Tall Tales from Kansas

a billiards room is part of the story but no candlesticks or Colonel Mustard

I recently dipped my toe into the pool of Agatha Christie novels. How has it taken me this long to "discover" them? Here's the whole and complete answer to that question. Yes, the one I asked myself and will also answer myself.  It is with great delight that I find the older I get, the more I discover "stuff" that I just have not gotten around to appreciating earlier in life. Maybe I was too busy or formed opinions based on here-say without fully experiencing them for myself? Now, as I look forward to all the things I may have missed earlier in life, I am filled with gratitude for all that awaits me in this decade and the ones to follow. 

OK, with that out of the way, let me tell you about this book. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by the one and only Agatha Christie. 

First of all, I listened to this book, and I highly recommend you do so, but only if that's a way you can get into. The dialogue is snappy and smart and wonderful, with a first-rate reader. The whole experience was filled with atmosphere which took me back to when we lived in Spain in the mid 1960's. We were on a base and did not have TV. We did however have a console stereo/radio gizmo - you know the kind that was like a piece of furniture with one side on the top that opened up so you could play records or tune the radio. Speakers were in front.  We listened to Gunsmoke on this contraption. I was just a kid, but recall our family sitting around listening and remember (in my mind at least) how much we loved it. Each of us, individually imagining what the places and characters looked like, based on the sounds and voices. But back to the book!

In this mystery there is a murder, a whole host of suspects, a quaint English village, a butler, a housemaid, a country doctor, and a Belgian detective of great renown. This was quite good listening and the ending was not what I expected. Now I need to have a conversation with an Agatha Christie expert ... I want to know how she came up with the Hercule Poirot character and her method/approach when piecing together the complex puzzle that was this story. I will look forward to integrating more of her writing into my rotation of listening. Not a steady diet of one after another, more of a sprinkling in a few times a year.

Recommended!

P.S. A billiards room is part of the story but no candlesticks or Colonel Mustard. 

like chicken and noodles served over mashed potatoes

When discussing books and reading with others, a frequently asked question is "what kinds of books do you like?". That's like trying to tell someone what kind of music I like, or what my favorite foods are, or which is the best trip I have ever been on... and on and on and on. I will read and enjoy anything that contains some element that appeals to me - whether it's the characters, the plot, the setting, the way the author puts words and sentences together and sometimes if I am very lucky, all of those bits together in one tale. 

I just finished listening to book #4 in the Maisie Dobbs series. The primary reason this series appeals to me is the main character, and how her life is evolving in each episode. While each book has a specific case she is working on, the thread that runs through them all is her story. Sometimes after reading a book that makes me scratch my head a little or leaves me feeling vaguely unsettled, the Maisie Dobbs series is a comfort. Like chicken and noodles served over mashed potatoes. Sort of. If you are from the midwest, you know what I mean by that. 

P.S. Every time I finish one, I thank you, the person who told me about them, whose name I can't remember. Actually, I think it was several of you. 

trusting my instincts and the universe to make it happen

Miss Benson’s Beetle, by Rachel Joyce, is a story about hardship, struggle, and following your dreams even when it seems unlikely they will be realized.  

The main characters team up after each experiences a set of circumstances that causes them to need to give up old routines and set sail.  Maybe the universe does conspire sometimes to make things like this happen?  I don’t have an answer for that, and you don’t either, but sometimes I want to believe it.  

If you find yourself in need of a read that is adventurous, magical, takes place halfway around the world, and contains my new favorite curse word (though it is only uttered twice), this is the book for you.  I read this as opposed to listening to it, but I think I would also like to listen to it… while I am on a long drive somewhere, that I decide to take at the last minute, with only a sketchy plan in place, trusting my instincts and the universe to make it happen.  Wouldn't that be delicious?

but what happened to the doorman and the madonna

Several years ago, I began reading Forest Dark by Nicole Krauss. After struggling for awhile to get through it, I stopped. However, as the author of The History of Love, my all time favorite book, it seemed right that I should give it a second chance. Maybe that just hadn't been the right time to read it?  So, coincidentally, while cruising through the stacks at the library recently I spied it on audio/CD and picked it up. For me, it always seems easier to get into a book that is being read to me. 

 

In this story, 2 characters are on parallel journeys - a 68 year old man and a 39 year old woman each trying to "figure it out". One near the end of life, it is unclear if he has a terminal illness, though he may, and one on an exploration pulled by history - both personal and literary. She experiences events that all seem wildly implausible but somehow you believe them. A blending of past/present/future and in the end you wonder, did all that happen to her or was it the virus she contracted that brought it all about in her mind? The story is told in an overlapping format - one chapter his story, the next chapter her story and so on. The 2 characters do not meet. 

Immediately upon finishing it I wanted to talk to someone else about it. Were they as unsettled as I was by it, or was the sensation of being unsettled what the reader was supposed to feel? And not to give anything away... but what happened to the doorman and the madonna? What was the purpose of that part of the story line? That valuable things come and go and are inconsequential?

There is something about each of the characters that compels the reader to continue.  Both of them, in different ways, are big thinkers, with lots of uncertainty about the next right step on the journey... and for some reason I was not annoyed by their inner dialogues.  The bottom line is this is a good read/listen. Nicole Krauss is a wonderful writer, as evidenced by this description, "...the building whose mottled stones were the color of teeth though perhaps of a person too ancient to use them..." or this one "...the boy was beautiful as only a person raised in sunlight could be..."who thinks of lines like that?

I really hope one of you has read this book and will share your thoughts with me.

still not sure of the fate of a character I was quite invested in

It's been a few years since I last read one of Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole detective stories. They tend to be gruesome, anxiety producing, and keep me on the edge of my seat. So why did I decide I needed to try another one? Well I was at the library, with nothing I had reserved for listening yet available, and The Police jumped out at me from the shelves. Plus, we have a history together, Harry and I ... and you know how that goes. 

So, despite that fact that my hand was over my mouth on multiple occasions while listening (as if that could keep the bad stuff from happening), listen I did, from beginning to end. Whew.  It's a doozy. With lots of red herrings and several occasions when I had myself convinced that Harry had actually died. Right up until the end I did not know how things would end. AND I will say now that I have finished, I am still not sure of the fate of a character I was quite invested in. Which means that yes, I am going to have to get the next one in the series. 

Recommended, but not for the faint of heart, or those who tend to startle easily. 

very different ways to look at the world and ultimately to make a meaningful life

A few nights ago I read the last pages of Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. Over several months, a chapter or two (and sometimes more) a night, I have been savoring the story of Sunja and her life in Korea and Japan. The story begins in 1910 in Korea and follows the main character as she leaves for Japan to begin a life with her new husband, who has agreed to marry her though at the time they meet she is pregnant with another man's child. 

They have many struggles as they cope, trying to make a life in Japan, where Koreans are/were looked upon as foreigners and discriminated against.  The story moves at a good pace, sometimes skipping years at a time though this does not feel disorienting at all. It allows us to get to know Sunja's sons and experience what it is like for them in Japan. Through the stories of the son's we see different ways to look at the world, and ultimately to live a meaningful life. No matter what your dreams may have been or how/where you thought you would end up in the world. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and recommend it highly. It has made me want to know more about Korean and Japanese culture. When I was telling a friend about this book she recommended The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka. Has anyone read it? 

treachery is revealed

A seance is held, fate is tempted, new characters are introduced, regular characters become better known, more incredible meals are described, a murder happens, treachery is revealed.  All of this and more is what you will find in the 3rd installment of the Armand Gamache series that takes place in Three Pines, the small village south of Montreal, Canada. 

I remain a faithful  fan and look forward to book #4. Highly recommended as a Christmas present to yourself. If you need a reason. Which you don't. 

to quiet the mind after a day of scrambling around in a busy world

Home Cooking is an homage to everyday, ordinary, comfort food. Dishes that anyone can make, if they want to. It's a collection of essays about food, told from the perspective of someone who loves food. Laurie Colwin does not insist that you try her recipes after reading. There is no coaxing on her part, no desire to turn the non-cook into a chef. Just stories of her love for simple food and the role it plays in her life. I LOVED it. 

It lived on my bedside table for the month of October and each night I picked it up and read a few chapters. An excellent way to quiet the mind after a day of scrambling around in a busy world. 

searching for the truth about what happened to 2 men who never returned from WWI

My deepest thanks to the Scott County Library System in Eldridge, Iowa for letting me borrow the 3rd installment of the Maisie Dobbs series - Pardonable Lies. I like to listen to these books on my commute to and from work. Having a way to access them through the public library is so great, it almost feels like a secret privilege I am somehow getting away with. I like to imagine walking into all of these libraries from whom I have obtained books over the years and giving them each a check for some exorbitant amount of money, because I could, and because I so appreciate them. 

But back to the business at hand. This installment, 3 of (I think) a total of 17, does not disappoint. New aspects of Maisie are discovered as her work and life continue to develop. As always, there is the historical aspect to these stories that is interesting especially when uncovered in the light of a group of characters. I am not sure how far into the future this series will go, and truth be told, I really don't want to know. I am perfectly happy just letting things unfold page by page.

This book has Maisie searching for the truth about what happened to 2 men who never returned from WWI. Did they die as their families were led to believe?  Good story, wonderful characters, charming settings. Recommended. 

this writer skips the usual ploys

Happy all the Time is the story of Guido Morris and Vincent Cardworthy , two long-time friends, now into early adulthood, who meet Holly Sturgis and Misty Berkowitz. Somehow, each with their individual quirks, turn out to be the right people for each other. As in, the kind destined to spend the rest of their lives together.

This sounds simple, but Laurie Colwin, unlike so many others, manages to avoid the usual pitfalls found in stories about people who meet and fall in love.  It is instead, entertaining with unusual dialogue and situations that make you want to meet these characters, instead of rolling your eyes when you encounter typical romantic angst. She skips the usual ploys, leaving you wondering where things will go next in the relationships you are pretty sure will remain intact. 

This book doesn't fall easily into any category you might want to put it in. Unless it is that type of book you will continue thinking about for awhile after you have finished reading it. 

One last thing I enjoyed was this card that was tucked in the copy I got from my library. On the back was written "...this is one of my mother's paintings - I thought it was a good time to share...",  it was signed Jennifer.  I left it in the book for the next reader to discover. 

Highly Recommended. 

I don't know that I necessarily agree with all of that, but it is a good story

I made a special trip to the post office this morning, to get 15 more minutes of listening time in, and reach the conclusion of The Last Thing he Told Me by Laura Dave. It's a good listen. Rebecca Lowman is the narrator and has a great voice. If I had been reading, I would have plowed through it a bit faster, instead of chewing slowly, and giving it the attention it deserved. 

On the back cover it says it is a "...riveting mystery, certain to shock you with it's final, heartbreaking, twist..." I don't know that I necessarily agree with all of that, but it is a good story, well written, which keeps you wanting more. The characters are likable and the ending satisfying without being predictable or trite. Recommended. Especially if you have a road trip coming up. 

2 women who meet in a seemingly random way

I just finished listening to That Summer on a portable CD player while I did some sewing. You know what that means. I could not possibly wait for my next commute to work to finish it. It is the story of 2 women who meet in a seemingly random way but are connected by events from the past. 

The story unfolds in a past and present sort of format, going back and forth between the main characters, slowly letting the reader figure things out as you get to know each of them individually and become invested in how things will turn out. It's fiction obviously, but gives a perspective on the #MeToo movement, that is well worth reading. Recommended.  

they had kitty bow ties for sale

Below is my purchase from the newly opened, new location, of The Raven Bookstore, on Massachusetts street in downtown Lawrence Kansas.  I could not miss an opportunity to pet a cat, support a local favorite, and check out the new space. Which is perfect, by the way - you must let me know what you think if you visit. 

Ngaio was ensconced in a chair in the front window, tucked out of the way, and we had a nice visit. I began to acquaint myself with the new layout and had to tear myself away from the section labeled "First in a Series", which will be the area I explore on visit #2. 

P.S. if you live with a cat, they had kitty bow ties for sale. I wonder if the Harvey boys would each like one? 

God's love of lemon meringue pie

In the second installment of the Three Pines Mystery series by Louise Penny, I have been drawn deeper into the subplot of the Arnot case, an incident that happened within the ranks of the Sûreté du Québec, that has caused trouble for Chief Inspector Gamache. I had to listen to the last part of it several times to be sure I was hearing and understanding it all correctly. The beauty of this series is the escape into the village of Three Pines, learning more about the inhabitants, while you wish you were sitting in Olivier and Gabri's bistro with a basket of warm crescents in front of you. 

I will give myself ample time to let all the things that happened in A Fatal Grace sit for a bit before I request book #3. I am not one to "binge" watch or read a series. For me, stories like these need to be read slowly and carefully, to capture all the details and nuances that may be important later on... such as learning about God's love of lemon meringue pie. This series is highly recommended. 

Below, is the most recent finish from the pile on my bedside table. It, is something you can just race through because really you know how it's going to end and frankly the 364 pages could have been condensed to 227. Still, I finished it because I did want to be certain some crazy twist didn't come in at the end, which would have been much worse than the predictable conclusion. 

Isn't it a good thing there are so many different kinds of books in the world to appeal to all of the different people we are? Even though I didn't love People We Meet on Vacation I can absolutely see how others might. If you want to read a story about friends who meet and realize over the course of 10 years they were meant to be more than that... this IS the book for you. 

3 generations of women from Palestine who are living in Brooklyn

Today I finished listening to A Woman is no Man by Etaf Rum. It's one of those novels that's hard to read at times, but you are unable to stop because it feels like you know the characters, and you must find out if things turn out as you hope they will. 

This is the story of 3 generations of women from Palestine who are living in Brooklyn. It gives the reader (what felt to me like) an honest glimpse into the lives of some Arab women. What is expected of them, and the lack of choice for females within this culture. It's eye opening and has made me want to read more. If you have read it, please leave your thoughts/impressions in the comments. I would love to hear them.

Very highly recommended. 

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.