Janis: Her Life and Music

Janis: Her Life and Music by Holly George-Warren   377 pages

Rule-breaker, genre-bender, rock-and-roll blues singer, rebel, and an unapologetic woman who lived life on her own terms. That was Janis Joplin. The author had in-depth access to Joplin's family, friends, archives and long-lost interviews and this book is extensive and intensive. And sometimes a bit intense, kind of like Janis. However, Janis wasn't all about suffering --- she also lived life at full tilt, passionate about music and determined to work hard and earn her place in a world dominated by male musicians.

I'm not going to go into more detail than that. Janis Joplin is a rock icon, and I think one of the more misunderstood people in the music world. By the time you finish this book, though, you definitely know a lot more about her and as a result, understand her a little more. Admittedly, she was one messed-up person and it seemed at times that she was determined to be her own worst enemy. However, her dedication to her music and how hard she worked is pretty impressive. It's disappointing that her life ended when she was still young, but at the rate she was going, it's hard to imagine that she would have lasted any longer. Definitely an interesting book, and one that will make you take out your Janis Joplin CDs for a listen.

The Other Mrs.

The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica  359 pages

"Sadie and Will Foust have only just moved their family from bustling Chicago to small-town Maine when their neighbor Morgan Baines is found dead in her home. The murder rocks their tiny coastal island, but no one is more shaken than Sadie.

But it’s not just Morgan’s death that has Sadie on edge. And as the eyes of suspicion turn toward the new family in town, Sadie is drawn deeper into the mystery of what really happened that dark and deadly night. But Sadie must be careful, for the more she discovers about Mrs. Baines, the more she begins to realize just how much she has to lose if the truth ever comes to light."  (summary from Goodreads)

I am very grateful that Mary Kubica keeps writing books because each time I read one, I enjoy it. Yes, it's another psychological thriller that I read this month. Like her other books, this book has an almost propulsive pacing, where the story starts and just takes off --- reading it is like running after something. The book isn't perfect -- it drags a little once in a while, and there are some disturbing elements that weren't quite 100% believable.  However, I still found it to be an entertaining page-turner, which was all I was asking for.

No Bad Deed

No Bad Deed  by Heather Chavez 312 pages

"Driving home one rainy night, Cassie Larkin sees a man and woman fighting on the side of the road. After calling 911, the veterinarian makes a split-second decision that will throw her sedate suburban life into chaos. Against all reason and advice, she gets out of her minivan and chases after the violent man, trying to help his victim. When Cassie physically tries to stop him, he suddenly turns on her and spits out an ominous threat: “Let her die, and I’ll let you live.”"

As if this wasn't scary enough, the next day, her husband disappears while trick-or-treating with their six year-old daughter. Is it possible Cassie's husband is having an affair? Did someone kidnap him? Is the confrontation with the roadside attacker connected to this?  As Cassie searches for clues to find her husband, it becomes clear that nothing is as random as it seems.

This is a gripping story with a relentless pace, which I really really liked. There are a lot of twists, as well, so it's difficult to anticipate where the story is going and there is a sense of danger and unease that threads through the book. You don't know if you can trust Cassie's husband, you're not sure if Cassie is paranoid, and you can't shake the feeling that something really bad is going to happen.  Great psychological thriller of a read!

The Better Liar

The Better Liar by Tanen Jones  306 pages

If Leslie had arrived at her sister's Las Vegas apartment a few hours earlier, she would have found Robin to be alive. It would have been their first reunion in ten years, forced after Leslie learned her inheritance depended on re-connecting with Robin. But now, Robin's dead. And Leslie really needs that money.  However, her salvation may come in the form of Mary, a charismatic young woman who has a startling resemblance to Robin. The two make a bargain: Mary pretends to be Robin, in exchange for half the cash from the inheritance.  Sounds simple, right? Wrong. Mary is obviously hiding something and as Leslie starts to learn more about her, she becomes more disturbed.

And, of course, you find yourself wondering if Robin is actually dead. Does Mary have a connection to Robin? Why does Leslie need the money so badly? If you like books that make you start questioning things, and wondering what kind of twist will come next, this is the book for you. Psychological suspense + sister and family relationships + a touch of thriller/danger.

Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me

Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me by Adrienne Brodeur   256 pages

"On a hot July night on Cape Cod when Adrienne was fourteen, her mother, Malabar, woke her at midnight with five simple words that would set the course of both of their lives for years to come: Ben Souther just kissed me. "  Now, Adrienne has been drawn into her mother's confidence, helping her keep the secret of this affair for year.  Yes, I said years.  Ultimately, there are devastating consequences (which you would expect) and Adrienne's life is hugely impacted.

I started out thinking this book was interesting, and by the time I was about 3/4 of the way through, I found it tiresome. Which didn't keep me from finishing it, but it was only because I wanted to see how it finally ended.  Brodeur's mother is kind of unbelievable --- she's the kind of person that you'd expect to be in a dramatic movie starring Joan Crawford or Bette Davis. Her self-centeredness is matched by her relentless dramatic impulses, and need to be the constant center of attention. It's disturbing that she never seems to realize the impact her behavior has on her daughter, but that's what makes this an interesting memoir, I guess. 

Warbreaker

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson   592 pages

"Warbreaker is the story of two sisters who happen to be princesses, the God King one of them has to marry, the lesser god who doesn't like his job, and the immortal who's still trying to undo the mistakes he made hundreds of years ago. Their world is one in which those who die in glory return as gods to live confined to a pantheon in Hallandren's capital city and where a power known as BioChromatic magic is based on an essence known as breath that can only be collected one unit at a time from individual people. By using breath and drawing upon the color in everyday objects, all manner of miracles and mischief can be accomplished. It will take considerable quantities of each to resolve all the challenges facing Vivenna and Siri, princesses of Idris; Susebron the God King; Lightsong, reluctant god of bravery; and mysterious Vasher, the Warbreaker."  (summary courtesy of Goodreads)

I have had this book on my shelf for years and kept putting off reading it (because library books always have a strong call . . .). Once I started reading and got into the story, I was kicking myself for not picking it up sooner because I really enjoyed it!  I have read other books by Brandon Sanderson and felt he was great at not only storytelling, but also worldbuilding. This book is no exception, where your knowledge of the world in the story grows with each chapter. You also learn things at the same time as a few of the characters, so the story is unfolding and you feel a connection to the characters. 

Rust: A memoir of steel and grit

Rust: A Memoir of Steel and Grit by Eliese Colette Goldbach    320 pages 

"Steel is the only thing that shines in the belly of the mill..."

When she was in college, Eliese was planning on leaving her hometown. However, plans change and that meant she wound up applying for a job at the local steel mill. It's not her ideal job, but it's her only hope for financial security. This is a memoir not just about Eliese's life, but about the different parts and functions of a steel mill.  She looks back at her childhood and also analyzes the role of the steel mill in our current workplace and economy.  She also shows how friendship and camaraderie can develop in even the most unexpected places.

I read a galley of this book, courtesy of the publisher. I had been intrigued by the description, but hadn't expected that the book would capture my attention as quickly as it did. The author has a conversational writing style and a candor about her life, and it's not only refreshing to read, but you also learn a lot about the workings of a steel mill.  A lot of the work sounds terrifying . . . and it's absolutely fascinating. So, definitely an interesting read!

For LibraryReads: Told with refreshing candor, this is a memoir of how life can take you to unexpected places, where danger lurks around every corner, but friendship isn't far behind.

If Cats Disappeared From The World: A Novel

If Cats Disappeared From The World: A Novel by Genki Kawamura   168 pages

Excellent tale of a postal worker who finds out he has a Stage 4 brain tumor and only a limited amount of time to live. The Devil appears to him and offers him 1 additional day of life for every one thing he is willing to have taken away from the world.  Of course, this is the Devil he is dealing with so nothing is quite as simple as it seems.   Great book.   I recommend this one for all ages.

 - Shirley J.

Who's Dead, Doc?

Who’s Dead, Doc? (Book 2 in the Jules and Bun Mystery Series) by J. M. Griffin 320 pages

 This is the second book in Jules and Bun Mystery Series.  Like this one, the first one was cute.

Juliette “Jules” Bridge rescues ad provides lifelong shelter for rabbits.  She has one, Bun, who is her best friend and plays Watson to her Sherlock. While the bond between the two is undeniable, it’s their ability to communicate telepathically with each other.  A stretch I know, but it works.  I wish I had telepathic abilities with my pet rabbit; it would be useful.

Jules’ Fur Bridge Farm is in rural New Hampshire, although the lack of scenery could make this Anywhere, USA. Jules makes her living taking the rabbits to kids’ birthday parties along with a friend who does a puppet show.

At this outing, Evelyn, a local woman, is found dead near the party. Bun has a desire to get involved with the investigation, but Jules is reluctant, especially given the events from Book One. 

Against his better judgement, Sheriff Jack Carver enlists Jules’ help. Evelyn was the judge at a local rabbit competition, which is much like a dog show. So Jules and Bun go undercover to help solve Evelyn’s murder.

The cast of characters from Book One are also here: the college kids who help out at Fur Bridge Farm, Jessica the vet who has a clinic at said farm, the rabbits (especially Willy Walkabout, a bun who is an escape artist), Molly who runs the gift shop and teaches spinning classes and more.

If you’re looking for a page-turner, this isn’t the book for you. However it is fun.  I already miss Jules and Bun. Can’t wait for Book Three!  “Who’s Dead, Doc?” receives 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

 

 

 

Running with Sherman: A Donkey with the Heart of a Hero

 Running with Sherman: The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero by Christopher McDougall  352 pages

Fans of James Herriott’s “All Creatures Great and Small” series will love this tale of courage and strength.

When writer and jogger Christopher McDougall learned that one of his neighbors in rural Pennsylvania was a animal hoarder and needed money, he didn’t hesitate to purchase a donkey. He was, however, unprepared for the abuse the little gray donkey had suffered. “Its fur was crusted with dung, turning his white belly black. In places the fur had been torn away, revealing raw skin almost certainly infested with parasites. He was barrel-shaped and bloated from poor feed and his mouth was a mess, with one tooth so rotten it fell right out when touched. Worst of all was his hooves, so monstrously overgrown they looked like witch’s claws.”

Hooves this bad are usually a death sentence for a donkey. But the McDougall family could tell beneath that battered body was an intelligent creature that seemed to want to live. They named him Sherman, after the songwriting Sherman brothers from the movie, “Saving Mr. Banks.”

Another neighbor, Tanya, pitched in to help the McDougall’s turn Sherman around. The most important thing, she told the family of four,  he needed once he was clean, well-fed and learned to walk after his hooves were fixed, was a purpose. Donkeys need a reason to live…they need a job to do. Christopher decided that Sherman’s “job” would be to run with him as he trained for marathons.

This book covers one year in the life of Sherman and the McDougall’s. It’s the story of how he became best friends with a goat named Lawrence and trained, along with his other new friends Flower and Matilda, for entering the burro racing competition help every year in Colorado. As McDougall takes readers on his adventure, it’s laugh out loud funny and heartrendingly sad. Fortunately, the laughter outweighs with sad.  Readers get an inside peek at the nature and mind of a donkey…how they can be led and be a leader..and of course how stubborn they can be. After reading this wonderful story, I would love to have a donkey, but I think it may be too smart for me. “Running with Sherman: The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero” receives 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

Taking the Arrow Out of the Heart:Poems

Taking the Arrow Out of the Heart:Poems by Alice Walker
259 pages

Words creating pictures so tangible in their pain the reader can feel it through the pages.  Alice Walker is a wonderful writer but here she shares her deep love for poetry using it to reach out to friend and foe across the world, across the centuries across psychological bonds that leave the reader feeling the shackles, the fear and tears of our fellow humans throughout the globe that often seem so far away we can't grasp their reality but Alice Walker takes your hand to join her on a journey to the unsung heroes in all cultures and the injustices visited on all peoples.   She enlightened me on so many things that are taking place that I had no idea about.   Let her enlighten you too.   Her poetry sings a new song.   Very moving.   I recommend this poetry to the open minded who the message is meant for be they young or old.

 - Shirley J.

Baby Don't Hurt Me: Stories and Scars from Saturday Night Live

Baby Don't Hurt Me: Stories and Scars from Saturday Night Live by Chris Kattan  288 pages

I love reading the biographies of people and this one was no exception.    Chris Kattan names names, tells what happened and often how he was to blame for some fallouts and how he was hurt or elated by relationships, celebrity pals and his time in the Groundlings in L.A. and the years he was later on SNL.  His relationship with Lorne Michaels was never what he so wanted it to be and he later talks about the injury he sustained while doing a live SNL show that has cost him his career.    I could hardly put it down and read this book in 3 days.  I highly recommend this book to see what life is like for a stand-up comedian,  how hard driven you have to be to make it in show business and how frantic and surreal life can be as a regular on SNL and how lonely.  Great book.  If you like bios.  read this one.

 - Shirley J.

Proven Guilty

Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher  489 pages


Wow! So many nether creatures come to life at "Splatter-Con"  the Horror Film Convention that just happens to be being attended by the Arch Angel Michael's oldest daughter, Molly and her friends.    There is much more going on that Molly's piercings, tattoos and horror show makeup.  When the horrific characters come to life from the screen some kind of black magic is conjuring them up and Harry has to put himself and those he cares about in jeopardy to find the source. Has Harry over stepped himself?   The Merlin is out to bring him down.    good story,   Yes, I am hooked on the series and I do highly recommend all who find the paranormal fascinating to indulge.   You will be glad you did. 

 - Shirley J.

Unf*ck Your Habitat: You're Better Than Your Mess

Unf*ck Your Habitat: You're Better Than Your Mess by Rachel Hoffman    224 pages

This book was actually recommended reading by the Tarot book author, Melissa Cymova and am I glad I took her advice,   I love this book so much that I have listened to it twice so far and I plan to do so again.   Hilarious but real genuine great information on how to look at, approach and actually accomplish getting your habitat unf*cked no matter how f*cked up it may be by doing 20/10s.   Work on your habitat 20 minutes, rhen take a 10 minute break.   Rest, relax or give yourself a treat like a hot carmel apple cider from Starbucks - 'cause, Baby, You earned it!  Break that clutter mountain down to 20 minute spruce ups with 10 minutes downtime to read that next book to blog about and not only will you see real progress but you won't work yourself into one of those marathon weekend long deep cleaning binges but you will also be feeling pretty good about yourself for the treats you are awarding yourself for a job well done.   You won't be disgusted,  dis-heartend or disillusioned.   You will be delighted with yourself and your progress.   Excellent book!
Adult language so not for the young but highschoolers have heard it and will get a lugh and lots of wise tips.

Tarot Elements: Five Readings To Reset Your Life

Tarot Elements: Five Readings To Reset Your Life by Melissa Cynova

261 pages

I love reading books on Tarot card reading.   I always learn something from each book I read on the subject and this book was full of new and interesting interpretations.   It is always a learning experience to observe another's ideas on the cards.   I recommend this book for that reason.  Learn, study, observe.   It will always serve you and others you read for.

 - Shirley J.

Grave Peril

Grave Peril by Jim Butcher    378 pages

Probably the most moving storylines I imagine that will come of this series.   This one tears at Harry Dresden's heart.   The nightmare ghosts don't hold a candle to what is going on with the vampires and just how far far will a girl go to get a story?   A photographer once said, you have to get close to get the photo but if you get too close, you die.   Good story.   I recommend this series whole heartedly.

 - Shirley J.

Mercy Road

Mercy Road  by Ann Howard Creel  283 pages

This novel takes place in 1918. America has entered the Great War, but it hasn’t affected the Favier’s of Kentucky. They are kept quite busy with their thoroughbread horse farm. Arlene, the oldest child, is happy caring for the horses and cannot imagine any other lifestyle---no matter what her mother thinks. That is until a fire comsumes their home and takes the life of her father. Thankfully, the horses are spared. Arlene is sure that her father left the family in financial security and the stud services will help to pay for what they need.

Unfortunately, Dad didn’t do that.  Now the family is virtually destitute and with stud services drying up (no pun intended), Arlene realizes that she will have to find employment to care for her mother and brother.

Looking for work is not easy. Young women of that era do not work outside the home. Widening her scope, Arlene heads to the largest nearby city, Cincinnati. There she finds the American Women’s Hosptial, a privately-supported orgainziation that is as desperate for ambulance drivers as much as Arlene needs work. After an extensive interview, Arlene joins the all-female team of doctors and nurses headed for France, where the fighting is the heaviest.

Arlene goest through training that will teach her everything about the ambulances. There she meets Cass and they become friends, watching each other’s backs and helping each other.  The scenes of the ambulance convoys driving to the front are the scenes of nightmares. The author, Ann Howard Kreel, does a great job describing the sights, sounds and smells of war.  This reader felt as if she was there, but there was little tension that I felt a war scene should have.

I was disappointed that Arlene didn’t meet Ernest Hemingway, who was also an ambulance driver during World War I, but he was stationed in Italy, not France. But Arlene does meet another rake, an officer who takes no as a challenge, Felix Brohammer.  He is a smarmy jerk who believes every woman wants him. He sets his hat on Arlene.

Nothing about Felix attracts her. She would rather concentrate on her job and the bonus that she is promised if she stays the entire course. However, she does run into an old heartthrob from back home, Jimmy.

I was confused a bit by the title. I thought “Mercy Road” was the actual name of a road. Instead it’s a euphemism for the road she and the other girls are traveling.  Based on the points I covered in the review,  “Mercy Road” receives 3 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

The Girls with No Names

 The Girls with No Names by Serena Burdick  336 pages

 It never fails to surprise me when I read about atrocities that humans commit upon each other.  At the heart of this novel is the House of Mercy. A historical reality in New York that many families threatened unruly daughters and wives with unless they conformed to societal rules.

 

It is 1913. Sisters Effie and Luella are spoiled, wealthy young ladies, in their early teens I believe, who do their best to be like all the other girls their ages. Their father isn’t around much and their mother is cold and distant and almost obsessively religious.  I found this surprising considering Effie’s heart defect. She hasn’t been expected to live as long as she has. I thought she’d be more coddled and fussed over.

 

While out exploring the nearby woods, the girls wander upon a gypsy camp. Luella is mesmerized. Night after night, the girls sneak out of the house to the woods’ fringes and eventually into the company of these mesmerizing free spirits. Luella feels that they know the secrets of her soul.

 

Then, unexpectedly and shockingly to the sisters, their father begins to take them to lunch at Delmonico’s. At first, they are excited and stunned. Stunned by Father’s actions. In time, Luella figures it out: Father is using them as a cover to be seen publicly with his mistress.

 

When Luella runs away from home, Effie is certain that Father has sent her up the hill to the House of Mercy. Although her heart slows her down, Effie is convinced that she can save her sister.  Effie manages to run away from home and get herself taken up to the House.

 

Once Effie realizes that her sister isn’t there, no one believes her story---that she doesn’t belong there, that all the staff has to do is contact her parents.  After a while, a heart wrenching while, Effie makes friend with one of the other girls, Mabel.

 

I found the structure of this novel perplexing.  It’s told from three points of view: Effie’s, her mother’s and Mabel’s.  Why didn’t we hear from Luella?  Another point of contention that I have is that there is no real suspense in the story. Once the author let me know what each chapter’s story was, I knew what was going to happen.  Based on these points “The Girls with No Names” receives 3 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

Serenade for Nadia

 Serenade for Nadia by Zulfu Livaneli; translated from Turkish by Brendan Freely  416 pages

From one of Turkey’s bestselling authors, Zulfu Livaneli (don’t feel bad, I had never heard of him before either), comes a novel of an extraordinary love story mingled with a forgotten real-life tragedy intermingled with a spy-like thriller that is hard to put down. It’s a story-within a story-within a story that is virtually seamless for the reader. If you enjoyed the complexity of Margaret Atwood’s “The Blind Assassin,” I think you will geek-out with this novel.

Story One takes place on a plane in 2001. (Nothing to do with 9/11.) Maya Duran is headed from Istanbul to Boston to visit a professor that she in charge of escorting when he came to Istanbul University. While her plane-mates are sleeping,  Maya wants to get the story she just lived down in writing. This part is not long and is interspersed through Story Two.

Story Two finds Maya, a single mom who has a demanding job at Istanbul University with a teenage sone who spends more tiem on his computer that he does anything else.  Maya has been selected to shepherd Professor Maximilan Wagner, now an elderly “German-born Harvard professor” who has come to lecture at Istanbul University.  He brought with him one a bag and a violin.

It has been fifty-nine years since Maximilan has been to Istanbul, not since the death of his wife in 1942, aboard the “Struma,” a shocking tragedy that “led to the death of nearly 800 refugees fleeing the Holocaust” for Palenstine.  Max has one other reason for making the trip from Boston…he wants to play once more at the place he last saw his wife. However, when a white Renault begins to shadow them, Maya becomes nervous and starts to research Maximilan. She enlists the aid of her son, whose computer skills are invaluable.  The scene of Maximilan playing one last time for his Nadia is nothing short of heartbreaking, so have tissues at hand.

Story Three is Maximilian and Nadia’s story. I could feel the love they had for each other wrapping around my heart.

Livaneli has created a story, or I should say stories, that will live within me for many days to come. “Serenande for Nadia” receives  5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

The Animals at Lockwood Manor

The Animals at Lockwood Manor by Jane Healey  352 pages

 It’s 1939 and London is bracing for war. Londoners are expecting the German Luftwaffe bombs at any minute, but this is not a World War II story; it’s the reason for it.

Most of the London museums are sending their collections to be housed in British country estates throughout the English countryside.  While author Healey was researching the history of London’s Natural History Museum, she came across an article referring to the “wartime eviction of its collections.” And the people who agreed to house them for the duration. Already fascinated by the “eeriness of of taxidermied animals,” sparked her imagination and this novel was born.

Thirty-year-old Hetty Carwright is sent to oversee a large portion of the mammal collection, including a polar bear, hummingbirds, an elephant, a jaguar, butterflies and beetles, a black panther, a lion, a lynx, an infested owl and many, many more. While she is grateful to Lord Lockwood for so generously opening his home, she isn’t prepared for the amount of work that will be involved to keep her charges safe.

And she isn’t prepared for the hauntingly beautiful, and rather disturbed, daughter of the Manor, Lucy.

The story is told from two points of view: Hetty’s and Lucy’s. Healey used italics for all of Lucy’s chapters, which only served to both annoy me and up the creepiness factor.

Hetty has her hands full with protecting the animals from guests and servants, and even from Lord Lockwood himself.  Plus, there are secrets in the manor. Secrets I never saw coming until it was too late. Oh I had my suspicions, but they weren’t nearly as unsettling as the truth. And the end was magnificent; I will be thinking about it for weeks to come.

 

 “The Animals at Lockwood Manor” receives  4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world, mostly due to the italics for Lucy’s voice.

 

 

 

Summer Knight

Summer Knight a Novel of the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher    371 pages

Another exciting story about one of my favorite wizards, Dresden.    I won't give the plot away but let me tell you Pixies love pizza and are a force to be reckoned with if you get between the two!  Dresden hangs out with fairies and the funny thing is, you never know which fairy is really your friend, even if they happen to be your fairy godmother.   Good book.   Pizza is wonderful food.

Death Masks

Death Masks by Jim Butcher   (The Dresden Files Series)   464 pages

I really like the character Harry Dresden and this whole series is a fun romp with equal parts True Blood, Buffy the Vampire Killer and pretty much references to just about every horror flick that has come out within the last decade.    Oh yeah, this installment you can think the film, "Michael," too.   So fun to read and picture in your mind.   Harry is like the most down to earth wizard you will ever come across and even though he may be terrified inside, he always has wise cracks popping out a plenty.   The humor is great, the action is related in every technicolor verbal explanation of the ooze coming out of dead bodies and bits of flesh being chopped off here and there in the fight scenes.    In this story, Harry enlists the help of his buddy Michael, the ArchAngel who just happens to be married and has kids.   Oh yeah, he is DIY home fixer upper.    Must of picked up a thing or two from Mary and Joseph's boy, the carpenter.  Love this series.    I recommend it to everyone who loves the paranormal or is at the very least intrigued by it. 

Sleep No More

Sleep No More by P. D. James    208 pages

Really good book.    The stories are so deliciously told you just want to curl up with a warm beverage and a blanket and cozy in for the night while you read away on these delicious stories.    Sometimes the killer is known and for many good reasons the story leaves that tidbit as a sort of gift to the reader.   Sometimes nostalgia plays a big part but P. D. James always leaves the reader with a glow of satisfaction in having received the present of a good story well told and here you get six!   Treat yourself to this one.   You will be glad you did.

The Goldfinch

The Goldfinch: A Novel  by Donna Tartt     976 ages

Excellent Story through to the end - the last bit is a tad too long and preachy but the entire rest of the story is so good you won't want to come to the end.      The fates of several come into play through the bombing of an art museum.   A young boy there with his mother killing time until they can meet with the boy's school principal who suspended the boy from school for smoking when in fact he took the blame for another kid and wasn't smoking at all himself.   The boys mother particulary loved a small painting of a goldfinch fro whence the title and storyline follows.   Strange how fate brings people together and how in the blink of an eye a life can be changed forever.    The size of the book may be daunting, but, trust me the story and characters are worth their weight in gold.   I don't want to give too much away but I hope you come to appreciate the characters here as much as I have.   Worthy read,  one of the best books I have ever read.                                                                 

The Grace Kelly Dress

The Grace Kelly Dress by Brenda Janowitz  336 pages

 

When a close friend married a few years back, late in life, he was amazed, nay shocked, that the main focus of the event was “the dress.” And as any bride will tell you, it’s all about the dress.

 

“The dress” in the novel is one dress that spans three generations, but not “the dress” the American movie superstar Grace Kelly wore to marry her Prince Rainier of Monaco. That dress is the inspiration for this novel, which begins in 1956, when Grace abandons Hollywood to become Her Royal Highness, Princess Grace to Monaco. Grace was living every girl’s fantasy. Grace’s dress is beautiful, and every bride in the world wants to imitate it.

 

This story is told in three alternating timelines with from a daughter’s, mother’s and grandmother’s point of view. In begins in 2010 in Brooklyn. Rachel, who goes by Rocky, owns a gaming company and is more comfortable in jeans and combat boots. When she becomes engage, her mother, Joan, is certain that she’ll wear her dress. Lacy with Princess Diana sleeves, it screams NOT ROCKY! But how does she not accept a family heirloom without hurting her mother and their relationship.

 

The second story is Joan’s story. After her sister died, it’s up to her to be the best…be good enough for both of them. This section was my favorite as it has the most suspense. I don’t want to say anything more for fear of spoiling the plot. Still when Joan’s mother brings out the dress, Joan would rather get married in her underwear. But once she makes some changes to it, it becomes the most beautiful gown in the world!

 

The third story is Joan’s mother’s story. Rose is a seamstress in 1958 in Paris. A young bride has come to the highly regarded bridal boutique where Rose works. The bride wants a Grace Kelly dress, and as the work begins, the plot takes several twists that keeps the reader on edge.

 

Rocky’s story is the weakest of the three and that weakness is why I am compelled to give  “The Grace Kelly”  4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

First Masterpiece of Chinese Painting

First Masterpiece of Chinese Painting: The Admonitions Scroll by Shane McCausland, 139 pages

In the aftermath of the Boxer Rebellion, an officer from the Bengal Lancers approached the experts at the British Museum seeking someone who could repair an old scroll he claimed to have received as a gift from a high-born Chinese lady.  Recognizing the value of the object, the Museum proceeded to purchase it at a very reasonable price.  The scroll, the Admonitions of the Instructress to the Court Ladies, contains the text of the poem of that name, written in 292 AD by the courtier Zhang Hua as an admonishment to the Empress Jia, as well as ink paintings illustrating the themes of the poem.  The scroll, calligraphy as well as painting, was traditionally held to be the work of the classical genius Gu Kaizhi, but this is no longer believed to be true, with scholarly opinion divided on whether it is a copy of one of Gu's works or entirely unconnected to him.  Whatever its provenance, it is an undoubted masterpiece of Chinese art from the first millennium that has been held up as a model for both court women and Chinese painters for centuries.

If the beauty of the paintings are obvious to all, for most Westerners (and no doubt for most of today's Chinese) it will prove difficult to understand the Admonitions as a coherent whole, much less fully appreciate its historical value as a pedagogical tool and cultural exemplar.  Although necessarily only scratching the surface, Shane McCausland's short book at least lessens the difficulties.  Unfortunately. the color images of the scroll itself are somewhat muddy (other works, including later copies of the Admonitions, are better presented), but, as the author himself notes, there are much better reproductions readily available online.