Why I Love to Read, part 3

Why I Love to Read- Monday special

Reason Number Three:

Some of my friends tell me that they like to learn from books.  I never thought of reading as a learning tool, but when I think about it,       I have learned lots from books.
The one author that you can't help but learn from is James Michener, because he puts tons of research into his fiction books. I really have a love/hate relationship with Michener.  He makes history come alive but there is SO much detail.
I read Hawaii to John one summer.  It took 75 days to read the whole book. I wish I could remember all the details, because it was an exquisite book.

 Here is the introduction: "Millions upon millions of years ago..." Wow! He had a lot to cover!
 I enjoyed the section on the missionaries from Boston.  Eleven couples (all under the age of 28), most of them recently married to qualify for the trip, took six months to get to Hawaii by ship.  What a challenge that was!  It was interesting to follow these missionaries- some of whom were helpful to the Hawaiians, some of whom felt superior to 'the heathens'.
  Abner Hale was one of the arrogant ones.  He determined to deliver Urania's baby, refusing the help of experienced midwives, and Urania died.  But Abner and Urania's husband, Abraham,  congratulated themselves on their righteousness because they did not give in to using 'heathen'midwives. An interesting twist is that Abraham, the widower, ended up marrying a Hawaiian and was denounced by the mission.
   Another one of the missionaries, Dr. John Whipple, supported Abraham and he left the mission as well. John Whipple respected the Hawaiians and learned from them. I admired the work that he did.
   But Abner Hale continued in his arrogance into old age.  His wife died young and Abner wandered the island ranting.  Even his children didn't know what to do with him.
   Japanese and Chinese also moved onto the island and it took many years for the Hawaiians,  Americans, Japanese and Chinese to learn to work together on an equal footing.

Lots to learn here!

Fascinating description of the Aztec

Wonderful history of slavery

Powerful description of war

Fiction is a great way to learn about history!

Same book..different reaction

This is the story of Dale and Betty.  They attend book club together and usually enjoy the same books.
One day, because of their book club requirements, they both were reading the same book: "The Orenda".
Dale thought, "This book is interesting".

Betty thought, "This book is too violent".
Then they both had to switch to reading "Emma" by Jane Austen. 
Dale thought, "Boy, is this boring!"
Betty thought, "Ahh, how enjoyable".

The story of Dale and Betty.  How interesting!


                                               

In-Laws from Hell

 "The Orchard" by Theresa Weir
   I really enjoyed reading this memoir, written by Theresa Weir, who also writes under the pen name Anne Frasier.  Although Theresa had been writing for 20 years, her publisher would not publish her memoir and so, she put the manuscript away.  Eventually she found another publisher and it is a lovely story.  I especially like this cover.  It emphasizes the love story, but the orchard is so important.  You may not be able to see the swirl of design around the title and central picture. Perhaps it represents the chemicals, which are most important to the plot.  The chemicals represented the dream of a perfect orchard with the perfect apple.  But the cost...

The Orchard

  Adrian’s parents, particularly his mother Ruth, vehemently opposed the marriage, and constantly tried to sabotage it by trying to maintain control over Adrian and by disparaging Theresa. Adrian was always caught in the middle.  He had always known his responsibility to continue the family farm, but he loved Theresa and wanted to please her.  He could not do both.  The ending is very poignant.





"The Little House" by Philippa Gregory
  When I told my friend Christina that I was writing a blog on 'the in-laws from hell', she suggested that I read "The Little House" by Philippa Gregory.  So I did.
  As I'm reading along, I'm thinking, "What is Christina thinking? These in-laws are so helpful and wonderful". After finishing the book, I'm still not sure if the in-laws were evil or not. Were Ruth's in-laws just trying to do the best thing for Ruth and her husband?  Or was there a sinister aspect?  

The Little House

  Well, I have just read that this book is considered a psychological thriller.  I didn't know that while I was reading and I am not familiar with this style of writing.  I just took it at face value.
  But the in-laws were controlling in a very covert manner.  I was more upset with the husband who lived and breathed the opinions of his parents.  In questioning the sanity of Ruth, after she had a baby, they pushed her to the limit.  There is a feeling of suspense all through the novel and it has a most surprising, even shocking, ending.  
  I was aware that the author was using adjectives to set your nerves on edge.  And there was an unreal aspect to the story.
  So I guess this is a psychological thriller- the first that I have read.  And the lovely, helpful, thoughtful, considerate in-laws were pushing Ruth over the edge.  But were they evil? 

Well, here is a factual memoir and a psychological thriller about in-laws.

Why I Love To Read, part 2

Why I Love to Read- Monday special

Reason Number Two:

   I love to read because I love to explore and sometimes an author allows you to explore without leaving home.
   A journey book has always fascinated me and I just finished reading "Wild", where I had the chance to travel along with Cheryl Strayed as she hiked the Pacific Crest Trail from Mojave, California to the Bridge of the Gods in Oregon.
   Her writing is extremely eloquent as she describes not only the physical journey, but also the emotional journey.  She was 22, her mother had died and her marriage had dissolved. She was very confused and conflicted.
"Alone had always felt like an actual place to me, as if it weren't a state of being, but rather a room where I could retreat to be who I really was.  Alone wasn't a room anymore, but the whole wide world, and now I was alone in that world, occupying it in a way I never had before."
   So beautifully written!  Even Oprah thinks so.  She chose this book for her first reading club 2.0 selection.


                                 

                                          Another author that I like to travel with is Bill Bryson.
I enjoyed "A Walk in the Woods" which is about hiking the Appalachian Trail.
   It is less an emotional journey but very humorous.

   "In a Sunburned Country" was even more enjoyable for me because I have been to Australia.
    He had interesting facts about many of the places that I have visited and I greatly enjoyed travelling along with Bill throughout Australia.


     I love to read because I love to explore.

Why I Love to Read, part 1

Why I Love to Read- Monday special
Reason Number One:
I love meeting interesting characters!  They delight me while reading, they keep me company, they stay with me over time, they remind me of the joy of the novel they populate, they never change, they never disappoint, they never move away or die!
Here are some of my favourites:

Bathsheba Everdene

Gabriel Oak

Bathsheba Everdene- saucy, flighty, proud beauty.  Don't want her for my friend- just want to read about her antics.
― Thomas Hardy, Far from the Madding Crowd

Gabriel Oak -steady, reliable, ooh-la-la!

“And at home by the fire, whenever you look up there I shall be— and whenever I look up, there will be you.
-Gabriel Oak” 

Moll flanders

                                 Moll Flanders

"The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders, &c. Who was Born in Newgate, and during a Life of continu'd Variety for Threescore Years, besides her Childhood, was Twelve Year a Whore, five times a Wife (whereof once to her own Brother), Twelve Year a Thief, Eight Year a Transported Felon in Virginia, at last grew Rich, liv'd Honest, and died a Penitent. Written from her own Memorandums." (Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe)

What could be more entertaining? 

                      Hagar Shipley
"Cantankerous, cranky and often befuddled at 90, Hagar isn't ready to give up her independence and go into an old-age home. But she is trapped in a body that is betraying her bit by bit and a mind that overwhelms her with passionate, painful memories."
Her feisty resilience makes her one of the most remarkable and appealing characters in Canadian literature.

"Stone Angel" by Margaret Lawrence
Don't want to be related to her, or even meet her, just like to read about her.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Now 3 women that I would like for friends.  Fascinating stories of struggles and resilience.

                                                                         


In 'The Poinsonwood Bible", Orleanna Price attempted to support her husband as well as teach and protect her children.  She wasn't able to do both and lived with regret.
Heart-breaking and poignant.  I would love to chat with Orleanna.

Morgan Hazzard (in "The Wife Tree") was 75 when her husband died and she was left to find her way in a world that had been controlled by her husband.  With limited vision, she forged ahead to begin a new life.  Love her!

Sal Thornhill (in "The Secret River") went to Australia with her convict husband.  She also tried to support her husband as well as raise children in an unsettled country.  When her husband got caught up in a combative relationship with the Aboriginies, she stood firm.  I loved her kind, loving, but determined manner.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

The father that I wish everyone had:
Atticus Finch ("To Kill a Mockinbird").










I started with a male character and will finish with one. Atticus Finch- the epitome of manhood!  A kind and loving father and a strong advocate for the rights of all.  I realize that these pictures show Gregory Peck but he stands for the lawyer who stood up for a black man because he thought it was the morally right thing to do.  He showed tremendous courage.
He is my literary hero!  I wish there were more like him!

These are a few of the characters that entertain and delight me.

  They sit on my bookshelf waiting for me to visit them whenever I desire.

Why I Love to Read- the beginning

My daughter challenged me to write a blog on this topic.
I will begin with a quote:

"Language is fundamental to being human. 

 Language is stored in usable and reusable models called stories, poems and essays."

This quote came from a book called "Read For Your Life" by Joseph Gold.

And so, I have taken on the project of trying to describe why I read.  And I do read a lot, so perhaps I should be able to verbalize why I read.
But first let's hear it from the professional:

"The act of reading, and especially of reading narrative fiction, does two things for the reader which are crucial to personal development. The first is the activation of the pre-frontal cortex of the brain and the temporal lobes where some of the major language control centers are located. These sites are connected to many others to form a web activity that creates thought. The second important function of reading literature is to assist in building personal identity in narrative form."

  Once again, these are Professor Gold's words.  I don't really think about developing my pre-frontal cortex, or building a personal identity.  But I do have other reasons and I will post a blog each Monday, giving the reasons why I love to read.  Let me know if I miss a good reason.

My retirement quilt made by my daughter

Another man Who Loves Jane Austen

Yesterday we celebrated Alan's birthday.  When I looked at the celebration pictures, I thought of my last blog -"The Man who Loved Jane Austen" and I realized that I needed to add Alan to my blog.
Alan is another man who loves Jane Austen.  And during dinner, he initiated a conversation about the reasons that Jane Austen is still so popular.  What a great way to spend time with friends! Discussing literature - Jane Austen in particular.

Alan's 88th birthday

Alan's favourite Jane Austen book is "Mansfield Park".

I'm sure there are lots of 'men who love Jane Austen'.

The birthday bash

What's John reading?

"The Man who Loved Jane Austen" by Sally Smith O'Rourke

A story of time travel, mystery and love.

Books that change your life

Canada Reads is following the theme of "Books that can change the nation".
Check here for the books that are being considered.
Can books really change the nation?  The change would have to come one person at a time.  So what can really change a person?
   This morning I read this on A.Word.A.Day:

   It is nearly impossible to say how much Harry Potter has changed my life and made me the person I am today. The Harry Potter series was my childhood and its life lessons helped me grow. Whenever I have been in a bad mood, Harry Potter has been there for me. When I didn't have friends at school, I didn't feel so bad because I knew Harry, Ron, Hermione, and everyone else was just a turn of a page away.  In these books, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore stands out for me. He says many wise words that have stayed with me. One time he says to Harry, "It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live." Dumbledore is telling Harry not to dwell on the past, and to live out his life to the best of his ability even though his parents aren't with him anymore. It made me feel as if he was saying, if you want something you have to go and get it, rather than sit around and dream, waiting for something to happen. Also, don't sit around worrying about the past and things that you can't change.

I loved this comment because childhood is the greatest time to read a book that will help to give you confidence and support. "Harry Potter" was condemned by many people.  Some parents didn't want their children reading it because of the dark themes.  Rowling states that the main theme is death.  But there are other themes that children pick up on.  And perhaps with the theme of death, children can learn how to live.

But how is Canada Reads going to convince us that the books they have chosen can 'change the nation'?

angst about fathers

   After the angst of "The Dinner", I was delighted to read about a good father.The delightful Leo Buscaglia has written about his father.
   Leo Buscaglia was a university professor known for his courses on love.  This is a lovely, short story about his father, who was the son of a poor farmer and went to work in a factory while in grade five.  The world became his school.  Since he was unable to get an education, he was determined that his children would be educated.  He insisted that every day each child learn one new thing.  When dinner was over, Papa pushed back his chair and asked what each child had learned that day.
"By looking at us, listening to us, hearing us, respecting our opinions, affirming our value, giving us a sense of dignity, he was unquestionably our most influential teacher".

   Of course, this book feeds into my angst about who gets a good father and who doesn't!
  

  

The Sins of the Father

 

"The Dinner" by Herman Koch is rather popular right now and it reminds me that I am really 'out of touch'.  I went along with the  pace of the book even though it was frustrating.

  I knew that the author had something to say, but was taking a very long time to say it.  Half-way through the book, it is apparent that the author is trying to set up a moral dilemma for parents : "How far would you go to protect your child?"

   I love dilemmas, but by the end of the book, I was disturbed to think that this situation was at all debatable. We really have lost our moral compass when we cover up for a son who is torturing and killing homeless people.

  

The Plot

 Two brothers each have a son involved in torture and killing.  The whole book is about the meal the brothers and their wives share to 'talk about the situation'.

  One brother, Serge, is about to run for prime minister  and he is portrayed as narcissistic and arrogant.  The other brother, Paul, is the narrator, and appears fairly tolerable at the beginning.  But, by the end, you realize that Paul is psychologically unstable- has beat up the school principal, threatened the store keeper, and attacked his brother with a hot pan.

  

  Serge, the brother that was described as an egocentric buffoon, ended up giving up his chance to be prime minister.  But the 'good' brother, Paul, just smiled about the 'antics'.  He believed that secrets don't get in the way of happiness- and happiness was certainly what he was fixated on. 

  But Paul definitely had psychological problems.  In several places it mentions how a damp film slid down over his eyes, or that he heard something snap, or 'something happened', also he seems to black out- there is a gap in time.

But the mother- what about the mother???

  What surprised me is that Paul's wife schemed to cover up the crimes.  When speaking about the 15-year-old boys she said, "We don't have the right to take away their childhood, simply because, according to our norms, as adults, it's a crime you should have to pay for, for the rest of your life." 

  This novel takes place in Amsterdam.  Does that make a difference?  Is their moral compass different?  Would this really be a dilemma?

  The author certainly manipulates the reader.  In some places he says, I won't tell you that".  He feeds the information to the reader as he wills and it certainly does change the whole story- all over the courses of a "dinner'.  Does that make a good read?

  And so, I see the theme of 'the sins of the father are visited on the children'. And I am aghast that it is debatable whether the parents should cover up this type of criminal behaviour in a child.

  But- at the end, the author makes a point of exposing hospital records from the birth of Paul's son and in the amniotic fluid test that was given to Paul's wife, it was noted "decision parents"(in other words, the decision was made by the parent).  Paul did not know anything about that, so I wonder if he just discovered (on the third last page) that he was not really the father.  The author makes a point that his son looked like him, so perhaps he really is his dreaded brother's son?

Personal Libraries

Noreen

A book club friend was lending me a book from her personal library.  Noreen is a kind, suppportive and intuitive friend.  She offers advice, books or prayers when she senses they are needed.  After a book club discussion that focused on man's inhumanity to man, she recommended a book by Leo Buscaglia.  I had quite forgotten that author.  In fact, he died in 1998.  But Noreen knows that I dislike focusing on violence.  And I appreciated being reminded of this wacky, wonderful author/lecturer.  I searched out my copy of "Living, Loving and Learning" when I got home.  And I listened to his lectures on the internet.  A wonderful return for me to the more gentle aspects of life.

       

Leo Buscaglia

While searching through Noreen's personal library, I mentioned that you can learn a lot about a person by looking at their personal library.  She agreed. She has a large collection.  
  Once when she had overnight guests, she positioned a stack of books beside the bedside lamp of each guest with books of a particular interest to that guest.  What a personal, thoughtful idea.
  She has given many, many boxes of books, written for children and adolescents, to the Home Schooling Association.  She also was delighted when the local school accepted her offer of books.
  Over the years, Noreen has had dozens of biographies because she loves learning about individuals and how they were motivated in life. 
  She has thinned out her collection of cook books but still has more than needed.
  Since she was in the nursing field, Noreen developed a large collection of nursing books and has donated them to several long term care facilities.  Two of those institutions had no reference books at all and Noreen felt that they were important for quick reference and could make better and safer patient care.
  Books on religion, philosophy and history have gone to the church library.
  These donations make it less painful to part with important books.
  Noreen's personal library is certainly a reflection of her many interests and her generous spirit.

Canada Reads 2014

  We had our first mini-debate with five women who are Canada Reads' fans.  We discussed "Annabel" by Kathleen Winter. I have already mentioned this book on my blog.  But preparing for the discussion, I realized that the book was even better than I had originally thought.
  Of the five of us, I was probably the most enthused by this book.  After finishing all five books, I definitely think it is the best of the five.  It has a theme of developing self-esteem and finding your way in the world.  And the characters are fascinating.  It is the only book of the five that I would recommend to anyone.  It certainly reflects life's challenges, but it shows the possibility of 'rising above'- finding joy in the midst of challenges and confusion.


  Well, our second discussion was focused on "Cockroach" by Rawi Hage.
The author admits that it is 'a hard, uncompromising book'.  Samantha Bee, who will be defending the book says that it is 'painful and dark'.
The title comes from the unnamed protagonist who "felt the need to strip the world and exist underneath".
   I see no purpose in producing books that are hopeless throughout.
Perhaps the worst for me was the violence of the male characters.

I was reminded of "The Slap" by Christos Tsiolkas.  I read that book for a book discussion weekend in Nelson, B.C.  It is a novel filled with violence, drugs, alcohol, and abuse.  The men were totally misogynistic and the teenagers were so out of control.  After an evening of discussing that book, I had nightmares where I was trying to save my grandchildren.  I woke up very disturbed.  Some people believed that the book was a reflection of society and I do not want my grandchildren to grow up in that type of world.

  The next book in my 'reading agenda' is, of all things "Emma" by Jane Austen.  Wow!  What a difference!  The men in "Emma" are cultured, polite and mannerly in the extreme.  Of course it was written in1815 and Austen only chose to write about the gentility.  But I am finding this book so refreshing!  Bring on "Emma"!
                                                                   

Terri's Picks

Terri in Nelson, British Columbia

My friend Terri is a great reader.  We have travelled to many book events together- in England, British Columbia and the U.S.  Twice we have gone to Banff for the Banff Book Weekend.  We share book talk- a lot!  So I am delighted that she gave me a run-down of her reading for the last year.

From Terri:

I read 54 books in 2013 and I will attempt to tell you about them; some that I loved, some that I only liked and even some that I did not enjoy. 

       The first book that I thought was very thought provoking and a very good read was "The Round House" by Louise Erdrich. Geraldine who lives on an Ojibway reservation is raped. She will not divulge what happened and who the man is. She will not even speak to her son and husband and stays in her room in bed for months. Her son Joe is frustrated with the investigation and takes matters into his own hands.

  One of the books that I did not enjoy was "February" by Lisa Moore, the 2012 Canada Reads winner. I found the style of writing difficult to follow and the story disjointed. The sinking of the "Ocean Ranger" and the loss of so many lives and the loss of a husband is very sad, but I felt the story could have been told in a more interesting way. BUT I did enjoy her recent novel titled "Caught". Unfortunately the title gives the story away, but the writing was superior to "February", the characters were unbelievably simple minded and kept me entertained.

Richard Wagamese is the author of two gems that I read, "Iron Horse" and "Ragged Company". In "Iron Horse" a young Aboriginal boy is taken from his home and sent to a residential school. A priest teaches him to play hockey. He practices long hours and becomes a very good hockey player. Later when he escapes from the school, again he turns to hockey but finds racism and cultural displacement. "Ragged Company" is, in my mind, a brilliant title. Some people I know, are attracted to book covers, while I am fascinated with book titles! Four homeless people become friends, and during a cold spell find warmth in a movie theater. They find they love movies and continue to frequent them. One of the men finds a lottery ticket for $13,000,000.00 and lives are changed. The stories of the four people are full of emotion, some humour and I thought about this book long after I had read it. The mark of a good story teller.

One of the finest gems I found was "The End of Your Life Book Club" by Will Schwalbe. Having a medical background, I did not find the book morbid, as some of my friends had suggested. I loved the mini-book reviews - in fact I prefer them to long reviews because I want to find out about the book by reading it. I also was touched by the work Mary Anne did with refugees and establishing libraries in Afghanistan. I absolutely loved this book. "Tuesdays With Morrie" by Mitch Albom is also a book I re-read constantly. I keep it in the car and when I have to wait at an appointment, I take it with me. These people are inspiring!

I read 3 books by Lauren B. Davis who in my opinion is very underrated. "The Empty Room" is an account of the last day of an alcoholic woman before she hits bottom and reaches out for help. It is very moving and visceral. The next book was "Our Daily Bread" which is based on a true story.There are those people up on the mountain where unspeakable events are taking place and then there are the people in the town below, who know, but look the other way. The story unfolds and the last part of the book is filled with tension.

Lauren B. Davis

Then of course I had to read her fourth book "The Radiant City". This book takes place in the not- so- touristy parts of Paris where the cast of characters include a war correspondent suffering from the violence of war, the people he befriends and immigrants who settle in Paris and own a café. The first book I read by Lauren a few years ago was "The Stubborn Season". It takes place during the Depression. A young girl is trying to find her way through life with a mother who suffers from depression and a pharmacist father who drinks.  Lauren B. Davis is a great writer. Her writing is serious, with great attention to detail.

Philip Roth

"Indignation" by Philip Roth was the surprise of the year. I couldn't put it down. A young Jewish boy is so over-protected by his father that he chooses to go to a college far from home. It seems that wherever he goes there are dilemmas and the choices he makes just compound his problems. It is a very tense novel with a quick end! I loved it. I have read other books by Roth and he is a brilliant writer.

I read "The Lizard Cage" by Karen Connelly because it was one of the books mentioned in "End of Your Life Book Club". It is hard to describe in a few sentences but it is an amazing book. Hard to read sometimes as it takes place in a political prison in Burma, now Myanmar. A young boy is sentenced to 20 years in solitary for singing songs against the ruling dictator. The interactions in the prison revolve around the hierarchy of jailers and prisoners. It is a remarkable story told in great accuracy and detail. I learned much about the human spirit from this book. I quote from a book review   " Connelly's fine novel shows us the kind of suffering that newspapers can't communicate and non-fiction rarely reaches". In the end two prisoners are freed, each in a different way.

One of the most delightful books I read in 2013 was "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein. Told through the eyes of a dog who thinks like a human, it is sometimes funny, sad and even heartbreaking. The moral of the story is that one can navigate the twists and turns of life, like a race car driver does when racing in the rain. I really loved this book.

I will end with "Dying for Sex" by Lynn Albrecht. Lynn is a social worker at St. Mary's hospital where I volunteer in the Medical Library. We have a book club in the library and felt we needed to read and review this book. The main plot involves a murder of a nurse in a Retirement Home but there are so many other story lines and characters that I could hardly keep track of them all. There is a lot of dialogue which made the book hard to read. There are octogenarians, sex clubs, a catering business, a boy in a rock band with a bus, a detective, a wanna-be love story, and I can't remember what else. I give Lynn credit for writing a book but I would not recommend it.

   Sorry,but I had to add this book, "Travelling to Infinity" by Jane Hawking. I found it most interesting, from the point of view that things aren't always as they appear. I was quite surprised at some of the details that Jane brings out in her book. Life was not easy with Stephen Hawking, physically, emotionally and financially in the early days. He had the symptoms of the motor neuron disease when they were married and it only got worse with time. He was proud, fiercely independent, and showed no self pity. Jane was involved in his care 24/7 along with raising their 3 children, helping with the finances and trying to further her education. The book is very detailed and a long read, but worthwhile.


Thank you, Terri, for a very fascinating look at your reading choices in 2013!  Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

At the end of the year, it is always fun to review the books that have been read during the year.  I have been keeping records since 2002. And I have read between 45 and 75 books each year since then.  This year I am right in the middle with 60 books read.
What was my favourite?  No question: "Indian Horse" by Richard Wagamese.
Fellow reader, Bonnie, also reports that "Indian Horse" is her favourite because of the beautiful writing. She was shocked by the ending.
Fellow reader Gayle, enjoyed Richard Wagamese's "Ragged Company", but her favourite of the year is "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society". She loved the format- correspondence letters, and the setting- the Channel Island of Guernsey.  She had heard about Guernsey from her grandfather but learned more while reading this book.  Gayle loves to learn something from her books. Her runners-up are: "Blessings", "How to Talk to a Widower" and "Downhill Chance".
I love to hear about the books that other readers enjoy.
I have "Downhill Chance" on my bedside table, waiting to be read.  I love Donna Morrissey and will try harder to get to that book soon.

Happy New Year!

More on "Natural Order"

I have been thinking about this book and realizing that the writing is more extraordinary than I had first realized.  I knew that the characters were magnetic and the language was delightful.  But, on further thought, I ponder how well the plot was developed.  Actually there were stories of three gay men from three different generations.  What a powerful way to show the development of thinking in respect to homosexuality.  But this was accomplished by switching back and forth in time in a seemingly 'natural order'.  In retrospect, I realize how amazing this was.  The narrative just flowed without appearing forced.
Also, I came to realize how much I love a satisfying ending.  For me, that means that people work through the issues that were challenging in their lives.  Oprah called this an 'aha' moment.  I love a big 'aha' moment, when everything starts to make sense.  And, often, that only happens years after the fact.
It was so interesting to see how that 'aha' moment was achieved.  It took a number of circumstances to occur for Joyce Sparks to finally understand her son.


                                               Brian's comments on this novel:


The book tells the story of a senior woman named Joyce Sparks coming to terms with the death of her adult son. It’s about the mistakes we make in the name of love and the second chances that sometimes shine a light in our darkest moments.

The novel came about because I wanted to capture a character in the final years of life. What would she think looking back on her past? What did she think of her life now? What were the things she’d do differently if she were given the opportunity? Out of that curiosity, Joyce Sparks was born.

Brian Francis

Brian Francis (born 1971) is a Canadian writer. His 2004 novel Fruit was selected for inclusion in the 2009 edition of Canada Reads, where it was championed by novelist and CBC Radio One personality Jen Sookfong Lee. It finished the competition as the runner-up, making the last vote against the eventual winner, Lawrence Hill's The Book of Negroes.
Brian lives inToronto and has a cooking blog "Coker Cooking".

A Mother's Challenge

How does a mother handle a child that is different?
I just read two books where the mothers discovered that their sons were more interested in girlish play- dolls, cooking.  They both were not only uncomfortable with that, but felt the need to hide it from the fathers.  In one book, the child was a hermaphrodite, in the other book the boy was gay.
Both books were fascinating. I loved the characters, writing, plot and setting.  One was in small town Ontario and the other was in Labrador.  They both were emotional.  One had a more satisfying ending for me.

How does it taste?

In a blog called "Zen Habits", Leo Babauta promotes his Sea Change program, which is about forming good habits.  One of the habits that he is promoting is reading.  For $10.00 a month, you can register for his approach.  I have not done that, but in his list of favourite books, I saw the title:

"The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" by Aimee Bender (c2010)

I knew this would be a take-off on "Like Water for Chocolate" by Laura Esquivel (c1992), which is a great book with such a novel premise.  Love books like that!  So I had to read this unusual title.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake

In this novel, Rose, at nine, discovers that she can taste her mother's emotions in the cake that she baked.  She knows everything that is not being spoken of in the house- mostly her mother's affair.  This is similar to "Like Water for Chocolate" and I enjoy that type of magical realism.  However, Rose can also tell where the food was grown, sometimes as specific as the actual farm and whether it is organic.  Interesting premise, but a book needs more than a good idea.  It needs fascinating characters and a plot.  The mother, father, sister and brother never communicate and all seem severely depressed.  The plot consists of being concerned (or not) about the brother's disappearance.  This is really magical realism- he turns into furniture!  Sometimes he is a chair or a table.  You also discover that the grandfather had been able to smell emotions, so he had to cover his face in public to avoid the onslaught of emotions.

Like Water for Chocolate

This book is one-of-a-kind.  I found it extremely entertaining and read it twice.  It is a combination tall tale/ fairy tale/ Mexican cookbook/ home-remedy handbook.
It takes place on a ranch on the border of Mexico during the Mexican Revolution.
Mama Elena passes down the family decision that the youngest daughter may not marry but must care for her mother.  So when Tita, her youngest daughter, falls in love with Pedro, Mama Elena says that Tita is not available but Rosaura is and they marry.

Written from the perspective of Tita's grand niece, whose mother (Esperanza) and father (Alex) returned from their honeymoon to find the ranch covered in ash- cookbook intact, telling in each of its recipes this story of a love interred.
Like Water for Chocolate: being on the verge of boiling over.