"A Man Called Ove" by Fredrick Backman

   As the heading on my blog explains, I don't always see a book the same way as others do.  And that is apparent with this book.                Several of my friends really loved it. On Goodreads, there were 63,494 reviews with an average 4.31 rating.
   Ove is a curmudgeon who has lost his wife and his job.  He is only 59, but seems much older. 
  Quote: "Ove had been a grumpy old man since he started elementary school. He believed so strongly in things- justice and fair play and hard work and a world where right just had to be right". 
   I rather enjoyed his backstory, but the actual story was supposed to be funny but was so dark and slap-stick - falling off ladders, hitting people with the door.
  To be honest, I feel like a curmudgeon talking about this book, because I really didn't enjoy it.  I read parts of it to my husband and he laughed.  So, it is just me.  Can a woman be a curmudgeon?
  My friend Penny wrote a 'proper review'.  Click here to read it.

   The author, Fredrick Backman is Swedish and has written another book called "My Grandmother Asked Me To tell you She's Sorry".  Both of these books have sold very well. 
   Carol, on the blog "Giraffe Dreams" believes that Swedish novels are 'unique and quirky'.  She writes about the novel "The 100-year-old-man Who Climbed Out The Window and Disappeared".  I didn't really appreciate that book either.  I'm just a curmudgeon!

Richard B.Wright

Richard B.Wright

   Richard Wright has written fifteen books.  I had already read two of them- "Clara Callan" and "October".  I wasn't terribly fond of either of them, so I am not sure why I thought that I should read his new book.

   "Clara Callan" is about two sisters- Clara and Nora. They were born in a small town in Canada.  Nora moved to New York and became a soap-opera star, while Clara stayed in the small town.  The focus of the book is the bond between sisters.
A librarian that I knew said that "Clara Callan" was her favourite all-time book.  It didn't click with me.

   In "October", James Hillyer traveled from Canada to England to visit his daughter, Susan, who had been diagnosed with cancer.  While there, he encountered Gabriel Fontaine, a man he knew from one summer when the two men were teenagers in Perce, Quebec. Gabriel was dying of cancer and asked James to accompany him to Switzerland where he had arranged to be euthanized.  These events caused James to recollect that summer sixty years in the past, and to ruminate on life and relationships and death.  I liked this book better than "Clara Callan" and found it an enjoyable read.

             And so, the new book: "Nightfall"

Beautiful cover.

   Goodreads calls this 'a love story for the elderly'.  Oh, yes, that's why I decided to read it!

   Well, Richard Wright picked up the story of James Hillyer when he was 76.  There were passages repeated from "October" to show how James had met Odette one summer when they were 14.  

   In this book, James' daughter has died and James is despondent.  Then he remembered Odette and searched for her.  So, yes it is a love story.  But I did not find it nearly as fascinating as this blurb in Goodreads describing it: 

"Nightfall skillfully captures the way in which our past is ever-present in our minds as we grow older, casting its spell of lost loves and the innocent joys of youth over the realities of aging and death. The novel is skillfully grounded in observation, propelled by unforgettable characters, and filled with wisdom about young love and old love.  Drawing on the author's profound understanding of the intimate bonds between men and women, Nightfall is classic Richard B. Wright".

Wouldn't that write-up convince you to read the book?

"Being Mortal" by Atul Gawande

The subtitle of this book is: Medicine and What Matters in the End
   It addresses end of life issues and was recommended to me by my friend, Judy, who is involved with care of her parents and aunt.
   The author is a surgeon who is searching for the best care for people at the end of their lives.  Medicine has focussed on 'fixing' people and often will offer more and more 'fixing'. Even when they say there is nothing more they can do, there usually is more- operations, tubes, experimental drugs.  But this doctor is evaluating when it is wise to 'fix' and when it is not.
Quote: "We pay doctors to give chemotherapy and to do surgery but not to take the time required to sort out when to do so is unwise".
  These issues are good to discuss long before decisions need to be made.  So my husband and I have been discussing them and I knew that he would relate to this military quote:
"The simple view is that medicine exists to fight death and disease, and that is, of course, its most basic task.  Death is the enemy.  But the enemy has superior forces.  Eventually, it wins.  And in a war that you cannot win, you don't want a general  who fights to the point of total annihilation.  You don't want Custer.  You want Robert E. Lee, someone who knows how to fight for territory that can be won and how to surrender it when it can't, someone who understands that the damage is greatest if all you do is battle to the bitter end."

Atul Gawande

Wouldn't we all like a doctor like this!  One who spends a lot of time with patients and their families, when they have really tough decisions to make. Some doctors give instructions about what must be done. Others give the patient oodles and oodles of information and leave them to sort it out.  But a good doctor will spend time finding out what makes life valuable to the patient and how to support those interests and values to the end.

"The ultimate is not a good death but a good life- to the very end."

   The Canadian government is presently discussing end of life issues.  This book gives you much to think about.  The author addresses the whole spectrum of nursing homes, paliative care and hospices.
"Whatever the limits and travails we face, we want to retain the autonomy- the freedom- to be the authors of our lives.  This is the very marrow of being human".

"Aquarium" by David Vann

   I was excited to read this book because my granddaughter works in an aquarium and I thought I might be able to recommend this book to her. 
  I was very quickly drawn into the story of a 12-year-old girl, Caitlin,  visiting the aquarium every day after school to wait for her mother to pick her up after work.   Caitlin is fascinated by all the sea creatures and finds an elderly man there that loves to chat with her about the animals.  They develop a close relationship.
  The book at this point has pictures and information about sea creatures, like the ghost pipefish- very interesting critters.  I was loving this book when it took a turn for the worse and never recovered.
  This man in the aquarium turns out to be Caitlin's grandfather- the father of Caitlin's mother Sheri.  Caitlin lived with her mother and had never known about any other family members.
   Well, Caitlin's mother Sheri was furious to see this man who had left her and her mother when Sheri was a teenager and her mother was dying of cancer.  
   The old man was now filled with regret and apologies, AND he was wealthy.  But Sheri went on a rampage with Caitlin.  Sheri decided to teach Caitlin what it was like for her when her father left.  She pretends to be her dying mother and makes Caitlin care for her every physical need- dressing, feeding, cleaning messes, bathing.  It is disgusting and the story never recovers.
   Many people appreciated this as a story of a dysfunctional family. I wanted to continue the story of the young girl and old man wandering through the aquarium learning about the fish.  
  The book blurb says, "Relentless and heartbreaking, primal and redemptive."
   I will not be recommending this book to my granddaughter or anyone else. 

Chris Bohjalian

   In the late 1990's Oprah had a book club and she talked about Chris Bohjalian's "Midwives".  I was interested in reading this book at that time because my children were having babies, sometimes using midwives.
   The book centred on a midwife on trial and I really enjoyed the book.  It was well-written and kept my interest.


   This month, one of my book clubs has chosen another book by Chris Bohjalian- "The Sandcastle Girls". 
    It turns out that this book is Chris' fourteenth novel.  Still good writing.  But this book did not catch my interest.  Perhaps it was the subject matter- the Armenian genocide.  It is advertised as a 'story of love and war'.  Actually, I just read a story of love and war- "The Lost Wife" and I thought it was difficult to read about the brutality of the holocaust.  Well, I found this book more difficult.  Perhaps I have reached my limit of sadness.  Perhaps this book focused too much on the brutality.  Or perhaps it was the flipping back and forth from Syria in 1915 to New York in 2012.  It was definitely too heavy for reading in this beautiful spring weather.
   In 20 years of book clubs, I have only refused to read one book. So I did read this book, but skimmed through some of the difficult parts.  My commitment to book clubs causes a dilemma at times. 

Change in perspective

I love checking my daily 'thought for the day'.

"A change in perspective is worth 80 IQ points."

Alan Kay, computer scientist (b. 17 May 1940) 

   I have realized that this is important for me in a novel.  I am most interested in reading about growth and change.  I think most people are frustrated with a story where the characters never learn from their mistakes.  They are not open to change.
  I have written about my thrill at reading "The Hero's Walk", where a man whose heart was hardened against his daughter, changes his perspective.  You can check out "The Hero's Walk" here.

"Girl Runner" by Carrie Snyder

   This novel begins with the protagonist, Aganetha Smart, at 104, living in a nursing home.  A young couple arrive to take her out.  It is believed that they are just going outside for a visit, but they take her to the farm where she grew up.
   Aganetha had been an Olympic runner and the story brings in vignettes of her youth.  I enjoyed reading about her life on the farm where she loved to run and balance on railings or even on running horses.
   Aganetha moved to Toronto where she worked at Packer Meats and began training. She became pregnant, and the story of the birth is released in small details throughout the book, leading to the climax, revealing the significance of the young couple who take the 104 year-old Aganetha from the nursing home.

  Carrie Snyder, the author, is also a runner, and she agreed to speak to our book club.  I asked about the non-linear aspect of her writing and she said that the story just came to her that way.  She began thinking about Aganetha at 104 and she developed the story from there.

Preston Library Book Club

"The Last Van Gogh" by Alyson Richman

Alyson Richman

  
   Alyson Richman lives in New York and has written 7 books, all receiving good reviews and high ratings.  
   I was so impressed with her writing that I wanted to read another of her books.
  "The last Van Gogh" got a four star rating on Amazon, but most of the others rated even higher.



Overview:
   Dr. Gachet had trained as a medical doctor, but he became interested in natural medicine.  And so, he became a homeopath. He cultivated plants and herbs in his garden to use for his tinctures. He experimented with the remedies with himself and his family.  He gathered the flowers, roots and special leaves and soaked them in alcohol.  After two weeks, he would press the herb-steeped solution through a wine press and funnel the liquid into flasks.
   Dr. Gachet was most interested in artists because he felt that they were subject to 'melancholy' and he encouraged them to come to Auvers, France to recuperate from their illnesses by using his elixirs.
  This book focusses on Vincent Van Gogh's last 70 days under Dr. Gachet's care in Auvers.
  Dr. Gauchet's daughter fell in love with Van Gogh and that is the heart of the story.
Language:
  This author writes beautiful, descriptive sentences.  That was my reason for checking out another of her stories.  In this novel, she described in detail not only the paintings and the method of painting, but also the flower beds, clothes,  food, etc.  
Sample:
"At my piano, my fingers stretched out to reach him.  As if the ivory keys were ladders to his heart.  I struck each note with the precision of a harpist, plucking out a melody that I imagined could reach only him".
Plot:
  There was very little plot in this novel.  It could have been written in 100 pages instead of 300 pages.  And so, I felt that the description overwhelmed the story and I found myself skimming through the description to get to some 'action'.  

Both a love story and a historical novel.

"The Lost Wife" by Alyson Richman

"A rapturous novel of first love in a time of war".
   This is the advertising for this novel.  And rapture it is!  First love- estatic, euphoric.  The cover captures it!
   This author is a master of words!  The writing is sensuous- involving all the senses. Quote: "There are two sensations of skin you will always remember in your lifetime: the first time you fall in love- and that person holds your hand- and the first time your child grasps your finger". 
Another quote" "You hear in the person you're destined to love the sound of those yet to be born."  
   This story is an emotional roller coaster- the love, the war, Auschwitz.
   The Nazi invasion of Prague separates this couple for sixty years!  Providence gives Lenka and Josef another chance.  Lenka's granddaughter is marrying Josef's grandson in New York.  Both Lenka and Josef believed that the other had died many years before.  Each had married and had children and grandchildren.  But the memory of the first love never left either of them.  Sixty years is a long time and they barely recognize each other when brought together by fate.
   This is an amazing story that was well-researched.  It includes the stories of several people whose lives are documented in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.
   I really struggled with the horrors of Auschwitz-  so difficult to understand the depth of suffering.
   I was disappointed that the reunion of Lenka and Josef is only mentioned briefly at the beginning and the end.  The rest of the book briefly tells Josef's story but relates Lenka's story in detail.  She is "The Lost Wife".  They had been married very briefly before being separated.  I wanted to know what they would say to each other after sixty years, but the novel stops at their first recognition.

  This is a very emotional novel about the power of first love, the resilience of the human spirit, and the strength of memory.

Civil War Trilogy

   These books arrived at our door this week- a surprise for my husband.  He loves the writing of Jeff Shaara because Jeff helps you understand events from the viewpoint of those involved- the soldiers, the generals, everyone involved.
  And, as a special perk, each book is autographed.

   Jeff's father, Michael, born in 1928, wrote "Killer Angels" in 1974.  He taught literature at Florida State University while writing fiction in his spare time- drinking coffee and smoking long into the night.  This stress caused heart failure at 36, but he recovered and continued writing.  "Killer Angels" won the Pulitzer Prize in 1975 and was made into a movie with the title "Gettysburg".  Michael died of heart failure in 1988.

  The son, Jeff, graduated from university with a degree in criminology, but after his father died, he began writing historical fiction, documenting the American wars.  He has now written 13 novels that have been on the New York Times bestsellers list.
   He added to his father's writing by adding a prequel and a sequel, to completely document the Civil War.
   In the autograph for his father's book, he wrote: "For my father's legacy".
   I surprised John once before with Jeff Shaara books.  Read about it here.
P.S. To say that Jeff Shaara books are well-received in this house is an understatement!

"The Excellent Lombards" by Jane Hamilton

Jane Hamilton

  This novel is the growing up story of Frankie (Mary Francis) Lombard.  Members of her extended family own a farm with several buildings and an apple orchard and Frankie is fiercely in love with the whole operation.
  I have enjoyed Jane Hamilton's writing in the past and read this promotion on the cover:  "This is the book Jane Hamilton was born to write, and it is a book that thrilled me to read.  "The Excellent Lombards" is, in fact, magnificent".
That quote is from Ann Patchett who is an author of great renown and I expected a 'great novel'.
  Well, this novel is not 'magnificent', nor did it thrill me.
   When I began reading, I was enjoying Jane Hamilton's ability to write beautiful sentences.   For example:  "The harvest was a wild living thing that you were  trying to tame while all the while it was dragging you behind, arms out, flailing, in the chase. But here, was the miracle: Despite the chaos, the lack of planning, the bad feeling between Sherwood and my father, there was also an overriding unity of purpose, a reverence for the family history, a love for the soil within the property lines."                       
  But eventually, I needed more than well-written sentences.  I was looking for more plot.
  The novel described Frankie's life on the farm, her school life, her friends, and quirky family members.   Mostly she loved the farm so much that she never wanted to leave and was concerned about the other financial interests in the property, as well as the challenge of keeping the town from overtaking them.  Change is inevitable and Frankie is desperate to keep things as they are.
  This book reminded me of "The Orchard" by Theresa Weir.  That book was a memoir and dealt with environmental issues as well as family dynamics.  It was much more interesting.
  This novel really needed some 'pizzazz'.

I have read two other books by Jane Hamilton and enjoyed both of them much more than "The Excellent Lombards".  

                   

The Price of Life

  Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan were kidnapped in Somalia.  I have written about Amanda's book, "A House in the Sky".  This is Nigel's story.
  The book is printed in Australia and very hard to find in Canada.  But I could not rest until I heard Nigel's thoughts.
   It is a very different book- mostly because it is not written by professional writers.  The language is crude and often confusing. 
   Nigel's sister and sister-in-law collaborated on this book.  I was very interested to read about the story from the point of view of the family, interspersed with Nigel's account of the kidnapping.
   The first thing that I noticed was the difference in their family situations.  Nigel had two brothers and a sister. Each of his siblings was married with three children.  They all lived close to the parents and Nigel had previously helped to build a large house for their parents.     
  When the kidnapping happened, Nigel immediately recognized the seriousness and was very worried about his family.  He was the youngest child in his family and was a wandering playboy.  He had just spent time in Scotland with his girlfriend.  But Amanda was able to convince him to join her in Somalia.  She talked about projects that would help his photography career but he was also interested to see where the relationship with Amanda would go.
   The second thing that caught my attention was the complexity of an international kidnapping.  The family home in Australia was swarmed with officials of all sorts.  There were representatives from DFAT (Department of foreign affairs and trade), AFP (Australian Federal Police), QPol(Queensland Police), FLO (family liaison officer). This is the confusing part of the story because there are so many 'negotiators'.  The family use short forms for everything, so they talk about 'negs' for negotiators.
  Operations central was set up in the family home with the telephone in the centre.   The walls became filled with charts containing strategy for negotations- what to say, what not to say, how to answer questions, what questions to ask.  I didn't realize from Amanda's story that there was so much communication - not only with Adan (in Somalia) but with kidnap specialists all over. The negotiator in Nairobi kept changing. There was a TPI (Third party Intermediary) who went in person to negotiate with Adan in Somalia.  He offered $250,000.00 but that was refused.  Amanda's family was not offering any money, content that the government would look after it.
  Nigel's sister, Nicky, was trained to answer the phone calls.  The house was busy with people coming and going.  The family was completely consumed from the moment of capture.
  Members of all the groups were constantly changing as other people were brought in.  Eventually they moved 'operations central' out of the family home because there were grandchildren also running around.  The family was discouraged from using e-mail or cell phones because of security.  Also they were discouraged from fund raising or any form of publicity.  In Brisbane the 'negs' set up MIR (Major Incident room) and in Canberra there was ICC (Incident Coordination Centre).  There are many kidnappings every year and there are international negotiators.
  And so, the story rotates between the three authors- Nigel, Nicole (sister), and Kellie (sister-in-law).  
  Nigel tells how "guilt chews away at me".  He writes that Amanda was a powerhouse in the first week .  She did most of the talking while he struggled to come to terms with what was happening.  Perhaps Amanda was more nonchalant because she had already been kidnaped once for a short time and also she told Nigel that her mother had been held hostage 11 years before, in Japan.  This explains why Amanda was not as devastated as you would expect.
  But as Nigel writes further about their situation, you realize that he had a much, much easier time physically than Amanda.  After Amanda was separated from him, they found ways to communicate and he was aware of Amanda's abuse. 
  When it was getting close to a year since the abduction, with no progress and very little contact with Nigel, the family wanted to try a private negotiator.  They had researched and looked for  help in many places.  Nigel's aunt was willing to give them some money and she organized a trip to Vancouver with Kellie and Nicole to meet Amanda's parents and hopefully make a plan together.
  The actual final negotiations got very bizarre. Such a complicated country to be trying to make a plan that sticks!
  Another surprising thought is that you can go to jail for 25years to life for paying ransom.  So, getting the money out of the country and into the right hands was certainly dangerous.
  At one point, the sister-in-law that was doing all the work wondered why Nigel was in Somalia.  "I wanted to know if Nigel met up with Amanda to get his leg over.  If so, I hoped that shag was worth it cause it's been nothing but trouble for the rest of us".
   This book really added insight into the kidnapping.  I found it fascinating!

A House in the Sky

   I read this book before it was announced for O.B.O.C.  It is the true story of a kidnapping in Somalia.
  The first half of the book frustrated me as I tried to understand Amanda.  She was warned and warned about going to "the most dangerous place in the world".  She was told that she would be raped and beheaded.  She knew that reporters needed ransom insurance.  She saw a corpse along the road that had been beheaded.  She ignored everything.  I could never relate to her. She had magical thinking. 'It won't happen to me'.  And she convinced Nigel to go with her! 

   I was so distressed about the harm she caused the two of them but also many others, including the families at home.
  I pondered Amanda's life and wondered if her childhood is the key to understanding Amanda.  She tells in the book about her mother bringing home men who were violent, and I realized that Amanda was used to being in danger.  As a young child, she was reading National Geographic to escape, while her mother's boyfriend was punching holes in the wall.  I also read that Amanda's mother had been involved with a cult in Japan and was abducted there.
    Amanda's connection with her mother interested me.  I would expect that she would be upset with her mother for not protecting her in childhood, but she really loved her mother.  Did she turn into her mother?
  If any of this is true, it would help me understand how she was nonchalant when abducted and able to remember every detail.

  *****************************************************************************************************************************************************

  Discussion:

   This book certainly does initiate conversation because there seem to be two reactions and people line up on one side or the other.  

  One side says that Amanda was too cocky for her own good.  She constantly ignored advice from people who knew what they were talking about, e.g the fixer, Ajoos.

  The other side is that she is just adventurous- like the explorers, mountain climbers, and other people who have pushed the limits.

  And what about her charity?  When Amanda was freed, she began a charity to educate girls in Somalia. I felt that Amanda had put so much pressure on her family that her number one responsibility should have been to repay her debts to them.

  Another thought (about her charity for education) is that some of the hostage takers were 'educated'.  Does education really solve the problem of Islamic fundamentalism?  And why would she desire to return to the place of torture?  

  Apparently Amanda has been cancelling speaking engagements because 'Adam', who was a key figure in the kidnapping has been arrested, and she is obviously still suffering P.T.S.D.  Hope you got the picture.  Lots of strong thoughts.  

The 5 Love Languages

 

Gary Chapman

 Gary Chapman is a relationship counsellor.  Who doesn't need one of those?
   I saw him interviewed by Oprah and recognized the value in his thinking.
   He writes about expressing love in five different ways and the importance of finding your partner's 'language'.  I understand his idea that everyone doesn't 'speak the same language', because I have always told my husband, "Don't tell me you love me, show me".  And he does- buying groceries, preparing meals, etc. after 56 years.

   These are the love languages according to Gary Chapman:

-words of affirmation
-acts of service
-receiving gifts    
-quality time
-physical touch

    This is a good reminder of all the thoughtful things that can be done to make life more satisfying for a couple.  Although 'receiving gifts' isn't really of interest to me, I do love a new puzzle book every once in a while- especially when it took a lot of searching to find the kind that I enjoy.
   And 'words of affirmation' are always necessary.  Who doesn't appreciate a compliment or a word of encouragement?

   Gary Chapman's research shows that the 'in-love state' only lasts a couple of years.  So when the real work begins, it is helpful to know the 'love languages'.  

  The author also believes that the '5 love languages' are helpful with friends and family.  In fact, he has written books for singles and children.  
"Inside every child is an 'emotional tank' waiting to be filled with love.  When a child really feels loved, he will develop normally, but when the love tank is empty, the child will  misbehave".

"The Burgess Boys" by Elizabeth Strout

When I discovered that I had missed reading one of Elizabeth Strout's books, I decided to get right at it.

Once again, Shirley Falls, Maine is the setting for part of the book.  There is an influx of Somalian refugees and the town is divided on their acceptance of these residents.

Quote:
"About the Somalis, a few townspeople did not speak at all: They were to be born as one bore bad winters or the price of gasoline or a child who turned out badly.  Others were not so silent.  One woman wrote a letter that the newspaper published.  "I finally figured out what it is I don't like about the Somalis being here.  Their language is different and I don't like the sound of it.  I love the Maine accent."

The Burgess Boys, Bob and Jim had long ago left Shirley Falls for New York City- both involved in law.  So their experience was needed when their nephew, Zachary, still living in Shirley Falls, threw a pig's head into a mosque.  Zack was charged with a hate crime.

   I had great difficulty completing this novel.  I feel a connection to Elizabeth Strout because of her beautiful language.  But, this book just could not keep my attention.  There was not enough plot to push my way through, but I persevered.
   The infusion of immigrants could have had real relevance to our lives, but this book was totally lacking.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  "Olive Kitteridge" was obviously the best novel written by this author.  It won a Pulitzer Prize and was made into an HBO miniseries that won an Emmy.  But the last two books have been disappointing.

I have enjoyed Elizabeth Strout's writing in the past because
- her plots are linnear and easy to follow
- I enjoy the small town of Shirley Falls
- the writing is beautiful
- she writes about human nature

Amy and Isabelle               2003
Abide With Me                  2006
Olive Kitteridge                 2008
The Burgess Boys              2013
My Name is Lucy Barton  2016

I will continue to be a fan but hope that future books will return to the standard of the first ones.

"My Name is Lucy Barton" by Elizabeth Strout

"There was all sorts of unhappiness in Shirley Falls that night.  If Isabelle Goodrow had been able to lift the roof off various houses and peer into their domestic depths she would have found an assortment of human miseries."

Elizabeth Strout

   This is a quote from "Amy and Isabelle" by Elizabeth Strout.
   And this seems to be what Elizabeth does best- take the roof off the house to show the human misery inside.
*******************************************************

I enjoyed "Abide With Me" about a widowed minister, Tyler, who was ineffective with his congregation and a disaster as a parent. This book was well-written with a great introduction, interesting development of characters, and a satisfying ending.

"Amy and Isabelle" was about a mother and daughter.  Amy, a high school student is in love with her math teacher.  Her mother, Isabelle, is filled with shame both about her daughter and her own past.
I enjoyed this book because of the beautiful writing.

"Olive Kitteridge" was interesting because it was about human nature.  It was not a direct narrative, but episodic with related stories- all relating to Olive, a very flawed woman.
Quote: 'Olive is a little of each of us'.  
We discussed this book at the library book club and it was not well-liked.  But I did appreciate the point that we are all flawed and searching for love and connection. 
Once again, I loved the writing.


   And so, we come to Elizabeth Strout's new book- "My Name is Lucy Barton". 
    Lucy Barton, a young mother of two, is searching desperately for validation from her mother who comes to sit by her bed in the hospital for five days, then disappears from her life again.
   The chapters alternate between scenes from Lucy's sad childhood and the hospital room with her mother sitting at the end of the bed.
   "Lonely was the first flavour I had tasted in my life and it was always there, hidden inside the crevices of my mouth, reminding me."
   An incredibly sad book about the pain that lasts a lifetime.

Yes, Elizabeth Strout continues to take the roof off each house to expose human misery.
  

One Book One Community

Announcement!  Announcement!  Announcement!

 The book selection for One Book One Community 2016 has been announced: "A House in the Sky" by Amanda Lindhout and Sara Corbett.  It is a memoir of abduction in Somalia.

Amanda Lindhout

   Amanda was fortunate to connect with Sara who agreed to write her story.  It is beautifully written.
  I have read this book and had trouble connecting with Amanda.  Her desire to put herself into danger and her reaction to the kidnapping were hard for me to understand.  Amanda had persuaded Nigel Brennan from Australia to accompany her, so he was also taken hostage in 2008.  
   Nigel collaborated with his sister and sister-in-law to write a book called "The Price of Life".  I searched for this book in order to better understand the situation.  I found it very different and enlightening.
  I will write about both books at a later date.

One Book One Community, 2016.

Readathon

The blogging world has many surprises for me and here is one:

Dewey's 24-hour Readathon 

It's time

I discovered it on a blog that I visit.
Click here: Avid Reader's Musings.
   This Saturday is the date for this readathon.  It was started in 2007 by a woman whose blog was called The Hidden Side of A Leaf.  When she died the next year, the readathon was continued by others.

   You can read about it here.    There is a synchronized starting time that joins the readers at the beginning of the 24 hours and you are encouraged to read as long as you can. Social media is a big part of the readathon and is 2/3 of the fun.  But it is suggested that that aspect be limited to the first 10 minutes of each hour. They have had 2000 participants register in the past.  They give away prizes and have cheerleaders.  

   Melissa at Avid Musings has been involved with 9 readathons in the past and added up her pages and books.  Here is the count: 43 books, 10,113 pages.  Melissa is a very fast reader and I have pointed out her statistics in my blog before.  She has taken a break since having a baby but she is back for this readathon.

   
   This would not work for me because I read, and analyze, and read, and think, and analyze, and read, and think some more, then fall asleep.
Happy reading, bloggers!

Quote of the day

"Beware of the stories you read or tell; subtly, at night, beneath the waters of consciousness, 

they are altering your world. "

Ben Okri, poet and novelist (born 1959)

Do stories really have this much power?

Have you ever noticed that your mood changes according to the book that you are reading?  Perhaps even the quality of your sleep is affected?

When I saw this quote it really caught my attention because I had realized that I was really cranky while I read "The Illegal".  But while I have been reading "Girl Runner", I have slept beautifully. Both books are about runners. 
If I wake up in the night, I think of Aganetha Smart, the protagonist of "Girl Runner" and it soothes me back to sleep. 

Any thoughts on this?

More about prison book clubs

I was so fascinated by the idea of prison book clubs, that I wanted to add this article from the internet.

Carol Findlay

   When Carol Finlay first visited Collins Bay Institution, a prison in Kingston, Ont., she tried to be inconspicuous. Armed only with a copy of Angela’s Ashes, she was out of place and it was obvious to everyone. Carol looked like what she was: a 66-year-old former high school English teacher nervously making her way down the halls of a federal penitentiary. Flanked by guards in bulletproof vests, she passed crowds of men, muscular, bald and heavily tattooed beneath prison-issue blue jeans and white T-shirts.

   “They just walked around with their heads down and no sense of purpose,” says Carol. “There’s a lot of misery and an air of sadness. You can totally disappear from the world.” And that’s where Carol comes in. “I grew up in a family where social service was important.” (Her mother was an Anglican priest and Carol was ordained in 1992.) In 2009, she was teaching in Toronto and spending the rest of her time at her country home near Kingston. “There I was, a middle-class woman teaching, preaching and digging in my vegetable garden. I wanted to be more involved with people on the edge of society. I thought, ‘What do I love that I can use?’ ”

   What she loved was books. And that August, Carol found herself sitting in a circle of empty chairs, waiting for 15 convicted criminals to join her for a literary discussion of Angela’s Ashes. “I’d taught in some rough schools before, but my knees were shaking,” she says. The men shuffled in, sat down and said nothing. But by the third meeting all she had to do was ask who wanted to begin.“To see them turned on to books was wonderful.”

   Book Clubs for Inmates is now a registered charity, and Carol is launching a 10th chapter. But holding a book club in prison isn’t easy. When guards bring members in, it can take an hour just to get everyone in the same room. Then, there’s a rush to get back to their cells. (Lateness can land inmates in trouble and possibly segregation.) “The first time I saw a man in segregation, I was horrified.” On hands and knees, she spoke to him through the food slot at the bottom of the door. “These things stay with me — I hope I don’t become immune.”

   Occasionally, Carol has to defend her vocation. Many of us don’t feel kindly toward inmates, but she has come to see most as essentially good people who have done terrible things. “It takes courage to survive in prison.” One man was too frightened to sleep in his first year; another lost his hair from stress. “My goal is to give them hope and aspirations beyond where they came from and whatever put them there in the first place.”

   Carol has introduced inmates to The Cellist of Sarajevo and The Book of Negroes. Discussions arise about self-sacrifice and overcoming adversity. “We try not to be moralistic, but these things come up. Most inmates don’t get anything to help them on the outside. We can’t give them degrees, but we give them other tools.” Kevin Pinto is a former inmate relying on his book club experience to sustain him as he starts over. He’d joined just to get out of his cell. “I stopped reading as a kid and didn’t think I’d enjoy it,” he says. “But Carol gives everyone a chance and encourages you to voice your opinion. That kind of validation is a big thing in prison.” Now Carol often drops books off at his door — she does everything she can to see members succeed on the outside. “It’s taken over my life in the nicest way,” she says. “I’d rather do this than sit in my parish ministry. The men shake your hand and say, ‘I can’t believe you do this for us.’ I’ve never been thanked like that before — this is the most rewarding work I’ve ever done.”

The Prison Book Club

   I love book clubs, but this is one that I will not be attending!
   The author is friends with a woman named Carol Findlay, who started this charity organization.
   Book Clubs for Inmates is run by volunteers who have developed 22 book clubs in penitentiaries in seven provinces.
It is run by a board of directors.
   The author of this book was asked to help in book selection and she was involved for a couple of years with two of the book clubs.  
    This book was interesting for me because I had read most of the books they were discussing.  But I was more interested in a woman who was so committed in her concern for improving the lives of those who spent time in prison.  She follows them to half-way houses, often starting book clubs there.  She uses her influence in an upper-class society to raise money to buy new books, but she continues to use her influence to help to find jobs, or even have proper clothes for a job interview when they are released.  She finds many ways to influence these people in a positive way.
Quote: "Never leave prison with a partly-read book.  You will return to complete it."  (That's what the prisoners say)
   I definitely can see the value of this experience.  Reading fiction is about developing empathy. My guess is that most prisoners never developed any in childhood.  Thus, a life of crime.
  One prisoner said that "literature had elevated something inside".
  Carol, the organizer, planned many experiences for her book clubs.  One experience was "reading in tandem" with a well-to-do book club in Toronto.  They would exchange thoughts on the book they were reading.  It connected the prisoners to the real world and meant that their thoughts were important. Lawrence Hill was one of the authors that Carol arranged to visit some of the book clubs. He was always interested in hearing their thoughts.
  When the author of this book, Ann Wamsley, got involved, she met many of the prisoners individually in order to find their interests and get feed-back on books.  She gave each of the really keen members a notebook to record thoughts.  These 'keeners' were used as ambassadors to encourage the others to finish books and look for new members.

There can never be enough book clubs!

book bags

   Since I love book clubs, I find this library resource helpful.   Each bag holds  seven copies of one book, which is really helpful when many people are needing a copy of the same book.
  There are 98 different titles and the loan period is 6 weeks.
  I have been a strong advocate for book clubs located in local libraries.  We have four branches of our local library and I am delighted that we now have at least one book club in each branch.  There are so many different ways of running a book club and this is the variety that we have so far:
1.) everyone reads the same book to discuss ( 2 different locations)
2.) discussions about books, films, and music- rotating among the local bars and cafes.
3.) B.Y.O.B. - bring your own baby and talk about books
4.) Amnesty International book club - discussion of one book, followed by social action
5.) cook book book club- sharing recipes and cook books

  I have been concerned with the changes in our local "Ideas Unlimited".  Since the name changed, I was afraid that the focus on books would be gone in the midst of art, music, crafts.
You can read my library rant here.
  But I am happier now that the book clubs are developing.
  The library also has developed a branch of Third Age learning, that has outgrown the room available at any library branch, and has been moved to a local church.
   So there still is a focus on books and learning.

The Soul of an Octopus

   My granddaughter Kaitlyn is an aquarist at the Ripley's Aquarium in Toronto. She works with jellyfish, but she loves octopuses and spends time with them when she can.  When she last visited here, she was telling me about the book that she was reading, "The Soul of an Octopus".  I found a copy in the library and began reading.

   Whatever interests the grandchildren, interests me. It helps me understand them and stay connected. When I e-mailed her to say that I had read the book, she was excited and wanted to go for lunch to talk about it .  So the next time she came to town, we did just that!

"The Soul of An Octopus" by Sy Montgomery
Page 1:"It's hard to find an animal more unlike a human than an octopus."

Perhaps that's why they are so fascinating.

The author spent time in the New England Aquarium in Boston learning about the octopus.  Surprisingly enough, my friend Terri and I also spent some time in that aquarium, but the octopus was hidden in the back of his display and we were more interested in the huge display of penguins.

Interesting facts about octopuses (yes, that is the plural)

- although invertibrates are not known for intelligence, the octopus is very smart

- changes color and shape due to emotion and health (excitement turns their skin bumpy and red)

- tastes with its skin
- may have up to 200 suckers on each arm
- each sucker can lift 30 pounds
- one arm in the male is used for sexual purposes
- short life span ( 3 or 4 years)
- 3 hearts
- brain wraps around the throat
- blood is blue
- lays hundreds of eggs the size of a grain of rice, stringing them together and hanging them in strands

  Some people wonder about animals in captivity.  One man who catches octopuses for aquariums, feels that the animals are ambassadors from the wild and will live a long and happy life.

"An aquarium without an octopus is like a plum pudding without a plum."

Octopuses have thoughts, feelings and personalities, but a soul?

A Breathe of Fresh air

  After being so immersed in Canada Reads, I was delighted to read "Rebecca" by Daphne DuMaurier.  It seemed like a breath of fresh air, although it does have a sinister aspect.  The writing is spectacular and I love the description of the British countryside.

Daphne DuMaurier

  DuMaurier has always said that this novel is a study in jealousy, and apparently she knew about jealousy in her personal life.
  The story follows a young woman who marries a widower and moves into his estate, filled with the memories of his first wife.
  Central to the plot is Mrs. Danvers who runs the household and had adored the first Mrs. deWinter, who is the 'Rebecca' of the title.
  The story was macabre enough to gain the attention of Alfred Hitchcock, who made it into a black and white movie, with Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine.
  I had already read one book by this author, "The House on the Strand", but it was not as compelling as this novel.
  I loved it!