On the Bright Side The New Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen by Hendrik Groen

 

"It's at moments like these that you need friends to rescue you from complete apathy and give you a kick in the behind: no whining! Another day the roles may be reversed and it's your turn to cheer someone up and help them get through the day. If you're alone, you can't do it. You'll sink into total lethargy, unable to haul yourself out of your chair by the window. Then you're dead before actually dying. You have to keep yourself from falling into that trap. That's what our club is for: Old But Not Dead. It sounds a bit pathetic, but it's the truth."

          -from the NEW diary

After reading Hendrik's first Secret Diary, I couldn't resist diving into this one! Being married to an octogenarian and not far from that age myself AND living in a retirement community, or care home as Hendrik describes it, I can SO relate to the stories he tells! Elevator queues to complaints about food and overexposure to other's aches and pains are all things we have experienced. Hendrik tells all in such a humorous way. And although much of the book is funny, there are poignant passages, too, when Hendrik loses 2 close friends---one in each diary. Definitely a disadvantage to becoming good friends with folks of 80+ years!

In his 85th year, Hendrik hears rumors that the care facility where he resides may be shutting down in the near future. He and friends from the Old But Not Dead club find a way to make up the majority of the resident council in order to investigate and, hopefully, stop such a thing from happening.

I must rate the book a 5, even though I am a little disappointed to find out these diaries are actually fiction and Hendrik Groen is a pen name for a Dutch author who may be much younger that the book's Hendrik. The diaries seem so realistic from my point of view, I was comfortable believing he could be a resident in my own "care home"!

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

 

"Well let's see where that puts us. We've got a weirdo bug specialist slinking around town with a bottle of deadly poison. We've got a nigger drag queen, an old man who walks an imaginary dog, and now a faggot murder case. My friend, you are getting me and Mandy into one hell of a movie."

           -Joe Odum to the author

I read this book a number of years ago, probably the late 1990's. My husband and I both got such a kick out of it, we planned a "Midnight in the Garden" tour of Savannah. I enjoyed rereading it and reminiscing about our trip as references were made to places we visited for example the Mercer House, Clary's drugstore and Bonaventure Cemetery. 

I would call this book a memoir although the Super summary website claims it's a mixture of genres. The author, a New York journalist, lived in Savannah off and on for about 8 years, met some amazing, eccentric people and experienced some crazy happenings. See the quote for hints about the characters but add a so-called voodoo princess to the mix!

Jim Mercer, one of the upper crust of Savannah society and a noted antique dealer, is accused of murder when a young employee of his is found dead in his home. As he spends years at trial (there are 4!) or in jail, the author who has gotten to know him is intrigued by all the legal wrangling. During this time, Berendt also meets Joe Odum, named above, and several other very unique characters including the drag queen Lady Chablis who acts the part of Grand Empress of Savannah and becomes something of a thorn in Berendt's side.

One of my husband's and my most vivid memories of our "Midnight..." tour years ago was seeing Lady Chablis perform live. At that time, she was living in South Carolina and would come to Savannah occasionally to perform. Our tour guide informed us she would be appearing while we were in town and to top off the tour, it was a must-do! 

I have rated the book a 5 and hope to see the film again soon.

The Devil's Bed by William Kent Krueger

 

"1. The world is hard. Be strong.

 2.  Love is for only a few. Don't expect it.

 3. Life isn't fair. But some people are. Be one of them."

               -Bo Thorsen's credo for life

I am a HUGE fan of Mr. Krueger. I believe I have now read all of his novels. At first, I was disappointed in this one because I had been anticipating another installment in the Cork O'Connor series. This one I would call a political thriller which is a departure for this author. It didn't take long for me to be hooked and, toward the end, I was finding it hard to put down. I rate it a 5.

Bo Thorsen is with the Secret Service and assigned to protect the First Lady of the U.S., Katherine "Kate" Jorgenson Dixon. Early in the novel Kate's father, a former vice-president, has a terrible farming accident at his home in Minnesota...or was it? Bo discovers a mysterious man, David Moses, whom the reader first knows as Nightmare or Nocturne when he is telling his own story. Doesn't take long to see him as a monster. But then again... is he?

So many twists and turns and just who should Bo trust? President Clay Dixon seems like an upfront guy but his father, a senior senator, may be up to no good. Although this is not a typical murder mystery, people are dying and Bo uncovers a deep-seated conspiracy in the government and, at great risk to himself, sets out to investigate and bring the evil to light. Need I say more?

Oath and Honor by Liz Cheney

 

"Let us resolve that we will fight to do what is right. And that we will be able to look back on these days and to say in our time of testing, We did our duty and we stood for truth. Ultimately, that is what our duty as Americans requires of us, that we love our country more, that we love her so much, that we will stand above politics to defend her, and that we will do everything in our power to protect our Constitution and our freedom paid for by the blood of so many."

        -Liz Cheney, from the memoir

The Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States' Capitol worked tirelessly for 18 months to research all that happened before, during and after January 6, 2021. As I watched portions of their findings on TV in 2022, I came to greatly admire Liz Cheney, one of only two Republicans on the committee. She is so dedicated to upholding her oath to our country's Constitution, she sacrificed her political career. She never wavered even when threatened by Trump's minions. 

When this book was released last December, I put it on my want-to-read list, and it did not disappoint. It was riveting although I can't really say entertaining AND I had seen and heard about most of these events from the 2020 election forward. The memoir is a very comprehensive and, I believe, a factual account of the happenings surrounding that presidential election and its aftermath. My rating is 4.

Near the end of the book Cheney says in warning, "Can a president who is willing to make the choices Donald Trump made during the violence of January 6th ever be trusted with any position of authority in our great nation again?" I agree with Cheney, the answer is NO.

Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

"It is impossible to realize our goals while discriminating against half the human race. As study after study has taught us, there is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women."

    -Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General in 2006

I read this book some years ago, likely before 2012 when I began this blog. It was first recommended to me by a friend who is a former missionary to Africa. It was so memorable, I suggested it for this year's Page Turner list.

I have rated Half the Sky a 4. It is well-researched and well-written although I cannot say enjoyable. It is both heart-breaking and inspiring, covering some very disturbing topics. In the Introduction, the author says, "We will try to lay out an agenda for the world's women focusing on three particular abuses: sex trafficking and forced prostitution; gender-based violence, including honor killings and mass rape; and maternal mortality, which still needlessly claims one woman a minute. We will lay out solutions such as girls' education and microfinance which are working right now." This, I believe, serves as a down and dirty summary of the book. The book was published in 2008 so hopefully there has been improvement in these areas by now but I would imagine too much of the neglect and abuse still happens.

The most memorable and inspiring parts of the book are the individual stories of African and Asian women who have suffered some of these horrors but have survived to help others and even to establish organizations to reach beyond their own communities. The authors are very clear about recruiting readers to help in what has been named the Half the Sky Movement, titling the final chapter "What You Can Do" and including pages of charities and organizations that welcome donations and/or volunteers. That final chapter begins with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi: "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

I look forward to hearing the reactions of the other Page Turners when we meet. I shall return...

----------------

When Page Turners met to discuss Half the Sky, the discussion was enlightening and enthusiastic despite the fact some members didn't like the book. The main criticisms were that the book was dated, and the content was difficult to read. We wished we had some current statistics to show progress in the areas covered. The ratings ran the gamut---5 to 1 with an average of 3.5. A number of participants gave it a 4 as I did. I believe most of us thought it was important information even though it is disturbing to think about. We shared some thoughts about what we could do including helping a local mission to help women who have been trafficked. 

Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt

Posted in August, 2018:  

"When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I survived at all. It was, of course, a miserable childhood: the happy childhood is hardly worth your while...People everywhere brag and whimper about the woes of their early years, but nothing can compare with the Irish version: the poverty; the shiftless loquacious alcoholic father; the pious defeated mother moaning by the fire; pompous priests; bullying schoolmasters; the English and the terrible things they did to us for eight hundred long years."                        -Frank McCourt

Anticipating a visit to Ireland I wanted to read something with the flavor of the Emerald Isle. I began one novel titled Ireland,

 but it started out slow and I gave it up. For some reason I thought of Angela's Ashes, an older book but one that I had heard of and thought to be set in Ireland. When I checked the library, no print copy was available but there was a recorded version on CDs. The library clerk suggested ordering the print copy to be delivered when available and, in the meantime, listen to the recording. What a wonderful surprise this turned out to be! The book is narrated by the author, with his delightful Irish brogue. He changes his voice for different characters and even sings. Listening was a pure delight!

When the print copy came in the mail, I began reading and was several chapters in before I realized there are NO quotation marks and often no dialog tags like "he said" and such. In the narrated version, the dialog was obvious and, apparently, I was so used to the style, I had no confusion with the print copy.

Angela's Ashes is a memoir taking Frank McCourt from around four years old, when his family left New York for Ireland, to his late teens, when he finally achieves his dream to return to America. This reader's emotions ran the gamut---from profound sympathy for the abject poverty to anger focused on the alcoholic father to sadness over deaths in the family to the humorous perceptions of a child, especially regarding the Catholic faith and sex. One of my favorite laugh-aloud parts is Chapter IV in which Frank receives First Communion. The quote above, from the very first page, is illustrative of Frank's youth.

I was quite amused by the references to Presbyterians, seen by the Limerick folk as lower than low. I am Presbyterian and not used to being treated with scorn. An example is when Grandma is trying to get Frankie ready for First Communion, complains about this hair and says, "If your mother had married a proper decent Limerickman you wouldn't have this standing up, North of Ireland, Presbyterian hair." Seemingly, Presbyterians, North of Irelanders, the English and Americans are all seen in a very bad light.

It tickled me that each time Uncle Pat is mentioned, the reader is reminded he was dropped on his head as a child. I am going to borrow the expression "I don't give a fiddler's fart" from the novel though I don't remember which character used it.

I am sure I don't have to tell you I am rating this one a 5. It has me really looking forward to visiting Ireland. I enjoyed Angela's Ashes immensely and can't wait to read another by Frank McCourt. 'Tis has been recommended.

Updated in May, 2024

I loved this story so much when I read it the first time 6 years ago---listened to and read it, actually. It may not have been quite so enjoyable this time, since I did not have the audio version. I would still rate it a 5 though. I can't think of much to add to my first post. Just this: What an amazing life Frank McCourt lived! I am so thankful he survived to tell about it. In fact, in 2018 I quickly followed up by reading the two sequels: 'Tis and Teacher Man. Now I will decide whether to reread one or both of those.

Aloha Alibi by Jasmine Webb

 

"In the last few minutes, I'd seen a grown man try to kill an old lady, had two geriatric women tell me they were going to beat me to the reward money, and gone full WWE on that grown man myself. And it wasn't even seven o'clock yet."

      -Charlie, from the novel

What an amusing romp this novel was! I have to admit the title caught my attention because I have a great love for Hawaii. 

Charlotte "Charlie" Gibson returns to her childhood home on Maui from Seattle when she finds herself a target of revenge for killing a man in self-defense. She is pretty broke and can fortunately live with her mother but needs a job right away. She is hired by Leslie at Aloha Ice Cream and soon after, she serves ice cream to a businessman who ends up stabbed to death. It turns out there is a very large cash reward for identification of the murderer and Charlie WANTS that money. As she begins her sleuthing, she meets Dot and Rosie, the two seventy-something women referred to in the quote. At first, they seem to be rivals but then decide to join forces and share the reward.

I so enjoyed the humor in the book especially Charlie's run-in with a hotel housekeeper who is a conspiracy theorist; she believes there is no such thing as Australia! I found myself laughing aloud several times. It is a perfect beach read, or in my case, a cruise read. A solid 4 rating for this one which is Charlotte Gibson Mystery #1. One of these days I will look for #2.