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.

I Still Dream About You by Fannie Flagg

 

"Dear God, how perfectly sad. She had not progressed since the sixth grade. Lately, she had begun to suspect that underneath that pleasant exterior was just another pleasant exterior. She had gotten older, but not wiser. She'd always thought she would be so much smarter by now, but she wasn't. If anything, she was losing ground."           -Maggie, from the novel

I have read and enjoyed several of Fannie Flagg's novels over the years, none more than Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. This one was great fun, as well.

Former Miss Alabama Maggie Fortenberry is a real estate agent in Birmingham, hired by the founder Hazel Whisenknott, a woman of small stature and very large spirit. Coworker and friend Brenda Peoples fights a weight problem and aspires to be the first black female mayor of Birmingham. Agency head Ethel Clipp has her own eccentricities. All three women have been trying to keep Red Mountain Realty afloat after the death of the beloved Hazel including an intense rivalry with Babs Bingington whom they call "The Beast."

Though it appears to others Maggie has everything going for her---beauty and charm, she is depressed that her life is so disappointing and is making elaborate plans to end it. Somewhat predictably her plans are interrupted.

Having lived in North Alabama through high school and college, I found the references to Birmingham interesting---facts about the founding and its infamous part in the Civil Rights Movement. I did not remember ever hearing it called "the Magic City."

The plot of I Still Dream... reminded me of A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman since Ove had also lost the will to live and surprising new acquaintances interfered with his plans.

A little romance, some mystery and a good dose of Southern humor enhanced the story. I give it a 4 rating.

The Frozen Girl of Spirit Lake by Meg Lelvis

 

"There above in that cloudless sky, eagles fly..., like the people's spirit and strength...There, in my dream, I am one with my ancestors, The only sound is the wind that moves fluttering feathers."

          -Roland's recitation of an Ojibwe poem

The Frozen Girl of Spirit Lake reminded me so much of the work of William Kent Krueger, one of my favorite authors. The setting is Minnesota, a main character is Native American and there is a suspicious death, all very common in Krueger's novels, particularly his Cork O'Connor series. This added to my enjoyment of Frozen Girl..

Primary storyteller Nancy Borg is a student at Eklund State Teacher's College. She and her friends, Judy and Peggy, become emotionally involved in the mysterious death of a classmate, Barbara Gruen who, as the title indicates, is found frozen to death. A worker at the college, Roland Nightbird, is an Ojibwe native who will predictably be accused of foul play. I say predictable because the book overview says as much, and more than one character shows racist tendencies. However, Nancy who is acquainted with Roland believes he is innocent.

When she is helping Barbara's family clear out her dorm room, Nancy finds Barbara's diary and keeps it to herself. Will she read it? If she does, will she learn anything important?

I liked the short chapters and the author's alternating points of view with Nancy's parts in first person and those of Roland and Loreen, Judy's self-centered, prejudiced mother told in third. These aspects made the novel a page-turner and I rate it a 4.