TRANSCRIPTION- SEPTEMBER 2022 BOOK SELECTION

Kate Atkinson is the master of this genre. Juliet Armstrong, only eighteen, is recruited in 1940 during WWII to work for MI5. Atkinson creates with skill the thoughts and actions of an extremely shallow and naïve Juliet as she tries to find her way alone in London after the death of her mother.

What at first seems very routine, even boring work, becomes much more. Her job is to listen as an established MI5 agent recruits and conducts meetings with British collaborators of the Third Reich and Hitler. Juliet’s job is to secretly listen and transcribe into minutes the contents of those meetings. The clandestine meetings take place in an apartment owned by MI5 which is next door to the meetings.

Soon she is tapped to assume a new identity and infiltrate the fascist sympathizers. The real danger is to be discovered by the collaborators.

Interspersed with these war recollections we find Juliet postwar, ten years later, working for the BBC and occasionally operating a safe-house for MI5. At this point she is surprisingly world-weary, laconic and jaded.

Juliet begins to see several figures from her past. One central one refuses to acknowledge her. Suspicious and fearful, she attempts to investigate and finds she cannot escape the past. Surprise ending.

Your Gifts and How You Use Them

 I apparently took July 2022 off. But not in a good way. It’s been a challenging time but it has made me appreciate even more my health and my family. Every time I sensed dark thoughts about to creep in, I was reminded in no uncertain terms how fortunate I am. We forget, you see.

I’ve thought a lot about my mother and the end-of-life challenges she faced. The challenges were not pretty, but she faced them all full of grace. She literally never complained. I have thought of her life, and her gifts which were significant. But as it turned out, the gift she used the most was in giving and taking care of other people. Was that enough? Was that okay? Although I was the recipient of her giving spirit my whole life, I can’t help thinking it was not okay. Maybe it was the time in which she lived, pre-woman’s lib. Maybe it was four children. A divorce. Maybe it was just too hard. Circumstances beyond her control. It makes me weep to think of it.

I’m trying to reconcile it so that her legacy is something that includes all her gifts, not just selflessness. She taught me compassion, kindness; she shared her poet’s eye for loving and appreciating nature, she shared her appreciation of music and literature.  She loved her children so much that her final gift was that of learning service. It’s easy to love and be loved when all is easy and fun. But loving and serving when all is difficult is a whole other thing. It can be soul-crushing.  

They say we blueprint our parents or reject their choices completely. My wish is for my children to use all of their gifts. But most essentially to keep something back for themselves. It’s not just important; it’s critical. Both giving and keeping are possible.

THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD- AUGUST 2022 BOOK SELECTION

 

At the time this book was originally published in 1937, it was not recognized as the masterpiece it is today. Zora Neale Hurston has since become recognized as a voice of her generation and the novel a widely acclaimed classic of the Harlem Renaissance.

The story follows Janie, a fair-skinned, black woman in the early 1900’s following WWI. Navigating two disastrous marriages until meeting the love of her life, we watch Janie come into her own power and confidence. Janie’s story is a tragic one, yet does not end as hopeless.

The novel, written in a deep southern, black dialect may be somewhat challenging for some. One solution is the Audible version narrated by the brilliant actor, Ruby Dee, who makes the patios come alive. With a poet’s eye, Hurston depicts the black experience in the early 20th century with sensitivity and observed human nature with a clear eye.

CLOUD CUCKOO LAND- JULY 2022 BOOK SELECTION

 

Anthony Doerr, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in Literature for All the Light We Cannot See, has written another fascinating novel. This one depicts four characters spread across time who all have a mystical connection surrounding the ancient Greek fictional character of Aethon. Their lives follow Aethon’s journey, a character credited to Aristophanes' comedy “The Birds.”

A supreme undertaking which Doerr himself says he almost abandoned many times, has nevertheless been lauded and critically acclaimed. I both read and listened to the novel in order to keep the time shifts and characters straight. Well worth it.

Life Force

 I’m not sure if I have used this quote before in my blog, but it bears repeating this month. It’s an invitation not to lose yourself.

 “There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.”

— Martha Graham

 Bewilderment is the latest novel by Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Powers. It tells the story of a widower trying to raise his autistic ten-year-old son in what seems an unforgiving world. Behavioral problems aside, the boy’s sensitivity is displayed as if he has no defenses against an environmentally challenged world. He cares so deeply about the natural world; he goes into intense rages. It’s as if he has no skin, no barrier to protect him. Both father and son are still profoundly grieving the loss of the beloved mother. The father, an astrophysicist, grounds his son by describing fictional other worlds on other planets where life has different challenges. Both father and son are broken and struggling to stay above water.

The tragedy at the center of this beautifully written story offers hope for the son and the father but ultimately is unyielding. Worth reading but not for the faint of heart.

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams was an Audible selection. Queenie is a millennial trying to navigate as a black woman in modern-day London. A paralyzing break-up generates a sequence of events which ultimately lead to a breakdown. Without a past to support and inform her decisions, she flounders. Her survival instinct kicks in along with the support of her close friends and the begrudging, support of her old-school, Haitian extended family. A bright center is the family’s ultimate growth and support.

Surprising and touching, we alternately yell in frustration and cheer for Queenie as she makes her way. Recommend.

Living Backwards

 Many of the books I have read and listened to recently and even podcasts have dealt with the concepts of being, consciousness, perception, the vastness of the universe and even quantum physics. Questions are often posed which focus on state of mind and belief systems. Maybe it is a result of getting older and pondering what comes after this but these readings seem to keep falling in my path.

It may be a result of the pandemic and losing so many friends to Covid and to other events and diseases. It may be we attract what we need to hear. One concept which has fascinated me is the idea of living backwards. Bear with me. If you know what you know now and could change past events by reliving them, would you? With age, some wisdom does surface with experience, but would you change your choices? Would you know which ones to change and which to leave alone? Because, after all, the “butterfly effect.” is real.

For example, what if I had made a different choice of city to move for work after college? If I had chosen a different profession? Would I know my husband? Would I have my same children? Would I have children at all? Would I have my lifelong friendship with Gail? Not have my children. My husband. Not have my friendship? Unthinkable.

What I am curious about are the “what if” scenarios. I would love to see a movie reel of various choice outcomes. Scientists say all of these scenarios exist in the quantum universe. Do I want to step in? I don’t think so; I just want to be an observer. I want to watch my various life-choice movies.

What I would like, is to know what I know for sure now, and see how my life would play out. Fun idea, yes? Or no?

HARRY'S TREES- MAY 2022 BOOK SELECTION

 I listened to Harry’s Trees by Jon Cohen as an audible selection. Harry Crane suffers an unconscionable and tragic loss. Without seeking it, he becomes extraordinarily wealthy as a result of the loss. Unable to reconcile himself to living, he quits his job and plans what he believes to be the only solution.

This story follows his journey. A sweet and magical tale, Harry’s only solace becomes trees and the forest that has always comforted him. Cohen weaves the story through an encyclopedic knowledge of trees convincing us they have personalities and intention.

A cast of wonderfully quirky and well-drawn characters create a world that sweeps Harry up and carries him forward. Magical elements which reference things unseen and unknown are played with a light hand. The synchronicity of events which follow and can only be unexplained, is wholly satisfying.

Truly beautiful for lovers of the natural world. Read with an open heart.

Reunion 2022

 It’s been three years since we gathered. There are always some missing. This time three. My sister, her daughter and one of my second brother’s sons. Still, nineteen made it! A record! The reunions are rare. The pandemic made it more so. The brief lull last fall was all it took for me to try to organize it. My family means everything to me. We are spread from California to Chili to Alabama to Tennessee to South Carolina to Arizona. Herding cats. But willing cats. My oldest brother chooses not to travel at all, so we traveled to him. His daughter hosted our get-togethers to avoid too many public outings.

I can’t remember seeing so many beloved faces at one time. It was soul-filling happiness. Ages ranged from 2 ¾ to 78 years. There was individual time, group time, hikes, breakfasts, dinners, swimming, games, shopping, dancing, a birthday party, laughter and just a bit of drama.

For as long as I am able, I will try to implement these events. I wouldn’t trade the time for anything. I keep asking myself, “How did I get so lucky?” Then I spit over both shoulders, as my friend Ellen taught me, to ward off any lurking mischievous spirits that want to steal our joy.

 All of these:

From these:

And Before That:

And:

BOTH/AND: A LIFE IN MANY WORLDS- APRIL 2022 BOOK SELECTION

In her memoir, Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds, Huma Abedin recounts her childhood through the present. Born in America, Abedin is the daughter of Indian and Pakistani parents. At age two, she moved with her family to Saudi Arabia. There, as a Muslim, she and her siblings were raised and educated by very progressive parents. For college she attended George Washington University and close to graduation applied for and was accepted as an intern working for Hillary Clinton during the Clinton administration. When the administration changed, Abedin remained in numerous and varied capacities working for the former first lady; through HRC’s two bids for the White House as well as her tenure as Secretary of State under President Barack Obama.

A marriage to the now infamous Anthony Weiner produced one son. Abedin recounts in great detail her years with Hilary Clinton as well as the devastation of her unfortunate marriage. This is an informative and fascinating read regarding the machinations of political life as seen behind the scenes. She also examines the way scrutiny in the public eye can alter your life irrevocably.

If you are interested in one account of political life as well as how the author navigated a shattering break-up, it is a worthwhile read.

 

Yoga Life

 Many years ago while pursuing a degree in counseling, I interned at a state mental health center as one of my practicums. The format of the center included individual therapy and group therapy as well as a selection of classes designed to enrich and augment the therapy process.

One of the classes I assisted in was yoga.  It was the first time I was exposed to Hatha Yoga. I used this ancient practice not only in later counseling treatment but in my own personal life. It was truly a life-altering. The teacher, Diana Alstad, received a PhD from Yale and was a professor at Duke University in the Humanities before changing course to pursue yoga, write, and do workshops full time. This brief bio doesn’t begin to cover her accomplishments since.

Although I haven’t always been faithful in my practice, it has remained a constant in my life. I truly believe that continued practice, whatever your level, can insure better health and a longer life. It has been a gift and I strongly encourage anyone and everyone to try it at least once.

In finding a teacher, my recommendation is to rely on word-of-mouth. If you try one class and the teacher pushes you too far, too fast, you’re in the wrong place. It is for everyone regardless of their level of flexibility, age or strength.

Another misconception is that yoga is for the “woo-woo,” hippie set. Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s for anyone who wants better health.

DRIVE YOUR PLOW OVER THE BONES OF THE DEAD-MARCH 2022 BOOK SELECTION

 OlgaTokarczuk-is a critically acclaimed Polish writer and winner of The Nobel Prize for Literature and the Booker Prize among others. Her novel, Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead is a murder-mystery which also examines the moral issues of man’s use and misuse of nature.

The story focuses on the life of an elderly woman, Janina Duszejko, who lives in an isolated, rural setting in Poland. The book begins with the discovery of the death of a disliked neighbor. We learn bit by bit of her belief in the sanctity of nature and all living things. She spends most of her time studying astrology and translating the poetry of William Blake. She also teaches English to young children in the closest town.

Several deaths follow the first one. All the deaths have one thing in common, all victims were hunters and abusers of nature. Janina attempts to help the police by suggesting the men murdered were killed by the animals they abused. Her explanations are waved away as the rantings of a mad old woman.

Every character encountered is fully drawn and gives insight into another aspect of Janina. Wholly original, fascinating story.

Moving Forward

 I was out in public for the first time in two years last night. Except for hurried, masked grocery and/or Target runs or a very rare outdoor meal, this was a first. It was a play performed in a very large, well-ventilated venue. Everyone in the audience, without exception, was masked. It was exhilarating and exhausting. When I got home, I felt as if I had been hit by a truck. I saw many, many old friends, which was wonderful. Everyone was so glad to connect. Truthfully, it felt odd. Strange. It was a combination of joy and fear.

It has been so hard to stay positive for the last two years. Two years. It seemed so much easier to huddle down and cover your head (metaphorically, and sometimes literally). I understand people wanted to have their FREEDOM, but we were trying to protect each other and ourselves. I feel what they gained most often by not masking and vaccinating, was the FREEDOM to get sick and pass it on to others. I’ll never understand it. But I digress.

Trying now to cautiously Move Forward. It’s tempting to stay in the comfort zone, not take any chances. Just dipped a toe. Frightening but necessary to try to get outside life back. Like trying to walk a tightrope for the first time. Trying to move forward. Trying for joy. Joy beats fear, right?

                                  Moving Forward.

THE BETRAYAL OF ANNE FRANK: A COLD CASE INVESTIGATION- FEBRUARY 2022 BOOK SELECTION

 This is a non-fiction account of the investigation into the betrayal of the Frank family near the end of WWII. After successfully hiding for over two years, the family as well as three others living with them were exposed and arrested.  All died in concentration camps with the exception of the father, Otto Frank. This intensive examination was conducted by a former FBI agent brought out of retirement along with his team of forensic specialists, geneticists, historians, IT specialists as well as multiple lay volunteers. Although this work by Rosemary Sullivan could have been dry and hard to collate, it reads like an expertly written, suspense novel or murder mystery. Which in fact it was.

As well as being an astonishing piece of investigative work, it is a disturbing, extensive and informative exploration of what human beings are capable of and can endure.

FAVORITE BOOK OF 2021

This has been another good year for reading. As usual, more books were read or listened to on tape than I reviewed, but the ones below made the cut. I decided a while ago that I was not going to disparage another author’s work. If I don’t like it, I won’t review it. Although I didn’t love The Book of Two Ways, it had many qualities I found fascinating. I mostly enjoyed everything on the list. I always love Olive and her unique perspective. I loved the questions we were forced to consider in The Midnight Library and Peace Like a River.

 

January 2021: The Book of Lost Friends-Lisa Wingate

February 2021: Troubled Blood- Robert Galbraith

March 2021: The Sentence is Death- Anthony Horowitz

                     A Rule Against Murder- Louise Penny

                     The Ruin- Dervla McTiernan

April 2021: Olive, Again- Elizabeth Strout

May 2021: The Forgotten Garden- Kate Morton

June 2021: The Vanishing Half- Brit Marling

July 2021: The Midnight Library- Matt Haig

August 2021: Peace Like a River- Leif Enger

                      Anxious People- Fredrik Backman                      

September 2021: The Book of Two Ways- Jodi Picoult

                           Hamnet- Maggie O’Farrell

October 2021: The Story of Arthur Truluv-Elizabeth Berg

                       The Searcher- Tana French

November 2021: The Lincoln Highway- Amor Towles 

 December 2021: The Gift of Time- Jerry Merritt

 

The mystery genre is typically a favorite and I found a new author to follow with Dervla McTiernan. I also really enjoyed The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. Some may feel the outcome was predictable but I loved the premise and the existential question. Still, if I could only pick one to recommend to a friend, it would have to be Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell. Exquisitely written, it captured and created an imaginary world that may or may not have been Shakespeare’s reality.

 

 

Words for the New Year 2022

 Beginning in 2013, instead of making New Year’s Resolutions, I’ve been choosing words for the New Year. Thanks, Connie! The words themselves are always written in good faith, and though often remembered, reflected upon even, do not seem to have any power in and of themselves. Sort of like resolutions:)

 I still love the thought of it, so this, my tenth year, I will continue the tradition. As I did last year, I will see them as intentions; Wishes thrown out into the Universe instead of Words to live by.

 My Words/Intentions for this new year are shaped by present thoughts, needs and hopes.

Health

Family

Creativity

May you take the time to find your Word/Wishes/Intentions and have a healthy, happy, altogether splendid New Year.

I liked this so much, I felt it was worth repeating.

 

MOONFLOWER MURDERS- JANUARY 2022 BOOK SELECTION

 

Another Anthony Horowitz who-done-it. A woman goes missing 10 years after a murder at her family's exclusive hotel. Her parents believe her disappearance and the old crime are connected. They employ an ex-publisher to investigate. Horowitz reincarnates a previous character from his mystery,  Magpie Murders and that same ex-publisher who solved the Magpie crime.

A GIFT OF TIME- DECEMBER 2021 BOOK SELECTION

 

An eighty-year-old man meets an alien and is given the gift of time-travel. He attempts to right tragedies in his past. Interesting premise, fun and thought- provoking read.

Chaos , Comfort & Joy

 Chaos, Surgery, Pain, Exhaustion, Family, Chaos, Joy, Comfort, Love, Children, Sea, Sand, Sun, Beauty, Laughter, Recuperation, Rest, Family, Family, Family.

Happy New Year.

And for 2021, too

An Embarrassment of Riches

 As I have shopped for my family for this first Christmas together in two years, I realize there is an embarrassment of riches. Not just physical things, but the riches of family. We just don’t need the physical stuff. I’m wishing with all of my heart not to add to the “stuff” that I have tried so hard to purge. I have failed miserably. One purged drawer. That’s it.  I’m still a work in progress. So here’s what’s important:

 “There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.”

— Martha Graham

 I think she was talking about the expression of your art but it holds true for all human interaction. What fills my heart with joy is the prospect of being together, of talking, sharing, having meals, playing games, singing, being…. The interaction and expression of all of our disparate personalities, blending in a magical way.  All the things we have missed with sore hearts.

The same Everywhere.

THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY- NOVEMBER 2021 BOOK SELECTION

 Eighteen-year-old Emmet Watson has just been released from a work farm where he served 15 months for involuntary manslaughter. With his father’s death and his mother long gone, he knows he will never be accepted again in his small, Nebraska community.  He plans to leave home with his little brother, Billy and make a new start in California. However, his plans are sidetracked by two stowaway/friends from the work farm.  They hid themselves in the trunk of the warden’s car when Emmet was brought home and showed up at this door. 

What follows is an adventure of epic proportions. Although coming in at almost 600 pages, this hefty novel transports us. Multiple, interwoven narrators tell the story of riding the rails, racial violence, deceit, a stolen car, stolen money, being drugged, an orphanage run by nuns, betrayal, joy, loss, miracles, physical threats. Beautiful, transformative writing, a not-to-be-missed experience.

Highly recommend.

Intention

 

Good to remember in this unprecedented time.

THE SEARCHER & THE STORY OF ARTHUR TRULUV- OCTOBER 2021 BOOK SELECTIONS

The Searcher by Tana French is her second standalone novel, the first being The Witch Elm. Previous novels have centered around numerous characters in the Dublin Murder Squad. The only similarity here is that the main character, Cal Hooper, is a former detective, but this time an American from Chicago.

Hooper relocates after his divorce to a small village in Ireland, hoping for nothing but peace and quiet. His peace is short-lived when he is implored to help with a missing persons case. This novel is beautifully written and a slow burn, building suspense until you are as invested as he is in finding the truth. French is a master of this genre.

Recommend.

The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg appears on the surface to be a sweet story of unusual friendships. This interpretation is as superficial as that assumption. The story is about loss, loneliness, desperation, depression and the redemptive power of relationships. The novel is surprisingly moving and profound in its insights. A widower, Arthur, in his eighties, meets a young woman by chance. Together they form an unlikely alliance with an initially unpleasant neighbor. All three could not be more different, but somehow fit. Berg is a superb and satisfying storyteller. 

Recommend.

Look

 I’m trying to really look again. Really see. So often I move through the day without. My mother taught me very early to really observe; to see beauty in the natural world all around me, in faces, everywhere. It was a gift. But you can forget to turn on your eyes.

Some things this month have been hard to see. The deaths of two more people known to me. As a result, I saw others I had not seen in decades. It was strange. Moving. I was embraced by a young man I didn’t even know would remember me. I still feel it in my heart. His words were so gentle and loving when it was his heart breaking. My best friend lost another sibling. The second in six months. I don’t know how she stands it.

The best of the month was seeing my son. A surprise visit. A risk for him. A joy for us. That beautiful face. My beautiful boy.

The worst of the month was fear for my daughter’s children. Real terror. I was not strong. I surprised myself. Meltdown. Not good. They are okay. The Unimaginable averted. Fear is a horrifying thing.

I saw rainbows on the wall this morning when I really didn’t want to get up. I think it was my mother. Making me use my eyes. Sending me a message. Keep on, my darling girl, keep on. You, too.

She could have written this because she did.

HAMNET & THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS- SEPTEMBER 2021 BOOK SELECTIONS

 Two very dissimilar books highlighted my reading in September. Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell by far stood out. It is the fictionalized story of the short life of Shakespeare’s only son, Hamnet. Very little is actually known about the boy or how he died at age eleven. The story renders in heartbreaking and exquisitely beautiful detail the author’s depiction of Shakespeare’s early life, his parents, his marriage, his wife and three children. Told with limited omniscience, O’Farrell weaves a mesmerizing tale of the events, relationships and personalities in Shakespeare’s life before and during the plague years in Europe. In spite of the difficult subject matter, I highly recommend this novel.

The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult was a book club pick. I found this novel confusing in its format. The story skips forward and back so often, the reader doesn’t have a clue which events happened in which sequence.

The Book of Two Ways is an ancient, Egyptian burial tradition which shows two ways, by land or water, to reach heaven in the afterlife. It tells the story of a woman who has lived two lives and is faced with choosing how to continue her story, thus the parallel. The woman has a history as an Egyptologist who interrupted her studies due to circumstances beyond her control. She never returned to Egypt and became a death doula.

For students of Egyptology as well as Quantum Physics the novel covers these topics fairly extensively and is interesting information. There are simultaneously two quite lovely love stories interwoven that make up part of the choice that must be made.