by Malcolm Gladwell
Scott County Library audiobook 7 CDs
read by the author
genre: non-fiction
Gladwell is such an interesting person! I love his research and writing, though there were times I didn't appreciate his rhetoric. (For someone who tends to over-the-top, you'd think I'd appreciate his hyperbole . . . ) My notes don't make much of a blog entry for others to read, but I highly recommend this title and may end up re-reading it!
hockey and soccer players and birthdates . . . crazy!
1954 technology / Bill Gates / opportunities
practice and 10,000 hours
The Beatles / Hamburg
entrepreneurs / 1833
lawyers
China / rice farms / math / numbers / logic . . . fascinating section!
4853976
"Working really hard is what successful people do."
Kipp School (?) - interesting . . . rigorous
Gladwell is basically debunking outliers that have typically been shown to be extraordinary people. He identifies different factors that have opened opportunities for success. Fascinating stuff!
Sunday, April 14, 2019
Sunday, April 07, 2019
The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things
by Carolyn Mackler
NPMS Berglund bookshelf, paperback 244 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction
In the past, I've had students drawn to this book because of the title. Now that I've finally read it, there are a number of ways I could booktalk it . . . Virginia is overweight and self-conscious about being a "fat" girl. She perceives the rest of her family as being normal and herself as odd-person out. Named after Virginia Woolf (her siblings are Anais and Byron), she prefers magazines, television, and snacking rather than the things her parents would like to see her doing.
I enjoyed this book, but most especially her interactions with her new doctor. His insight and emphasis on being healthy (rather than thin) make an impact on Virginia. As she learns to pay attention to her self and others, she begins to think less of her weight and more of her life.
I wrote some other notes and observations in my teaching journal, but I'll just say that this book was pleasantly surprising.
The trip to Seattle, her conversation with her dad, her letter to Anais . . . there were many good moments in this book!
NPMS Berglund bookshelf, paperback 244 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction
In the past, I've had students drawn to this book because of the title. Now that I've finally read it, there are a number of ways I could booktalk it . . . Virginia is overweight and self-conscious about being a "fat" girl. She perceives the rest of her family as being normal and herself as odd-person out. Named after Virginia Woolf (her siblings are Anais and Byron), she prefers magazines, television, and snacking rather than the things her parents would like to see her doing.
I enjoyed this book, but most especially her interactions with her new doctor. His insight and emphasis on being healthy (rather than thin) make an impact on Virginia. As she learns to pay attention to her self and others, she begins to think less of her weight and more of her life.
I wrote some other notes and observations in my teaching journal, but I'll just say that this book was pleasantly surprising.
The trip to Seattle, her conversation with her dad, her letter to Anais . . . there were many good moments in this book!
Wednesday, April 03, 2019
A Tale of Two Cities
by Charles Dickens
Scott County Library audiobook 12 CDs
read by: Martin Jarvis
genre: historical fiction
Although I felt extremely familiar with this title ("It was the best of times; it was the worst of times" . . . Madame Defarge and her knitting . . . London and Paris . . . the French Revolution . . . Sydney Carton, Charles Darnay . . . ) I'd never actually read it or seen a movie version. So I got the audiobook to give myself a first true exposure to the full novel. Oh. My. Word. This got painful.
If you've never read this and want to be surprised, stop here! I will include spoilers.
For starters, I kept a cheat sheet of quick notes in the car just for the characters . . . and I still got confused! (One of the many reasons that reading the print version is better than listening.) I Googled the character names before writing this blog entry to make sure I had correct spellings.
Jarvis Lorry - banker with Tellson's
Miss Lucie Manette
Dr. Manette - in the Tower (Bastille) for 18 years (why?!?! - I found out later . . . ) - Lucie's dad
Jacques Defarge - wine seller
Madame Defarge - knitter, vicious woman
Mr. Jerry Cruncher - messenger for Tellson's / "respectable tradesman" who digs up graves / gets angry with his wife for "flopping" - praying, which he sees as the reason he's not more successful . . .
Young Jerry - his son
Charles Darnay - imprisoned and tried in London, imprisoned and "tried" in Paris
Striver - his lawyer / "the lion"
Sydney Carton - "the jackal" / works with Striver . . . not quite sure in what capacity / he's an interesting character
Monseigneur - He was awful! I kept vacillating between thinking he was also Charles Darnay's uncle, the Marquis de Evremonde, and thinking they were two separate people. Was he / they hung? Alive? What did I miss??? In any case, he was selfish, greedy, and nasty. (Wikipedia to the rescue:
The Marquis St. Evrémonde is referred to as "Monseigneur" and "Monsieur." These three different titles all refer to the same person: people who are below the Marquis in rank refer to him as "Monseigneur" or "Monsieur," while people of equal rank refer to him as the "Marquis.")
Miss Pross - good comic relief; calls Lucie "Ladybird"
Little Lucie
Spy / Miss Pross' brother / Mr. Barsat . . .
The Mender of Roads / the Sawyer
Jacques 3 - nasty
The Vengeance
Book the First - Recalled to Life (Starts with 1775; Ends with Dr. Manette out of France)
Book the Second - The Golden Thread (Starts in 1780; Ends with Darnay going to France)
Book the Third - The Track of a Storm (Starts in Autumn 1792; Ends with everyone except Evremonde escaping)
Darnay is called "Evremonde" when he is imprisoned in France. The scene between Jarvis Lorry, Sydney Carton, Mr. Barsat, and Jerry Cruncher is one of my favorite parts of the book . . .
All of this makes me curious about the French Revolution. What happened after all the bloodshed? How many people were killed? I may need to do some research to learn more!
Madame Defarge is my least favorite character, but I wondered if she really was directly related to the young woman / husband / father / brother tended to by Dr. Manette so many years ago. How and why did she become a person "without pity" and so incredibly evil?
The Marquis - elder is Charles' dad, but died how? Then the younger (who defiled the woman) is Charles' uncle, but he is killed. This part was a bit vague for me. I wish I had a print version here to check the Marquis part.
I loved the scene between Madame Defarge and Miss Pross! Especially how it ended.
I actually cried at the last part. "It is a far, far better thing I do . . . " I recognized the quote. I've heard it many times. I didn't realize that it was said by Sydney Carton at the end of this novel! I wept like a baby.
Now that I've had my first read-through, I think I'd like to watch a video or read an abridgement . . . the French Revolution was bloody and dark.
(Below added 4.7.19)
So I got the Great Illustrated Classics version from the library. It helped put a few pieces of the puzzle into place for me.
It was Jerry Cruncher who brought the message to Jarvis Lorry in the opening scene.
It was Miss Pross who flew at Jarvis Lorry when Lucie got the news about her father.
The Marquis was stabbed in his bed by one of the Jacques . . . the man who was hanging from the chains was probably the killer . . . and he was killed the same night Charles Darnay spoke to him about renouncing his title . . . this part is still a bit fuzzy for me.
Madame Defarge really was the little sister whose family was destroyed by the Marquis. Still, she's extreme in her hatred and desire to exact revenge.
Scott County Library audiobook 12 CDs
read by: Martin Jarvis
genre: historical fiction
Although I felt extremely familiar with this title ("It was the best of times; it was the worst of times" . . . Madame Defarge and her knitting . . . London and Paris . . . the French Revolution . . . Sydney Carton, Charles Darnay . . . ) I'd never actually read it or seen a movie version. So I got the audiobook to give myself a first true exposure to the full novel. Oh. My. Word. This got painful.
If you've never read this and want to be surprised, stop here! I will include spoilers.
For starters, I kept a cheat sheet of quick notes in the car just for the characters . . . and I still got confused! (One of the many reasons that reading the print version is better than listening.) I Googled the character names before writing this blog entry to make sure I had correct spellings.
Jarvis Lorry - banker with Tellson's
Miss Lucie Manette
Dr. Manette - in the Tower (Bastille) for 18 years (why?!?! - I found out later . . . ) - Lucie's dad
Jacques Defarge - wine seller
Madame Defarge - knitter, vicious woman
Mr. Jerry Cruncher - messenger for Tellson's / "respectable tradesman" who digs up graves / gets angry with his wife for "flopping" - praying, which he sees as the reason he's not more successful . . .
Young Jerry - his son
Charles Darnay - imprisoned and tried in London, imprisoned and "tried" in Paris
Striver - his lawyer / "the lion"
Sydney Carton - "the jackal" / works with Striver . . . not quite sure in what capacity / he's an interesting character
Monseigneur - He was awful! I kept vacillating between thinking he was also Charles Darnay's uncle, the Marquis de Evremonde, and thinking they were two separate people. Was he / they hung? Alive? What did I miss??? In any case, he was selfish, greedy, and nasty. (Wikipedia to the rescue:
The Marquis St. Evrémonde is referred to as "Monseigneur" and "Monsieur." These three different titles all refer to the same person: people who are below the Marquis in rank refer to him as "Monseigneur" or "Monsieur," while people of equal rank refer to him as the "Marquis.")
Miss Pross - good comic relief; calls Lucie "Ladybird"
Little Lucie
Spy / Miss Pross' brother / Mr. Barsat . . .
The Mender of Roads / the Sawyer
Jacques 3 - nasty
The Vengeance
Book the First - Recalled to Life (Starts with 1775; Ends with Dr. Manette out of France)
Book the Second - The Golden Thread
Book the Third - The Track of a Storm (Starts in Autumn 1792; Ends with everyone except Evremonde escaping)
Darnay is called "Evremonde" when he is imprisoned in France. The scene between Jarvis Lorry, Sydney Carton, Mr. Barsat, and Jerry Cruncher is one of my favorite parts of the book . . .
All of this makes me curious about the French Revolution. What happened after all the bloodshed? How many people were killed? I may need to do some research to learn more!
Madame Defarge is my least favorite character, but I wondered if she really was directly related to the young woman / husband / father / brother tended to by Dr. Manette so many years ago. How and why did she become a person "without pity" and so incredibly evil?
The Marquis - elder is Charles' dad, but died how? Then the younger (who defiled the woman) is Charles' uncle, but he is killed. This part was a bit vague for me. I wish I had a print version here to check the Marquis part.
I loved the scene between Madame Defarge and Miss Pross! Especially how it ended.
I actually cried at the last part. "It is a far, far better thing I do . . . " I recognized the quote. I've heard it many times. I didn't realize that it was said by Sydney Carton at the end of this novel! I wept like a baby.
Now that I've had my first read-through, I think I'd like to watch a video or read an abridgement . . . the French Revolution was bloody and dark.
(Below added 4.7.19)
So I got the Great Illustrated Classics version from the library. It helped put a few pieces of the puzzle into place for me.
It was Jerry Cruncher who brought the message to Jarvis Lorry in the opening scene.
It was Miss Pross who flew at Jarvis Lorry when Lucie got the news about her father.
The Marquis was stabbed in his bed by one of the Jacques . . . the man who was hanging from the chains was probably the killer . . . and he was killed the same night Charles Darnay spoke to him about renouncing his title . . . this part is still a bit fuzzy for me.
Madame Defarge really was the little sister whose family was destroyed by the Marquis. Still, she's extreme in her hatred and desire to exact revenge.
We Hope for Better Things
by Erin Bartels
Scott County Library paperback 392 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
This was our February book club title, but I didn't get a copy of it until the night of the discussion! I wish I'd gotten it earlier - I love this book! I marked lots of pages, but will start with some of my character notes.
Elizabeth Balsam - journalist, Detroit, modern day, also Lapeer house, sister Grace (a doctor, much older), parents are missionaries in the Amazon, meets Mr. Rich (James) and his son Linden (pro NFL)
Nora Balsam - Eleanor, Elizabeth's dad's aunt, Detroit 1963, then Lapeer County house, married William Rich, quilted, sewed, grew up privileged, had a falling out with her parents, Tyrese (not William) mows her lawn
Mary Balsam - Nora's great-grandmother, Lapeer County, 1860s, married to Nathaniel, abolitionists, made Crazy Quilt (and others), died 1875, had Bridget as her serving girl, wrote letters, George, three sons and a daughter . . .
Page 91 - When Nora says she would never use the N-word, William says, "Don't matter if you'd never say it. It's what's in your heart that matters." I love his direct way of challenging her preconceived notions about herself and her attitudes throughout the book.
Page 131 - When Mary is describing the reason behind Independence Day and explaining the Revolutionary War, young Angelica asks "That the war going right now?"
"Mary shook her head. 'No, child. This was almost one hundred years ago. It was a different war.'
'Don't seem different.'
'Quiet, girl.' Martha said. 'You get outside and let me and Mrs. Balsam get to work.'"
Out of the mouths of babes! A war for liberty and the right to be in control of your own life . . . Revolutionary or Civil or both?
Page 227 - I love that George answers "You know this cannot be anything more than it is" when Mary confesses her love to him. I have to admit, this part of the story was the hardest to accept. I just can't picture this relationship at this point in history. Propriety was such a huge part of most people's expectations. George behaved much better than Mary, for the most part!
Page 301- When Nora interviewed her very elderly relative Margaret in the 1960s, she thanks her for the visit and the stories. Margaret replies with ". . . I do like talking. When you're busy living life, everything's a blur. It's not until you get to be my age and you've got nothing more to do than think that you start to see it for what it was." I love the idea of contemplation and slowing down.
Page 335 - Nora's return to her childhood home when she returns to Detroit, looking for William in the aftermath of the Detroit riots. "As much as she had told herself that William was all the family she needed now, that he was enough, he wasn't. She wanted the love of her parents too." This whole paragraph spoke to me about the value of close family relationships. I strongly dislike brokenness in families. (Though I also disliked how Nora's family spoke and acted.)
Page 338 - I love when William's mom cries out to God! "Hear us as we cry out to you. We know you know where our Will is right this moment. We know you see him, that you're looking at him even now. We're trying to trust you with him, but it's hard. We're trying to leave him in your hands, but it's so hard to do. Lord, bring him back to us. Bring him back even today, even this very hour. Hear our prayer as you heard your own Son's voice as he cried out to you on the cross. Amen."
Page 371 - When Elizabeth remarks on the difference between the huge Baptist church where she goes with Nora and the "simple hut" her parents were worshiping in in the Amazon, "What a strange and wonderful family we were all part of." Amen!
Page 376 - The trunk, the letters, the mice . . . not the ending I would have picked. But I like this observation: "Aunt Nora had been wrong when she said that history was written by the victors, for the victors in one generation may turn out to be the villains of the next. And the only way to get closer to the truth was to refuse to quit searching for it. All it took to lose one's history was a single generation that didn't take the time to learn it and pass it on."
I look forward to reading Bartels' next book. This was her first.
Scott County Library paperback 392 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
This was our February book club title, but I didn't get a copy of it until the night of the discussion! I wish I'd gotten it earlier - I love this book! I marked lots of pages, but will start with some of my character notes.
Elizabeth Balsam - journalist, Detroit, modern day, also Lapeer house, sister Grace (a doctor, much older), parents are missionaries in the Amazon, meets Mr. Rich (James) and his son Linden (pro NFL)
Nora Balsam - Eleanor, Elizabeth's dad's aunt, Detroit 1963, then Lapeer County house, married William Rich, quilted, sewed, grew up privileged, had a falling out with her parents, Tyrese (not William) mows her lawn
Mary Balsam - Nora's great-grandmother, Lapeer County, 1860s, married to Nathaniel, abolitionists, made Crazy Quilt (and others), died 1875, had Bridget as her serving girl, wrote letters, George, three sons and a daughter . . .
Page 91 - When Nora says she would never use the N-word, William says, "Don't matter if you'd never say it. It's what's in your heart that matters." I love his direct way of challenging her preconceived notions about herself and her attitudes throughout the book.
Page 131 - When Mary is describing the reason behind Independence Day and explaining the Revolutionary War, young Angelica asks "That the war going right now?"
"Mary shook her head. 'No, child. This was almost one hundred years ago. It was a different war.'
'Don't seem different.'
'Quiet, girl.' Martha said. 'You get outside and let me and Mrs. Balsam get to work.'"
Out of the mouths of babes! A war for liberty and the right to be in control of your own life . . . Revolutionary or Civil or both?
Page 227 - I love that George answers "You know this cannot be anything more than it is" when Mary confesses her love to him. I have to admit, this part of the story was the hardest to accept. I just can't picture this relationship at this point in history. Propriety was such a huge part of most people's expectations. George behaved much better than Mary, for the most part!
Page 301- When Nora interviewed her very elderly relative Margaret in the 1960s, she thanks her for the visit and the stories. Margaret replies with ". . . I do like talking. When you're busy living life, everything's a blur. It's not until you get to be my age and you've got nothing more to do than think that you start to see it for what it was." I love the idea of contemplation and slowing down.
Page 335 - Nora's return to her childhood home when she returns to Detroit, looking for William in the aftermath of the Detroit riots. "As much as she had told herself that William was all the family she needed now, that he was enough, he wasn't. She wanted the love of her parents too." This whole paragraph spoke to me about the value of close family relationships. I strongly dislike brokenness in families. (Though I also disliked how Nora's family spoke and acted.)
Page 338 - I love when William's mom cries out to God! "Hear us as we cry out to you. We know you know where our Will is right this moment. We know you see him, that you're looking at him even now. We're trying to trust you with him, but it's hard. We're trying to leave him in your hands, but it's so hard to do. Lord, bring him back to us. Bring him back even today, even this very hour. Hear our prayer as you heard your own Son's voice as he cried out to you on the cross. Amen."
Page 371 - When Elizabeth remarks on the difference between the huge Baptist church where she goes with Nora and the "simple hut" her parents were worshiping in in the Amazon, "What a strange and wonderful family we were all part of." Amen!
Page 376 - The trunk, the letters, the mice . . . not the ending I would have picked. But I like this observation: "Aunt Nora had been wrong when she said that history was written by the victors, for the victors in one generation may turn out to be the villains of the next. And the only way to get closer to the truth was to refuse to quit searching for it. All it took to lose one's history was a single generation that didn't take the time to learn it and pass it on."
I look forward to reading Bartels' next book. This was her first.
Miss Kopp's Midnight Confessions
by Amy Stewart
A Kopp Sisters Novel (#3)
Scott County Library hardcover 35 pages
genre: historical mystery fiction
Stewart has again taken the pieces of historical fact and woven a believable and enjoyable work of fiction. It is so weird to think of the change in our country over the past one hundred years . . . for good and for ill. Constance is upset about girls being arrested "over dubious charges of waywardness, incorrigibility, and moral depravity." I loved how Edna Heustis' life intertwined with Minnie Davis' . . . and I was pleasantly surprised by the resolution of Fleurette's situation. I hope Stewart continues writing these books! (I was surprised - and curious to know if it's true - that a sheriff at that time in New Jersey was only allowed to serve one term.)
A Kopp Sisters Novel (#3)
Scott County Library hardcover 35 pages
genre: historical mystery fiction
Stewart has again taken the pieces of historical fact and woven a believable and enjoyable work of fiction. It is so weird to think of the change in our country over the past one hundred years . . . for good and for ill. Constance is upset about girls being arrested "over dubious charges of waywardness, incorrigibility, and moral depravity." I loved how Edna Heustis' life intertwined with Minnie Davis' . . . and I was pleasantly surprised by the resolution of Fleurette's situation. I hope Stewart continues writing these books! (I was surprised - and curious to know if it's true - that a sheriff at that time in New Jersey was only allowed to serve one term.)
Monday, March 25, 2019
Everything She Didn't Say
by Jane Kirkpatrick
Carver County Library paperback 333 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
Although this book wasn't nearly as engaging as other titles I've read by this author, I certainly marked plenty of pages! Based on the real-life travels and memoirs of Carrie Adell Strahorn and Robert Strahorn, the "story" at times felt like more of a travelogue. Book club is in less than an hour, so I'm just going to put some quick notes here.
Page 22: "I often longed for where I'd been and where I wasn't. It was a lesson of living I hadn't yet learned about, finding the blessings of each moment." Though I get sick of people talking about "living in the moment," I need this lesson as well . . . I'm too often in a hurry to cross things off my list. Finding the blessings of each moment resonates for me.
Page 58: "My old pattern of memorizing Scripture came in handy, and I repeated a psalm as a mantra: 'Be still and know that I am God.' I saw it as a promise that God would have our backs rather than as a chastisement to be quiet."
Page 78: When Robert has trouble catching his breath after moving a trunk, I thought that he was surely going to die soon. This was at least his third illness and I just didn't think he was going to last very long!
Page 83: When she is telling her sister about the Chinese who "lay rail lines, dig in mines, cook, do laundry, sleep in colonies separate from others, and they send all their money home to family." This truthful depiction of Chinese labor is historically accurate and it makes me sad how they were treated when their labor was no longer wanted.
Page 86 and 90: When she finds out that Robert had mumps when he was young and was probably infertile . . . what a gut-punch! And he never told her about it, even though she wanted children. And when she confronted him about it, his excuses / explanations were pathetic and self-serving. Ugh!
Page 113: Might be my favorite part! "The effect of a compliment seasoning hard, dreary days was something I could give and vowed to do that more. Kindness. To notice small moments of service, even asking for a woman's name, brought joy out of proportion to the simple act. We all want to be known."
Page 117: "I overheard one of them refer to me once as 'bossy' and I'm not. I just knew what others should be doing." Hahaha! This made me laugh out loud.
Page 139: "'I'm not jesting. We all hear voices inside. Things Mama told us when we were little that remind us of some action to take in the present. Husbands tell us things we let stew inside our heads and hearts, even when they aren't present. It's not always for the best." There's some truth in this! I am trying to be better about listening to the Holy Spirit - my favorite little voice!
Page 154: "A bit of a stuffy title, but then a title is meant to tell a reader what's inside and it surely did that. I do think it's why I love to read novels, though, because the titles are meant to intrigue, perhaps be a double entendre." I'm always looking for the book title connection within the text of the novel. I love this!
Page 186: ". . . it's how we respond to the broken tracks that matters, because there will always be brokenness. It's what we do with the punches we take, the heart-stopping moments, those are the knives that carve out who we are." I love the author's language here!
Page 187: "Fear's an elixir that feeds anxiety and drains common sense." One of the few things that Robert said that I liked . . .
Page 227: "Women have a way of knowing what another needs. Some of us struggle with receiving kindness."
General observation: I love the dogs! And using "B-flat" to indicate "down" is genius, especially for a music lover.
Page 313: Her observations on the impact of Manifest Destiny also make me sad . . . history is full of grandeur and pain. I do love that chapter 36 is titled "What She Didn't Say" . . . and the connection she made in the author's note about her sister sticking with the cheery news and omitting the difficulties.
Page 329: In the author's notes, she points out that his wife of fifty years merited three sentences in his life's memoir. Then she goes on to write "Robert remarried a year after Carrie's death in 1925 and in that same memoir wrote twenty-six pages about his second wife and their two years of travel in Europe." What a jerk!
Carver County Library paperback 333 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
Although this book wasn't nearly as engaging as other titles I've read by this author, I certainly marked plenty of pages! Based on the real-life travels and memoirs of Carrie Adell Strahorn and Robert Strahorn, the "story" at times felt like more of a travelogue. Book club is in less than an hour, so I'm just going to put some quick notes here.
Page 22: "I often longed for where I'd been and where I wasn't. It was a lesson of living I hadn't yet learned about, finding the blessings of each moment." Though I get sick of people talking about "living in the moment," I need this lesson as well . . . I'm too often in a hurry to cross things off my list. Finding the blessings of each moment resonates for me.
Page 58: "My old pattern of memorizing Scripture came in handy, and I repeated a psalm as a mantra: 'Be still and know that I am God.' I saw it as a promise that God would have our backs rather than as a chastisement to be quiet."
Page 78: When Robert has trouble catching his breath after moving a trunk, I thought that he was surely going to die soon. This was at least his third illness and I just didn't think he was going to last very long!
Page 83: When she is telling her sister about the Chinese who "lay rail lines, dig in mines, cook, do laundry, sleep in colonies separate from others, and they send all their money home to family." This truthful depiction of Chinese labor is historically accurate and it makes me sad how they were treated when their labor was no longer wanted.
Page 86 and 90: When she finds out that Robert had mumps when he was young and was probably infertile . . . what a gut-punch! And he never told her about it, even though she wanted children. And when she confronted him about it, his excuses / explanations were pathetic and self-serving. Ugh!
Page 113: Might be my favorite part! "The effect of a compliment seasoning hard, dreary days was something I could give and vowed to do that more. Kindness. To notice small moments of service, even asking for a woman's name, brought joy out of proportion to the simple act. We all want to be known."
Page 117: "I overheard one of them refer to me once as 'bossy' and I'm not. I just knew what others should be doing." Hahaha! This made me laugh out loud.
Page 139: "'I'm not jesting. We all hear voices inside. Things Mama told us when we were little that remind us of some action to take in the present. Husbands tell us things we let stew inside our heads and hearts, even when they aren't present. It's not always for the best." There's some truth in this! I am trying to be better about listening to the Holy Spirit - my favorite little voice!
Page 154: "A bit of a stuffy title, but then a title is meant to tell a reader what's inside and it surely did that. I do think it's why I love to read novels, though, because the titles are meant to intrigue, perhaps be a double entendre." I'm always looking for the book title connection within the text of the novel. I love this!
Page 186: ". . . it's how we respond to the broken tracks that matters, because there will always be brokenness. It's what we do with the punches we take, the heart-stopping moments, those are the knives that carve out who we are." I love the author's language here!
Page 187: "Fear's an elixir that feeds anxiety and drains common sense." One of the few things that Robert said that I liked . . .
Page 227: "Women have a way of knowing what another needs. Some of us struggle with receiving kindness."
General observation: I love the dogs! And using "B-flat" to indicate "down" is genius, especially for a music lover.
Page 313: Her observations on the impact of Manifest Destiny also make me sad . . . history is full of grandeur and pain. I do love that chapter 36 is titled "What She Didn't Say" . . . and the connection she made in the author's note about her sister sticking with the cheery news and omitting the difficulties.
Page 329: In the author's notes, she points out that his wife of fifty years merited three sentences in his life's memoir. Then she goes on to write "Robert remarried a year after Carrie's death in 1925 and in that same memoir wrote twenty-six pages about his second wife and their two years of travel in Europe." What a jerk!
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Hidden Figures
by Margot Lee Shetterly
Scott County Library paperback 265 pages
genre: non-fiction, history
I have to admit, this book would probably not have crossed my radar if it hadn't been for the amazing movie made based on this. I absolutely love the movie! Reading this, I see some of the places where Hollywood skewed the truth to tell a story . . . but I still love the movie! The author did a fantastic job of researching the history and tying in the racial aspects (in the people's lives, at NASA, in the South, in the United States vs. the rest of the world . . . ) with the technological aspects (human computers, mathematicians, engineers, teachers, airplanes, rockets, IBM, etc.). The book was perhaps a bit too techie for me, but I'm glad I read it and I'm even more glad that Lee Shetterly researched and wrote it!
Scott County Library paperback 265 pages
genre: non-fiction, history
I have to admit, this book would probably not have crossed my radar if it hadn't been for the amazing movie made based on this. I absolutely love the movie! Reading this, I see some of the places where Hollywood skewed the truth to tell a story . . . but I still love the movie! The author did a fantastic job of researching the history and tying in the racial aspects (in the people's lives, at NASA, in the South, in the United States vs. the rest of the world . . . ) with the technological aspects (human computers, mathematicians, engineers, teachers, airplanes, rockets, IBM, etc.). The book was perhaps a bit too techie for me, but I'm glad I read it and I'm even more glad that Lee Shetterly researched and wrote it!
Sunday, March 10, 2019
Window Treatments
I was impressed by the wealth of books in the Scott County Library system! I looked through all of these for window treatment ideas, but have decided on a different strategy for the specific project I was considering. I may want to come back to some of these for future use, though!
The Sunset Big Book of Window Treatments was delightful for visual options! Subtitled "More than 1,000 ways to dress up your windows," it really shows a lot of styles, colors, designs, etc. It's a visual feast!
The Complete Photo Guide to Window Treatments, edited by Linda Neubauer, is fantastic for DIY directions! I copied a few pages for Roman Shades, which I might try making for a window up at the lake. If I were planning to buy any of the titles I looked at, it would be this one.
Sunset's Simply Window Treatments: All you need to know to make curtains, shades, and swags was a close second. I copied the roman shades pages from this one, also, but the directions and illustrations were not quite as clear and straightforward.
The Sunset Big Book of Window Treatments was delightful for visual options! Subtitled "More than 1,000 ways to dress up your windows," it really shows a lot of styles, colors, designs, etc. It's a visual feast!
The Complete Photo Guide to Window Treatments, edited by Linda Neubauer, is fantastic for DIY directions! I copied a few pages for Roman Shades, which I might try making for a window up at the lake. If I were planning to buy any of the titles I looked at, it would be this one.
Sunset's Simply Window Treatments: All you need to know to make curtains, shades, and swags was a close second. I copied the roman shades pages from this one, also, but the directions and illustrations were not quite as clear and straightforward.
Thursday, March 07, 2019
Fish in a Tree
by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
NPMS Mrs. Weiers' copy paperback 272 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction
I had read a small section of this a while back when I subbed in Mrs. Bowers' room. Then I saw it on Mrs. Weiers' desk Monday and started reading it from the beginning. Well . . . I borrowed it today and finished it! What a lovely book!
Sixth grader Ally Nickerson is really good at drawing and figuring things out, but she struggles to read. She is teased by some of the mean girls at school (mostly Shay) and gets in trouble a lot. When her teacher goes on maternity leave and Mr. Daniels shows up, Ally's world is changed! I wish all teachers were like Mr. Daniels!
Page 63 - "I'm not perfect, but at least I'm not mean. And then my heart sinks, because I realize that I just was. I guess I did it because I was lonely. Now I know that there are worse things than being lonely."
Page 106-7 - The scene where Ally tells Albert and Keisha how she got on Shay's bad side . . . too funny!
Page 142 - "I'd rather be in charge of teaching cats to play hockey."
Page 158 - "'You are smart, Ally. And you are going to learn to read.' A chill runs through my whole body. I don't have any choice but to believe him, because I can't go another day thinking things will be like this forever."
Page 184 - "And I think of words. The power they have. How they can be waved around like a wand - sometimes for good, like how Mr. Daniels uses them. How he makes kids like me and Oliver feel better about ourselves. And how words can also be used for bad. To hurt."
Page 273-4 Her "Dear Readers" note at the end . . . I love it as much as the book! Ally is a wonderful protagonist who cares deeply about her family and her new friends. This book is as much about celebrating the best in humanity as it is about learning to read.
The above was written 3/17/2019. On 1/13/2020, I finished listening to the audio version, read by Kathleen McInerney. The skeptic in me doesn't think a student could make it all the way to sixth grade without an educator realizing she has dyslexia and cannot read, but the realist in me knows that students who move a lot often get lost in the shuffle. Also, some kids come up with excellent coping mechanisms that deceive the adults about what's really going on. This is a wonderful book, especially Ally and her brother Travis, their love for their parents and their grandpa, the "Silver Dollar" and "Wooden Nickel" days, . . . .
In April 2021, I read it *again* while subbing at New Prague High School. The media specialist had bought it for some of her students with learning challenges. I had time, so read it a third time! Hunt is such an amazingly talented author. I cried as I finished this book! I love Ally Nickerson, her teacher, and her love for her brother. I love the impact their grandpa had on them. I love this book!
8.18.2023 - Yes, I really do like this book a lot. I listened while at work (Libby app). Kathleen McInerney does a wonderful job. Kudos to Hunt for writing such an incredible book.
Sunday, March 03, 2019
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman
by P.D. James
Scott County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by Penelope Dellaporta
genre: detective mystery
Cordelia Gray is a young private detective. Initially, I thought the story was set earlier, but soon realized that the young Mark Callendar was born in the 1950s.
What I liked:
Scott County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by Penelope Dellaporta
genre: detective mystery
Cordelia Gray is a young private detective. Initially, I thought the story was set earlier, but soon realized that the young Mark Callendar was born in the 1950s.
What I liked:
- clues, in classic whodunnit style
- the mysteries!
- not knowing who the murderer was for most of the story . . . in fact, I had lots of theories, but they all proved wrong!
- the interesting characters . . . I could almost picture the cast if it were an Agatha Christie mystery!
- the details in the story
- the reader's voice - Dellaporta is so talented! I would pick an audiobook just to hear her!
- who the murderer was . . . and what actually happened. Yuk.
- what Cordelia decided to do in the climactic scene . . . I just found her decision to be disappointing, even though I understand her motivation for doing so
Monday, February 25, 2019
Lady Cop Makes Trouble
Kopp Sisters #2
by Amy Stewart
Scott County Library hardcover 310 pages
genre: Historical mystery fiction
Set in the 19teens, this book is also based on historical people and events. Constance Kopp is employed as a jail matron for the female prisoners, but longs to be a deputy. When a dangerous prisoner escapes from a hospital room during a storm, Kopp feels personally responsible and tries to track him down. There is less of Norma and Fleurette in this story, but enough to keep Constance grounded and challenged. Fleurette's flair for drama (and skill at sewing) are clearly leading to some new ground for the Kopp sisters. I've already reserved book 3 at the library!
I liked this line from page 282: "The two of them sat resolutely behind bars, having decided, apparently, that they would trade their liberty for familial solidarity. Sometimes a family was like a swamp, everyone mired in the same mud." (I'm not sure I agree with it, but it did make me grin. There's something about family bonds . . . )
I absolutely love her "historical notes, sources, and acknowledgments" at the end of the book. What excellent research! I love how she identifies factual sources and her embellishments in storytelling. She has mad skills! Looking forward to continuing to read these exploits.
by Amy Stewart
Scott County Library hardcover 310 pages
genre: Historical mystery fiction
Set in the 19teens, this book is also based on historical people and events. Constance Kopp is employed as a jail matron for the female prisoners, but longs to be a deputy. When a dangerous prisoner escapes from a hospital room during a storm, Kopp feels personally responsible and tries to track him down. There is less of Norma and Fleurette in this story, but enough to keep Constance grounded and challenged. Fleurette's flair for drama (and skill at sewing) are clearly leading to some new ground for the Kopp sisters. I've already reserved book 3 at the library!
I liked this line from page 282: "The two of them sat resolutely behind bars, having decided, apparently, that they would trade their liberty for familial solidarity. Sometimes a family was like a swamp, everyone mired in the same mud." (I'm not sure I agree with it, but it did make me grin. There's something about family bonds . . . )
I absolutely love her "historical notes, sources, and acknowledgments" at the end of the book. What excellent research! I love how she identifies factual sources and her embellishments in storytelling. She has mad skills! Looking forward to continuing to read these exploits.
Sunday, February 24, 2019
King Peggy: An American Secretary, Her Royal Destiny, and the Inspiring Story of How She Changed an African Village
by Peggieliene Bartels and Eleanor Herman
personal copy paperback 334 pages
genre: biography / memoir
My son Alex and his wife gave this book to me a few years ago. Now that I've finally read it, I need to ask them if they met either of the authors . . . I'm not sure what the connection was for them to get this book and then give it to me. My sister wanted to read it for her book club, so that motivated me to finish it and loan it!
Peggy Bartels was born in Ghana, but had been working and living in Washington D.C. at the Ghanian embassy for years when she received a call that her uncle had died. The "spirits" had chosen her as the new king. After getting over her shock and disbelief, she needed to decide if she would accept the responsibility or not.
Her odyssey (living in the U.S. for 10-11 months each year and then traveling to Otuam, Ghana for the other month or two) was expensive and arduous. Her royal advisors were crooked, stealing from the money that should have gone toward the betterment of the village. The book was interesting and worth reading, but I struggled with the descriptor of her as a "devout Christian" intermixed with her pouring libations to the ancestors and talking to the spirits of the stool for direction.
Here are some passages I noted that I really liked or reacted to as I was reading:
Page 48 - "An African wearing kente, or even regular cloth decorated with adinkra symbols, walked out into the world proclaiming what he or she stood for: strength, family, or forgiveness, powerful concepts that helped you get through your day. Peggy opened her closet and looked at the row of black and brown pantsuits she usually wore to the office. How sad, she thought, that we Americans dress like this. We walk outside every morning with no power, no symbolism, no added bit of spiritual heft to help us meet our challenges."
Page 159 - "My people have no running water, she thought, and bad schools, and minimal health care, and electricity only part of the time. Most have no cars, no television, and no radio, and the kids don't have games or toys. We are poor in gadgets, but rich in so many other ways. And America, despite all its riches , and despite all the buttons you can push there, is in some respects poor."
Page 166 - (When the door fell off the refrigerator and Cousin Charles fixed it with a piece of cork) "'There!' he said, satisfied. He looked at Peggy. 'I know that in America you go out and buy new things when something breaks. But this is African engineering at an African price.'" I love that!
Page 198 - I laughed when I read the section about Tsiami's virility, even though I mostly thought he was a jerk.
Page 260 - "Returning to Ghana had made Peggy more aware than ever before of the concept of African family, of the interlocking layers of support needed to ensure that the weakest do not falter."
Page 317 - When Tsiami explained what Isaiah and Baba Kobena had done, in agreement with Uncle Joseph's daughters, it was heartbreaking. "Those in the room lowered their heads in shame at the story, except for Peggy. Her head was high, and her eyes flashing. But they haven't won, Peggy thought. Because there is a God who doesn't approve of dishonoring corpses, especially that of the person who gave you life. They haven't won because there is a God who hates deceit and bribery and causing pain to innocent people, a God who will punish the wicked. Honor thy father and mother, God said, and he wasn't joking."
Page 333 - "When I first cheerfully got on a plane headed for Ghana I had no idea that the experience would be life-changing. There are many Americans - I myself was one of them - who live in big houses with every luxury money can buy and who are, nonetheless, stressed, depressed, and take for granted so much of what we have. Until my trip to Otuam, I was never grateful for the faucet that brought me clean water, hot or cold, at a touch. For flush toilets. For the ambulance that arrives at our doors within minutes of a 911 call. For food and clothing, heating and air-conditioning. Yet most of the people of Otuam, despite their poverty and their lack of water, health care, and educational opportunities, are grateful for every blessing and find joy in their faith, families, and friends in a way that those of us trapped in suburban depression can't imagine."
personal copy paperback 334 pages
genre: biography / memoir
My son Alex and his wife gave this book to me a few years ago. Now that I've finally read it, I need to ask them if they met either of the authors . . . I'm not sure what the connection was for them to get this book and then give it to me. My sister wanted to read it for her book club, so that motivated me to finish it and loan it!
Peggy Bartels was born in Ghana, but had been working and living in Washington D.C. at the Ghanian embassy for years when she received a call that her uncle had died. The "spirits" had chosen her as the new king. After getting over her shock and disbelief, she needed to decide if she would accept the responsibility or not.
Her odyssey (living in the U.S. for 10-11 months each year and then traveling to Otuam, Ghana for the other month or two) was expensive and arduous. Her royal advisors were crooked, stealing from the money that should have gone toward the betterment of the village. The book was interesting and worth reading, but I struggled with the descriptor of her as a "devout Christian" intermixed with her pouring libations to the ancestors and talking to the spirits of the stool for direction.
Here are some passages I noted that I really liked or reacted to as I was reading:
Page 48 - "An African wearing kente, or even regular cloth decorated with adinkra symbols, walked out into the world proclaiming what he or she stood for: strength, family, or forgiveness, powerful concepts that helped you get through your day. Peggy opened her closet and looked at the row of black and brown pantsuits she usually wore to the office. How sad, she thought, that we Americans dress like this. We walk outside every morning with no power, no symbolism, no added bit of spiritual heft to help us meet our challenges."
Page 159 - "My people have no running water, she thought, and bad schools, and minimal health care, and electricity only part of the time. Most have no cars, no television, and no radio, and the kids don't have games or toys. We are poor in gadgets, but rich in so many other ways. And America, despite all its riches , and despite all the buttons you can push there, is in some respects poor."
Page 166 - (When the door fell off the refrigerator and Cousin Charles fixed it with a piece of cork) "'There!' he said, satisfied. He looked at Peggy. 'I know that in America you go out and buy new things when something breaks. But this is African engineering at an African price.'" I love that!
Page 198 - I laughed when I read the section about Tsiami's virility, even though I mostly thought he was a jerk.
Page 260 - "Returning to Ghana had made Peggy more aware than ever before of the concept of African family, of the interlocking layers of support needed to ensure that the weakest do not falter."
Page 317 - When Tsiami explained what Isaiah and Baba Kobena had done, in agreement with Uncle Joseph's daughters, it was heartbreaking. "Those in the room lowered their heads in shame at the story, except for Peggy. Her head was high, and her eyes flashing. But they haven't won, Peggy thought. Because there is a God who doesn't approve of dishonoring corpses, especially that of the person who gave you life. They haven't won because there is a God who hates deceit and bribery and causing pain to innocent people, a God who will punish the wicked. Honor thy father and mother, God said, and he wasn't joking."
Page 333 - "When I first cheerfully got on a plane headed for Ghana I had no idea that the experience would be life-changing. There are many Americans - I myself was one of them - who live in big houses with every luxury money can buy and who are, nonetheless, stressed, depressed, and take for granted so much of what we have. Until my trip to Otuam, I was never grateful for the faucet that brought me clean water, hot or cold, at a touch. For flush toilets. For the ambulance that arrives at our doors within minutes of a 911 call. For food and clothing, heating and air-conditioning. Yet most of the people of Otuam, despite their poverty and their lack of water, health care, and educational opportunities, are grateful for every blessing and find joy in their faith, families, and friends in a way that those of us trapped in suburban depression can't imagine."
Monday, February 18, 2019
Scar Island
by Dan Gemeinhart
NPMS paperback 249 pages
genre: YA dystopian
A student was reading this when I was subbing last week. I got another copy from the media center and read it to respond to some questions he had. I will see him tomorrow at school.
I made a cheat sheet for the characters because there are a lot of them! (Sixteen boys on a desolate island being punished for juvenile offenses, plus eight adults . . . and three other adults.) Kind of a nasty story, but just right for middle school.
I like that the author referenced great literature - Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, Lord of the Flies, and Moby Dick. I wonder if any students reading this would try to tackle those titles. My favorite character (besides the protagonist Jonathan) was the librarian!
The Admiral and his men are nasty creeps who should not be working with adolescent reform in any way! This book is a page-turner for sure.
NPMS paperback 249 pages
genre: YA dystopian
A student was reading this when I was subbing last week. I got another copy from the media center and read it to respond to some questions he had. I will see him tomorrow at school.
I made a cheat sheet for the characters because there are a lot of them! (Sixteen boys on a desolate island being punished for juvenile offenses, plus eight adults . . . and three other adults.) Kind of a nasty story, but just right for middle school.
I like that the author referenced great literature - Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, Lord of the Flies, and Moby Dick. I wonder if any students reading this would try to tackle those titles. My favorite character (besides the protagonist Jonathan) was the librarian!
The Admiral and his men are nasty creeps who should not be working with adolescent reform in any way! This book is a page-turner for sure.
The Secrets of Wishtide: A Laetitia Rodd Mystery
by Kate Saunders
Scott County Library, audiobook, 9 CDs
read by Anna Bentinck
genre: Historical murder mystery
Set in the 1850s, this was a delightful story! I will have to see if this author has other titles. I didn't make many notes, but it was a good mystery with lots of different elements.
Sir James is a jerk! I disliked him even before I found out about his double standards for his own conduct vs. his wife's (and his deception regarding Esther). I ended up really liking Mrs. Hardy, especially when she told Laetitia "I'm a fallen woman, not a kept one." Mrs. Calderstone's role got better toward the end.
Blackbeard
Mrs. Gammon (Sally or Sarah?)
Mrs. Orn? Helen
So many different characters and locations in England! (And Antwerp . . . )
Arrowsmith / Gammon / Saville
Bentinck's vocal work is absolutely superb!
<Blogged above 2.18.19. Below added 11.29.22>
I don't have a lot to add, but I re-read it in Libby last week. The parents hire Mrs. Rodd to dissuade their son from marrying Mrs. Orm(?), a widow. As she tries to find out more about the woman, she learns that she likes her. But when murders start happening and the young master is going on trial, the case really heats up.
Sisters Blanche and Elizabeth are lovely counterparts to the main characters. But her confidante and landlady, Mrs. Bentley, who once let rooms to
John Keats, is my favorite character.
Pastwatch: the Redemption of Christopher Columbus
by Orson Scott Card
PRMS discard, hardbound, 398 pages
genre: SciFi
Although Card is one of my favorite authors, I have been plowing through this slowly over several months. I'm on page 256, and I've decided to just let it go. I've never been a huge fan of time travel stories and this one is partly fascinating and partly irritating. "Pastwatch" is a technology that allows the watchers to go back in time and observe people and events in the past. Then a watcher realizes that the people being watched can *see* her! This changes everything.
The Christopher Columbus portions of the story - his history, motivations, and beliefs - are interesting, but I wonder how much research Card did and how accurate he is. His sources list at the end is pretty impressive.
A few passages really caught my attention. On page 49, "His words were so confident - yet she felt a dizzying vertigo, as if she stood on the edge of a great chasm, and the ground had just shifted a little under her feet. What sort of arrogance did she have, even to imagine reaching back into the past and making changes? Who am I, she thought, if I dare to answer prayers intended for the gods?"
The conversation on page 194 about going back (and who should go back and why . . . ) would have been a fascinating conversation to have with my peers when I was a teenager or a young adult. Now it doesn't interest me. It seems pointless.
This comment on page 203 amused me. "I know that to mate with someone without marriage is a repudiation of the community, a refusal to take one's proper role within the society."
It feels liberating to not spend more energy on this book. I have so many others I want to read!
PRMS discard, hardbound, 398 pages
genre: SciFi
Although Card is one of my favorite authors, I have been plowing through this slowly over several months. I'm on page 256, and I've decided to just let it go. I've never been a huge fan of time travel stories and this one is partly fascinating and partly irritating. "Pastwatch" is a technology that allows the watchers to go back in time and observe people and events in the past. Then a watcher realizes that the people being watched can *see* her! This changes everything.
The Christopher Columbus portions of the story - his history, motivations, and beliefs - are interesting, but I wonder how much research Card did and how accurate he is. His sources list at the end is pretty impressive.
A few passages really caught my attention. On page 49, "His words were so confident - yet she felt a dizzying vertigo, as if she stood on the edge of a great chasm, and the ground had just shifted a little under her feet. What sort of arrogance did she have, even to imagine reaching back into the past and making changes? Who am I, she thought, if I dare to answer prayers intended for the gods?"
The conversation on page 194 about going back (and who should go back and why . . . ) would have been a fascinating conversation to have with my peers when I was a teenager or a young adult. Now it doesn't interest me. It seems pointless.
This comment on page 203 amused me. "I know that to mate with someone without marriage is a repudiation of the community, a refusal to take one's proper role within the society."
It feels liberating to not spend more energy on this book. I have so many others I want to read!
Thursday, February 07, 2019
American Heart Association Low-Salt Cookbook (4th edition)
A Complete Guide to Reducing Sodium and Fat in Your Diet
Scott County Library hardcover
genre: cookbook, health
I kept this for so long so I could read all the intro info and try a few recipes. I think I'll just add it to my wish list or Amazon cart and get it back to the library. I believe that I could make a bigger effort to reduce my sodium. I am willing to try new things. This book seems much better than the last one I looked at . . . which I may or may not have blogged about. I think the American Heart Association has more information about heart healthy options. I especially like that there are recipes for seasonings, sauces, soups, etc.
Scott County Library hardcover
genre: cookbook, health
I kept this for so long so I could read all the intro info and try a few recipes. I think I'll just add it to my wish list or Amazon cart and get it back to the library. I believe that I could make a bigger effort to reduce my sodium. I am willing to try new things. This book seems much better than the last one I looked at . . . which I may or may not have blogged about. I think the American Heart Association has more information about heart healthy options. I especially like that there are recipes for seasonings, sauces, soups, etc.
Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose
by Joe Biden
Scott County Library hardcover 206 pages
genre: memoir
I was very interested in reading about Joe Biden's son Beau. Those parts of this book were quite good. The political parts, with speeches, travel, etc. were kind of dull. The topics are quite important, but I was more interested in the personal. It kind of amazes me that I didn't realize Biden had such a major personal tragedy early in his adult life! He lost his first wife and daughter in a car accident that injured his young sons Beau and Hunter. . .
On page 77, when he relates President Obama's concerns about a possible "Biden in 2016" campaign, I put a post-it note. "For one thing, the president recognized the media's increasing appetite for the drama of politics over real policy." How sad it is to look back at that sentiment, now that we have a president who is all about drama over real policy.
Page 95 includes an interchange between Biden and Putin, but I question its veracity.
"Mr. Prime Minister, I'm looking into your eyes," I told him, smiling. "I don't think you have a soul."
He looked at me for a second and smiled back. "We understand each other," he said.
If true, that is simply too creepy. Putin is scary enough without him admitting to having no soul.
Scott County Library hardcover 206 pages
genre: memoir
I was very interested in reading about Joe Biden's son Beau. Those parts of this book were quite good. The political parts, with speeches, travel, etc. were kind of dull. The topics are quite important, but I was more interested in the personal. It kind of amazes me that I didn't realize Biden had such a major personal tragedy early in his adult life! He lost his first wife and daughter in a car accident that injured his young sons Beau and Hunter. . .
On page 77, when he relates President Obama's concerns about a possible "Biden in 2016" campaign, I put a post-it note. "For one thing, the president recognized the media's increasing appetite for the drama of politics over real policy." How sad it is to look back at that sentiment, now that we have a president who is all about drama over real policy.
Page 95 includes an interchange between Biden and Putin, but I question its veracity.
"Mr. Prime Minister, I'm looking into your eyes," I told him, smiling. "I don't think you have a soul."
He looked at me for a second and smiled back. "We understand each other," he said.
If true, that is simply too creepy. Putin is scary enough without him admitting to having no soul.
Shade: A Tale of Two Presidents
by Pete Souza
Scott County Library hardcover 238 pages
genre: photojournalism, politics
I didn't like this book nearly as much as Souza's Obama. I appreciate the juxtaposition of Trump's tweets with Obama's demeanor and behavior, but this wasn't as joyous a book as the first one. I find Souza's late-to-the-game understanding of "shade" to be humorous. I also liked that there were some photos I'd not seen before. It would have been disappointing if it were just a re-hash of what's already been published. Overall, I liked it but wouldn't want to own it.
Scott County Library hardcover 238 pages
genre: photojournalism, politics
I didn't like this book nearly as much as Souza's Obama. I appreciate the juxtaposition of Trump's tweets with Obama's demeanor and behavior, but this wasn't as joyous a book as the first one. I find Souza's late-to-the-game understanding of "shade" to be humorous. I also liked that there were some photos I'd not seen before. It would have been disappointing if it were just a re-hash of what's already been published. Overall, I liked it but wouldn't want to own it.
Saturday, February 02, 2019
Okay for Now
by Gary D. Schmidt
Scott County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by Lincoln Hoppe
genre: YA historical fiction
Gary D. Schmidt is one of my favorite YA authors! He is amazing - Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, The Wednesday Wars, . . . He is simply phenomenal. I am frustrated, though, at how hard it can be to "sell" his books to today's readers. The era for this one (Vietnam War) is so foreign to today's tweens and teens. So many of the cultural references won't make any sense. The angst, family dynamics, and struggles of main character Doug will still resonate, though.
Doug Swieteck's dad is an angry man. When he moves his family to Marysville, New York, Doug is miserable. His brother Christopher has "a twisted criminal mind" and his oldest brother Lucas is in Vietnam. I don't want to give away spoilers, so I'll just say that it's an amazing story and well worth reading! Lincoln Hoppe's vocal work is exceptional; this is a great listen-to.
Things I want to capture: Mr. "Big Bucks" Ballard, horseshoes, orchids, Lil, Spicer's Deli, deliveries, Mrs. Windermere, Audobon's birds, "skinny delivery boy," Joe Pepitone, the jacket, Jane Eyre, art, reading, school, Coach Swieteck, "so-called" gym teacher, the Dougherty family, . . . The Wikipedia page for this book has images of all the Audobon bird drawings that head the chapters. Fun to look at them!
I would love to find a middle schooler who enjoys historical fiction. I'd recommend all three of Schmidt's books and Ruth Sepetys' as well.
Notes from my car:
Unhappy, angry boy with angry alcoholic dad, two mean older brothers, and sweet, resigned mom.
Why set in this era? Connection to modern kids?
"jerk" "remember" "chump" "I'm not lying" etc. . . . repetition used effectively or too irritating?
Dad is reprehensible!
Scott County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by Lincoln Hoppe
genre: YA historical fiction
Gary D. Schmidt is one of my favorite YA authors! He is amazing - Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, The Wednesday Wars, . . . He is simply phenomenal. I am frustrated, though, at how hard it can be to "sell" his books to today's readers. The era for this one (Vietnam War) is so foreign to today's tweens and teens. So many of the cultural references won't make any sense. The angst, family dynamics, and struggles of main character Doug will still resonate, though.
Doug Swieteck's dad is an angry man. When he moves his family to Marysville, New York, Doug is miserable. His brother Christopher has "a twisted criminal mind" and his oldest brother Lucas is in Vietnam. I don't want to give away spoilers, so I'll just say that it's an amazing story and well worth reading! Lincoln Hoppe's vocal work is exceptional; this is a great listen-to.
Things I want to capture: Mr. "Big Bucks" Ballard, horseshoes, orchids, Lil, Spicer's Deli, deliveries, Mrs. Windermere, Audobon's birds, "skinny delivery boy," Joe Pepitone, the jacket, Jane Eyre, art, reading, school, Coach Swieteck, "so-called" gym teacher, the Dougherty family, . . . The Wikipedia page for this book has images of all the Audobon bird drawings that head the chapters. Fun to look at them!
I would love to find a middle schooler who enjoys historical fiction. I'd recommend all three of Schmidt's books and Ruth Sepetys' as well.
Notes from my car:
Unhappy, angry boy with angry alcoholic dad, two mean older brothers, and sweet, resigned mom.
Why set in this era? Connection to modern kids?
"jerk" "remember" "chump" "I'm not lying" etc. . . . repetition used effectively or too irritating?
Dad is reprehensible!
Monday, January 21, 2019
Stars Over Clear Lake
by Loretta Ellsworth
Scott County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by Tavia Gilbert
genre: Historical fiction
This was a delightful story set in a place I've visited - Clear Lake, Iowa. Alternating between the 1940s and 2007, we meet Lorraine Kindred (cool last name) as a teenager and a woman in her 70s, mourning the loss of her beloved husband Sid.
The story was delightful! I don't want to give too much away, so I'll just jot my notes here.
1944 - the mom is *nasty*
Sid - prominent character in the 2000s . . . but not mentioned in the 1940s at all
The Surf Ballroom - cool history!!!
Pete's letter . . . so glad he sent it.
1944-47 - I love this part the best!
2007 - kind of depressing
Daisy's a B-I-*-*-*
Stella . . . not much of a friend
Lance Dugan is a jerk
Scotty / Jens (sounds like "Yens") . . . could one of them be Sid???
Miss Berkland - love her!
YES! I love the part where we find out (finally) who Sid is/was!
The author's note at the end was fascinating. There were over 700 POW camps in the U.S. during WWII. Sounds like I should make a trip to Camp Algona in Iowa . . . and visit The Surf (the rebuilt one, of course) while I'm in the area.
What a fun book! I was entertained and I learned. Delightful!
Scott County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by Tavia Gilbert
genre: Historical fiction
This was a delightful story set in a place I've visited - Clear Lake, Iowa. Alternating between the 1940s and 2007, we meet Lorraine Kindred (cool last name) as a teenager and a woman in her 70s, mourning the loss of her beloved husband Sid.
The story was delightful! I don't want to give too much away, so I'll just jot my notes here.
1944 - the mom is *nasty*
Sid - prominent character in the 2000s . . . but not mentioned in the 1940s at all
The Surf Ballroom - cool history!!!
Pete's letter . . . so glad he sent it.
1944-47 - I love this part the best!
2007 - kind of depressing
Daisy's a B-I-*-*-*
Stella . . . not much of a friend
Lance Dugan is a jerk
Scotty / Jens (sounds like "Yens") . . . could one of them be Sid???
Miss Berkland - love her!
YES! I love the part where we find out (finally) who Sid is/was!
The author's note at the end was fascinating. There were over 700 POW camps in the U.S. during WWII. Sounds like I should make a trip to Camp Algona in Iowa . . . and visit The Surf (the rebuilt one, of course) while I'm in the area.
What a fun book! I was entertained and I learned. Delightful!
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