Nannabah's Friend

By Mary Perrine

Illustrated by Leonard Weisgard

Hennepin County Library hardcover unpaged

Genre: Picture book

Published: 1970

 

A former colleague of mine, Mary Perrine, has published two books. I was curious to read them, so I go this. . . . Wrong Mary Perrine! I read it anyhow. Interesting how "old" the illustrations looked. A girl has to take the sheep to pasture by herself for the first time and is scared. She makes two dolls out of mud and leaves them in a hogan she also makes. The next day, another girl is there with her dolls. Sweet little story about a Navajo girl growing up.

The Fountains of Silence

by Ruta Sepetys

Scott County Library hardcover 474 pages plus author's note and more

Genre: YA historical fiction

Published: 2019

Sepetys is an amazing author! She has once again written a story that both informs and captivates. This one is set in Spain post-WWII. Wow. I already want to re-read it. So good!!!

Daniel is a Texan, the son of a wealthy oilman, but he is passionate about photography and telling stories with images. Ana is a beautiful young woman whose parents were killed as part of General Franco's cleansing of Spain's ideology after the Spanish Civil War. They meet at the hotel where Daniel and his parents are staying and where Ana works. Layered in between their personal stories and struggles is the deeply secret story of babies who are taken from their parents and sold to wealthy Catholics. The characters, struggles, and secrets were beautifully written.

Page 41 - I love how Sepetys made us "see" Daniel's passion for photography so quickly.

But manicured trees don't interest Daniel. People do. They are living, breathing landscapes. When captured at the right moment, truth reveals itself to the camera.

Page 70 - Puri was not one of my favorite characters, but I did appreciate her tendency to ask questions and highlight worthy curiosity.

When the radio broadcasts announce, "Spain is the chosen country of God," does that mean that God has abandoned other countries? And if foreigners are indecent, why is Spain catering to them as tourists?

"Why must you question everything?" scolds her mother. "Have you no faith?"

She most certainly has faith, but she also has questions. Can't she have both?

Page 202 - This jumped out at me. Reading this book was a huge education for me . . . I simply never thought about or learned about Spain after World War II. What an eye opener! This is Ben talking to Daniel.

"After World War II, even Germany, our archenemy, was a recipient under the Marshall Plan, but Spain?" Ben forms a "zero" with his hand. "Spain was the only major Western European nation excluded from the economic recovery plan. What do you think that says?"

"I'm not sure what it says," replies Daniel. "That's why I'm asking questions."

"It says the topic of Spain is very controversial. Look, you study Hitler and Mussolini in school, but you don't study Franco," whispers Ben. "Because he's still alive. The history hasn't written itself yet, Matheson. But you're capturing it as we speak with your photos. Exciting stuff."

Page 246 - I felt as though I could SEE the photos that were described in the text. When Ana started suggesting captions, it got even better.

Ana looks at the photo. Her voice is steady and lyrical. "Fighting phantoms. There are some problems that even money can't solve."

 

Page 251 -  I loved Rafa (Ana's brother)! His joy and his exuberance were infectious. But he was also contemplative at times. (I also loved how Sepetys used the concept of "fortune" in different ways for different characters.)

Although Rafa is determined to face fear, a quiet part of him worries that he may be luckless. What then? If they actually take part in the capea (bullfight) today, the participation alone will be the most fortune he has ever known. As he considers the potential for victory this afternoon, an overwhelming sense of joy emerges. The voices in his head, the questions - they are his own. They are not voices from the shadows, creeping forth to taunt him.

Page 289 - Puri asks her mother a particularly challenging question, one her mother does not answer.

Puri steals a glance over her shoulder. Her mother sits, a block of erect silence, slowly stirring the spoon around and around in her coffee. And that's when Puri realizes.

Silence has a voice of its own.

Page 425 - This is another piece of text that reminded me of our former POTUS . . . and creepy, awful men like him.

Daniel thinks of the letters he wrote to the embassy and the State Department about Shep Van Dorn. Nothing came of them. Nick is right. Guys like Shep always seem to land on their feet. He should have decked him when he had the chance.

Page 444 - Ana to Daniel (18 years later). Sometimes, silence truly is golden. But for the reasons and ways Ana had to keep silent, it definitely had negative effects on her life.

"Only because we tried to stay silent. Silence warps everything. I can accept if there's silence around us, but not between us."

Page 448-9 / Chapter 143 - I loved this chapter so much! Daniel's sister Cristina is so authentic and fun. 

He's never lied to his sister. She understands him better than even his mother did. She truly can hear things in his voice. That means she also sees it on his face. He has to tell her something. He remains quiet for several minutes, hoping she'll fall asleep.

<I can't ruin this for another reader, so I won't include the rest of their conversation. It brings a smile to my face!>

Page 462-3 Miguel made me tear up! After all those years, the photo developer / camera guy had kept copies of Daniel's photos from his time in Madrid.

"Si. A promise is a promise. I also have these photos." Miguel lifts a copy of National Geographic from the table. "We followed you through the years, Texano. Ana would run to the shop and ask questions about your photos. Together we dissected every detail and made markings on a map to follow you. Caramba, we worried." Miguel puts his hands on Daniel's shoulders. His voice rolls low with emotion. "What a journey you've been on. I am so proud of you, amigo. Capa would be proud too."

Daniel doesn't care that his eyes are welling for all to see. Like Ben, the man in front of him believed when others didn't.

Page 472 - Throughout the book, there were actual interview quotes, news stories, etc. Having the fact interspersed with the fiction was powerful.

Thousands of babies were stolen from their parents during the Franco dictatorship in Spain, but the story was suppressed for decades. Now, the first stolen-baby case has gone to court. The trial is expected to last months. As Lucia Benavides reports from Spain, it's a dark part of Spanish history that is finally getting more recognition.

Between 1939 and the late 1980s, it is alleged that over 300,000 babies were stolen from their birth mothers and sold into adoption. - Lucia Benavides

<from "First Stolen-Baby Case from Franco Dictatorship Goes to Court in Spain" NPR August 14, 2018.>

That shocked me! This book is stunning. I didn't write about the final scene with Daniel and Fuga, or Lorenza's treachery, or so many other amazing parts of this book. Two thumbs up for sure!

Something Worth Doing

by Jane Kirkpatrick

Carver County Library paperback 299 plus author notes

Published:2020

Genre: Christian historical fiction

 

We already discussed this book at book club a week ago. I was on chapter four. I've struggled with reading this one and I'm not entirely sure why. I'm relieved to be done with it finally and yet there are a LOT of post-it notes sticking out. 

 

Kirkpatrick's books are usually both informative and entertaining, but the story of Abigail Scott Duniway and her suffragist work in Oregon didn't capture my attention. I think my favorite part was the "Author's Notes" at the end; I'm always impressed by the quality and quantity of her research. The fictional book hews closely to the recorded history!

 

Since I want to finish this blog entry and get the book back to the library, I'm going to try to be brief.

• "But then, we all make mistakes. Can't let the count of them hammer too long and hard at your chest, or it'll break your heart. Won't go far with a broken heart. You'll have to find a way to mend it or be miserable for life." (pg. 36 Ben to Abigail. Wise words.)
• "She begged for forgiveness, and why shouldn't she have it? Wasn't that what Christian compassion was all about, making space for healing from the hardness of life?" (pg. 41 Abigail's stepmother . . . yes. Forgiveness should be a key part of Christians' lives. Yet too often it's not.)
• Pg. 51 writing the limerick . . . something to rhyme with wife and strife . . . really? LIFE! Then on the next page, that's what she chooses. . . 
• "They turned together toward a crying Willis, lying in his cradle. 'I'll leave it to you to change the world. I'll just change his diaper.'" (pg. 66 Ben talking to Abigail. He really is portrayed as an extraordinary man, loving the simple things of life and supporting Abigail's passions.)
• "In the same way that she brushed by little joys that she didn't think she deserved, she tamped down sadness by getting to work." (pg. 108 Abigail was such a mixed bag of almost negative determination and hopeful optimism. She bugged me.)
• "Without Ben to put the nasty reply letters into perspective, she dwelt overmuch on negativity rather than on hope. One needed others to nurture optimism, or at least she was finding that she did." (pg. 111 Yup. But if you only rely on others for your own attitude, you're in trouble.)
•  "Abigail continued her teaching, but she knew it wasn't enough. Contentedness wasn't a part of who she was, she decided." (pg. 133 Again, yup. She strove. A lot.)
• "I wish I knew for certain this was the best path to take. And I so wish we had a map to get us there." "There's little certainty in the world, Jenny. Except attitude and effort." (pg. 137 Abigail / Jenny and Ben. I love Ben! Yes on attitude and effort!)
• "Relationships were so unpredictable, and she longed for certainty - certainty she could control." (pg. 153 Abigail considering a business partner. She has serious control issues for sure!)
• "There must be a few men who share our hopes. Ben does. I'm so grateful for that." (pg. 160 Abigail talking to her friend Shirley. She seems to need continual reminders to appreciate her own husband. . . )
• "Trying to be diplomatic is not my forte, as you well know. It takes more energy to hold my tongue than to live with a little business uncertainty." (pg. 164 Abigail talking to Ben about getting rid of her business partner . . . At least she realized her own shortcomings.)
• The part on Sarah Wallis . . . was familiar. I wonder if she's featured in a different Kirkpatrick book. Pg. 184
• "The offer brought a surprising calm." (pg. 188 When Shirley offers to pray for Abigail before she gives a speech. Love Shirley!)
  
• "She loved the feel of the paper . . . it all appealed to her." (pg. 197 When Abigail gets her printing press and starts The New Northwest. Kirkpatrick's writing shines with the joy of someone in their element!)
• "'Give, and it shall be given unto you,' as Scripture says." (pg. 207 I love that Susan B. Anthony was charitable and familiar with Scripture. Her life story is one I am interested in learning more about.)
• Abigail's speech on page 210 where she talks about God's creation and her husband's support as a reflector of God's light . . . I like this part. If it's true that people were heckling her and throwing eggs when she talked them into listening, then it's even better!
• "She'd given her life for this cause, and she wasn't ready to let younger, ill-informed women threaten the campaign." (pg. 218 This scene was troubling when she shot down other women's suggestions. She's denying them their voice and opinion when that's theoretically what she's fighting for . . . Her singlemindedness was extreme and her way or the highway!)
• Her reaction to Clara Belle's marriage . . . was a bit hard to swallow. Your firstborn. Your only daughter. Your only grandchild. You're too busy and mad about her eloping to even go and visit her? Get a clue! (pg. 236)
• "'You'll always be a reformer. I just wish for your sake you'd take more time for being a grandmother and a wife. I get wistful sometimes, seeing you leave Ben as you go off. Makes me miss John so much.' Kate cleared her throat. 'And I'm sad for you that you're passing up moments you'll never have again, experiences I so wish I still could have.'" (pg. 237 Abigail's younger sister Kate, wiser by a long shot!)
• The whole scene on page 273 with Clara Belle and Don. Ugh. Ben is my hero!
  
• "Her second youngest son was sixteen already. He had a beard. How had her boys grown up without her noticing?" (pg. 279 Because she was gone all the time and cared more about her cause than her family!)
• The discussion on page 281 about moving and the definition of the word "powerful." Of COURSE she gave her definition first before letting her students define it. And of COURSE her definition is "one can set a goal and then figure out how to make it happen." But I really love the fictional student who defines it as "when you want to quit but you keep going."
• "Outwardly, Abigail brushed away the compliment, but she took it inside, let it fill her up." (pg. 285 Ugh. She really did seem to need attention and appreciation a lot. Not my favorite character trait!)
• "As she thought of her ever-hopeful and adventurous life, a shiver ran up her spine." (pg. 288 It surprised me that Kirkpatrick would write that. I suppose to keep working on something for over forty years does show a sort of hopefulness . . . but that it not how I would define Abigail.)
• Page 293 when Shirley and Kate talk about how much Abigail means to them and others . . . this made her seem more lovable somehow, but her stridency and prickliness had already left their mark for me.
• "A fierce love for justice and liberty for all of us. That's your legacy." (pg. 295 Kate to Abigail. I love thinking about legacy and what mine will be . . . I'm honestly not sure.)
• "The world is moving and women are moving with it." (pg. 299 and *often* throughout the book. That was Abigail's catch phrase. Sometimes I had to think of how much it would have chafed me to live when I could not vote, could not own property, did not have rights in cases of divorce or dispute . . . there's so much I take for granted that women like Abigail Scott Duniway fought for to make sure that other women would benefit.)
  

Running Against the Devil: A Plot to Save America from Trump - and Democrats from Themselves

by Rick Wilson

Hennepin County Library hardcover 308 pages plus notes and index

Published: 2020

Genre: Non-fiction, politics

I'm not typically a "quitter" when it comes to books, but after being on the waiting list for many months and finally getting this book, I'm returning it to the library while I'm only on page 96. I've already had it renewed at least once by the library and there are a lot of other people waiting for it. I was curious to read what a "Republican strategist" had to say about Trump, but I'm not curious enough to make finishing this a priority.

Wilson is crude and informal in this book. In addition to lots of swearing, he writes in a conversational tone (something I typically enjoy). 

Mumbling through teleprompter speeches one moment and veering off the next moment into wild ad-libs of stream-of-consciousness blurting, Trump is a shadow of even his 2016 self. We all know that cognitive decline is, tragically, a one-way street. 

Don't forget, kids: The crazy racist uncle act isn't an act . . . and he still controls America's nuclear arsenal.

Sleep tight!

If this were an Al Franken-type comedic take on the presidency, it would be different. I expected something a bit more intellectual and less edgy.

Another thing that bothered me were the theoretical tweets between chapters. Some were titled as "Tweets from Donald Trump's Second Term" and were basically fear-mongering (as far as I can tell. Or comedy? Again, the tone of this book was too crude for me.)

To be clear - I strongly disliked President Trump and I am incredibly glad he did not win reelection! I just didn't expect Wilson's book to be so extremely ugly. 

 

I have to admit, though, that there were times I completely agreed with both what and how Wilson expressed his displeasure with Trump. On page 14, I tagged this:

Donald Trump is a terrible, horrible, no-good president. He'll go down in history with asterisks next to his name for endemic corruption, outrageous stupidity, egregious cruelty, and inhumanity, for diminishing the presidency and the nation, and for being a lout with a terrible wig. But he's trapped, desperate, and will do anything - and I mean anything - to win.

 

This book was written well before the election, and certainly before the Jan. 6, 2021 certification (with it's stunning insurrection at the Capitol) and it is eerie and disconcerting to read that last sentence now.

Wilson makes it clear that his dislike for Trump is greater than his identity as a Republican on page 16.

I'm going to tell you these things not merely because I loathe the damage Trump is doing to our nation, or because I think your policies are good for America. If Democrats win, I'm going to hate it rather a lot. 

But there's more at stake than political and ideological preference now. 

I'm doing this because the party I worked for, fought for, and sweated over for thirty years didn't just abandon people like me who couldn't stand Trump; they're putting the entire American experiment at risk. I'm telling you this because Trump and his enablers shredded every ideological predicate that drew me to conservatism and the Republican Party - the old-fashioned stuff like following the Constitution and the rule of law, limits on state power, tradition, honesty, decency, and sanity.

 

 

Throughout the part of the book I read, he addresses Democrats directly. I don't identify with party affiliation. But he also brags about all the dirty tactics he used to defeat Democrats and get Republicans elected. I dislike politics. I dislike the uglier aspects of human nature. I have lots of other books to read.