I Must Betray You

by Ruta Sepetys

Scott County Library hardcover 310 pages with author note

Published: 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction

Sepetys is one of my favorite authors! She is simply amazing every time. Here are my personal rankings of her books:

Fountains of Silence

Out of the Easy

Between Shades of Gray

I Must Betray You

Salt to the Sea

Putting this title in fourth place is *not* indicative of a less fantastic novel, though. Quite the contrary! Her writing is so extraordinary that they are ALL amazing books! And I learn something with each one I read.

Betray is set in 1980s Romania. Right away, I thought about what I was doing in that time period and if I had any awareness of the geopolitical issues at that time. I was pretty wrapped up in myself, getting married, having my first baby, graduating from college . . . Inconceivable what my contemporaries in Romania were enduring as their "going about life." (I do remember Nadia Comaneci defecting . . . but had to Google it to see that it was in 1989 right before the revolution.)

Sepetys does a LOT of research (her bibliography is very impressive!) but she writes interesting stories with characters who draw you in and make you care. The pervasive spying and informing people lived with . . . who's watching, listening, telling? If you can get in trouble for any little infraction, how do you live life in the midst of suspicion and fear? Sepetys very effectively creates this reality.

Page 14 - "Night pooled with a scattering of clouds. The sky slung black and empty of light. Tall, ashen buildings towered together on each side of the street, lording over me. Living in Bucharest was like living inside a black-and-white photo. Life in cold monochrome. You knew that color existed somewhere beyond the city's palette of cement and charcoal, but you couldn't get there - beyond the gray. Even my guilt tasted gray, like I had swallowed a fistful of soot."

 

Although this description is of something so ugly, I love her evocative use of words!

 

Page 41 - "I often think about that moment, reliving its perfection in my head. Liliana. A real Coke. Banana shampoo. Sometimes we don't recognize life's perfect moments. Until it's too late."

 

So true! I try to take time to appreciate life's moments even when they're not momentous. An attitude of gratitude isn't just a platitude!

 

Page 57 - "Cici nodded slowly, suspicious. 'Just remember, Pui, good luck comes at a price. Bad luck is free.'"

 

Cici is our protagonist's older sister. Her pet name of "Pui" for Cristian Florescu means "little chick." The relationship between these two really drove a lot of the story line. I kept wanting him to confide in her! This is pretty wise advice . . . if you believe in luck.

 

Page 60 - "'You do realize what they're doing, don't you, Gabriel?' Bunu asked. 'Mistrust is a form of terror. The regime pits us against one another. We can't join together in solidarity because we never know whom we can trust or who might be an informer.'"

 

Bunu is Christian's grandfather and Gabriel is his dad (Bunu's son). Bunu was wise but too outspoken in his disagreement with the government. He was also a huge influence on his grandson!

 

Page 108 - "Ceaușescu and his family were free to travel to every continent and experience all the world had to offer, but he kept his people caged within the country's borders, working, full of fear, terrorized if they inquired about a passport. My parents longed to return to the Romanian seaside or to spend time in the mountains. But in recent years, Ceaușescu's work mandates and petrol rations made that difficult.

I wanted my mother to have a lighted stairwell.

I wanted my father to have a real vacation or a car.

I wanted Liliana to have the birds she missed."

 

When Christian goes to the American Library with Dan (son of a U.S. diplomat), there are many eye-opening things that he sees. But a picture of the Romanian first family at Disneyworld blows him away. The Romanian government has said that Disney is not really a place and that American prosperity is a lie. When Christian realizes that not only does Disneyworld exist but that the Ceaușescu family has been there, the injustice strikes him anew.

 

Page 268 - "It was my fault. Luca jumped up to reach for me, to save me. Because of that, he'd lost his arm. He'd lost his path to medicine. And now he could lose his life. Families and so much destroyed. What was the cost of freedom?"

 

That final question really struck me. What does my freedom cost? (My brain is singing the hymn, "Jesus paid it all . . . ")

 

Page 276  - "It was true. And they eventually broadcast it on TV. 'Wealth' didn't accurately describe it. Excess, extravagance, greed, and gluttony, those words were more accurate. Countless estates across the country, hundreds of millions salted away in foreign bank accounts. They broadcast a video tour of the homes, including their daughter's, which had a solid gold meat scale and packages of imported veal for her dog.

'I can't bear it,' said Liliana. 'We've been suffering for years, existing off scrawny chicken feet, with just one forty-watt light bulb per home. And they've been living like kings. Gourmet food, foreign goods, antiques, jewelry, fur coats, hundreds of pairs of shoes?'"

When I read about how much wealth the Ceaușescu family had and the way other dignitaries (including U.S. Presidents) received them while the people of their own country were suffering hunger and deprivations, it makes me sick. I thought of Imelda Marcos having tens of thousands of pairs of designer shoes while Filipinos were starving. I think of what God's Word says about the evils of greed and amassing wealth. I just don't understand leaders who do this.

 

Page 307 (Author's note) - "When I began researching I Must Betray You, my thoughts immediately turned to the Romanian children and students living under the Ceaușescu regime - innocent young people who felt deeply and passionately as they were coming of age but were powerless to direct the course of their life."

 

This is one of the things I love about Sepetys! She has such a heart for young people and writes about their struggles so well!

 

Page 309 (Author's Note) - "History is the gateway to our collective story and the story of humanity. Historical fiction allows us to explore underrepresented stories and illuminate countries on the map." 

She's a fantastic author. I highly recommend all her books! I love that this one included photographs at the end. Her research is impeccable!

Sleeping Murder

 by Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 1 hour 

Read by: full cast

Published: depends on if you're referring to Christie's writing (1976 posthumous publication), the TV show (1987), or this audiobook version (2010)

Genre: murder mystery, Miss Marple

Gwenda is a bit freaked out by the house she has just purchased while preparing for her husband's return from New Zealand. Why does she see a dead woman in the hall? Why does she *know* how the small room used to be decorated when she's never been in England before? 

Miss Marple rocks this story! It was short and well-done. Miss Marple is the queen of asking the right questions and observing people around her.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

 by Arthur Conan Doyle

Libby audiobook 9 hours

read by Ralph Cosham

Published: 1892 (originally)

Genre: mystery short stories

From the app: Since Doyle created the immortal Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Dr. Watson, no other mystery writer has come close to eclipsing him as the standard bearer in crime fiction. A brilliant London-based "consulting detective," Holmes is famous for his intellectual prowess and renowned for his skillful use of astute observation, deductive reasoning, and inference to solve difficult cases. This collection includes twelve of Holmes' most famous cases:

1. A Scandal in Bohemia
2. The Red-Headed League
3. A Case of Identity
4. The Boscombe Valley Mystery
5. The Five Orange Pips
6. The Man with the Twisted Lip
7. The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle
8. The Adventure of the Speckled Band
9. The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb
10. The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor
11. The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet
12. The Adventure of the Copper Beeches

 

I enjoyed listening to these stories, but there were some that were more interesting and others that were irritating. (The beryl coronet - seriously?! You bring it HOME and TELL people about it?!?! No wonder it got stolen!) Cosham does the vocal work excellently. Love listening to him read these stories.

Daughters of Arraweelo: Stories of Somali Women

by Ayaan Adan

Dakota County Library paperback 220 pages plus glossary

Published: 2022

Genre: Non-fiction, personal stories

I checked this out on behalf of my sister to prepare for the author's visit at a meeting for her work. Being a curious individual, I wanted to read the book too. I've not yet finished it, but it is interesting to read about these people's experiences and perspectives. It was also interesting to listen to the author yesterday. 

 

This collection of stories helps me better understand Somali women - both their cultural identity and the individual human beings who sometimes appear as "other" to me and my experience. Most of the stories I've read so far are about women in their 20s. I'm eager to get to the stories from older women. No matter the culture, sometimes age brings a different perspective. It was also interesting to me to learn that Minnesota has the largest population of Somali people in the United States.

Some of the women used their real names and some used pseudonyms to protect their identity. One woman talked about her experience in a university class that was very divisive. 

People didn't care about the required readings, and they weren't interested in constructive dialogue. Instead, everyone wanted to be right, all the time. They wanted the story of a battle to regale their friends or followers with, always exaggerated and without a modicum of self-awareness. Students came into the class with the baggage of their traumas or experiences and didn't shy away from projecting, generalizing, and breaking the basic rules of social agreements. Things like not assuming intention, giving others a chance to speak, and generally being kind. This class was a no-man's-land. Rule and order had no meaning here. It made for both an exciting and an exhausting hour. (pg 31)

I wonder what the professor's goal was. This doesn't seem like a very effective way to educate.

 

I loved the section where "Habon Hirsi" talked about her experiences and feelings wearing a hijab (head, hair, and chest covering), a jilbaab (full length cloak), and a khamaar (head scarf). (I really, really appreciated the glossary and consulted it often.) When she wore the khamaar and went shopping for clothing, she suddenly was confronted with body image issues that hadn't been a problem for her before. "In hindsight, I came to appreciate hijab for how it protected me from society and myself." (page 43)

Another woman wrote about gender roles and frustration.

Growing up, I hated how strict my parents were with my sisters and me, while they were so easygoing with my brothers. I started cleaning around fifth or sixth grade. Cleaning and cooking are absolutely necessary life skills; I have no problem doing them. The issue for me was cleaning up after grown men. Do they not have hands? The unfairness just creates resentment and anger. If I asked about why they didn't help out around the house, I was told to mind my business. It was so frustrating. They were just as capable. And they were smug about it. Like they had one up on me because I'm a girl. They laughed about it. (page 51)

That would have sent me over the edge! My dad had some of that attitude, especially after we visited relatives in Canada. Women were supposed to serve and be servile; men were supposed to sit back and enjoy. Arg!

This part really struck me. In writing about *why* so many Somalis have left their home country and come to the U.S., she writes, "If it was safe, I know we would've stayed. Nobody really wants to leave home unless they have to." (page 86). With what's happening in Ukraine right now, these words really ring true. I believe most people would rather stay in their home country. The extended family, the culture, the landscape, the feeling of being home. . . Many of the women that Adan interviewed talked about Somalia being home even though they've spent the majority of their lives in Minnesota. It makes me sad that there's so much violence in the world. Most Americans are oblivious to how easy life is for us here.

I hope to read the rest of the stories, but time is of the essence!

I blogged the above on 3.31.22 then I finished the book and emailed the additions below on 4.5.22 from Louise's house.

Page 98: "Every Somali girl knows the eldest daughter's burden. . . . It's often a thankless and invisible job, but behind every household there's usually at least one daughter manning the fort."

 

This came up over and over again. It makes me glad to be a youngest in my family and not part of this culture. That seems like a lot of pressure.

 

Page 107: "I know I am an American, legally and by geography,but it's hard to identify that way."

 

 

I don't know what else I wanted to write about this, but it caught my attention. I think not fitting in is something all of us experience from time to time in life, but it would be hard to deal with this kind of identity issue.

 

Page 113: "The biggest challenge I faced in school was the lowered expectations of my teachers and administrators. Because I was an immigrant kid, they expected me to fail.

 

 

This is heart-breaking to me. I wonder if there are times that I lowered my expectations for students (for whatever reason) instead of expecting them to rise to a learning occasion. 

Page 122: "I grew up with the melting pot analogy and eventually the salad bowl.To me, assimilating is like taking  beautiful filet mignon and mushing it up to ground beef in order to make meat loaf. Yes, technically it's still there, but was it worth it? The filet was more valuable as itself,before being churned through this machine."

 

 

"The melting pot" analogy has been revised when talking about immigrants in America, but so many of us learned this that it seems "right." Also, the tossed salad idea . . . analogies can be helpful or they can be hurtful. We're talking about human beings, personal identity, and cultural identity. It's more complex than a quick word picture.

 

Page 129: Qorsho Hassan - TOTY2020 - Mrs. Fulmer (positive 4th grade memory) 129 . . . this whole chapter! impact of educators - for good or for ill

 

Page 139: "When White teachers teach anti-racism, they are praised and recognized.When a Black teacher teaches antiracism, that is seen as a threat and dangerous. Is it because people hate the message or is it because it suddenly becomes dangerous when a Black Somali Muslim woman says it?" 

 

 

I looked up Qorsho Hassan after reading this chapter. What an amazing, articulate woman. I'm so sorry that she experienced such backlash after winning Teacher of the Year. She sounds like an extraordinary educator.

 

Page 140: "If you're not actively anti-racist, then being  a teacher is not for you. Students need more from their teachers than passive non-racists.Fight for your students, or get out of the way for those of us who will."

 

 

Those are strong words, but her argument makes sense.

 

Page 149  - hearing our elders' stories . . . yes. I wish I had recorded more of my parents' stories when I had the opportunity.

 

Page 160: "I've had the privilege of attending school in different countries. Out of all the places, Dubai was definitely the most comprehensive and rigorous. In the States,I kept thinking, This can't be learning, it's too easy, where's the catch?" 

 

Ouch! This makes me sad, but I'm not shocked. I feel as though educators have gotten tired of fighting angry parents and disobedient, disrespectful students.

 

pg 163 school counselor - I think I screen shotted this page . . . but too much time has elapsed. Not sure what I wanted to say.

 

Under the Bayou Moon

by Valerie Fraser Luesse

Dakota County Library paperback 324 pages

Published: 2021

Genre: Christian historical fiction

 

We had a lovely book club discussion on Monday night. Luesse is a delightful author and she wrote this story so that each of us could see what she was describing. 

 

Main character Ellie Fields is a teacher heading into Louisiana's bayou country. Originally from Alabama, she's like a babe in the woods in New Orleans before heading into the small community of Bernadette to teach. Raphe is the man who has seen beauty (the white alligator) and horrors (the loss of most of his family in a hurricane) in the bayou. Heywood is a genial man Ellie meets in NO and then encounters again in Bernadette.

 

Though many of us at book club anticipated different paths (the center of conflict, what occurs at school vs. elsewhere, etc.), we all enjoyed the book and had different take-aways.

 

Page 49 - "He really thought French speakers were holding back the whole state. It's an unfortunate quality of human beings that we're prone to condemn the unfamiliar."

 

This observation made me think of POTUS #45 and Mexicans . . . 

 

Page 71 - "Cajuns didn't worship alligators anymore than Catholics worshiped statues. The very idea that such a misguided notion might destroy something so purely beautiful as the white alligator was more than he could stand."

 

I liked that first line. People (including me) can be quick to judge . . . but we need to think about some of our thoughts, words, and actions before casting about and causing distress.

 

Page 142 - "The thought of a life without her made the hole in his heart so deep that nothing could possibly fill it. And yet he had to ask:Where does love end and selfishness begin? Or could it be possible for one to overcome the other if you loved somebody so much that their happiness was your own?"

 

The first line of this is NOT what caught my attention. His contemplation of  love and selfishness, of truly showing love by wanting that person to have the best - that I like.

Page 237 - "But it was typical of small Southern communities. Things went on as they always had, with nobody ever questioning the reason why."

I don't think it's just in small Southern communities. A lot of human groups - churches, organizations, businesses, families - continue to do what they've "always" done without questioning why. Tradition and familiarity can be very comforting.

Earmuffs for Everyone! How Chester Greenwood Became Known as the Inventor of Earmuffs

by Meghan McCarthy

Libby ebook 50pages

Published: 2015

Genre: non-fiction children's book

I had been grabbing lots of children's books that were available on Libby so I could share with my grandson. (Most of the Paw Patrol books were already checked out . . . waiting lists!) I ended up reading this for myself and not to him!

This illustrated volume about the invention of earmuffs is adorable, interesting, and informative. The author gives credit to the many people who developed different ear coverings. Why did Chester Greenwood become known as "the" inventor? Because at age 19, he got a patent from the U.S. government!

He was an inventor and loved finding ways to make money. This was a delightful little book.

A Christmas Carol

by Charles Dickens

Libby ebook 181 pages

Published: 1843

Genre: classic, ghost story, moral fable

I'm not entirely sure why I checked this out. I know I wanted a book on my phone that would be there to read "just in case" - and I needed to find something that was not super popular / had a hard return date.

I assumed I'd read the story. After all, I've seen a performance at the Guthrie. I've definitely read abridged versions many times in language arts classes. I've seen Disney versions and parodies. I'm extremely familiar with the story.

Yet as I read, I found new details that seemed completely new. When Scrooge is traveling with the Ghost of Christmas Present, do you remember the lighthouse and the ship? I didn't. I love the many versions I've seen, but it was really good to read the original.

I'm still really impressed that Dickens wrote it so quickly and that the publication made a big societal impact. We watched the movie The Man Who Invented Christmas (about Dickens writing this book) at our December cookie party. I know a lot of it is fiction, but quite a bit is based on fact. Dickens is one of my favorite authors. I'm glad I read this!

Death on the Nile

by Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 9:15 hours

read by Kenneth Branagh

Published: 2020 (this recording) / book in 1937

Genre: murder mystery, detective Hercule Poirot

 

 I thought I had read this before, but it was not familiar to me . . . other than the ways it is similar to Murder on the Orient Express. The range of characters, the clues, the interwoven story lines, . . . and of course, Hercule's confident sleuthing.

Lynette Ridgeway is incredibly wealthy. After stealing her best friend's boyfriend, the newlywed honeymooners head to Egypt. I actually considered the true murder suspects before dismissing them. Then I was convinced it was someone else. It was interesting how the story progressed . . . with three murders total. (I would have become incredibly paranoid if I'd been on that boat!)

Branagh's vocal work was fine, but his "female" voices weren't that great. All in all, this kept my attention (even though I like Miss Marple better than Poirot.)

Murder in an Irish Cottage

 by Carlene O'Connor

Libby audiobook 9:30 hours

read by: ???

Published: 

Genre: Murder mystery

I didn't like this story initially, but kept listening to it (of course). My favorite part was main character Siobhan ("Sheh - vahn"). I also really liked the narrator's accent - that Irish lilt gets me every time!

There were lots of clues and lots of suspects. I don't want to leave any spoilers here, but it was wonderful to finally get to the resolution at the end. 

I didn't like Macdara's cousin Jane. She was a piece of work. I didn't like the fairies, fairy rings, cursed cottage, etc. 

This quote made me "rewind" a bunch of times and park my car to write down:

Until one experienced a profound loss of their own, it was impossible to explain that sorrow never vanishes. It was a war, fought not in long drawn-out battles but in everyday unexpected moments.

Siobhan is head of the household (six siblings) since the death of their parents. This really struck me.

Gastroanomalies: Questionable Culinary Creations from the Golden Age of American Cookery

 by James Lileks

Dakota County Library hardcover 176 pages

Published: 2007

Genre: Non-fiction, humor

 

I think this one was even funnier than the other Lileks book I read recently! He takes old cookbooks and advertisements and writes hilarious commentary on the pictures. Some of the ones in this book were grotesque. I include just one sample of his creativity here. He doesn't tell us the actual name of this particular dish.

His commentary says "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the barfiest dish of all? It's another inscrutable pan-o-heave on top of some Martian flatworms. Even the decorative cherub on the mirror is disgusted by this thing, and that takes some doing. The little guy's seen a lot."

Other Words for Home

by Jasmine Warga

Scott County Library hardcover 332 pages

Published: 2019

Genre: YA realistic fiction

 

This is one of this year's Maud Hart Lovelace award nominees. Tween Jude has to leave Syria with her pregnant mother while her father and brother stay in the increasingly dangerous situation at home. Her father wants to keep his head down and avoid trouble, but her older brother wants to fight injustice. In America, Jude tries to figure out her identity and place. This story is told in prose poetry style and is beautifully written.

 

Page 16 - "It still feels strange to ask my brother this question. His presence at ghadah used to be as certain as the sunset, but now that has also changed."

 

 Throughout the story, unfamiliar words are used. I opted to not look for a glossary (included on page 333) and just used context clues. (ghadah = "the big family meal of the day, usually lunch")

Page 23 - "Fatima and I had never been to that movie theater or any movie theater and we tried to pretend not to be stunned by the soft red velvet seats that are so dense you can make a handprint in the fabric or the wide flat white screen that is larger than anything I'd ever seen."

When Sammy (a visitor) took Jude and Fatima to a movie theater in Syria, the girls are amazed at what they experience. Reading this made me think of how much American kids take for granted.

Page 49 - "I am learning how to be sad and happy at the same time."

This was so sweet. Jude is sad to be leaving home and half her family, but she is joyful upon learning that her mother is pregnant with a new baby.

Page 70 - ". . . I hear the warning in my aunt's voice. That is something powerful enough to transcend oceans: a mama's ability to say something without actually saying it."

Jude and her mom move in with her mom's brother and family. The American daughter Sarah struggles with sharing her home, school, and time with a girl who barely knows English. But moms - they can speak volumes with their looks and tones.

Page 92 - "Just like I am no longer a girl. I am a Middle Eastern girl. A Syrian girl. A Muslim girl. Americans love labels. They help them know what to expect. Sometimes, though, I think labels stop them from thinking."

This made me a little sad because I think it can be true. Label something or someone and close your mind. 

Page 129 - "As I leave her room I think of the Arabic proverb that says: She cannot give what she does not have."

Here, Jude is thinking of her cousin Sarah. Astute observation.

Page 161 - <Spoiler alert!!!>

"But on the day Mama tells me that Issa is gone, the sky is bright, and I'm happy because in math class my teacher, Mr. Anderson, asked me a question in front of everyone and I got the answer right. In English. In front of everyone."

I read that and thought, Oh no! Issa died! But then I kept reading and found that he had gone to Aleppo, where the fighting was more fierce. And later, it's a very happy moment in the story when Jude gets to see him and video conference with him. Her brother meant so much to her. It was also such a Murphy's Law thing - on a day when things are going so well and she's so happy . . . bad news.

Page 168 - "I search every day for a clue about why I deserve to be here in Aunt Michelle's kitchen, safe and fed. When so many others just like me are not."

Ouch. Again, I don't think most American kids realize how incredibly blessed they are.

Page 221 - "On the day of tryouts, there are so many people in the auditorium and all of them have racing hearts and sweaty palms. There is enough energy in here to power a train, an airplane, a small country."

Yes, I can imagine all that middle school energy . . . 

This was a lovely book. It was also educational in many respects.

Not All Heroes

by Josephine Cameron

Libby ebook 432 pages

Published: 2021

Genre: YA realistic

Liked:

• Zinnia (main character) and her ways of dealing with hurt and disappointment.
• The school dynamic with Kris, Trevor, Jade, etc.
• The happy ending and positive message.

 

Disliked:

• Trying to keep the characters and their superhero names straight.
• It wasn't super engaging (not the way her Mermaid book was!)
  

 

 

Page 83 - "Empathy is a superpower. Caring is a superpower. Courage is a superpower!"

(Crystal Warrior talking to the real life super hero group.)

Page 309 - "'Here's what I think,' she said. 'It's hard to be a human. Sometimes it helps to say it out loud. Ask for what you need. If you let things slide for too long, they can pile up and get really heavy.'"

(The school counselor, Mrs. Pryor, talking to Zinnia and her mom.)

The London House

by Katherine Reay

Dakota County Library paperback 347 pages

Published: 2021

Genre: Historical fiction

We had a good discussion at book club on Monday night. This book was more serious and complex than Reay's other books that we've read, but it also was less "Christian." Other than references to C.S. Lewis and absolute truth (toward the end of the book), it was about people, relationships, history, etc. but not really about faith in God. (Perhaps the author is trying to reach an audience that would reject "Christian" fiction?)

The main character Caroline Payne has never really dealt with the loss of her sister Amelia when they were 8 and 9 years old. This parallels her grandmother Margaret's loss of her twin Caroline ("Caro" - whom our protagonist was named for) during WWII. There are many other parallels, but the unraveling of the history of what really happened to Caro in the 1940s is sparked by Mat, a college friend of Caroline's.

There's plenty of history, some mystery, and dashes of romance. I put lots of post-it notes in the book, so I'll try to be brief with this. Overall, I liked this book, but didn't love it. The past was discovered mostly in the letters Caro wrote and the diary Margo kept.

Page 9 - "My belief is that those stories, your story, also provide a sense of hope. They assure us that when bad things happen, life continues, and that we humans are resilient and endure. Hope emerges from tragedy." 

This is Mat talking to Caroline. I agree that stories are powerful. They can also be painful. And the same people might have very different perspectives on an event . . . this also makes me think of the Storyworth stories I'm writing this year.

Page 114 - "If he saw even a fraction of what Creighton saw, I understand why he watches Europe so closely. How could the world ever endure such horrors again?"

This is from Margo's journal and references the "Great War" (aka WWI) and the unthinkable that was coming - WWII. But when I read it, I got the chills thinking about last week's invasion of Ukraine by Russia. I'm horrified that Putin is doing what he wants and the rest of the world seems to just be watching. 

Page 128 - "The irony of my indictment struck me - I was the one who survived that day, yet how well did I embrace life?"

Caroline is starting to realize that just as her grandmother had been altered dramatically by the loss of her sister, so has she. Loss and grief can be so difficult to work through! I can't imagine an eight year old having to deal with the loss of her sister in a horrific accident and not getting serious help to work through the emotional impact of that!

Page 134-5 The letter from Caro to Margo dated July 23, 1936 says in part, "Everything here is shocking, Margo - in all the best ways. There are so many things to taste, experience, think, discuss, and debate. At home, we were fed one way of doing things and one way to think. The door cracked open at Brilliantmont, but here it's been blown off its hinges."

You can feel Caro's youth, excitement, and worldview change in this letter. It's interesting that for a long time in Paris, she saw only the glamour and excitement but missed the impending danger. Brilliantmont is the Swiss boarding school she was sent to at age 16 when Margo contracted scarlet fever.

Page 137 - "'When something bad happens,' she continued, 'it's easy to blame someone else, and in some cases maybe it is their fault, but that doesn't matter. Not in the end. What does matter is how long we hold on to that hurt or that anger. We can magnify the pain, making it worse and worse until it devours us, or we can forgive it and get on with life.'"

I love Caroline's mother's growth and wisdom! Even though we didn't really "meet" her "before" character, we know through Caroline's experience that change has happened.

Page 138 - "There is a relational beauty to food, to cooking. Gifts I had forgotten, and I'm sorry for that."

Caroline's mom talking about moving in to take care of her former mother-in-law. The house renovations sounded incredible! And I agree that cooking can be therapeutic in a way.

Pages 162-3 - The pages where Margo is visiting Caro in Paris and this is described in her journal: "What they meant was my provincial ideas were so antiquated and passé, they've become cute. Furthermore, I am an idiot. They didn't say it, but everyone's tone dripped with condescension."

I could picture this so vividly! Poor Margo!

Page 173 - "Life is too short, Margo, to cut out the ones we love. I refuse to be the one who stops trying to bridge the gap between us."

A letter from Caro to her sister. From Paris in 1938. Life is too short to let brokenness in important relationships sever us from one another.

Page 198 - "It was a powerful word - an elusive, beautiful word of belonging."

Reay does such a beautiful job of making "we" a powerful word. But I'm too lazy to type it all right now.

Letters to the Church

by Francis Chan

Libby print & Libby audiobook 

Published: 2018

Genre: non-fiction, Christianity

 

I've struggled with this book. There's so much to it! I had the "print" version on Libby and bookmarked some passages. Then I had to return it because there was such a long waiting list.

I got the audio version and was at about 3:50 of 5:30 hours . . . and yesterday it was auto-returned because there's a waiting list for it. (It was read by someone other than the author. I like listening to Chan; he is so passionate!)

I'm trying to not buy stuff I don't need, but I'm tempted to buy this book and take my dear sweet time reading it!

His basic premise is how "church" in America today is a far cry from what we read about in the Bible. How can we be like the New Testament church, the way Jesus taught?

Chapter headings: The Departure, Sacred, The Order, The Gang, Servants, Good Shepherds, Crucified, Unleashed, Church Again, and Surviving Arrogance. He has a lot of really good teaching in here.

 

Curious? Check out his video talking about this book. (Scroll down to get to the Vimeo video.)

A World Below

 by Wesley King

Scott County Library paperback 258 pages

Published: 2018

Genre: YA fantasy . . . sort of

This is one of this year's Maud Hart Lovelace nominees. It's told from three main characters' POV - Eric, Carlos, and Silvia. In some ways, I really liked the individual characters' growth (especially Silvia). In other ways, it just wasn't a book that captivated me. 

I thought about Shusterman's Downsiders and DuPrau's The City of Ember as I was reading this. The idea of a group of people living underground is not new. How did they get there? Why do they live there now? How do they get the raw materials for life? There are lots of questions to answer.

King does a fine job; his story just didn't resonate for me personally. I liked how Eric's isolation was challenged and how he and Carlos became friends. The ending leaves the possibility open for a sequel.

Paper Son

by Julie Leung

Libby audiobook 13 minutes

Read by Julie Leung and Feodor Chin

Genre: children's biography

Published: 2021

 

I got this along with a bunch of other children's books for my grandson to listen to when we were in the car. This fascinated me! I learned about Tyrus Wong and his journey to America from China. He loved to draw and inspired the background paintings in Disney's Bambi. I listened to it a second time by myself and read about him online. I've requested the video Tyrus. I love when children's books open a new avenue of understanding for me! I was familiar with the concept of "paper sons," but this story made me so sad for our country's Chinese Exclusion Act . . . and other things we've done to try to keep America for only certain Americans. I'd love to get the print version of this book to actually see the illustrations in it.

<Wrote the above on 2.23.2022. Added below 3.12.2022.>

I just finished watching the video Tyrus. Incredible! I'm so glad his life and artwork are available to us today! The interview footage with him is fantastic - he was quite old when this movie was made. (It was published in 2017. He died in 2016 at age 106. I'm not sure when the interviews were done, but he was old!)

The Chinese Exclusion Act is something I'd heard of before, but history isn't my strength. The fact that he was able to enter America is something of a miracle to me. The last time he saw his mother was at age nine when he and his dad left China . . . that makes me so sad. Tyrus was such a prolific artist! I looked up some of the plates he had painted and they are really expensive . . . but would be amazing to own. He made kites toward the end of his life. Wow! This video is incredible. It was fun to see Peter Docter at an event honoring Tyrus Wong and his legacy. I knew him at Kennedy High School forty years ago!

Tyrus had three daughters with his wife Ruth. He calls his daughters his "greatest achievement." I couldn't read all the blurb on the back of the video (thanks, library barcode sticker) but pbs.org has even more info!

Born in Canton (now Guangzhou), China, right before the fall of the Chinese Empire, Wong and his father immigrated to America in 1919, never to see their family again. American Masters: Tyrus shows how he overcame a life of poverty and racism to become a celebrated painter who once exhibited with Picasso and Matisse, a Hollywood sketch artist, and ‘Disney Legend.’ Previously unseen art and interviews with Wong, movie clips and archival footage illustrate how his unique style – melding Chinese calligraphic and landscape influences with contemporary Western art – is found in everything from Disney animation (Bambi) and live-action Hollywood studio films (Rebel Without a Cause, The Wild Bunch, Sands of Iwo Jima, April in Paris) to Hallmark Christmas cards, kites and hand-painted California dinnerware to fine art and Depression-era WPA paintings. The film also features new interviews with his daughters and fellow artists/designers, including his Disney co-worker and friend Milton Quon, Andreas Deja (The Little Mermaid), Eric Goldberg (Aladdin) and Paul Felix (Lilo & Stitch), and curators and historians of Wong’s work.

“Tyrus Wong’s story is a prime example of one of the many gaping holes in our society’s narrative on art, cinema, and Western history,” said Pamela Tom. “By telling his story, I wanted to shine light on one of America’s unsung heroes, and raise awareness of the vital contributions he’s made to American culture.”

“When I met Tyrus, I knew very little about his astounding work, which I then saw displayed prominently at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco,” said Michael Kantor, American Masters series executive producer. “This beautifully realized film is a reminder that there are many American Masters who are not immediately recognizable, but when you learn about their stories, you’ll never forget them.”

Those Who Save Us

by Jenna Blum

Libby 731 pages

Published: 2005

Genre: historical fiction, relationships

 

Libby said the book was 775 pages, so when I got to the acknowledgements on page 732, I thought, "Where's the rest of the story?!" The last forty pages were a preview of another book. I wanted more resolution! I wanted another conversation between Trudy and Anna!

 

This was a really, really hard book for me. It went between the 1990s in Minnesota (Trudy focus) and 1940s Germany (Anna focus). There were a lot of really graphic and difficult parts to read. There was a lot of sex, violence, cruelty, evil . . . not a surprise for Nazi Germany.  

"For fifty years, Anna Schlemmer has refused to talk about her life in Germany during World War II. Her daughter, Trudy, was only three when she and her mother were liberated by an American soldier and went to live with him in Minnesota. Trudy's sole evidence of the past is an old photograph: a family portrait showing Anna, Trudy, and a Nazi officer, the Obersturmfuhrer of Buchenwald.

Driven by the guilt of her heritage, Trudy, now a professor of German history, begins investigating the past and finally unearths the dramatic and heartbreaking truth of her mother's life."

 

I actually don't think that blurb really describes the essence of the book. Anna's choices have definitely impacted Trudy's life, but the photograph doesn't even come to Trudy until she puts Anna in a nursing home. There is so much pain in their relationship and Trudy's vague memories of her early life in Germany are like hauntings. Also, she barely starts to get at Anna's truth until the very end of the book! There's so much more about Max, Anna's father, the liberation of Buchenwald, Mathilde's death, . . .

 

This book was well-written, but hard to read at times. I checked it out because of how much I enjoyed her book Woodrow on the Bench. Blum is a talented writer.

The House

by Raelyn Drake

"Mason Falls Mysteries"

Libby audiobook 1.5 hours

read by "Intuitive"

Published: 2018

Genre: mystery

 

This was weird.  I wanted available audiobooks for while I was driving. This came up and I grabbed it. Short. Clean. Now that I know that the reader was "intuitive," that explains the weird vibe I got. Would I read others in the series? Maybe.

Grace, Cat, and Damien are ninth graders who were challenged by the seniors to spend an hour in the "haunted" house at the end of Grace's street. It's a long standing tradition and Grace and friends want to prove that the house isn't really haunted. They didn't seem to be freshmen to me . . . more like tweens. The details were interesting. The conclusion worked. Fluff.

The Benefits of Being an Octopus

 by Ann Braden

Libby audiobook 7 hours

read by Amy Melissa Bentley

Published: 2018

Genre: YA realistic fiction

"Seventh-grader Zoey has her hands full as she takes care of her much younger siblings after school every day while her mom works her shift at the pizza parlor. Not that her mom seems to appreciate it. At least there’s Lenny, her mom’s boyfriend—they all get to live in his nice, clean trailer.

At school, Zoey tries to stay under the radar. Her only friend Fuchsia has her own issues, and since they’re in an entirely different world than the rich kids, it’s best if no one notices them.

Zoey thinks how much easier everything would be if she were an octopus: eight arms to do eight things at once. Incredible camouflage ability and steady, unblinking vision. Powerful protective defenses.

Unfortunately, she’s not totally invisible, and one of her teachers forces her to join the debate club. Even though Zoey resists participating, debate ultimately leads her to see things in a new way: her mom’s relationship with Lenny, Fuchsia’s situation, and her own place in this town of people who think they’re better than her. Can Zoey find the courage to speak up, even if it means risking the most stable home she’s ever had?

This moving debut novel explores the cultural divides around class and the gun debate through the eyes of one girl, living on the edges of society, trying to find her way forward."

This book was heart breaking in its realism. Zoey's growth as a person is shown through her relationship with her friend Fuschia, with her communication with her mom, and with her dawning understanding of different perspectives as she sees the impact of people's assumptions about fellow trailer kid Silas. The characters are well-written and the vocal work was excellent. Zoey's care for younger siblings Bryce and Aurora made me think of other teens who are essentially raising their younger siblings. Just so sad. But the story has redemption, too! Braden is skilled and this was a very worthwhile book. It makes me want to do more for people who have less.

The Gallery of Regrettable Food: Highlights from Classic American Recipe Books

by James Lileks

Dakota County Library hardcover 192 pages

Published: 2001

Genre: humor, cookbooks

Lileks has a sense of humor that appeals to me, but not my husband. When our friend Steve recommended this book, I was eager to get it and be entertained. Lileks credits the Welcome Wagon in Fargo for giving his mother a cookbook in 1962 that he unearthed (untouched) in the 1990s. He found several more cookbooks from the 1960s and preceding decades to poke fun at.

The pictures are hilarious, as is his commentary on them. "Liberties Taken with Peas," "Random Meats," and "Salty Salts" are some of the cover's enticements to see what's in store. 

This is actually kind of like a sociology book . . . it certainly highlights an era in America!

Running for My LIfe: My Journey in the Game of Football and Beyond

by Warrick Dunn and Don Yaeger

with foreward by Tony Dungy

Hennepin County Library hardcover 272 pages with color photos

Published: 2008

Genre: non-fiction, biography

 

I don't remember where I heard about this book. I'm not a football fan so "Warrick Dunn" didn't mean anything to me. I think I read a reference to his philanthropic work and was curious.  The personal aspects of the book were more interesting to me than the football stuff (no surprise). It was interesting but not captivating. I'm glad I read it, but it's not one I would highly recommend to others.

Dunn's mother was murdered when he was 18 years old. She was a single mother with six children, a police officer who worked side jobs as security. She and a store manager were ambushed and shot when they were making a bank deposit. The manager survived. The robbers didn't get the money. It's a tragic, tragic story.

This was a huge defining moment in Dunn's life. His success in football (to me) is overpowered by his success at setting up a charitable foundation that helps single moms attain home ownership. I looked him up online after reading this, but there isn't much information about him after his football career ended.

Page 35 - "... there were many people locally who believed I should have stayed home and signed with LSU, too. I was criticized by those who said I owed the community for the help and appreciation it showed following my mom's murder. Mom gave her life to our community; wasn't that enough?"

Wow. People are entitled to their opinions, but to insinuate that an 18 year old should make his college decision based on what others think he "should" do? To imply that because the community helped him and his siblings after their mother's horrific murder that he somehow "owes" them? What is wrong with people?!?!?!

Page 49 - Ugh. This was the only page I marked, but I found so many typos that I felt like crying. Why is proofreading a lost art? Why are books published with so many errors? Here's the gem on this page:

"The last house we lived in with my mother was on in the corner of Bradley Street and Addison Street in East Baton Rouge."

I read "on in the corner" about five times, assuming I had misread it before I realized it actually said that. And there were more . . . but I refused to spend any more time on typos. Grrr!

Page 68 - "But Charlie respected people. I kept thinking, Wow, you can still be a superstar and a class act, too? You didn't have to be an A-hole. That taught me a valuable lesson."

I think sometimes we forget the impact we can have on people when we live out a good example. I'm so glad his coach suggested they room together and that Charlie (a senior) was willing to be a mentor to young Warrick.

Page 183 - "And she knew right away what she would be doing with her old furniture. In the spirit of Homes for the Holidays, 'I gave it away. I knew a family that was in need and I gave all of our stuff to them.' She was determined to share the blessings."

Throughout the latter half of the book, personal stories of the families that were blessed by Dunn's foundation are featured. This part came in chapter 12 and was "Sonja's Story." These were honestly my favorite parts of the entire book.

Page 211 - "I think it is essential that we teach children early on that there is a responsible way to handle money, and that is to take care of paying bills, making ends meet, and saving for the future rather than spending every check as soon as it comes - or even going into debt - for luxury items."

Amen! I love that he joked about having the oldest car of all NFL players, but it's easy for young athletes to splurge when they have the money for expensive cars. Dunn grew up with good lessons. 

Page 228 - "It was something I had been terrified of doing for so long, but once I realized not only that I could do it but that I was going it, it was incredibly freeing."

He's referring to when he was able to talk publicly about seeking help and getting therapy to deal with the trauma in his past. It makes me think of the Scripture about truth setting you free. I'm so glad that he was able to get help for his hurt and his burdens. I'm glad he knows the Lord.

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise

by Dan Gemeinhart

Scott County Library paperback 341 pages

Published: 2019

Genre: YA realistic fiction

One of this year's Maud Hart Lovelace nominees, this book was delightful and the main character an absolute sweetheart.

Coyote and her dad (but don't call him that!) Rodeo have traveled the United States for the past five years since Coyote's mom and two sisters were killed in a car accident. Rodeo wants to look forward and forget the past, but their wandering lifestyle means Coyote doesn't have friends or a place to call home other than their converted school bus "Yager." (So named because it was a Voyager bus and some letters were removed. . . )

From the back cover:

"Coyote hasn't been home in all that time. But when she learns that the park in her old neighborhood is being demolished - the very same park where she, her mom, and her sisters buried a treasured memory box - she devises an elaborate plan to get her dad to get her dad to drive 3,600 miles back to Washington State . . . without him realizing it."

"Along the way, they'll pick up a strange crew of misfit travelers. Lester has a lady love to meet. Salvador and his mom are looking to start over. Val needs a safe place to be herself. And then there's Gladys . . . "

I really enjoyed this story, but was sad for Coyote and how long it took for her to get her dad to realize what she needed.

page 123 - "I am not a mess. I am not a joke. I am not fragile. I am not broken."

This scene between Coyote and Salvador (and their conversation the next morning) was absolutely heart-wrenching.

page 160 - "Sometimes trusting someone is about the scariest thing you can do. But you know what? It's a lot less scary than being all alone."

When she confides in Lester and Salvador about her true goal, their support and encouragement are transformative for Coyote.

Page 179 - "Salvador sat with Ivan in his lap and scratched his head, and Ivan leaned into it and started purring and I saw Salvador's shoulders relax just a tad. Cat therapy works."

This made me think of all the cat lovers in my life!

Page 246 - "I loved that man, watching him talking for me by the side of the road. And I knew he loved me, too. Because that's what love is. Caring about what the other person cares about because you care about them. And want them to be happy. Right?"

When Lester is trying to help Coyote by getting the parts for the bus (its brakes went out!) so that she can get to the park before the demolition starts, it's such a sweet scene.

Page 316-7 - oh my! Gladys made me laugh out loud! That goat was a great bit of comic relief. 

This book was sweet and I only have two more MHL nominees to read before I "pick" my favorite. (Only kids get to actually vote.)

The Wintringham Mystery

 by Anthony Berkeley

Libby audiobook 8 hours

Read by Mike Grady

Published: 2021 (1926 originally?)

Genre: Mystery

There were things that I enjoyed about this book and things that bugged me. It was similar in style to an Agatha Christie, but not as clever or rewarding. Stephen Munro "a demobbed army officer, reconciles himself to taking a job as a footman to make ends meet."

 

Lady Susan was such a piece of work. Most of the time, I didn't like her at all. Other times, I found her very capricious and entertaining.

 

There were lots of clues and lots of suspicious characters. I'm glad I listened to it, but it's not one that makes me want to seek out more titles by this author.

Lower Your Blood Pressure

subtitled: A 21 Day DASH Diet Meal Plan to Decrease Blood Pressure Naturally 

by Jennifer Koslo, PhD, RD, CSSD

Scott County Library paperback 160 pages

Published: 2017

Genre: Non-fiction, cookbook, health

I feel kind of bad that I've had this from the library for a few months . . . and really only spent time in the first 31 pages. When it came right down to it, I wasn't really interested in trying the recipes and making new foods. Now if someone else were shopping, cooking, and cleaning up, I'd be all over this! (Except maybe the Tofu Scramble . . . )

The introductory info was really good. I tagged the part on medications used to treat hypertension. It bugs me that I don't really understand the medicines I'm on very well. ACE Inhibitors (like lisinopril) "help the body produce less angiotensin, which helps the blood vessels relax and open up, which in turn lowers blood pressure." Possible side effects include "skin rash, loss of taste, and dry hacking cough." 

Combined alpha- and beta- blockers (like carvedilol) "may be prescribed for outpatient high-blood-pressure use if the patient is at risk for heart failure." "Possible side effects include a drop in blood pressure upon standing." These are the two I take now. I don't want to take medicine, but I also don't want to have any more strokes.

Here are some of the DASH diet tips:

• Make sure you have plenty of color on your plate (50% of each meal's plate should be vegetables and fruit)
• Go for whole grain
• Dine on dairy (low fat yogurt, string cheese, low fat milk)
  
• Eat more plant-based meals (Consider having a meatless meal each week.)
• Cook without salt and don't add salt to your foods at the table. (Start using the herbs and spices hiding in the back of your pantry.)
• Buy fewer prepared and processed foods.

Page 17 "Set Realistic Goals" - "TO keep motivation high, be certain to set realistic goals for yourself as you transition to the DASH diet. Reward, don't punish, and focus on each positive change you make rather than on the occasional slip-up. There are bound to be challenges along the way, so focus on the big picture and not the minutia - slow and steady wins the race. It takes time to learn new eating habits that will last the rest of your life."

Game Changer

Scott County Library hardcover 286 pages

Published: 2018

Genre: YA realistic fiction

I have mixed feelings about this book and really appreciated the author's note at the end.

I liked the different perspectives - Teddy's coma thoughts, what different people who visited him in the hospital said, the school social worker's interviews with students, the kids' text messages, etc.

But I didn't love the football aspect of it so much. It almost seemed like an anti-football (due to violence) theme from the get-go. I understand the dangers involved with the hitting and concussions, but I'm always a bit wary of books for teens that come across as preachy on a topic. Perhaps it's my own skewed perception. (I'm NOT a football fan . . . I can't actually put my finger on what bugged me about this.)

It's a quick read. Some of the characters are engaging. I liked his little sister Janey the best! I liked her feistiness. I also really liked the male nurse Ricky.

I put a post-it on page 90, but it's just because that's where Will (football captain) mentioned the Hit Parade during the Rookie Rumble and I was treating it like a bit of a detective novel . . . what actually happened?

Weird to put this at the END of my review, but it's a book about a high school freshman who collapses after an August football practice and is in a coma. Everyone wants him to get better and some people want to know exactly what happened.

The Mighty Miss Malone

by Christopher Paul Curtis

Libby audiobook 8 hours

Read by Bahni Turpin

Published: 2012

Genre: YA historical fiction

I love this author! This is another book by him that both entertained and educated me. Deza is a very bright twelve-year-old at the center of this story set in the Great Depression. Her older brother Jimmy and her parents all have their own challenges, but young Deza has dreams of higher education and writing. After a horrible boating accident on Lake Michigan, all their lives are changed dramatically. 

I don't want to include any spoilers, but I loved how the story unfolded and how it turned out. As I listened, I thought about writing a letter to Christopher Paul Curtis. He is an amazing author. This is a powerful book. (Yes, I cried.)

Maybe a Mermaid

by Josephine Cameron 

Libby audiobook 6 hours

Read by Karissa Vacker

Published:2020

Genre: YA realistic fiction 

Anthoni Gillis is eleven years old and learning the ins and outs of MLM scheme "Beauty and the Bee" from her ambitious mother. Going to the Showboat Resort on Thunder Lake should be her golden opportunity to make a "True Blue" friend, but things don't work out as her plan entails.

I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I even cried at one part! It's very juvenile in some regards (geared to upper elementary or young middle schoolers), but it actually has some really neat themes and scenes.

I LOVED:

- the characters! Especially Charlotte.

- the unexpected twist that made me cry

- the details - butterfly clip, DJ's rocks, the photographs in frames, Josh's floaties, . . .

- the friendships

I didn't love:

- the whole MultiLevel Marketing scheme crap

- how Anthoni was moved around so much and her mom just wanted her to work on having a positive attitude

- the closet scene at the Quinn's house . . . 

 

The reader did a great job. I actually re-listened to a few chapters because I was on the road and didn't have a different audiobook ready. I look forward to reading more of Cameron's work!

Clutter Busting: Letting Go of What's Holding You Back

by Brooks Palmer

personal copy paperback 215 pages

Published: 2009

Genre: Non-fiction, self-help

 

Back story: I saw this in the gift shop at Abbott Northwestern on one of my trips to visit Louise in October. I was intrigued, so I snapped a pic of the cover and requested it from the library. For the first few chapters, my basic response was, "what a bunch of New Age psychobabble crap!" But it's a pretty quick little read and there were lots of specific story examples, so I kept reading. Pretty soon, I was putting post-it notes all over it. Then I decided to bite the bullet and buy my own copy so I could share it. (Though the people I'd like to share it with may not be interested . . .)

 

Title page quotation: "With all the things you have in your life, are you any more happy than your dog?" -Ramesh Balsekar

 

Chapter 3 "Clutter Keeps Us Living in the Past" is the first one that really made me stop. At the end of each chapter, he has an "exercise" for the reader to try. This chapter's exercise is about imagining your own death and seeing complete strangers come into your home and sort through all your belongings. "Listen to their reactions to your stuff. See what is left behind after they leave. See the garbage men come and take and toss the leftovers. See new people move in and distribute their clutter." He writes about our attachment to our stuff and trying to discern what is really important and worth saving versus what is just clutter.

Page 83 (Chapter 4 - Clutter Represents Fear of Change) - ". . . guilt does not work. It is simply self-cruelty. It prevents change. The person gets to keep whipping herself with bad feelings."

In this section, he's talking about a woman who's had an exercise bike for five years and not used it. It's hard to get at and piled with other stuff. "She was keeping the bike to make her feel guilty as a way to get her to exercise." I understand this! Intentions and actions . . . don't always match. The guilt piece can be extremely powerful, but is not productive!

Page 90 (Ch. 5 - Clutter Is an Addiction) "People defend their clutter, sometimes even when they see that it no longer serves them. This happens because they are looking at the thing and not at the feeling behind the thing."

This chapter really started getting my attention. I've already been trying to declutter my home. I recognize that people are more important than things. I still have too much stuff and sometimes it really gets in the way of what's important!

Page 94 - when he talks about the woman who is picking up free roadside stuff . . . it made me think of watching Hoarders. I think for some people, collecting stuff definitely is like being addicted to drugs. They get a "high" off of getting stuff. I don't struggle with this one!

Page 107 (Ch. 6 - Clearing Clutter to Make Room for Clarity) - "It's good to get used to open space. Layering adds confusion. Space brings peace and ease."

I'm no "Marie Kondo" or "Clean Sweep" person, but I do value having open space to work on projects, relax, bake, etc. I like having less stuff, though I still have too much!

Page 115 (still ch. 6) - This made me think of someone dear to me. "As you take a closer look you being to feel that there's a string tied to everything you own, the other end of which is triple-knotted around your heart. Subconsciously, you are pulled in many directions by the things you own. You become overwhelmed and lose your clarity. This is one of the main reasons why so many people are agitated and stressed." To me, this is a heart-breaking way to live.

Page 148 - (Ch. 7 - Inner Clutter Creates Outer Clutter) - "This is the definition of clutter: things that exist in your outer life to distract you from the inner things that you're avoiding. If you avoid something, it grows." I like this part a lot. Sometimes we make things worse than they are by worrying and avoiding. 

Page 149 - "When your home and world are in disarray, you can't relax. It takes more energy to be in chaos because you have to keep track of all the junk. Eventually exhaustion sets in. When you honestly look at clutter and ask if it's necessary in your life, buried emotions come to the surface."

I ended up enjoying this book more than I expected. I'm not sure how to share it (or with whom) . . .

 

The Nature of Small Birds

by Susie Finkbeiner

Scott County Library paperback 356 pages

Published: 2021

Genre: Christian historical fiction

 

This is our January book club title. I hope I remember it well enough to discuss it in three and a half weeks! It took me a little while to get into the groove of 2013 Bruce / 1975 Linda / 1988 Sonny . . . but Finkbeiner did her usual fantastic job introducing and developing the characters. The story wasn't what I expected based on the blurb . . . but I enjoyed the story. (I was way more impressed with her other books I've read, but this was quite good as well.)

Page 114 - "I look at my feet, trying to think of how to say exactly what's on my mind. When I was a younger man I might have just blurted it out. But now I'm older and know the weight of words. I measure them a minute or two before opening my mouth."

I wish I could develop this skill! Waiting, thinking, choosing the right words. Here, Bruce is responding to his adult daughter's interest in trying to locate her birth mother in Viet Nam.

Page 114 - "Turns out that small birds are going to fly whether we like it or not. It's no different for our kids."

The bird references were plentiful throughout the book. It was beautiful. But it's interesting to me that some parents don't want their children to "leave the nest" and struggle with that growth. I guess I'm weird in that I was super happy for my kids to grow up and move on with their lives. There are times I've missed having them here, but I love that they have their own homes and lives.

Page 178 - "I didn't tell her that the only reason I ever heard of that poem or of Robert Frost was because I'd watched The Outsiders at least a dozen times with Amelia. Even just thinking of Johnny telling Ponyboy to stay gold made my eyes sting."

When Sonny says she memorized 'Nothing Gold Can Stay,' it made me think of the long-term sub job I had in spring 2020. The seventh graders were reading S.E. Hinton's book. A bit of culture shock for some of them - the 1950s vibe, but also the violence and extreme cliques.

Page 182 - "Mixed in with the good and bad is a whole lot of stuff that was just normal, everyday living."

Bruce is pondering the blessings and challenges of life. I could actually post the entire page! There's some good stuff here, including his observation that Linda's "always on the lookout for the goodness of God." That's the kind of person I want to be! Always on the lookout. I know God's goodness is all around. I need to look for it and at it.

Page 202 - "But, when they forgive and that burden is lifted - whew - it's what I imagine heaven to feel like."

Bruce again . . . referring to how it feels when one apologizes to a child and asks for forgiveness. For me, it's a reminder of how powerful a force forgiveness is. We all screw up. Recognizing and apologizing takes some humility.

Page 242 - I intended to take a photo and post it here, but I just want to get this blog entry done and move on with my day . . . the sentence literally says "Dad came in, tackle box in one hand and a bag of quickly melting ie in the other." I know that I often have typos in my blog entries . . . and when I see them, I fix them. But a published book should have had proofreaders! How do errors like "ie" for "ice" make it through the publication process??? Isn't anyone in charge of quality control? Okay. I'm done ranting. This just always surprises me when I see this type of error.

Page 249 - "For as much attention that new love gets in the movies and such, it can't hold a candle to love that's had time to age, to mature. A slow burn is always better than a flash in the pan as far as I'm concerned."

The love between Bruce and Linda was so sweet! Movies do generally focus on that exciting, romantic, flirting stage of new love . . .

Page 264 - "When Holly was first born, I held her every moment I could. My mother warned me that I'd spoil the girl if I didn't put her down every once in a while, but I wouldn't hear of it. While I knew it was possible to ruin a child with too much sugar or too many toys or never saying no to anything, I knew there was no such thing as giving too much love."

I agree with Bruce wholeheartedly! Love is so different than things or permissiveness. Hugs and attention are valuable.

Page 268 - "If all I've done with this one life is be a son, husband, brother, dad, grandpa to these remarkable people, that's good enough for me."

Bruce has a great observation. Sometimes people assess their life's worth by money or social achievements. History certainly "remembers" those who did BIG things. But maybe it's enough to be the person God created you to be. Loving those in your circle - that matters.

Page 274-5 - These pages were powerful. Dana's husband Chris had suffered in the Vietnam war. Bruce's brother Dale was killed in Vietnam, affecting the entire family. Bruce and Linda adopting Minh from Vietnam wasn't easy for everyone to handle. The conversation between Chris and Linda brought tears to my eyes. I love this scene so much!

Page 279 - "She considered the ratty thing before shrugging and flinging it in the direction of the garbage can. When she noticed Mindy and my shocked faces, she put her hands on her hips. 'Well, she wasn't my auntie,' she said. Coldhearted. She was so awesome."

 

Hahaha! Mrs. Olds was such a fantastic character! When Sonny and Mindy were helping her at an historic house the summer of 1988, they talk about people who donate old junk. This scene is great!

Page 323 - "It's the nature of small birds to sing their little hearts out. And it's the nature of God to hear them."

I love this! It was also delightful to have just been at the cabin, seeing all the little birds at the bird feeders. And Louie sharing the memory of this: Paul Harvey Christmas Birds.

 

 The ending of the book felt a bit abrupt, but it worked. Again, I was anticipating something a bit different based on the blurb I had read. I look forward to talking about this with book club!

The Line Tender

by Kate Allen

Scott County Library hardcover 371 pages

Published: 2019

Genre: YA realistic fiction . . . a little historical

 

This is one of the Maud Hart Lovelace award nominees for 2021-22. I enjoyed it, but it definitely demanded more of my attention than some of the other titles. 

 

Lucy lost her shark-studying mom at age 7. She and her dad are both fascinated with the ocean and the marine life they encounter. Lucy spends a lot of time with her best friend Fred, who loves biology and is a bit of a nerd.

These main characters are 13 years old for most of the story, though there are flashbacks to her earlier childhood. (Somewhere I wrote down a mini timeline . . . the year her mom died when Lucy was seven, her current age, the year . . . this book is set in the near past.)

Pages 84-85. Lucy and Fred are doing some research but they're also kind of flirting. It was a really weird juxtaposition of two very relatable tween / teen issues. "My mom had always used anatomical names for private parts, but for some reason, seeing vagina in print while lying on the floor with Fred seemed indecent." . . . "His face was so close, I could smell his sunscreen."

Page 223 - I loved that Lucy sent postcards to Fred. It was sweet and heart-rending. The one on this page surprised me. Lucy's caption said, "Bad photography can ruin a couple of good loons." and it actually had the title "Photo of Loons on the Saco River. Photo credit: Laurie Bowman." So of course I wondered if this postcard really exists and how did this photographer feel about this . . . but I couldn't find it by googling and I can't imagine Kate Allen would throw someone under the bus. Weird.

Page 299 - Mr. Patterson was such a cool character. I love how he explained the meaning of the mermaid necklace to Lucy. I also loved how he looked out for her. And went on the road trip to Maine. 

Page 348 - When Lucy's dad tells her she'd make a good line tender, she quips, 

"'Cause I avoid the water?" I asked, not even joking.

"No. The line tender sees everything. Reads the divers' signals, the terrain, the equipment. Uses all the resources to stay connected to the other end of the line."

This was a book about loss, friendship, belonging, and it was beautiful. This is the author's first title. I hope she writes more!

The Capture of Cerberus / The Incident of the Dog's Ball

by Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 1 hour

read by David Suchet

Published: 2011

Genre: murder mystery short stories

I had these on hold for a few months, not realizing that they were two short stories. Just now, reading the info about them on Libby, I find that they were among Christie's unpublished papers . . . the stories both feature Hercule Poirot. Suchet's voice work is superb. The stories are classic Christie but I preferred The Incident of the Dog's Ball. There's still a long waiting list, so I'm going to return it! What an amazing task someone had, archiving her papers and discovering new (though also old) stories.

The Delany Sisters' Book of Everyday Wisdom

by Sarah and A. Elizabeth Delany with Amy Hill Hearth

personal copy hardcover 133 pages

Published: 1994

Genre: Non-fiction advice, memoir

I've long loved Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years. When I saw this book of wisdom by the sisters, I grabbed it! What amazing women. They've since gone to Eternity, but I'm so thankful that their stories (at least some of them) have been preserved for posterity.

Page 19: "Bessie: I'll tell you what I cherish most from the past: our family traditions, all those little rituals that bind you together. Folks today tend to be so busy and independent that they abandon the daily habits, like eating meals together, that keep you close. They think they can watch the TV during dinner or grab a quick bite and rush off. They think it doesn't matter. Well, they are wrong!"

Bessie goes on to talk about the value of the family supper meal and everyone together, talking and just enjoying one another. Yes! Research has actually shown that families who share regular meals have statistically positive outcomes. I'm so glad that I grew up in a household that valued shared meals and that Louie and I provided them for our children.

Page 62-63:

   

I love this wisdom! It fits nicely with Financial Peace University teaching . . . and it makes a lot of sense. Number 4 is especially good . . . live within your means.

 

 

Page 70: "We don't see folks as black or white. This race mess is just plain foolishness! And the fighting that goes on between religions is crazy, too. Papa used to get very upset when he'd hear anti-Semitic remarks. He wouldn't stand for it. He'd say, 'The Jews are God's Chosen People. Who are you, who couldn't make a flea, to disrespect God by criticizing the Jews?' The world is full of nice folks, whatever their color or religion. As Mama used to say, your job is to find them."

 

Bessie's and Sadie's parents were wise people. They raised ten children to also be wise. Wonderful!

 

Page 80:

 

 

A Word to Young People. This is kind of funny - neither of the sisters got married or had children . . . but this is still great advice.

 

Pages 110-111: 

 

 

These women doing yoga amaze me! I love that they work at eating healthy and exercising . . . smart ladies.  

Page 123: Sadie: "That's a big problem with some older folks - they have such low expectations of themselves. When they get to a certain age, they just give up. That's a shame! If there's anything I've learned in all these years, it's that life is too good to waste a day. It's up to you to make it sweet."

Such sweet advice! It comes on the heels of a story about Sadie in the hospital with a broken hip, trying to give her roommate (in her 70s) a pep talk about not giving up. She notes that she was in better shape than most of these younger roommates even though she was much older.

Page 133: Sadie: "But you know, we aren't ready to give up yet, unless the Lord makes up His mind that it's finally time to call us. In the meantime, like all human beings, we want to keep on living. As Bessie says, 'Heaven is my home but, honey, I ain't homesick!'"

One of the things I love about that is how conflicted I sometimes feel when another Christian talks about Heaven and wanting to go to their heavenly home so much. I love having the hope of eternity, but I have Bessie's sentiment - "Heaven is my home but, honey, I ain't homesick!" I love life. 

This book is so wonderful. It's a gift for one of my daughters-in-law.

A Birthday Party for Jesus

by Susan Jones

Illustrated by Lee Holland

Hennepin County Library children's book

Published: 2017

 

Sweet little children's book about gifts for Jesus.  This is one title in a set of four . . . I haven't read them all, but I really liked this one and used it at church in 2021.

The Paris Key

by Juliet Blackwell

Libby audiobook 10 hours

read by Xe Sands

Published: 2015

Genre: realistic fiction

 

Positives: Blackwell writes stories that draw you in. 

The switching from Genevieve in modern day times, when she was 14, and her mother Angela's storyline in 1983 was not confusing. 

There were many interesting characters and I especially liked the changes in Genevieve's cousin Catherine.

I loved the locksmithing part of the story and the abundant metaphors it provided.

I loved the foodie aspect of Paris . . . shopping every day to enjoy fresh baguettes and in-season fruits and vegetables.

 

Drawbacks: I think I would have enjoyed reading this in print more than listening to the audiobook, even though Sands did a lovely job. There are places I would have made notes and blogged about.

I also disliked the broken marriages . . . which made Dave's and Pascal's story all the better!

I couldn't stand that Genevieve's husband called her Jeannie because it was "too hard" to pronounce her name correctly! What?!

 

Blackwell is a talented author. I liked Letters From Paris a bit better, but found it amusing that both stories featured an American woman from the South relocating to Paris to work and learn secrets . . .

Blended

by Sharon M. Draper

Scott County Library hardcover 308 pages

Published: 2018

Genre: YA realistic fiction

 

This is one of the 2021-22 Maud Hart Lovelace nominees. Draper is a fantastic author and this was another good read. From the cover blurb: "Eleven-year-old Isabella - whose father is black and mother is white - is used to these kinds of comments, but it doesn't mean she likes them. And now that her parents are divorced (and getting along WORSE than ever), Isabella feels like a push-me-pull-me toy. Being split between Mom and Dad is more than switching houses, switching nicknames, switching backpacks: it's switching identities. If you're only seen as half of this and half of that, how can you ever feel whole?" 

The comments being referenced here are about her looks, of course. How unusual and "exotic" and "what" is she . . . but the aspects of the story that felt really true to life beyond her racial identity dealt with being the child of divorce and her identity as a human being. 

 

Page 39: "It took him a few clicks before he finally said, 'The world looks at Black people differently. It's not fair, but it's true.'" 

Isabella and her dad are talking about their clothing and people's perceptions. The whole conversation is so personal and beautiful, though painful too.

 

Pages 79-83: "By the time they're finished, I feel like throwing up. I don't see Imani anywhere."

The whole thread of questioning after Isabella's friend Imani had a noose hung in her locker infuriated me! How could any adult working with kids talk to a clearly scared eleven-year-old as though they're interrogating a hardened criminal?!

Page 117: "Class time goes by so quickly: I'm still reading stuff when the bell rings."

I love it when this happens to students! They get so engaged in what they're learning that they lose track of time. In this case, Isabella is reading poems by Langston Hughes. I love how Draper effortlessly added in so many great educational lessons. I hadn't read Hughes' poem Cross before, and both that and Isabella's (Draper's) response poem Criss Cross . . . really good stuff!

Page 146: "Mr. Kazilly gave us a poem by some guy named Joyce Kilmer. What mother names her son Joyce?"

The poem is Trees and it was lovely to read it again, especially the last line: "Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree." Isabella's comment about Kilmer's first name is just classic kid observation!

 

Page 189: "Monogamy means 'being married to only one person at a time.' Makes sense to me. Misogamy means 'hatred of marriage.' I guess that's how my parents felt before they split up."

Isabella's language arts vocab words fit into the story so well and help to move the story along. Love this! Never having heard the word "misogamy" before, it made me think of a misogynist. I love words (even when they represent ugly ideas).

 

Page 220: "Darren rushed home from a date. He didn't try to explain stuff away like Mom and Dad did. When he walked into my room, I erupted into a full ugly-face cry. He sat close, handed me tissues, and didn't say a single word. Didn't even check his phone once."

Darren is Isabella's soon-to-be step-brother. He is a teenage boy, but he is such a good older brother / friend to Isabella. He is one of my favorite characters in the book. When Isabella's mom and dad have a major scene at the weekly "handoff," she absolutely goes off, running away from both of her parents and out into the stormy evening.

Page 271: (you must read this book . . . )

This page shocked me. And upset me. Part of the reason it upset me is that it was so easily believable. I cried. Draper wrote this so well.

This book is amazing. It deals with racial profiling, marriage and divorce, adolescence, relationships, finding personal strengths (Isabella is an amazing piano player), and so much more. It is a well-told story and worth reading!

Boy Bites Bug

by Rebecca Petruck

Scott County Library hardcover 250 pages

Published: 2018

Genre: YA realistic fiction

One of the Maud Hart Lovelace nominees for this year. Set in Minnesota. Touches on middle school boy friendships, racism, wrestling, and entomophagy (insect eating). This felt more like an elementary school book to me . . . 

I liked the relationship between main character Will and his sister Hollie. That dynamic was most interesting to me. Will's attempts to maintain his friendship with Darryl and defend newcomer Eloy were realistic, but strained.

It Wasn't Me

by Dana Alison Levy

Scott County Library paperback 320 pages

Published: 2018

Genre: YA realistic fiction

 

This is one of the 2021-22 Maud Hart Lovelace nominees and I decided to read them all so I can talk with middle school students about them.

 

Theo is a photographer who prefers to avoid the spotlight. When he agrees to hang a show of his photos and they're vandalized, five students seen in the vicinity are detained. Molly is an overachiever, Erik an athlete, Jax the "screwup," Andre the "nerd," and Alice the horror-movie "weirdo." Their teacher Ms. Lewiston believes in the power of Circle Justice and has them participate over a week of vacation.

 

I immediately thought about Touching Spirit Bear with the circle justice . . . . 

 

Mostly about stereotypes and how people perceive one another, the book felt quite predictable in some regards and delightful in others. It's no surprise that the author gives some credit to The Breakfast Club.

Page 110-111: I'm not going to replicate the text here, but when Jax is explaining why he likes hiphop and he defines "misogynist," the ensuing conversation (Molly's outrage, Eric's confusion) is well-written.

Page 115: "Flummoxed was a vocab word last month, meaning totally taken by surprise or caught off guard."  When Andre says that his band's YouTube channel has over 50,000 subscribers, Theo's use of a vocab word hits perfectly. Again, clever work by this author.

Page 125: "She says: 'Sorry my dad is so impatient.' I nod. 'Sorry my mom gave him the finger.' She shrugs. Together we walk into the school for day three."

This interaction between Alice and Theo just made me laugh. Parents. What can you do? Theo's mom had paused in the drop-off to make sure he was okay. Alice's dad beeped once, then leaned on the horn. "As I glance back, I see my mom waving wildly out the window before driving off." Then there's a description of Alice's horror makeup for the day, which includes a third eye on her forehead. Then the interaction above.

Page 126: ". . . Jax and Erik have their heads bent over an issue of Sportsballs and Sweaty Things (possibly not the actual title) . . . 

Again, laugh out loud line. This sounds like something one of my sons might have said as a teen.

Page 147: "(Also, I will note here that the motion of a cat gakking up a hairball, when set to dubstep, is oddly compelling.)"

It will be fun to talk with kids about this book and see what they enjoy most.

Page 242: ". . . all the good anger drains out of me so fast I'm dizzy."

When Theo loses it and yells at everyone and pours out all his frustrations, he drains himself emotionally. It's what he needed to do, yet he was very hurtful to others. It's a relatable scene, and his ability to apologize and make things right again . . . is well-written.

House Arrest

by K.A. Holt

Libby audiobook 4 hours

read by Alex Kydd

Published: 2019

Genre: YA realistic fiction

 

"Timothy is on probation. It's a strange word - something that happens to other kids, to delinquents, not to kids like him. And yet, he is under house arrest for the next year. He must check in weekly with a probation officer and a therapist, and keep a journal for an entire year. And mostly, he has to stay out of trouble. But when he must take drastic measures to help his struggling family, staying out of trouble proves more difficult than Timothy ever thought it would be."

Oh. My. Word.

I love this book! It made me laugh and it made me cry. This would be a great title to recommend to kiddos who enjoy Sonnenblick's Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie. Timothy is a fantastic and relatable protagonist. When he is caught stealing a wallet to pay for his baby brother's really expensive medicine, he has to journal about his thoughts and feelings.

Those thoughts and feelings are held in fairly tightly at first (hello, 12 year old boy) but then he rages at the injustices in his life - mostly on behalf of his baby brother and his hard-working mother. What an incredible kid! 

His probation officer (James) and his therapist (Ms. Bainbridge) are also wonderful characters. This was a delightful, quick story.

<Above posted on 12.8.21. I relistened to it on 11.29.22 because I remembered enjoying it so much and I wanted an audiobook. Such a good story!>

Oh! There was a funny line when he called puking "shouting groceries." That tickled my funny bone.

Murder on Cape Cod

by Maddie Day

Libby audiobook 8 hours

read by: ???

Published: 2019

Genre: Murder mystery (part of the Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery)

Louie and I listened to this one together, which was fun!

Handyman Jake has been stabbed and two members of the book club are implicated . . . but Mac sets out to figure out who the real killer is.

Good old-fashioned sleuthing. Lots of characters and clues. A funny parrot (African gray?). It was interesting as more details came to light. Mac finally got some help with her bike shop. Tourists galore.

Letters From Paris

by Juliet Blackwell

Libby audiobook 

Read by: Xe Sands

Published: 2016

Genre: Mystery, some history

Wow! Top 3s:

LOVED:

1. beautiful language, evocative - I could picture myself in Paris!

2. my curiosity was piqued on so many levels about so many different things

3. connections made between the characters and the eras in history (The author wove the story strands very effectively.)

Didn't Love:

1. audiobook format - sometimes the reader's gorgeous voice got too quiet and I missed words. It can be hard to focus on driving safely AND wanting to actually hear the story. There are only so many times you can safely hit the "back 15 seconds" button while listening. I didn't like missing parts of the story, nor cranking the volume up then needing to turn it back down.

2. The very predictable path of Claire's and Armond's (?) relationship.

3. That it's over! What a good book. Sorry no real review here - Google it for a description.