Thursday, August 23, 2012

The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver








The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver wasn't widely read until it came out in paperback on it's 10 year anniversary. When it was first published, however, its author was unknown. Word of mouth spread slowly among booksellers, librarians, critics and readers with a passion to share their favorite books. In The Bean Trees they found a spirited protagonist. It is now a standard in college literature classes across the nation and has been translated for a readership stretching from Japan to Romania.


"Clear-eyed and spirited, Taylor Greer grew up poor in rural Kentucky with the goals of avoiding pregnancy and getting away. But when she heads west with high hopes and a barely functional car, she meets the human condition head-on. By the time Taylor arrives in Tucson, Arizona, she has acquired a completely unexpected child, a three-year-old American girl named Turtle, and must somehow come to terms with both motherhood and the necessity for putting down roots. Hers is a story about love and friendship, abandonment and belonging, and the discovery of surprising resources in apparently empty places."

This was a short book and easy to read. I enjoyed the characters - as I do all of the creations of Kingsolver. You can't help but root for Taylor, Turtle, Lou Ann, Mattie and all the others. 

Even as a teen Taylor, who had changed her name from Marietta, liked bright colors and had decided if she couldn't dress elegant, she was going to dress memorable. She is a woman with spunk and a determination not to wind up having to stay in her poor situation because of getting pregnant as a teen. 

After experiencing a rather horrible day at the hospital where she worked, she threw up twice and decided she wanted to quit. But later, she decided she had seen the worst that she would ever see so there was no reason to quit now. A determined woman with gumption and personality!

Kingsolver touches on poverty, child abuse, friendship "but two of the greatest influences in The Bean Trees are the Cherokee Trail of Tears, the geographical trek that the Cherokee Nation was forced to travel when it was moved to the Oklahoma territory from the southeastern United States, and the Sanctuary movement, designed to help Central Americans flee oppressive governmental regimes and relocate — usually secretly and illegally — in the United States." [from cliff notes] 

I would suggest this book to any book club. The discussion could take so many different directions. 

"Barbara Kingsolver was born in 1955, and grew up in rural Kentucky. She earned degrees in biology from DePauw University and the University of Arizona, and has worked as a freelance writer and author since 1985. At various times in her adult life she has lived in England, France, and the Canary Islands, and has worked in Europe, Africa, Asia, Mexico, and South America. She spent two decades in Tucson, Arizona, before moving to southwestern Virginia where she currently resides."

You can find more about Barbara Kingsolver H.E.R.E.


She has 13 published books with a new one coming out in November 2012.

I have reviewed The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver H.E.R.E.

I have reviewed The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver H.E.R.E.


I highly recommend this book. 

 



 



Monday, August 20, 2012

The United States Presidents





If you know me at all, you know at least three things about me.

  1. I'm a mother
  2. I'm a reader
  3. I am incredibly fortunate to have met this wonderful man I married - and that I am very very happy!!
There are WAY TOO MANY reasons that I love this man for me to put them here in a blog - but I will tell you about one of the reasons!!

He likes to read! Maybe not as much as me, but he is a reader. Randy also likes history. Now he likes history as much as I like reading!! The best way for him to learn more history is by reading!!! A match made in heaven! : )   (We also enjoy visiting museums.)

 At the Watkins Museum in Lawrence, KS

We started picking up a few "history" books while we were shopping for our used book business. I have tried to talk him into doing some book reviews on these books but he isn't interested!! Takes him too much time and once he finishes a book he moves on to the next. No time to review!! A few that he started with are:

"Going Home to Glory A Memoir of Life with Dwight D Eisenhower" 
by David Eisenhower with Julie Nixon

"Dutch" by Edmond Morris
(@ Ronald Reagan)

"Lincoln" by David Herbert Donald

"Decision Points" by George W Bush

"The Family, The Real Story of the Bush Dynasty" by Kitty Kelley
 "My Name is America 
The Journal of Rufus Rowe
A Witness to the Battle of Fredricksburg, Bowling Green, Virginia 1862"
by Sid Hite

"1776" by David McCullough

"Truman" by David McCullough
 

"Mornings on Horseback" by David McCullough
(@ Theodore Roosevelt)

The Theodore Roosevelt Trilogy
"The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt"
"Theodore Rex"
"Colonel Roosevelt"
by Edmond Morris

By this time, my dear husband was hooked!





He decided he wanted to read a book about each one of our presidents. He had already read about George Washington, so he began with:

"John Adams" by David McCullough

"Thomas Jefferson" by R.B. Bernstein

"James Madison" by Richard Brockhiser

"James Monroe: The American Presidents Series: The 5th President 1817-1825"
by Arthur M Schlesinger and Gary Hart

"John Quincy Adams"
American Profiles by H.W. Brands

"Andrew Jackson: His Life and Times" by H.W. Brands

"William Henry Harrison: The American Presidents Series: The 9th President 1841"
by Gail Collins, Arthur M Schlesinger, Sean Wilentz, Gary May

"John Tyler: The American Presidents Series: the 10th President, 1841-1845"
by Arthur M Schlesinger, Sean Wilentz, Gary May

"Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America"
by Walter R Borneman

"Zachary Taylor: The American Presidents Series: The 12th President, 1849-1850"
by Arthur M Schlesinger, Sean Wilentz, John Eisenhower

"Millard Fillmore: The American Presidents Series: The 13th President, 1850-1853"
by Arthur M Schlesinger, Sean Wilentz, Paul Finkelman

and he's now reading:
"Franklin Pearce: The American Presidents Series: The 14th President, 1853-1857"
by Arthur M Schlesinger, Michael F Holt, Sean Wilentz 

Well, as you can see, my dear husband has far out-read me!! He left me in the dust!! We're not sure how it happened but he skipped Martin Van Buren. So he will need to back track a bit at some point.

I think what amazes me most about Randy's reading is that I can pick one of these presidents out of the air and he can tell me about the book. I would be getting them all mixed up but he doesn't! 

So, we don't have a review of each book but if you are interested, message us and he will be glad to tell you his view about any President that you have a question about.




Saturday, August 18, 2012

The Unraveling of Reverend G by RJ Thesman


"The Unraveling of Reverend G" is RJ Thesman's first fiction book. It was just released this month, August, 2012.
"When Reverend G hears the devastating diagnosis — dementia with the possibility of early-onset Alzheimer’s — she struggles with the pain of forgetting those she loves and the fear of losing her connection with God. With the help of her friends at the assisted living facility, Bert, a farmer from Oklahoma, Roxie, the stressed-out activities director and Gabriel, a cat with the gift of forecasting death, she soon discovers there’s humor to be found in forgetting part of the Lord’s Prayer, finding her iron in the freezer and losing a half-gallon of ice cream. And she discovers that while the question she wants to ask is, ‘Why,’ the answer really is, ‘Who.’"
This is the second book of fiction that I've read about dementia - Alzheimers. The first one was several years ago and it was "Still Alice" - you can read my review of that book H.E.R.E.

That book was much different than Thesman's book. In "The Unraveling of Reverend G", you immediately feel like your reading about your mother or a dear aunt. It's as if you are right there with Rev G exploring this new life with her. 

My mother-in-law, Anne, suffered with dementia and I could see her in Rev G. They share a like faith. In the last year of Anne's life, she hardly talked at all, but she would hum and sing "Amazing Grace." I know it was a comfort to her to have that hymn in her mind - but it was also a comfort to her family, knowing that her faith was sustaining her.


I greatly appreciated Rev G's yearning for not losing her relationship with God. For her sincere, casual way of conversing with God. It's the way I talk to God so this book was very natural for me to empathize with.  At the beginning of her diagnosis she says to God "...  As this disease progresses, please don't let me ever lose the joy of hearing your voice. Do not let me forget you..." What an honest yearning for one knowing all they are familiar with may be lost. Rev G realizes she will forget people. Even people she loves. But she longs for assurance throughout the book that she will not forget God and all that He has meant to her. 

Thesman was able to let the reader appreciate the "comedic" relief that we need when coping with dementia. There were true to life people in Rev G's life that I enjoyed meeting. - And she had a cat!! Had to appreciate that a pet can bring such comfort to those in need of that comfort.

This is an exceptional job for RJ Thesman's first journey into fiction. Her book was easy to read and very well written. It's a good read and it's also a fast read. I would suggest it for book clubs just because of the discussion that it would generate. 

"RJ Thesman earned an education degree and taught at various levels. She is a Biblical counselor and a Stephen Minister. She has worked in a variety of nonprofits and has served as campus minister to international students. With a variety of communications skills, Thesman is always writing."
 You can read more about her and Rev G H.E.R.E.

I know RJ personally and Randy and I went to Lawrence last weekend for one of her book signings! She is the sister to one of my very best friends from High School!!


 

  We had a great time seeing Rebecca and 
getting our signed copy of "The Unraveling of Rev G."

You can read about our day in Lawrence H.E.R.E.


I highly recommend you get acquainted with Rev G.
 
 

Monday, August 13, 2012

The Dusty Bookshelf, Lawrence, Kansas



Before Randy and I got married, my brother-in-law Steve Larsen had contacted me and told me about this fabulous book store in Lawrence, KS. This is the first chance we've had to go and let me tell you - it did not disappoint. The most FABULOUS used book store I have ever been in. It has more books than any book store I have ever been in.



 These are just 2 of the several sections that I snapped for an example.


 They also had stacks and stacks of books.

But it was a very neat and clean bookstore. I've been in used bookstores before that I couldn't wait to get out of but this is an exception to the rule. The ambiance in this store was delightful. We could have probably spent days in here - but Lawrence had so much to offer we didn't stay for hours and hours!

Just hours!! : )

 
 I spent much of my time in this section!!

The books were very well sorted and each genre was very well marked. It was easy to find what you may be looking for. It was a very comfortable store. Lots of browsers!

After walking through each section, after perusing the areas I was interested in, we were just getting ready to leave and I spotted a book on a table by the front door.

 
I immediately fell in love with it and wanted it for my collection!
It's even autographed!!

So I bought it!!

If you ever make it to Lawrence, KS - 
PLEASE take time to visit

The Dusty Bookshelf


It will be well worth your time!!