Dragonsong

by Anne McCaffrey

Libby audiobook 7 hours

Published:  1976  (this version 1992)

Narrated by: Sally Darling

Genre: YA fantasy

I have read this book multiple times over the last forty years. I got the audiobook because I wanted something I could listen to while working and not have to pay close attention. I think this book appealed to me when I was a teen because of how unkind / unfair everyone in Half Circle Sea Hold is toward Menolly. The fire lizards and her music are delightful, but mostly the surprise and pleasure of the Harpers at finding her . . . this is just fun.

I re-listened to this in 2023 . . . just a year after I last listened! It truly was a favorite for me in my middle-school years.

 

Song for a Whale

 by Lynne Kelly

Scott County Library hardcover 299 pages

Published: 2019

Genre: YA realistic fiction

I read this two weeks ago and so the story has faded for me a bit. I remember enjoying it but not feeling super strong about it. I did put some post-it notes in it, though.

Page 6 - "She'd checked out a library book about it, so that made her an expert. Some people have the kind of confidence that lets them get away with being clueless."

The protagonists's classmate Nina tries using sign language to communicate with Iris, but Iris is just irritated with her poor attempts. I laughed at this "kind of confidence" because I am sometimes guilty of it!

Page 26 - "I took out my phone to text Grandpa. It was the kind of thing he'd pick up for me before someone else grabbed it. I typed a few words before I caught myself. Sometimes I'd think of something to tell him, before remembering he wasn't there to answer me. Then I felt bad for forgetting. Shouldn't I always feel it? Missing him?"

Ah, yes. Grief. Wanting to call, text, or see someone who isn't there anymore. I love the relationships between Iris and her deaf grandparents. So sweet.

Page 225 - "Time and distance smooth out the memory of what was lost."

First of all, I love the sign language word game that Iris had played with her grandpa. Second, I love that her grandma was willing to play the game with her on the cruise. Third, I love that grandma is finding some healing from her own grief. Beautiful.

Page 262 - "At least I'd brought Grandma to the sea, and it washed away the drizzly November in her soul."

Such beautiful language. This is a well-written book.

Page 283 - Grandma decides to live on a cruise ship full time! I marked this because it's one of the ideas swirling around in my head about what retirement could look like. It's not one that I'm seriously considering, but it made me laugh when it came up in the book.

Page 289 - This is the start of the author's note. She writes about whale communication and the 52-Hertz Whale. Super interesting!

Page 295 - The author writes about deafness. "The Deaf community is a strong one, and despite the isolation and frustration its members experience because of the language barrier, most wouldn't want to change their deafness, any more than the rest of us would be willing to give up our friends, language, and culture. Like everyone, Iris does wish to feel heard, and for a place she belongs."

Overall, an enjoyable book. Iris is an interesting character. Her older brother and her friend Wendell add to her "story." But my favorite part was her connection to her grandparents. Fixing radios and wanting to communicate with a lonely whale were also neat.

I Take My Coffee Black

by Tyler Merritt

Libby audiobook 11 hours

read by the author

Published: 2021

Genre: memoir

 

Wow. I'm not sure how this initially got on my radar, but I'm so very glad to have "read" it.  Since it was an audiobook, I don't have as many notes as usual, but I just have to say that this is an impactful book. Please read it!

 

I wondered at times what reading a print version would be like . . . He is super personable and cracks jokes that I don't think are in the print book. There was one story he shared that he said was edited out of the print book for length. That (and listening to him) were worth experiencing the audio version. Also the phone calls with his mom and his dad . . . priceless.

"Maybe friends are given to us by God as a very good gift." I had to stop my car and write this down! I love how he shares the positive impact of good people in his life.

Broken Frame is the name of his band. I looked up one of their songs on YouTube. He has led an interesting life!

When he talked about seeking his dad's approval (as a child AND as an adult), there were definitely tears in his voice. It's incredible to think about the power parents have to shape, encourage, and support their children. (Or in some cases, to tear them down and squash them.)

His Wizard of Oz analogy when he was in Nashville was sweet. He's a very good writer and speaker. 

This book was so so so good. It's a perspective more white people need to hear. At points, it was funny. At others, it was heart breaking. When he reads the names of unarmed black people shot to death by police . . . it reminded me of Angie Thomas' The Hate U Give (also an incredibly powerful book). So sad to have skin color define our relationships and ability to communicate.

The swearing was more than I expected, but not overwhelming. Still . . . I wish he'd left some of it out. My ears are much more sensitive to this than they used to be. "Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouths . . . " is a Scripture I've worked on in my own life! But his swearing at times does not detract from what he is sharing about his life and learning. This book is worth reading!

 

(I wrote the above on 8.19.22. I "got" the print version yesterday. I had been on the waiting list for a few months. I skim read it and returned it right away. I had hoped for photographs - of his parents, his band, him from youth . . . But there was only one photograph of the coat he wore to camp. I'm adding this on 10.26.22.)

Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting

by Pamela Druckerman

Hennepin County Library hardcover 263 pages

Published: 2012

Genre: non-fiction parenting

 

This book was recommended by my grandson's substitute ECFE parenting education teacher. . . and I'm glad I got it and read it! Although I don't need to deal with parenting issues much these days (my sons are in their thirties and are lovely men), there were ideas that I would have appreciated knowing about when I was raising children.

Druckerman was in Paris, France with her partner and writing a book on infidelity. She noticed the stark contrast between how young children behaved in public there than at home in the United States. She started asking questions and had her own child ("Bean") and wrote this book. Fascinating perspective! I have a LOT of post-it notes in the book (and a few fell out as I was toting it around) so I'll try to keep this brief. My upshot: I loved some of the ideas (food exposure, limits - the "cadre", teaching children to wait and be patient, parents not being 100% focused on their children at all times) but I am not a fan of some aspects of French parenting that seem a bit too impersonal and even selfish. Druckerman's writing is fantastic! She openly recognizes her own shortcomings and makes some really insightful observations. I won't comment too much on the excerpts . . . because there are a lot!

Page 45: "For Cohen, this pause - I'm tempted to call it "La Pause" - is crucial. He says that using it very early on makes a big difference in how babies sleep. 'The parents who were a little less responsive to late-night fussing always had kids who were good sleepers, while the jumpy folks had kids who would wake up repeatedly at night until it became unbearable,' he writes."

Page 46: "If parents do The Pause in a baby's first two months, the baby can learn to fall back to sleep on his own. So his parents won't need to resort to 'crying it out' later on."

Page 52: "Laurence adds that a crucial part of getting a baby to do his nights, at any age, is to truly believe that he's going to do it. 'If you don't believe it, it's not going to work,' she says. 'Me, I always think that the child is going to sleep better the next night. I always have hope, even if he wakes up three hours later. You have to believe.' . . . Perhaps we all get the sleepers we expect, and the simple fact of believing that babies have a rhythm helps us to find it."

Page 59: "Could it be that making children delay gratification - as middle-class French parents do - actually makes them calmer and more resilient? Whereas middle-class American kids, who are in general more used to getting what they want right away, go to pieces under stress?"

Page 60: "Having kids who can wait makes family life more pleasant."

 

Page 62: "This is exactly what I've been seeing French parents doing. They don't explicitly teach their kids distraction techniques. Mostly, they just seem to give them lots of opportunities to practice waiting."

 

Page 74: "In the French view, I'm doing Bean no service by catering to her whims. French experts and parents believe that hearing 'no' rescues children from the tyranny of their own desires."

 

(I just love that last phrase! Rescuing "children from the tyranny of their own desires" is a fantastic concept!)

 

Page 118: "Granted, I'm in the middle of Paris, surely one of the world's least friendly places. The sneer was probably invented here. Even people from the rest of France tell me that they find Parisians cold and distant."

 

Page 127-8: "I also like the neutral, pragmatic French formulation 'paying attention' over the value-laden American one, 'being good' (and it's guilt-ridden, demoralizing opposites: 'cheating' and 'being bad'). If you've merely stopped paying attention and had some cake, it seems easier to forgive yourself and to eat mindfully again at the next meal."

 

(Losing weight . . . body image . . . post-birth mom body . . . this is another whole area of discussion! But I do love the idea of "paying attention" to what I eat and do.)

 

Page 129: "What's different about French moms is that they get back their pre-baby identities, too. For starters, they seem more physically separate from their children. I've never seen a French mother climb a jungle gym, go down a slide with her child, or sit on a seesaw - all regular sights back in the United States and among American visiting France."

Page 139: "The practice of narrated play is so common that Cohen included a section in his parenting book called Stimulation, which essentially tells mothers to cut it out. 'Periods of playing and laughing should alternate naturally with periods of peace and quiet,' Cohen writes. 'You don't have to talk, sing, or entertain constantly.'"

Page 157: "Saying bonjour signals to the child, and to everyone else, that she's capable of behaving well. It sets the tone for the whole interaction between adults and children."

(The idea of children greeting adults is not that revolutionary . . . yet reading this section reminded me of how off-putting and rude it feels when children behave as though they are the center of the universe and acknowledging me is not worth their bother.)

Page 199: "And then there are snack foods. When I'm with friends and their kids in America, little bags of pretzels and Cheerios just seem to appear all the time in between meals. Dominique, a French mother who lives in New York, says at first she was shocked to learn that her daughter's preschool feeds the kids every hour all day long. She was also surprised to see parents giving their kids snacks all throughout the day at the playground."

Page 221: "Saying no isn't exactly a cutting-edge parenting technique. What's new is Fredrique's coaching me to drop my ambivalence and be certain about my own authority. What she tells me springs from her own upbringing and deepest beliefs. It comes out sounding like common sense."

(By now, the author has twin boys in addition to Bean. She writes honestly about her struggles as well as her observations and research on cultural differences in child rearing.)

Page 228: "Marc adds, 'We have a saying in French: it's easier to loosen the screw than to tighten the screw, meaning that you have to be very tough. If you're too tough, you loosen. But if you are too lenient . . . afterward to tighten, forget about it.'"

(That made me think of the teacher adage "Don't smile until Christmas." It's a similar principle.)

I really enjoyed reading this book. But it also made me wish for a similar perspective on other cultures. What makes child rearing in other parts of the world unique? There are some things about American culture that really concern me for the future. This book was instructive and insightful.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

by Ian Fleming

personal copy (via my mom's classroom library - Mrs. Somers) paperback 126 pages

Published: 1964

Genre: children's adventure, fantasy

I saw a stage production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang last week that my daughter-in-law Stacie had stage managed. It was a lot like the Disney movie (that I haven't seen for about forty years) and the songs got stuck in my head! I had this book on my shelf and was curious about the connection between Fleming's original story and the musical version. My goodness! Radical differences . . . 

The hero of the story is the car, of course. But it was interesting to me that in the book, Mimsie (the mom) is part of the quartet with Caractacus Potts and the two children Jeremy and Jemimah. In the musical, Truly Scrumptious plays the love interest. Mimsie is dead?

Also, the book has no child catcher or evil empire trying to steal the car. There is a mobster named Joe the Monster who kidnaps the children after the Potts family blows up his cache of weapons in France.

The book is three quick chapters. I went online to read about it and when Ian Fleming wrote it in relation to his James Bond stories. He wrote this for his son, Caspar. It made me sad that Fleming died on Caspar's twelfth birthday and Caspar committed suicide at age 23. So much sadness.

I have requested the movie from the library. It's been so long since I've seen it and I'm even more curious now about how this little book got turned into a full-length musical. According to Wikipedia:

 "Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang was loosely adapted as a 1968 film of the same name with a screenplay by Roald Dahl and Ken Hughes; a subsequent novelisation was also published. The film was produced by Albert R. Broccoli, co-producer of the James Bond film series. The story was also adapted as a stage musical under the same name."

 

Oh! One of my favorite characters from the movie is grandpa . . . who is not in this original story as a character.

<Above posted 8.5.22. Below added 11.17.22.>

Rewatching the movie has been interesting! There are obviously a lot of correlations with the stage production (the county fair, hair-cutting machine, etc.). But there are a few things that I hadn't noticed in the past:

 

When they're having a picnic on the beach, Mr. Potts starts to tell a story about pirates to his children. There's a "dream sequence" floatie effect onscreen. So . . . the evil empire wanting to steal the car are a figment of his imagination? This didn't come across in the stage version! It's all a story he's telling, with Vulgaria, the ruler wanting to steal his car, the child catcher, etc.

I love the song and dance sequences. I wonder if the movie was written with Dick Van Dyke in mind. It was funny to recognize the toy maker! I went online to make sure, but yes! It's Benny Hill. Funny.

 

The child catcher is super creepy. I remember disliking him from my childhood. The long pointed nose, the scary eyes . . . so creepy!

 

The stage version had two funny and cute spies who cropped up in lots of scenes. They're funny in the movie, too, but they don't show up until after the "pirates" scene.

 

I like how Truly points out that Caractacus commenting on the difference in their stations in life would be identified as snobbery if she had said it. There are more socio-economic themes than I remembered.

 

Miracle in the Andes: 72 Days on the Mountain and My Long Trek Home

 by Nando Parrado with Vince Rause

PRMS discard, hardcover 284 pages

Published: 2006

Genre: Non-fiction, memoir, survival

A chartered plane crashed in 1972 (I was six years old) and some young men on the plane survived. What a harrowing story! It is not one I would highly recommend, but if you like survival stories and against-the-odds outcomes, you may enjoy it. Parrado grates on me a bit . . . I may look for the 1974 book Alive by Piers Paul Read. Or I may not.

 

Page 169 - "When we first started eating human flesh, we consumed mostly small pieces of meat cut from the large muscles. But as time passed and the food supply diminished, we had no choice but to broaden our diet. For some time, we had been eating livers, kidneys, and hearts, but meat was in such short supply now that we would have to split skulls to get at the brains inside."

 

 Even though the question of food for survival had already been written about, when I got to this part I got incredibly grossed out. What would you do to survive? Eat another human? At least the people they were eating had already died on the mountain; it's not like they committed murder. Still, what a horrific way to stay alive . . . 

Page 227 - "'That's Argentina,' Garcia said. 'The High Andes. That's more than seventy miles from here.'"

While Nando and Roberto were walking, walking, walking, I wondered how far they were traveling. Up the mountain, over, down the mountain, through the valley, along the river, . . . when it got to this line I was stunned. To walk SEVENTY MILES while malnourished, weak, and without proper gear? That is simply amazing.

Page 232 - "Then he reached into his pocket and drew out the little red shoe I had given him when I left the fuselage. He was beaming at me, his eyes lit with joy and his face only inches from mine."

I love this scene! Not just the rescue, but the reunion of Carlitos with Nando. It took Nando and Roberto ten days (walking seventy miles in the mountains) to find help. The men left at the fuselage did not know if their friends were still alive, much less successful. The little red shoes that Nando's mother had bought for her grandchild were symbolic. So bittersweet.

Page 247 - "This is how life would look if I had died, I thought. I did not leave a very big hole. The world has gone on without me."

Grief affects different people differently. Nando's dad, thinking he would never again see his wife, son, or daughter Susy, got rid of Nando's belongings. Back home, Nando sees that life goes on. He didn't seem to have the same understanding as some of his peers, though. He's a bit too much of a party boy to me.

Page 262 - "In the years since the disaster, I often think of my friend Arturo Noguiera, and the conversations we had in the mountains about God. Many of my fellow survivors say they felt the personal presence of God in the mountains."

 

He goes on to talk about how he didn't sense God's presence and he thinks what saved them is love of other people. He has his own philosophy and waxes about it then says "I don't want to understand these things." How sad that he cannot see what Arturo saw. 

 

Page  283 - "And all of us, sooner or later, will face the inevitable nearness of death. . . .'We all have our own personal Andes.'"

I do like that as a public speaker, he can empathize with people who are struggling with other issues and feel a connection to his story.

Page 284 - "As we used to say in the mountains, 'Breathe. Breathe again. With every breath, you are alive.' After all these years, this is still the best advice I can give you: Savor your existence. Live every moment. Do not waste a breath."

 

That is very sound advice! Since this book was a discard, I plan to leave it in a little free library. I enjoy reading and I am working on clearing some of the clutter in my home. 

I loved the photographs in the middle of the book and the drawn map on page 239 showing the walk out for rescue. Very cool.

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

 by Philip Yancey and Dr. Paul Brand

Libby audiobook 6:34 hours

Read by: Don Reed

Published: 1980 (this version 2008)

Genre: Non-fiction, Christianity, anatomy

I really enjoyed this book a lot and thought about buying my own copy! It was a bit confusing at times to know what was Yancey's part in writing it. Most of it is told from Dr. Brand's perspective . . . but perhaps I missed something. I did  go back and re-listen to the Foreword to try to understand what each of the men brought to the book. A print version would probably help!

Each section and chapter dealt with part of the human body and made an analogy with the body of Christ. There were fantastic story illustrations, mostly from Dr. Brand's years of working as a surgeon with lepers. What an incredible life he led.

The section on bone was really impactful. It's like that firm foundation we need our lives to be built upon. The chapters on skin and touch were also super impactful. Some of the gender / race stuff was a bit outdated, but his message came through well. The importance of touch is truly powerful. 

This book is definitely worth a re-read. The analogies were well thought-out and meaningful. I think I'll get a print copy if I decide to read it again. Reed's vocal work was great, but it was hard for me to discern when it was Dr. Brand's words and when Yancey was "speaking" through the text.

From Fiber to Fabric: The Essential Guide to Quiltmaking Textiles

by Harriet Hargrave

Hennepin County Library hardcover 133 pages

Published: 1997

Genre: Nonfiction textiles

 

This book had so much more information than I can wrap my head around! At times, I also thought . . . "Do I care that much?" I'm a bit too careless about my sewing . . .

 

Chapter 8 on testing fabric, 10 and 11 on threads, and chapter 12 on batting were the most helpful. But by the time I got that far, my eyes were glazing over with too much information.

 

Page 53 - "Until now quilters were told they had to prewash their fabrics to keep them from bleeding and shrinking. They were not instructed how to prewash them safely, just to wash them. . . . Just because it is common practice to prewash, and we have been told to do it for years, does not mean that it has to be done." 

I really like that she explains things and gives reasons for decision making.

Page 84 - S twist and Z twist threads! How have I never learned this before? I wonder if I should buy imported threads. I have much more learning to do.

Page 93 - "Old threads, of any fiber content, break down and change their characteristics as they age." 

This is something I knew intuitively (and through experiencing using old thread at RaDon). I guess I should be willing to spend money to have good thread instead of trying to use up random old stuff. (Some of my spools are several decades old, inherited from others.)

The Ice Swan

by J'nell Ciesielski

Hennepin County Library paperback 386 pages

Published: 2021

Genre: Historical fiction

 

I really enjoyed reading this book, but I don't think it qualifies as "Christian" fiction. Our book club didn't seem to mind, but I love the stories that embody a strong faith message along with a good story! This was a lovely work of historical fiction and romance.

 

Set in Paris and Scotland during WWI, Svetlana has escaped Russia with her mother and younger sister Marina while her father and brother stay to fight the Bolsheviks. Distantly related to Tsar Nicolas II, they are literally fleeing for their lives.

 

Wynn (Edwynn) MacCallan loves being a surgeon and helping people. The second son of a Duke, he is perfectly happy leaving his older brother to title and responsibilities while he explores cardiology possibilities.

Page 9 - "'How many today, Wynn?' The question had become common enough among the doctors at the end of their shifts. Not because it was some sick competition or morbid curiosity, but so they could spot who most needed a break. So busy caring for others, medical staff often forgot to care for themselves. This was one small way they could look out for each other."

I loved this! It made me think of the strain of Covid-19 on medical personnel. We all need to look out for one another and to check in on people! It is so very important for all of us to watch out for and assist co-workers, neighbors, etc. "Are you okay?" "How can I help?"

Page 52 - "Love has nothing to do with a successful marriage."

Oh, poor Svetlana! With a mama like this, who needs enemies? Referring to herself with her full royal title, Printessa Ana was a piece of work! She was selfish, vain, and rude. (Her one redeeming act was in the train station toward the end of the story.)

Page 146 - "Svetlana saw her mother truly then. Not as a selfish creature but a creature of circumstance. Unquestionable privilege had molded her for nearly five decades to place her own desires first, with every need being met before she asked. It was a life Svetlana was well acquainted with, yet a revolution had forced her to alter her outlook. Perhaps it was the advantage of youth where the grasp of changeability was more mobile. Advancing years tightened its grip on the unchanging past."

 

Svetlana and Marina most definitely adapted to the change in their circumstances (palace in Russia to a church basement in Paris) much better than their mother! There's something to be said for flexibility. Comfort / familiarity can become a problem. I think of myself and definitely do not want to become set in my ways as I age.

 

Page 173 - "Every sensible bone in her body screamed for her to run as far away as possible, while the desperate side of her fairly salivated at the mention of a benefit. If he canceled their debt, they would be free of this place once and for all." 

Not going to happen. Evil mobsters don't just let people walk away. How could Svetlana, who struggles with trust issues, trust Sheremetev? This doesn't make sense!

Page 205 - "His brother should be here; they should be toasting together the end of the war and taking on the world as only brothers can."

This made me think of the relationships my sons have, and Louie and his brother Mike. Life is good when people have one another's backs!

Page 248 - "Slipping off her glove and the vulnerability it sheathed, she reached across the distance between them and took his hand. The coldness in her fingers was lost in the warmth of his. How simple a thing touch was, often shared by those wishing to establish a connection."

I love this. It made me think of holding hands with my mom when she was in hospice. It reminded me of the joy in holding hands with Joshua when we go for a walk. Holding hands with Louie when we were first dating . . . bliss! Touch is so important! (Side note, I'm listening to Fearfully and Wonderfully made and was on the chapter on skin and touch . . . )

Page 300 - "My advice for you is this: talk to her before things get worse. Miscommunication laced with ego is the major downfall of most marriages."

Gerard's advice is good. He's a bachelor with married brothers who also reads romance novels . . . and adds a bit of comic relief to the story. What a good friend to Wynn!

Page 314 - I'm not including the text, but this was where I had simply had enough of the romance novel formula of each one being miserable but refusing to bend. Sigh. She feels betrayed. He tries to apologize. Yada yada yada. It went on waaaay too long.

Page 341 - "'Rumors circulated in Paris of the Bolsheviks coming after those fleeing to drag them back to Russia. I saw where they met in the back rooms. What if they find us here?'

 'We kill them. My father butcher. I know use knife.'

Well, that was terrifying and not the answer Svetlana had expected from the sweet old lady she'd come to see as a grandmother."

Mrs. Varjensky was hilarious! I loved her throughout the book. From calling Wynn "golubchik" (term of endearment) and patting his cheeks to this response to Svetlana's worry, she was another wonderful character for some comic relief. (Leonid, too.)

White Bird

by R.J. Palacio

Scott County Library paperback 216 pages

Maud Hart Lovelace Award Nominee 2022-23

Published: 2019

Genre: YA graphic novel, historical fiction

This book was beautiful and compelling. Beginning in a modern day setting with a grandson calling his grandmère to ask about her experience in WWII, the novel touched on so much more than Nazis and the Holocaust. I love the way Palacio wove in themes of bullying, defending, bystanders, kindness, . . . 

It is well written and well illustrated. I may put this on my wish list! I do love how effectively graphic novels can tell stories.

Sara and Julien (aka "Tourteau" - the crab, due to the effects of polio on his legs) are classmates in France. Sara is Jewish; Julien is disabled. Sara's father wants to leave France in the 1930s, but her mother insists they are in the safe zone (under the Vichy government)  and they should wait and see. Alas, they wait too long. 

My favorite character is the teacher Mlle Petitjean. She was inspired by real life Daniel Trocmé, a schoolmaster and nephew of Reverend Trocmé, the inspiration for the character of Pastor Luc. 

This is a wonderful book and a great reminder to Never Forget!

The Healing of Natalie Curtis

by Jane Kirkpatrick

Dakota County Library paperback 326 pages plus author's notes, etc.

Published: 2021

Genre: Christian historical fiction

 

I'm sorry to say that I struggled to finish this book. I'm not 100% sure why I had to force myself to read it, but I'm glad I'm finally done! It's puzzling because the topic is interesting and important. Natalie Curtis was a real person and her life's work was significant. She just wasn't a compelling protagonist for me. That said, I've got a LOT of post-it notes in this book! I missed the book club meeting in June (we were at the lake) but I know at least one other person who's usually an avid reader didn't finish this title.

 

Basically, Natalie Curtis trained as a musician but suffered a breakdown. She went out West with her brother George to recover her health. She ended up becoming an ethnomusicologist and battling against the Indian Code. She had a connection to President Theodore Roosevelt and used it to try to change policy.

 

Page 35 - "A Norwegian summary had to be translated into English, and she silenced the voice that said she ought to learn Norwegian so she could be certain of the text. She knew German. I could learn. She stopped herself. This was where her intensity and perfectionism led her down a terrible trail. She already knew what lay at the end of that."

Though I wouldn't call myself a perfectionist, I certainly know what this feels like! "I could . . . " can open doors, but it can also drag one down! My sister Ann calls this the "woulda coulda shoulda" struggle.

Page 41 - "'I got lost in time. The reports, Mimsey, they were so . . . tragic.' She told her mother some of what she'd read while she pulled her gloves from her fingers."

Natalie's mother means well, but her desire for her daughter to have a "nice" life conflicted with Natalie's awareness of how awful the Indian Code was for the People themselves.

Page 64 - The scene where Eva Lummis shows Natalie around the house, describing the "belongings" that add personality to the rooms. Natalie initially calls them artifacts but Eva explains their significance to the Pueblo people. (I'm too lazy to put the whole passage here!)

I just really liked this scene, especially when they get to Armando's room. The little boy died when he was six and he had a beloved wooden carved horse. Very touching!

Page 75 - "But as the days passed, Natalie's spirits rose, and on the morning walks in the balmy air, she found herself able to enjoy the sights and sounds, feel the warm sun without the constant push to "do" something, "go" somewhere, "fix" herself. She was purpose-less . . . "

That sounds so lovely! Too often, there is such a sense of "Go go go" to life. She fell in love with the Southwest and the pace and peace of life there.

Page 77 - "It's unjust. And being committed by people who claim to be Christians, wanting to win their souls while destroying their spirits. They are not professing the faith that I was taught."

Charles Lummis' anger is in response to white people humiliating and hurting native people. I think part of the reason I didn't love this book is because I recognize the pain and evil that was done to the native people . . . and I'm a hundred-plus years too late to "fix" it. And yes, it is especially hard when people do horrible things in the name of Christianity. Jesus loved and served.

Page 103 - "'But it's the cadence and timing that requires such deep concentration on my part. Their music is so singular.' She drank her warm tea. Ice was like gold in Yuma. 'I've been thinking. When Rome conquered the Greeks, they learned from them. We should be doing the same, learning from the Indians, not trying to silence them.'"

 

There is so much more to this passage! Natalie is talking with her brother George, with whom she spent a great deal of time as she traveled in the West.

 

Page 106 - "'Um, there was no corn, no dance, no drum, no Yuma song. Only Anglo song. The child is shamed and tries to disappear. The others join to comfort her.'" 

I love love love Chiparopai! What an amazing woman, speaking three languages (including English!). When she visits a school with Natalie and the teacher sings Happy Birthday to a little girl, Natalie is the only other person who sings along. But instead of being pleased, the girl hides under a table and cries. Then the other children climb under the table with her and surround her! Compassion and understanding! Chiparopai explains to Natalie what she just observed. My heart!

Page 122 - "'Perseverance,' George said. 'Deciding what really matters and letting the rest go.'"

This is after Natalie comments on how hard a trail ride can be and wonders how people traveling the Oregon and Santa Fe trails could put up with all the dust for months. Her brother hits the nail on the head. Sometimes all a situation needs is the right attitude and perseverance.

Page 157 - "Lololomai didn't spin, gave his full attention to her. She had noticed that about the Hopi and the Yuma and the Navajo. They concentrated when someone spoke to them, perhaps deciphering the language barrier, but maybe because they listened to understand rather than to respond."

I am so bad about this! I need to work on my listening skills and be respectful of other people!

Page 249 - "'So. White people prefer to hear white people,' he said. 

'I don't,' Natalie told him. 'I'd rather hear you talk about your life and the songs and where they came from.' 

'It is a show when we do it for Anglos. At home, when we sing or tell the stories, it is a gift. Our spirits are happy then.' 

'In the book, though, you won't be 'at home.' Your words and music will be spread far and wide.' 

He often kept a grace pause before he spoke. 'So. It is what will be in this new trail we are asked to walk.'"

Hiamovi was such a fantastic person to better help Natalie understand some of the cultural differences further. 

Page 253 - " . . . emphasizing for Natalie the sturdy rope tying past to present."

I like expressions like this - "the sturdy rope tying past to present." Hiamovi is explaining to her how "we" used to do things, although he's talking about his ancestors from much earlier generations. Kirkpatrick is a talented author; I'm sorry this book just didn't connect for me on a heart level.

Page 265 - "But she was doing it to preserve the ancient arts, songs, and dances, not to destroy them by bringing tourists. One didn't always have control over the outcome of pursuing a purpose. The publication and promotion would be a balancing act."

It is easy to look back and have the wisdom of hindsight, but it can indeed be difficult to tell what will result from your efforts.

Page 281 - "'It will be a very fluffy book,' Angel said. Natalie looked confused. 'Fat. We use "fluffy" for fat as a term of what you Anglos call endearment."

Yes! "Fluffy" instead of "fat" needs to catch on!

Page 295 - "It was finished. Natalie didn't feel a whit of satisfaction."

Sigh. Not a surprise. This is where I differ from the character. I love to celebrate successes! Woohoo! She got the book published!

The Jungle Book (and other stories)

by Rudyard Kipling

Libby audiobook 5 hours

Read by: Rebecca Burns

Published: 1894 (this version 2006)

Genre: children's fiction

I got this to have more audiobooks on my phone to listen to at one of my jobs. Children's books (especially ones I'm familiar with) allow me to be entertained while also getting my work done.

This one had The Jungle Book, The White Seal, Rikki Tikki Tavi, Toomai of the Elephants, and Her Majesty's Servants.

The reader's voice . . . no. Just no. It was almost robotic and I wondered if it was read by a machine instead of a human. I hope she never reads this blog entry because I don't want to be hurtful, but there was a definite lack of emotion and dynamics in this reading.

The superstitions and ghost stories are interwoven through the stories. There are lots of songs and poems included!  There were also lots of words I didn't understand - Russian? Indian? I missed whole parts of stories for lack of understanding. This is also a hazard with "reading" audiobooks versus print books.

The Jungle Book is similar to the Disney movie version, but different enough that I'm sorry the Disney version takes up so much space in my brain. Just the difference in Baloo's and Bagheera's relationships to Mowgli . . . very interesting!

 

It also made me wonder about the connection between The Jungle Book and Edgar Burroughs' Tarzan of the Apes (published in 1912). According to Wikipedia, "Though The Jungle Book is sometimes cited as an influence on Burroughs' Tarzan of the Apes, he claimed that his only inspiration was the Roman myth of Romulus and Remus.^[7] Rudyard Kipling commented that Burroughs "had 'jazzed' the motif of the Jungle Books and, I imagine, thoroughly enjoyed himself."

 

I love that Mowgli's name means little frog!

I love the story of Rikki Tikki Tavi and haven't read it in years.

I did not enjoy the story of Her Majesty's Servants at all.

I heard the name of the walrus in The White Seal as "SeaBitch" and thought it was a weird name for a male . . . until I realized it was "SeaVitch."

Oliver Twist

by Charles Dickens

Libby audiobook 16 hours

Read by: Wanda McCaddon

Published: 1838 (this version 2005)

Genre: realistic fiction . . . for the era

 

***There is one spoiler at the end if you don't know the story!***

 

Although I had seen at least one movie version and read several short / abridged versions, I had never before read Oliver Twist in its entirety. And Dickens is one of my favorite authors!  Listening to this made me sad . . . Dickens must have known some seriously awful adults in his childhood. I know enough about his life to realize that not all of his characters and situations are pure imagination.

Oliver is born to a dying mother in a poorhouse. He is treated horribly. There is, of course, a pretty happy ending for the little guy.

My jottings:

• Hearing Fagin referred to as "the Jew" was jarring! He really was a reprehensible character, but for him to be called this throughout the story was hard to hear! He was also referred to as "the old gentleman." 
• The reader did a fantastic job! All the different characters were brought to life so well. That said, Fagin's repeated "My Dear" grated on my nerves! Yuk!
• The Artful Dodger = John Dawkins. He was a teenager.
• Charlie Bates - comic relief, also a teen
  
• Horrible adults! Keeping money intended for the care of the children to enrich themselves and then being self-righteous about it! How can any human have allowed children to starve to death and used the money to feed themselves fancier food and deny children?! Thin gruel . . . how awful.
• Bill Sikes - I was trying to decide who was most awful between Fagin and Sikes . . . and Bill abused his dog. And Nancy. And then murdered.
  
• "in for a penny, in for a pound" . . . not sure which character said this, but it made me wonder if Dickens created this or if it was already commonly used. (Just looked it up - in use since the late 1600s. Dictionary.com says, "Once involved, one must not stop at half-measures.")
• No value for life! The way people treated starving, dying poor people as just an unpleasant fact of life. It made me so sad for the lack of compassion!
• Nancy telling Rose that "it's too late" also made me sad. No, it's not too late, Nancy! Get out of that abusive situation! Let Rose help you make a new life!
• the locket / Monks . . . such a curious story that I don't remember these details at all!
• Noah Claypole - what a skunk and coward! I never "caught" his code name that he used . . . Charlotte was an idiot to fawn over him!
• Skips in the story . . . sounded like scratches on a CD . . . but it was an efile . . . weird! I even hit the "back" button for 15 seconds and it skipped in the same places . . . 
• The fire - did Bill set it or did he just come across it?
• Spoiler!!! (Rose is Oliver's aunt) - Like I said, happy ending.

 

Now I feel like getting a movie version to  compare . . . 

Also, in some places the serialization was so very apparent! Dickens could definitely draw out a story. It makes me laugh but a lot of his writing could use an editor. 

<Above published 7.22.22. Below added 1.15.25.>

A lot of what I noted this time (listened to the Libby audiobook) is the same as last time!

• Noah Claypool - LOSER
• Charlotte - could have done so much better
• poverty and starvation vs. greed and wealth
• really, really disliked Fagin being referred to as "the Jew" over and over and in a very negative manner
• I started a list of characters from who I liked best to who I liked least, but couldn't maintain it. Oliver, the little orphan Dick, Rose, Mr. Brownlow, Mrs. Bedwin were at the top. Mr. Grimwig and the Beadle Mr. Bumble were in the middle. Fagin and Sikes dead last.
• I noted "Mr. Bumble romancing Mrs. Corney . . . yawn." I think Dickens used it to bridge the gap between the "old hag" confessing that she stole the necklace from Oliver's mother when she died and the change in his circumstances that connected him to Mr. Monks.
• The Inn was called "The Three Cripples" - clearly, Dickens lived in a dramatically different era when "political correctness" (or even basic decency) were not things to be concerned about.
• in chapter 46, Mr. Brownlow is answering Nancy's question about why so many Christians are not kind and charitable like Rose Melee. He says something to the effect of "Between a Muslim and a Pharisee, commend me to the first." He's making a commentary on hypocrisy.

 

I was surprised by how sad I felt during the first chapters of the story. The unfairness, the cruelty, the suffering, . . . at one point I paused it and cried. I have been praying for God to give me more compassion. I think He has answered those prayers!

Where the Light Fell

by Philip Yancey

Libby audiobook 11 hours

read by the author

Published: 2021

Genre: memoir

This book is one I could write pages and pages about but will keep brief.

1. I vaguely recognized "Yancey" as the name of a Christian powerhouse. I didn't really know much about the author at all.

2. As I listened, I thought he was NOT a Christian and the Yancey I've heard of before was his dad (whose own story is fascinating but he died in his young 20s from polio).

3. Wow. Just wow. When he shared the experience that changed his life, I cried. (It's toward the end of the book!)

The mom. Oh . . . how painful. She claimed to not have sinned in twelve years. She meant well, but raised her boys in such a way as to make them reject faith in God instead of embracing faith. She said and did some truly hateful things. It breaks my heart.

Rudyard Kipling's If - have I read this? I need to!

 

The South, the Civil War, what children are taught in school . . . scary. Educators, parents, society all have power in shaping kids' perspectives.

Summer camp and the seventeen box turtles. Shame. So sad!

Lester Roloff - preaching against . . . (not sure what my note means, but again it made me sad that some Christians use their zeal to hurt others rather than bring peace, healing, and wholeness in Christ.) (I just followed an internet rabbit trail of info about him. . . ) I think that Roloff was preaching against the Revised Standard Version of the Bible . . . as in, this is not a translation you should read . . . I wonder if he lived to see The Message version!

Interesting that a MEMOIR is a person's story about their life. Yancey was open, vulnerable, and repentant toward the end of his story. He was born in 1949 and his dad died when he was a year old. His mother and his brother Marshall were the central figures in his life.

 

I loved loved loved when he met Janet at college!!!

Now I want to read some of his other books! 

 

Oh - I also jotted a note that when he was rejecting God, Yancey saw God as a "cosmic bully" if He existed at all. Again, it made me so sad that his upbringing caused him to move away from God instead of toward Him.

 

His brother Marshall's story breaks my heart. 

 

I really want to read more of Philip Yancey's books! 

<Above posted 7.6.22. Below added 1.3.2026.>

I listened to it again because I wanted something faith-based in my ears and brain. My only issue with this author-read book is that sometimes his voice is low and it's hard to hear. I had to "rewind" often to catch what he was saying. I'm kind of surprised I didn't write about that last time.

When he talks about altar calls and going forward multiple times as a kid, it made me reflect on seeing that same phenomenon at different church gatherings. I think sometimes people, especially young people, get swept up in the emotion of the moment.

 

"Nothing plagues me more than the question of whether I am really saved. I've said the Sinner's Prayer so many times that I can spell it backward. I go forward and get prayed over by church elders while I keep my hands clasped together and my eyes squinched shut. I do it again several times, afraid salvation is like a vaccination that may not take. Still, I can never silence the nagging questions - Do I really mean it? Is it genuine?"

 

I had to rewind and listen several times to capture that quote!

 

On Philip and his mom's no-contact and attitude toward Marshall and his life choices:

"She believes that any friendly association with him would imply approval. I believe the contrary - that Marshall needs to feel love for the person he is not just the person he should be or could be."

 

I really liked Philip's loving attitude toward both his brother and his mother. This was from chapter 23 and he was trying to bridge the gap between them. His mother's venom toward her first-born son (and her own shattered dreams?) made her so angry toward and critical of Marshall. So very sad.

 

 I love that Yancey stresses the importance of grace. I love that he goes back to people from his past to apologize once he's aware of God's love and grace. I look forward to reading more of his books.

<Below added 1.14.2026>

I keep finding more scraps of paper with notes! This one showed my frustration with the volume up and down . . . Yancey has a wonderful voice, but the volume changes don't work well while driving a car!

"Death is the one time when every nobody becomes a somebody."

I don't remember what this was in reference to, but it struck me as so very true. "Death is the great equalizer" is another way of expressing the finality of death. But for those of us who believe in salvation through Jesus Christ and who have an eternal hope, becoming a somebody means something special.

Breathe and Count Back From Ten

by Natalia Sylvester

Libby audiobook 9 hours

read by Frankie Corzo

Published: 2022

Genre: YA realistic fiction

Themes / plotlines:

- hip dysplasia

- Peru / immigrants

- overprotective parents

- teen wanting autonomy and freedom

- swimming 

- mermaids

- gender issues

I really liked Alex, the boyfriend. I wish we had gotten to know more of his back story. Her best friend was a gem. I really liked her as a character.

Veronica was a sympathetic character at times and an irritating cry baby at others. Her sister Dani was right when she said everything was always about Veronica . . . 

"Her Florida town is home to Mermaid Cove, a kitschy underwater attraction where professional mermaids perform in giant tanks . . . and Veronica wants to audition. But her conservative Peruvian parents would never go for it."

So the obvious ensues . . . deception, discovery, big declarations.

There were parts of the story I truly enjoyed - Veronica sharing her favorite places with Alex, the doctor acknowledging Veronica's desire to have a say about her health care and surgery, etc.

But there were more parts that bugged me. The start of each chapter had a word, the dictionary definition, and the Veronica definition. Sometimes those things really add to the story. In this case, to me, they didn't. The way Veronica complained about being photoshopped (to remove her scars) when she HAD been trying to hide them all the time . . . make up your mind! She was too much of a victim to me.

I found another note with this info:

- Spanish words and expressions - frustrating with no translation . . .

- "Papi" sounded like Bobby. In one scene, I was thinking "Why is Bobby (the maintenance type dude) coming into Veronica's bedroom to talk to her?!?!"

- "lame" joke / her identity / she's oversensitive at times and chill at others . . .

The Murder at the Vicarage

by Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 7 hours

Read by Joan Hickson

Published: 1930, this version 2012

Genre: murder mystery 

I had never heard / read this book before and was excited that it was a Miss Marple story. It really should have been called a Vicar Leonard Clement story . . . I just checked on Wikipedia and this is the book where Miss Jane Marple is first introduced. That is too bad, because she is not the prime player in this St. Mary Mead story. Ah well.

Lots of characters and lots of clues. I guessed the wrong murderer, of course. I hated how dismissive the constable and others were of women and their mental faculties. Ugh!

Vicar Clement and his wife Griselda (old / young)

Colonel Protheroe and his wife Anne (old / young)

Lettice (his daughter - sounds like "lettuce")

Lawrence Redding (artist and gadabout)

Stone (archeologist? thief? imposter?)

Miss Cram (husband hunter?)

Mary, the vicar's servant - hilarious comic relief! Can't cook, serve, or communicate well.

Archer (poacher, Mary's sweetheart)

Mrs. Archer (his mom)

 

There were so many more characters and themes - punctuality, notes, gossip, . . . it was interesting but I will NOT re-read this title.

M.O.M. Mother of Madness

by Emilia Clarke, Marguerite Bennett, Leila Leiz, Leila Del Duca, Isobel Richardson, et. al.

Hennepin County Library hardcover unpaged

Published: 2021

Genre: graphic novel, superhero

I heard a great interview on NPR with Emilia Clarke. She's such an interesting actress and what I heard in the interview intrigued me. Besides, I enjoy reading graphic novels. I was on the waiting list for five or six months for this book. I read it last evening. Hmmm.

The essential message (especially as highlighted in her author's note at the start) is to empower women and girls no matter who they are. Main character Maya lost her parents and was transformed by exposure to chemicals in their lab while cleaning. Her powers are "governed by her emotions and the hormones that cause them." She becomes extremely fast and strong when angry, invisible when scared, etc.

It was enjoyable but also disappointing. There were plenty of F-bombs and other language (appropriate for the intended audience, but not my cup of tea). There was a throw-away line about if God exists, he's awful. That just makes me so sad. God's love, mercy, and grace are what we all need!

The storyline deals with sex traffickers, misogyny, and other social ills. Maya is a single mom to adorable Billy, who becomes the bad guy's pawn. I won't read volume 2. I just didn't enjoy it much.

Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty

by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe

Hennepin County Library hardcover 290 pages

Published: 2021

Genre: non-fiction, history

I don't remember when I first heard about this book, but I was on the holds list at the library for a long time! It took me longer to read it than it should have . . . it was alternately fascinating and boring. I loved the photographs. It was interesting to me to read up on the Astors and Rockefellers, too, for frames of reference. I'm going to make a few notes here and then return it for the next reader!

 

Preface: "Poor Vanderbilt! How I pity you; and this is honest. You are an old man, and ought to have some rest, and yet you have to struggle, and deny yourself, and rob yourself of restful sleep and peace of mind, because you need money so badly. I always feel for a man who is so poverty ridden as you. Don't misunderstand me, Vanderbilt. I know you own seventy millions; but then you know and I know, that it isn't what a man has, that constitutes wealth. No - it is to be satisfied with what one has; that is wealth." - Mark Twain, March 1869

Wow. That quotation from Mark Twain really struck me. I wonder what Cornelius Vanderbilt thought when he saw that. "Poverty ridden" is certainly not how he saw himself!

I looked back at the partial family tree as I was reading. It made me curious about how many people were omitted. I wish birth and death dates had been included.

Page xiv - "The Vanderbilt dynasty disappeared long ago, and my parents had made sure I understood early on that there was no 'Vanderbilt money' or trust fund I'd be inheriting when I became an adult. They wanted me to be my own person, and I am grateful to them for that. I don't think I would have been as driven as I have been if I had grown up believing there was a pot of gold somewhere waiting for me."

I like Anderson Cooper. I can't imagine his childhood, losing his dad and then his brother. For all the advantages he's had in life, he's had his share of challenges as well. I have a mixture of sadness and scorn for kids who grow up insanely wealthy without having any responsibilities or compassion.

Page 107 - "It was rumored that the Vanderbilt ball cost a quarter of a million dollars, about $6.4 million in today's money. . . . For comparison, one of the maids who left Alva's ball to await her mistress in a carriage parked on Fifty-Third Street . . . would have been paid around $350, in a year."

This was in 1883. Alva Vanderbilt (married to "the Commodore's" grandson Willie) was a social climber trying to outdo Caroline Astor. Vanity and arrogance!

Page 200 - "And they nearly lost a man, Ben Bruntwith, who got swept off the deck by the boom on another jibe. . . . before the rest of the crew dragged him, wet and coughing, back on board. And a good thing, too. The racing rules of sailing were very clear that a yacht must end the race with the same number of crew on board as at the start."

This made me laugh a bit (America's Cup race with Harold Vanderbilt at the helm, 1934) but also realize that people who want to win at any cost don't care too much about who they hurt en route.

Page 209 - "Everyone in this story wants something. So, we might as well begin back with Reggie, a man who could at one time buy almost anything and who discovered in the winter of 1922 that what he really and truly wanted was his daughter's seventeen-year-old friend Gloria Morgan."

Reading this made me want to vomit. Cooper is writing about his grandpa and grandma (and great aunt) here . . . Two pages later, he writes that Gloria (grandma) was seventeen and Reggie was 42. Gross!

There were many other passages that elicited a reaction from me, but overall I did not enjoy this book as much as I anticipated. Each chapter of the book focused on a different chapter of the Vanderbilt "dynasty." Conspicuous consumption. Wealth squandered. Too bad the family didn't do more good with their opportunities. (I'm thinking about Carnegie Libraries.)

A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons

 

by Kate Khavari

Libby audiobook 8 hours

read by Jodie Harris

Genre: historical fiction, mystery

"London, 1923. Newly minted research assistant Saffron Everleigh is the first woman to hold the position at University College of London. When she attends a dinner party for the school, she expects to engage in conversations about the university's large expedition to the Amazon. What she doesn't expect is for Mrs. Henry, one of the professor's wives, to drop to the floor, poisoned by an unknown toxin."

Liked:

• author's note at the end, setting the historical stage
• Saffron's roommate and friend, Elizabeth (especially at the end of the story!)
• the xolotl (shuh-low-tul) plant idea and its effects on people (author's invention)
• Saffron's determination to succeed on her merits, not her father's reputation / memory and NOT on sleeping her way to the top
• all the botany and plant references
  
• the blooming romance between Saffron and Alexander

Disliked:

• the fact that Saffron went to an appointment with the odious Dr. Berking alone . . . 
• she constantly was jumping to conclusions, creating murder scenarios
• no follow-through on Eris or other initially important characters
  

 

I don't know if this author has written other books since this debut, but she's not a "must read" for me.

The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets (Enola Holmes #3)

Enola Holmes Mystery #3

By Nancy Springer

Libby audiobook 4 hours

read by Katherine Kellgren

Genre: YA historical fiction mystery

Watson has gone missing. Enola goes to visit his wife Mary in disguise. While calling on her, Enola notices an unusual bouquet with unusual plants. Following her instincts and intellect, she recovers the missing doctor.

I liked some aspects of this book quite a bit (Enola's cleverness and the meaning of different flowers), but I got irritated by other aspects (the cipher code . . . again). I also liked the Sherlock / Mycroft "switch" at the end. The back story of the two sisters, the rats, the vat of asparagus . . . interesting!

I'm listening to lots of audiobooks while I process at Mackin, so I may get #5 in the near future . . . 

<Above published 6.22.22. Below added 3.27.24.>

I re-listened to this one because I have more appreciation for Springer's storytelling with experiencing the Enola Holmes books in order! It's interesting that Enola is only 14 in the books (to target middle school readers), but the movie version with Millie Bobby Brown has her at 16 or 17. The crazy younger sister whose face was eaten by rats as a baby can't really be a villain . . . yet she is. It's a bit shocking to learn how easy it was to commit someone to a "lunatic asylum" back in the 1890s!