cupertine is like that, too.   In many places you will be reminded of the characters in Pulp Fiction or Casino with Las Vegas seeming not just the background but playing another character in this book.  I love Sal’s cover, too.  Bringing the Rabbi element in is such a clever touch.    Tod Goldberg brings a lot to this book and I thoroughly enjoyed the story from beginning to end.   Another of those you don’t want to put it down till the end books.   I did not realize until today that this book is part of a series and this is the second book in the series.   Now, I must go back and read the first and continue to the next volume because there is a real cliffhanger ending to this one and I am pleased to know the story continues and if you read it, you will be, too.     Kudos for Tod Goldberg this is a hit in so many ways and on so many levels.