The Hate U Give

by Angie Thomas
Hennepin County Library hardcover 444 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction

I was on the waiting list for this for three months! First-time novelist Thomas has definitely hit a nerve with this powerful book. It didn't resonate as strongly as All American Boys (Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely) but it is a worthwhile read.

I was a little uncomfortable with some of the language - lots of F-bombs and other swearing (though I loved that Maverick put a dollar in the swear jar every time his youngest son commented on it). But the language was definitely realistic for teenagers, especially ones living in a "ghetto" beset with poverty, drugs, gangs, etc.

Main character Starr Carter is a fantastic protagonist - smart, conflicted, hopeful, . . . She goes to school at Williamson, a mostly white private school. "Williamson Starr is approachable. No stank-eyes, side-eyes, none of that. Williamson Starr is nonconfrontational. Basically, Williamson Starr doesn't give anyone a reason to call her ghetto. I can't stand myself for doing it, but I do it anyway." This is so sad! But it completely makes sense. This reminds me of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and the challenges of living in two worlds, culturally.

Pages 167-171 are worth re-reading. Starr and her dad are talking about THUG LIFE (The Hate U Give Little Infants F*** Everybody), racism, society, drugs, . . . I learned a lot! I've never listened to Tupac Shakur's music. I don't like rap music. I always thought "thug life" was glorifying drugs and violence. I had no idea it was about systemic poverty and racism. This was a big eye-opener for me.

Page 226 made me laugh when Maverick made a crack about his mother-in-law . . . "'I'll be waking up in Jesus's face, trying to figure out what happened!' 'Like you going to heaven,' Daddy mumbles." This is one of those things that won't be funny at all on my blog, but worked well in the book! Because it deals with such incredibly serious issues and emotions, this levity was appreciated!

Page 252 - "That's the problem. We let people say stuff, and they say it so much that it becomes okay to them and normal for us. What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be silent in those moments when you shouldn't be?" I love the way Maya and Starr work through some of their frustrations with racism, friends, and silence together.

Page 320 - "He kneels in front of me and sits the Glock beside my feet. He lifts my chin. 'Point one of the Ten-Point Program. Say it.' My brothers and I learned to recite the Black Panthers' Ten-Point Program the same way other kids learn the Pledge of Allegiance." This (and the earlier part about what black parents tell their children about responding to the police - do what they tell you to do, keep your hands visible, don't make any sudden moves, only speak when they speak to you . . . ) makes me incredibly sad. Louie and I *never* had these conversations with our children. White people who deny white privilege simply have not had to deal with the issues that come with racism in our country. I know too many black people who have had these types of conversations with their children out of necessity. This saddens me.

The author's acknowledgements at the end of the book were so sweet and worth reading! I love that she starts with "I first have to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I'm not worthy of all that you have done for me." I also love the notes about her parents, and especially her mother. "To my biggest champion, Mom/Ma/Momma/Julia Thomas: You are the ultimate light in the darkness; a true "Starr." I'm blessed that you're my mom and hope to be half the woman you are."

The main character, Starr, has parents who are her anchors; Ms. Thomas has brought them vividly to life. This is a powerful and worthwhile book. The ending brought me to tears. "Once upon a time there was a hazel-eyed boy with dimples. I called him Khalil. The world called him a thug. He lived, but not nearly long enough, and for the rest of my life I'll remember how he died." She goes on to list other characters in the book, then a list of real people who have been killed by the police. The list ends with Philando (shot in Minnesota) and then "It's even about that little boy in 1955 who nobody recognized at first - Emmett. The messed-up part? There are so many more." She offers hope, too, in this intense closing of the novel. "They're not forgetting. I think that's the most important part. Khalil, I'll never forget. I'll never give up. I'll never be quiet. I promise."

The Memory of You

by Catherine West
Hennepin County Library paperback 333 pages
genre: Christian fiction, romance

This was an enjoyable, lightweight read. I liked the main characters - Natalie Mitchell and Tanner Collins. I'm not sure why I marked so many pages . . . it wasn't anything really significant. But I want to remove my post-its and get it to another reader before Monday's book club. So:

Page 52 - Laura's faith had an impact on Natalie. "She'd gone to church with the family, out of politeness really, but wondered at the things she'd seen and heard. Wondered at the authenticity of the relationship they talked about having with God."

Page 104 - I like Hal's deep faith and the impact this has on Tanner. "'Not this again,' Tanner groaned, leaned back in his chair, and slung one arm across his eyes. 'Are you seriously going to sit there and tell me that Natalie Mitchell owns half of Maoilios because God told you and Grace to give it to her?'"

I found the theme of failure (and others' perceptions vs. one's own perception) interesting. On page 118, Natalie identifies herself as a failure (confirmed by her father, in her view). On page 124, Jeffrey (Natalie's uncle) identifies himself as a failure.

Page 131 - I like the paragraph, but will just include some of Natalie's questions. "Who was she to ask anything of a God she barely knew? And why would He answer her prayers? . . . Pondering over words like faith. Grace. Mercy."

Page 154 - Ugh! It makes me sad to think how many people in real life have this attitude! "Tanner refused to feel guilty. He went to church. For all intents and purposes, he was an upstanding Christian who could amen along with the best of them." It reminds me of the saying "going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car."

Page 166-7 - What?!?! How did this sudden change come about? We don't see Tanner have a major moment, yet he's evangelizing to Natalie? This just doesn't seem at all realistic.

Page 171 - This is more in line with what we know of the character. ". . . he found himself praying. Not the heartfelt prayers he used to say, but a general God, if you're still listening to me after all this, I could really use some help. He was getting close to the bottom of the barrel and didn't have a clue how to scrape his way out."

Page 243 - I love this page! Natalie is in the chapel at the hospital . . . "What do You want from me?" This is the question we should all be asking God! Later on the page, her other question is equally relevant. "How can I accept what You want to give me?" This is the best part of the book!

Page 284 - We finally know Natalie's deep, dark secret. The truth shall set you free, indeed.

Page 310 - We finally learn why the winery is called Maoilios (though we still don't know how to pronounce it . . . ) "It's an old Scottish Gaelic name. It means 'Servant of Jesus.'"

Page 316-7 - This also seemed a bit unrealistic. Natalie's parents make an extremely drastic change in their attitudes, communication, etc. . . . . I completely believe that God can dramatically change people's lives, but I don't think it happens quickly or easily for folks who do not have a crisis or repent. The ending of the book (the last 15 pages or so) just seemed too pat to me. Still, a very readable book with interesting characters.

I really liked the interactions and frustrations with Tanner parenting his niece and nephew.

United as One

I Am Number Four series - final one!
by Pittacus Lore (pseudonym)
personal copy, hardcover, 449 pages
genre: YA SciFi

It certainly took me long enough to get to this book! I'm glad the series is finally concluded. I've enjoyed them and will probably re-read them at some point. Not sure if I'll buy the rest of the collected novellas / short story collections I don't have yet . . .

Not really much to blog about. If you've not read the series, I highly recommend book one - I Am Number Four. If you don't enjoy it, stop there. If you do enjoy it, know that you won't have to wait for each "next book" to come out! They're all published.

I penciled in "Six" or "Four" at the chapters, even though the fonts are different. I am not a huge fan of changing narrators without some textual indication (other than the font). It's my own copy, so I can write in my own book!

Falling Over Sideways

by Jordan Sonnenblick
Hennepin County Library audiobook 5 CDs
read by Miriam Volle
genre: YA realistic fiction

Initially, I wasn't excited about this book. That may have been the reader's voice. "Too tween-y, angsty, stereotypical, drama . . ." was the note I jotted about it. "Vocal work - she sounds too young."

The main character is Claire, a girl starting 8th grade and living in the shadow of her "perfect" older brother Matthew. The story is an interesting mix of humor and seriousness, which I suppose makes it just like Sonnenblick's other books. It seems so weird to have a humorous book about a girl dealing with her father's sudden stroke. It was eerie how realistic the scenarios were, making me wonder about the author's research and experiences.

Claire's shift from anger to depression was also quite believable. "I had never been much of a crier until eighth grade." Her end of the school year thoughts and emotions also rang very true. The ending brought tears to my eyes. Another Sonnenblick success!

Arthritis: Drug-free Alternatives to Prevent and Reverse Arthritis

What Doctors Don't Tell You series
Lynne McTaggart, editor
Hennepin County Library paperback 195 pages plus extensive reference notes and index
genre: non-fiction DIY healthcare

I had been on the waiting list for several months for the only copy of "Arthritis for Dummies" that I could find . . . and then realized that it was lost. So I looked for other books on arthritis and thought this one sounded great. The first half of the book put me off, but I plowed through. The second half was actually worthwhile and interesting. I have two more arthritis books on hold at the library, so it will be interesting to make some comparisons (though I'll probably skim-read them . . . this was *not* fun reading).

Page 45 - Steroids. The writer(s) are basically talking about what's typically done and what that's so bad (ibuprofen, surgery, shots . . .). I tagged this page because of one sentence: "Steroids have even been used as a replacement for baby's gripe water." That came after the long sentence "Most doctors work on the assumption that steroids are safe if taken over a short period of time, . . ." I think my take-away was "What the heck is gripe water?!" But I'm not even curious enough to look it up. The next paragraph goes into all the ways that steroids can destroy your health and your life. Having seen what they did to my mom after her temporal arteritis diagnosis, I don't need a lot of convincing. I just didn't like that the first half of the book was so alarmist about how arthritis is typically treated.

Page 53 - Safer surgery was a very interesting section. I hope to not need knee replacement surgery (certainly not in my 50s!), but it may well have to happen someday. Notes:

• Use the cementless variety of ball-and-socket replacement if your bones are strong
• insist on a hospital and a surgeon with a long and successful track record in performing this particular operation
• Opt for tried-and-tested materials. (Exeter, Lubinus, and Charmley have the best record . . . )

Page 76 - Omega-3 vs Omega-6 and how much of each in relation to the other. Some of this escaped my brain. I don't really understand the differences and the significance of what they do in the body. I checked my fish oil pills and they are the Omega-3 kind. I only take them because we have them and I know it's supposed to be helpful. I think I originally bought them for Pepper for her hip dysplasia. She hated them.

Page 80-1 The section on "Free Radicals and 'Earthing'" - I was ready to be done with the book when I read this part. "Crackpot!" was my honest opinion. Then I went back to the start of the section and read "One interesting hypothesis for the rise of unchecked inflammation . . . " Ah. At least they called it an "interesting hypothesis" because I'm pretty sure that if I walk around barefoot or in leather soled shoes on earth, my arthritis isn't going to go away.

Page 99 - Foods to Avoid . . . and it's pretty much what my friend Jenifer said about doing a 30-day cleanse. No alcohol, carbonated beverages, artificial additives, sweets, dairy, breads, cereals (except oatmeal), crackers, pasta, flour, etc. Yeah. I guess I'll take pain over a lean meat and veggie diet.

Page 110 - Again with the omega fats. Ugh! I'll just try to eat more fish. Except I think my tilapia isn't the right kind. And salmon is expensive.

Page 142 - Glucosamine and Chondroitin - Yep! I'll get some when I go to Costco. This is what we gave Pepper and it definitely seemed to help her. It sounds as though these can actually help the joint and the synovial fluid. It's worth a try, even though I'm not a fan of supplements.

Page 165 -Chapter 12 is "Lifestyle for Healthy Joints" - finally! I tagged this sentence: ". . . doctors began to appreciate that a person's general mind-set about injury or illness played a crucial role in the amount of pain he or she experienced." Yes! Attitude makes a difference! I'm not sure how much is nature and how much is nurture, but I feel as though I'm hard-wired to be negative. I do *not* like that about myself and have been striving for (and praying for) a more positive attitude. It's a struggle for some of us! Some of the items listed in this chapter were hypnotherapy, biofeedback, Emotional Freedom Technique (sounds like Del's "tapping" thing), manipulation-based techniques (like chiropractic, ultrasound therapy, etc.), massage (I could go for that!), copper, spa therapy, and exercise (swimming is appealing to me).

Page 177 - Building Up Your Knees:

Page 178 - Checking for ligament laxity . . . interesting, but I'll pass. Whether or not I'm more prone to injury, I know I need to make healthy choices for my body.

Clean Up Your Lifestyle:

• drink pure water
• brush your teeth twice a day
• know your chemical sensitivities
• ditch those implants 
• get connected (socially)
• attitude is everything (make yours positive!)

Chapter 13 "At a Glance Tips to Help You Prevent or Deal with Arthritis" basically summarizes the entire book in quick form . . . which would have been great if I'd done a preview of the book before ready it start to finish. Ugh! These are great suggestions and I seriously thought about scanning pages 190-1 to capture the most pertinent advice . . . but I'm incredibly sick of this book and just want to return it to the library now. (Thinking positively - it will be one less item cluttering up my life! Woohoo!)

Paw and Order

by Spencer Quinn
Hennepin County Library audiobook 8 CDs

Published: 2014
read by Jim Frangione
genre: murder mystery

Told from the canine point of view, this book was quite amusing! Ann and I listened to it on our eclipse road trip. The murder mystery part, with Bernie and his dog Chet, was fine but not extraordinary. Chet's perspective was wonderful! I want to go through a print version and find the nuggets of wisdom from a dog's-eye perspective. I didn't jot any of them down, but there were some excellent lines!

The humor of how dogs see the world - or rather, smell and hear it, was very engaging. My notes say "Grin. Dog perspective." It was everything from a fascination with toilets to Bernie saying to a "perp" that he would "toss him a bone" - and Chet waiting to catch the bone. It got a little bit too repetitive and irritating, but was mostly fun. Chet referred to "The Nation Within" when he talked about dogs.

This is the seventh book in a series, but it worked as a stand-alone. I may read other books in the series . . . in print, so I can write down the dog wisdom. (Though Frangione's vocal work was excellent.)

 

(Above published 9.6.2017. Below added 3.5.2021.)

 

Now that I've started with book one of the series and gotten back to this title, I wanted to add a few notes. 

 

I think I like the audio versions better than the print version. Not sure why, but kudos to Frangione for his vocal work! My new car doesn't have a CD player, so I listen in my sewing studio.

 

I played the part for Louie where Chet talks about why Halloween is his least favorite holiday. Such a fun part of the story! It's on disc 1, track 14 at about the four minute mark if you're interested.  

I went back to a section that caught my attention so I could transcribe. Bernie Little is talking about the Civil War and his family's history.

". . . Littles fought on both sides. Military family goin' way back - kind of shapes your outlook on life - a curse and a blessing. Suppose we'd been - I don't know - pharmacists, say, or shoemakers."

This struck me because I think we forget sometimes that our life experiences and family perspectives color how we see situations. Teachers, farmers, business people, military . . . this definitely shapes your outlook on life!

Disc 6, Track 13, about 1:00 . . . I made note of this because it also struck me. Bernie asks Chet, "Do you want to know what people want most?" Chet tries to think "lunch" as hard as possible to see if he can persuade Bernie with his mind to get food.

"Right away I started to think about lunch and only lunch, with all the power in my mind."

"They want to know, " Bernie said, "that everything's going to be all right. And the person who most makes them feel that is the one who, for example, gets elected President."

Again, the dog perspective is food. So true! But Bernie's answer really shines a light for me on what some of the trauma of the Trump Presidency was about. If the leader lies, stirs up anger, and otherwise makes you question whether or not things will be all right . . . then we are not getting what we want.

There are still things about these books I don't like that much, but they are clever and fun. I'll keep "reading" them!