Squeeze Me by Carl Hiaasen

 "The sitting President of the United States was a soulless imbecile who hated the outdoors but, in Angie's view, at this point Teddy Roosevelt himself couldn't turn the tide if he came back from the dead. All the treasured wilderness that had been sacrificed at the altar of growth was gone for all time. More disappeared every day; nothing ever changed except the speed of destruction, and only because there were fewer pristine pieces to sell off, carve up and pave."

             -Angie Armstrong's reflections on the state of Florida's environment

                                         

I have read a few novels by this author and they are quite amusing. This one is no exception. Hiaasen's writing style is very different from authors I've read recently mainly because of his crudeness and liberal use of profanity. It seems one of the underlying themes of the novel is concern for nature which occurs in a few of Hiaasen's works, I believe. (Note the quote.) Being a tree-hugger, I can appreciate that.

Angela Armstrong, self-proclaimed wildlife wrangler, has her work cut out for her when giant pythons start appearing around Palm Beach Florida. It starts with one of the huge reptiles having swallowed a rich elderly woman, Katherine "Kiki" Pew Fitzsimmons, a member of a group called the Potussies, a portmanteau of POTUS and pussies. (I did mention crudeness, right?) There are so many unsubtle references to our former president that one couldn't miss the satire---Winter White House in Florida called Casa Bellicosa, womanizing, xenophobia, compulsion for tanning and social media.  (Again, the quote.) I found it very humorous but I doubt if DJT would!

The novel is a page-turner with frequent foreshadowing, the mystery of who is responsible for a couple of murders including Kiki and where these scaled beasts are coming from, not to mention romantic tension between Angie and Paul Ryskamp of the Secret Service and I already mentioned the humor. I will rate Squeeze Me a 5 for entertainment value and a 3 for literary value---so it's a solid 4!

The Removed by Brandon Hobson

 "Believe you have wings, and you fly. Believe you are an animal, and you roar. Believe you are dead in the mud, and you sleep with the worms in the mud. No matter what you decide, provide counsel to your people as they are removed."                  -the wolf  to Tsala, from the novel

I am glad I read The Removed but I can't say I truly enjoyed it. It involved some Cherokee history I knew a bit about, e.g. the Trail of Tears, but it was loaded with magic realism (see quote above). The characters were interesting and each shared their perspectives in first person but there was not a great deal of happiness in their lives. So the book was thought-provoking but not very uplifting. I am rating it a 3.

In Quah, Oklahoma, four members of the Echota family are still struggling to cope with the tragic loss of their son and brother, Ray-Ray 15 years before. Maria, the mother, still grieves and must cope with husband Ernest's Alzheimer's disease. Grown daughter Sonja seems to look for love in all the wrong places and youngest son Edgar tries to fill the void in his soul with drugs.

Their lives change for the better when Maria and Ernest take in a foster kid, Wyatt. It is almost like Wyatt is channeling Ray-Ray and bringing some temporary joy to the home.

The family's stories are interspersed with Cherokee history and mythology. I have to admit I am still confused as to how Tsala fits in!

These Tangled Vines by Julianne MacLean

 "This was my reality going forward. What good could come from grappling forever with 'could have beens'? Every life was full of 'could have beens.' The best we could do was make the most of what was and what had been."                      -Fiona's thoughts, from the novel        

This was an Amazon First Reads and I am glad I selected it. It is the first novel I have read from this author but I liked her style. The reading was easy, the main characters were likeable and you've got to love the setting---Tuscany!

In 2017 Fiona Bell gets a surprise phone call that sets the plot rolling. Her biological father, Anton Clark, whom she has never met, has passed away and she is a beneficiary of his will. As far as Fiona knows only she and her deceased mother are aware of this connection. Anton Clark was owner of a very well-known vineyard, Maurizio Wines, in Italy. Though Fiona has known nothing about this man and his relationship with her mother and, in fact, has thought the worst of him, she decides to go to Italy to see what her inheritance might be. She has been primary caretaker of her paraplegic father, Freddie, since her mother, Lillian, died and she thinks that, at the very least, a financial windfall could make life easier for them.

When she arrives at the Clark property, she is greeted warmly by the help, but skeptically by her half-sister and brother, Sloane and Conner. All three of them are surprised by meeting a secret sibling(s). Needless to say the two "legitimate" heirs are upset to think they might not get all of daddy's wealth, which is considerable.

By chapter 7 the reader meets Lillian, flashing back in time to 1986, when she and her husband, Freddie, go to Italy to help him with the writing of his novel. There Lillian takes a job as a tour guide at Maurizio Wines, working for Anton Clark. The story moves back and forth then, mostly between Lillian and Fiona as more is revealed about the mysterious relationship between Lillian and Anton. Far be it for me to spoil the plot, so you will have to read to get the details.

As I read the novel which is based on a family secret, the title reminded me of the phrase "Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive." (Sir Walter Scott). Other themes of love, sacrifice and forgiveness make this a worthwhile read. I rate These Tangled Vines a strong 4. 

By the way, the story surely made me "thirsty" to visit Tuscany and tour some vineyards---and, of course, do some wine tasting!

What's Mine and Yours by Naima Coster

 "...she could say, 'You can't control your kids---you can only love them,' or 'They turn out how they turn out.' But these were lies. There was plenty she could have done differently. She could have stayed with Robbie; she could have never gotten involved in that campaign at the school; she could have loved and welcomed Nelson; she could have let her daughters be. But she couldn't bring herself to wish she'd taken another course. She was their mother, and she'd tried to use her influence for good. If she had the chance to do it all over again, she would do it all exactly the same."             -reflections of Lacey May Ventura

I didn't really like this novel; in fact, I may have only finished it because it was a gift. I am rating it a 2, a number I haven't used in a long time. I was actually glad to get to the end!

Two family stories are being told over about 28 years. Lacey May Ventura, quoted above as she is facing a cancer diagnosis, has three daughters---Noelle, Margarita, and Diane---by a charming but good-for-nothing husband. Jade Gilbert is raising one son, Gee, who witnessed the tragic death of his father when he was very young. 

The story begins with the integration of a predominantly white high school in the Piedmont of North Carolina. Black folks like Jade from one side of town want their kids to have what they judge to be a better education. Some whites like Lacey May aim to keep the status quo. This conflict only provides a small part of the discord in the story. Much of the dysfunction is within the families and, as the plot thickens, between the two families.

I'm not sure what it was about this novel that left me cold. Maybe it was the jumping around in time and from one character to another that confused me at times. It could have been that I never became emotionally involved with any of the characters although I was rooting for Gee for a while. 

Apparently, the book was well-received overall. Maybe it was just me! If you have read it, tell me what you think!

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

"George [Gey] told me he leaned over Henrietta's bed and said, 'Your cells will make you immortal.' He told Henrietta her cells would help save the lives of countless people, and she smiled. She told him she was glad her pain would come to some good for someone."

          -Laure Aurelian, colleague of George Gey at Johns Hopkins

I have just reread this book since it was Page Turners' May selection and I first read it in December of 2012.  In fact, I've noticed my original block post (after the first broken line) doesn't include a quote or a rating. In this update, I've added a quote and a picture plus a rating of 4. It did not reach a 5 for me because there is some medical terminology which is over my head. I do think it is an excellent book, however, and I am glad I read it---twice, even!

I have just discovered there is a 2017 movie of the same name, starring Oprah Winfrey as Deborah Lacks. I watched a trailer and can hardly wait to see the whole film.

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December, 2012 

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks had been recommended to me by at least two friends and when I finally got around to reading it, I was so glad I did! I admit that fiction is my genre of choice, especially historical.  Rarely do I select a nonfiction, particularly one related to science but this one captured me early on. 

Henrietta Lacks was a black woman who died of cancer in 1951.  At that time her cells were harvested and since then have been successfully grown in laboratories around the world to the point where her cells would now weigh over 50 million metric tons!  This event has had both positive and negative results.  The cells, designated HeLa (2 letters from first and last names) have been instrumental in many medical developments such as the polio vaccine, cancer and virus research, in vitro fertilization, cloning, gene mapping, and the affects of the atomic bomb and zero gravity in space.  On the negative side the Lacks family was kept in the dark for 20 years, learning little of the significance of Henrietta's affect on the world until the author began to delve into medical records and family history and conduct countless interviews with the people involved.  The Lacks received neither remuneration nor gratitude for Henrietta's contribution.

It seemed that Ms. Skloot was relentless in her research and her efforts to earn the trust of the Lacks family.  She admits in an interview the project was a decade in the making. She was obviously very patient and passionate about the story she was trying to share.

Not only was I impressed with the author's determination to give Henrietta, the woman, the immortality her cells had already achieved but I developed great empathy for her family, especially Deborah Lacks.

I recommend this book to women and anyone in the medical field.  After you read it, I think you would want to check out rebeccaskloot.com for video clips and more.
http://rebeccaskloot.com/the-immortal-life/

Henrietta Lacks has become one of my new heroes. There is much of her story that will stay with me for a long time. Wouldn't it be awesome to know how many people are alive today because of those HeLa cells!  Thank you, Henrietta!

-------------------------------------------------May 20, 2021

Page Turners met today at the home of one member. It was a beautiful day to sit on the patio. Our discussion was rousing, as I thought it would be---issues of race, medical ethics, spirituality and more. Some in the group enjoyed the technical aspects while others found those parts tedious. Several folks  appreciated the Lacks family dynamics more than the science. Some members were involved in the medical profession and had valuable input. We were all impressed with the author's extensive research and one friend reminded us that the author has established a foundation to honor Henrietta Lacks and benefit her descendants. Some in the group felt we should contribute.

I summarized an article I had found in our local paper having to do with the Tuskegee syphilis study several decades ago which deceived many Black men and left people of color skeptical of doctors and hospitals and perhaps, even today, influencing the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine. This study was mentioned in the book.

The average rating for The Immortal Life... was 3.8. Most felt it was an important piece of writing, even if it wasn't exactly a page-turner!

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

 "This is a cycle, she thinks. Every day a fresh horror, and when it's over, this feeling of surreal detachment. A disbelief, almost, in what they just endured. The mind is magical. Human beings are magical....Lydia thinks about how adaptable a migrant must be. They must change their minds every day, every hour. They must be stubborn about one thing only: survival."          -from the novel

This is the first book I have read by this author but it surely won't be the last! It was such a PAGE-TURNER I could hardly put it down! I can only hope the next Cummins novel is a little less intense.

I should have know this would be an excellent book when I saw it was an Oprah selection. I did not read her opinion until I had finished:  

    “American Dirt just gutted me, and I didn’t just read this book―I inhabited it….Everything about this book      was so extraordinary. It’s suspenseful, the language is beautiful, and the story really opened my heart. I      highly recommend it, and you will not want to put it down. It is just a magnificent novel.”

High praise, indeed!

Living in Acapulco, Lydia Quixano Perez and her young son, Luca, experience an extremely traumatic loss right at the beginning. Under threat of violence, she determines immediately that she must take Luca and get to "el norte" as quickly as possible. She knew it would not be an easy journey but had NO idea the perils they would face.

Along the way, figurative doors are alternately opened and slammed in their faces. They experience great hunger and thirst, physical abuse, injuries and even death. They meet evil people---like narcos (drug traffickers) and la migra (border patrol). There are also many characters who provide help and support, even at unexpected times. I found myself emotionally involved with several of these: Lydia, herself; the very precocious Luca, eight-years-old, going on 20; teenaged sisters Soledad and Rebeca; and the assertive, sometimes humorous youngster, Beto.

I thought often of We Are Not From Here, a novel by Jenny Torres Sanchez that I read a year ago. Both stories detail the incredible courage and determination that people in horrible circumstances, especially in Central America, must summon to try to get to the U.S. and a better life, oftentimes to actually save their lives! These two novels have given me much greater empathy for these migrantes.

I recommend this book highly! It is a riveting story of sacrifice, firm resolve, loyalty and survival. Although I can't say it was exactly enjoyable, I found it exceptional. My rating is 5+!

It is a few weeks until our group meeting. I hope others appreciate this novel as much as I did.

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Page Turners met in person today---first time in over a year due to COVID! The average rating for the book is 4.4 with almost everyone voting a 4 or 5. We enjoyed a stimulating discussion using questions provided by the publisher. Only a few attendees knew much of the controversy about the book. I heard about it after reading the book and delved into it so I was able to share some of what I learned. In my opinion, it boils down to a number of Latinx authors resenting the fact that their writing about their culture and experiences is not as valued as American Dirt by a nonMexican writer. (I watched a video of Oprah Winfrey discussing her selection of the book with Jeanine Cummins and 3 Latina authors who have problems with aspects of American Dirt. The publisher and editor answered questions, as well. I learned there was a bidding war for the book and Cummins received 7 figures---pretty rare!)

Most of us thought the book was excellent and that it increased our understanding of what many immigrants go through to get to the country we too often take for granted.

Miss Julia Happily Ever After by Ann B. Ross

 ""Oh, nothing much....Somebody got married. A few others are planning to. Another one is hoping to. Mildred is planning a party. A naked man came to visit. I got shot at, and Lillian speaks Japanese."

      -Julia's answer to Sam's query about what went on while he was away

          

I have read and enjoyed all the novels in the Miss Julia series and this is to be the finale. How bittersweet that is! I am such a big fan. I can only hope Ms. Ross has some more amusing ideas up her sleeve. This book arrived at a perfect time for me. The last three historical fictions I had read were emotionally intense and disturbing in parts: American Dirt, The Four Winds and The Last Correspondent. Miss Julia is always good for some giggles and some laugh-out-louds and this one did not disappoint. Plus the mystery of the streaker keeps the reader wanting to know: WHO IS IT?

The title and the quote above will offer clues about the plot(s). One of the most compelling is Miss Lillian, Julia's wise and loveable housekeeper, may receive a marriage proposal from a very prominent businessman in town and Julia is distracted by worrying about losing her as a valued employee. Of several possible weddings, only two actually take place. I will let you wonder which of Julia's friends marry and read for yourself.

Much of the humor is offered by the mystery of the naked man appearing to several ladies in the town. Eventually they take it upon themselves to catch the culprit.

I will rate this book a 5 for sheer enjoyment! I will surely miss reading new Miss Julia episodes.