Tall Tales from Kansas

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.

a family, birds, shells, feathers, making do, falling in love, being left

Without exception, every person to whom I have mentioned that I am reading Where The Crawdads Sing, who has themselves read the book, glances at me knowingly, in their eyes that look of shared enjoyment of such a story. 

Delia Owens has crafted a well fleshed-out tale about a young girl who lives in the marshes of North Carolina. It's about a family, birds, shells, feathers, making do, falling in love, being left, prejudice, and in general making a life. It's a keeper. Highly recommended. 

concepts or beliefs that refuse to allow room for reason or common sense are dangerous

Educated is an engrossing read.  Hard to listen to at times, but also hard to stop listening.  It is a very compelling look into a complex/dysfunctional family dynamic.  And yet, the very resilient author has presented us with a thoughtful glimpse into it all.

Her ability to reflect back on all that she has been through and still retain some love for her family seems amazing to me.  I do not believe this book reflects badly on Mormonism, but rather demonstrates that concepts or beliefs that refuse to allow room for reason, dialogue, or common sense, are dangerous.  Clearly, mental illness also played a role in this story. 

The author did an excellent job describing in intimate detail just how difficult it can be to disentangle, or break free, from such an unhealthy relationship.

Definitely worth reading.  

you will be immediately transported to Treegap where you will meet Winnie Foster

Sometime in the last 10 years sister and I got in the habit of reading to each other when we are on vacation.  Usually before bed.  Generally she reads and I listen.  This year's selection was Tuck Everlasting. It has nice short chapters, perfect if you are drowsy, have just gotten out of the hot tub, and are headed to bed.  

This is a wonderful story.  I can't imagine how it had escaped my notice before now. It's about good, evil, finding your path, making hard choices, and there might be a toad involved somewhere. Did I already say it is a wonderful story? Read it this summer. On your porch or in a plane, you will be immediately transported to Treegap where you will meet Winnie Foster and share in her adventure. Highly, highly recommended.  

On the last night we were in Santa Barbara, I read the above selection to sister.  It's a short one. But once again, a lovely imaginative tale and the illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman are detailed and add to the richness of the reading experience. Buy this one now and then put it with your Christmas decorations for reading on December 24th.

You can thank me later.  

in a row boat with a pillow and a blanket

These two books were recently added to the permanent collection at Tall Tales headquarters. Because they are beautiful in all the ways that books should be.  

No children live in this house, but that does not mean that children's books can not live here.  

This genre is my preferred before-bed reading material. Something to send me gently into dreamland. In a rowboat with a pillow and blanket.  

I want to talk to someone about the very very end

It was with much sadness that I bid farewell to Alexander Ilyich Rostov this week, when I finished the last chapter of A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.

What a wonderful main character.  A genuinely good human being.  I learned some things from him about patience, decorum, kindness, diplomacy. As I enter into my 6th decade I am constantly seeking role models for how I should live my life. But that's a story for another post.  If you read it, please let me know in the comments what you thought.  I have talked to people who LOVED it as I did, and others who "couldn't get into it".  As it was winding down I thought I knew how it was going to end, and I was right, kind of.   Dang I want to talk to someone about the very, very, end.  

Highly Highly Highly recommended.  This one is not just a good read.  It will go down as one of my very favorites of all time.  Such good writing.  As I was driving there were so many times I thought "Oh I need to write that down".  I will request the book from the library and go sit with it for a few hours at one of my favorite coffee spots in Lawrence, and pretend Alexander Ilyich and I are meeting at the Piazza in the Metropol hotel, in Moscow in 1925.  

what we all want out of life

Albuquerque was lovely in every possible way.  Mostly time spent with Dottie and Christy.  More to come on that later.  Tonight I just want to tell you about the book I finished up on the flight there. 

Less is a meandering, globe-trotting, love story that somehow flows easily across the pages.  With reflections on relationships, aging, and what is important in life.  It’s about memories and the circular nature of our experiences in the world, and what we all want out of life.  But told in a most unusual way.  If that sounds interesting to you.  You will like this book.  I did.

And then I left it with Dottie, so she could dig into it too. I love passing on a good read.  

this collection has intrigued me

Upon the recommendation of Sister, and with the cooperation of my fabulous local library and their inter-library loan program, I was finally able to get America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie.  

Wow - I was seriously caught up in this one.  So much so in fact, that I listened to about 10 hours in 2 days because it was due.  I like to be respectful about returning things on time.  This novel is about Martha "Patsy" Jefferson, the daughter of Thomas Jefferson and is historical fiction, but loosely based in fact.  Jeez I am ignorant about the history of this country I live in. When I retire I am going to enroll in an American History class for the sheer pleasure of learning for learnings sake. In the meantime, if you have a favorite book from this era that you think I will enjoy - let me know about it!

My niece told me about these as well- Presidential Podcast  - and we listened to 5 on the way to and from Kentucky.  Entertaining, interesting, and informative.

In other book related matters, despite my love of young adult fiction, and the fact that in our youth Dottie and I were huge fans of comic books,  I could not get into the graphic novel (On a Sunbeam) I told you I was going to investigate.  Which doesn't mean I won't give that genre another try. So, if you have tried one you liked - give me the 4-1-1 on it.  

I just finally finished going through these magazines for the 4th or 5th time.  They are so good I always have to go through them that many times before I have gotten my fill.     

For pencil lovers, if you haven't seen this issue of Uppercase, get it.  

Botannica went with me to Kentucky because it too demands multiple looks, and is perfect for Spring time and gardening inspiration.  

And on one last literary note, this little gem was found at "The Gallery" in downtown Frankfort, Kentucky.  A book full of Haiku.  Which for some reason called to me.  

It is lovely to hold, hand made by Larkspur Press. I would not have called myself someone who appreciated Haiku before now. This collection has intrigued me though. 

Oh, and one last thing on the topics of books and reading - I just placed holds on the following books on CD at the library:
1.  A Gentleman in Moscow upon the recommendation of Cheryl Jean Moss.  2. Where the Crawdads Sing as suggested by Gwen Delmore.  3. Because all good things come in three's Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney, which just happened to catch my eye and sounded interesting.

blending in rather than standing out

This title jumped out at me from the pages of a book review a while back. Something about how being less visible can actually help us be more present. How blending in rather than standing out increases our ability to connect with the world, and others in it. 

As you can see, there were many things that caught my eye. Ideas to circle back to for further contemplation. Sometimes I need to read things a few times to figure out just why they resonate with me.  

As we age, it seems natural to think more about our place in the world and the associations we form within it. And how they change over the years. If any of that seems interesting to you, you might appreciate a look through.

Title:  How to Disappear:  Notes on Invisibility in a Time of Transparency

Author:  Akiko Busch

What I thought:  Highly recommended, might not appeal to all

all those names of streets and neighborhoods in Stockholm

I just finished returning The Girl in the Spiders Web to the library and would like to report that I was thoroughly caught up in the tale from the get go.  For me, there was not a big disconnect between this and the first 3 books in "The Millennium Series".   Granted, it's been quite awhile since I listened to them, because I wasn't sure I wanted to continue when I knew the series was being written by a different author after Stieg Larsson died.  

But when Sister told me she had watched the movie, and it was good, I went for it.  Lisbeth Salander remains fearless and bold, Mikael Blomkvist is still unwavering in his search to uncover evil, and I do so love hearing the narrator (Steven Vance) use all those names of streets and neighborhoods in Stockholm that have me wanting to return to that lovely city.  Having the same reader for this book also helped with continuity for me. I don't think David Lagercrantz is quite as brutal in some of his descriptions as Stieg Larsson was, which is ok with me.  I am curious what other readers think.

Bottom line:  these books can be a bit hard to follow at times, but they still hold my attention and make me want to get in the car for the drive home at night.  Recommended.  

you can have him for eight and three quarters of an hour

This is a completely charming story. Picked up at my public library on a whim. Because on the back it said I would like it if I liked The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night, and Where'd you go Bernadette. Which I certainly did. 

If you also liked them, go get this. Frank is going to become the person you wish was your friend in real life. And if he can't be a permanent fixture in your life, you can have him for eight and three quarters of an hour (if you are listening to the audio version) or however long it takes you to read this book.  

Highly Recommended. I am going to see what else Julia Claiborne Johnson has written. 

a mysterious fable

The Alchemist was written way back in 1988, and while familiar with the title, my investigation into it never went any further than that. Until last week.  When I spotted it at the library, sitting out on a shelf of books to consider. And I bit.  

It's a different sort of story, and took me back to the old days of reading. When I would race home from the library as a 10 year old kid and find a spot all alone in the house to begin a new book. I remember being spellbound by tales. Not certain where they were going, but knowing I was along on an adventure that was totally out of my realm of being. 

About half way through I did some searching on line and discovered the author is Brazilian, and it was originally written in Portuguese. Ah. That's why it felt mysterious. The best way I can describe it is as a fable. Which I was totally open to and thoroughly enjoyed. 

It's a quick read/listen. Just a bit over 4 hours. If you are on a quest to discover your personal legend maybe you will want to read it. I loved it.  Highly recommended.  

I am curious what others thought of it. Do tell us.  

catching up, revisiting, and getting acquainted

Before I left for California in January, I finished listening to Flavia de Luce #6. Number 5 was not available on CD at the library, so I leap frogged over it and proceeded along. Flavia is growing up. Things are changing. The stories are richer as the other characters continue to get "fleshed out". I am ready to start #7, but am debating with myself about the need to run back and snare #5. Decisions decisions.  

In other matters of a somewhat bookish nature, I have been catching up, revisiting, and getting acquainted with this stack.

And one last thing - only related because the catalog was stuck in the middle of this pile on my bedside table, the zinnia seed selection lottery has begun.  

Last year 6 or 7 packets were purchased. I am limiting myself to 8 this year. Nine at the very most.  

she has a hard time keeping her wings hidden in the daytime

Just last night I finished this book. Tomorrow it will be passed along. Because someone will certainly want to dive into it.  When I watched this video it made me think more about all the reasons we read a particular book.  Why some feel so perfect, others irritate us, and some make us uncomfortable yet for some reason we are compelled to finish them.  

This was one of those books that was hard to stop reading each night.  It contains a family of characters I wanted to get back with daily, to see how the story was unfolding.  A father so tender, brothers fiercely protective.  It's the story of Claude/Poppy who thinks he is really a night fairy and she has a hard time keeping her wings hidden in the daytime. Highly Recommended.  

"...books help our inside selves meet up and find our way together through life..."

These days between Christmas and New Years, when we might have the luxury of an extra day off, are meant for sitting, staring, reading, thinking.  To that end, I share with you today a most wonderful gift.  A box full of ideas to contemplate.  This was shared with me by my sister Dottie.  

I can never thank her enough for the things she shares with me.  And that she knows me well enough to know exactly what will speak to me.  Things like this selection from William Powers (included in video below).

"...in books I discovered that my inside self had a name, it was called a soul. Even more amazing, it turned out that other people had souls too.  From then on, anytime I felt lost, a stranger in the world, I would sit quietly with a book and be reminded I was not the only one.  That's why books were invented, so our souls could talk to each other.  Books help our inside selves meet up and find our way together through life.  That's why we love them so much..."

 

A Velocity of Being: Maria Popova and Guests | NYPL Author Talks from The New York Public Library on Vimeo.

If you enjoy this as much as I did, you can thank Dottie.  

they would have fallen asleep under the spell of the magic of the season

This was one of those impulse grabs off a display shelf the last time I was at the library.  I am pretty sure there is no way I could ever knit all the characters in the story, but I can absolutely appreciate a clever idea.  

Because seriously, how sweet would it be to be in a double bed with a feather mattress and tons of pillows

and a pile of quilts, with 5 of your favorite great neices and nephews

who could each pretend to be a character as you read the story to them by the light of the Christmas tree and maybe a candle or two

and at the very end they would have fallen asleep, under the spell of the magic of the season

and when you all woke up the next morning the knitted reindeer would have disappeared with Santa and his sleigh.  If only.  

something wholesome and sweet

I do not believe I have ever used the word "wholesome" in a book I am telling you about.  Until now.  But it is the perfect descriptor for The Whole Town's Talking by Fannie Flagg.  It's a sweet story about a town in Missouri whose founders come from Sweden and start a dairy.  

If something wholesome and sweet appeals to you, I am going to recommend it as the book you take with you for reading over the Thanksgiving holiday.  The perfect antidote for stressful travel, a family spat, or any unpleasantness that may arise.  As you know it will, at least once, over a long weekend, with the people you love.  

going to have to insist that you give it a listen

Thank you to the Prairie Trails Public Library in Burbank Illinois for seeing fit to lend me the 3rd installment of the Jackson Lamb "Slow Horse" series. 

I love getting to know more about this group of MI5 operatives who have each done something that got them reassigned to their current "remedial" job.  Mostly wrongly of course, them being the ones who always save the day.  

I can not say enough good things about this series and I am going to have to insist that you give it a listen.  Clever writing without being overly wordy, British accents and phrases, a truly interesting and unusual cast of characters.  Very high recommendation. 

I am likely not someone who could survive a long winter of darkness

This past Sunday morning, on a stroll through the neighborhood, I finished the very last chapter of The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah.  If you haven't read/listened to it yet, I can highly recommend it.  

This is the story of a family who move up to Alaska in search of a new beginning.  It's a bit of a hard read in places.  But a good story nonetheless. 

I loved the descriptions of the land, water, trees, and wildlife.  It made me want to get in the car and head north.  Just for a glimpse of the wildness.  Knowing full well, that I am likely not someone who could survive a long winter of darkness, but then again... maybe reading, cooking, needlework, sewing, painting, and thinking would be enough to take my mind away from all the dark?  I wonder?  I would love to hear from someone who has lived that experience.   

the same strategy for listening to these books as I used in my younger days for eating Halloween candy

Thanks Olathe public library for participating in the interlibrary loan program and agreeing to let me listen to your copy of I am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley.  It was just as delightful as were the first 3 tales in the Flavia de Luce series.  

I am employing the same strategy for listening to these books as I used in my younger days for eating Halloween candy.  Stretch it out and make it last as long as you can because the thought of having more in the months to come is better than binging right now.  If you can help it.  Which I sometimes could not.  My will power level fluctuates wildly depending on whatever else is going on in my life.  You understand I am sure.  

This series is captivating without wearing you out because you know that Flavia is going to come out on top in the end.  If there is any book in this series that I have not read yet, in which she does not, please DON'T tell me.  

...central to the story is the concept of the "whole" versus individual members

You are going to want to get out a piece of paper and a pencil for this.  Or open the "notes" app on your phone.  Go ahead.  I'll just wait here for you.  

On my drive home from work tonight I finished listening to a really excellent book.  The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown.  Across the board I am going to recommend this book to anyone who likes to read.  

 

I can't think of anyone who wouldn't like it.   It's the true story of a group of "boys" from the University of Washington and their journey to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.  It's told from the perspective of one main character, but includes parts of the stories of the other members of the crew, as well as the coaches.  I knew nothing about crewing prior to reading this.  I got it based on a recommendation from my friend Joan.  I wanted something different after finishing the book about the search for the Golden State Killer.  

It's about the boys in the boat and their struggles, while also including elements of history, and in particular the rise of the Nazi party and the role propaganda played in that.  A core element, central to the story, is the concept of the "whole" versus individual members, and how this is what makes them an extraordinary team.   I am going to say nothing more to try and sell you on this book.  Except that I plan to look up everything else Daniel James Brown has written.  His writing is engaging and educational without ever becoming tiring or preachy.  

Brother, Dottie, Sister, and Marti Huff - I especially recommend it to each of you.  

 

an excellent recounting of a dogged pursuit by dedicated investigators

I just finished listening to I'll be Gone in the Dark, which details the search for the "Golden State Killer".   While always drawn to "true crime" stories, as I get older, my ability to tolerate gruesome details or moments of terror, on the screen or in a book has lessened.  What was interesting about this book, is that it is almost "clinical".  A view from a distance, that does not put the reader right there in the moment, but still gives you a sense of those involved.   

It provides an excellent recounting of a dogged pursuit by dedicated investigators over the course of many years.   In this age of advanced forensic technology, it's hard to remember that not so long ago, these tools were not available.  Definitely recommended.    

the guy you want on the job if you have been wronged

If you are a Harry Bosch fan, you've probably already read the latest installment of the series.  But, if you are like me, and read/listen at a more leisurely pace, and still have a day job, which limits your reading hours, maybe you haven't gotten to it yet.  In which case, add it to your list.  

I always like to catch up with what is happening with Detective Bosch.  He's the guy you want on the job if you have been wronged by someone.  Several old partners make an appearance in this book as well as his half brother Mickey Haller.  I will not divulge any plot lines, suffice it to say, it's a decent whodunnit and there is some foreshadowing about a cold case he will be working in the future.  Recommended.  

Except for this one part, which I won’t tell you about

It was good to be back in Norway with my friend, Harry Hole, these last few weeks.  He is the dedicated, yet greatly flawed Inspector, with the Norwegian Crime Squad in Oslo. 

There were many twists and turns in the plot of The Redeemer, where there are bad guys who have some decent qualities, along with guys you think are good that have done bad things.  It kept me on my toes.  One of the things I love best about all the Jo Nesbø books is listening to the narrator tell me all the places where things are happening.  There are no street or city names in Norway that can in any way be confused with anyplace else on earth.  Which I adore.   There is something quite enjoyable about getting lost in a novel that takes place in another part of the world.  

If you have read The Bat, The Snowman, The Leopard, or any others you will probably like this one.  It’s not quite as terrifying as the previous Joe Nesbø novels I have read.  Well, except for this one part, which I won’t tell you about.  Definitely recommended.  

in my vacation life I do

I finished Britt-Marie Was Here on the flight back from Munich.  I would call this a great little vacation read.  Nothing too heavy.  Just a story about a person trying to figure out how to live their life.  Same as the rest of us.  

There was a really comfy oversized chair at our house in Wallgau that we turned around to face the windows, to better take advantage of the view.  Perfect for reading in.  Knitting too.  Dozing as well for that matter.  This is not a great photo, but you get the idea.

I also took the book to the park one day for a little stroll, so I could sit on a bench and read.  Taking books to parks is something I just don't do enough of in my regular life.  But in my vacation life, I do.  

On my walk home from the park I spotted this place that would have also been nice to stop for a reading break.   Imagine if there had been a cat on that cushion waiting for me to pet while I read.   

Sister did a masterpiece of me reading at the table one night.  Be watching for that for sure when she posts her journal pages on her blog.

We spotted this nice lady knitting and reading in between eating her cake and drinking her coffee at a bäckerei in Mittenwald one day.  

I wished I had brought mine so I would have eaten my carrot cake a bit slower.  However, I did have my travel journal with me and made note of what a good idea this was, for the next time we are on the type of vacation where it is important to stop for a sweet and coffee in the middle of the afternoon.