Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Book Review -- Devil's Cub


Devil's Cub
Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer
My enjoyment rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Book source:  Library copy
Book Challenge:  What's in a Name (EVIL in title)



The Marquis of Vidal is a brute, spoiled, selfish, boorish, and has anger management issues. Not the kind of guy any decent young lady would want to associate with. However, because he is a “marquis” all of the available society girls are lined up to win him over. All but one, that is. Mary Challoner doesn’t want anything to do with him, and is trying to save her younger sister from any association with Marquis to keep her honor intact. Mary goes to such extremes that she dons a disguise to keep the Marquis far, far away. Thus begins a comic traipse across England and France that includes the Marquis’s parents, cousins, and a cast of servants that concludes with the Marquis’ marriage – but to whom?

This was my first Georgette Heyer (pronounced HAY-er) regency romance. Needless to say, I was expecting more.

The first third of the book was a jumble of counts, dukes, and relatives that I had a difficult time keeping them all sorted out. Granted, this was the sequel to “These Old Shades,” so I suppose if I’d read the first one, I would have had an easier time with the characters. But I was confused from the beginning.

The Marquis (sometimes Dominic, sometimes Dominique?) was a jerk and had no redeeming value. He wasn’t’ even handsome! (Because, at the very least, if you are a looser, you might as well be cute.)

Mary was ridiculous! I suppose the reader should consider her admirable for trying to save her sister, and in reality, once the wheels of her future were in motion, she could do very little to help herself. But in the end, I could not for the life of me figure out WHY she would have anything to do with him!

The author had a huge issue with the word “devil.” She used it on nearly every page to describe the Marquis. Seriously, after the first dozen uses, I got it already. Another overused word – plaguey. And I’m not even sure what that means. But Heyer liked it a lot.

The final third of the book redeemed itself. Once the Duke of Avon (the Marquis’ father) arrives and meets Mary, it was quite witty. Otherwise, I didn’t get the romance or the repartee.

One thing I did appreciate was Heyer’s immense detail in the clothing and dress of the time period. It was amazingly luxurious!

I have a stack of Heyer books on my book shelf, so I’m still willing to give her another try. But this was a bit silly.

Monday, December 19, 2011

A Presidential Signature!

I was treated to a pre-birthday present when I managed to snag 4 VIP armbands to see him:
I'm not sure who was  more nervous -- me or my daughter!  He was incredibly kind to my kids and spent a few minutes with each of them, in spite of the HUGE line waiting.

I was very thankful for the Dinosaur Train toy display that kept my 5 yr old entertained while we waited. 

We were not allowed any bags, cameras or other items into the signing -- so I'm also thankful for one of the PR folks for taking this with their iPhone and emailing it to me!

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Book Review -- An Old Fashioned Girl

An Old-Fashioned Girl (Puffin Classics)
My enjoyment rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Personal Copy
Book Challenge:  What's in a Name: Life Stage (Old & Girl)

Polly Milton first visits her “city” cousins when she is an adolescent. Often teased for her “country” and old fashioned ways, Polly must maintain her sense of self even in the midst of relatives and their unfamiliar, sophisticated ways.

Many years later, Polly returns to her urban setting, this time as a music teacher. Her relatives still consider her old fashioned, but her standards, maturity and independence prepare her for the trials she will face, and endear her to a certain beau – but not the one the reader expects!

Louisa May Alcott, in spite of writing during the 19th century – explores very modern and timeless topics: unemployment, economic discrepancy, physical separation from loved ones, family, and romance. She also writes fluidly, without the denseness of writes of her time.

Polly was such kind, selfless, and genuinely real character. A young woman determined to maintain her ideals, her morals, and use them to attain her dreams.

The only disappointing part of this book was the ending. After a marvelously crafted family saga and romance, the author short changed us on Polly’s romantic future.

Overall, though, this was a delightful book.



Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Book Review by "Rosie Girl" -- Home for the Holidays

Home for the Holidays
Home for the Holidays by Heather Vogel Frederick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Book Source:  personal copy


Review from "Rosie Girl" formerly known as "Daisy Daughter"



Home for the Holidays is number five in the Mother/Daughter Book Club Series. This realistic fiction novel is about five teenage girls who leave their homes in Concord, Massachusetts for different winter vacations. The girls go on different adventures in Laguna Beach, New Hampshire, and even a Christmas Cruise to the Bahamas. Megan and Becca fight over the captain’s son while Cassidy visits her home state of California. An unexpected sledding accident causes Emma and Jess to change their holiday plans.

Will the girls be happy enough to have a good Christmas?

I give this book five stars and two thumbs up! I relate to this book a lot because my mom (Daisy Mom) and I have our own mother/daughter book club. I have some of my best friends in our book club just like the girls in Home for the Holidays. Another similarity is that my mom is a librarian and so is Emma’s mom, Mrs. Hawthorne. Most young readers will be able to relate to at least one of the book club girls. Even tweens won’t be able to put this book down because it’s filled to brim with adventure, drama and love!

View all my reviews

Monday, November 21, 2011

Book Review -- Okay for Now

Okay for Now
My enjoyment rating: 5 of 5 stars
Book Source:  Personal Copy
Genre:  Juvenile/Middle Grade Fiction


Consider the following: an author proposes writing a middle grade novel involving John James Audubon’s Birds of America, an emotionally abusive father, a Vietnam veteran brother, the classic novel Jane Eyre, the New York Yankees, an eccentric playwright, a business executive who is both an expert at horseshoes as he is at cultivating orchids – you would probably consider him crazy and usher him out the door. But only author Gary Schmidt could weave all the above in a story so full of heartache and hope that the obvious response would be, “why didn’t I think of that story line?”

Doug Swieteck, a minor character from Mr. Schmidt’s Newbery Honor winner The Wednesday Wars, has moved from Long Island with Holling Hoodhood’s beloved Joe Pepitone’s New York Yankees jacket, to upstate New York to face the uncertainty of his father’s hostility and being the new kid on the block. With the help of multiple friends and teachers, Doug is able to navigate the natural difficulties associated with 8th grade, the increased tension at home, with his newly developed artistic talent studying Audubon prints and the burgeoning relationship with Lil Spicer, daughter of the local grocery merchant.

This was an extraordinary book. Mr. Schmidt was a master in the layering of story lines of Doug’s life. With the introduction of each bird (you’ll notice them immediately at the beginning of each chapter), and at each obstacle that Doug encounters, it was a natural instinct to reach through the pages to give this kid a hug. Additionally, Mr. Schmidt expertly shows how important teachers are to the lives of our children and that no child is out of reach of being nurtured and taught. And without much effort, he TEACHES the reader as well – about classic literature and art and science – it was seamless.

Finally, this was a story about the rebuilding of a family, the strength of a young man, and the beauty of a friendship. Oh, and birds. Lots and lots of birds.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Book Reivew -- Stiff

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human CadaversStiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
My enjoyment rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Public library
Sensitive reader:  fairly detailed blood and guts account of the human anatomy

Preparing a Thanksgiving meal may never be the same after reading Stiff, Mary Roach’s eerie, but fascinating look at the life (or is it death?) of the human cadaver. In the opening chapter, Mary is visiting an anatomy lab where 40 heads are waiting in aluminum roasting pans (the ones used for roasting turkeys!) for a group of doctors to refresh their skills as plastic surgeons.  We may be eating ham next week.

Thus begins this strange and macabre, but respectful and very funny narration about the necessity of studying, practicing, dissecting, decaying, freezing, embalming, harvesting, and other uses of the deceased human body.

Some of the more interesting tidbits: The University of Tennessee has the ONLY “body farm” – where they study decaying bodies in an open field; the injuries (or lack thereof) of the victims of the TWA flight 800 that exploded off of Long Island were used to solve the mystery of what caused disaster; the gruesome and grisly tales of “bodysnatching” in the early 19th century and the doctors who profited from it.

For such a morbid topic, Mary’s dialogue provided much comic relief (but not at the expense of the dead) to what could have been a stomach turning downer.

I must say – there were several chapters where I nearly lost my lunch – I almost quit reading during Chapter 3 about the body farm – it was fairly graphic (measuring maggots, liquid human decay – yuck!). And her eyewitness account of a “human organ recovery” or organ donation surgery was just so, so sad. But I persevered and I’m glad I finished.

Finally, “Mary Roach is the funniest science writer in the country…Stiff tells us where the bodies are, what they are up to, and the astonishing tales they still have to tell. Best of all it manages, somehow, to find the humor in human cadavers without robbing them of their dignity…Long live the dead.”

I completely agree.

View all my reviews

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Us! Celebrating the Power of Friendship Blog Tour and Giveaway!



The story of life is told in several volumes...Friends are bookends holding up either side.  Mary Anne Radmacher

I first met Mary Anne Radmacher at our local literary festival three years ago.  When I exited her workshop, I thought I'd met a new best friend.  Her words were inspiring and her presence peaceful.  I've since indulged on her inspirational writings and quotes on many occasions.

So I was thrilled to be asked to participate in the release of her newest book Us! Celebrating the Power of Friendship. 

Can you remember the name of your very first friend?  Or the last time you laughed or cried with a friend?  Our friendships create the richness of our lives, without which our existence would be bland and empty.

Mary Anne, in her extraordinary way, captures the meaning of friendship in 80 concise pages.  Her passages and poems are profound yet effortless.  You feel the sacredness of friendship in her words.

I'm thrilled to share with you Mary Anne's guest post and her thoughts on Friendship:

Mary Anne Radmacher
        What inspired you to write a book about friendship?  Was there a particular friend that kindled the idea?
       My friend, Maureen, was a high school senior when I was a sophomore.  When she graduated she gave me a book of quotes about friendship.  I knew when I finished enjoying those great thoughts that someday I would write a book on friendship.  When I was 19 I operated a switchboard for a small college in San Francisco.  In the quiet moments, I would work on my friendship book.  A teacher who stopped by my desk each day, Professor Sparks, greeted me with an unusual question – “What dream are you working on today?”  I easily and quickly replied, “My book on friendship.”  Thirty five years later US! CELEBRATING THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP features some of the things I knew and treasured about friendship when I was still a teen-ager.
       
 Why is friendship important - to women especially?
I first want to say that I believe friendships are very important to men – and I have observed that they deal with it and talk about it (when they talk about it at all) differently than women.  Women want to  affirm, support, validate what they know to and for each other.  Women have an increasingly demanding set of roles to fulfill in our culture, and our friends help us “suit  up” for those various tasks.  Women friends offer each other support that is both tangible and metaphysical.

Is friendship more important than familial relationships? As important? 
The answer to that question depends on the nature of one’s relationship to family.  I was born around the time my parents were celebrating 25 years of marriage.  Two of my siblings could have been my parents.  The participants in my family structure were either a) tired or b) involved in their own life activities.  From early on I learned to create my own “tribe” first from the neighborhood, then school, then peers in my life experiences.  My friends, in all practical applications, have been like family to me.

Why do we need to take time out to appreciate our friends? Everyone leads busy lives, and our friends certainly understand that.
The busier I am the more conscious I am of how important it is to stay connected to my friends.  It’s too tempting to relegate our friends to the back of the line.  When, in fact, our relationships are one of the greatest graces of our lives. 

What are some easy ways to show our appreciation?
I’m a BIG FAN of the postal service.  Sending a fun or meaningful card “just because” is a real tender connection between friends.  I use technology to take photos with the short caption, “I saw this and it made me think of you.”  I’m encouraging groups of friends to use my US! book as a “scrap book” or to use an older term , “autograph book.”  Each member of the circle has a copy and each book gets passed around.  Friends write their own thoughts of appreciation on the page that most reminds them of their friend.  Combining my words and illustrations with loving words from your own friends – a powerful and memorable combination.
       
Being cued in to the present and real struggles a friend is facing is important.  More than saying, “Let me know if there’s anything I can do,” DOING something practical really shows how much you appreciate your friend.  My friend is moving this week.  She has a two hour daily commute.  AND she has special food needs with a variety of allergies.  I made allergy-appropriate lunches for her for a week.  I said, “I know when you are moving you don’t even know where your kitchen utensils ARE!  I hope this makes making good, healthy choices easier for you this week.”  It got a big WOW from my friend.

As we get older, it becomes more and more difficult to establish new friendships. Why is that?
Age brings a certain predictability and a whole road of judgments and assessments at our backs.  It becomes very easy to judge someone in advance and tell ourselves all the reasons why we likely wouldn’t like this person or that.  Also, we’ve had a few friendship failures as we’ve gotten older and might be less inclined to be vulnerable.   My dad outlived all his old friends and he told me one of the regrets of his life is that he did not take the time to make new friends.  My life is like a shelf on a bookcase.  My oldest and my newest friends are the book ends that hold all the other books together!

What are some ways to foster new relationships?
Be open to people who are different than you.  Say yes to experience new gatherings and go to events that are a little out of your comfort zone.  Listen attentively and observe how you feel listening to this new person.  If you are immediately engaged, interested and alert…that might be an excellent basis for exploring the possibility of a friendship.  If someone says, “We should talk about that,” or “I’d love to get together sometime and learn about your experiences with_________,” schedule the time.  Sometime soon.  Listening is an excellent way to foster a new relationship.  And it’s also a litmus!  If you find yourself endlessly listening with no opportunity to speak, that might be an indicator of a relationship you want NOT to foster.  That’s important to pay attention to, as well.  Not everyone you meet would make a good friend for you.

If you could plan a perfect night with a friend, or group of friends, what would that be?
I get to have quite a few of those kinds of nights.  We share healthy and yummy food, work on some sort of art project and tell each other fabulous stories.  Most of them even true!

What is your advice for people who have grown distant from friends, and don't know how to change that?
Reach out.  Take the risk and say, “I miss our times of connecting.  I thought of you just the other day and remembered the time that we…..”  Sometimes just confessing that you’ve noticed some distance has crept in will be a relief – they have likely noticed it, too, and haven’t known what to do, either! 

We can't talk about your books without mentioning the artwork. Do your friends inspire you, advise, you or in any way assist you in your creative life?
My friends deliver honest advice and critique when I ask for it and otherwise have an abundant supply of “Ooooooh’s” and “Ahhhhh’s.”  That sweet celebration is like the warmest, softest sweater on a chilly afternoon.  The finest compliment I get from any of my friends is when they purchase my work and give it as a gift to their other friends.  Not only are they supporting my career but they are affirming that what I communicate has functional value to them.  That means so much to me.

Us!  is the perfect gift for the friends in our lives that mean so much!  That is why I am delighted to offer TWO copies of Us! as a giveaway!  To enter, please enter a comment about the meaning of friendship and a valid email.  The giveway will end on Sunday, November 20th at 10pm CST and the winners chosen by random.org (winners will be notifed via email and given 24 hrs to respond before another comment is chosen).

Also, please take the time to visit the other blogs participating in Mary Anne's tour:

Blog Links & Dates:
Monday November 7th-  Joyuslion http://www.joyuslion.com/
Tuesday November 8th - Christine Mason Miller http://christinemasonmiller.com/
Wednesday November 9th - Cornerstone Coaching http://www.cornerstone-ct.com/blog/
Thursday November 10th - 8 Women Dream http://www.8womendream.com/
Friday November 11th  - Aimee's Blog http://aimeeroo.com/
Saturday November 12th - Gerber Daisy Diaries http://www.gerberadaisydiaries.com/
Sunday November 13th - Motivational Musings http://motivationalstuff.com/blog/
Monday November 14th - The Red Boa http://theredboa.blogspot.com/

Mary Anne Radmacher
The words and work of mary anne radmacher have circled the globe on products, quotes in books, been included in speeches, are part of ceremonies from graduation to weddings to memorial services.

Radmacher's words are woven into media from Oprah's Harpo Studio headquarters, commercials, to being quoted in newscasts from the 2011 Tour de France coverage to the evening news with Diane Sawyer.  Her signature posters are in board rooms and school rooms, adorn hospital halls and homes around the world (and found at maryanneradmacher.com) and her work is visible from the Clinton Museum Store to gifts store on the corner.

Stay current with her appearances and what writing processes she is guiding at maryanneradmacher.net
LIVE WITH INTENTION
just released and available as an ebook!

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Fastest 3 minutes in book reviews!

My apologies to ESPN’s Chris Berman, and his “fastest 3 minutes in the NFL” – my homage won’t include any interceptions or injuries, but you can easily read this post during any halftime.
 
Life. Children. Home. School. Work.
All have somehow complicated my reading habits.   Books have become the caboose of my daily existence – the end of a very long day to which I fall asleep.  Thus, very few have been completed in recent memory.
So in order that the few that I have completed to keep from being lost in the synapses of my gray matter – I offer the following (and you could queue the ESPN theme music, but I'm sure that would involve litigation).

Skeletons at the FeastSkeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian
September Book Club Choice
My enjoyment level 3 out of 5 stars

Source:  Personal Copy

Sensitive reader: A few graphic sex scenes and violent war scenarios



Blurb from the book:
In January 1945, in the waning months of World War II, a small group of people begin the longest journey of their lives: an attempt to cross the remnants of the Third Reich, from Warsaw to the Rhine if necessary, to reach the British and American lines.
Among the group is eighteen-year-old Anna Emmerich, the daughter of Prussian aristocrats. There is her lover, Callum Finella, a twenty-year-old Scottish prisoner of war who was brought from the stalag to her family’s farm as forced labor. And there is a twenty-six-year-old Wehrmacht corporal, who the pair know as Manfred–who is, in reality, Uri Singer, a Jew from Germany who managed to escape a train bound for Auschwitz.
As they work their way west, they encounter a countryside ravaged by war. Their flight will test both Anna’s and Callum’s love, as well as their friendship with Manfred–assuming any of them even survive.
Perhaps not since The English Patient has a novel so deftly captured both the power and poignancy of romance and the terror and tragedy of war. Skillfully portraying the flesh and blood of history, Chris Bohjalian has crafted a rich tapestry that puts a face on one of the twentieth century’s greatest tragedies–while creating, perhaps, a masterpiece that will haunt readers for generations.
My thoughts:
This was a great book club selection – so much to discuss – Hitler, the bombing of Germany, the deportation of Jews to concentration camps – one of our better discussions.  The author includes some unnecessary sexual descriptions – but I skimmed them for the most part, and was able to maintain the story line.  I love WWII historical fiction, and although a great book club choice, it wasn’t necessarily a GREAT individual read.


Diamond Ruby: A NovelDiamond Ruby by Joseph Wallace

What’s In a Name Reading Challenge:  book with a “gem” in the title

My enjoyment rating 3 out of 5 stars

Source:  Personal Copy

Sensitive reader:  Organized crime of the early 20th century – but nothing alarming (that I remember!)

Blurb from the book:
Seventeen-year-old Ruby Thomas, newly responsible for her two young nieces after a devastating tragedy, is determined to keep her family safe in the vast, swirling world of 1920s New York City. She’s got street smarts, boundless determination, and one unusual skill: the ability to throw a ball as hard as the greatest pitchers in a baseball-mad city.  From Coney Island sideshows to the brand-new Yankee Stadium, Diamond Ruby chronicles the extraordinary life and times of a girl who rises from utter poverty to the kind of renown only the Roaring Twenties can bestow. But her fame comes with a price, and Ruby must escape a deadly web of conspiracy and threats from Prohibition rumrunners, the Ku Klux Klan, and the gangster underworld.  Diamond Ruby “is the exciting tale of a forgotten piece of baseball’s heritage, a girl who could throw with the best of them. A real page-turner, based closely on a true story”
My thoughts:
Love a female protagonist who tries to “make it” in a man’s world and nothing is more “manly” than professional baseball.  I loved Ruby, but, the author tried to do TOO much by incorporating nearly every historical account of the early Twentieth century – from Babe Ruth, to prohibition, to organized crime, to the influenza epidemic.  Also, I had a hard time believing, that outside of her pitching strength and speed, Ruby could actually play baseball.  Because pitchers do need to know how to field the ball! 
Another, better than average book, but not great.



Lost HorizonLost Horizon by James Hilton

October Book Club Choice

My enjoyment rating:  3 out of 5

Source:  Personal copy

Sensitive reader: Clean

Blurb from the book:
Four people from a plane crash are taken to Shangri-La in the Himalayas, where the members of a Tibetan lamasery live in peace and seem to have found the secret of eternal youth.

My thoughts:
This was not what I was expecting!  Which is neither good nor bad.  It was a very strange book – and one I would have enjoyed more had I been able to discuss it at book group, but I wasn’t able to go because my husband was out of town.  The narrative was confusing, so I had to go back and reread the first chapter, then the latter finally made sense.   The notion of 4 individuals being hijacked for the mere purpose of populating an isolated monastery, where one could live forever (nearly) and NEVER leave (think Hotel California, but without the Eagles) was a bit much for me.  But it was a classic, so I’m glad to have read it.

Finally, our Mother Daughter book club October selection was: The Secret Life of Amanda K Woods by Ann Cameron.  I did not go, nor did I read it -- so I can't offer my thoughts one way or the other.  Our November selection is:  Finally by Wendy Mass
Finally
Blurb from the book:
You can pierce your ears when you're twelve. You can go to the mall with your friends when you're twelve. You can babysit little Timmy next door when you're twelve. You can get a cell phone when you're twelve. Hey, you can even ride in the front passenger-side seat when you're twelve.
When you're twelve, when you're twelve, when you're twelve . . .
My name is Rory Swenson, and I've been waiting to turn twelve my whole life. In exactly 18 hours, 36 minutes, and 52 seconds, it will finally happen.
My life will officially begin.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

September Mother Daughter Book Group -- The Books of Elsewhere: The Shadows

The Shadows (The Books of Elsewhere, #1)
The Shadows by Jacqueline West

My enjoyment rating: 3 of 5 stars

Daisy Daughter rating:  3.5 out of 5 stars

Genre:  Juvenile Fiction




Mother/Daughter book club is back!

Our first 5th grade meeting was last night. The girls were thrilled to be back in action – and – for the first time, I could tell their maturity level is finally measuring up to being a part of book club. Will it last all year? Not sure – but there was a different vibe last night that hasn’t been apparent before.

We discussed The Books of Elsewhere: The Shadows by Jacqueline West.
Olive Dunwoody and her parents have moved to an old, mysterious, house after years of living in an urban apartment. To Olive, something is noticeably different about their new home – the artwork on the walls, left by the previous owner, is animated! The scenes shift and move, from the people in them to the activities that take place. Once Olive learns their secrets (and there are many!) she is transformed into a creepy world that is inhabited by talking cats and long lost children.
 
 
Daisy Daughter was VERY reluctant to read this book. “Paranormal” fantasy is not her favorite. And a few times I had to threaten (threaten – do you threaten a child over reading? Absolutely!) that if she didn’t at least give it a try (my 50 page rule) we wouldn’t be going to book club. It was enough to get her started and she finished. There were a few, “it’s CREEPY and SCARY” – but she really liked it in the end, and is ready for the second volume (Spellbound). Her friend Bea led the discussion and prepared some very thought provoking questions – to the point that the girls were debating certain scenes in the book and whether the paintings were “alive” or not! Way to go Bea!


On a personal level, this was only “OK” for me. There were too many “copycat” uses from other novels – moving artwork, boats on lakes, magical lockets – but I suppose nothing is original in literature anymore. I did enjoy Olive – she had spunk and courage! And the house was super mysterious and spooky!  This would have made a great October/Halloween choice!

But since we let the ghosts out early, our next book is:
The Secret Life of Amanda K. Woods

From Goodreads:
Amanda Woods is discovering that there are some things in life that you just can't change, like who your parents are or how your older sister treats you, but she is determined to change what she can. To begin with, she's not going to be just plain Amanda Woods (the girl her mother seems to think is just average). She's going to be Amanda K. Woods - someone who is proud and strong and sure of herself, someone who can have a French pen pal and a best friend of her own choosing, someone who finds four-leaf clovers and can get perfect scores on her math homework. There is more to Amanda than anyone else can see, things about her that Amanda herself doesn't even know yet, but she's finding out. In her first novel for older children, Ann Cameron presents a heroine who is philosophical and honest as only a twelve-year-old can be.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Book Review -- The Dirty Life

The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love

My enjoyment rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Source:  Personal copy

Genre:  Memoir, non-fiction




My only recollections of EVER getting up at 3:45am:

• Pulling an all-nighter in college to finish a college paper or study for a test
• Nursing a newborn
• Insomnia

Kristin Kimball and her husband Mark, get up routinely that early (or is that still considered night time?) to do their “chores” – everything from milking cows, to feeding chickens, to the multitude of other tasks that must be done on their farm – Essex Farm – in upstate New York.

The Dirty Life is the story of Kristin’s transformation from city chic to farmer frugal. Living the urban life in Manhattan, Kristin was a well traveled writer – who on assignment to interview an organic Pennsylvania farmer – fell in love with her subject.

In glorious prose, Kristin recounts for us their courtship, their early trials at farming, the arduous job of raising animals, and the nemesis of both insects and weeds that inhabit their fields.

Although not quite ready to sell my house and move to a rural outpost, I was enthralled at the transformation of Kristin’s life: living in a ramshackle and dirty farm house, infested with rats; the sheer amount of energy and fatigue she and Mark invest in the land; and the happiness that blossoms forth. It was obvious to me after reading her book, that all of us spend way too much time in front of the computer! Nary a mention of texting, tweeting, or blogging – just slop, seeds, slaughter, and sunshine.

She does not sugar coat their efforts – her memories of the farm are marked by conditions – the dry, the wet, the frozen, the abundant. It made me want to read an additional chapter, not yet written, about how the farm is fairing after the tremendous rains inflicted on upstate New York with both Hurricane Irene and tropical depression Lee.

This was pure enjoyment – I only wish I had an Essex Farm close enough to me in which to indulge.

For more from Kristin -- check out this great video:




View all my reviews



Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Book Review -- Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin


My enjoyment rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars

Source:  Personal AUTOGRAPHED copy -- makes it even more disappointing

Sensitive reader:  Vulgar language


Larry Ott is his own version of Boo Radley – loner, taunted by neighborhood kids as “Crazy Larry”, misunderstood by his late parents. He only has one friend – Silas “32”Jones — and their shared history includes the mystery of a missing high school girlfriend and the mystery of their true relationship.

I was so disappointed in this book – no mystery, no suspense, only one suspect, no multiple layers to keep you guessing, a few manipulative toys to make you think there was intrigue, when in fact, the author was just blowing smoke.

This was a week of wasted reading. So I'm not going to waste anymore time on a review.

View all my reviews

Friday, August 19, 2011

August Book Group & Book Review -- Summer of My German Soldier


My enjoyment rating: 2.5 out  of 5 stars.


Source:  Library Copy.

Book Group Choice for August.

Genre:  Juvenile Fiction


Patty Bergen has a secret – a big one!

 
But her secret could put her life and future in danger, but she is willing to take the risk.


When a group of German POWs are detained at a prison camp in NE Arkansas (based on true historical events), Patty is intrigued by the excitement it has created within her community. But when a few of them are brought to her father’s store to buy hats to protect them from the intense Arkansas sun, Patty learns that they are not the mean “monsters” they are portrayed to be. When she befriends Anton, one of the POWs, she finds a kindred spirit, and someone who truly cares for her, when no one else in her family seems to acknowledge her existence.

For a twelve year old girl, Patty’s life should be carefree and fun; but she lives in a physically and mentally abusive family – so when Anton escapes the prison camp, and Patty provides him refuge, she is putting her life and future in peril.


Written in 1973, Bette Greene’s novel, Summer of My German Soldier, has become a staple of juvenile fiction reading lists. It’s a story of defiance, brutality, and a search for love and acceptance.


This was our book club choice for August. Truth is – it was a depressing read!


The pain and abuse Patty’s father inflicts on her is graphic and violent. For a middle grade novel, I was surprised at the nature at which Patty’s father beats her – especially, in the presence of others, and no one comes to her aide.


The relationship between Anton and Patty was compassionate, but also unrealistic based on their ages – he 22, she 12. I guess the author was trying to show how desperate Patty was in seeking someone who genuinely “liked” her. But it was awkward, and never felt “real” to me.


The most redemptive part of the book was Patty’s relationship with her “help” Ruth. It was a tender and maternal bond that was particularly poignant at the end of the story.


This was not overly liked by our members – and not at all what I expected – quite a downer.



Our next book choice is: Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian


Skeletons at the Feast



Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Book Review -- The Three Weissmanns of Westport

The Three Weissmanns of Westport: A Novel
The Three Weissmanns of Westport: A Novel by Cathleen Schine

My enjoyment rating: 2 of 5 stars (maybe 1.5)

Book Source:  Unfortunately, it was a personal copy

Challenge:  It does however fulfill a challenge requirement -- book with a NUMBER in the title.

You should never pay attention to a blurb that reads, "...homage to Jane Austen." It will invariably set you up for a big letdown. Because the truth is, nothing is as good as Jane Austen.

In short: Modern day Upper West Side AARP husband, dumps dutiful wife for younger, VP from his company. Dumped wife moves with two aging daughters to a cottage in Connecticut while divorce is finalized. Wife, daughters meet a hodgepodge of characters; advanced aged daughters constantly whine about the state of their professional and personal lives; and it all unravels at the end into a random, confusing, weird mess.

The only reason I gave this two stars was the first 40-50 pages were quite witty – to the point I actually guffawed out loud a few times. But the farther I read, the more I was reminded on living on Long Island – which happened to be the WORST two years of my life (except for the WORST two years I spent in Provo). It was a collection of a bunch of whiny New York elitists who have nothing better to do, while the author was trying to make it resemble a modern, East Coast version of Sense and Sensibility.

This book was rated as a New York Times Notable Book – notably unpleasant maybe.

Probably not the worst book I’ve ever read, but do yourself a favor – watch Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet instead.

 

Friday, August 12, 2011

Mother Daughter Book Group version 5th grade!

We go back to school on Monday (where on earth did the summer go?), but more importantly, we are starting our 3rd year of Mother Daughter Book Group!

I emailed our collective pairs and got confirmations from all but two. 

 



Our first discussion will be in September and our selection is:

The Shadows (Books of Elsewhere Series #1) by Jacqueline West: Book Cover


The Shadows (Books of Elsewhere Series #1) by Jacqueline West , Poly Bernatene (Illustrator)
Summary from B&N:
Old Ms. McMartin is definitely dead. Now her crumbling Victorian mansion lies vacant. When eleven-year-old Olive and her dippy mathematician parents move in, she knows there's something odd about the place - not least the walls covered in strange antique paintings. But when Olive finds a pair of old spectacles in a dusty drawer, she discovers the most peculiar thing yet: She can travel inside these paintings to a world that's strangely quiet . . . and eerily like her own Yet Elsewhere harbors dark secrets - and Morton, an undersized boy with an outsize temper.

As she and Morton form an uneasy alliance, Olive finds herself ensnared in a plan darker and more dangerous than she could have imagined, confronting a power that wants to be rid of her by any means necessary. It's up to Olive to save the house from the dark shadows, before the lights go out for good.


I can't wait to get started!