Bontober begins!

A few years ago, Bonny coined the term "Bontober" for her celebratory month - and the term has stuck! The Terrill family has a few birthdays in October - and Harry and I are going to Chile for two weeks, so I'm going to cover all the birthdays now - and maybe do some catch up posts in November!! 

 

Phoebe is on the 11th - and will be 41 - oh my, time flies when you are having fun - and this girl seems to always be having fun!!

 

Porter will be 14 on the 11th - and is Phoebe's Birthday Buddy!! Oh my, where did the time go??

 

Calvin is 14 also - on the 25th. Such a great kid - wish we could see him more often.

 

Ida wanted a day of her own, so she came on the 12th - and she will be 10!!

 

Deacon - the "baby" of the family - will be 5. Not a baby anymore!!

 

And October means we remember the short but meaningful life of Jonah Adam Terrill - 11 days of life, a lifetime of memories.

I have been reading a lot - not sure when I will blog about it though!!

Latest read

Found this on the shelf at the Friends of the Monrovia Library bookstore - same spot where I have found some other faves.  This started out better than it ended, but it was still a good read.

There are parallels to Herman Melville's Moby Dick - in fact, I surmise that the story was constructed as "the true story of Moby Dick." It is a conceit that works sometimes - and not other times.

I am thinking that some authors just don't know how to end a book. This ending drags on - a little too long.

Some important dates in August:

August 7th is Grandpa Stevens' birthday.  Loved that man - others say he was "cold" but I always found him warm and loving.

 

Can you believe it? August 14th 2018 means 20 years for these two!!

 

August 17th was 78 years for my mom and dad! I think it was a Happy Anniversary in Heaven!! 

 

 August 7th is also Hannah K's birthday.  Alice and I named our babies the same - without consulting each other!

 

Helen and Pop - 80 years on August 19th!

 

And of course, Lyn and David - born 19years apart on the 19th!

Playing catch up!

I do not blog very assiduously.  In fact, I'm not even sure anyone reads this blog.

But I like to note the books I've read and the movies I've seen in case someone is looking for ideas.  I know I like ideas!

So I'm just going to list all the movies and books I've not noted for the last while. And maybe you will find something you might like! (If you are reading this that is!)

Gilead, Home, and Lila - a trilogy by Marilynne Robinson - wonderful - all of them - beautifully written too. Top of the list for sure!

Accident of Birth by Jeffrey Archer - a book group pick - I would never have even found it by myself.  Requires a lot of "willing suspension" but would make a good airplane read!

The Girl Who Wrote in Silk by Kelli Estes - an entertaining read but the back and forth between the past and present got tedious for me. The story of the past could have stood alone.

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate - another book group pick I thought I wouldn't like - but it was surprisingly gripping and engaging.  Based on true stories - which gives it weight - about illicit adoptions beginning in the 20's in Tennessee.

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick.  This was entertaining but pretty formulaic.  Don't even remember why or how I came to choose it! 

Ahmet by Fiona Mozley - this is a keeper! Beautifully written and engaging and horrifying. You feel like you are in medieval times - but you're not!

Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell. Compelling - superbly written - absolutely horrifying at times! I chose it because the woman who directed Leave No Trace had done the movie version of this book.  And I'm pretty sure I don't want to see the movie.  But it's a wonderfully crafted novel.

The Things We Carried by Tim O'Brien - Eliza suggested this - and I suggest it to all of you! It's a novel - but full of truth. About Vietnam. Maybe you had to live through those years. But my granddaughter's 11th grade English class has to read it!

Doctors by Erich Segal - the book group pic for September - almost 700 pages - but it was a good read. A little predictable and the ending required more "willing suspension of disbelief" than I could muster, but I'm not sorry I took the time to read it.

While traveling this summer, our East Coast flight had free movies - so I indulged:

Good bye Christopher Robin - loved it!

Collateral Beauty - a wonderful film - how come I never heard of it??

One Fine Day - so much fun! I missed it in the 90s!

Gifted - well-done - and thought-provoking. 

Hopefully I can stay abreast now!!

I am so behind!!

Happy Birthday Hannah!! Hannah has the distinction of being the only Terrill baby who was not late!  In fact, she was two days early.  Most folks don't think much of that, but it was a washday miracle in our household!!

My friend called me the day before she was born - said they were leaving on vacation and to call her in Utah if the baby came.  I blithely told her I'd still be pregnant when she got back! Since the previous 4 kids had been 11, 11, 11, and 13 days late, I added ten days to the due date - giving a September date to everyone. So when she came on August 20th, people were pretty sure I didn't know how to count - especially since Hannah was also the biggest baby I'd had - 9 lbs. 3 oz.

Hannah is her own person - I'd never had a climber - and here was a climber.  She'd take either kind of binky. She dropped off to sleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.  In spite of Dr. Brown splints and casts on both legs for club feet, she crawled and walked with ease. And when she got older, she got tired of waiting for me.  Once when she had a science project to work on, she said, "Can I use anything I can find in the garage?" rather than wait for me to take her to Michael's or Home Depot! She was and continues to be very resourceful.

We are happy to have Hannah in our family - I could write a book!

Maybe I should!

Worth a look-see!

There doesn't seem to much to choose from in the movie kingdom these days - but the Mr. Rogers documentary is definitely worth your time and money!

Can I just say I love Mr. Rogers?  And hope you do too!

 

Read a review in the New Yorker about this film - and the review was so compelling, I felt I had to see the film - and it was a great film!

The film has no sex, violence, or even profanity - and yet it is compelling and moving and intensely emotional.

Won't spoil it with details - but you do want to see it!

Way behind these days!

Have been reading a lot actually - and putting reviews on FB and IG, but have neglected this blog - perhaps no one cares!! But I have been picking up books at odd places - this was at the Book Rack - a used book source locally that I enjoy - and this one leaped out at me  - I was sure I had read the author before, but her list of previous works does not ring any bells!

This is a pretty good story - and is thought-provoking too. About two women whose paths cross - deals with childbirth too - always a fascinating subject!!

Most of the folks I know would enjoy it I think.

 

Alice said that Hester said this was the best book she'd ever read - and Alice had a mile high stack already,  so she suggested I take a stab at it.
 

It is a great read - WW II, the Jews, the Holocaust - but it starts in 1919 - and the main protagonist is a dwarf named Trudy - so a WW II story that is not like the others.

Maybe not the best book I've ever read - but a very good one.

It does start slow though!

 

Good, the way Anne Tyler is usually good - but not quite up to par.

Usually her stories "ring true" - but this one seemed almost "not quite believable."

If you are a fan, give it a read.

 

On my Tuesday morning walk, I discovered a large box of books someone had put on the curb for people to go through and take.  Most of them were not books I would be the least bit interested in - lots of "popular" stuff that usually doesn't appeal to me.

But this looked interesting - and I felt like with a box full of free books, surely there was one I would want!! (I did take some of the "popular" ones for my Little Free Library though!)

Apparently this was turned into a series of stories with most of the same characters. Not sure I want to read the others, but this story was fairly well written with some intriguing characters.

Lightweight - when you need lightweight stuff!

Double meaning!

This was the first novel Marilynne Robinson wrote - it was in consideration for the Pulitzer prize - which she later won for Gilead.

It is a vague, meandering kind of story, but when it ends, all the loose ends seem to come together.  Some found it slow and tedious - at least people I know. According to what I have read, it was reacted to favorably by fans and critics alike when it was first published.

Loss and compensation are the themes - housekeeping in the physical and spiritual sense is the focus. It reminds me a lot of the writing by Louise Erdich - and she meanders a lot too.

It is a lovely read.

Saturday Night at the Movies

Finally saw this film - and recommend it highly!  I can see why Gary Oldman won the Oscar for Best Actor - he really absorbed the persona of Winston Churchill - and delivered.

I think that since we saw the film about Dunkirk, this film seemed even more relevant.

There are so many "war stories" to be told - and they usually deliver!

Hmm - guess I have been busy!

Love this photo of my Grandma Agnes Clayton, sitting on her porch, reading the newspaper.  I feel like I would have lots in common with her - always stopping to read!

Have been reading a lot lately - but haven't been posting about it on the old blog though!!

Saw Wonderstruck - the deaf girl in the film is the same deaf girl who starred in A Quiet Place.  A funky kind of film - but once I figured out what was going on, I liked it. Bought the book too - but haven't read it yet.

Also saw RBG - excellent!! Ruth is my new hero(ine!) What a woman - see the film - and I'm looking for a good bio of her too.

Read Accident of Birth for book group.  A good read - but it had some gaping flaws - I have pretty much very critical of "escape fiction" but this would be good for a flight read!

The Girl Who Wrote in Silk by Kelli Estes - about the horrific treatment of the Chinese in America at the turn of the century - especially in the Northwest. It was a back and forth story - and I enjoyed the historical story better than the current one - kept skipping ahead. Sometimes the device of going back and forth between centuries can be tedious - why not just write the historical tale??

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate - another back and forth tale about the Tennessee Children's Home Society and Georgia Tann and her horrific reign there.  The fact that it's based on truth adds to the grimness. It was a good story, but once again I preferred the historical story.

Read the Gilead trilogy (Home and Lila) by Marilynne Robinson - Gilead won the Pulitzer - deservedly so! Beautiful prose - a thoughtful, provocative storyline too. 

How did I not hear about these books before??

Need to choose next month's book group choice - will keep you posted.

What is entertaining me these days!

There's a used book store in Arcadia, The Book Rack, that I really enjoy.  Saw this there, and the proprietor recommended it.  So I rented it from them - they have bestsellers for rent too - the ones you can't find in the library!

It was a good read - I like to get my history from historical novels - the keep my interest better!

It's a well-told story - and since I'm also reading Ron Chernow's Hamilton - lots of the details came alive.

I did not know James Monroe was such a jerk!  Leslie said she thought we might not like a lot of the founding fathers if they were alive now.  

That's an interesting thought!!

 

Never thought I'd be recommending a "horror" movie - but I would argue that it's not really horror - scary in parts and deeply disturbing - but not horror.

Well made, superbly acted, skillfully filmed, a visual feast at times - you might want to check it out - it doesn't really have a "happy" ending - but it does have a "good" ending!

But the "Previews of Coming Attractions" - now they were horror - horrible indeed!  Who watches those films anyway??

Latest Grisham!

I'm not sure how much longer I will read Grisham novels - they seem to get more unbelievable all the time - I can only suspend my disbelief for so long you know!

They are certainly a quick read anyway!  Perfect airplane fiction.

I am also disturbed by the gratuitous sleaze he keeps adding - he didn't used to - and it isn't really essential.

And I rented it at the Book Rack yesterday - and returned it today!  

Record read time anyway!

A compelling read

I heard the author interviewed on NPR, and it sounded pretty compelling. So of course I got the book.

And it was very compelling.

Especially after I discovered that a number of people - siblings and neighbors - went online claiming it was false and misleading.

I think it's mostly true. And I do think that a memoir written by the youngest child in a family of 7 children would have elements that other family members might believe are false - but memory is a tricky concept.  I will recall experiences and my siblings will say that they have no memory to support my memory. We all don't recall all things the same way.

It's the story of a young Mormon girl raised in Idaho by a bipolar survivalist father who has brainwashed his whole family - well, mostly his whole family.  Sounds pretty interesting, yes??

So read it - and decide for yourself!

You never know what you will find at The Friends of the Library!

I periodically go to the Friends of the Library bookstore - I try not to buy books, since I'm more interested in freeing up space on my bookshelves.  But they have a great selection of greeting cards that are only $1 each.  And I like to get cheap kids books for Frankie - who loves his basket of books. And I have found some gems!

I saw this on in the bargain basket - and since every book I have read by Karen Hesse has been wonderful - I got it.

Wasn't sorry either. 

 

It's about a nuclear meltdown at a power plant in New England. There are devastating consequences. 

 

Our heroine lives on a sheep farm.  There are some lovely parallels drawn to shepherds and sheep raising.

 

It's a good read - and a quick one - this is after all adolescent fiction!!

A new fave!

Harry and I have been watching the PBS series Victoria - and thoroughly enjoying it! 

After reading a few Wikipedia pages, I decided I needed to read the real thing, so I got the current biography of her, and it was a really great read.  It is thoroughly researched and annotated - but reads like a novel.

 

As a BYU English major, I managed to completely avoid the Victorian era - and didn't even know much about Queen Victoria - guess I avoided English history too!

 

She is a fascinating, complex woman.  I may try another bio - there are many out there - I have been reading the reviews.

 

We really love the series - but will have to wait awhile, since they haven't even started filming Season 3 yet!

 

Of particular interest to me is the information that after her death, Queen Victoria's daughter Beatrice went through and edited and transcribed her mother's letters and journals - and then destroyed the originals! It's referred to as the worst case of censorship ever.  

One reviewer, though, said that we needed to realize that Beatrice believed that she needed to do it - she had not been instructed to do so by her mother - to preserve her mother's legacy.

Questions abound about Victoria - her relationship to John Brown for starters - and those destroyed pages could probably answer them!

Will keep you posted on what I find out!!

Up all night reading once again!

It's been a busy winter - have not done much reading!! I need something compelling to read when I'm busy - because I just don't read if I'm not really into the book!  Last month's book group selection was not very compelling reading - I gave up after 42 pages!!

I did get immersed in a bio of Queen Victoria - but you can put it down - so I may be awhile.

And I am Home/Hospital teaching 3 students and have to read the core novels they are reading - they are all books I have read before - The Cay, The Book Thief, and The Great Gatsby - but I do have to review them!! But they don't count as reading books!

The book was compelling at first - bogged down past the halfway mark - I usually  enjoy Lisa See, but I think she lost her focus in this story. 

The initial narrative was very compelling and informative - I love getting my Chinese history via a good novel - but then it seemed to be trying too hard to be too many things.

And the ending was a little pat.

But last night I only had a chapter to go - so I stayed up late reading.  Was a little disappointed at the predictability of the ending  -  but there was one surprise!!

It would be good airplane fiction though.

Some more book group reading!

The book group read Pocketful of Rye by A.J. Cronin, and I found out that this was actually a sequel to A Song of Sixpence.  

So I decided to read it - and I'm glad I did - in fact, I think we should have read them in order!  This novel sets the stage for more clarity and understanding in Pocketful of Rye.

The story deals with Laurence Carroll's childhood and youth in Scotland - the death of his father, his reluctant years away from his mother, his coming of age, and his discovery of the truth about himself.

I had heard of A.J. Cronin - but knew little about him.  I'm glad to have found another good author to get to know better!

More reading choices - some better than others!

My Tuesday, Thursday morning walking buddy often has a little treasure for me to read - and this was one of them.  The story is by a rather prolific Australian writer and school principal!  He has several series - and it appears that they are mainly for an adolescent of YA audience.  And frankly, a good YA book can be a treat - since it's usually a fast read.

This story is somewhat convoluted, but there is a mystery there - don't want to spoil it for you - that makes for some good reading to solve.

 

Went scavenging in a neighboring Little Free Library - and frankly could have done better!  This is Christian chick-lit - not sure why I even finished it - wanted to at least solve the mystery.  I put it in my own Little Free Library - and it's still sitting there! 

A book group choice for this month.  I had certainly heard of A.J.Cronin, but knew little about him and had never read one of his books - or even seen the movies that have been made from a couple of his books.

This was complex reading - for one thing, A.J. Cronin was Scottish - and the dialog and dialect can be hard to follow at times.  The story was convoluted too.  I went looking for some material on him or the book, but I didn't find much. Cronin was a medical doctor and a novelist - so the storyline has that added dimension.

However, sticking with it to the end was worth it - figured out the storyline - and the aughter's intent I think. And it's a moving treatise on religion and the role it plays in shaping our lives.

Turns out this is a sequel to Sing a Song of Sixpence by the author - those who chose it said you could read them out of order.  I feel like I need to read the first one now.

Will keep you posted!

Have been reading a bit

Leslie recommended this book - said her book group had read it.  It was pretty good - and all the reviews were excellent.  It was entertaining and somewhat compelling.  But there was something missing - not sure what - a little too "pat" or something.  A book collector loses his wife, goes to England and finds a mystery.  Then he solves the mystery.

And apparently they all lived happily ever after!

 

They started a new book group at church for the "older" ladies - and I qualified!! They seem to be going for crime or mystery novels so far.

This is a prolific author I had never even heard of - but the "older ladies" all knew him very well! Apparently his books continue to appear because his son writes them under the same name. Kind of a geriatric Nancy Drew series I guess!

But this was a better read than the one above - very fast paced - I read it in an afternoon - did not have it figured out either.  I might get another one of his - there is a whole shelf of them at The Book Rack - for the next plane ride!!

They always involve horses apparently - the main character is an accountant - and an amateur steeple chase jockey - in London.

Forever and ever and ever!!

Saw something on FB once that said, What was the number one selling book when you were born?  Seemed intriguing, so I looked it up - and it was Forever Amber by KathleenWinsor.

So I gave it a look see - and it was actually hard to find - it has been out of print for many years. The libraries I checked did not have it - and the copies on Amazon were a little trop chere, if you get my drift.

But then Harry found it on Kindle and loaded it for me.  The book is 973 pages long! And believe it or not, the first draft was 13,000 pages - and that's not a typo!!

Turns out Kathleen Winsor's first husband - she had four - was a graduate student doing a dissertation on the Restoration and the reign of King Charles II. She was helping him with the details and started reading some of the material he had researched.  She became fascinated with it and decided to write a novel - and I will say this about the book - I did some checking - and it's historically accurate, down to even minute details of fashion and room decor!!

But it's long - too long in fact.  After about page 500, I was wondering when it would all end - the action and intrigue started to be repetitive rather than compelling!

As a historical romance, the first 500 or so pages are quite entertaining and illuminating.  But it just goes on and on - and the reader gets fatigued - at least this reader did!

But the book was a smash hit bestseller - and quite controversial - was banned in Boston!  It was considered racy by the standards of 1945 - but then, Restoration England and the court of Charles the 2nd was pretty racy!! It's not graphic and exotic - everything is left to the imagination.  

It does start out as a pretty entertaining piece of historical fiction - but Ms. Winsor just didn't seem to know how to put an end to the action.  As it is, the ending is not well-planned - and not very believable.

Maybe this is the time for a Cliff Notes version if you are really interested - or watch the movie - with the heartthrob Cornell Wilde!!

P.S. The story bore many resemblances to Gone With the Wind!  Hmm - wonder what that tells us??

A good watch!

Harry keeps a "watch list" of shows he thinks we might enjoy - and we mostly forget to watch them!! But Friday night we did - and were well-rewarded for our efforts!

Doctor Thorne is a novel by Anthony Trollope - of Pallisers fame - you will need to be pretty old to recognize that 1970's era Masterpiece Theater production!! 

And it was produced by Julian Fellowes of Downton Abbey fame - he introduces each of the 4 episodes.

It's a period romance - well-done, well-acted, and it even has a happy ending!

A little excessive reading!

My colonoscopy prepping day - and then a recovery day - allowed a lot of reading to get done.

This one came recommended from my sister Leslie's book group.  And excellent read - a story about a Jewish girl and a Dutch girl who find their fates intertwined in World War II - and the world of the circus.  

I continue to be amazed at the new things I learn about the war and the Holocaust.  This author came across two items in the archives at Vad Yashem - and felt she needed to somehow incorporate them into a story.

It's a great read - the story goes back and forth between the voices of the two girls - women actually. And the story structure is very dramatic and compelling.

 

My dear friend Arlene thought maybe I'd enjoy this, so she dropped it by - and I did indeed enjoy it.  It's a little more "fluff" than I usually choose, but the underlying story was compelling - it went back and forth between 1849 and 2009 - and the way the stories wove together at the end was very satisfying.

A good summer read or beach read or airplane read - or just sitting-in-your-chair-by-the-sunny-window read!!

Grisham to the rescue!

Apparently I thought I had reviewed this book for my blog - apparently I didn't since I found this in the "draft" section!!

Bought this book in the airport last June as Annika and I were heading back to SoCal.  Had to pay full price, but it was worth it to have a good book for a 5 hour flight!!

Not about lawyers - and after the hurricane disaster in Florida, I wonder how Camino Island fared?

It was compelling reading - typical Grisham fare, but I did not like the ending.  I like the bad guy to suffer - and this bad guy did not.

Now you have to read it to see who the bad guy is!

When life hands you lemons, sit down and read!

I am spending today prepping for a colonoscopy tomorrow - and spending the day on a liquid diet - one that includes lots of nasty stuff to drink - so it is a good day to spend reading!!

My good friend Arlene dropped this book by my house yesterday - her mom wants to start a little book group and Arlene thought I might like to participate - so I started reading.

It looked a little long, but once I got into it, it was a fast read.  I have never read David Baldacci - he's a lot like Grisham - maybe because this story is about the Supreme Court - and their are lawyers in it. 

It was a little convoluted and you had to keep track of details, but it was a pretty good mystery.  I did not solve it myself - I often read the last chapter first and I did on this one - but it was a good way to while away the day!

Would be excellent airplane fiction - probably explains why my familiarity with the name Baldacci comes from seeing it in airport book stores!!

I walk with  my friend Rene on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and she handed this book to be today.  So after I finished Baldacci, I went right to this one.  It is a Newberry Honor Book - and I can see why - well-written and thought provoking.

The story focuses on two London children who are sent to the country as World War II poses a greater threat to the city.  I have read many stories about these city children who were sent to the country around London - not all were treated so well - but apparently many found a good home and much to enrich their lives.

The chapter about Dunkirk was especially compelling - since I recently saw that movie.

I have often said that kids could be taught American and world history with a map, a timeline,  and some great core novels.

This is one such novel!!

Who knew?

Randomly found this in the library - did not know Maud Hart Lovelace had written novels before the Betsy Tacy book series.

Early candlelight refers to the time before electric lighting - twilight was the early time of night when you started needing to light candles.  And so they would refer to it thusly, saying "Come at early candlight" or something.

The things you learn.

The story is based some what on historical data and events - it's about the interactions at the beginning of Fort Snelling - which you can see from the Minneapolis Airport - and the Canadian fur trappers and relations with the Chippewa and Sioux Indians.

It was a delightful story to read - very lyrical in its descriptions. And the main character, Delia DuGay, was charming, if a little two-dimensional.

If you are a Maud Hart Lovelace fan, you really should read this.  It's the kind of book you can read a chapter each day with your lunch and it's works!

What is it about babies?

The doctor's office has a box of books for 50 cents each - I often pick up a couple of dollars worth for my little library - and I found this last week.

I am not familiar with this author - although her name rang a bell but none of her books did - but the cover intrigued me, so I picked it up.

It was a great read - it was written in 1993, but I wish it had been written in 1970 and that I'd read it then - because she had a colicky baby and it would have been comforting!!

Now I think I will go find one of her novels at the library!!

Lessons from the Centenarians

Saw this on the bookshelf at Karl's house - the cover looked intriguing.  So I ordered it - and it came and I read it.  Often non-fiction books take me a while to read, but this read almost like a novel, and I raced right through it.

Neenah Ellis - who was and maybe still is a writer for NPR - got a grant for a series on All Things Considered.  

She sought out recommendations for centenarians she might interview and set out.

The ensuing journey is fascinating - and I use the word because it fits!  Like she says, we will all grow older - and could live to be 100.  In light of our experience with Harry's mom, this story was insightful in many areas.

The individual stories are full of details that bring the stories to life.  The book was published in 2002 and I found myself sad thinking that the people in the stories are definitely no longer alive!

Read it - you won't be sorry you did!!

"Wonder" ful!

A great read - can't wait for the movie!

A truly feel-good story - we always want to see the underdog get on top - this story fulfills that dream!!

A quick read

My Tuesday/Thursday walking buddy Rene loaned me this book.  It was a quick read - and a good one.  About the Armenian genocide - which I confess I know little about.

It's a novel, but it is based on the recollections of the author's great uncle - who survived the genocide and came to America in 1920.

Lots of food for thought here.

A great read!!

Harry and Dawn and kids gave this to Harry for Father's Day - and I read it first - since I'm the faster reader - and Harry takes his time getting books read!!

Reminded me of Beloved Benjamin is Waiting - with Harry Potter elements.  And a well-told story.

It's for kids - who I'm sure love it.

It's for grown-ups too!!

I loved it!