"Listen carefully. Never be ashamed of our cause. I wish that my funeral attendants not be any of these policing Pharisees but the barefoot and impoverished slave children of Virginia. Hold them close to you, my dears. Be their angels. The abolishment of slavery does not end with me. You must carry on. I have given this same revelation to your living brothers by letter. You girls, Ruth, and little Ellen are the mothers of the next generation, which I pray will know no nation that places shackles on another man and stands on his back.....Promise me, daughters."
-John Brown at the time of his execution, from the novel
A friend loaned me this book, knowing my love for historical fiction. It was an uncorrected proof which may have had something to do with my lack of enjoyment at first. By the middle of the novel I was more involved with the characters and ended up appreciating the story. I will rate it 3.5.
Sarah Brown is the daughter of John Brown, the abolitionist martyr of Harper's Ferry fame. She is a talented artist who discovers she can use her skills to make escape maps to help in the efforts of the Underground Railroad (UGRR).
Alternating with Sarah's story (1859) is that of Eden Anderson who, along with husband Jack, has just moved into an historic house in New Charlestown, WV in 2014.They soon make a few discoveries, like a secret space and a doll's head, that lead them to the conclusion that the home was a station on the UGRR.
The connection of Sarah and Eden seemed predictable but it was actually more intricate than I had thought. The reader really doesn't know all the who's who and what's what until near the end.
One of my favorite characters is Chloe, the dog "nanny." She is an 11-year-old going on 30---very perceptive for her age. I taught kids of that age for many years so I was impressed by her intelligence and maturity.
Recently I heard of a novel called Cloudsplitter by Russell Banks which apparently involves the story of John Brown as remembered by his son. Sounds like the perfect companion book for this one! I'm putting it on my longggg to-read list.
Thursday, June 7, 2018
Monday, May 21, 2018
The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende
"I'm fine here, Lenny. I'm discovering who I am without all my ornaments and accessories. It's quite a slow process, but a very useful one. Everybody ought to do the same at the end of their life. If I had any self-discipline I would beat my grandson to it and write my own memoirs. I have time, freedom, and silence, the three things I never had amidst all the noise of my earlier life. I'm preparing to die."
-Alma Belasco, from the novel
This novel was selected for our Page Turners group for May because we could get multiple copies from our local library, known as a "book bundle." From the short description offered on the library site, it sounded interesting and indeed it was.
The story begins with 23-year-old Irina Bazili working at Lark House, a retirement community. There she meets aging resident Alma Belasco who hires Irina to be her personal assistant. The two become emotionally attached as Alma tells her story of being sent to the U.S. from Poland in 1939, living a good life with her aunt and uncle and falling in love with Ichimei Fukuda, the gardener's son, as a very young girl. This would end up being a 'love affair for the ages," literally.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor when the Fukuda family is relocated to Topaz in Utah, one of several internment camps, Ichimei and Alma are cruelly separated. This part of Ichi's story reminded me of a Japanese-American friend who has shared the story of his family's internment when he was young so it seemed very real to me and was quite personal. Alma and Ichi are reunited from time to time through the years and the plot is interspersed with letters to her from him. So one might think from that and the title that the whole plot is summarized but then secrets are revealed one by one, from Alma but also Irina.
In The Japanese Lover, Allende has woven together stories of two unique women, one young and one old, both survivors of the problems life has thrown their way, and she has done it in her very engaging style. I enjoyed the book and have rated it a 4.
More after our meeting....(caution: spoilers ahead)
We had a great discussion today even though the book received very mixed reviews. The group average rating is 3.3, ranging from 4's to one 2. A couple of people agreed that if they had liked the main character, Alma, more they might have enjoyed the book more. Some of us thought she was very self-absorbed. Someone brought up the fact that she did not have the courage to take her relationship with Ichi to the next level although Ichi's sister Megumi absolutely did. A few people questioned whether Alma's meetings with Ichi were even real. We used discussion questions from the publisher which hardly even mentioned Irina. A couple of our members thought she was contrived. I personally found her more likeable than Alma.
Some in the group admitted to being confused about the timing of the events. The author's style received comments both positive and negative. Several folks had read her work before and liked it but some had not enjoyed her other novels. Her addition of ghosts left us wondering...
It is strange that normally we would rate a book higher AFTER the discussion but in the case of The Japanese Lover we thought we might rank it lower!
-Alma Belasco, from the novel
This novel was selected for our Page Turners group for May because we could get multiple copies from our local library, known as a "book bundle." From the short description offered on the library site, it sounded interesting and indeed it was.
The story begins with 23-year-old Irina Bazili working at Lark House, a retirement community. There she meets aging resident Alma Belasco who hires Irina to be her personal assistant. The two become emotionally attached as Alma tells her story of being sent to the U.S. from Poland in 1939, living a good life with her aunt and uncle and falling in love with Ichimei Fukuda, the gardener's son, as a very young girl. This would end up being a 'love affair for the ages," literally.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor when the Fukuda family is relocated to Topaz in Utah, one of several internment camps, Ichimei and Alma are cruelly separated. This part of Ichi's story reminded me of a Japanese-American friend who has shared the story of his family's internment when he was young so it seemed very real to me and was quite personal. Alma and Ichi are reunited from time to time through the years and the plot is interspersed with letters to her from him. So one might think from that and the title that the whole plot is summarized but then secrets are revealed one by one, from Alma but also Irina.
In The Japanese Lover, Allende has woven together stories of two unique women, one young and one old, both survivors of the problems life has thrown their way, and she has done it in her very engaging style. I enjoyed the book and have rated it a 4.
More after our meeting....(caution: spoilers ahead)
We had a great discussion today even though the book received very mixed reviews. The group average rating is 3.3, ranging from 4's to one 2. A couple of people agreed that if they had liked the main character, Alma, more they might have enjoyed the book more. Some of us thought she was very self-absorbed. Someone brought up the fact that she did not have the courage to take her relationship with Ichi to the next level although Ichi's sister Megumi absolutely did. A few people questioned whether Alma's meetings with Ichi were even real. We used discussion questions from the publisher which hardly even mentioned Irina. A couple of our members thought she was contrived. I personally found her more likeable than Alma.
Some in the group admitted to being confused about the timing of the events. The author's style received comments both positive and negative. Several folks had read her work before and liked it but some had not enjoyed her other novels. Her addition of ghosts left us wondering...
It is strange that normally we would rate a book higher AFTER the discussion but in the case of The Japanese Lover we thought we might rank it lower!
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
The Cottage by Danielle Steel
"Coop didn't 'do' unpleasant. He did pretty. And easy. And fun. And elegant. And gracious. He had somehow managed to weed out of his life the things he didn't like or that frightened him, and only acknowledged the things he found 'amusing,' and fun to do. The trouble was, Alex reminded herself, real life wasn't like that. And there was generally a lot more 'unpleasant' than 'amusing' in life. But not in Coop's world. He wouldn't allow the bad stuff in. He just pretended to himself and everyone else that the bad stuff didn't exist....He didn't 'do' broke either. He did it, but didn't acknowledge it. He just went on living, and spending, and playing."
-Alex's thoughts on Coop's attitudes, from the novel
I was reminded quickly in reading this novel why I haven't read any Danielle Steel in a long time. It was weak on plot, if indeed, there was one. I found it repetitive, predictable, and saccharine. My husband would call it "chick lit." The main character, Cooper Winslow, was very self-absorbed and superficial but other characters were more likeable. I will rate The Cottage a 2. It has been a long time since I read one so unsatisfying.
Coop, as he is called, is a former Hollywood leading man, a legend in his own time. He owns an elaborate mansion known as "The Cottage" which he can ill-afford since at age 70 he is not getting many acting roles. His accountant forces him to fire most of his staff and rent the guest house and gatehouse on his property. Jimmy and Mark become the leaseholders of the two. They are both single and mourning lost spouses.
The third main character is Alexandra Madison, a young and attractive medical resident, who meets Coop at a dinner party. They become an item although I never quite understood her attraction to him. She is something like 40 years younger and he is a well-known playboy! When Taryn shows up, the adult daughter Coop never knew he had, and then Jimmy's mother, one could just about figure on a love triangle, square, circle or some other geometric pattern.
I am guessing it will be a number of years before I choose this author again.
-Alex's thoughts on Coop's attitudes, from the novel
I was reminded quickly in reading this novel why I haven't read any Danielle Steel in a long time. It was weak on plot, if indeed, there was one. I found it repetitive, predictable, and saccharine. My husband would call it "chick lit." The main character, Cooper Winslow, was very self-absorbed and superficial but other characters were more likeable. I will rate The Cottage a 2. It has been a long time since I read one so unsatisfying.
Coop, as he is called, is a former Hollywood leading man, a legend in his own time. He owns an elaborate mansion known as "The Cottage" which he can ill-afford since at age 70 he is not getting many acting roles. His accountant forces him to fire most of his staff and rent the guest house and gatehouse on his property. Jimmy and Mark become the leaseholders of the two. They are both single and mourning lost spouses.
The third main character is Alexandra Madison, a young and attractive medical resident, who meets Coop at a dinner party. They become an item although I never quite understood her attraction to him. She is something like 40 years younger and he is a well-known playboy! When Taryn shows up, the adult daughter Coop never knew he had, and then Jimmy's mother, one could just about figure on a love triangle, square, circle or some other geometric pattern.
I am guessing it will be a number of years before I choose this author again.
Thursday, May 3, 2018
Miss Julia Weathers the Storm by Ann B. Ross
"So we listened to a book on CD about a feisty woman who speaks her mind, hitches a ride on a Harley---at her age, too---and serves open-faced cucumber sandwiches on a silver tray."
-Miss Julia, from the novel
I am always greatly entertained by Miss Julia and this episode is no exception. In fact, I found it more of a page-turner than some. With Julia's usual good intentions of helping friends that get her into some humorous predicaments and the added suspense of an approaching hurricane and three mysterious strangers, this one rates a 5 from me. I will pass it on to a friend who is also a fan.
Julia's husband, Sam, wants to treat family and friends to a week at the beach. The quote above describes the beginning of the trip by car and tickled me because it seems to describe Miss Julia. Everyone is having a great time at the beach except Julia's friend, LuAnne who is moaning over her husband's recently discovered affair. Toward the end of their first week an odd thing happens on the beach that will later be called "The Great Money Haul" and will have some frightening results. Soon after, it looks like Hurricane Marty is heading their way and they're told to evacuate.
Upon arriving at home and over several days, it seems some of the beach-goers are being stalked by some strangers they had seen on the beach. Why? That's the question they are all asking and the answer is pretty surprising....but you will have to read to find out!
I'd love for you to leave your comments!
-Miss Julia, from the novel
I am always greatly entertained by Miss Julia and this episode is no exception. In fact, I found it more of a page-turner than some. With Julia's usual good intentions of helping friends that get her into some humorous predicaments and the added suspense of an approaching hurricane and three mysterious strangers, this one rates a 5 from me. I will pass it on to a friend who is also a fan.
Julia's husband, Sam, wants to treat family and friends to a week at the beach. The quote above describes the beginning of the trip by car and tickled me because it seems to describe Miss Julia. Everyone is having a great time at the beach except Julia's friend, LuAnne who is moaning over her husband's recently discovered affair. Toward the end of their first week an odd thing happens on the beach that will later be called "The Great Money Haul" and will have some frightening results. Soon after, it looks like Hurricane Marty is heading their way and they're told to evacuate.
Upon arriving at home and over several days, it seems some of the beach-goers are being stalked by some strangers they had seen on the beach. Why? That's the question they are all asking and the answer is pretty surprising....but you will have to read to find out!
I'd love for you to leave your comments!
Saturday, April 28, 2018
Miss Julia Inherits a Mess by Ann B. Ross
"I had to double down on my intention to stick to my own knitting and let these so-called burdens roll right off. My first responsibility was to Lloyd and Sam. Then came Lillian, Hazel Marie, and their little ones, and after them would come a number of others. To my way of thinking, I had my hands full, and I intended to remind the Lord that He'd already piled my plate quite high enough."
-Miss Julia's musings, from the novel
When I found this Miss Julia book on the shelf at the library I was pleasantly surprised. I thought I had read all in the series, some 17 by now, but lo and behold, I discovered two I didn't know existed! I thought I was on the author's mailing list but I guess I am out of the loop. Luckily I read this one first because the other, Miss Julia Weathers the Storm, refers to the plot of this one. Ms. Ross always seems to be able to "catch the reader up" with past episodes which would surely help anyone reading the novels out of chronological order.
Miss Julia already has several irons in the fire when she is shocked at being named executor of the will of an acquaintance. She is faced with getting rid of a houseful of furniture, as the title would imply, but also must determine how to reconcile the generous wishes of the deceased with the meager assets she's left behind. To complicate matters, a strange man shows up claiming to be a long-lost great-nephew.
Miss Julia enlists the help of a friend and a furniture appraiser to help prepare the furnishings for auction but soon a seemingly valuable cellarette goes missing. (I had to look that one up---a liquor cabinet.) Friend Etta Mae is a huge help by deciphering a mysterious note and even saving Julia from a "wild ride"! I remember she has helped Miss Julia in other plots.
Reading this novel was almost like "coming home" since the setting and characters are so familiar. It might not be my favorite of all in the series but I will give it a 5 for sheer enjoyment!
I would love it if you would leave your comments!
-Miss Julia's musings, from the novel
When I found this Miss Julia book on the shelf at the library I was pleasantly surprised. I thought I had read all in the series, some 17 by now, but lo and behold, I discovered two I didn't know existed! I thought I was on the author's mailing list but I guess I am out of the loop. Luckily I read this one first because the other, Miss Julia Weathers the Storm, refers to the plot of this one. Ms. Ross always seems to be able to "catch the reader up" with past episodes which would surely help anyone reading the novels out of chronological order.
Miss Julia already has several irons in the fire when she is shocked at being named executor of the will of an acquaintance. She is faced with getting rid of a houseful of furniture, as the title would imply, but also must determine how to reconcile the generous wishes of the deceased with the meager assets she's left behind. To complicate matters, a strange man shows up claiming to be a long-lost great-nephew.
Miss Julia enlists the help of a friend and a furniture appraiser to help prepare the furnishings for auction but soon a seemingly valuable cellarette goes missing. (I had to look that one up---a liquor cabinet.) Friend Etta Mae is a huge help by deciphering a mysterious note and even saving Julia from a "wild ride"! I remember she has helped Miss Julia in other plots.
Reading this novel was almost like "coming home" since the setting and characters are so familiar. It might not be my favorite of all in the series but I will give it a 5 for sheer enjoyment!
I would love it if you would leave your comments!
Sunday, April 15, 2018
The Horse Dancer by Jojo Moyes
""Because it is a rare person, a rare person, who can contain their own pain and still give a child the support and understanding it needs. In my experience, most parents haven't got the time or the energy to make sure it happens. Perhaps they're just too selfish. But what do I know? I'm not a parent. I'm not even married. I'm just one of those unfortunate people who gets paid to pick up the pieces. " -teacher Constance Devlin, from the novel
I do not remember how I came to select this book for Page Turners. Maybe just an interesting title and a familiar author. At any rate, as I began reading I had second thoughts on the choice since I had a difficult time getting into the story. Too horsey, perhaps? I know next-to-nothing about horses although I do think they are beautiful creatures. About halfway through the book, it became a page-turner because I was involved with the characters and it was all about the people, not so much the horse.
Natasha Macauley is an attorney, a solicitor advocate, what we might call a guardian ad litem. She has been separated from her husband, Mac, and planning a divorce when he appears at the home they own together and moves in, supposedly on a temporary basis. Inconvenient, to say the least. Sarah Lachapelle is a 14-year-old living with her aging grandfather, an expert horseman who trains Sarah and her very special horse called Boo. When Sarah's Papa has a stroke and must be hospitalized, Sarah is taken in reluctantly by Natasha and Mac. The situation is complicated by Sarah's disappearances when she visits Papa or secretly goes to the stable to care for Boo. (It takes some time for Natasha and Mac to learn about the horse.)
When Sarah is threatened about money by Maltese Sal, the new owner of the stable, she steals from the Macauleys but still loses Boo to Sal's evil plan---he sells the horse to cover her debts. Sarah then runs away to find her horse and follow her dream. To say much more might spoil the plot.
I learned more than I wanted to know about the Cadre Noir. It is a corps of ecuyers, or instructors, at the French military riding academy Ecole National d'Equitation at Saumer in western France, founded in 1828. It also performs as an equestrian display team. Its name comes from the traditional black uniforms worn by riders It is considered one of the most prestigious horsemanship schools in the world. [See photos]
I had no idea who Xenphon was either, except that he is quoted at the beginning of each chapter, all advice on handling horses. Wikipedia helped me there: Xenophon was a Greek historian, philosopher, soldier and mercenary who wrote a short treatise "On Horsemanship," obviously the origin of the quotes.
I am not sure I would have finished this novel if it had not been a Page Turners selection but I liked it in spite of myself. I will rate it a 4. Looking forward to hearing reactions from the group!
More after the meeting......
https://binged.it/2HyMRwJ
Above is a link to a short YouTube video of a Cadre Noir presentation.
Page Turners met today, our first outdoor meeting in quite a while. The weather was beautiful and 18 people were in attendance. The group rating for The Horse Dancer is 4.1, with most folks voting a 4. One participant is a horse owner and gave us a wonderful perspective on the realism of Sarah's bond with Boo. Two in the group were able to translate the French sentences and phrases while the rest of us figured out what we could from context. Several of us agreed it was difficult to visualize the area around London where Sarah rode on the first leg of her journey.
Our discussion was stimulating with some talk centered around the lies, deception and lack of trust in the story that built much of the plot. We thought the author developed Sarah's character quite well but left Natasha rather one-dimensional until she finally found her heart.
I do not remember how I came to select this book for Page Turners. Maybe just an interesting title and a familiar author. At any rate, as I began reading I had second thoughts on the choice since I had a difficult time getting into the story. Too horsey, perhaps? I know next-to-nothing about horses although I do think they are beautiful creatures. About halfway through the book, it became a page-turner because I was involved with the characters and it was all about the people, not so much the horse.
Natasha Macauley is an attorney, a solicitor advocate, what we might call a guardian ad litem. She has been separated from her husband, Mac, and planning a divorce when he appears at the home they own together and moves in, supposedly on a temporary basis. Inconvenient, to say the least. Sarah Lachapelle is a 14-year-old living with her aging grandfather, an expert horseman who trains Sarah and her very special horse called Boo. When Sarah's Papa has a stroke and must be hospitalized, Sarah is taken in reluctantly by Natasha and Mac. The situation is complicated by Sarah's disappearances when she visits Papa or secretly goes to the stable to care for Boo. (It takes some time for Natasha and Mac to learn about the horse.)
When Sarah is threatened about money by Maltese Sal, the new owner of the stable, she steals from the Macauleys but still loses Boo to Sal's evil plan---he sells the horse to cover her debts. Sarah then runs away to find her horse and follow her dream. To say much more might spoil the plot.
I learned more than I wanted to know about the Cadre Noir. It is a corps of ecuyers, or instructors, at the French military riding academy Ecole National d'Equitation at Saumer in western France, founded in 1828. It also performs as an equestrian display team. Its name comes from the traditional black uniforms worn by riders It is considered one of the most prestigious horsemanship schools in the world. [See photos]
I had no idea who Xenphon was either, except that he is quoted at the beginning of each chapter, all advice on handling horses. Wikipedia helped me there: Xenophon was a Greek historian, philosopher, soldier and mercenary who wrote a short treatise "On Horsemanship," obviously the origin of the quotes.
I am not sure I would have finished this novel if it had not been a Page Turners selection but I liked it in spite of myself. I will rate it a 4. Looking forward to hearing reactions from the group!
More after the meeting......
 |
| Xenophon |
https://binged.it/2HyMRwJ
Above is a link to a short YouTube video of a Cadre Noir presentation.
Page Turners met today, our first outdoor meeting in quite a while. The weather was beautiful and 18 people were in attendance. The group rating for The Horse Dancer is 4.1, with most folks voting a 4. One participant is a horse owner and gave us a wonderful perspective on the realism of Sarah's bond with Boo. Two in the group were able to translate the French sentences and phrases while the rest of us figured out what we could from context. Several of us agreed it was difficult to visualize the area around London where Sarah rode on the first leg of her journey.
Our discussion was stimulating with some talk centered around the lies, deception and lack of trust in the story that built much of the plot. We thought the author developed Sarah's character quite well but left Natasha rather one-dimensional until she finally found her heart.
Friday, April 13, 2018
Idella Parker From Reddick to Cross Creek by Idella Parker with Bud and Liz Crussell
 |
| Idella Parker |
 |
| The tenant house at Cross Creek |
"It's strange to me how in those early days at Cross Creek we knew it wasn't slavery; but our life there must have been similar to plantation life. We lived crowded in the small unpainted, tin-top tenant house, with little comforts. We had to do what we were told, and we were isolated from other people. We couldn't leave the place unless Mrs. Rawlings let us use her car or truck, and we were always told what time to be back. The only difference between that and slavery, I think, was that the slaves were not paid like we were."
-Idella ParkerFor a few years I have taught classes centered around Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. In preparation, I read several books by and about her, including one called Idella: Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' Perfect Maid by Idella Parker with Mary Keating. I had found it very enlightening, showing a very different perspective of Rawlings. Recently I discovered this one, another autobiography? Well, yes, and it seems Idella's purpose was to tell more of her own story---describing her hometown of Reddick, FL, her family, her love life and the time before and after she worked for Rawlings. I will rate it a 3. I found it interesting although much of the portion about MKR, about a third of the book, was repeated to some degree from the first book.
Idella had a fairly challenging life in pre-Civil Rights north central Florida. (see quote) I didn't realize she had taught school before working for Rawlings and was a teacher of educable mentally handicapped children later. Idella's mother's reaction to Marjorie's offer of blood after Idella's surgery was quite amusing. I would have to say I learned a lot about Parker but didn't find much new material on MKR---disappointing. But I really liked that Idella maintained a relationship with Marjorie's second husband, Norton Baskin after her passing.
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