Every Given Day

By: Cathy Gohlke

Dakota County Library paperback 346 pages plus author's note, acknowledgments, and book club discussion questions

Published: 2026

Genre: Christian historical fiction, 1920s

 

We're meeting to discuss this in a few hours. I mostly enjoyed this book and definitely was curious to do a little bit of research on my own (about the era, the development of insulin, etc.).

 

Basic synopsis: Schoolteacher Gwen Armstrong goes to New York to help her ailing sister Marion with her two young children. Marion has TB (which is what the sisters' mother died from) and is already at a sanitarium when Gwen shows up on the doorstep. Mrs. Barrie, the housekeeper, is skeptical, and the two Bennett children don't want an aunt they've never met; they want their mother. Russell Bennett, Marion's husband, is a debonair "businessman" who is rarely home.

 

Page 2: Paradox, Pennsylvania, September 1918

 

I'm not completely sure why I "flagged" this . . . except that I'm interested in unusual-sounding place names. This isn't a real city - I checked - but a paradox is symbolic as a word.

 

Page 4: Gwen turned away, wishing she'd left the door open, a clear means of escape. Duty, guilt, the privilege of sacrificing for those less fortunate - those considered worthy. She knew every nuance, had lived her entire life caring for those who needed her. 

 

I love how the author acknowledged Gwen's struggle without her wallowing in a pity party. Sometimes when you are a giver, you give so much to others that you forget to take care of yourself. That said, the scene in her creepy principal's office was one I'm glad she escaped from unscathed! He was unconscionable, offering marriage as her "only choice" and assuring her that if she rejected him she'd never get hired as a teacher again. What a creep!

 

Page 24: Gwen was pleased when she read over Alistair's letter. His penmanship and his ability to formulate sentences and paragraphs in coherent, complete thought bespoke a solid early education.

 

Yes! It is so rewarding to encounter a young person who is literate! It's sad to me that she's meeting her nephew and niece for the first time, but she and Marion became estranged when Gwen's beau swept the vivacious and lovely Marion away. Understandable.

 

Page  32: Life might challenge or change their aspirations, keep them from becoming reality. But dreams meant hope, and hope, Gwen knew, was desperately needed when life around you, life and the people you've depended upon, were falling apart.

 

I think this is so key! Hope can indeed be a powerful motivator. Sometimes I'm afraid I'm a bit too much of a realist or even skeptic. Even though Gwen thought it likely her sister might not survive and come home, she wanted the children to keep hope alive.

 

Page 40: Employment for women came with a cost, a cost that must be carefully considered, and often involved a delicate dance and a line they dared not cross. A single woman could not risk joblessness, poverty, homelessness.

 

I'm very glad things have improved for women over the last one hundred years! I could not have the life I have now if I were a single woman. I would almost certainly still be working full time. Praise God and thank my amazing husband!

 

Page 53: Doctors, pastors, service providers of all sorts were run off their feet, serving in constant danger of contracting a disease they couldn't stop, couldn't begin to stem. They, too, were dropping like flies. Word had gone out for anyone willing to provide essential nursing care to please volunteer.

 

The Spanish flu really was a modern plague! So much sickness, contagion, and death. It helped that Bennett Place had a "quarantined" sign on the gate (because of Marion's tuberculosis). That kept people out. 

 

Page 71: She understood Marion's desire to protect them, to enjoy every precious moment with them as carefree as possible. Still, she wondered just how much time there would be to prepare them for the inevitable, and whether knowing or not knowing was the greater gift.

 

To me, this is very connected with the question of hope. If she were to tell the children about her own mother's death and what was happening with Marion, it would definitely be sad and sobering. At ages 11 and 8(?), it was nice for them to remain children. I like when Gwen and Mrs. Barrie had a heart to heart and hugged. The connection between these women was definitely good for the kids.

 

Page 89: Gwen was amazed and inspired by Marion's faith and heart for God. She didn't fully understand it or know how that had come about, except that Marion attributed it to her time alone with God in the sanatorium - patience and faith through suffering. It certainly had not been fostered in childhood. Gwen prayed out of desperation sometimes . . . 

 

 It took Gwen awhile, but her faith journey felt very authentic to me.

 

Page  109: That light rekindled a flame in Gwen she'd thought long dead. She didn't mean to acknowledge that flame, but she couldn't deny it.

 

Every time she felt drawn to Russell, I got mad! I understand that as a jilted "spinster," the attentions of her handsome, dashing brother-in-law were tempting, but . . . JUST SAY NO! I did not like him at all. He seemed so shallow, selfish, and nasty. That was the aspect of the book I liked the least.

 

Page 110: "I'd hoped, after Clara was born, that Marion would be content in that department, that things might return to the way they were. Parents in our class, in my circle of society, don't mollycoddle their children. Nursemaids, nannies, and governesses take care of those things, freeing adults to travel, to pursue their social responsibilities."

 

What a jerk! This is Russell, talking to Gwen about his disappointment in his wife.

 

In Chapter 22, there was a section about the increase of diabetes following the flu pandemic. That was one of the things I looked up. Apparently, there was a dramatic increase after Covid-19 as well. Interesting!

 

Page 168: In the meantime, Malcolm would go to church on Sunday, just as he always did, and pray to the God he loved and trusted for wisdom, for clarity, for skill in the work He'd given him to do. Daily he prayed for each of his patients by name, laying their cases before the Great Physician, seeking the restoration of mind and body that only He could give.

 

Malcolm was the lovely younger Scottish doctor who knew about some of the research being done to treat diabetic patients. And he had faith in the Lord. I liked Malcolm!

 

Page 186: He spends money as if it were wastewater. The grocery bill for this affair alone could feed a family of five for more than a year. 

 

Gwen is questioning Russell's words, motives, and lifestyle. About time! He's clearly not on the up-and-up.

 

Page 224: "She prays with me at night - is helping me learn to pray. She says believing in God is a choice we make and that I should talk to God like my best friend, but with more respect, and know that He listens - like a loving father, she said." 

 

Alistair was such a delightful character. Lots of heartbreak in his young life, but as he's learning about faith from Mrs. Barrie, he's sharing his newfound faith with Aunt Gwen.

 

Page 225: How can you think of God as a loving Father if your own father barely gives you the time of day? The thought startled Gwen. Am I thinking of Alistair and his father, or of myself, and my own father?

 

I think it is very telling that Gwen came to the realization that part of her connection to Alistair was the lack of a positive father figure.

 

Page 286: Trusting, relying on anyone else, even God, goes against everything in me. Gwen shuddered. "I can't let you go. You're all that's left to me."

 

This was so sad! A twelve-year-old boy who is accepting of his own imminent death, trusting God, while the adult who is caring for him is clinging tightly. We've been talking about truly trusting God in church a lot lately. I think it's hard for us. We like to be in control. Truly trusting God means we're willing to let go. 

 

In chapter 40, Gwen decides to do something she knows she shouldn't. She steals Mrs. Barrie's keys, goes into Russell's museum and office, and rifles through his papers. I was on edge this whole chapter.

 

Page 317: She didn't love Russell. How she'd ever thought she might, let alone marry him, she didn't know now. 

 

Finally! This imaginary romance with Russell was my least favorite part of the book. He just creeped me out.

 

Page 328 had such a beautiful section between Gwen and Malcolm. I love that he encouraged her to praise God. Always a good choice!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Page 330: Forgive me for my arrogance, Father, for thinking I know better than You what is best for him . . . or for me. You raised Jesus from the dead to life everlasting. Nothing is too hard for You. I know You can heal him. Whether now or in Your Kingdom. I'm ready to let him go to You. I surrender him to You. I trust You.

 

This was a huge shift for Gwen. The author did a wonderful job of bringing her to this point gradually. Her prayer is heartfelt.

 

Page 334 in chapter 46 has the title. Gwen says, "Every given day!" in response to Alistair's question about every day being Thanksgiving now. I love "finding" the title in the story.

 

Page 342: "Need I remind you about miracles? They may take time, but they're always in the making. We must watch for them, expect them."

 

Alistair is writing letters to Carter in Egypt, preparing the way for going to work with him. Gwen is dubious, but he gives her this lovely reminder.

 

The story ends delightfully. There are a few surprises and other parts not surprising, but pleasant aspects. I look forward to our discussion. 

The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can Eat

By Edward Kelsey Moore

Libby audiobook 12 hours

Read by Adenrele Ojo and Pamella D'Pella

Published: 2013 (this version also 2013)

Genre: mostly realistic fiction

 

Apparently, this has been made into a movie. I am a bit surprised at how many notes I jotted as I listened to this in the car. I finished it almost two weeks ago and liked some aspects and disliked others. I'm also surprised that it was written by a man. It's primarily told from women's point of views.

 

Odette, Clarice, and Barbara Jean were nicknamed "The Supremes" as teens in the 1960s. The three women have shared a lot of life in the decades since. 

 

Odette was my favorite. She was born in a sycamore tree, the source of her strength. She was married to James and could see and talk with ghosts, including her mama and Mrs. Roosevelt.

 

Clarice was a piece of work, always trying to control situations and people. But her husband Richmond's infidelity was legendary (as was her dad's) and her mom Beatrice kept encouraging her to just ignore it.

 

Barbara Jean was married to Lester. But NOT the Lester (Payne) who was her mother's pimp! Why on Earth would the author do this?! There are so many names you could choose. I almost went back to re-listen to all this because initially I thought she married the pimp. Lester. Different Lester. Barbara Jean's mom tried to extort four different men as baby daddies. Yuk. Barbara Jean slept in the library of her fancy house and tried to decide whether to hit the bottle (vodka) or open the Bible when she couldn't sleep. She dressed in sexy, tight clothes.

 

I wrote the word "dreams." I think this is in reference to the recurrent dreams Barbara Jean had about a river and a child, but I'm not sure.

 

Big Earl was married to Thelma. When she died (before the start of this book), Earl married Minnie. Minnie is a crackpot fortune teller. She also provides a lot of comic relief. Big Earl's and Thelma's son Little Earl and his wife Irma Mae took over the diner, while Big Earl helped out until his death. Big Earl's funeral was at one of the Baptist churches. It had the "sexiest Jesus."

 

Ray "Chick" Carlson was the "prettiest white boy" and hired by Big Earl back in the day. He and Barbara Jean fall in love as teens. A lot of the back story was revealed as the book went on. 

 

When Odette gets diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, she tries to keep quiet about it. But as she loses weight, sleeps more, and lacks energy, she shares her determination to fight the disease. Her story was my favorite thread in the book, though all the women's lives are intertwined.

 

Clarice's cousin Veronica - ugh. As teens and worse as adults, these women can be catty. As she ropes Clarice into helping her plan her daughter Sharon's wedding, the women are trying to outdo one another regarding their daughters' weddings. (Clarice tried to make her daughter's wedding fancier than Odette's daughter's and then Veronica took it to the next level.) 

 

Clarice bugged me the most. How she put up with her cheating husband and acted like she had it all together - ugh. "Feeling bad about yourself is the entire point of going to church, Odette!" Clarice's Calvary Baptist was led by a pastor who told her it was her duty to stand with Richmond no matter what. What?! Why wasn't he telling Richmond to stop sinning?! 

 

First Baptist and Holy Family were the other women's churches. 

Lester Maxberry (Barbara Jean's husband) loved cars!

Clarice's mom Beatrice was yuk! "Suffering to earn the Lord's favor." Do these people not read their Bibles?

 

They all have their coping mechanisms. For Odette, it's food; for Clarice, playing piano; and for Barbara Jean, it has become alcohol.

 

I love Odette.Threatening to kill Richmond if he messed with Barbara Jean was extreme, but effective. And it was easy to believe she scared him out of doing something incredibly stupid. 

 

This takes place in Plainview, Indiana. I have a lot of random notes that I'm not going to write here. There was a place where the vocal work for Chick is wrong - his voice sounds exactly like Barbara Jean's. I don't think I could do it justice, but it was jarring to listen to.

 

Sometimes the cattiness and gossip bothered me.

 

Odette's mama and the afterlife . . . again, entertaining, but not very believable. The WORST DAY EVER is the day Adam is killed. Adam (Barbara Jean's son with Chick) was eight years old, walking down Wall Road to get to his grandma's house when he was hit and killed by a car. The car was almost certainly driven by racist Desmond Carlson, Chick's older brother. 

 

The ghost of Eleanor Roosevelt was pretty funny - drunken, irreverent, fascinated by sex and death.

 

Minnie Mac, the fortune teller, was also funny with Yvonne and her seven babies . . . "not this one. Try again." 

 

Overall, an interesting book. A bit weird. I don't plan to see the movie. 

 

Lessons from Cats for Surviving Fascism

By: Stewart "Brittlestar" Reynolds

Ann's copy hardcover 54 pages

Published: 2024

Genre: satirical humor

 

I like the cat humor. Some of the connections between cats and our current administration (Trump) are a bit of a stretch. But the author is clever and it's a short book. It was nice of my sister to share it with me.  

Call Me Jonathan for Short

By: Cecile Godreau, M.M.

Personal collection paperback 57 pages 

Published: 1992

Genre: children's allegory

 

I'm not sure why this was in my collection, but I decided to read it before donating it. Jonathan has an elderly neighbor named Mrs. Byrne. They become friends and work in her garden together. Her dog Penny loves his attention.

 

They talk about new life after death, comparing the garden in the spring to resurrection. Since the author is a Maryknoll nun, I think this may have been given to me by my aunt, Sister Marian, when my boys were little. I don't think I ever read it to them . . . and now I'll donate it so someone else can read it. 

Things We Cannot Keep

By: Amanda Cox

Dakota County Library paperback 316 pages plus a sneak peek of a book coming out in 2027 (which I did not read)

Published: 2026

Genre: Christian realistic fiction

 

I didn't like this as well as other books by Cox, but it was an enjoyable read. We discussed it Monday at book club and I loved hearing other people's impressions. Basic summary is that Teresa Baker ran away from a very difficult childhood at age 18 and became Tess Holcomb, restorer of clocks and watches. Most of the book deals with the tension of the past and present, keeping the old and letting go of the old. 

 

I really did like the antiques restoration aspect of the story. The tracing of the mystery pocket watch's history was also quite good. 

 

Page 29: Understanding what was wrong was one thing.

Being able to fix it was something else entirely.

 

There were so many times that lines like this could be applied to physical actualities (like fixing a watch) AND to things like relationships. She's a clever author.

 

Page  82: Even if DarLee had something to bequeath other than dysfunction and emotional baggage, Tess wouldn't want it. But if she still held on to anything of Granny's . . . 

 

I know it's not funny, but the way this was worded made me giggle. Tess's mom should not have been a mom. Sometimes we inherit a LOT but it's not of value or what we want. This line also turned out to be a little bit of foreshadowing.

 

Page 90: Why was it so hard to share the more tender parts of her past? He'd be willing to help her work at the snarled threads of her life story if she asked.

(Tess talking with Amos.)

 

Page 91: Until this moment, she hadn't fully appreciated just how generous her clients had been - to share your history was to offer up a piece of yourself. Even if she had something worth sharing, did she have the capacity to let people experience it alongside her?

 

Page 118: What if talking about her hidden past really would set her free? Telling Amos part of her story hadn't been as earth-shattering as her fear tried to convince her it would be. 

(Tess getting ready to share with Shannon.)

 

A huge part of the story was what irritated me the most. Tess was secretive about her past (as a teen and in her childhood!). Yes, I understand why she was secretive, but it got old. She spent so much time lamenting even though she had wonderful people who cared about her. Amos was her mentor. Shannon a co-worker and friend. Ugh. Finally, she told them about Elliot and her real identity.

 

I tagged a couple of pages where I was crabby on Tess' behalf. When Elliot cancelled their hotel room in Amsterdam to stay with a college friend without talking to Tess about it . . . especially when he was trying to rebuild trust with her . . . and then Sanne (the friend) hosting a big party when Tess just wanted to stay in her room and process things . . . This made me so crabby! At least there was yummy food to eat.

 

Page 170-1: "Before it came into his hands, he heard stories from other barracks, whispers about 'the courage watch.' They told him how the men who looked at it rallied their strength when they were weary because it reminded them of their faith."

 

I love how the watch represented courage and hope for so many people, passed from one person to the next. The watch's story was unraveled carefully. The speaker in this scene is Hendrik, the grandson of one of the watch's owners.

 

Page 245: Tess warmed at the kindness in his voice. Through every interaction with the families they'd encountered, Elliot proved he was no longer the careless and reckless boy from their youth.

 

Yes, Elliot proved himself over and over again, but Tess was very wary of him. I should be thankful for my childhood and the trustworthiness of my family and friends.

 

I'm trying not to spoil the story for other readers, but something on page 262 made me too frustrated with Tess / Teresa. I don't mean to discount the horrors of living in an abusive, neglectful home, but her decision to lie about an incident just bugged me. Again, there was something about this story that just didn't work for me.

 

Page 291: For so many years Tess had held tight to her anger, like a constant reminder that the only person she could truly count on was herself.

 

I loved Tess' walk on the beach! I love how Amos had spoken into her life over the years. This book had a very satisfactory ending. 

 

Shop Tails: The Animals Who Help Us Make Things Work

By: Nancy R. Hiller

personal copy, hardcover, 350 pages plus bibliography and info on a cat rescue

Published: 2021

Genre: non-fiction, memoir, pets, woodworking

 

My son and daughter-in-law gave me this book for a birthday or Christmas a few years ago. I started it but set it aside for almost a year and have finally finished it. Before I deal with all my post-it notes, here's an overview:

 

What I loved:

• stories about animals
• stories about woodworking
• beautiful color photos
• her honesty

What I didn't love:

• her messed-up relationships!
• her moving constantly and living like a gypsy
• her allowing some men to dictate her happiness 

 

For different reasons, I didn't love her cancer battle. I appreciate her strength. This book was NOT about her physical well-being. In fact, she alluded to the fact that her chemo-related challenges were not as difficult as what other people have had to deal with. For most of the book, I completely forgot that she had cancer! (Of course, I had to look her up online and found that she died from pancreatic cancer in 2022 at age 63.) 

 

Page 15: For many, my specialist's estimate of four to six months, and maybe two years, holds true. 

 

This instantly made me think of my sister-in-law Nan. When the doctors told her six months, it was as though she decided to go ahead and die in six months. And she did. I appreciate the evaluating that Hiller did - she thought about quality of life, comfort, expense, etc. She wrote very eloquently about her decision-making. Since this was at the start of the book, by the time I picked it up last week to finish reading, I had completely forgotten about this!

 

Page 18: Even after getting the port I reserved the option to cancel chemo at the last minute. I have never enjoyed interactions with the Medical Industrial Complex; I dislike being viewed as a patient, a word derived from the Latin verb for suffering, in the sense of bearing something, or having things done to one, instead of being an agent, one who does the doing.

 

This is something that resonated for me. I strongly dislike the health care system in America. I'm thankful I don't need to deal with it more than I do. I'm a tiny bit curious to dig into the meaning of "patient" myself, but not now. All of my friends who have shared about chemotherapy and its effects have talked about how awful it made them feel.

 

Page 19:  When online patient portal forms malfunction, emails to addresses on the hospital's own website go unanswered and you end up on hold nearly every time you call, trapped in a repeating loop of corporate advertisements and jingles, the claim to value patient engagement rings a little hollow.

 

Yes! I remember writing an angry letter to Fairview asking them how they can call what they do health "care" when they don't seem to care at all. It's maddening!

 

Page 22: The first time our mom caught us in this pointless killing spree she suggested we think about how the ants might feel about being deprived of their lives for no reason other than our entertainment.

 

Hiller is writing about developing empathy. Although I don't have any particular affinity for ants (and I definitely kill any that show up inside my house!), I wish more kiddos got lessons in empathy from their parents.

 

Page 31: Having lived in England for 16 years, I've experienced the realities of a nationalized healthcare system. No system is without its drawbacks, but I would take nationalized health care any day over the administration-heavy, bottom-line focused system we currently have in the U.S. . . . 

 

Again, I agree with her. This is beautifully said. Of course a nationalized system isn't Utopian. But it's better than what we have in the United States (super expensive and hard to get good care without spending a fortune - all while health care and pharmaceutical executives are making money hand over fist).

 

Page 35: In part, I realized, it was because I was raised not to want, but to be grateful for what already was.

 

There's a lot you can say about being content with what you have and having an attitude of gratitude. I think we get in trouble when we use absolutes. Wanting something (material object, travel, relationship) isn't inherently bad. She goes on.

 

Page 36: But you can't really predict what a kid will do with the Buddha's First and Second Noble Truths, which in a nutshell, see all life as suffering, and suffering as a product of selfish desire.

 

Interesting. I contrast that concept with God's Word in John 16:33. Jesus said, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." One of my daughters-in-law is exploring Buddhism. I should ask her about the Noble Truths and why this faith system appeals to her.

 

Page 39: I was dangerously dependent on outside forces, people who expressed their opposition, no less than their approval.

 

When we let others determine our identity and self-worth, it will be troubling.

 

Page 87: Just being in her presence was a joy - she paid attention to us and seemed to appreciate us as people, and she always smelled like her perfume, Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche. What's more, she had a slightly naughty sense of fun.

 

Hiller is talking about her grandmother Esse and visits with her when she lived in London. I want to be a delightful grandma who loves her grandchildren and leaves them with joyful memories.

 

Page 89: I had to pee when I got off the train, but I didn't want to spend the penny to go to the station loo. I decided to wait until I got home.

 

This didn't end well . . . and sadly, I can relate. I've always joked about my "micro-bladder" and peeing a lot. But it's not funny. Birthing three ginormous babies, drinking too much coffee, and aging have made this situation even more relatable. (Though I rarely try to "hold it." I find bathrooms quickly everywhere I go.)

 

Page 130: Bad things happened everywhere.

 

I decided not to include the story of the chapter, with the vulture she tried to rescue and the idea that we didn't have Facebook in the 70s and 80s to let people know we're okay. Just this statement. Yes, bad things happen everywhere. I remember vividly when Jacob Wetterling was abducted. Small town Minnesota. Riding his bike in the day. It was shocking.

 

Page 156: "If you get a dog, I'm out of here," Flynn said. I had a hard time taking him at his word. How could he be so adamant? Dogs are great companions. And puppies are irresistibly cute. Surely if I came home with one, he'd relent.

 

This bothers me on multiple levels, but if you disregard what your partner is saying and do what you want anyhow, you're the jerk. (And yes, I've been the jerk in the past. It's something I try to avoid.) No wonder so many of her relationships didn't work out.

 

Page 172: I winced in the living room, deeply conflicted about the harsh punishment while knowing I'd done William a disservice by failing to give him the kind of training he should have had, and sorry about the injury to Alan's hand.

 

This whole page drove me crazy! I even wrote in the margin. Her partner at the time BEAT the dog William with a 2x4!!! She goes on to say, "Alan was a good man . . . " Sigh. I'm getting mad again just looking at this page.

 

Page 173: Like William, I'm not much of a quitter, at least unless I'm thoroughly convinced that leaving is the right decision. So I doubled down on my efforts to bear the way things were and stayed.

 

Staying in a horrible situation with someone who would beat a dog with a piece of lumber . . . I can't imagine making that choice. It makes me think of what I've read about domestic violence and how abused women struggle to leave. Hiller did eventually leave.

 

Page  175: Already twice-divorced, I had been told repeatedly that I was joyless and unlovable. I was in my mid-40s, an age at which a vast corpus of popular publications assured me I was unlikely to marry again or even have another long-term relationship. I wanted a partner; there was so much in life to share - not just sex, but good food, fires in the woodstove, gardening, walks, books and movies, other friends - and I have always loved the basic mammalian comfort of sleeping next to someone I love and trust.

 

While I share her affinity for having a partner, her many partners frustrated me. Don't be so quick to connect with someone if you aren't confident that you are true partners.

 

Page 184: This would be the last time I betrayed an animal friend because of a man. 

 

It took her long enough! This was still Alan . . . who actively sabotaged the things she loved (like tearing up her carefully tended sunflowers and leaving them to wilt and die). 

 

Page  196: As I thought about that experience over subsequent years, I came to see "things versus people" as a dichotomy that's false and destructive. You can't even have things without people; we're interdependent.

 

She goes on to talk about makers - both craftspeople and factory workers. "Material artifacts are also repositories of memory." This section was wonderful for me to read because I've really been struggling with having too much stuff and wanting to get rid of excess. Although I value people more than things, I spend lots of time dealing with things.

 

Page 211: That summer, Mark asked if I'd like to move in with him and Jonas.

 

As soon as I read this I thought, "Oh no! Not another one!" But Mark was a keeper, a truly good guy.

 

Page 229: Over his 12-1/2 years Louis met many dogs and performed sophisticated psychological operations on them all. He'd crouch beneath a truck or around a corner, then leap out with a startling cry. He ignored any dog that wanted to play, walking past with regal nonchalance, then surreptitiously batting at the poor sap's leg or tail to get its attention. When the dog perked up - Oh! You want to play? - Louis's eyes glazed over and he moved on. 

 

That's such a cat thing to do! I love how she wrote this. Most chapters were titled by the main animal(s) in her life at the time.  Binky, Oscar, Winnie, Lucy . . . When I was reading chapter 18, I had to go back to see what the heading was. "Missing in Action." Heart-breaking.

 

Page 254: Henny, though, was something else. Alarmed by the viciousness of the attack, I thought she was the one who should be euthanized. Mark was adamantly opposed.

 

This section was scary to read. To have a dog that could fly into a fury and cause damage to other animals or people? Scary. It reminded me of my son's dog Otto. Otto could be so incredibly sweet and well-behaved, but could switch to insane attack at a moment's notice. I called it doing a "Jeckyll / Hyde."  

 

Without completely spoiling the book for another reader (STOP HERE IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS!), chapter 18 is about her coming home to find her stepson, Jonas, dead. Pages 301-305 are especially harrowing. This scenario could happen to any of us. It turns out he had been trying the "choking" fad and was conducting a scientific experiment. He didn't commit suicide; he miscalculated the way his body would go when he passed out. Heart-breaking. Desiring an altered state of consciousness - alcohol, drugs, sniffing, choking . . . they're all dangerous.

 

Page 307: But at home he would spend hours by the fire, writing in his journal, reading poetry and weeping.

 

Mark's grief was deep and real. Losing a child changes your existence - I've observed that in others. I don't want to experience it ever!

 

Page 307: I get the concept of toxic positivity, but what I did next doesn't qualify. Mark needed a good shaking-up.

 

I've certainly been guilty of "toxic positivity," but I'm trying to be more sensitive to where others are at and what they need most.

 

Page 307: Sometimes a simple shift in perspective is capable of altering the world; it doesn't erase the damage or the pain, and it certainly can't prevent death, but it can offer a kind of freedom - the freedom to see opportunity amid loss and hardship. While a shift in perspective is no substitute for action to minimize avoidable risks, right injustice and address the world's sometimes-overwhelming ills, it strikes me as a critical component in any kind of healing.

 

Yes, considering your perspective and your options is freeing.

 

Page 314: When you think about it, it's a miracle that anyone reaches adulthood. Tragedy can strike any family. Why don't we, as a culture, talk about this more?

 

If I hazarded a guess, it would be that most people avoid talking about unpleasant topics. And tragedies are unpleasant.

 

Page 330: No, I conclude: it seems indisputably better to have the chance to face seemingly unbearable loss alongside those we love. This, too, is related to a sense of agency: Anything can happen. We have only so much control over events themselves, but we can usually control how we respond.

 

This is so true - we cannot control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond.  

 

I appreciate Hiller's honesty in sharing her stories. She loved many pets and people and made beautiful wood furniture. She wrote books and articles.  

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

By: Heather Morris

Libby audiobook 7 hours

Read by:  Richard Armitage

Published: 2017 (this version 2018)

Genre: historical fiction, WWII

 

This was both horrific and beautiful. Any book dealing with WWII and the Holocaust will naturally examine some of the most awful human behavior throughout history. It's hard to listen to the things that Mengele and the Nazis did to other human beings. That said, this book is very well-written.

 

Since I was listening while I drove, I made very few notes. Apparently, this book has been made into a series . . . like television? This book was written based on interviews with Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov. It was weird to have it be a love story because of the setting, but it's kind of nice that he found love and it sustained him.

 

Listening to it, I thought Lale sounded like "Lah - lay" and Tätowierer (German word for tattooist) sounded like "Tatt - oh - vee - air - ay."  Armitage's vocal work was excellent - German, French, distinguishing between different characters . . . just stellar.

 

Aaron pulling him off the death cart! And then being disappeared. Victor and Yuri and the smuggling ring. French Tätowierer selecting him, then Lale choosing Leon. So many horrible, cruel things. 

 

One thing that stood out for me was when Lale talked about valuing books and the German guard dismissing books and reading as pointless and unnecessary. It made me think of our current POTUS and his disdain for books and learning.  

 

In some ways, the story seemed too good to be true. Lale managed to get out of "hopeless" situations. He and his sweetheart both survived the camps. I'm glad I read this, but some people object to how certain situations and places were described. For me, the idea that human beings can do such evil is a cautionary tale. And I do like a happy ending.

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Volume 2

By: Beth Brower

Libby audiobook  5 hours

Read by: Genevieve Gaunt 

Published: 2019 (this version 2025)

Genre: historical fiction

 

I love this series so much! Each volume is short. I've listened to it and have a print version on hold at the library. The narrator does a lovely job, but I just want to pore over the words. I may write a fan letter to the author!

 

In this one, Emma establishes a communication and even friendship with "the renter." She makes what I think of as a "deal with the devil" in agreeing to trade favors with the duplicitous Jack. They make a daring rescue of Jane Eyre from the school Emma went to. 

 

Just a delightful story and I'll add to this entry after I read the print version.