Dr. Kimberlee Bethany Bonura
Hennepin County Library
3 DVDs w/18 half hour lessons
Lesson 1 - Aging with Optimism - a Holistic Approach
Good content and examples (e.g. her grandmother, herself). This one mostly in her office / studio stage set. Photos, diagrams, etc. added to the content. Would almost, but not quite work as an audiobook. (She demonstrates one exercise that was new to me - and yet easy and effective.) I liked that she showed the exercise and encouraged the audience to try it with her. Very applicable!
Didn't like the New Age / humanistic feel to it.
Will possibly get this one again. Don't want to watch it all now (nine hours total!).
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Curse of the Blue Tattoo
Jacky Faber / Bloody Jack #2
by L.A. Meyer
Hennepin County Library paperback 488 pages
genre - YA historical fiction / adventure
Overall, I really enjoyed it.
Didn't like that the Reverend Mather was so evil, but it worked for the story. Very creepy!
Also didn't love the voodoo / gris-gris charm from Mam'selle . . . but I love that she came to Jacky's rescue twice and Jacky rescued her.
Hard to put it down! I wanted to see what would happen.
Loved that she could successfully move in different spheres - with sailors, servants, ladies, musicians, jockeys . . .
Loved her friendships with Amy and with the serving girls.
Clarisse, Gully, and the Constable (and even Randall) added to the bad guy challenges for Jacky.
Now she's off on a new adventure, never having received any of Jaimy's letters. (Thank heavens that Davy got one of hers to him!)
by L.A. Meyer
Hennepin County Library paperback 488 pages
genre - YA historical fiction / adventure
Overall, I really enjoyed it.
Didn't like that the Reverend Mather was so evil, but it worked for the story. Very creepy!
Also didn't love the voodoo / gris-gris charm from Mam'selle . . . but I love that she came to Jacky's rescue twice and Jacky rescued her.
Hard to put it down! I wanted to see what would happen.
Loved that she could successfully move in different spheres - with sailors, servants, ladies, musicians, jockeys . . .
Loved her friendships with Amy and with the serving girls.
Clarisse, Gully, and the Constable (and even Randall) added to the bad guy challenges for Jacky.
Now she's off on a new adventure, never having received any of Jaimy's letters. (Thank heavens that Davy got one of hers to him!)
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
The Brutal Telling
by Louise Penny
Hennepin County Library audiobook 11 discs
read by Ralph Cosham
genre: murder mystery
This one was medium-good . . . but I already knew parts of it because of having read the titles out of order. And at times, the mystery seemed overdramatized. I'm not sure if it's the reader's inflection or Penny's writing. Perhaps I need to take a break from the Inspector Gamache stories for a bit.
Hermit in cabin, storytelling, Olivier (38 years old) listening . . . army / chaos / fury / fear.
(Who buys horses not knowing how to take care of them?!?! Stupid.)
I learned a new word! "Abattoir" means slaughterhouse.
Patrick and Michelle are the real names of Old and The Wife. Mundens . . .
WOO not WOE . . . but I know where this will go two books further in the series. Shouldn't read these out of order!
Father and son theme - Vincent and Mark, Old and Charlie, Olivier's dad and Olivier, Gamache is like a dad to Beauvoir.
Spider web - not.
Story of boy and mountain, and villagers fleeing, the carvings . . .
OWSVI (on the boat carving) and MRKBVYDDO (people on shore). I wanted to figure this out! But I didn't, so I'm glad Gamache finally did.
Charlotte / The Brutal Telling - artist (and her father) Emily Carr.
Betrayal, treasure, lots of thematic repetition. I enjoyed it, but wish I'd read the books in sequence.
Hennepin County Library audiobook 11 discs
read by Ralph Cosham
genre: murder mystery
This one was medium-good . . . but I already knew parts of it because of having read the titles out of order. And at times, the mystery seemed overdramatized. I'm not sure if it's the reader's inflection or Penny's writing. Perhaps I need to take a break from the Inspector Gamache stories for a bit.
Hermit in cabin, storytelling, Olivier (38 years old) listening . . . army / chaos / fury / fear.
(Who buys horses not knowing how to take care of them?!?! Stupid.)
I learned a new word! "Abattoir" means slaughterhouse.
Patrick and Michelle are the real names of Old and The Wife. Mundens . . .
WOO not WOE . . . but I know where this will go two books further in the series. Shouldn't read these out of order!
Father and son theme - Vincent and Mark, Old and Charlie, Olivier's dad and Olivier, Gamache is like a dad to Beauvoir.
Spider web - not.
Story of boy and mountain, and villagers fleeing, the carvings . . .
OWSVI (on the boat carving) and MRKBVYDDO (people on shore). I wanted to figure this out! But I didn't, so I'm glad Gamache finally did.
Charlotte / The Brutal Telling - artist (and her father) Emily Carr.
Betrayal, treasure, lots of thematic repetition. I enjoyed it, but wish I'd read the books in sequence.
Monday, October 16, 2017
Jane of Austin: A Novel of Sweet Tea and Sensibility
by Hillary Manton Lodge
Hennepin County Library paperback 308 pages
genre: Christian romance
This clever little retelling of Austen's Sense and Sensibility had lots of fun surprises in store! When I first saw the title, I couldn't figure out why she misspelled the famous author's name. But it's Austin (in Texas) not Austen (Jane).
The protagonist, Jane Woodward, has an older sister Celia and younger sister Margot. Their mother has died and their father has had a major financial and career crisis.
Page 63 - "I'm not saying we should go back. We can't afford it. I just . . . I don't like it. I don't like limbo." Jane to Celia - and I can so relate! I struggle with the unknown. I like to have a plan and a to-do list. I'm learning to trust God and not try to figure everything out.
Page 90 - There are recipes at the end of the chapters. Most of them are things I know I would never make, though I'm sure I'd love to eat them! (Most of the scones . . . ) But the fancy coleslaw recipe intrigues me. I don't usually like to mix sweet and spicy (pineapple and jalapeno), but I think I might really enjoy this one. I won't blog it here, but it's worth checking out!
Page 106 - Each chapter also has a quotation at the start. Many of them relate to tea. I tagged this one to send to my friend Mary. She is my favorite tea-drinker in the world! "If you are cold, tea will warm you. If you are too heated, it will cool you. If you are depressed, it will cheer you. If you are excited, it will calm you." - William Ewart Gladstone
Page 182 - Unbelievable! What a snake. I see why Katie said, "There's a good old-fashioned villain in the story." Yep. Poor Jane!
Page 238 - I knew beyond a shadow of doubt what would happen for the rest of the book. My thinking about Austen's Sense and Sensibility was completely "on" here. Why did it take me so long? I think because Jane is clearly the protagonist in this story and I like her a lot. In S and S, Elinor is my favorite and I kind of despise Marianne, the middle daughter.
Page 281 - When Celia asks Jane if she's happy, I love her response! "I like this. I'm good at it. It's not what I would have chosen at nineteen. It's good to have dreams. But sometimes dreams change, or take different forms, or you go down a path and realize that while it's not the beach, you really like the forest."
I enjoyed this book and look forward to discussing it at book club in two weeks!
Hennepin County Library paperback 308 pages
genre: Christian romance
This clever little retelling of Austen's Sense and Sensibility had lots of fun surprises in store! When I first saw the title, I couldn't figure out why she misspelled the famous author's name. But it's Austin (in Texas) not Austen (Jane).
The protagonist, Jane Woodward, has an older sister Celia and younger sister Margot. Their mother has died and their father has had a major financial and career crisis.
Page 63 - "I'm not saying we should go back. We can't afford it. I just . . . I don't like it. I don't like limbo." Jane to Celia - and I can so relate! I struggle with the unknown. I like to have a plan and a to-do list. I'm learning to trust God and not try to figure everything out.
Page 90 - There are recipes at the end of the chapters. Most of them are things I know I would never make, though I'm sure I'd love to eat them! (Most of the scones . . . ) But the fancy coleslaw recipe intrigues me. I don't usually like to mix sweet and spicy (pineapple and jalapeno), but I think I might really enjoy this one. I won't blog it here, but it's worth checking out!
Page 106 - Each chapter also has a quotation at the start. Many of them relate to tea. I tagged this one to send to my friend Mary. She is my favorite tea-drinker in the world! "If you are cold, tea will warm you. If you are too heated, it will cool you. If you are depressed, it will cheer you. If you are excited, it will calm you." - William Ewart Gladstone
Page 182 - Unbelievable! What a snake. I see why Katie said, "There's a good old-fashioned villain in the story." Yep. Poor Jane!
Page 238 - I knew beyond a shadow of doubt what would happen for the rest of the book. My thinking about Austen's Sense and Sensibility was completely "on" here. Why did it take me so long? I think because Jane is clearly the protagonist in this story and I like her a lot. In S and S, Elinor is my favorite and I kind of despise Marianne, the middle daughter.
Page 281 - When Celia asks Jane if she's happy, I love her response! "I like this. I'm good at it. It's not what I would have chosen at nineteen. It's good to have dreams. But sometimes dreams change, or take different forms, or you go down a path and realize that while it's not the beach, you really like the forest."
I enjoyed this book and look forward to discussing it at book club in two weeks!
Dig If You Will the Picture: Funk, Sex, God & Genius in the Music of Prince
by Ben Greenman
Hennepin County Library hardcover 261 pages
genre: non-fiction musicography
This book was so much more about Prince's music than about the person. Greenman was extremely thorough in covering Prince's career and albums.
I was never a die-hard fan, but I enjoyed his music (mostly Purple Rain and 1999) as a teen. I also really liked that he was a Minnesotan and lived here even after becoming a superstar. I think he was a fascinating human being (the little I know about him).
I wish the author had included pictures besides the interesting collage cover. I've requested the new book from Prince's photographer, so that will fill the visual information lack.
Hennepin County Library hardcover 261 pages
genre: non-fiction musicography
This book was so much more about Prince's music than about the person. Greenman was extremely thorough in covering Prince's career and albums.
I was never a die-hard fan, but I enjoyed his music (mostly Purple Rain and 1999) as a teen. I also really liked that he was a Minnesotan and lived here even after becoming a superstar. I think he was a fascinating human being (the little I know about him).
I wish the author had included pictures besides the interesting collage cover. I've requested the new book from Prince's photographer, so that will fill the visual information lack.
Monday, October 09, 2017
Before We Were Yours
by Lisa Wingate
Jennifer's copy, hardcover 298 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
I was on the Hennepin County waiting list for over two months! I finally canceled my request after Jenn lent me her copy. I was also on the waiting lists in Dakota and Scott Counties . . . popular book!
I was super confused by the prologue, but the book club told me to just wait until the end. Good advice!
I made lots of notes that I'll put at the end of this blog entry. If you don't want spoilers, stop at the line!
Page 8 - When Avery is referring to her Grandma Judy's dementia and need for nursing home care. "We're just like other families. Every available avenue is paved with guilt, lined with pain, and pockmarked with shame. We're embarrassed for Grandma Judy. We're afraid for her. We're heartsick about where this cruel descent into dementia might end." Yep. Caregiving for the elderly is not for the faint of heart.
Page 95 - Avery looking through her grandmother's day books - "I leaf through more pages, wondering, remembering, thinking about this watershed year. Life can turn on a dime. The appointment book reinforces my new awareness of this. We plan our days, but we don't control them."
Page 185 - Miss Tann is an evil liar. That is all. I'm horrified by the existence of people like this. (Though fictional, she's based on a real human being who truly did evil things to children and families.)
Page 260 - Avery comments on her childhood, when decency was more common. "'We live in an entertainment-driven world,' Trent says soberly. 'Everything's fair game.'" And it only gets worse . . .
Page 307 - I tagged this page, but I'm not sure why. I may have cried for Rill and the overwhelming sadness of her reality. I almost want to scan, save, and re-read pages 307-311. The heart of this story, imo.
Page 314 - "If there was one thing I'd learned from watching Briny and Queenie, it was that love doesn't put food on the table. It doesn't keep a family safe." That's a hard lesson for a child to learn. Yet later on the page, the Seviers welcome them home. Love this!
Page 315 - "I think of my grandmother, of her empty house, of her room in the nursing home, of her inability to recognize me most days. Tears well up in my eyes. The music of old age is difficult to hear when it's playing for someone you love."
The book clubbers were right - this is an amazing book!
********************Spoilers***************************
Avery Stafford 30 y.o. lawyer / dad Senator Wells Stafford / fiance' Elliot
May Crandall (elderly woman in nursing home) mom Queenie (Polish, prayers, crucifix) and Briny (dad, river boat) is 12 y.o. Rill!
Camellia (10 y.o. / dark hair / feisty / molested, then killed at children's home)
Lark (6 y.o. / renamed Bonnie / adopted by Hollywood people)
Fern (4 y.o. / adopted by Seviers / wet the bed / timid)
Gabion (2 y.o. / adopted at party)
Trent Turner (realtor, died, papers) - Senior, Junior, III (love interest for Avery)
"Stevie" and "Shelley" - sibs in home who attached to May/Rill
page 298 - Hootsie!!!
Baby is one of Queenie's twin babies! Grandma Judy. But what happened to the other baby?
Jennifer's copy, hardcover 298 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
I was on the Hennepin County waiting list for over two months! I finally canceled my request after Jenn lent me her copy. I was also on the waiting lists in Dakota and Scott Counties . . . popular book!
I was super confused by the prologue, but the book club told me to just wait until the end. Good advice!
I made lots of notes that I'll put at the end of this blog entry. If you don't want spoilers, stop at the line!
Page 8 - When Avery is referring to her Grandma Judy's dementia and need for nursing home care. "We're just like other families. Every available avenue is paved with guilt, lined with pain, and pockmarked with shame. We're embarrassed for Grandma Judy. We're afraid for her. We're heartsick about where this cruel descent into dementia might end." Yep. Caregiving for the elderly is not for the faint of heart.
Page 95 - Avery looking through her grandmother's day books - "I leaf through more pages, wondering, remembering, thinking about this watershed year. Life can turn on a dime. The appointment book reinforces my new awareness of this. We plan our days, but we don't control them."
Page 185 - Miss Tann is an evil liar. That is all. I'm horrified by the existence of people like this. (Though fictional, she's based on a real human being who truly did evil things to children and families.)
Page 260 - Avery comments on her childhood, when decency was more common. "'We live in an entertainment-driven world,' Trent says soberly. 'Everything's fair game.'" And it only gets worse . . .
Page 307 - I tagged this page, but I'm not sure why. I may have cried for Rill and the overwhelming sadness of her reality. I almost want to scan, save, and re-read pages 307-311. The heart of this story, imo.
Page 314 - "If there was one thing I'd learned from watching Briny and Queenie, it was that love doesn't put food on the table. It doesn't keep a family safe." That's a hard lesson for a child to learn. Yet later on the page, the Seviers welcome them home. Love this!
Page 315 - "I think of my grandmother, of her empty house, of her room in the nursing home, of her inability to recognize me most days. Tears well up in my eyes. The music of old age is difficult to hear when it's playing for someone you love."
The book clubbers were right - this is an amazing book!
********************Spoilers***************************
Avery Stafford 30 y.o. lawyer / dad Senator Wells Stafford / fiance' Elliot
May Crandall (elderly woman in nursing home) mom Queenie (Polish, prayers, crucifix) and Briny (dad, river boat) is 12 y.o. Rill!
Camellia (10 y.o. / dark hair / feisty / molested, then killed at children's home)
Lark (6 y.o. / renamed Bonnie / adopted by Hollywood people)
Fern (4 y.o. / adopted by Seviers / wet the bed / timid)
Gabion (2 y.o. / adopted at party)
Trent Turner (realtor, died, papers) - Senior, Junior, III (love interest for Avery)
"Stevie" and "Shelley" - sibs in home who attached to May/Rill
page 298 - Hootsie!!!
Baby is one of Queenie's twin babies! Grandma Judy. But what happened to the other baby?
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