I'm on a little Anna Quindlen kick right now!  This is the 4th novel of hers I've read.  She is or was a columnist for Newsweek magazine - and I know I've read some of her columns.  I find it interesting that someone who writes columns for a news magazine - and good columns at that, because she got a Pulitzer for them - also writes some compelling novels about families and life and tragedy.

This story is not for the faint of heart - a family is destroyed by a violent act by a crazy young man. The back story is beautifully told, with lots of authentic details and word pictures.  And the story of the family's survival is well wrought. 

I may just pick up another one of her books - until I find a new author to become attached to!

Number 38 - and it's a movie too - didn't know that!!

So I swore off buying books, and then started getting inordinate numbers of Kindle books.  So I swore off those for a while - and went to the library - and our Monrovia Library does not have a huge selection!!  So I went to the Arcadia Library and got a couple more Anna Quindlen books - I quite like her style, and she's been prolific, so I may be set for the summer!!

This is a story of a woman dying of cancer - not for everyone maybe - but it's well-written and a compelling narrative.

The character in the story - the mother with cancer - was born in 1945 - maybe that's why I could identify with her.

Turns out this is a movie too - one with Meryl Streep - I may have to find it and see it!!

I'm open to suggestions too, by the way!!

Movie nights!!

Harry and I were looking for something to watch - and this came up - and since I love all things Cary Grant, I proposed we watch it.  Harry is a good sport about indulging my love of Cary Grant!!  I have seen this film many times - and always love it!!  I can never get enough of the look on Cary Grant's face when he goes into the bedroom and sees the painting and realizes Deborah Kerr is crippled - and he has judged her unfairly - and he closes his eyes and you can feel the anguish!!  He should have been given an Academy award for that scene alone!!  (We are talking 1957 here.)

Later Harry was browsing around and found the original film that this film was a remake of - Love Affair with Charles Boyer and Irene Dunne.   The only thing missing from this 1939 version was the Vic Damone theme song.  The 1957 version was word for word the same as the 1939 version.  I'm wondering how often that gets done!!

If it hadn't been so late, I would have watched Sleepless in Seattle too!

Taylor won tickets to the Pasadena Laemle Theater, but said they really could never use them since it's a ways from their house - so she gave them to us!!  What a treat - FHE tonight was movie night - I'd been wanting to see this.  Thinking now maybe I should re-read the book too - and maybe re-watch the 60's version with Julie Christie!!

The film is well-done, beautiful cinematography, acting is great, the Boltwood chap does a superb job at being "madly" infatuated with Bathsheba!!

And Gabriel Oak really reminded me of Ry Nebeker with hair - but those are little details - the overall film is a visual and auditory feast!!

Check it out!!

Chugging right along on the library trail!!

Chugging right along with the reading material!!  I actually went a few days without reading a novel - got caught up with some of my New Yorker reading!!  Decided I not only needed to quit buying physical books, maybe I shouldn't buy so many Kindle books either!!  So I went to the library - and found a nice stash of Anna Quindlen novels for my reading enjoyment!!   (I'd gone a couple of times looking for some other authors - only to discover that our little Monrovia Library can have a limited selection at times!)

This is the second one by her I've read - you may have noticed that I kind of like to pick and author and then read everything they've written!!  I had read Still Life With Bread Crumbs and enjoyed it, so was ready to try another one.

This one is about a large old house - and a baby abandoned on the doorstep - in a cardboard box!  There are other details too, but Ms. Quindlen has woven a nice little tale of love, loss, and learning.

I'm off to the library for another of her books - good thing she has a long list of them!

I am also an unabashed Grisham fan - and love Theodore Boone too.  Was happy to hear he had a new one out.  I confess that they all seem to run together for me.  They are actually "forgettable" stories - but they are fun to read!  (Note to those not familiar - they are adolescent stories - Theodore Boone is perennially 14!!)

Stay tuned - these two are numbers 36 and 37 for this year's list of 52 books!!

Chuggin' along on the reading train!!

In spite of the busyness of my days, and nights for that matter, I manage to keep reading some compelling book that causes me to just plop down in the comfy leather chair under the windows in the living room and read instead of doing other stuff - like update my blogs for example!!

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is one such novel that turned out to be quite compelling.  Like Suite Francaise, Sarah's Key, and All the Light We Cannot See, it deals with the critical summer of 1940 when Paris fell, with nary a whimper, to the might of Hitler's Germany.

Each of these novels emphasizes a different aspect of those horrific times, but also weaves a tapestry - for me at least - of the more human aspects of those years.  Each story is very personal - but political too, so it seems important and significant - probably because individual stories are the most important.

The Nightingale was a bit of a "thriller" because you didn't find out the identity of the narrator until the end.  It wasn't perfectly written - as literature it really didn't make the cut.  But it was compelling and engaging - qualities I look for.

You just might enjoy it!

Since I so enjoyed Station Eleven, I decided to look for other books by the same author.  This was one.  It is nothing like the first book I read.  It is not dystopian.  But it is an intriguing plotline that I have never quite encountered before.  Don't want to spoil it - it can be heartbreaking at times - so I won't give too many details.

And Ms. St. John Mandel is a pretty good writer - she created a world that is nothing like any world I know - but it seemed very real the whole time!!

Let me know what you think!

Another good read

Phoebe recommended this to me - and it does not disappoint in a major way.  I read several reviews - one from the New York Times - and they all commented that the sense of disaster was "underplayed" to the detriment of the story. I did notice that feature after reading the reviews - but it didn't detract for me.

The premise is the world after a pandemic destroys 99 percent of the world's population - and a Traveling Symphony - featuring music and Shakespeare - travels around one part of the world and gives us a picture of what life has become.

It is not The Road, but it is a good story.  Especially is you like Shakespeare!

Another title from Eliza's stack!

This was also on Eliza's stack - and Hannah had read the book and seen the movie and thought both were quite good.  She and Eliza found them both amusing - I'm not sure I found the book amusing - but it was charming in an offbeat kind of way.

The story line is convoluted but intriguing - a good read!!

An interesting plotline -

Eliza had a stack of library books in her living room - and I of course can't resist a book!!  This one was an interesting plotline - a pretty good story too.  

The premise is that Margot Frank, Anne Frank's older sister, did not die in the holocaust - and she is living in Philadelphia in the 50's - waiting for Peter Van Dan to find her - as they had previously arranged!

Well, read it and find out - and let me know what you think!!

Seven Decades!!

A little "visual" tour of the journey to 70 - and 1 husband, 6 kids, 5 spouses, one girlfriend, 20 grandkids (I'm writing this early - hope those two new grandbabies have been born by now!!)

Here I am at the end of the first decade of my life - 10 years old!!

And here I am at the 20th surprise birthday party that Alice and my friends at BYU put on for me!!  Another decade down!

And here I am at age 30 - married with 2 kids!!

 Here I am at age 40 - just prior to having 2 more kids!!  (Eliza came when I was 38.)

Here I am at age 50 - with Phoebe, who came along when I was 32.

Here I am on my actual 60th birthday - goodness it was a celebration - thanks to my good buddies at Clifton Middle School!!

And this was last November - almost 70.  For my 70th birthday,  I am in Virginia, helping out with the newest little Selander!!

Wonder what 80 will look like??

Some wonderful mothers I know and love!!

When I first became a mother, I certainly had no idea that almost 45 years later, I would be scrolling through hundreds of photos of our kids and grandkids - and that I would be feeling incredibly blessed!

Number 30 - more than half-way through the challenge!!

Not sure why I call it a "challenge" to read 52 books a year - I suspect I do that most years - but I'm still more than half-way through and it's only May!

This is about London and the Blitz during World War II and the evacuation of children to the countryside.  But it's also a story of secrets and misunderstandings.

It's a "good read," but it's not especially well-written.  The story line is compelling, but when you are finished, you find yourself thinking, "Gee, that could have been done better."  My biggest complaint was the excessive amount of detail that did nothing for the story.  But then, that's always my complaint.

Too bad I've read it - it would make a great airplane read!!

Good thing I have plenty in my Kindle library for my upcoming trip!!

Number 29 of 52!

Leslie suggested this book when she was here.  It's the true story of a young woman's incredible journey through a very terrible disease.

It is full of facts and science - but is nonetheless gripping and compelling reading.  The author was a journalist for the New York Post when a rare auto-immune disease struck and upended her life.

Medical science was able to save her - but not before doctors and family members were persistent in their efforts to track down the cause of the very strange and dangerous symptoms she was suffering from.

I am especially intrigued by the apparent connection, in some cases, to autism!

I'm sure as more research happens and more awareness is created, fascinating science will give us some much-needed answers!!

Numbers 27 and 28!!

I keep ripping through the books on my Kindle - I'd better watch out, since I'm liable to run out of books for the upcoming plane rides I have!!

Harry started this one, but couldn't get into it.  It was a little slow, but once it got "wound up" it became more compelling.

 The reviews are saying that it's not her best work, but since she is such a skillful story-teller, it is still a good read.

And it's a strange story - but then, all her stories are!  There is not as much character development as she usually provides, which is disappointing.  But all in all it's an insightful look into the role of mothers in our lives.

 

I had never read Anna Quindlen, in spite of seeing her name often on best-seller lists.  But you know those parts of Amazon that say, "Those who looked at this book also looked at .....?"  Well, I thought I'd give it a shot.

It was a good story.  And the writing was clear and precise - always a plus.  It's the story of a 60 year old woman who feels like she's on the downhill slide - one reviewer commented that it was nice to see a story told from an "older" woman's point of view.  

And it was nice!

A little bit "tidy" at the end - but sometimes tidiness is welcome!

I may try another of her books.

Busy reading - to Boston and back!

Our recent junket to Boston for the marathon afforded me lots of time to read - what a vacation!!  It's my idea of heaven!!  The Goldfinch was a strange kind of book - a little "rough" for me in the language department and depictions of drug use - but the story was gripping - I had to skim over the "bad" stuff to keep the story line straight.  But it was a compelling mystery - don't want to spoil it for anyone!

This one, My Name is Resolute, is by Nancy Turner, the woman who wrote These is My Words.  She may not be a great writer, but she can tell a good story with all the historical facts straight - and there is something to be said for that!  I personally believe in getting my history from well-researched novels.  This one qualifies. Starts in the West Indies in the late 1600's - ends with the Revolutionary War.

This one may be "chick lit" or not.  It's not especially well-written, but there is a compelling plotline.  It is excellent airplane fare!

 

I have loved the writing of Ivan Doig since I read The Whistling Season - I have read all 16 of his novels - except for the one that is coming out in August.  And when I heard of his death last week, I was truly saddened.  

I knew I had not read his work of non-fiction - not sure why, just didn't think I'd like it as much.  So I promptly put This House of Sky on my Kindle - and now I wonder why I thought it wouldn't be as good as his novels!  It is a beautiful memoir - and actually having read his other books, I can see how his life influenced his writing.

One of the reasons I can tear through so many books so quickly is because I can skim very effectively.  If the descriptions don't advance the plot, I tend to skip them.

When Ivan Doig writes, I don't want to miss one word - I read all the descriptions - it is as if the details in the setting are part of the story - essential to the meaning.  

I will truly miss his work - and look forward to his final novel in August.

30 more and I'm at 52!

I need to quit starting books, or I'm never going to get anything done!!  I had ordered this book on Kindle a few months ago - and it's publication date came - but I had forgotten about it!!

A nice surprise.  One I didn't want to waste - so after taking my daily walk, working out at Curves, and making the beds, I started reading - and stayed up late last night to finish.

I need to stop doing this or my to do list will just grow!

Lisa Genova writes about neurological diseases and their impact on families.  In one sense, they are quite educational - the author is a neuroscientist turned novelist - so the lesson is very palatable.

But the human aspect - and the effect that disease has on families - is the most compelling part of the stories she tells.

This one is about Huntington's Disease - and I confess I didn't know much about it.  But it's been described as the "cruelest disease."  I especially enjoyed the setting - Boston's neighborhood Charlestown - and the marathon references.  The family is Irish, and she draws a very vivid portrait of a modern-day family steeped in tradition but facing many challenges to those beloved traditions.

A friend said, "Sounds depressing to me" when I told her what I was reading.  And that's what I've heard from others about Ms. Genova's other novels - especially Still Alice.  But one of the gifts this writer has is the ability to show families uniting and fighting what life has handed to them.

There is not the usual happy ending, but the ending is positive and uplifting.  I don't think you can ask for more than that.  Otherwise you are reading a fairy tale!

Checkin' 'em off!

I recently finished reading Divergent by Veronica Roth.  Neither Harry nor I can recall being the one who put this on our shared Kindle account!  He thinks he saw the movie - thought I was with him - but I have no memory of it.  We are a bit perplexed by all this - I'm pretty sure we're not that forgetful yet!!  He did acknowledge that he might have seen it with someone else when I was out of town - that has happened before.

At any rate, it's been in our Kindle library for a while - so I finally read it.  It's a nice airplane kind of read - but nothing to write home about. 

However, I can and do see the attraction for a teen readership!

Not sure if I will read the other two.

On to the next addition to our library - the newest Lisa Genova novel - pretty good so far!!

Another great read

I've read The Devil in the White City and In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson, and neither one disappointed - they were both compelling and informative reading.  I heard him years ago on NPR when he was being interviewed, and he was pretty amazing to listen to also.  So knowledgeable and well-spoken.

His latest was a great read too.  I guess I've never thought much about the Lusitania, since Titanic seemed to always be the maritime disaster everyone dissected and discussed.  But the drama here is pretty intense - and the history lessons are invaluable too.

Once again, you know the outcome, but it's still a page-turner.

Doesn't bet much better than that!

Little Known Novella

I was browsing the library shelves for Raymond Chandler - before I knew that he was in the murder-mystery section - and came across this by a fave author of mine - Willa Cather - and it caught my fancy.

I have never read a Willa Cather novel I did not like, and even though this is in some ways just a long short story, I really like this one too.

One reviewer made a comment about the change in focus in her novels being related to "getting away from the prairie," but I don't think that line of thought is quite accurate.  Women and men might face different issues in the prairie than they face in the cities, but the key is how they handle the issues they face.

This story rather dramatically shows how two women and one man face the trials of life in very different ways - but in the end, they all seem to have found peace.

A good, fast read for those who also love Ms. Cather - or even those who have never met her!

Number 18 on the way to 52 books a year!

I was reading an article in the AARP magazine - which, by the way, has a great interview with Bob Dylan in it - and there was a feature about "the book that influenced you."  

The author Michael Connelly - whom I have not read but have heard of - said that it was the first paragraph in Chapter 13 of Raymond Chandler's The Little Sister, a murder mystery.

I am familiar with Raymond Chandler because of the films that were made of some of his books.  And Humphrey Bogart always played Phillip Marlowe, the ace detective, so my curiosity was piqued!

I thought the screen writers had given Bogey all his great lines, but it turns out that Chandler's Phillip Marlowe series is full of great lines!!

I am not a real murder mystery fan, but I did enjoy this.  It was a lot like watching a Bogey movie.  The dialogue was great, and the story moved right along.  The prose was fluid and not overblown.  I felt like I was in the Los Angeles of almost 70 years ago.

I'd give it a thumbs up!

Nothing a little Maisie Dobbs can't fix!

It's been a few years since I was introduced to the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear, but it's mostly been a good relationship.  After the first 4 or 5, I thought she was getting stagnant and the stories were not very compelling anymore.  And actually she wrote a non-Maisie novel that I enjoyed, but not everyone liked it.

But her newest is a nice change of pace - and she seems to have her story-telling back in stride!

A Dangerous Place occurs in Gibraltor in 1934 - the Spanish Civil War.  There's a backstory that comes about with some letters and newspaper accounts, and then the story really gets going.

It was vintage Jacqueline Winspear - and I am delighted to see it.

Hopefully the trend will continue!!

Now on to number 18 in my "Read 52 Books This Year" campaign!!