Two Old Men and a Baby by Hendrik Groen

 

"'Evert, Evert, Evert, what have you got us into now?' I knew my pal could sometimes be a bit impulsive, but this was especially ill-thought-out, even for him. A baby as a surprise Santa gift! I was finding it hard to hide my anger and irritation."

    -from the novel

In March I read The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 1/4 Years Old and loved it so much that I read a sequel, On the Bright Side, The New Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen. Both were very entertaining. When I noticed there was another by this Dutch author, I tried to find it in my local library and finally received it as an interlibrary loan. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the other two, but it was a page-turner. I will rate it a 4.

Occurring 9 years before The Secret Diary setting, Hendrik and good buddy, Evert Duiker have a crazy, exciting adventure. The subtitle: Or How Hendrik and Evert Get Themselves into a Jam, hints of such.

Hendrik ducks into a school to use the restroom and finds an unsupervised baby asleep in a carriage. Without thinking he leaves with the carriage and when he comes to his senses, goes to Hendrik for help. See Hendrik's reaction above. Repeatedly they try to return the child to the parents with no success. 

The action alternates between the Princess Margriet School, Hendrik's apartment, the Verbeek home (baby's parents), the police station or town hall and the home of Wil, a deceitful fellow trying to capitalize on the "kidnapping" by asking a ransom with NO child. Add in some incompetent police and a nosy neighbor and you have some amusing incidents.

I should add that the first two Groen books I mentioned were very relatable to me as Hendrik is living in what he refers to as a "care home" and so do I although we call it a continuing care retirement community, CCRC. So many familiar occurrences! Those two novels earned 5 ratings from me.

The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story by Diane Ackerman

"[Antonina's] uncanny ability to calm unruly animals earned her the respect of both the keepers and her husband, who, though he believed science could explain it, found her gift nonetheless strange and mysterious."

Zookeeper and scientist Jan Zabinski said of his wife "She's so sensitive, she's almost able to read their minds...She becomes them...She has a precise and very special gift, a way of observing and understanding animals that's rare, a sixth sense...It's been this way since she was little."     

                                               -describing Antonina Zabinski, The Zookeeper's Wife

While very inspiring in some ways, the book is wearisome in others. After Germany invaded and bombed Warsaw, zookeepers Jan and Antonina Zabinski, with few animals left, began to take in and hide numerous Jewish refugees. Their efforts put them in grave danger if they were caught. Jan was even a member of the Polish resistance, a group who found ways to sabotage the Nazis in many creative ways. Both Jan and Antonina carried cyanide pills in case they were caught.

Although I have done a great deal of reading about the Holocaust and have visited the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., I learned things I didn't know from this book. I am always shocked by the tragic things that happened but also impressed by the number of people who helped and gave sanctuary to Jews at great risk to themselves and their families.

I prefer nonfictions that read like fiction, that is with dialogue making people seem more real. The best this author could do was to quote diaries, letters and interviews to personalize the characters. There were pages of description and numerous lists of animals, plants and other things, making the book tedious at times. In fact, I found I couldn't wait to finish it. I'll give it a 3 rating even though I was leaning toward a 2. 

Apparently, there is a film adaptation. I need to see it one of these days to compare. I have a feeling it might be more compelling than the book. 

 

Brainiac by Ken Jennings

"For as long as I can remember, I've had the idea that trivia, despite its name, is elegant, complicated, fascinating, worthy of study----that trivia is, in a word, nontrivial."

           -Ken Jennings, from Brainiac

This book is our Page Turners' August selection. I was disappointed I could not get a digital copy from the library. Fortunately, I got a copy in print from our local library. Before I received it, I heard from a few members of our group that they didn't like it much, so my expectations weren't high, but I actually did enjoy the book for the most part. Maybe you have to be a BIG Jeopardy fan to appreciate it---and that, I am, although not as obsessed as Ken and some other brainiacs!

The subtitle of this book gives a down and dirty summary: Adventure in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs. I would say it is mostly a memoir relating the author's incredible success in trivia competitions, most notably on "Jeopardy!" in 2004 (75 games won---6 months---earning $2.5 million---unprecedented!) but with extensive research into trivia history. He also describes some of the current events in trivia culture, including "The World's Largest Trivia Contest" in Steven's Point, Wisconsin, of all places. Jennings' memories of his experiences were my favorite parts of the book, along with the fact that he embeds many trivia questions in each chapter with answers at the end. Fun to see how many answers I knew---and how many more I did not! Much of the history was far less interesting to me. My rating is 4 (more like 3 1/2).

On two pages I found several brief descriptions of trivia that were intriguing:

"Trivia is the marijuana of knowledge."

"[Trivia] ignites our curiosity about things we didn't think we were interested in."

"[Trivia] is bait on the fishing rod of education."

"The right trivia fact at the right time can do more than answer a Daily Double for you. It can change the way you think. It can change your life."

The First Gentleman by Bill Clinton and James Patterson

 

"My client played NFL football for three years. He had the battle scars to prove it. And I believe he would tell you that it was nothing compared to the blood sport of national politics, where people will do anything and everything to gain advantage over the competition. Like rehashing old rumors. Trolling for coincidences. Playing on sympathies for a beautiful young woman who died too soon. Somebody has to pay, right?"    

         -Tess Hardy, defense attorney

This novel is most definitely a page turner! I read it in 3 days which is unusual for me. In fact, I could barely put it down! 

There is a female U.S. president, Madeline Parson Wright, who is trying to fulfill campaign promises and make a positive difference for Americans when her husband, First Gentleman Cole Wright is arrested for the homicide of a young woman almost 2 decades before. While she is trying to get an important bill passed, dealing with international issues and worrying about her husband, Cole is being defended in court by Tess Hardy, a tough attorney. (quoted above)

Meanwhile investigative journalists/co-writers Garrett Wilson and Brea Cooke are tracking down every lead to try to prove Cole's guilt and gain material for the book they will write. But just as with most thrillers, someone is stealthily working to bring down the First Gentleman and the Wright administration along with him. And several people are killed while the reader is wondering WHO and WHY.

Although there were many characters to keep track of and some political stuff that was beyond my comprehension, I really enjoyed this novel. Rating: 5. The short chapters, many ending with cliffhangers, kept me turning pages rapidly.

Out of the Woods: A Girl, a Killer, and a Lifelong Struggle to Find the Way Home by Gregg Olsen

 

"Miss Garner told her boss right after Shasta's life story session that what she heard was so horrendous, so heart-breaking. She said she didn't get paid enough to listen to what happened to the little girl from up north in the Panhandle. It was that bad."

    -from the true crime story

I selected this book from Amazon First Reads not really knowing what I was getting into. I do enjoy an occasional true crime story, but this one was more appalling than most. Eight-year-old Shasta Groene, along with her brother, is kidnapped by serial killer, Joseph Edward Duncan in the spring of 2005. In Idaho, Duncan, nicknamed Jet, has killed 3 Groene family members before abducting the 2 children. 

They are taken to a remote place in the Montana woods and kept for almost 7 weeks. There they were repeatedly raped, beaten, and otherwise brutalized by Jet, a psychopath if ever there was one. Dylan is eventually killed, and Shasta is rescued soon after. However, her life is not the same for many years as she struggles with letting go of the trauma and falls into self-destructive behavior---drug addiction sexual promiscuity, cutting, stealing, and more. She is sent to one rehab institution that does more harm than good. 

The book was a page-turner but not because of enjoyment; more like I just wanted to be done. I have to agree with Miss Garner quoted above that Shasta's story is just too horrifying. (Shannon Garner was a rehabilitation specialist and one of the few who tried to help Shasta.) I am rating the book a 3 partly because of the emotional intensity but also, I found the book disjointed and confusing as the setting changed unexpectedly from the time of the kidnapping to later events.

I have read 3 other books by this author and my favorite was If You Tell, another true crime story. I rated it a 5.

The First Ladies by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

 

'Thank you all for this warmest of welcomes. The honor to speak to you today is all mine. But I want to thank Mrs. Bethune for the biggest honor of all---being introduced today by another First Lady. The First Lady of the Struggle.

"We must take whatever steps are necessary---through the New Deal or our own private funding---to make sure that Negro youths receive equal educational and employment opportunities.

"We must begin by working together and supporting one another, no matter our color, religion, or background. This country rises and falls on the strength of all its citizens."

   -from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt's speech at the National Conference on the Problems of the Negro and Negro Youth, 1937

This book was recommended by a friend who knows I like history and especially women's history. I had read a biography of Eleanor Roosevelt (Eleanor Roosevelt A Life of Discovery by Russell Freedman) several years ago and have researched Mary McLeod Bethune as a part of a lecture series on great women of Florida's past so at first, I thought the book might repeat what I already knew. I was wrong! I actually learned a great deal and enjoyed seeing facts I already knew sometimes in a different light.

As First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt was not content to be a figurehead; she was bound to work for causes dear to her heart, including equal rights for all. This brought on criticism from those who thought she was stepping outside the bounds, and even threats from white supremacists.

Mary McLeod Bethune, educator and founder of Bethune-Cookman College, was already a civil rights activist when she met Eleanor Roosevelt. As a woman of color, she intimately knew the power and danger of racism.

When the two women met, they found they shared beliefs in women's rights and the power of education. They soon formed a partnership in working for desegregation, equal rights, and anti-lynching laws. Bethune had a powerful ally in the First Lady since Eleanor had the ear of the president! Over time the two women became close friends, sharing hopes, dreams and even secrets.

This biographical fiction was very interesting. I rate it a 5. Both Eleanor Roosevelt and Mary McLeod Bethune were women's libbers before there was such a thing, and both are worthy to be celebrated and emulated. 

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

"When a war is over, you stop discussing the cost. The reality. The blood-soaked soil or the grave markers or the collateral damage. The ways we kill our enemies in order to claim victory. History is written by the men who live. Not the ones who die."

   -from the novel

This is the July Page Turner selection, an historical fiction which, as you may know, is a favorite genre of mine. I also enjoy a good murder mystery, and this novel is both. The story was inspired by a real-life midwife of the 18th century, Martha Ballard. The geographical setting is Hallowell, Maine

In her line of work, Martha is privy to many secrets of the townspeople and brave enough to take risks in standing up for justice for those she cares about. At this time period, a woman's word meant very little, so she was ahead of her time. 

At the story's beginning the body of a man is found frozen in the Kennebec River. When asked to examine the body for cause of death, Martha determines homicide, by hanging specifically. It turns out the dead man is Joshua Burgess, one of two men accused of a brutal rape. His accused accomplice is Colonel North, a judge and very influential man of the area. Martha is especially close to their victim, Rebecca Foster, and takes it on herself to find justice for her and perhaps discover the murderer, as well.

I was between a 3 and 4 rating and decided the latter. The writing is excellent; I wouldn't rule out reading another by this author. I enjoyed the historical references, especially the mention of Martha's husband's friendship with Paul Revere. I liked learning about an unsung heroine who, according to the Author's Note, left a legacy of women pioneers in the medical field. I felt the novel was longer than it needed to be, a little tedious for the last 75 pages or so and I was disappointed that I couldn't find any outstanding quotes. 

Wonder what the Page Turners will think....

The Book of Joy by Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams

 

"Ultimately, joy is not something to learn, it is something to live. And our greatest joy is lived in deep, loving, and generous relationships with others."

     -from The Book of Joy

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others."        -Philippians 2:3-4

The following is what I wrote in September of 2017 after my first reading of The Book of Joy.

Wow! This book is a treasure of insight and inspiration, chock full of profound thoughts and pithy statements. I have read it electronically, borrowed from the library, and now have to give it up. I will be buying a copy to "have and hold" because I have a feeling I should read it at least once a year. Such beautiful life lessons!

The meeting of these two ultimate religious and moral leaders took place in Dharamsala, India on the occasion of the Dalai Lama's 80th birthday. Author Douglas Abrams facilitated a weeklong discussion of joy---essentially how to find it and keep it. Both of these holy men have won the Nobel Prize and are respected and loved by most of the world. Both are extremely wise and have had to overcome great adversity in their lives.

At the beginning of the book, there is discussion of the obstacles to joy such as sadness, fear, anger and frustration. Later much of the conversation between the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu centers around "The Eight Pillars of Joy": perspective, humility, humor, acceptance, forgiveness, gratitude, compassion and generosity. The two friends are excellent examples of all these traits. Each has a wonderful sense of humor and they love to tease each other and laugh together.

I learned the term Ubuntu from the Archbishop. It means humanness or "I am what I am because of who we all are." The necessity of connections with others is stressed numerous times. There are also many Buddhist terms explained along the way.

I chose a brief quote to begin this post ("Joy is much bigger than happiness. While happiness is often seen as being dependent on external circumstances, joy is not." Archbishop Desmond Tutu), one I think points to a major theme and one of the first I highlighted. However, I marked something deeply significant on almost every page!

I am rating this book a 5. There is a good chance it is already changing my life! 

And now for an update on my second reading....

I added quotes to this post/repost because the first encompasses an important theme of this book and the second is from the Bible, a passage I read recently that seemed to echo themes from The Book of Joy. 

I mentioned in my earlier post that I should read this once a year. That didn't happen---it took 8 years to get back to it but I'm so glad I gave myself this refresher! Hopefully, I will put at least some of it into practice! It still gets a 5 rating from me.

In the past couple of years, I have been doing yoga a couple of times a week. In some of the practices listed at the end of the book, I noted similarities like deep breathing, quiet and meditation.

I googled the two spiritual leaders and found that Desmond Tutu died in 2021, and the Dalai Lama still lives at age 90.

The Woman with a Purple Heart by Diane Hanks

 

"Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger. With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph, so help us God. I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire."

       -from President Roosevelt's address to Congress and the nation

I enjoyed this WWII historical fiction and more than that, I learned some things. I have read many stories of the European side of the war but not so much about the Pacific. My rating is 4.

First Lieutenant Annie Fox, veteran army nurse, is transferred from the Philippines to Hickam Field on Oahu in November of 1941. Like almost every American I knew of Pearl Harbor but had never heard of Hickam Field, the army airfield adjacent to Pearl Harbor. The Japanese attack did tremendous damage to both military bases. 

Courageously, Lt. Fox gets her team of nurses busy trying to save as many injured soldiers as possible. She even goes to town to garner supplies and medicines and to recruit nurses. She includes Japanese American nurses which could be a problem and also finds prostitutes who are willing to give blood.

One of the nurses, Kay, becomes a close friend of Annie and when Kay is taken into custody as a suspected insurgent, she works very hard to get her released. (It is discovered that Kay's husband is a military officer in Japan.)

This is the story of courage in the face of danger, friendship dangerously tested and a shameful time in America's history. Thousands of Japanese Americans from Hawaii and the west coast were relocated to centers in remote areas for the duration of the war. I personally knew a man who experienced this relocation with his family, making this part of the novel even sadder to me.

In 1942, Annie Fox became the first woman to receive a purple heart for her valor in time of war. Later when the Purple Heart was reserved for those injured in the line of duty, it was rescinded and in 1944 replaced with a Bronze Star, with the same citation. Annie Fox was quite a woman!

Reckoning Hour by Peter O'Mahoney

"The justice system was designed to be a place where fairness ruled supreme, where criminals were convicted, and victims were content. I'd worked long enough within it to know it didn't always work like that.

The criminal justice system was a lot more complicated than, 'Do the crime, do the time.' There was prejudice in the system, as there was in the human psyche, and that prejudice often affected the most disadvantaged groups in society."

                     -Dean Lincoln's thoughts from the novel

I believe this novel was a free selection from Amazon First Reads. I had never read anything from this author, but I chose it because I was in the mood for a mystery. It turned out to be a legal thriller and quite a page-turner. I could barely put it down! A rating of 5!

Dean Lincoln is a successful defense attorney from Chicago who returns to his hometown of Beaufort, S.C. when his wife needs to help her mother who is ill. He goes to work for Bruce Hawthorn, a local lawyer. He is given two cases: Caleb Rutledge, charged with homicide in the death of his girlfriend and Isaiah Clyburn, a young man facing a charge of arson. The evidence is weighing heavily against each of them. While Bruce wants to make plea deals, Dean feels strongly that the two are innocent and sets out to prove it. The process was compelling!

I am a longtime fan of John Grisham, prolific writer of legal thrillers, and a new fan of O'Mahoney. I will be looking for book 2 involving Dean Lincoln.

Longbourn by Jo Baker

"Each day's work trickled over into the next and nothing was ever finished, so you could never say, Look, that's it, the day's labour is over and done. Work just lingered and festered and lay in wait, to make you slip up in the morning."

       -Sarah's thoughts, from the novel

This novel was our Page Turners' June selection. I doubt it is one I would have chosen on my own. 

This is a reimagining of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen with the spotlight on the servants at Longbourn estate. These include the Hills, an older married couple who are in charge, and young Sarah and even younger Polly. Main character Sarah was orphaned and taken in as a servant in the Bennet household. The Bennet sisters who are so central to Pride and Prejudice are secondary in this story.

Manservants are rare because of a war going on, but one does arrive at the estate and is hired on. His name is James Smith and he is a hard-working but mysterious fellow with several secrets in his background. Somewhat predictably, Sarah is intrigued by him. The reader is left wondering about James's past until "Volume Three," about 2/3 into the novel, in which his story is told.

I didn't love this book. Perhaps I am not really a fan of Jane Austen either. At times I found it tedious and at others, confusing when different characters' perspectives alternate within a chapter. All in all, just not my cup of tea but I will rate it a 3. I look forward to hearing from our group members as I am sure there are several who loved it. I might appreciate it more after hearing their opinions.

Spencer's Mountain by Earl Hamner, Jr.

 

"Once in a while a child comes along with a hungry look in his eye. He's not content just to memorize facts. He wants to know, he has an inquiring mind, and everything he learns only whets his appetite to learn more. Your son is such a boy, Mr. Spencer. I've taught him everything I know and he's still hungry."

      -Miss Parker, from the novel

I was quite a fan of "The Waltons" TV series back in the day so when I noted that this novel inspired the series, I wanted to read it. 

The novel is set in rural Virginia during the Great Depression. Clay and Olivia Spencer have a very large family, eventually 9 children. (Oh, my gosh! How did she cope?) The oldest is 15-year-old Clay-Boy who is very smart and an excellent student, as noted by his teacher in the quote. There is a chance for him to get a scholarship at the University of Richmond but how will the family who subsists on so little afford his expenses? Fortunately, his father values education for his young 'uns and will go to great lengths to give Clay-Boy this opportunity.

There were some parts of the novel that reminded me of "The Waltons." One was when the siblings and parents were calling out extended "good nights" to each other. I think the episodes often ended with this ritual. Also, the two old maid sisters---Etta and Emma Peabody---were familiar. They told Grandfather Zebulon Spencer, they stay busy "maken the recipe" for folks in the community.

Having read Spencer's Mountain almost makes me want to hunt up some reruns of "The Waltons." I have rated the book a 4. It was an enjoyable read. 

Abscond by Abraham Verghese

 

"You see, Ravi, this world isn't just all the things we can see and touch. It's also all the things we can't see, the things we choose to believe."

   -McGilicutty, from the short story

I was familiar with this author and the book was free from First Reads. I seldom read short stories because they just don't seem meaty enough to satisfy.

Ravi Ramanathanin is a 13-year-old growing up in New Jersey in 1967. He is quite a phenom in junior tennis and his father encourages him, but his mother does not. As an Indian-American kid he feels that he sticks "out like a sore thumb." And as one would expect he sometimes balks against his parents' routines and traditions.

When tragedy strikes the family, Ravi must find strength and compassion he didn't know he had. 

I have rated this book a 3. Although, I didn't love the story I learned some interesting things about Indian culture.

It Happened at the Fair by Deeanne Gist

 

"I am here to join my fellow citizens in the congratulations which befit this occasion. Let us hold fast to the meaning that underlies the ceremony and let us not lose the impressiveness of this moment.

As by a touch the machinery that gives life to this vast exposition is now set in motion, so at the same instant let our hopes and aspirations awaken forces which in all time to come shall influence the welfare, the dignity, and the freedom of mankind."

     -from President Grover Cleveland's opening remarks

This novel was recommended to me by a good friend and fellow bibliophile. It is about the 1893 World's Colombian Exposition, also called the Chicago World's Fair. My friend and I had both read Erik Larson's nonfiction Devil in the White City involving the same setting and enjoyed it. This one is historical fiction but quite informative and entertaining. My rating is 4.

Cullen McNamara, a farmer from North Carolina and a promising inventor, is persuaded by his father to exhibit his automatic fire sprinkler system at the fair. Soon after arriving, Cullen meets a young woman from Philadelphia who is there teaching deaf and hearing-impaired children to lip read. Her name is Adelaide Wentworth, called Della.

Cullen's hearing is impaired, and the extreme noise of Machinery Hall makes it difficult for him to interact with potential customers. He asks Della to teach him lip-reading and she reluctantly agrees. The reader can easily predict a romance will ensue.

Many photographs added to the historical nature of the book, as well as the Author's Note sharing fact and fiction in the story. I learned a great deal about the Fair, for example famous people involved like Helen Keller and a number of firsts---products that debuted there that are familiar to us: "Cracker Jack, hamburgers, picture postcards, the Ferris wheel, chili con carne, Aunt Jemima and shredded wheat."

It was surprising to learn that teachers of the deaf were divided with some favoring the teaching of sign language (manualists) and others (oralists) believing lip-reading to be the best communication tool. Della was hired to teach lip-reading but felt a combination would be most helpful. I think most teachers agree with that today.

It's unfortunate that almost all the impressive structures were destroyed as the result of a strike soon after the Fair.

The Vanishing of Class 3B by Jackie Kabler

"Olivia casts one more despondent glance towards the school gate, hoping to see the minibus miraculously appearing, but it doesn't, of course, and clearly, she can't put this off any longer. She's going to have to tell the parents she currently has absolutely no idea where their children are, and this is not going to be fun. She takes a deep breath and heads for the door."          -from the novel

This title caught my attention probably because I am a retired teacher and I enjoy a good mystery from time to time. I had never read anything by this author, but this novel was definitely a page turner! 

A small class of 2nd and 3rd graders go on a field trip with 4 teachers and aides. When the minibus does not return and none of the chaperones are answering their phones, the head teacher, Olivia, quoted above, is very worried, not to mention the parents who are frantic. After some hours of waiting and searching, it is apparent there has been a kidnapping. When a ransom message finally arrives, it demands a huge amount of money and threatens to reveal a secret of one or more of the parents. And wouldn't you know there are several among them who have secrets!

After about the 2/3 point in the book, I could hardly put it down. I am rating it a 4 only because I found the climax disturbing for reasons I must not reveal.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

 "Now: I was pretty sure '24-hour bookstore' was a euphemism for something. It was on Broadway, in a euphemistic part of town. My help-wanted hike had taken me far from home...I pushed the bookstore's glass door. It made a bell tinkle brightly up above, and I stepped slowly through. I did not realize at the time what an important threshold I had just crossed."

       -from the novel

This novel was passed on to me by a friend. It took me a while to get around to reading it. I think I would have enjoyed it much more if I could have wrapped my head around it! 

The story is narrated by Clay Jannon who is looking for work in San Francisco when he comes upon the bookstore of the title. He says "imagine the shape and volume of a normal bookstore turned up on its side. This place was absurdly narrow and dizzyingly tall, and the shelves went all the way up---three stories of books, maybe more." His description aroused my curiosity. He goes on to tell of the organization of the place which included the Waybacklist, and about the strange customers and obscure book titles.

Mr. Penumbra, the owner, seems to be a rather charming old man but when he disappears, things get really crazy with the entry of a bibliophile cult called the Unbroken Spine, a secret underground library in New York City and mysterious figures of the past, Manutius and Gerritszoon, who have seemingly written in code the secrets of eternal life.

Clay meets Kat Potente who works for Google and gets her involved in efforts to decode manuscripts and figure out what the Unbroken Spine is all about. There is so much technology described that was over my head, that my enjoyment took a dive and I sort of made myself finish. I can only rate this a 2. I feel like readers in their late teens, twenties or thirties might like it much more.

Be Ready When the Luck Happened by Ina Garten

 

"One thing I learned, and continue to learn every day, is that the food we enjoy most connects to our deepest memories of when we felt happy, comfortable, nurtured. It could be something from childhood.... or a taste that somehow made us feel good, even if we didn't know why."           -from the memoir

I doubt I would have chosen to read this book on my own but because it was the May selection for Page Turners, I did read it. I found it interesting and somewhat inspiring but not really a page turner. I've rated it a 3.

I was familiar with Ina Garten from having seen a few airings of her "Barefoot Contessa" on TV. In the memoir I learned how this nickname came about when, feeling stymied in her government job, she spotted an ad for the sale of a "Catering, Gourmet Foods, and Cheese Shoppe" called Barefoot Contessa in Westhampton. It seems she found her niche and never really looked back.

After expanding her business, she wrote cookbooks, had a TV series on Food Network and even hosted a talk show. As a person who had a rather sad childhood with no encouragement and almost no affection, she rose to great heights in her chosen career. Plus, she and her husband Jeffrey have a lasting marriage which has supported them both.

In her memoir, Ms. Garten shares many things she has learned over the years including the importance of collaboration, being true to oneself and one's goals, not dwelling on the past and she writes "a barrier to me isn't a stop sign; it's a call to action."

Framed by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey

 

"Our goal with this book is to raise awareness of wrongful convictions and in some small way help to prevent more of them. It is an effort to shine light on some of the terrible and abusive tactics used by the authorities to convict innocent people."

       -John Grisham, from the Preface

I have read two nonfictions back-to-back, both very disturbing and, at times, maddening. I am certainly ready for something lighter! 

So, after reading They Came for the Schools which was so troubling to this former teacher, why would I want to read this book? First, I am a fan of John Grisham's legal thrillers and second, the title reminded me of Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy with the same theme, which was fascinating and unsettling at the same time.

This is the first time Grisham has used a co-author. He writes in his Acknowledgments that Jim McCloskey, founder of Centurion Ministries, is one of his heroes. Each of the two authors chose 5 true stories to present, stories of innocent people imprisoned for years with almost impossible odds of release and exoneration. They include shocking instances of false testimony, racism and corruption. It is so sad that what we call the justice system is an injustice system for many. The subtitle Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions is fitting and very revealing.

These are stories of abusive, even illegal, interrogation tactics, failure to reveal exculpatory evidence, a "guilty until proven innocent" attitude, bribing of inmates to solicit false confessions of guilt, and other atrocities in the interrogation, investigation, trial and appeals processes. And these stories come from Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Missouri and Pennsylvania to name a few. They are appalling failures in our country and have cost many innocent people years of freedom and even their very lives in capital cases. Thank goodness for nonprofit organizations like Centurion Ministries and the Innocence Project which try to right the wrongs done and help the falsely accused prove their innocence and even regain their freedom! More power to them!

I rated the book a 5; it was gripping though certainly not entertaining. It was well-researched and well-written and tells an important truth about our country.

They Came for the Schools by Mike Hixenbaugh

"But the policies advanced by conservative activists like Chris Rufo and adopted by DeSantis and other Republican governors did not reflect an attempt to remove political ideology from education. Rather, they elevated ideologies favored by conservatives while minimizing or banning those they opposed. Books and lessons that applied a critical lens to the lasting influence of racism in U.S. society were prohibited; those minimizing the effects of racism were made mandatory."

    -from They Came for the Schools

This book was described at a sharing session I attended recently and had my interest right away. I have followed the assaults on public education in Florida for several years, particularly in the DeSantis era. Although Hixenbaugh started his research in Texas, he eventually addresses the situation in Florida. (See quote)

The subtitle of the book is almost a short summary: One Town's Fight Over Race and Identity, and the New War for America's Classrooms. The town is Southlake, TX. The "war" is essentially being fought in many states, including Florida. 

As a veteran teacher, now retired, my heart is still in education. I cannot stand the book banning, the "cleaning up" of history and the robbing of public-school monies to fund private schools with little or no accountability! The ideas in this book were totally in line with my thoughts but I learned a great deal about how this movement began.

The author, an award-winning journalist, spent some three years researching this book, including many interviews with affected students, parents, teachers and political figures. He did an amazing job and put it together with a clear and compelling style. I have rated it a 5. I can't say it was enjoyable; in fact, it was infuriating at times. But I am glad I read it, and I can only hope that many others do and that it changes some minds and hearts and eventually some policies and laws.

The Fourth Girl by Wendy Corsi Staub

"The shared burden created an irrevocable bond among the three of them that first year. Then came the first anniversary of Caroline's disappearance---the night they kept their promise and revisited Haven Cliff. The night it all fell apart."

         -from the novel

Mulberry Bay, NY---four high school "besties" on prom night in 1999. One goes missing. The other three think they know what happened to her but have been sworn to secrecy. But do they really know? Obviously, it's a mystery for the reader to solve, but not an easy one with twists and turns and some confusion, at least for this reader.

Talia, Kelly, Midge and Caroline were supposed to be best friends forever when Caroline vanishes. The 3 friends reunite on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the disappearance at Haven Cliff, the former estate of Caroline's family. Nearby a man is found dead who happens to have been the high school boyfriend of Caroline, Gordon Klatte. At first Midge, now a detective sergeant, sees the death as an accident but then she notices something that indicates foul play. And what a coincidence that this has occurred at this particular time! Is there a connection?

I am rating this novel a 3. I didn't really like it that much, but it was intriguing enough that I HAD to keep reading to find out what happened to "the fourth girl." It seems that this novel is the 1st in a series. I doubt I will look for #2.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

 

"But that's always the way; it don't make no difference whether you do right or wrong, a person's conscience ain't got no sense, and just goes for him anyway. If I had a yaller dog that didn't know no more than a person's conscience does I would pison him. It takes up more room than all the rest of a person's insides, and yet ain't no good, nohow. Tom Sawyer he says the same."

     -Huck Finn, from the novel

I read this novel in my youth and again in 2011 when our Page Turners tackled The Year of (Mostly) Classics. Our average rating for the book was 4.0. I don't remember if I gave it a 4 or 5. This reading, I decided 4.

So why read this again? In February I read James by Percival Everett. It is the Huck Finn story told from Jim's point of view. Very creative! At the time I wished I had reread Mark Twain's version first. Now James is our April book selection for Page Turners so before rereading it, I went back to the original. 

It is amazing The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was first published in 1885. The setting is pre-Civil War, so the evils of slavery are very evident. Huck decides to run away to escape his drunken, abusive father while the slave Jim is running from his owner Miss Watson and toward freedom, he hopes. They meet up and have some wild and crazy adventures together as they raft the Mississippi River. Huck dresses up like a girl; he and Jim meet two nefarious characters who refer to themselves as duke and king and eventually meet up with Tom Sawyer unexpectedly. Some of the most humorous parts of the story occur when Tom comes up with some convoluted ideas from his reading of European history about how to free Jim when he is captured. 

I got a kick out of the dialect and the frequent misuse/misspelling of words, like yellocution, preforeordestination, balditude and meedyevil armor. I am now rereading James to compare and contrast details. 

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

 

"After a certain age, you can pretty much do whatever takes your fancy. No one tells you off, except for your doctors and your children."

     -Joyce, from the novel

This book had been recommended to me by more than one person, and it sounded like something I would really enjoy. As it turned out, I didn't really care for it; my rating of 3 is generous. Many people have liked it much more I guess, since Amazon has it at 4.3. Perhaps I was not in the mood or was focused on other things.

In this novel, 4 septuagenarians---Elizabeth, Ron, Ibrahim, and Joyce----live in a retirement home. (I am also in my 70's and live in a retirement community and I still couldn't quite relate.) The four have formed the Thursday Murder Club and not far into the story have two murders to investigate.

By the end of the book, the mysteries were solved but I was still confused as to who did what to who and why. The plot seemed very convoluted. Also, I thought the ending was unsatisfying. I did rather enjoy the parts that Joyce narrated (see quote). They were often humorous.

This is pretty short but why spend more time on a book that was just so-so!

The Indigo Girl by Natasha Boyd

 

"If what Pinckney said about indigo was true, it could save us. It would save me. There was no way my father and mother would foist me off on some mean old man needing an heir. There was no way they would give the running of the plantation business to George if I was the one who made it a success and released the property from its debt. At the very least it would allow me my pick of suitors if marry I must."

                -Eliza, from the novel

Most followers of my blog know I am a fan of historical fiction. This one was the February selection for the Page Turners group. I didn't like it much at the start but soon I found there was much to enjoy and learn from. The main character, Eliza Lucas is a real historic figure of S.C. history, improving the state's economy in the mid-18th century by experimenting and successfully producing indigo, a plant used to make blue dye.

One of these days, I would like to read some biographical information about Eliza to see how much of her actual life appeared in the book. 

A couple of readers in our group rated the book a bit lower---one thought it repetitive and another thought the ending was confusing. I rated the novel a 5; I didn't find much not to like. Most of us admired Eliza's ambition and determination. She had great persistence at a time when women were devalued and seemed to be a feminist ahead of her time. I also admired her compassion toward her slaves but apparently there is some question about the accuracy of that portrayal.

To add to our discussion, a guest came to demonstrate how indigo is used to dye fabric. The process was a bit messy but not even close to the challenge Eliza faced to produce the product in her time.

This novel reminded me a bit of The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd about the Grimke sisters of SC which I enjoyed very much.

The Briar Club by Kate Quinn

 

"It was a special kind of hell, Reka Muller thought, to be as old as she was and have to live among all these young women. Old women were largely invisible in the wide world, and for the most part she didn't mind. If you were invisible, you were ignored, and that meant you could do whatever the hell you wanted. But young women noticed you."

    -from the novel

I didn't much care for this book when I first began but it quickly grew on me! I have read a couple by this author in the past and enjoyed them and I found this one quite unique and intriguing.

The setting is a run-down boarding house in Washington, D.C. where several single women of greatly varying backgrounds have been brought into an unlikely friendship by newcomer, Grace March. 

The story begins at Thanksgiving, 1954, where Briarwood House is the scene of two murders! The author then takes the reader back 4 years and begins to introduce each woman with her own chapter, allowing one to wonder who did the killing and why.

We meet Mrs. Nilsson, the curmudgeonly landlady, raising her two children, Lina and Pete, poorly. And the boarders include Fliss and baby daughter (husband is a doctor overseas) and Nora Walsh, who works at the National Archives and is seeing a gangster (?). Other boarders are Reka, an artist and Bea Veretti, a former baseball player of the women's league during WWII. And we mustn't forget Claire, a library worker or Arlene, a proud member of HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) looking for a "commie" around every corner. That only leaves Grace March, renter of the attic room, who holds a deep, dark secret---but then so do some of the others.

Quinn's writing is quite readable and pleasant. I really liked the "Interstial" parts of the book, where briefly the Briarwood House gives its point of view of the goings-on.  These were amusing as in "The house would roll its eyes if it had any." I got a kick out of historical events I remember---TV shows like "Ozzie and Harriet" and "I Love Lucy," the trials of the birth control pill, and disturbingly McCarthyism and serious homophobia. I didn't know McCarthy was nicknamed Tail Gunner Joe and had forgotten that Senator Margaret Chase Smith had stood up to his bullying. (Wish we had more like her in Congress today!)

Rating: 5

Counting Miracles by Nicholas Sparks

 

"On a deeper level, Jasper couldn't shake the feeling that he and the white deer were connected somehow. He wasn't sure whether it was an omen or a message, but as he sat in the truck, he felt with a growing certainty that the white deer's appearance had been meant specifically for him. Like his father and grandfather, after all, Jasper had always wanted to witness a miracle."

                  -from the novel

In the past I enjoyed a number of Sparks's novels, but this is the first in a few years. I remembered much of his work being romantic and sentimental, sometimes too much so for me. Those adjectives would describe this one as well, but I found the story compelling. 

Tanner Hughes discovers after the death of the grandmother who raised him the name of his biological father and a place where he might be found, Asheboro, North Carolina. He takes off to hopefully find the man. Truthfully, he is trying to find himself and discover a purpose for his life. 

While he in Asheboro, he meets Dr. Kaitlyn Cooper, a single mother, literally by accident and the two hit it off, as one might predict.

Meanwhile Jasper Jones, an elderly man with a tortured past who lives alone in the woods hears of the sighting of a rare white deer in the forest. He fears it is in danger from poachers and sets out to save it, risking his own health and safety. 

The plot thickens and becomes a page-turner as the two stories mesh. My rating is 5.

Glamorous Notions by Megan Chance

 

"Julia had taught her how to play a game. Julia had used her. Lena had been enchanted but the entire time Julia was only taking advantage of her, and she'd put Lena, unaware and stupid, in danger."

    -from the novel

Everyone should know: Don't judge a book by its cover. From the cover design and title, I thought this novel would be light reading, possibly romantic and was I wrong! It turned out to be a thriller and quite a page-turner halfway through. I found the novel exciting and entertaining and rated it a 5.

Beginning in 1950 Hollywood, Elsie Gruner is married to Walter, a wannabe movie star, when she meets Harvey and Charlie. These two new friends convince her she is very talented when they see her fashion drawings and encourage her to apply to a prestigious design school. Partly because of ambition and partly needing to get away from Walter, Elsie soon manages to enter an art academy in Rome. There she meets the charming Julia (referred to in the quote) who draws her into some mysterious (illegal?) business and changes her future in a huge way. Julia persuades Elsie to change her name (No way she should have the same name as a cow!) so they come up with Lena Taylor as an appropriate name for an up-and-coming dress designer. 

When Lena is forced out of Italy, she returns to Hollywood and by a stroke of good fortune gets work in a movie studio where she becomes quite successful all the while telling lie after lie about her past even to screenwriter Paul, her new romantic interest. "Oh, what a tangled web..." Taking place in the 1950's, the McCarthy era, communists are feared and imagined around every corner, further complicating Lena's life.

James by Percival Everett

"At that moment the power of reading made itself clear and real to me. If I could see the words, then no one could control them or what I got from them. They couldn't even know if I was merely seeing them or reading them, sounding them out or comprehending them. It was a completely private affair and completely free and. therefore, completely subversive."

         -from the novel

James is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn reimagined and from the point of view of Jim, the runaway slave who became Huck's traveling companion. Since I am quite a fan of Mark Twain and have enjoyed ...Huckleberry Finn more than once, I placed it on my TBR list right away. It did not disappoint!

Jim and Huck meet up soon after they have run away from different situations for different reasons, and they travel together along the Mississippi River on foot and by raft, canoe, and riverboat. The two get separated at times but then reunite and they share some wild and sometimes frightening adventures. They meet some interesting characters and some nefarious ones along the way.

Parts of the story are sad and infuriating but there is humor at times. It is especially compelling being told by Jim who is shown as an intelligent, literate, resourceful, and compassionate man, as opposed to how he is seen by those they meet and in the original novel previously mentioned.

I am so glad I read James. I rate it a 5!

Conclave by Robert Harris

"No one who follows their conscience ever does wrong, Your Eminence. The consequences may not turn out as we intend; it may prove in time that we made a mistake. But that is not the same as being wrong. The only guide to a person's actions can ever be their conscience, for it is in our conscience that we most clearly hear the voice of God."

         -Cardinal Benitez, from the novel
 

Conclave was recommended to me by a friend and fellow Presbyterian. Not knowing a great deal about Catholicism, it was at times confusing. However, I learned so much along with being drawn into a compelling drama.

The pope has died, and it falls to Cardinal Jacopo Lomeli as Dean of the College of Cardinals to manage the election of a new pope, the Conclave. He is the one to tell the story. One hundred eighteen cardinals gather from around the world to take part in the sacred and secretive election. To begin there are about 5 contenders, including one who would, if elected, be the first African pope in history. Before long, a "dark horse" who is a relatively unknown cardinal joins the Conclave. All the attendees are holy men, but with feet of clay and Lomeli begins to get hints of personal ambition but also scandal and corruption which are of great concern. Even after 7 votes, there is no clear choice. And then the eighth....

Conclave was a page-turner for me---a rating of 5---and I look forward to seeing the film soon.

Walking on Water by Richard Paul Evans

 

"I had always thought of my walk as an escape from the past, but now I could see that it was also an escape from my future---a future that I wasn't any more prepared for now than I had been when I first set foot outside my house in Seattle.

Would I ever be ready? Could one really ever be ready for the unknown? If the road has taught me one thing for certain, it is this---one never knows who or what the next mile will bring."

     -from the diary of Alan Christoffersen

Finishing this novel was bittersweet---I was happy to get Alan to Key West but sad to have finished the last book of The Walk series. No more to look forward to although I know Evans has other books to check out and I probably will. This one I will rate a 4, a bit lower than the others and I will tell you why.

At the end of book 4, Alan receives word that his father has had a heart attack in California so at the beginning of this 5th installment he flies to LA to be with him. Fully half this novel takes place there as Alan ministers to his father, finds and reads a family history he has been writing and receives instructions for his end-of-life. His friend Nicole reenters his life and is emotional support for him. I think this part of the book is interesting but not as compelling as his on-the-road narratives in which he meets such interesting characters. Thus a 4 rating.

The last half of the book was more interesting with Alan's Florida walk reaching several very familiar places---St. Augustine, Daytona Beach, Kennedy Space Center and eventually the Keys. He spotted a tiny key deer in Big Pine Key where we had seen them when we visited years ago. He finally reaches Key West, the farthest point, where friends Nicole and Kailamai are waiting to celebrate with him. I hope this isn't a spoiler; I believe the reader expects him to reach his destination at the end of the series. A surprise awaits which I will NOT reveal.

Big Trouble by Dave Barry

 

"[Matt and Eliot] lapsed into silence, each drifting off into jumbled recollections of the evening. At the Herk home, Anna, Jenny, and Nina were doing the same, as was Puggy in his tree. In each case, the recollections were surprisingly pleasant, considering that the evening had begun with somebody apparently trying to kill somebody."

     -from the novel

The first Page Turners selection of 2025, chosen for its brevity (less that 300 pages) and ease of reading, was quite amusing and, at times, ridiculous. After wading through East of Eden, it was a welcome change. Not much literary value, I would say, but good entertainment.

In and around Miami, take one homeless guy who moves into a deserted tree house near the home of Arthur Herk, an embezzling employee of an unethical company and an abusive alcoholic, and his wife and stepdaughter. Add in two totally inept hit men from New Jersey out to get Arthur plus two low-level criminals out to "improve themselves" to high-level. Mix in a couple of high school kids playing a game of "Killer" with a water gun, sometimes mistaken for the real thing. And let's not forget to add a self-proclaimed crime fighter, a watchdog that only watches for food, a giant toad and a 13-foot python named Daphne, not to mention some Miami PD cops and even the FBI. Sound wild? Well, it does take place in Flori-duh! 

This crazy story was a comedy of errors and reminded me of the "dumb crook" stories a deputy assigned to our elementary school used to tell the students, to their great amusement. I will rate Big Trouble a 3. I am curious to see what the group will think.

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

 

"Virtue and vice were warp and woof of our first consciousness, and they will be the fabric of our last, and this despite any changes we may impose on field and river and mountain, on economy and manners. There is no other story. A man, after he has brushed off the dust and chips of his life, will have left only the hard, clean questions: Was it good or was it evil? Have I done well---or ill?"

     -from the novel

I cannot remember if I ever read this novel before so when it was offered as an eBook at a discount, I decided I should take advantage. I surely wish I had noticed it was over 650 pages! (I prefer 450 or less.) The plot was intriguing enough to keep me reading but I thought I would never finish! It was very wordy, making for tedious reading. By the time I was 3/4 through, I had almost forgotten some of the beginning.

The title hints at the book of Genesis in the Bible and the plot is somewhat reminiscent of the story of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel. It is a family saga of the Trasks and the Hamiltons in the Salinas Valley of California. The Hamilton family, Samuel and his wife and 9 children, are one side of the story and closely connected to the Trasks. It seemed to me a Hamilton grandchild narrates some of the story. 

Adam Trask and wife, Cathy, likely represent the original residents of Eden, although I think Cathy---later Kate---is way more wicked than Eve ever was! Cathy gives birth to twin boys and promptly deserts them and their father. The Trasks have a hired Chinese man, Lee, who practically raises the two boys, later named Caleb and Aron (think Cain and Abel). He is very patient and very wise and was one of my favorite characters.

I have rated the book a 3. Guess I will check page counts before reading from now on.

A Step of Faith by Richard Paul Evans

 

"For the third time since I began, my walk has been delayed. In the beginning, I had considered these stops on my journey as interruptions---but I'm coming to understand that perhaps these detours are my journey. No matter how much I, or the rest of humanity wishes otherwise, life is not lived in smooth, downhill expressways, but in the obscure, perilous trails and rocky back roads of life where we stumble and feel our way through the fog of the unknown. Life is not a sprint. It was never meant to be. It is just one step of faith after another."

   -Alan Christoffersen's thoughts from the novel

I finished this 4th installment of The Walk series in two days. I am finding these novels to be page turners, looking forward to what will happen next to our sojourner, Alan Cristoffersen. Only one more book to go and I surely hope Alan makes it to Key West, his final destination.

Alan begins this leg of his journey in St. Louis where he has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. He learns he must have surgery, and his father takes him to Los Angeles for the operation and his recovery. After some time, maybe not enough, he flies back to St. Louis to restart his walk, much to his father's chagrin. 

As in the first 3 books, he meets some very unique characters. There is Pastor Tim who gives him a place to rest and shares a vision of his future. Later while walking through a bad storm, he is kindly offered a ride by a woman named Paige.

When he reaches Memphis, he visits Graceland. Funny because when we were in Memphis, we felt it was a must-see, also. The foreshadowing at the end of chapter 29 made me so curious: "If someone had told me what I would encounter on the next leg of my journey, I never would have believed them." As it turns out he met the leader of a cult who Alan called a "religious nut." I think that was an understatement!

Near the Okefenokee Swamp, Alan was offered a place to sleep (away from the snakes and gators) by Dustin who turned out to be a paranoid hermit. When he reached Folkston, Georgia, he plugged in his phone and there was good news and bad news. That's all you get from me...

Next is Walking on Water.