Glucose Revolution: The life-changing power of balancing your blood sugar

By: Jessie Inchauspé

Scott County Library hardcover 224 pages plus acknowledgements, notes, and index

Published: 2022

Genre: non-fiction, nutrition

 

This book was recommended to me by an alternative-health person I met this summer. My blood sugar numbers have been creeping up and I do NOT want to have another medication to take, so I decided to read this. The cover also has the blurb "Lose weight, stop cravings, get your energy back, and still eat what you love."

 

I know myself well enough to know that I am not ready to radically change my eating habits. I do, however, want to make healthier choices and avoid being prescribed more medications than I'm already taking. So here are the "takeaways" from this book. (The author wore a glucose monitor and wrote a lot about glucose "spikes" and how our body deals with them. It's worth reading and thinking about.)

 

Page 16: Starch, fiber, fructose, and sucrose - the various forms glucose can take - exist thanks to photosynthesis. 

 

I'm not sure why I marked this, but thinking about food in terms of these "types" and knowing how our bodies process, store, and burn glucose was interesting.

 

Hack 1 - Eat Foods in the Right Order  

 

Page  73: What is the right order? It's fiber first, protein and fat second, starches and sugars last.

 

This is something I'm trying to start. When it's reasonable, I'm getting veggies into me, then protein, then other stuff. Work in progress. A few times, I've done celery with peanut butter before eating my meal.

 

Hack 2 - Add a Green Starter to All Your Meals

 

This . . . just won't happen. ALL my meals? Again, when reasonable, I'll have a green veggie before the rest of my meal. (Salad first is how I grew up, but only at some dinner meals.) 

 

Hack 3 - Stop Counting Calories

 

Page 104: In any case, calories measure heat generated, nothing else.

Page 104: One hundred calories of fructose, 100 calories of glucose, 100 calories of protein, and 100 calories of fat may release the same amount of heat when they burn, but they have vastly different effects on your body. Why? Because they are different molecules.

 

This section made me think of the Eat This, Not That books. It makes a lot of sense that calories only aren't as important as how your body uses what you eat. I remember when I started tracking my food in 2016 - would I rather have a sugar cookie at work or consume those calories in a glass of red wine that evening? Making conscious choices about what to eat is helpful.

 

Hack 4 - Flatten Your Breakfast Curve

 

Page 123: Eating takes longer than drinking. Second, in a whole piece of fruit, sugar is always accompanied by fiber. As I explained earlier, fiber significantly reduces the spike caused by any sugar we eat.

 

Page 123: The more denatured a fruit is, the worse it is for us. An apple is better for us than applesauce, which is better for us than apple juice. Essentially, as soon as it's juiced, dried, candied, canned, or turned to jam, you should think of fruit as dessert, just as you would a slice of cake.

 

Although I completely understand what she's saying here, I think for those of us who easily tend toward unhealthy eating habits, even fruit juice or dried fruit is preferable to a candy bar or doughnut. I love that she advocates for a savory breakfast. I much prefer bacon and eggs to pancakes or cereal!

 

Page 133: A good rule of thumb for a smoothie: don't put more fruit into the blender than you could eat whole in one sitting.

 

Hack 5 - Have Any Type of Sugar You Like - They're All the Same

 

Page 147: . . . remember, sweetness activates the addiction center in our brain. The more we eat it, the more we want it.

 

I didn't used to be a "sweet tooth" person, but I find myself eating more candy and sweet treats the last few years than I used to . . . and I'd like to change that.  

 

Hack 6 - Pick Dessert Over a Sweet Snack

 

I think she talked about saving that sweet snack for after your next meal. Eat it as a dessert instead of snacking on it between meals. 

 

Hack 7 - Reach for Vinegar Before You Eat

 

Page 159: What researchers found was that by adding vinegar before meals for three months, the subjects lost two to four pounds and reduced their visceral fat, waist and hip measurements, and triglyceride levels.

 

I'm not a big fan of vinegar, but I think this is one hack I will try. Once a day instead of every meal, but a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a big glass of water is worth trying.

 

Page 166: You shouldn't experience any negative side effects as long as you stick to drinkable vinegar - i.e., vinegar with 5 percent acidity (cleaning vinegar has 6 percent acidity, so if it's next to the mops and toilet paper at the supermarket, don't drink it!).

 

I didn't even think about the variability of acidity in different vinegars! Now I want to check and see what I have in my house.

 

Hack 8 - After You Eat, Move

 

Sometimes I'm good about this and other times (too often) I just sit on the sofa.  Going for a walk is much better for my body. This is a habit I could definitely work on.

 

Hack 9 - If You Have to Snack, Go Savory 

 

Again, I like savory, so this is good! I'm just going to throw a pic from page 186 here for ideas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hack 10 - Put Some Clothes on Your Carbs

 

This was about eating "on the go." So if you're having a brownie, ask for some Greek yogurt on it. Or add nuts to your cookie dough. She had a lot of ideas, but I don't think anything really inspired me here. Or maybe I was just already thinking about doing some of the earlier hacks.

 

Cheat Sheets - How to Be a Glucose Goddess When Things Get Hard 

 

She has an instagram account called the Glucose Goddess. She shared some people's testimonials about how her hacks have helped them. This book is worth reading if you're curious, like me. And / or your blood sugar is of concern. She's careful to say that you should consult with your doctor if you have diabetes and are taking insulin. It's well-written and I want to try some of these things. Basically, I am starting with eating more veggies. (A trip to the Farmer's Market was a good thing for me to do last Saturday.) 

 

 

The September Society

By: Charles Finch

Libby audiobook 

Read by: James Langton

Published: 2008 (this version 2011)

Genre: historical murder mystery

Charles Lenox Mystery #2 

 

Right from the get-go I did not enjoy this book as much as the first one. The story opens with British soldiers in India and a reference to the "darkies." I know that it's historically accurate, but Lysander and Juniper and their actions are darker spiritually than the people they're denigrating. Then, too, the story made me think immediately of Sherlock Holmes and the Sign of Four. 

 

My random notes include:

• Most of the story is just traveling back and forth from London to Oxford. Why?! 
• Who are all these people?! Dabney, Goodson, . . . I wasn't listening that well . . .  
• McConnell & Toto marriage troubles . . . baby does not necessarily equal happiness! 
• Dithering over asking Jane to marry him! Just ask her! 
• ballistics - history? 

 

It was an interesting murder mystery but much too convoluted for me. I'm not going to request book #3 at this point . . . but I may continue on in the series later. 

Remarkably Bright Creatures

By: Shelby Van Pelt

Libby audiobook 11 hours

Read by:  Marin Ireland and Michael Urie

Published: 2022

Genre: mostly realistic fiction

 

What an engaging story! I loved Tova, the strong-though-tiny widow who cleans at the aquarium. I really liked the octopus Marcellus (and the vocal work of Urie) even though he came across as supercilious at times. Cameron was a bit too much of a deadbeat for me . . . though he got better as the story went on.

 

I was surprised to see that it's being made into a movie . . . and also that this is Van Pelt's debut novel. It was interesting to think about Tova's life - her Swedish father building the house she lived in, her husband's illness and death, the loss of their son Eric at age 18 . . . the author did a nice job making connections throughout the book.

 

For some reason, I really liked the Grateful Dead t-shirt part of the book. I really disliked Tova's "KnitWit" girlfriends, especially Barb. I wish the author had described some aspects of the characters lives in more depth. Aunt Jean was quirky, to say the least. And Ethan's back story seemed slim. But overall, a very delightful book. Marcellus' chapters really enhanced the story. 

 

I found a scrap of paper after I posted this six days ago. Nothing big, but I wanted to note that Cameron's band was "Moth Sausage," and I loved that Ethan found a shirt with their logo. Early on, I had noted "loser" by Cameron's name. I just didn't like him even though his bio mom had dumped him on her sister, his Aunt Jean. It's hard to have empathy for someone who is a lazy slob with a "poor me" attitude. Tova, on the other hand, was amazing. Interesting how things turn around. 

The Brunswick

By: Callie Murray

Dakota County library paperback 340 pages plus author's note and acknowledgements

Published: 2026

Genre: Christian historical fiction, WWII

 

I didn't make it to the book club discussion last night but I really enjoyed this book. Set in Norcross, Georgia in 1939 and Austria (same time), this first-time novelist really crafted an engaging story. Cora is the protagonist who grew up at the Brunswick, a fancy hotel built by her father after he returned from WWI with his French bride. Alas, Cora's mother left and her father fell into a deep depression. Cora struggles to keep the hotel afloat in the aftermath of the Great Depression.

 

Page 72: What would life look like if her mother hadn't left them? If the financial crash hadn't happened? If her father hadn't served in the war?

She could write a thousand different stories, but the truth was they were living just this one.

 

I flagged this passage because I think most people have had times where they've asked the "what if" questions. It can be interesting to think of how life might have turned out differently, but it isn't productive. Looking ahead at options and choices will be more fruitful than looking back.

 

Page 87: Adults hid their expressions like a secret, while children shared theirs so freely, like little gifts.

 

This made me chuckle, because I tend to show my thoughts and feelings quite freely (like a little child) even though I'm sixty! I've always called it NOT having a good poker face.

 

Page 107: "New York strips for all of us. Medium."

 

This was an odd thing for me to flag, but I strongly dislike the idea of anyone ordering other people's food at a restaurant without consulting them! It really makes me crabby! Granted, Billie as a character was dramatic and  forthright, but she just made me mad with this comment at a restaurant while out with best friend Cora and their beaus.

 

Page 124: "Opening the hotel to the children is the right thing to do, so I'm going to do it," she said with fresh resolve. "And I'm going to trust that it's like you say, Evelyn. Surely my father will understand."

 

Cora and her father did not communicate. For her to make major decisions (like opening the Brunswick to dozens of German Jewish children) without even trying to talk with him about it seemed risky. I kept waiting for him to go completely off the deep end. Her blithe attitude belied an undercurrent of tremendous concern.

 

Page 172:  Billie's jaw dropped and Cora clarified, "Not that exciting."

 

I'm not going to explain the entire conversational context here, but this was a lovely scene between best friends as Billie has just experienced her honeymoon night and Cora and Thomas are starting a romance.

 

Page 206: Cora and Thomas had both learned that if life was just a pursuit of happiness, they were destined to profound disappointment. 

But if life were about love, they could find victory, even in the worst of times.

Even grief was a testament to love.

 

This is really key for me. I want to be a faithful Christ follower and not just pursue my own desires. So many people seem to make decisions based purely on their own personal happiness / wants. That isn't fulfilling. I want to live for eternity while still enjoying the blessings of the here and now. (I can hear Louie saying, "You want it all, Jeanne.") God's still working on me!

 

Page 214: It was one thing to wrestle with fear yourself. It was much harder to wrestle the fears of another.

 

It's interesting that such an observation would come from Charlotte, a child. But some children are quite perceptive. She wants to alleviate her parents' worries and the other children's worries . . . but cannot.

 

Page 232: Nobody understands what one is experiencing, she agreed. Sometimes least of all the one experiencing it.

 

This reminds me of the importance of empathy. I may not really know or understand what you're going through, but I care about you and I see your struggle. In this scene, they're waiting for the children to get off the train. Cora wonders what the children are feeling as they come to a safe place but without their parents, and in a strange world with a different language.

 

Page 234: "Worry is a waste of the time we have left."

 

John (the father of Dean, Thomas, and Anders) says this to Cora. He has seen his wife sicken and die from ALS. He has been ostracized because of his German heritage. He has seen troubles befall his sons. But he shares this wisdom with Cora. Scripture says a lot about not worrying!

 

Page 251: It seemed that joy and sorrow weren't on opposite ends of a pole as she once thought. Instead, they felt like circles that often intersected.

 

Cora was a wonderful protagonist with strengths and flaws. I really like this observation. I, too, can laugh and cry in a short span of time.

 

Page 279: He pulled up a watermelon deep from the dirt and . . . 

 

What?! Watermelons don't grow "deep" in the dirt! This stopped me short. A watermelon isn't a carrot.

 

Page 286: . . . John had experienced so much heartache, yet, unlike her own father, he hadn't succumbed to it. Even in the midst of the current hardships, he seemed to be coming back to life again, sprouting after a long winter.

 

Cora's observations about John and her own father don't leave her bitter. She is wondering about the difference and marveling at John's recovery from deep grief.

 

Page 289: "Look, people will always fear what they don't know. The only remedy I've found is just to get to know the unknown."

 

I love Meredith! True salt of the earth, that woman. She certainly takes life in stride.

 

Page 296: Peace emanated from her, filled the room.

How did she manage?

Hope. He heard the word as if it were whispered.

 

When Thomas is being interrogated by the Nazis, he thinks back to his mother as she was suffering and dying. Her example gave him strength.

 

Page 299: She had never understood his patterns - awake all evening, asleep all day. But now for the first time, she could understand how one's mind could work at a different pace as one's body, how they could depend on each other so fully yet let each other down all the same.

 

I like this both for Cora gaining a better understanding of her father and for the concept that our minds and bodies don't always cooperate with one another! It can be maddening to be exhausted and need sleep, but to have your mind running around keeping you awake.

 

Page 307: What could victory even look like in this broken paradigm? Thomas and these children were now free of the Nazis' threat, but the emotional war was just beginning. Fear had given way to guilt and grief, tempered only by the occasional rush of thankfulness, of joy.

Cora watched Ben's face as he felt the blow of each of these, a crushing wave one after another.

Grief and gratitude, like the tides.

 

Freedom is a powerful thing. To be free in your mind and soul isn't the same as being physically free in your body.

 

Page 325: Time had been Cora's enemy, a relentless force that was always far too fast or too slow. 

 

Cora is learning to live in the moment. But this idea that time in an enemy is interesting . . . time is just time. But when "time flies when you're having fun" and it seems to crawl when you want to move on. . . . time can seem to be an entity unto itself. 

 

Page 329: "Dignity's like a lightning rod, it seems."

 

Thomas has "woken" Cora's dad from his stupor. I'm not sure this is a very realistic scenario for someone who's been sunk in a depressive stupor for years, but this comment has some truth to it. As a woman, I need to be more cognizant of how men view "help" from women. It's too easy to have an emasculating effect on men when you are a strong, determined woman.

In her author's note, Murray wrote several things that caught my attention. This novel was partially based upon the real-life story of Eleanor and Gilbert Kraus as told in their granddaughter Liz Perle's book and film 50 Children: The Rescue Mission of Mr. and Mrs. Kraus. I really want to see this! I've requested the book from the library. It appears that the documentary can be watched on YouTube.

 

The author also wrote about how elements of Cora's life paralleled her own. She also struggled with weakness in her hands and tremors, feared ALS, and found that a stomach infection had caused a malabsorption of nutrients. "So much of what we felt we had lost was returned to us, but that experience was intensely formative. 'Open hands' became our mantra." The image of open hands, ready to receive, was a beautiful part of this book.

 

This woman is so amazing! I love how she wove so many different elements into this story without it becoming cluttered or overdone. I really wish I'd been at book club last night. And I hope Murray writes more books! 

 

 

Why Men Hate Going to Church

By: David Murrow

personal paperback 223 pages plus notes

Published: 2011 ("completely revised & updated" from 2005)

Genre: non-fiction, theology, Christianity, church

 

I'm not sure when, why, or how I got this book, but I was interested enough to keep reading it before donating it. Theology isn't my thing, yet I love to learn and be challenged in my thinking. (Okay, I don't *love* being challenged in my thinking, yet I also don't want to retreat to being in an echo chamber of only consuming those ideas that confirm my existing ideas.)

 

I am definitely not the target audience for this book (pastors are), but it was written in a very accessible manner. Raised by a feminist mother, some of his writing was extremely off-putting for me but I do understand the points he's making.

 

Page 71: During the late 1960s, young hippies began turning to Jesus. They went to church but found the music to be a real bummer. Old-fashioned hymns didn't connect with kids who had grown up listening to the Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater, the Beatles, and Janis Joplin.

 

Although I was just a little kid when this was going on, it immediately made me think of my sister Ann going to the Jesus People Church in the 1970s. His history lesson is fascinating. I didn't realize that Amy Grant was a big breakthrough artist for Christian music. I just remember liking her music.

 

Page 90: But the average man lacks the churchgoing skills that come naturally to many women.

I'm not talking about spirituality. I'm referring to the mundane, practical abilities that allow a person to function at a high level in a gathering of Christians. Women are just better at "doing church" than men are, because the rules of church favor women.

 

He talks about listening, sociability, verbal fluency, etc. It's interesting. He's careful to make clear that not all women have these strengths nor do all men lack them. In general, modern churches are more geared to women than men. 

 

Page 116:  And boys must have a chance to win - or they become discouraged and quit.

"Win" in Sunday school? You didn't realize it was a competition, did you?

With guys, everything is a competition. And here's the kicker: generally, men will only compete at things they're somewhat good at. If they have no chance of winning, they simply don't play.

 

Human nature . . . we need to think about these things. What's the goal? 

 

Page 120: And thanks to the way we portray Jesus in Sunday school, Christ has become a childish thing. 

 

He talks about the difference between boys and girls and how Jesus is "marketed" in Sunday school curriculum. When boys become teens, they reject the "softness" of Jesus. Again, interesting. A lot of this made me miss the Royal Rangers program at our church. It was wonderful to have godly men teaching boys to be strong followers of Jesus doing "manly" things.

 

Page 127: Together these efforts came to be known as the Muscular Christianity movement.

 

Another history lesson here. He is referring to the 1800s when George Williams started the YMCA. He writes that "Muscular Christianity was a direct assault on Puritan notions of piety." I like that he adds context for his observations and comments.

 

Page 129: And today, with only six hundred thousand members, the Salvation Army sponsors missions in one hundred nations and helps more needy people than every other denomination combined.

 

Wow. That's an amazing statistic (if it's true . . . for over a decade ago). It makes me think of some people's dislike of the Salvation Army because of their not supporting LGBTQ people. I cannot throw stones because I don't do nearly enough myself to help people . . . I ring a bell at a kettle each year because I know it helps raise more money to help more people.

 

Page 135: On its face, this strategy sounds radical (or sexist). But Christ did the same thing. He did not recruit a diverse group of men, women, and children. Instead, he focused like a laser on a homogenous group of twelve guys. Men like Simon Peter became the "rock" upon which he built his church. Diversity and increase came later.

 

Looking to Jesus' example makes a lot of sense. I'm too quick to look at situations through my own lens - sixty year old Minnesota woman in 2026 - and sometimes I need to work to look at other perspectives. And I most definitely need to look at what Jesus said and did. God's wisdom doesn't just dwarf my understanding; it eclipses it! (Actually, those two things are so completely different that they can't really be compared at all.)

 

Page  160: Men give up their weekends to come to church. You'd better tell them why they came. Don't be afraid to ask something great of them. Give the men a specific assignment for the week.

 

The author offers three suggestions for involving men in lessons. Teach by personal experience, stir the pot in discussions, and issue a clear call to action. He shares a conversation between Abraham Lincoln and a companion after a sermon. After Lincoln praises it as "brilliantly conceived, relevant, and well presented," his companion declares it as a great sermon. Lincoln replied that it was not great because Dr. Gurley had not asked anything of them. Whether true or not, this story is a good illustration of sermons needing to challenge us not just entertain or inform us.

 

Page 165: When Christ called disciples, he did not say, "Come, have a personal relationship with me." No, he simply said, "Follow me." Hear the difference? Follow me suggests a mission. A goal. But a personal relationship with Jesus suggest we're heading to Starbucks for some couple time.

 

He makes this point quite a few times. I've sometimes wondered about the romantic-sounding language of some worship songs. How does it feel for guys to sing them about another guy? He goes with a favorite movie analogy - his wife's is a romance; his is action adventure.

 

Page 166: The gospel is the story of a courageous man who is out to save the world against impossible odds. And he is recruiting agents to join him. He is calling you to risk everything to come under his command. And when the mission is over, a precious reward awaits. That's the message men crave.

 

Again, the author is careful with painting such a broad brush over gender differences and individuals. But a lot of what he's writing makes sense. This would be an interesting discussion book for a church group. 

 

Page 197: Nothing in Scripture suggests that long prayers are better than short ones. The Bible recommends consistency and frequency, not length.

 

Prayer! Such a vital part of life. And again, following Jesus' example is better than coming up with our own ideas of how to do things.

 

Page  202: Herb Reese of New Commandment Men's Ministries takes a group of four men and places a widow or single mother under their care. Once a month the men do handyman projects around her house, work on her car, help her balance her checkbook, whatever she needs.

 

I love stuff like this! Herb says, "For a lot of men, this is the first time they really understand the love of Christ. It's practical love. It's something guys can talk about on Monday morning with their coworkers." Such a cool ministry! To the women who need some help and to the men who get the chance to serve. Love it! (Though there's no way I want some other person balancing my checkbook. Come on, girl! Do the math.) This is in a section about how to minister to men. The topics are: give men opportunities to use their skills and gifts, give men a path to walk or a ladder to climb, give men external focus, give men big projects that capture their imaginations, give men adventure, deploy men in servant evangelism, don't keep what your church is doing a secret, charge men money, offer personal invitations to church, recognize the importance of entry and exit points, and make sure that they're also being discipled.

 

Page 213: Women bond face-to-face, whereas men bond side by side. Masculine friendships form while guys are doing something else. Like trying to beat each other to the hoop. Or fishing. Or working on cars. 

 

This made me think of one of the teacher training scenarios I had about dealing with difficult students. Work side by side with them rather than facing them. It's easier for students who are struggling (or have a hard time with authority figures) to communicate side by side. Good to remember!

 

Page 220: There seem to be fewer "Jesus is my boyfriend" songs being sung in church these days.

 

This made me giggle, but I understand what he's saying. Again, this book was written in 2005 and revised in 2011, so it's kind of old. But some of his points make perfect sense. 

 

Page 221: The changes at Grace Methodist were immediate. First, Jenn adjusted her language. "As I write liturgy and prayers and sermons, I'm thinking, How would a guy like a bricklayer, a farmer, a mechanic, or a line worker hear this?" She began using more masculine metaphors and illustrations that males could relate to.

 

This example at the end of the book heartened me. Earlier in the book, he basically said that there shouldn't be women pastors. But then he writes about Rev. Dr. Jennifer Wilson and her experience at her church in LaSalle, Illinois. Very cool way to end the book. 

 

I'm ready to donate this, but I'd love to find someone for whom this is the right book at the right time . . . 

 

A Beautiful Blue Death

By: Charles Finch

Libby ebook 

Published: 2007

Genre: historical detective mystery

Charles Lenox Mysteries book 1 

 

This author writes the kind of detective mystery I enjoy! Set in London in the 1860s, Charles Lenox is a well-to-do gentleman who solves mysteries that come his way. Even though the book auto-returned an hour ago, Libby just let me re-open it. I started to just share impressions (below) and will now add in my highlighted portions.

 

I loved Lenox's love of comfort! Sitting in front of a fire with warm, dry feet sounds lovely. The bit about the boots and Skraggs' recommendation was a nice touch.

 

Chapter 1: What bliss was there to compare to a warm fire, fresh socks, and buttered toast on a cold day!

 

There were more passages like this. It just made me feel warm and cozy to think of coming in from the cold and sitting by the fire. Bliss.

 

Lenox has good people in his life - his neighbor and childhood friend Lady Jane, his brother Edmund, his friend Dr. McConnell, his valet / butler / friend Graham . . . I loved the characters in this story.

 

Chapter 1: Lenox hadn't changed, in his own estimation; and yet of course he had, as all men do.

 

Yes, we all change over time. Hopefully for the better! I liked the character of Charles Lenox. 

 

Classic mystery elements - clues, suspects, danger - all here.

 

Introduction: Italo Calvino once said that the boredom of childhood is different, richer, and more special than the boredom of adulthood, "full of dreams, a sort of projection into another place, another reality."

 

In the introduction, I got to know a little about the author and what led to the creation of this character and book series. I love that he wrote, "I got there through reading, as surely as the Pevensies got to Narnia through the wardrobe;" His love of reading and his imagination have really taken him places!

 

Chapter 31: This was also a time when the symbolism of flowers was in great vogue, and all the young girls carried bouquets with private meanings.

 

This was fun! It made me think of Enola Holmes and The Language of Flowers and other books that have this flower language "thing."  

 

Chapter 49: . . . the boys were outside to play a complex ongoing game, which nobody but them could understand.

 

This made me think of Calvinball (Calvin and Hobbes) and also the games my sons would play. Fun to have bits like this in a murder mystery. 

 

I'm kind of surprised that I only heard of this author recently. I wonder if British readers enjoy his books. Finch had never been to England when he wrote this! I've already reserved book 2 in the series. 

A Wrinkle in Time

By: Madeline L'Engle

Libby audiobook 6 hours

Read by: Hope Davis

Published: 1962 (this version 2012)

Genre: children's / young adult fantasy

 

I'm a little surprised that I didn't already have an entry for this title . . . I first read it in the 1970s as a child. I've read it since then at least twice and perhaps have listened to an audiobook version. I honestly can't remember if I've seen a movie version . . . but I can't imagine any movie could really do it justice.

 

Meg Murry is an odd duck who is good with numbers and loves her little brother Charles Wallace. She loves "the twins" as well, but they don't play much of a role in the story. They are "normal" active boys while she and her baby brother don't fit in well. 

 

After writing that paragraph, I realized that if you need a summary of the book, you should just look elsewhere. Here are some of the things that jumped out at me on this listening:

 

1. I loved the foreward by Madeline L'Engle herself. It was lovely to hear her voice. It's interesting that she had so much trouble getting this published! Publishers told her it was too complex for children, but she was reading it to her own children (7, 10, and 12) and they loved it! Fascinating.

 

2. I didn't remember it having so many Biblical references! Wow. Very interesting that in her granddaughter's afterword, she said some accused her grandmother of writing a book of witchcraft and others accused her of writing Christian propaganda! I loved the references and they endeared the book to me that much more.

 

3. The reader did a delightful job with the vocal work and emotional tone of the story. 

 

I was familiar with Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Which, and Mrs. Who (though I'm not sure why the "Mrs." part is in their names). I remember Camazotz, the Thing, and tesseracts. I had forgotten about the Happy Medium, Ixchel, and Aunt Beast. This was an enjoyable listen.

 

Introduction - by film director Ava DuVernay

Foreword - by the author, read by her

Text - by the author, read by Hope Davis

Afterword - by Charlotte Jones Voiklis (L'Engle's granddaughter) 

Sunrise on the Reaping (a Hunger Games novel)

By: Suzanne Collins

Libby ebook  27 chapters plus epilogue

Published: 2025

Genre: YA dystopian

 

When I told Louie what I was reading ("It's about when Haymitch Abernathy was in the Hunger Games for the fiftieth anniversary."), he said, "Well, you know he makes it out." True! As I read this, I pictured a young Woody Harrelson. It seems that a movie is in production and will be out in November of this year. It's weird to picture Ralph Fiennes as a young Donald Sutherland . . . 

 

Chapter 3: "Stress the positive, ignore the negative," says Plutarch.

 

Even though Haymitch doesn't know if Plutarch Heavensbee is for him or against him at this point, the advice is for his benefit. Plutarch's trying to portray the four contestants from District 12 in as positive a light as possible. Again, I kept picturing a young version of Philip Seymour Hoffman . . . apparently, the movies have left images in my brain. I like when Maysilee says, "Like when our shop calls stale marshmallows 'chewy.' And then charges an extra penny for them." That's putting a positive (but dishonest) spin on things.

 

Chapter 6: "We never, none of us, had any choices."

 

Maysilee is pointing out that the children of District 12 were destined to become what their family status made them. She claimed she would have spent the rest of her life behind the candy counter and Haymitch would die wearing miner's coveralls. Choice is interesting . . . we all have choices, but sometimes just accepting the status quo makes the most sense. The boy whose name was called first chose to run, but he only escaped being part of the Hunger Games.

 

I loved the connections between this book and the original trilogy! Wiress and Mags are their mentors, since 12 doesn't have surviving victors. Beetee shows up in the training room. I like how Collins has created a world that we can visit and people we "know."

 

Chapter 8: "I still don't think the fear they inspire justifies this arrangement we've all entered into. Do you?"

 

It really isn't fair for Plutarch to ask these kids such a question. He has money, position, and power. Their fear is well-founded. A rebellion may be something to aspire to in unjust circumstances, but when you've seen people tortured and killed for standing their ground, there's reason to fear.

 

Chapter 9:  Then she remembered she'd read that sometimes the only thing you can control is your attitude to a situation.

 

Haymitch is thinking of something Lenore Dove told him when she was arrested by Peacekeepers. She was afraid, but remembering the above convinced her to NOT be afraid.

 

Chapter 13 has Caesar Flickerman giving a "brief retrospective of the other forty-nine Games." It's an interesting history, but doesn't give enough info on how this all got started. I'm pretty sure that's in Mockingjay, but I'm not up for a re-read right now. The phrase "...the Games evolved from pure punishment to unapologetic entertainment" caught my attention. How does violence become entertainment? (This is from someone who cannot watch boxing or WWE-type stuff . . . )

 

Chapter 14: Sometimes she cries because things are so beautiful and we keep messing them up. Because the world doesn't have to be so terrifying. That's on people, not the world.

 

Lenore Dove is truly Haymitch's sweetheart. She's like a touchstone for him.  

 

Chapter 14: He sighs when he mentions the tools that were abolished and incapacitated in the past, ones deemed fated to destroy humanity because of their ability to replicate any scenario using any person.

 

This refers to Plutarch Heavensbee doing some video editing, but the allusion to our current-day AI slop . . . is chilling. It's getting tougher to know what photos, videos, etc. are "real" and which are manipulated.

 

Chapter 20: Mamaw used to say you never really knew who'd swim in a flood.

 

I love that Haymitch thinks of this homey aphorism when he sees how resilient Maysilee has been. There are others like this throughout the book. And LOTS of song verses / poems.

 

Chapter 23: I feel like I constantly demonstrate poor judgment. I don't feel qualified to choose between fried or scrambled eggs.

 

I can relate to this! And I smiled at the egg comparison.

 

Chapter 25: I have no idea how my efforts have been edited, blacked out, and card-stacked.

 

Haymitch sees first hand during the Victor's Ceremony that the Capitol has curated their own version of the truth.

 

Epilogue: Burdock was so proud of her, he toted her around everywhere. After he died in that mine explosion, she started coming alone, trading the odd squirrel or rabbit. Tough and smart, her hair in two braids then, reminding me for all the world of Louella McCoy. . . 

 

I love that the story of Haymitch ends with his best friend's child being Katniss Everdeen! The way Collins wrote this is impressive.