The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler

I first reviewed this book March 4, 2010

The prologue of this book begins with "Each of us has a private Austen." Then Fowler takes a small section to describe the characters of the book by relating them to their "private Austen." There are five women and one man. I loved the book but will admit with six main characters I had to make a cheat - sheet. First I listed their name, then a trait about each one to help me remember who's who. The cover of my copy has a picture of the characters from the movie. So I then went to the internet and looked up the information of the movie and figured out who played which part (it actually wasn't hard to figure out Grigg) :) so I could picture the correct person in the correct part.

I don't know about you, but when I read a book first, the movie always disappoints me because directors never pick the correct actors for the parts!! 

Anyway - I have lots of flags in this book. But most are too long for a blog.  But here's one of the shorter ones as an example of the authors wit throughout the book:

Jocelyn was trying to fix Sylvia up with Grigg and this is the conversation

                                                  Sylvia: "Well, I don't want him. Do you like him?"

                                                Jocelyn: "I'm too old for him."

                                                 Sylvia: "And yet I'm not."

                                                Jocelyn: "He was to be a fling [for you]."

                                                 Sylvia: "Then you fling him."

For some reason I thought this was hilarious! I really enjoyed reading this book. It's about a book club made up of all ages, marriages are tested, love happens - unsuitable things become suitable. I had this book on my shelf along time before finally reading it, I'm not sure why I thought I wouldn't like it, because I did.

It made me want to reread some of Austen's books. 

Fowler is witty and her characters are appealing. It's just a fun book to read.

I highly recommend this book.

The Wounded Spirit by Frank Peretti

I first published this book March 2, 2010 

 In August 2001 my book club read a book that has gone down in our book club history as the book that generated more discussion than any other book we've read.  The Wounded Spirit Frank Peretti's first work of non-fiction.

Peretti felt the need to write this book after the massacre at Columbine.  Personally, I would like to see everyone that works with young people read this book.  In fact I bought two extra copies and took to our local public school for the teachers to read.

With the "no bullying" rules made in today's public school systems I just think this is an important book to share with teachers, parents, youth workers, and anyone else interested in youth.

In this book, he calls on the strong to protect the weak, for those in authority to pay attention and for us to stop thinking of "bullying" as normal behavior. A call for bullies and victims to seek healing and forgiveness from Jesus Christ.

It's the story of his life and how he overcame all that was thrown at him. He understands how young people can be pushed to the edge. Tells how it happens and what should be done to prevent it.

Peretti reminds us that only in Christ is there hope for the wounded spirits.

I highly recommend this book.

Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less by Jeffrey Archer

I first published this review on February 26, 2010
 

Ah - Jeffrey Archer... 

Do you remember "Still Magnolia's" when Truvy says to Anelle - "There's a story there..." Well - with Archer - There's a story there... 

Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare is an English author, actor, playwright and former politician.  He was a Member of Parliament and deputy chairman of the Conservative Party.  However, his political career ended after a conviction for "perverting the course of justice" and his subsequent imprisonment. Let me tell you - he is one of my favorite authors! We've read several of his books in book club. 

My very favorite Archer book is "Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less"

I love a book with a twist and this book has a great one! This is one book that I read as a paperback then went on the great book hunt and finally found a  hard back first edition - for my special shelf!  First published in 1976 it tells us about Harvey Metcalfe who committed the "perfect crime" - but his four victims fumed. - They decided to get even! - Not a penny more, not a penny less.

You can tell Archer really took some liberties and really exaggerated what could really happen but instead of being totally unbelievable it was just fun to read. If you've ever had something inside of you wanting to get even - you will like this book. Do you ever think "If I would win a million dollars...." This book is the same thought process only with revenge as the outcome instead of money!

It's a fun book to read! ONLY DON'T READ AHEAD!! It will spoil the whole book! I've read it several times and found another first edition hard back for my son Tim!

    

I highly recommend this book.

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio "How my mother raised 10 kids on 25 words or less." by Terry Ryan

I first published this review on February 24, 2010

Biography and Autobiography

     Terry Ryan is the sixth of Evelyn Ryan's ten children. Her book tells the story of her mom making ends meet in a household of 6 sons, 4 daughters, an alcoholic - sometimes violent husband. This was in the 50's and 60's when women were often made to feel powerless. Evelyn changed that attitude in her home by overcoming the "bad" with determination and a great outlook.  The book has inspired a major motion picture in 2005 with Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson. 

     Ryan presents to us a mother that has an incredible gift for writing - she uses her talent with wit and humor to write jingles, poems, and compositions - and she wins  prizes with her writings - More importantly she teaches her children that miracles are an everyday occurrence.

                        I've put one of her poems in my book of quotes:

"Every time I pass the church

I stop and make a visit

So when I'm carried in feet first

God won't say 'Who is it?'"

     This is a fun book to read. The true life story isn't always a pretty story, but Evelyn Ryan's look at life makes the book enjoyable. At the back of the book Ryan lists each of Evelyn's children and what they are doing now.  Evelyn Ryan left a legacy of fun, hope, success - more than she would ever have imagined.

A wonderful example of what one woman accomplished before  they  were "allowed" to accomplish anything. 
                  

                                                       

    When Playtex sponsored a contest, Evelyn sent these in:

The fashion model's slim and sleek points

coincide with all my weak points.

 Playtex ignored the poem so she sent another:

Growing old gracefully's
Less of a hurdle
Since science perfected
The three-way stretch girdle.

I highly recommend this book.

Award Nomination for "The Unraveling of Reverend G" by RJ Thesman

In August of 2012, I did a book review on "The Unraveling of Reverend G" by RJ Thesman.

I found out today that this book has been nominated for a  Grace Award.

The Grace Award is reader driven. Which means in the first round readers vote for their favorite novels and chose ”Finalists” in five literary categories.

All votes for "Reverend G" are appreciated.  And if you haven't had a chance to read the book - I highly recommend it!

Go to the Grace Awards website to check out the rules and how to vote for your favorite books.

Here are the directions:

1. Type your link to your Facebook account or your website address or your Twitter account or your LinkedIn account - whichever one you wish to choose.

They need to know you are a real person.

2. Type Category: Women's Fiction

3. Explain why you like the book in 35 words or more.

4. Type "The Unraveling of Reverend G" / RJ Thesman

Send all this info in an email to:
http://graceawards@yahoo.com

 

Coming Home by Karen Kingsbury

Don't ask me how this has happened but in all my reading - added to that - my age... I have never read Karen Kingsbury books before.... Strange isn't it. 

One of my friends in our small group suggested Kingsbury and was kind enough to loan me this book. - Not the first in this series but Ellen assured me it was her favorite. So I read it!

"Coming Home is a novel about tremendous victory and unprecedented loss, a story of faith and a forever kind of love, love that will stay with you long after the last page. This stand-alone novel will serve as either a grand introduction or a beautiful coda in the saga of the Baxter Family.

The Baxters make plans to come together for a summer lakeside reunion, a celebration like they haven’t had in years. But before the big day, the unthinkable happens. As the Baxter Family rallies together, memories come to light in the grief-stricken hours of waiting and praying, memories that bring healing and hope during a time when otherwise darkness might have the final word.

In a season that changes all of them, the brilliance of family love overshadows even the valley of heartache as the Baxters draw closer to God and each other. Along the way, secrets are revealed and the truth about the Baxter Family history is finally made known. Ultimately, in this portrait of family love, the Baxters cling to each other and to God’s promise of forever."

It is a very good book. I enjoyed reading it and am so thankful that Ellen suggested it to me. I would give this book a 5 out of 5 stars. However, it is a very sad book. I can see where it will bring many to tears. 

I avoided sad books for several years - my life was sad enough, I didn't need to add to that!! Since it's the only Kingsbury I've read, I have no idea if all her books carry this level of sadness. 

As much as I liked the book, as much as I think Kingsbury is a very good writer, as much as I appreciate the Christian and Spiritual aspects of the book, I do have a question...  Why do so many Christian books carry such a level of sadness in them? I understand the idea of showing the reader that through all adversity, through all catastrophe - God truly is the only answer - the only way to survive. But really? I do get bogged down - often - by the sadness of Christian writers.

That's my opinion only and I do know many many people don't agree with me - otherwise these authors wouldn't be selling their books. Even after saying all of this - it really is a good book and I do recommend it.

I will check out some of her other books because she is an excellent writer - also, I want to see if the "sadness" is limited in some of her other writings.

You can check out Karen Kingsbury's other books and learn more about her at her web site H.E.R.E. 

From the book:

"A phone call.

That was the way life changed for anyone who went through something like this. One minute they were going about life concerned with getting someplace on time or making dinner or running errands or planning a party. Then just like that, in the middle of an everyday-life kind of moment, the phone would ring. And nothing about life would ever be the same again."

I'm sure many of you have experienced this. 

Mine was a knock on the door.

Life changes.

Forever. 

God really is the only way to survive.

He gives us hope in our world of no hope.

How has He helped you cope?

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

This review was first published on 2-22-2010

 Lisa Genova, author of "Still Alice" has a degree in Bio-psychology and she holds a PHD in Neuroscience from Harvard. She is a member of the Dementia Advocacy, Support Network International and Dementia USA. (from her biography on Amazon)  It is with this background that she brings us her first novel "Still Alice."

     The only regret I have about this book is that I didn't read it while my Mother-in-law was alive. Anne was diagnosed with dementia and much of Alice's story could have been Anne's story. They were both in education and put great priority in education, the discouragement they both felt at realizing what this disease would eventually do to them.The difference between their stories is that Genova took the AD examples of many people and created one person.

                 She gives us a personal look at this disease with some very understandable scientific information and also adds the emotional side of Alice's story. Looking at her emotional, mental state and also the emotional roller coaster of Alice's husband and adult children.

     You might think, with this subject matter the book would be dark and depressing. It is sad but not dark. 

      My book club read this in October of 2009. When I read I have a tendency to "flag" my pages. With those wonderful 'post-it' flags. I usually flag great quotes or just things I think are interesting. My book club friend Debra always looks at my book at our meeting and laughingly tells us whether I thought the book was good by how many flags I have.

     As I was looking through my copy of "Still Alice" I read the flagged pages again. One of them I thought was very interesting and funny. Page58, Alice is talking to her Doctor. "She looked him directly in the eye. A colleague of hers had once told her that eye contact with another person for more than six seconds without looking away or blinking revealed a desire for either sex or murder. She reflexively hadn't believed this, but it had intrigued her enough to test it out on various friends and strangers. To her surprise, with the exception of John [her husband] one of them always looked away before the six seconds was up.  Dr. Davis looked down at his desk after four seconds."

     I challenge you to try this and see what you find out!!  I highly recommend this book.

Even with AD - Alice is "Still Alice."

An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott

I first published this review on 2-19-2010.

I live in an old house - it was built in 1952 and it used to be a parsonage. Because of that the previous owners built on an office. Or as we call it "the study". That's the room my many books call home. This room is also where I have my computer and a very comfy easy chair that Jonathan says he's taking when he sets up housekeeping on his own. 

However, I do have a stack of "to read" books by my bed and in my living room I have 3 shelves on one side of my entertainment center with books. - Of course Jonathan keeps his books in his room and I have sewing/quilting books in the back bedroom where my sewing machine is. So - - -

Back to the living room - and my 3 shelves. The top 2 are 1st edition John Grisham Hardbacks. (more about those books another time!)

On the bottom shelf are books that have been favorites of mine in past years. As I began my serious (?) book collecting, I tried to collect books that have meant something to me or that were my particular favorites.

Today I want to look at "An Old Fashioned Girl" by Louisa May Alcott. It was originally  published in

1870. I have a 1947 World Publishing copy.  It's in very good shape and on the inside cover has my name Brenda Doane and Liberty School 1949 written beside $1.25 penciled in. My Mom bought this for me at a book sale at the country school by Orion, Oklahoma. (I wasn't born yet in 1949 - so don't get any ideas about my age!!)

I have always loved Little Women , Little Men and many of Alcott's other books but An Old Fashioned Girl is my favorite.

Polly was a country girl that went to the city to stay with friends for about 6 months. Then she returned to the city when she was older - giving piano lessons to help send her brother, Will to college.

I always enjoy books that "paint" cozy places to live and Polly's room in her boarding house sounds so cozy!

Just a very relaxing and fun book to read.

I did happen to look up some reviews about this book and had to chuckle at one written by a teen in 2004 when she said "The book is pretty good but I don't think Alcott has a given a true look at teenagers."

Hmmmm, could be 'cause it was written 140 years ago and times have changed a bit.

Oh, my, sometimes I really feel my age. (and again - I wasn't alive yet in 1949....)

Addendum: I don't live in that 1952 parsonage anymore - Jonathan didn't take that comfy chair with him. By the time he moved, he had worn it out!!

The Help by Kathryn Stockett (review first published 2-17-10)

I first published this review on 2-17-2010

This was my first book review

 

The latest book on my shelf is "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett (fiction). This is our February choice for the book club I attend. I must start by saying I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Stockett creates three extraordinary women in Mississippi in the 1960's and showed how their lives touched in a way that makes a very interesting, enjoyable book. It's the story of black women - maids - raising white children but not trusted to polish the silver. It tells the good and the bad about working for these families. It also talks about the pressure put on white women to marry and have a family. If one was "fortunate" to graduate from college without getting married, she was still discouraged in having a career. The main goal is MARRIAGE. It presents much of the racial conflicts that were going on in the '60's and continue until now. A book that will make you think. At the same time, easy to read. Stocketts words flow on the pages. You will remember for a long time the stories of Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minnie.

"The Help" will go on my list of "favorites"

The Chili Queen by Sandra Dallas

I am a fan of Sandra Dallas. I have been ever since my book club read "The Persian Pickle Club." - years ago!!

"The Chili Queen" did not disappoint!

"Life may have been hard on Addie French, but when she meets friendless Emma Roby on a train, all her protective instincts emerge. Emma's brother is seeing her off to Nalgitas to marry a man she has never met. And Emma seems like a lost soul to Addie-someone who needs Addie's savvy and wary eye. It isn't often that Addie is drawn to anyone as a friend, but Emma seems different somehow. When Emma's prospective fails to show up at the train depot, Addie breaks all her principles to shelter the girl at her brothel, The Chili Queen. But once Emma enters Addie's life, the secrets that unfold and schemes that are hatched cause both women to question everything they thought they knew. With Sandra Dallas's trademark humor, charm, and pathos, The Chili Queen will satisfy anyone who has ever longed for happiness.

The Chili Queen is the winner of the 2003 Spur Award for Best Western Novel."

I must admit, I picked this book because of the author, had I read the description first I'm sure I would never have read it. A western? That's not Louis L'amour? But I'm really glad I did.

I've said many times - I LOVE a book with a twist and this book could have been written by Chubby Checker it had so many twists!

I loved the language of the characters. Who can resist a statement like this from Welcome (yes, that's actually his name) "I'm short of gladness to see you here." Dallas fills the book with language this fluid.

Dallas builds her characters in such a way that gives the reader an understanding of how these people wound up the way they did.

"New York Times best-selling author SANDRA DALLAS, the author of ten novels as well as ten nonfiction books, was dubbed “a quintessential American voice” by Jane Smiley, in Vogue Magazine. Sandra’s novels with their themes of loyalty, friendship, and human dignity have been translated into a dozen foreign languages and have been optioned for films."

You can check out her web site H.E.R.E.

 

 I've read "Buster Midnight's Cafe," "Mattie Spencer," "Alice's Tulips," "The Chili Queen," and my personal favorite "The Persian Pickle Club." - all by Sandra Dallas. I do plan on reading her other books also.

I highly recommend this author - and all the books she's written.