Tall Tales from Kansas

a thin line that is unbroken as the story progresses

If you are looking for something to read (in one sitting) in your rocker out on the porch, or under a straw umbrella at the seashore, or in your camp chair in a circle of tall trees, I present Turbulence by David Szalay. I finished it over the course of a few very enjoyable hours. 

It's an unconventional format, with one character from each chapter getting on a flight, landing in a different city, and catching up with someone else who will then be the next character to board a plane. And so forth and so on. There is a thin line that is unbroken as the story progresses in an unpredictable way.

I enjoyed it very much. Recommended. 

read, listened to, flipped through

My latest library loans include The Summer Book by Tove Jansson, Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear, and Cook, Eat, Repeat by Nigella Lawson. The Summer Book was by my bed for several weeks and was a perfect bedtime tonic. On the surface it is the story of a young girl and her elderly grandmother spending the summer on an island on the archipelago in the gulf of Finland. Underneath it is a grandmother preparing her grandchild (and herself) for the possibility that she will not be returning to the island again. At least that's how it seemed to me. A tender tale, wonderfully written. 

The second in the Maisie Dobbs series was equally delightful in a totally different way. Increased character development, clues about what may come in future installments, the perfect drive time listen.

Lastly, I love getting a book from the library that I know I want to look at, but don't need to have in my collection. Nigella Lawson's latest falls into that category. 

Images of oxtail stew, linzer cookies, and a rice pudding cake were lingered over, but the recipe I know I will try is the beet and chickpea hummus.

That color is simply stunning. I will want to dip cucumbers and snap peas in it along with the carrots. If I like the way it turns out will share the recipe later. 

where you fell in with a group of happy go lucky map makers

I just finished listening to The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. It’s the story of Nora Seed, a woman with many regrets, who finds herself in a position to experience what her life would have been like had she made different choices.

It’s an interesting concept. Who hasn’t wondered what life would have been like if they had chosen a different career path, went on that spontaneous trip around the world where you fell in with a group of happy-go-lucky map makers on a mission to redraw the world… and discovered your true calling?

I considered stopping about 1/3 of the way through when I grew impatient with Nora’s continual perseverating, but I held on because it has an excellent narrator (Carey Mulligan) and I wanted to know if what I thought was going to happen, actually happened (yes and no).

Recommended.

 

a small curve ball that I didn't see coming

My latest drive-time listen is below. Later, by Stephen King and the first thing I want to say is I liked it. Stephen King writes great dialogue and puts out a good story with no unnecessary "stuff" that you just want to speed through to get to the point. Admittedly, I am a FAN of Stephen King and have thoroughly enjoyed much of his work, though I have by no means read everything he has written.  

This is the story of Jamie Conklin, a boy who see's people who have died. He can talk to them and if he asks them a question they must respond truthfully. There are a few other details, but that's the basic premise. And in case you were wondering, no, it's not like the The Sixth Sense.

If you have a road trip planned and need something to fill the time, put this on your list of audiobooks to get from the library. I suggest sticking it in between some historical fiction and a few interesting podcasts. Something to get you through the hard hours of your drive, after you have finished the morning coffee, a snack, and lunch. When it's getting warm, the sun might be in your eyes, and you need something stimulating to make the time roll by. Have some ice cold water by your side and maybe a few skittles in case you get nervous about what's going on and you need something to chew on. It's only 6 1/2 hours long, which sometimes I really like. There is a place on my listening list for the "short-ish" page turner. 

There was a small curve ball at the end that I didn't see coming. I am still contemplating that, but it did not detract from my enjoyment of this story. Great summer reading, with a good narrator if you are going listen. 

you must drink the cup of coffee you are served before it gets cold

I heard about my most recent read on the Diving In podcast which I have mentioned here previously. Another book that would not normally be something I thought to pick up, but after hearing them discuss it, I was intrigued. Before the Coffee gets Cold, by Toshikazu Kawaguchi is about a coffee shop called Funiculi Funicula, located in a back alley in Tokyo. From this cafe it is possible to travel in time. 

There are, as you might expect, some rules that the traveler must adhere to.
1. You can only meet people who have visited the cafe
2. You can do nothing while in the past that will change the present
3. There is only one seat in the cafe that takes you to the past
4. You can not move from that seat while you are time traveling
5. There is a time limit - you must drink the cup of coffee you are served before it gets cold and once consumed you are returned to the present

The rules and the concept are what sparked my interest - and of course the way that Virginia and Louise were talking about it on the podcast. It is a quick read, the subject is different, and I quite liked it. It's probably not for everyone. This book was adapted from a play and in my mind I kept seeing it being put on in the "little theatre" at Marymount College in 1980. That might have contributed to my enjoyment as well. 

if you are looking for something to fit that bill

I finished City of Girls this week and found it, in the end, to be quite a satisfying listen. It's been on my list for awhile but when my college roommate told me she liked it, I decided to get started on it. Initially, before I really got into the story, I wanted to tell Elizabeth Gilbert to "kill her darlings" to quote Stephen King. In other words, eliminate some of those phrases that don't really advance the story but are there because they are clever. But after a while she either stopped, or it didn't bother me anymore, because I got over being annoyed. 

This is the story of Vivian Morris and her move to NYC in the 1940's. It is from the perspective of someone looking back on their life and being able to see how all the pieces fit together, in retrospect. A perfect summer read if you are looking for something to fit that bill.  

it can feel like a short companionable visit of sorts

This collection of essays has been living on my bedside table for a month or so now.  Each night before I go to sleep Ann Patchett has been talking to me about a variety of subjects. 

Things like figuring out what you were meant to do with your life and getting established in it, loving a dog, trekking across the country in an RV, what it's likes to go through the process of getting accepted into a police academy, and in fact.. as the title implies, the story of a happy marriage. 

What I have discovered is that I thoroughly enjoy a good collection of essays. It seems there are topics we can all universally relate to and hearing another's perspective on it can feel like a short companionable visit of sorts. As you read you are free to interject your thoughts - agreeing, or not. Right before bed is a perfect time to pick up a selection such as this, not quite certain what you are in for, but feeling pretty sure it will not disappoint. 

Recommended. This is one of those books to pick up at your local book store to keep on the shelf for a future re-reading. 

"...one must always play these things by ear, tuning and adjusting one's story to the reaction of the person being lied to..."

It is with some sadness, that I conclude my listening of that I believe to be the last (for now), of the Flavia de Luce novels. In The Golden Tresses of the Dead Flavia and Dogger take on their first client, who winds up dead quite early in the story. Which, in no way detracts from the delight in the reading. 

These stories are read purely for the enjoyment of finding out what is happening with Flavia and her sisters Ophelia and Daphne, the house staff (Dogger and Mrs. Mullett), cousin Undeen, and the rest of the characters from Bishop's Lacey, the town closest to the family home of Buckshaw. 

Jayne Entwistle gives such character to the wonderful writing/dialogue of Alan Bradley. Case in point is demonstrated in today's post title in which Flavia describes the subtle art of interacting with a lie-ee. 

As I await the next case brought to Arthur W. Dogger and associates, Discreet Investigations, I will keep these lines in my head and imagine Dogger and Flavia motoring through the English countryside... "we were purring our way home and the day was drawing in, a light mist played across the fields and smoke hung in the lanes..."

Pure delight. Highly recommended.

April's book report

I have heard of Louise Penny, and even had her "Inspector Gamache" series on my list of books to read. But when in the course of a single week, 2 well-read, intelligent, women both recommend her to me, I stop messing around and get to the library. And, commence to listening. As luck would have it, Still Life was on the shelf waiting for me. No reservation needed, no waiting required. I think it was meant to be. 

Oh boy. I was not disappointed. I jumped into this story and these characters with both feet and did not look back. Good story, lovely characters, well written, a few red herrings but not so many that it was overdone. If the town of Three Pines existed south of Montreal, I would be looking for an Airbnb there right this second. I want to go to the bookstore, the cafe, walk in those woods, and sit on a bench in the town square and watch life unfold. 

ALSO - I just looked and there are 16 more waiting to be read. I feel like I just unwrapped a wonderful present.
Highly recommended. Thank you Sharron and Marti. You never lead my astray.

On a totally different topic, 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World takes place in Turkey - mostly Istanbul. It's the story of Tequila Leila, a prostitue who is murdered and left in a dumpster. It is about the time after she dies and where her mind takes her - mostly memories of those people in her life who have been important. What I most enjoyed about the story were the cultural aspects. Despite how it sounds, it's not gruesome. Read this book if you like stories that are unusual. I love the premise that we might have time after we are dead to review our life and consider the things that got us where we are... even though we may not have had different choices to make. 

Chime in with your reviews if you have read either of these.

an intermingling of stories about family, the ridiculous world of politics...

If you want to sit down with a former president and have a direct conversation about what it's like to be the leader of the United States of America, without having to get dressed up, or feel awkward/uncomfortable. You will want to read A Promised Land. Even better to listen to in my opinion. 

With an intermingling of stories about family, the ridiculous world of politics, details behind significant events of the first 4 years of his presidency - including finance, healthcare, immigration, climate change, foreign policy, it is informative on many levels. I don't begin to understand how we can change our contentious political system, but listening to this provided an increased awareness of what a screwed up process in can be at times. Very highly recommended.  

Full disclosure: it's long - 28 1/2 hours. 

well worth the month or so I waited my turn for it

Here are my latest "kid book" favorites.

First there is The Boy, the mole, the fox and the Horse, by Charlie Mackesy. It is lovely for it's sweet and tender message of goodness about a friendship, between ... you guessed it, a boy, a mole, a fox, and a horse. It is a visual treasure. Written out in script, illustrated in a deceptively simple appearing style with watercolor and ink.

Thanks for telling me about it Jennifer, it was well worth the month or so I waited my turn for it at the library. I will by copying his watercolor style for some time to come.

My next report is about Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk. 

It's a story about right and wrong and navigating your way through the world as an 11 year old girl. I won't say more than that because I don't want to give things away. Well written, not too "preachy", with a good message. I absolutely adore the cover of this book.

I bought this one at my local bookstore and will enjoy reading it again in years to come. 

Both Highly Recommended. Simple stories for complex times. Have I said that already recently? It bears repeating.
 

neighbor with cat, former wife, and a bookstore all figure into the puzzle

This morning I finished listening to Monogamy, by Sue Miller. She also narrates this audio version by the way, and I quite enjoyed her voice.  

I liked this book, a lot actually. It was interesting to follow along as Annie (the main character) dissects her relationship with her husband after his death. The story meanders back and forth through the years, and the place he occupied in her life. With a daughter, stepson, neighbor lady with cat, former wife of said husband, and a bookstore all figuring into the puzzle as well. I found small parts of it could have been left out. Full disclosure - I sometimes find descriptions of sexual encounters (even short ones) unnecessary. Go ahead, call me prudish. It's my prerogative now that I am in my 60's. 

I listened pretty much non-stop to the last 3 CD's. Now I will have to check out another Sue Miller novel. I feel like I have probably read something by her before, but when I looked at the titles with brief summaries of previous books, nothing jumps out as familiar.  Do let me know if you have a favorite.  

Highly recommended. 

something very delightful about having all these adventures lying in wait

Oh I do thank those of you who told me about Maisie Dobbs. To start with, this is a lovely story, set in post WWI England, a little bit of a mystery, a charming main character, excellent supporting cast, and a reader with a great voice.  

AND, on top of all that, it's the first in a series. I can't wait to follow along as Maisie's story unfolds. At whatever pace I choose to proceed. There are 14 or 15 books in the series so far. Oh joy!

the characters captivated me right from the start

Last night I sadly said goodbye to Fransicsco and Simonopio, the main characters in The Murmur of Bees. Written in Spanish by Sofia Segovia and translated wonderfully by Simon Bruni. I don't know if it's because it is written in Spanish or just because it's the style of this author but it is lyrical. 

It is the story of 2 boys, a son and a godson of the Morales family, and their lives in Mexico in the early 1900's. It is a story unlike any I have read previously.  The characters captivated me right from the start and held me until the very last page. 

Very highly recommended. 

maybe I am just supposed to think about it for another few days

Dear Pitkin County Library: Please forgive me for returning The Magician's Assistant a bit late. I LOVE that you generous people out in Aspen Colorado lent it to me through the interlibrary loan program. It's a small thing that makes me feel better about the world in general - someone in Aspen packaging up this book and sending it to me in Lawrence Kansas. So I could (at no cost to myself, other than my tax dollars) get lost in the experiences of Sabine and the Fetter family, from Los Angeles to Nebraska. 

I continue to ponder over the ending of this story. It stopped in an unexpected way. Maybe too abruptly for me? Or maybe I am just supposed to think about this for another few days before arriving at my final conclusion? 

For those of you who have not read it, it's about a woman, magician's assistant, who marries the magician, and after he is gone discovers a significant part of his past she knew nothing about. For those who have read it, tell me what you thought of the ending. Sharron we are going to have to Marco Polo about this. Please tell me you have read it. 

prohibition, the beginning of birth control, the Spanish flu epidemic, corsets, flappers, and on and on

I just finished listening to The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty. Who by the way, is a Lawrence Kansas native. She hasn't contacted me to discuss dealing with writers block or plot pickles or anything like that, but still we have a connection. So on a stroll through the audiobook shelves recently, while waiting for my next request to be available, I spotted the title on the shelf in the library and snatched it up.

There was some of what I was expecting and a few twists and turns that I had not predicted.  Overall I found it to be an enjoyable listen. It takes place in the early 1900's and I very much enjoyed the references to history, including prohibition, the beginning of birth control, the Spanish flu epidemic, corsets, flappers, and on and on and on. I like a book with enough detail to make me feel like I am in the setting, but not so much detail that I want to say "oh come on and get on with the story". This book does that. 

 

I have always enjoyed a new beginning

The New Years day snow arrived as expected. It's pretty, and it's heavy, and clearing it off the driveway and walkways is a most excellent way to burn up eggnog calories.  

Sister and I also did a New Years day art ZOOM. She sent me a link to someone on instagram who had made some trees that I wanted to try and do. I love it when Mary Ann sends me ideas like this. Things that make me want to get out the paints and watercolors and have a go.  

Oh boy it was fun. So much so that we are doing it again tomorrow.  Me making trees, her doing landscapes. Because as soon as I got done with these trees, I got ideas for more trees. As I was making them, having a wonderful time, I thought about how sometimes the idea of "copying" someone else seems "wrong". Then in the book below, which is wonderful by the way, there is discussion about how artists "borrow marks from one another all the time". How they have learned from each other throughout the centuries. And lets face it, these tree's are only being used for my absolute enjoyment. 

I enjoy them so much in fact, that I popped them on my inspiration board as soon as I cut them out.

I have been reading varied perspectives about 2020 on different blogs and elsewhere on social media. This one appealed to something in me. It was this sentence in particular, "It can happen in a breath, to lose what you have..." Boy is that true. This year has really brought that home. 

I don't have any deep thoughts or wisdom to share about the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021. I have always enjoyed a new beginning. This year is no different, with the exception that I am cherishing the thought of getting together with friends near and far, and hope not to take that privilege for granted ever again. 

P.S. if you decide to read A History of Pictures by David Hockney and Martin Gayford please do get the one for children.  

we still have such a ways to go

I just finished listening to A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier, and found it a very satisfying read. It has also made me want to needlepoint a whole set of cushions for my dining room table chairs.

This is the story of Violet Speedwell, whose fiancee was killed in WWI. She has been living a most unsatisfactory existence with her mother who is grieving the death of her oldest son in the war as well as the loss of her husband.  Violet decides to strike out, and make a life for herself, on her own. Something not typically done in the 1930's in England. She falls into a group of women embroidering kneelers for the cathedral in Winchester (thus my desire to needlepoint cushions) and her life takes off from there. With twists and turns along the way of course. 

I have not previously read a book that focuses on the lives of women who lost someone in WWI and it was so interesting to think about how things were so different for women not so very long ago... and how we still have such a ways to go. I learned about this book on a Diving In podcast, which I am continuing to thoroughly enjoy listening to.  You may recognize Tracy Chevalier as the author of The Girl With a Pearl Earring which I also enjoyed. I look forward to exploring more of her books.  

Highly Recommended. 

read them to the kid in yourself

Here are a couple of "kid books" I got from the library recently. 

I do love a good bedtime picture book. This one, If You Come to Earth, by Sophie Blackall, is a delight for the eyes and the imagination. 

Little bits of good stuff hidden here and there on every page. Please get it from your library just so you can see the names of the paint colors. A perfect book to read to a curious child... about love and inclusiveness. The illustrations are gorgeous. 

There Must be More Than That, by Shinsuke Yoshitake is perfect for any kid worried about the state of the world and what the future may hold. Simple, lovely, optimistic, funny, true. 

Completely different drawing style. Equally delightful.

If you have a kid you can snuggle up with to read these to, great. If not, read them to the kid in yourself. 

something pleasing that allows the mind to drift off in the proper direction

I just popped the last disc of The Night Fire, out of the CD player in my car and returned it to the library. It's another pairing of Harry Bosch and Renee Ballard solving crimes in their own way, which is never in synch with the system, but generally leads to them puzzling things out. When no one else seems able to, I might add. I was a little worried near the end that Michael Connelly was going to take things in a direction I didn't want him to. But he didn't. I don't want to say more about it and spoil things for you, so if you are a Harry Bosch fan, you will like it and I leave it at that. Mickey Haller (his half brother, the Lincoln Lawyer), makes an appearance too.

On the bedside table right now, I have this wonderful collection of poems, put together by James Crews. It's a fine way to close out the day. A simple (appearing!) reflection on some aspect of life that makes you pause and smile.

I know of no better way to close out the day. Something pleasing that allows the mind to drift off in the proper direction for a good rest. Very highly recommended.

the experiences of starting a restaurant and living life

I had decided about 1/2 way through this book I wasn't going to write about it here. It just wasn't grabbing me the way it did the person who told me about it. But I persevered, for some reason. Then about 2/3 of the way through I found myself sitting on the couch, on a day off, not wanting to put it down because I had finally figured out why she recommended it. 

Somewhere between chapters 17 and 18, I found myself drawn into Molly's reflecting back on the experiences of starting a restaurant and living life. All of a sudden there was so much to relate to, the difficulties of being part of a work group that is like a family, the struggle for excellence and how you get there, and how life throws curve balls at you and you learn to catch them.

This book was published in 2014 when the author, Molly Wizenberg, was also writing about food on her blog. When I finished reading, I went to see what she was up to these days. Which it turns out is a lot. She is in a very different place than she was at the conclusion of the book. In some ways. Some things remain constant. Just like life itself. 

In the end, this is a book that I am glad to have read. Thanks Cheryl Jean for telling me about it.

so many things about this series that I enjoy

I just completed installment #10 of the Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley - The Grave's a Fine and Private Place. Another extremely enjoyable romp around the English countryside of the 1950's with my favorite sleuth. 

There are so many things about this series that I enjoy. The quirky sayings, the amazing narrator (Jayne Entwistle), and being completely immersed in the story/setting. At the end of this book there is a hint to a new direction the series may be taking, which sounds marvelous. I hope some of the characters from this installment will be making appearances. I want to get to know them better.  

While I am on the topic of books, if you are looking for a good "Whodunnit", you are going to want to listen to Louise and Virginia talk about this genre on episode 08 of Diving In. I have mentioned this podcast at least once before and have listened to 4 different episodes now. Every one of them EXTREMELY enjoyable. 

first hand accounts from mass observation diarists was especially engaging

I just finished listening to The Splendid and The Vile, by Erik Larson.  It's about Winston Churchill and his role as the Prime Minister during the London blitz between May 1940 and 1941.  It reads like historical fiction. By that I mean that it feels like a "story" but is actually derived from journal, diaries, and other factual documents from the time.

The inclusion of first hand accounts from Mass-Observation diarists was especially engaging - how people were feeling and reacting to the bombings as they tried to go about their regular lives. My knowledge of Winston Churchill prior to this was very limited. Reading about his quirky habits/personality was quite interesting as was getting to "know" some of his family members and others in his inner circle. 

Of all the quotes attributed to the Prime Minister, the one I found especially enjoyable, was this one I had never heard before ... "one of the secrets of a happy marriage is never to speak to or see the loved one before noon".

Good read.

Maggie, who knows her marmalade, encourages a heavy hand when spreading it on

I just finished reading Mrs. Keiller's Marmalade.  Recommended by Dottie, it's the story of a woman living out her days on the cliffs high above the sea, alone in her cottage. You will find out how she came to be there, why she is mostly alone, and what gives her a reason to go on. 

It might have something to do with oranges from Seville. Or that she comes from a long line of marmalade makers. Other characters enter the story and things unfold.

You might be forced to at least buy (if you don't make) some marmalade while you are reading this book. It will be hard to resist. Take my word for it. I found it especially good on a locally made English muffin.

Maggie, who knows her marmalade, encourages a heavy hand when spreading it on. I do too. 

But back to the book.  It's not for everyone. It's not like anything else I have read previously and I always enjoy that. Ask me in 10 years and I will still be able to tell you what it's about. Anyone else read it and want to weigh in? Please do so in the comments. 
 

her classic pitch adds greatly to the overall experience

After listening to the Diving In podcast about Ann Patchet's Dutch House, I put Bel Canto on my list of must reads. It happened to be available at my library with no waiting just when I found myself in need of a new story for the daily commute. 

This audio version is read by Anna Fields who has the perfect voice for the story. Melodious without being affected, able to perfectly take on the accents without going overboard. In a book, set in South America, where an opera singer is featured, her classic pitch adds greatly to the overall experience.  

This is the story of a group of people taken hostage while at a dinner party where an opera singer has been brought in to perform for the guest of honor. You are introduced to some of the hostages, the terrorists in charge, and the Swiss negotiator. Time passes, lines are blurred, how will this end? Not like I expected. 

I had to stop regularly to re-listen to the way Ann Patchett puts words together, like this realization by Oscar Mendoza (one of the hostages), "... a new smaller set of freedoms began to raise a new light within him, the liberty to think obsessively, the right to remember in detail. Away from his wife and 5 daughters he was not contradicted or corrected and without these burdens he found himself able to dream without constant revision."

Excellent writing, well developed characters, wonderful to listen to, highly recommended. 

books should provide a diversion from your own life

It is inevitable that every book you read will not be the best you've ever read. That does not mean you should eliminate them from your list of books to investigate. Who knows, one of you could think the 2 books I am about to tell you about, ARE the best you have ever read. But I don't think so.  However, they are both stories worthy of your time. 

Nothing to see Here is the story of Lillian and Madison, friends who met at a prep school of sorts and then went their separate ways but always kept in touch through letters.  Now Madison has 2 step children who spontaneously combust and she needs someone she can trust to help her out with them. Lillian to the rescue.  It's not terribly long, is of course far-fetched, but you can't help yourself, you keep listening because you want to know what happens. I predict you will like Bessie and Roland (the step-children) very much. The reader of this book does all the voices in a delicious southern accent. 

The next one, Ghosted, is great bed-time reading. It is even more far-fetched than the one above, but again, you want to see how things turn out. You may even skim some parts to get through it. It's the story of Sarah and Eddie who meet and spend one fabulous week together then something happens. There are lots of twists and turns and just when you think you know where it's going it flips on you. Still you read on. For the ending. 

Books should provide a diversion from your own life, some will be more compelling than others. There are times though, when it's just about the entertainment. I can certify that both of these are that.  

then I began to hear things white people say about racism

If I recall correctly, the decision to check out White Fragility was based on seeing something about it on instagram. So I requested it from the library and waited.  While I was "in line" I read some mixed reviews (links at the end of this post), which made me think about returning it before reading it, but decided to try it myself. 

As you see, I got the audio version and the overly cultured voice of the narrator (sorry Amy Landon, your voice is lovely but not right for this book, in my opinion) once again made me want to return it. That was strike 1. In the beginning I recall being very irritated by all the preamble about what we were going to hear/read about.  "Alright already would you just start!" was what I recall thinking. That was strike 2. Then I began to hear things white people say about racism that have come out of my mouth. Things that demonstrate my individuality. That make me different. So I kept listening.

Bottom line - there are some very valid points in this book. It has made me open my mind to broader perspectives of racism and to think differently about how we are socialized. This is not me telling you what to do. It's me saying I have work to do. Recommended reading.  

Helpful links:

John McWhorter's review of White Fragility.

New York Times feature on White Fragility. 

to get your thoughts in a less frantic place before you drift into dreamland

India Opal Buloni is a girl who happens upon a runaway dog wreaking havoc in a grocery store, claims him as her own, names him Winn-Dixie, and takes him home to see if she can keep him. If you want to know more, go to the library and check out Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. 

I hope you get an edition like this one, with thick pages that are easy to turn. This is my third Kate DiCamillo book this summer, and they are not for everyone. If you don't like kid books don't get it. If you want something deep and mysterious with twisting/turning plots don't look here. If though, you want something to settle you, to get your thoughts in a less frantic place before you drift into dreamland, try it. They work for me.

I wanted to eject the CD's and throw them out the window

Let me start out by saying this is an unusual book review for me. Because...
#1 I couldn't stand the main character.
#2 I couldn't stand the main character's father who was prominent in the first 1/3 of the book.
#3 I could not for the life of me understand how the women who loved the main character could stand him.  

I wanted to eject the CD's and throw them out the window on the way home from work a few times. 

All of that said, I kept listening. For the history.

I have never read or known much about John Wilkes Booth, his family, or the circumstances around the plot to initially abduct, and later to assassinate Abraham Lincoln. Now I want to know more. From a factual perspective. I am going to have to do some researching, to see how much of this book is based in fact.  It seems like much of it is - at least at first glance. I am googling his siblings, Mary Surratt who owned the boarding house where many of his co-conspirators stayed - including her son John, and Lucy Hale the daughter of a US Senator who had a relationship with him. 

I am interested to know if any of you read/listened and what you thought about it. Do tell.  

a pipe smoking librarian

If you are looking for a far-fetched, slightly kooky, kind of formulaic, yet somehow charming book; Harry's Trees by Jon Cohen might be just what you need. It doesn't really fit anywhere on the shelves of books I generally reach for, but for bedtime, when you just want a little reading to forget the day before you go to bed, it works. 

Man loses wife, woman with daughter loses husband, they find each other. There are trees, a grum, a pipe smoking librarian, gold coins, magic, and a few bad guys who may be redeemed. I can't say more than that. 

he IS the voice of Danny Conroy

I want to tell you that The Dutch House, by Ann Patchett, read by Tom Hanks, is the best book that I have read for the year 2020. But that would mean closing the door to the possibility that something I might read in the coming 6 months could rival it in greatness, or perhaps be even better. Which would be quite a feat.

I want to tell you that this is the best Ann Patchett book I have ever read, but that would require me to review all of the Ann Patchett books I have read to be sure it truly is. And that seems like more effort than is necessary at this moment. 

Therefore, I will tell YOU in the most confidential manner possible, that this is a remarkably wonderful story with characters you will come to feel you really do somehow know.  I can see them all lined up in front of me now - Danny, Maeve, Celeste, Cyril, Fluffy, Joselyn, Sandy, Elna, Andrea, Norma, Bright, and May and Kevin. Moving through the years, checking in with me so I can see how their lives are progressing.

If you want a special reading experience go find this book. If possible you will want to have Tom Hanks read it to you because he IS the voice of Danny Conroy and brought him to life for me. Remember how I told you sometimes I gobble up books and chew with my mouth open? Not this one. It was a literary feast, cooked by a gourmet chef, served on the best china, in a dining room with large windows, and flowers on the table. I chewed each morsel slowly and savored every single bite. 

"you are the ever-expanding universe to me"

Since this was available at my library, I requested it, picked it up, brought it home, and read it. In two short "before turning the lights out" reading sessions. 

Because in a time of great uncertainty, don't you want to meet a character who tells you the importance of the ritual of saying "I promise to always turn back toward you" each time you say goodbye to someone you love.  And of course you need to believe in flying squirrels who type poetry as well. I mean seriously. How is that any different from recent events at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave?

Its an entertaining cast of characters. All depicted above. 

a whole story and not just a day in the life of a story that leaves you feeling a bit cheated

I gobbled this book right up. One course story after another. I tried to chew with my mouth closed, but it was hard at times. 

Full disclosure - those of you who have been following this blog for awhile, know I simply LOVE Stephen King. He is a story telling wizard. So, when I read in the NYT book review about this new collection of sort stories, I was ready. What really drew me in was the description of the first story in the book, Mr. Harrigan's Phone. A boy and his relationship with the man he is hired to read to, and how he tucks his cell phone into the casket with him before they close the lid. Of course I want to know where that leads. Don't you?

Then of course there is Holly Gibney who was one of the 3 main characters in the Bill Hodges trilogy. She is featured in If it Bleeds, it Leads. I had to check in to see what was new with her since we last met in End of Watch. Happily Jerome also makes an appearance. 

I liked all 4 of these tales. There is something very satisfying about a story that can be read in just a few sittings, but still contains a whole story and not just a day in the life of a story that leaves you feeling a bit cheated (or not) because you are left up in the air by the virtue of the short story format.

Anyway, I enjoyed each of these stories immensely. Perfect for front porch, back porch, bedtime, anytime reading. 

now is the time for hard stories

I started listening to The Water Dancer, by Ta-Nehesi Coates, at the beginning of May. It's a hard listen, especially at the beginning. As I was starting to get into it, I told myself, "this isn't a book to be listening to during a pandemic". And now, here we are. 

This is a novel about Hiram Walker. A slave on a Virginia plantation. It contains things you may expect from a book about slavery, but also some things you do not. It includes the Underground Railroad and a fictionalized version of Harriet Tubman. Mostly it is about how stories/memories transport us, especially strong ones, are capable of carrying us across time and distances.  

Turns out I was wrong. NOW is the time for hard stories. Right now. 

good stories that take us out of the moment and put our hearts in the right place.

If you like to read (especially before bed), and need something that is sweet and tender with a good message, that will likely make you cry, order this book ahhhhh-mediately. As in toot sweet or get your tail right on it!

About a month or so ago, I read this article in the NYT about books to read right now. I followed Ann Patchett's lead and ordered up a copy of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane from my local bookstore. This is a book I will want to revisit every 5 years or so. Maybe every 3 years if my memory continues to fade. In the meantime I am also going to order up Raymie Nightingale, Louisiana's Way Home, and Beverly, Right Here. Because times are hard, and even while we stand up for what is right, we most definitely need good stories that take us out of the moment and put our hearts in the right place. 

It slowly leads you up to what I am assuming is someone getting killed

On the book here at Tall Tales Headquarters there is this to report: Finished, Almost finished, and Just started. In that exact order. 

My Brilliant Friend took me awhile to get through. Good writing, which initially hooked me, but I got a bit irritated at some of the characters at times. It is book #1 of 3 (I think) and so I should try #2.  The end of #1 leaves you ready to jump into it, but I'm not sure I care enough.  Sister says I need to listen to them and I will like them better so I may try that. 

Big Little Lies is FABULOUS! I have been trying to make it last. It slowly leads you up to what I am assuming is someone getting killed? Don't tell me, if you know. I think I am the only person in the world that has not seen this series on HBO. It's in the car for the drive to and from work, the reader is Australian and a delight to listen to. 

Drive your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead I started last night. Sister recommended it highly and after the first 2 pages I know I am going to LOVE it.  Such a delight to open a new book and find yourself instantly captivated. 

even if it means bending the rules a teeny bit

Well, I am glad I decided to give Renee Ballard (Michael Connelly's newest protagonist) another chance.  In the second book she is featured in, Dark Sacred Night, Harry Bosch is also along for the ride and they make for pretty good "partners". At the end of the book we also find out that since they worked together so well finding Daisy Clayton's killer, they are going to continue their sleuthing efforts in a sort of "off the record" fashion. Finding justice for the victims of crime, even if it sometimes means bending the rules a teeny bit. 

That's one of the advantages of starting a series after the first several books have been published. There is already another novel out featuring both of them - The Night Fire. I am saving it for a bit, but am looking forward to seeing what direction Michael Connelly continues to move with them.  Good stuff.

you want to know what happened and are pretty sure the author is not going to leave you hanging

Chances Are by Richard Russo is the story of 3 college friends (men), who return to Martha's Vineyard after a 30 year hiatus, and try to come to terms with where they are at in their lives, relationships, and figure out what happened to their friend Jacy who disappeared the last time they were all together there in 1971.

It's one of those books you devour, chapters at at time, because you want to know what happened and are pretty sure the author is not going to leave you hanging. He doesn't. Good "before bed" reading. Recommended. 

I am too practical for that nonsense

I finished "The Little Paris Bookshop" recently. If you are a lover of books, a romantic at heart, can willingly push aside your skepticism, and are ok with a slightly formulaic story (even though the setting is lovely and the characters charming), you will like this book.  

I loved the "literary apothecary" side of this tale - the idea that someone could prescribe a book for you based on how you respond to a few questions. The "romance" part of it I could have used less of. I can't help it. I am too practical for that nonsense. 

Now, all that said, I did finish it in it's entirety even though I predicted how it would end 4 or 5 CD's into the 9 that made up the book.  If you like a good love story, read it. If you think fanciful tales of love are a whole lot of hoo-haw, don't. There, I think that is an honest review.

something light and entertaining to pass the time

Nine Perfect Strangers is silly, far-fetched, and bordering on ridiculous at times. In other words perfect for reading on a plane, while sitting in a waiting room, or right before you go to bed. There was a moment in there when I rolled my eyes and thought "enough already", but on the advice of sister, I rode it out to the end and was quite pleased with how things wrapped up.



Perhaps you are looking for something light and entertaining to pass the time? If so, Nine Perfect Strangers will fill the bill. Quite nicely.  

a little flat and cliche as compared to her male counterparts

I just completed the first Michael Connelly book featuring a new main character - Renee Ballard. I have really enjoyed the Harry Bosch series as well as the Lincoln Lawyer series - with Harry's half brother (Mickey Haller) as the protagonist.

This was ok. Maybe I need a few installments to develop some rapport? Renee Ballard is a little flat and cliche as compared to her male counterparts in the previous series. Have any of you read this? Thoughts?

I will forever want to read ever single thing that Max Porter writes

Lanny, by Max Porter is not a book for everyone. A few years back, I told you about Grief is the Thing with Feathers which he also wrote. This book, on a different topic, also requires you to suspend what you think you know about time in a linear sense, and about boundaries between life and death.

This is the story of the relationship between a boy named Lanny and his parents, mad Pete the artist, and Papa Toothwort who has been dead for many years. It's a small piece of their lives that intersect. Just a glimpse of events in a village where "...one thing leads to another again and again, with no such thing as an ending". You will likely race through it in a few short sittings, because you won't be able not to. 

I will forever want to ready ever single thing that Max Porter writes. That is how much I have loved both of his books. Highly recommended for that population of readers who (as stated above) are open to thinking about things they have not considered possible. For sure, you will HAVE to read it, if you were touched by Grief is the Thing with Feathers.  

so perfectly chosen were the words he strung together to make a sentence

Last month I told you the Lager Queens of Minnesota was a top contender for my favorite book of 2019.  It still is, but Virgil Wander has overtaken it by a smidge. It also takes place in the midwest - up along the shores of Lake Superior, in a small town, that you may want to live in, if you lived inside a book. It's a town full of nice people, except for one guy, but if I tell you everything you won't need to read the book.

Like the Lager Queen of Minnesota, it is a cozy winter read. It's full of nice, decent folks, including a kite-flying Norwegian named Rune. Leif Enger knows how to turn a phrase. Sometimes when I was driving I would have to rewind the CD to listen again, so perfectly chosen were the words he strung together to make a sentence. 

Enjoy. You can thank my sister Mary Ann for this recommendation. She told me about it. Mary Joan and Marti Huff you two will especially like this book. 

a cozy, curl up by the fire while it snows outside, book

The Lager Queen of Minnesota is a top contender for my favorite read of 2019. It's a delightful tale of 2 sisters and what happens when their father leaves the farm to only one of them. It's also about brewing beer (which has sent me down a tasting trail by the way), getting old, making pie, and surviving what life throws at us. It's full of a wonderful cast of characters. The audio version is read by Judith Ivy who knows her way around a Minnesota dialect. Put this on your list to read over the holidays. It's a cozy, curl up by the fire while it snows outside, book. 

Bravo J. Ryan Stradal for this story that equals the charm of Kitchens of the Great Midwest.

P.S. I wasn't kidding about the tasting trail. I intend to educate my palate on all the nuances of beer this December. 

it has given me an even greater appreciation for my own wonderful Lawrence Public Library

I just finished reading The Library Book, by Susan Orlean. Mary Ann told me about it, and while we sometimes have slightly different tastes in reading materials, I was intrigued by what she told me about it.  You can read more about what she though of it here.

If you are someone who is a regular library goer, went to the library as a kid, love the library with all your heart, wish you would have been a librarian... you will want to read this book. It's loosely woven together by the story of the fire at Central Library in LA in 1986, but it is much more than that. It's the story of the roles of libraries in communities, it's about people who work in and manage libraries, it's about BOOKS. It has given me an even greater appreciation for my own wonderful Lawrence Public Library. If that is possible. 

simply for the sheer and absolute pleasure of it

I just finished this book, which has been on my nightstand for a few weeks. Gravity is the Thing by Jaclyn Moriarty. Exactly why I added it to my list I can not recall, but it was the right thing to do.  I LOVED this story. It's real, warm, fanciful, and illustrates how it is not bad to want to believe in things we wish to be true.

AND - the ending is completely marvelous. That is all I will say about it. Endings are tricky, in my opinion. They shouldn't be predictable, contrived, or outlandish.  Nor should they just stop. Leaving you in suspense. This one follows no rules and is perfect.

Tonight, I will re-read chapter 17 again, simply for the sheer and absolute pleasure of it. Including this bit...  "the right sort of people will let you hold on to false hope and impossible dreams ... until the time is right to gently take them from you. They will dispel your fears and help you see or carry truth".

Highly Recommended. Add it to your list.

it did keep my interest from start to finish

Though I did not complete my "summer reading" within the technical confines of summer, it was concluded before the first snowfall, which seems equally good to me. 

Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner was reserved from the library several months ago when I saw it was a must read. There was a bit of a wait for it. Apparently everyone else saw that it was a must read too. It's the story of two sisters growing up in the 60's and 70's, trying to figure out their places in the family and the world. The author used the format of going back and forth between the two main characters, which is one I like. 

Conclusion: I thought it was a good read/listen, maybe not a must read. But it did keep my interest from start to finish, and that's saying something.  

so we can learn to do a better job companioning each other through the difficult times

I have taken the past 4 weeks to slowly and thoughtfully read through this book. It is one of the most to the point, helpful, practical books I have read on the subject of grief. 

Here are some reasons why I think that:

It calls out the wrongness of thinking that grief is something to be "gotten over". Who started that myth anyway?

It helped me understand the anger felt about some of the things people say (or even worse when friends/family never say a thing) after the death of a loved one.  

It includes practical advice about how to be with someone who has experienced loss. No one knows what to say or do. 

There truly are some losses that are more unimaginable than others. This book is helpful in understanding that and the physical responses that accompany loss. 

It is well written by a woman who herself has experienced an unbearable loss. This should be required reading for all people. So we can learn to do a better job companioning each other through the difficult times we have been through already, and those we will surely face in the future. If you are grieving and are not sure where to turn, you may want give this book a read. If you care about someone who is grieving, you may want to give this book a read. Please add your thoughts to the conversation if you have read it already, or add them as you read, so we can all continue to learn from each other. 

she is left to puzzle out the who and why of it all

I have just finished the 7th installment in the Flavia de Luce series. Another keeper. Flavia is such an endearing character, whose words uttered by the amazing Jane Entwistle are simply delicious. It makes for a cozy, all engrossing, reading/listening, experience. 

In this novel, Flavia ventures off to Miss Bodycote's Female Academy in Canada.  Where soon after her arrival she is confronted with a body that drops out of the chimney in the room she will be occupying. She is left to puzzle out the who and the why of it all in the environment of her new boarding school. Far away from the comforts of Buckshaw and Uncle Tarquin's lab, and with no Inspector Hewitt to engage in mental acrobatics with. We make the acquaintance of a whole new cast of characters as she tries to adjust to being banished from Bishop's Lacey for the sake of her ongoing "training". 

Highly recommended. Especially in the fall, in front of a fire, under a blanket, with a cup of tea and a tin of Custard Cremes.

I mean thoroughly as in I liked it in EVERY way

I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to Becoming by Michelle Obama. Just as the definition implies, I mean I liked it in every way. Let me start by saying having her read it really takes it over the top. Me in my car, driving to and from work, Michelle in the co-pilot seat, carrying on an intimate conversation about growing up, going to school, meeting Barack, motherhood, and finally being the First Lady. 

She shares her doubts, beliefs, and experiences very openly. What a gift. Maybe you are like me and thought you would read it "sometime". I am certainly glad I got it when I did and didn't leave it to languish on my "to read" list. I am recommending it highly to everyone I talk to (and this counts as talking).  Because I don't know anyone who couldn't benefit from a dose of hope and optimism, sprinkled with reminders that we are good enough.