NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

 Hello All Book Lovers,

We met at Karla Cox's home last week and shared some wonderful books.  Here is the list I have so far.  If you haven't yet sent me your latest books, it's not too late.  I can always add them onto the blog.  

BETH HEDENGREN

Murder at an Irish Christmas by Carlene O’Connor

Fun cozy Christmas mystery, in a charming Irish village. The sleuth is a woman police officer, a garda, and the victim is a famous elderly musician/conductor. Garda Siobhan is thrown into the investigation because she has traveled to the village to meet her brother’s fiancee’s musical family, who are grandchildren to the victim. Against a Christmassy backdrop of snow and cozy tea chats, she gradually unravels the mystery. 

The World She Edited by Amy Reading

A lively biography of Katharine White, who was an editor at the New Yorker for 36 years, starting in 1925. White generously mentored many writers who went on to become famous, including Vladimir Nabokv, John Updike, May McCarthy, Elizabeth Bishop, Jean Stafford, and Shirley Jackson (“The Lottery”). She also married EB White and was devoted to helping him with his writing. EB White, who went by Andy, was fairly neurotic and took a good deal of coaxing to keep on writing. Katharine provided just the right amount of sympathy and motivation. He wrote columns and short pieces for the New Yorker for many years before eventually cutting his responsibilities there to focus on longer fiction. The children’s book Stuart Little was his first success at fiction and took many years for him to finish with Katharine’s encouragement. Fascinating look at the world of publishing and writing. 

Apple Turnover Murder by Joanne Fluke

One of my favorite cozy mystery series. Hannah, the sleuth, has a master’s in English and lives in Minnesota—so of course I feel a connection. She also owns a bakery and makes yummy cookies (recipes included) and has two boyfriends who both want to marry her. In every book, she solves the mystery and makes great food but can never quite decide who to marry. Fun!

Cherry Cheesecake Murder by Joann Fluke

See above. They are all pretty similar, making these books perfect going to sleep reading!

MARYANN STEVENS

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt 4 ️ this is as close to fantasy as I’ll probably get: Tova, a 70-year old widow living in the Puget Sound whose 18 yr old son who died under mysterious circumstances years ago; in California’s Central Valley, Cameron, a 30 year old orphan raised by his aunt Jean decides to look for his unknown father based on his mother’s rediscovered high school picture & an initialed class ring; Marcellus, an octopus who lives in a tank in an aquarium in Washington.

The Death of a Chimney Sweep - Hamish MacBeth by MC Beaton 3.5️ Loch Loo outdoes itself in the number & viciousness of the murders which take Hamish months to solve.

The New & Everlasting Covenant by Joshua Savage 3.5️ Using both canon & living General Authorities, Savage studies a broadened view of the everlasting covenant. I couldn’t find out much about author but his doctrine seemed sound.

Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts 3.5️ Mrs L Frank Baum, (Maud) storms onto the set of MGM studios to make sure her husband’s legacy remains safe in the filming of the Wizard of Oz. Through flashbacks we learn how love gets through all the ups & down of life with Frank & Maud.

Crossing to Safety.
Beyond the Hundredth Meridian by Wallace Stegner 4.5 ️ much more than a retelling of John Welsey Powell’s exploration of the Colorado River, this is a history of Powell’s influential work both in the West & in Washington to “ organize the scientific studies of the government.
Powell was a statesman during the Glided Age who used his crafty strategy, not for personal gain but for the advancement of science in gathering facts about the great western expanse. 1/4 acre land in the arid west was not enough to survive. More than 2/3 of all homesteaders west of the 100th Meridian failed & thé land - the free government land - reverted to the banks for outstanding loans. For a large majority, this free land did not help the poor farmer as much asbut rthe bankers & corporations that recovered thé land. US Geological Survey Bureau of Ethnology.  Powell wanted to adjust homesteader acreage based on the actual productivity of the soil. In all his planning, he wanted the outcome to be the most good for the largest number of people for the longest time.

KARLA COX

The Halloween Tree  by Ray Bradbury

A quick creative Halloween story on Halloween, because why not? Ray Bradbury is a master storyteller, but he also uses this short fantasy to teach young and old about the holiday of the dead. The bonuses: I learned a bit about Halloween traditions from throughout history (at least from Bradbury’s perspective), and I enjoyed a Halloween-specific story (truly rare for me). I wonder why no one made a Halloween movie from this youthful-viewpoint sci-fi. 

Remain  by Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan

This was another atypical choice for me, as it was a ghost story, also a mystery, but also a love story. The unique and

genius pairing of romance author Nick Sparks with the edgy, sometimes scary and always thought-provoking movie maker M Night Shyamalan made for an incredible, yes, spooky, and enjoyable  tale. (I think I came under my SIL Craig’s influence, as he loves Halloween and all things spooky.)  I might not  enjoy the movie (thanks to Hollywood’s all too vivid special effects), but I had a hard time setting the book aside. 

Remain asks us to consider if love can set us free, even from the boundaries of life and death. A transcendent concept for much of the world, but for me a truly comfortable truth. Definitely one to read, not watch or listen to if ghost stories aren’t your thing. They aren’t always mine. (It will be made into a movie, according to the credits. And Shyamalan is making it, so I’ll plan to see it.) 

History Matters  by David McCullough 

A peek into the inside of the man who “elevated history into great literature” (his own words about another author), this is a collection of essays and speeches from the late great D McC, as his daughter (who helped assemble the compilation) referred to him when speaking of him as a writer and historian. David McCullough really was a great writer, incredible scholar, and loving family man. His story, not told here directly yet told through his words,  is unique, interesting and inspiring. 

This book is also a great place to find his heroes, and to learn even more about some of the great ones whose stories he has told. 

One tiny sample from one of the speeches in this amazing book of an amazing man - the history in essay form of a great historian of our time, can be found in this: “a large modern bookstore may have a hundred thousand books or more. And we get to choose! All these different voices, all these different points of view; and we get to choose! Or to go into a vast library, where choices are even greater; and we get to travel in the mind!” 

Maybe the best of his books, because it’s such a concise distillation of the millions of things he has has said and written. I’ll probably buy this one, and you know what that says… 

The Stolen Life of Collette Marceau  by Kristin Harmel

This story of jewel thefts as a family tradition, WWII resistance efforts vs corrupt French police, and never giving up on finding lost loved ones is historical fiction at its best. 

Kristin Harmel never disappoints me; her research is meticulous and her stories are powerful. But this one had some personal undertones, which she shares in the Author’s Note at the end. She also brings some ethics questions to the forefront, since her main characters, descendants of the notorious/heroic Robin Hood, steal to accomplish a greater good. And yet it’s based in 1940s France and 2018 U.S. So much to enjoy in this book! 

The Colony  by John Tayman

This is a documented, accurate account of the Leper colony on Molokai, Hawaii. While I had heard of the colony before, I had no idea of the deprivations and circumstances of this natural prison: lava-rock cliffs on three sides, the crashing waves of the ocean on the fourth. At it’s peak, well over a thousand people were confined there, almost always against their will. Now only 28 people live there, quietly and by choice. This book tells how it happened, the ignorance and misconceptions that continued it, and the heartbreak of a disease that has been misunderstood since biblical times. But more importantly, it tells of the pure goodness of a few, the hope that survived  unfair and unthinkable circumstances, and the gradual cures that have changed the face of leprosy (now called Hansen’s Disease for the Swedish doctor who isolated the bacilli that causes the disease). The book is long and sometimes overly-detailed, but the real-life characters become people I want to meet someday. It’s descriptive and educational.  I learned a great deal. 

The River is Waiting  by Wally Lamb 

I almost turned this audiobook back in because of the language and coarse sound of the reader. But this heart-breaking story of Corby, a Rx drug and alcohol-addicted young father who causes a tragic accident that tears his life and family apart, deserves to be heard. From the forever guilty and permanently destroyed husband and dad’s point of view, you get no heroism; just raw pain and honesty. From the inside of addiction and recovery, and from the inside of a prison with lots of human darkness but a few rays of human light, there is little happiness in this story; but there is hope and elemental kindness. And in the ineffably sad ending, there is peace. 

Mailman  by Stephen Starring Grant

Surprisingly similar to the previous book, in that both are from a dad’s point of view who loses his job and faces tough times. But that one is fiction, this one is a memoir, and while that one is brutal and poignant and often harsh, this is creative and funny, analytically heartwarming, and truly profound. 

This personal account of an executive marketer and consultant who is laid off and becomes a mail carrier during COVID, takes place in the Appalachians, in Blacksburg, West Virginia, where hill people rub shoulders and share mountain space with engineers. Sometimes happily. 

And while The River is Waiting points acutely at the problems in America, and ends with the onslaught of COVID, Mailman is unabashedly patriotic, in spite of its current place in the Pandemic. For example, this message sandwiched in the middle of a chapter in the middle of the book: “Being born as an American was like winning the lottery of life.” And “There has to be a starting point. It is love of country. America is an idea. Without love of country, how will we ever muster the energy to perfect that idea?” 

A fun and lovely story, and one that deepened my appreciation for my own life and experiences. Grant, while swearing to a level I would normally avoid, painted the beauty of the Appalachian Mountains and the nobility of humanity so well I was frequently moved to tears. 

Radical Sisters  by Judith L. Pearson

“The doctor can make the incision, but I’ll make the decision.” ~Shirley Temple Black  

“I have a streak of stubbornness and a loud voice.” ~Rose Kushner

“I believe that one must leave the world a better place than you found it.” ~ Evelyn Lauder

The lives of these three famous women provide an inspiring and motivating biographical trio, well-researched and told with gusto. All three had breast cancer; two died from cancer. But they spent their lives, and a large chunk of their fortunes, to ignite a movement, and change the way society views this scourge of women. 

When each of these three were diagnosed with breast cancer, they faced a medical world of myths, outdated protocols, and a shocking lack of research. Thanks to their trailblazing efforts, each in her time, the door was opened to greater awareness, better funding for research, and more effective methods of treating the disease that was as much an epidemic as AIDS yet received a fraction of the funding. In a man’s world, these “Radical Sisters” demanded a shift in how society viewed breast cancer, and worked to change the world for others. There are so many powerful stories and fascinating details; I’ll leave it to you to pick it up and learn why breast cancer is now one of the most overcomeable cancers. Survivors and advocates of today stand on the shoulders of these powerful, determined women, whose legacy has empowered advocacy for better healthcare, increased (through better-funded) research, and greater awareness. 

Sheltering Rain  by JoJo Moyes

Most if not all of you have read JoJo Moyes, so you know what a queen of writing about healing broken families she is. This story is about three generations of Irish women (actually four) whose silent suffering has driven them apart, each in her time. It begins with Joy, living in China as Queen Elizabeth (the one we all knew in our lifetimes) is crowned. Joy’s mother Alice, her daughter Kate, and Kate’s daughter Sabine all throw up emotional walls that must be torn down for any of them to thrive. It doesn’t happen. Until the horses and another suffering woman bring them together in Ireland. 

Though some “secrets” were predictable, I loved the way the story unfolded, transitioning between the past in China, on steamer-ships, in London, and the present (which happened to be late 90s) in Ireland. 

Of course I loved hearing the names and descriptions of places I visited just last summer. 

Gone Before Goodbye  by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben

This suspense novel about a world-class combat surgeon whose life is turned upside down at the grisly death of her husband and the loss of her career, is more like the old-time radio drama style; each character is voiced individually. Which is nice, because there’s no male trying to sound like a female, and no woman trying to sound like a man. The main narration is Reese Witherspoon as Maggie, and she makes the story feel so real. It’s an exciting and surprisingly clean story. I loved that. 

But I found myself wondering frequently how much Reese actually wrote. There are exceptionally detailed passages about many topics, including medicine, surgery, and the geography of inner Russia and Bordeaux France. I suspect the best-selling co-author did the research and structured the chapters, while Witherspoon came up with the concept and, yes, brought the story to life with her many talents. In this age of AI, it’s hard to trust that much is personally written. And we might not be able to tell, or ever have a way to be sure. That makes me uncomfortable. 

Death of an Ice Cream Salesman  by Penelope Cress and Steve Higgs 

A British comedy/PI story that moved quickly and offered an entertaining story. Apparently it’s a series (“A Mike Atwell story”), and I did feel a little like I missed the first act; plus it ends with a bit of a cliff hanger. All in all, a quick interesting Private I story. 

The Bookshop on the Corner  by  Jenny Colgan

A sweet little romance about a woman who loves books and has a gift for pairing them with people. After losing her library job, introverted Nina, who’s never been seen without a book in her hand, finds the courage to start over. Setbacks and heartache accompany her, but Nina finds a new life, out of the chaos and smells of Birmingham, far to the North in Scotland. 

A predictable story, but enjoyable. 

JO ANN ABEGGLEN

The Shepherd of the Hills 

by Harold Bell Wright

Gone before Good-bye

Reese Witherspoon

by Harlan Coben

How to Tet Negative For Stupid

by John Kennedy

GERI CHRISTENSEN

MARBLE HALL MURDERS

by David Horowitz 

a sequel to MAGPIE MURDERS, an excellent mystery

CARAVAN

by Dorothy Gilman

Rather long and rambling, but a good story by the end.

THE DAY SHELLY WOODHOUSE WOKE UP

by Laura Pearson

A great story with a surprise ending.  I really enjoyed it.

 

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2025

 Hello All,

It's time for a new Bookshare blog featuring some of the latest books that have been reported on.

Lots of great books here for you to choose from.  We will be meeting next month on December 8th at 

the home of Karla Cox.  See you there!

BETH HEDENGREN

Sunrise on the Reaping, by Suzanne Collins. Very well written—such a brutal concept. Children fighting to the death to entertain the masses. I almost quit reading and had nighmares one night. But I finished. It’s a prequel to the main Hunger Games Trilogy, so it tied in with that at the end and looked toward the happy resolution to that. But, as Krystian says, “why do we read Hunger Games?”

The Wizard of Oz. by L. Frank Baum

The original is delightful—well worth a revisit. Much as I love the movie—the book is really lovely. Direct, simple style. Strong characters and a message you get but it is not over stressed or didactic. 

The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood

Delightful story of 3 very un-similar women in a British village and how they solve the mystery of who murdered a neighbor. 

Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization by Brad Wilcox (but not the Mormon Brad Wilcox)

Written by a University of Virginia sociologist, this book reports on extensive research on the links between the decline in marriage and declines in happiness and prosperity. He goes on to demonstrate that couples who take a “we-before-me” approach are happier and less divorce-prone. He has evidence that the happiest marriages are characterized by frequent date nights, family fun time, and chores done together as a couple and with kids. (Sounds like the Proclamation on Family, right?) Wilcox warns against anti-marriage messages in popular culture that seem to discourage people from marrying and building strong families.  

Odyssey by Stephen Fry

A delightful retelling of the Odyssey! Not a word for word translation, but a very accessible and enjoyable story of the heroes of Troy and their journey home from the most destructive war in history to that point. Fry (the brilliant reader of the Harry Potter books) clearly knows and loves the Greek epic poetry, dramas, and legends. He blends them all together for a coherent and compelling tale of adventure, tragedy, and self-discovery. 

Really fun to read, especially after reading the excellent story of the Trojan women—A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes. I am always moved by how these people that lived thousands of years ago were basically the same as we are in their emotions, desires, needs, and potential for either evil or good. 

Beth Hedengren

801-836-2830 

MARYANN STEVENS

• Murder on the Brighton Express by CJ ARCHER 3️1900 London Cleo holidays in Brighton with her cousins, aunt & uncle, her only family. She meets a journalistic investigator at the beach who tries to blackmail her to get Cleos help after they’d returned to London. Cleo keeps an eye on the young& is horrified when  the young woman does not get off the train, fearing foul play.  Train employees say suicide. Cleo enlists help to find the body. The lazy Scotland Yard sergeant closes the case as suicide without an autopsy or a suicide note. Cleo & her side kick work to clear her name & discover the real criminals. 

• ️️Black Widow by Daniel Silva 4 A very, very secret service agency in Israel recruits people from all walks of like to infiltrate thé newest Isis encampments. One recruit is an Algerian-French Jewess MD who emigrated from France to Israel with her parents. The agency basically kidnaps her to avoid detection & teaches her to become an avenging Isis black widow (one who has lost a lover or husband, lover, brother, etc ) who is also close to the supreme leader & needs medical attention. ISIS Plots are planned for European capitals as well as Washington DC. Can IDF use the intel to stop the massacres? 

• All We Thought We Knew by 3.5️ by Michelle Shocklee 1942 After a  whirlwind courtship & a four day honeymoon moon, Ava’s sailor is shipped out to the Japanese Theater where he promptly dies in battle.   Ava forms a strong bond with an intelligent & gentle German enemy alien at the Army post where she works. But he is transferred to North Dakota & she feels lost & alone again. Fast forward to the 1960s & Maddie, Ava’s daughter, is violently opposed to the Vietnam War.  Mark, her twin brother enlists with help from his Best friend. Mark dies. Maddie falls apart. She blames her parents for letting Mark go & Maddie leaves home for the California hippie scene for over a year. Her mother is dying & her dad finds her & asks her to come home to thé Tennessee horse farm where she was raised. Ava‘s secrets are revealed and her brother’s best friend returns from Vietnam missing an arm. Interesting family dynamics but thé love bind. 
• ️Lost Souls of Leningrad by Suzanne Parry 4️ an intimate telling of the Nazi siege of Leningrad that starved half the population. The soul of a family kept alive as grandmother & granddaughter support each other. Great to read WWII from a new perspective. Very good. 

A Rather Dastardly Death by Anthony Slayton 3️ Mister Quayle, Secretary to Lord Unsworth is called upon again to solve a murder & keep the family’s honor in tact. Family vacation on the Rivera between WWars. 

The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor 4️ Harvard PhD & business consultant describes how to built a culture of happiness which boosts the bottom line in business & builds great relationships anywhere. 

️️Good Night Irene by Luis Alberto Urrea 4.5️ thé donuts girls. Taking inspiration from his own mother’s WWII Red Cross service, Urrea  weaves a wonderful story of camaraderie, heroism, tenacity, love & loss. Great book. 

One Life by Barbara Winton 3.5️ In 1938, a friend tells Nicky Hinton of the terrible conditions existing for children in Czechoslovakia. Nicky organizes resources to evacuate & save from certain death over 600 children. Over his life his engagement in humanitarian work is constant - even after he’s 100 years old. Book got tedious as Author-daughter describes every job he ever had. 

️️️A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes 4️ Have thé lives of women ever been the same? I see many parallels. Three goddesses, Hera, Aphrodite, & Athena,  insist Paris decide which will be awarded the golden apple because of her great beauty. Penelope, wife of Odysseus writes letters & asks him if thé Bard’s tales  of him are true & asks why he stays away 10 years after Troy has fallen. 

Stories of The Amazons. 

Wife of Hector watches a Greek throw her infant son from the walls of Troy only to become his slave & the mother of his son. 

Cassandra, daughter of Priam sees the future - that would be very uncomfortable ‘gift’- & goes quietly to her death at the hands of her captors. 

Her sister is sacrificed to the Greeks gods to insure their safe passage home. 

Hecuba, Priam’s queen & Mother of Hector is taken by Odyssey to the nearby king who for money hid her youngest son & then betrayed him to the Greeks. Odyssey believes such treachery deserves punishment which he allows her to dispense. She kills both of his sons before his eyes & then blinds him with the same dagger but spares his life so he can agonize over the loss of his sons & relive his treachery. 

Calliope thé Poet & muse of heroic poetry must compose on command. “I have sung of it all, including the women in the shadows, forgotten, ignored, untold & I have shaped them & have sung of them because they have waited long enough.”Why in war do we not sing of half the world? They are equally heroic.”

Lots of good books. 

KARLA COX

SEPTEMBER

The Overstory  by Richard Powers

This is 23+ hours of listening to prose about trees and their people. So it’s not for everyone. But each symbol and word-rich chapter introduces you to a new, unique individual who cares deeply about a particular type of tree - or, in the case of Patricia, a hearing-impaired genius who learns finally to relate to humans after she has cared about plants and their souls her whole life (shades of Is a River Alive?), a particular connection to nature. Eventually,  all the characters are brought together, to connect with each other in their defense of trees and nature. Awful things happen. Beautiful things happen. Regret, redemption, and loss travel through the book like a seedling on the wind from the arboral star of this epic, the Chestnut. There are far too many word gems to record, but all of them are treasures to my brain and soul. 

I’ve never been a true activist (though at times a bit of a crusader); but this book persuades me to lean with grace toward those who are. 

A quote from the synopsis: “There is a world alongside ours - vast, slow, interconnected, resourceful, magnificently inventive, and almost invisible to us.” For me personally, that’s analogous to the world and gifts of the Spirit - unseen and usually unappreciated. 

A most unusual but beautifully written book. 

I’m glad I listened to it; because reading would have taken me another 5 or six hours beyond the 23. (I would have stopped to write down quotes from almost every page…) 

Gung Ho by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles

I read this book because Tim asked me to read it. The concepts taught in story form are preached to improve business practices. But, as with all truth, they apply to life in general, and to spiritual circumstances when applied analogously. The authors use three concepts that came, so says one of the two main characters, from his Native American grandfather: The Secret of the Squirrel, the Way of the Beaver, and the Gift of the Geese.  I definitely see the benefits of these concepts in the business world.  I had to dig for the spiritual implications. 

These Precious Days  by Ann Patchett

What a beautiful collection of thoughtful reminiscences, by an author I believe I would like very much if we were to meet. 

If you’ve read anything by Ann Patchett, you know her character development is superb. But these essays required no development; just profound perspective, vibrant emotion, and rich insight - since each essay is from Patchett’s life. About home, family, friendships and writing, Patchett shares details that make you feel as if you are her friend, having a lengthy and introspective conversation. I don’t have to agree with her about not having children to respect her decision to live childless. I don’t have to come from a divorced family to appreciate her three-fathers blessings. I don’t have to have watched a friend fight cancer (though I have, too many times) to value the tenderness in her tale of unexpected friendship and loss. I can’t say enough about the resonance of these essays, personal messages artfully inlaid with universal meaning. A truly lovely book. 

The Little Liar  by Mitch Albom

Another WWII story; who knew Mitch Albom could go there with such astuteness? Like Death, the narrator of The Book Thief, this narrator is Truth. And truth, while always valuable, is not always kind. 

The story revolves around a family of Greek Jews (interestingly, my second in as many months; and I’ve never read anything about Greek Jews before) who are rounded up with as many as 40,000 in Salonika/Thessaloniki and hauled by cattle-car to face death. Except one young son strangely left behind, Nico. 

The story is filled with psalm-like gems of wisdom, such as  “Evil travels like dandelion seeds, blowing over borders and taking root in angry minds”; or  “Hate is an ancient melody; blame is even older.” Or “Time does not heal all wounds; some, it only rubs deeper.” And this: “The heart has many routes to love; compassion is one of them.” Are these and so many others that I didn’t write down,  ancient wisdom? Perhaps handed down through rabbis? Or simply the wisdom of Mitch Albom? I’m not wise enough to know. But it was Albom, speaking as Truth, who faithfully researched and eloquently told this partly true and deeply meaningful story. I’m grateful for his commitment to the vow, “Never again.” 

This is the Story of a Happy Marriage  by Ann Patchett

I enjoyed These Precious Days so much, I checked out the next Ann Patchett book that came up; it was a collection of her published essays/short stories, and it takes us into the very real world of Ann Patchet’s life. Hard things, funny experiences, life-changing events, the love of a dog… These and more take us from her child to the present day. 

Like These Precious Days, This is the Story of a Happy Marriage is a delightful and incredible wander through the days, people and intelligence of a truly remarkable writer. Again, I feel like I have a new friend. 

Though there are painful stories here too, and circumstances that don’t resonate for me, novel author Patchett proves she can write truth as creatively as fiction. She is remarkable because she writes until her audience understands. 

The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club  by Martha Hall Kelly 

I’m a big fan of Martha Hall Kelley, a favorite historical fiction writer who usually bases her characters, and much of their circumstances, on real people. This one is based on her mother, uncle, and their background on Martha’s Vineyard. But the book’s story is placed in WWI, and many of the characters hail from that time period. Two sisters, trying to maintain their family farm in the face of their parents’ death and brother’s enlistment, find their every talent called upon to save their grandmother and the farm they love. The very real twists and turns bring them and their innocent Book Club friends to the brink of arrest or worse, while wondering if their brave brother is alive or dead. 

A delightful story and a good wander into German activity on American soil. 

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

Though this story is famed among Hemingway fans, most people I’ve heard describe this story, and the movie based on it, call them boring and depressing. I guess I’m a Hemingway fan, though late to the table. (I didn’t read any of his until my daughter won the Hemingway Award through her high school journalism writing.) I loved the symbolisms and the inherent themes of courage in adversity and of love for others, even the fish he fought to capture. From the publisher’s review: “It tells a fundamental human truth: in a volatile world… what sustains us, ultimately, is hope.” Too short to pass up, it’s worth the detail and contemplative structure. I loved it’s conciseness, and it’s symbolic beauty. 

The Story She Left Behind  by Patti Callahan Henry 

Who knew this story by an author I’ve enjoyed for her mystery and suspense would create a tale of Ireland - a place I now love, Gaelic - a language I actually studied a bit, and of enchanted places I long to see?! 

To be fair, the key characters are actually based in London and the Lakes District, England and the shores of May River, South Carolina. But the tale is woven of times and peoples past, of remarkable interconnectedness, and an inner secret place and story that everyone might have, but most have forgotten. 

Here’s one of the beautiful quotes from the book, spoken by the narrator: “Bronwyn made up her own language; [Callum] hid his - both having untold stories that needed to find their way out. …The internal landscape of the soul needs to belong to oneself before it can be shared with others. Some creations are for the creator and no one else; the created act a discovery, a quest for oneself.” A magical book. 

Fun bonuses: The story is partially based on two real women: Barbara Newhall Follett, a troubled child prodigy author, and Beatrix Potter, the beloved children’s author and illustrator, who is casually included in the story as though, of course these fictional people knew her! 

Also, the killing fog (known as the Great Smog or the Great Smoke) that drove the key characters out of London was real. It occurred in 1952 and may have killed 12,000 people. It resulted in the Clean Air Act of England. 

More or Less Maddy  by Lisa Genova 

If you’ve read anything by Lisa Genova, you know she is a crusader, with human struggles as her cause and fiction as her tool. This story is about a girl who’s just like any other stressed-out college freshman, who thinks it’s normal to feel overwhelmed, and doesn’t fit in with her oh, so perfect Connecticut country club family. Until she is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. 

Genova is incredible at taking the reader inside the suffering. While I have known enough sufferers of BPD to feel compassion, I’ve never considered the spiraling intensity of the highs or the merciless depth of the lows. 

The book was hard to stay with because of the terrible language and casual sexual references; and quite frankly, it was painful for me empathetically. But I still recommend it for the educational insights that enhance compassion for those who deal with any mental health issue. And the hopeful ending. 

Save the Date  by Mary Kaye Andrews

Just a fluffy love story about a florist in Savannah GA who feels like an outsider and who can’t catch a break even though she’s talented and works hard. Until she meets the proverbial manly man, complete with rough hands, who she hates until she falls for him. Terribly formulaic but still fun to listen to. I probably wouldn’t have bothered with it though,  if I were reading the book. 

Proclaim Peace  by Patrick Q. Mason and J. David Pulsipher

I have heard many podcasts and read another book by Patrick Mason. His voice is somewhat brusque, but his message is bullseye. While I disagree a little with some of his points (e.g., that Nephi used anger and violence unnecessarily), he makes some important points, too many to mention here, all the while citing scripture and modern prophets and their revelations. 

Here’s one example of backing up his non-violent case, point by point.

Eight Criteria for balancing the ledger when violence (war, punishment) is essential:

-Disinclination

-Forbearance

-Divine Consent

-Accountability

-Restraint

-Grief

-Steadfast Connection

-Increased Love

In my opinion, these steps were followed after the U.S. dropped bombs on Japan; we are now solid friends and allies with the Japanese people. 

He makes a strong case for God’s ability to use violence and still be omnisciently loving. And he said this: “There’s nothing that says we have to be happy about God’s occasional resort to violence [e.g., in the destruction of the wicked after Christ’s crucifixion].  If we shrink from divine violence, and are morally troubled by it, it means our sensitive souls are simply a reflection of God’s own sorrow over the violence He sometimes deploys.”

A remarkably timely book, so relevant for our times! 

OCTOBER

The Maid’s Secret  by Nita Prose

For you who have read the Molly the Maid series, this one feels like a wrap. A spirited art heist mystery and an epic love story combined, as the key to both lies in the past - all to be found in Molly’s beloved Gran’s diary. 

I squeezed in time to read this in strange places and limited moments. Well worth it!! 

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post  by Allison Pataki

Great recommendation, Marlene! I enjoyed learning about this rich and powerful woman who had a wonderful life, though she was unsuccessful in marriage. Married four times, all ended badly; she had periods of wastefulness of her wealth as the heiress of Post and General Mills, but was, overall, and kind and philanthropic woman. A fascinating book (though not a biography - rather a novel written as though in her words). 

Agatha Raisin and the Murderous Marriage  by MC Beaton

Agatha Raisin’s marriage to James Lacey is ruined because our dear, obnoxious, feisty Aggie’s first husband is alive! And then he’s not… Another crazy chase through the Cotswolds as Agatha and her comical cohorts try to solve the murders that follow them around, til Agatha herself is the victim! Great murder mystery fun. Which doesn’t sound right, but I know y’all understand. 

Brave Companions  by David McCullough

After a beautiful and revealing prologue about McCullough - who wanted to be an artist but became arguably the greatest historian of our time, this historian provides a collection of historical biographies: the brave companions of the earth in this dispensation. 

~Alexander Von Humboldt

~Louis Agassiz 

~Harriet Beecher Stowe

~Medora, ND (and Marquis de Mores, his wife Medora Hoffman, and Teddy Roosevelt)

~Frederick Remington 

~Miriam Rothschild

~Harry Caudill

~David Plowden

~ And SO many more pioneers and builders of America, the world, the mind. People with a rare vitality and sense of purpose. 

He summarized the amazing - and sometimes frightening - advances of the last century, and encouraged readers to SEE. See the world, see the people, see history (and understand its lessons), see the amazing accomplishments of others. READ. Talk to people. And be grateful. 

Bookended by the wisdom of this great historian, this was so worthwhile! 

The Pioneers  by David McCullough

The second of my history craze, Pioneers tells the story, not of the American West, but the acquisition and subsequent battles (some against nature, some against other humans) to claim the land northwest of the Ohio River - country that became Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. McCullough’s account focuses on the beauties of the land along the Ohio River, the work it took to clear the dense forests, and the struggles of those courageous and pioneering souls whose efforts in Ohio define our country, including freedom of religion, free universal education, and the prohibition of slavery. 

Too many aspects to share much here, the vast sweep was explained through the lives of five truly great but lesser-known main characters. He then incorporated more well-known people into the story of these five. Masterfully written, in true McCullough style. 

One Thousand White Women  by Jim Fergus

Thank you for this one, MaryAnn. I found it a fascinating story, and had to research after I finished to find out if it was all true (it wasn’t, but the request by Cheyenne Chief Little Wolf was real). Fergus created a realistic and believable journal style, then wrapped it with an “actual” ancestor of the protagonist, May Dodd. With all the horrors of the U.S. government’s conquering of the Native spirit, it really is a believable story. I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

The Amazing Mrs Polifax  by Dorothy Gilman

The irrepressible Emily Polifax is off to Turkey this time, where her mission is to rescue a Russian defector in Türkiye and come home within the week. Well, it doesn’t happen quite that way… Making friends with surprising people — including a friendless young British man, a gruff and dirty vagabond, and a wandering band of Roma — and finding supposed allies are actually the worst kind of enemies, Mrs. Pollifax finds herself facing death and instantaneous decisions nearly constantly. As always, a fun spy chase with the good guys - and gals - coming out on top. 

I immediately looked for the next in the series… 

The Incredible Kindness of Paper  by Evelyn Skye

A classic Hallmark movie - in a book. Oliver Jones and Chloe Hanako Quinn are BEST friends - and eventually more - from first grade on. Then suddenly Oliver is gone, without a word of goodbye or explanation. Years later, when life is much different for both of them, and they have moved beyond childhood romance, their paths cross again. And again. And again. While predictable from the start, the plot is fun and the characters are creative. 

So sweet and clean it was well worth it! 

Is a River Alive?  By Robert MacFarlane 

Conceptually this book is several books, even though, as a whole, it’s a treatise that champions ecology and the rights of nature. I realized, when it came back into my list to check out, that I hadn’t finished it. And it was like picking up a different story.  MacFarlane tells different stories by focusing on different needs and different triumphs. This is highlighted in part by the background he gives on his key human characters (though the stars of the story are the rivers). An illustrative example is the chapter about Yuvan from Chennai, and his efforts to save the rivers of India. Yuvan grew up with a seriously abusive stepfather and only got out alive because an educator whom he trusted sent him to find haven and education in a school 50 miles away. After four years of inner searching and outer learning, he was strong, confident, and, quite frankly, ready for battle in a deeply non-violent way - rather through education and awareness. His chapter points to the power that can come from stillness and caring about ALL things. He founded a trust called Palluyir, a Tamil word that translates to “all of life” - exactly what he devoted himself to protect. After saving his mother from the evil stepfather with a personal power verbalized in a single single sentence, he forgave him, and served as the individual who officiated at his death. He not only forgave his abuser, he sent him peacefully to his Maker when his time on earth was done. 

I could break down each chapter similarly. And here is just a tiny example of his feast-worthy delicious prose: “The sunset has slaughter in it, and spills scarlet onto the vast clouds amassing inland.  Swallows sit like musical notes on the staves of telephone wires.”  This is truly a wondrous, richly written, poetic soul- feeding, and for me, paradigm-changing and hopefully earth-changing book. I’m grateful I discovered it. I sing its praises to anyone who sees rivers, mountains, and trees as living beings with rights (a view I have only recently come to hold), and all creatures as worthy of kindness. 

Truman  by David McCullough 

As I have deep respect for the historical and biographical skills of David McCullough, I now have greater respect for Harry S Truman (the S stood for nothing, just as Tim’s grandfather had a no-name middle initial; the reasons are intriguing).  The Man from Missouri was a more common man than most presidents. He came from a farm, had financial struggles early in life, gained a high reputation by earning it, and dealt with a bizarre range of challenges during his presidency - from facing down Stalin to firing MacArthur. His integrity and genuine kindness, while overlooked by many in the difficult passages, was unquestioned. 

I’ll say no more; a biography like this about a man like that deserves to be read. 

Separation of Church and Hate   By John Fugelsang

Okay, this author is a comedian and broadcaster, so maybe those occupations play stronger than his authorship. At any rate, this book is harshly stanced and not for the faint of ear. Like many other strongly political books, I listened to this to better understand how people who think and believe differently are viewing things. But I thought this would be more enlightening because its premise is the Bible, and even more strongly the New Testament and its accounts of the life and teachings of Jesus. 

But Mr. Fugelsang, in the name of condemning hatred, bigotry and un-Christian behaviors, comes across with all three — and delivers his version of right with high irreverence. To be sure, he uses humor well at times; but overall, he did not persuade me that I am going to hell for my right-centrist beliefs. 

To me, it was worth finishing. But it’s not one I can recommend in good conscience. In spite of lots of truth and meaningful persuasion, there is too much anger, too much vitriol, too much of what he claims is wrong with his opponents. 

Green Lights  by Matthew McConaughey

A surprisingly clever approach for a memoir, the famous actor shares his first 50 years of life with candor, humor, and an unavoidable sprinkle of spicy language. He comes from a religious and loving, yet tough and violent family. His personal story shares it all - his triumphs, his failures, his lessons learned, and his advice to everyone based on his rich and diverse life experiences. 

I don’t know what this book would be like to just read it; I think it was made to listen to McConaughey, as he calls himself, tell it in his unique and familiar voice. Great fun, but not for everyone. 

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

I’ve never read this classic dystopian novel, so it was time. The symbolisms are clear, the similarities to our society are haunting, and the ending is hopeful. 

It’s short, it’s powerful, and it includes a favorite quote (“suck the marrow… live as if you’ll die tomorrow”). Happy to add it to my list! 

The Canceling of the American Mind  by Greg Lukianoff and Rikki Schlott

This enlightening, well-researched book is about cancellation culture and how to fight it; but it’s primarily about the demise of freedom of speech. It’s a galvanizing deep dive into what has happened and what continues to happen when people and their opinions are shut down,  or “canceled”, and when the right to speak openly and honestly is ostracized, threatened, even condemned.  The authors, whose political views are opposite, unitedly recognize the vital need to respect the voices of others instead of assuming someone is wrong simply because you disagree. It’s far more in-depth than I can cover in a review; but the bottom line is simple: we in America MUST promote “the American principles of individuality, resilience, and open-mindedness.”  A return to the values we as Latter-day Saints have been taught by prophets - civility, courtesy, respect, peace-making, would save our country from the path of ruin. Really affirming. 

Mornings on Horseback  by David McCullough 

A detailed biography of the Roosevelts — not just Pres Roosevelt, but his entire family, and all before his time as president. Having read a couple of books on Roosevelt recently, it was fun to compare and enhance the things I had already learned. No one interested in Teddy Roosevelt can overlook his time in the area of North Dakota now named for him (Teddy Roosevelt National Park). But there is so much about the man and his family that’s interesting! 

One funny little fact I’m surprised I had not encountered previously: The name Roosevelt is Dutch, and was originally pronounced slightly different than the three-syllable pronunciation we normally here now. But only a girl from Roosevelt UT and North Dakota would care about that detail, right? 

GERI CHRISTENSEN

MAY 2025

 

Hello All, 

My apologies for not getting this blog out sooner.  I have had some computer issues which are not yet resolved but I am going to make-do until I can get it all taken care of. In the meantime I am sending some of the more recent book lists I have received by e-mail.  Some wonderful books here for you to read.

SUE DE MARTINI

Story of a Heart: Two Families, One Heart, and the Medical Miracle that Saved a Child's Life," by Dr. Rachel Clarke. Dr. Rachel Clarke blends the history of medical innovations behind transplant surgery with the story of two children—one of whom desperately needs a new heart and one whose family decides to donate their daughter's organs following an automobile accident that leaves her brain dead. 5 stars

"Raising Hare" by Chloe Dalton. This is a memoir of a woman in England who raised a wild hare from birth and allowed it to live freely and wildly in her garden and home. She never named it or attempted to turn it into a pet. I liked it but not everyone would. It's not a book to listen to or read at a rapid pace. Thoughtful, meditative, exploring the connection between man and nature. After reading this book, I look forward to the Millenium when all of God's creations will be safe. 3 stars

"Miss Benson's Beetle" by Rachel Joyce. Margery Benson is a spinster who travels to New Caledonia (Vanuatu) in search of a rare golden beetle. Enid Pretty (a femme fatale) travels as her assistant. "The novel explores the themes of liberation from the past, embracing one's purpose in life, and the enduring bond of friendship." At times I laughed out loud. I LOVED the author's notes on how she came to write this book. 5 stars

MARYANN STEVENS

Death of Yesterday by MC Beaton 3.5️ Hamish MacBeth normally quiet Highland hamlet is suddenly overwhelmed by a series of murders.

From a Far & Lovely Country by Alexander M Smith. 3.5️ Precious & Grace& Charlie solve another mystery in their lovely Botswana.

Den of Spies by  4️ nonfiction. From Reagan forward reporter researches political dirty tricks that have substantially changed the times we live in

Honor by Thrity Umrigar 4.5 ️ contemporary India. Smita, an American-Indian journalist traveling worldwide to report on war, women’s issues, poverty, & power said she would never return to India after barely escaping sectarian violence  as a pre-teen, when her fellow journalist calls on her to fill in after an injury. Smita must travel hours into the interior to attend the trial for the death of a Muslim man & the disfigurement of his Hindu wife, a crime committed by her family members.
Lilac Ink by Jean Grainger 4.5 ️ 1938 Ireland. Grace writes a letter to St Jude, thé patron saint of list causes, pouring out her heart & enumerating her woes. She puts the note in an old whiskey bottle & tosses it into the Bay of Dingle. 6 weeks later Richard’s dog digs in the Sand on the beach of an island off the coast of Georgia, USA. they become pen pals of a sort & learn about each other. The sequel is on my hold list.

Sister in Science 4.5️ by Olivia Campbell. The true story of 4 female physicists. First, their struggle to be accepted as credible scholars in the early 20th  century & then the strenuous efforts to escape Nazi Germany.

Reading Genesis by Marilyn Robinson 5️ Author analyses & then reads thé entire book of Genesis. She sees so many things I never have. Well worth reading. Eating the apple - is a complex act of will. The old Christian writers refer to ‘thé Fortune Fall,’ embodies agency & freedom; human culpability is absent from parallel religions. Humans are both fallen & divine. Beauty exists in the world because our pleasure is anticipated in the creator. Comparing Babylonian creation & flood accounts thé big difference is how central to gods creation is man.  Cain doesn’t seem to be punished. Is mercy nearer to the personality of God than Justice? Grace tempers Justice in each of the OT stories. Adam & Eve do not die that day. Esau forgives Jacob. Joseph forgives his brothers. Etc. to refrain from thé use of or to put aside power is Godlike.

Matterhorn Karl Marlantes 4️ but I can’t recommend in whole due to the Marine language. However, if you want to read the story of the Vietnam War through the eyes of a Marine infantry platoon, this is your book, all 21 hours of it.  Death of Yesterday by MC Beaton 3.5️ Hamish MacBeth normally quiet Highland hamlet is suddenly overwhelmed by a series of murders.

From a Far & Lovely Country by Alexander M Smith. 3.5️ Precious & Grace& Charlie solve another mystery in their lovely Botswana.

Den of Spies by  4️ nonfiction. From Reagan forward reporter researches political dirty tricks that have substantially changed the times we live in

Honor by Thrity Umrigar 4.5 ️ contemporary India. Smita, an American-Indian journalist traveling worldwide to report on war, women’s issues, poverty, & power said she would never return to India after barely escaping sectarian violence  as a pre-teen, when her fellow journalist calls on her to fill in after an injury. Smita must travel hours into the interior to attend the trial for the death of a Muslim man & the disfigurement of his Hindu wife, a crime committed by her family members.

Lilac Ink by Jean Grainger 4.5 ️ 1938 Ireland. Grace writes a letter to St Jude, thé patron saint of list causes, pouring out her heart & enumerating her woes. She puts the note in an old whiskey bottle & tosses it into the Bay of Dingle. 6 weeks later Richard’s dog digs in the Sand on the beach of an island off the coast of Georgia, USA. they become pen pals of a sort & learn about each other. The sequel is on my hold list.

Sister in Science 4.5️ by Olivia Campbell. The true story of 4 female physicists. First, their struggle to be accepted as credible scholars in the early 20th  century & then the strenuous efforts to escape Nazi Germany.

Reading Genesis by Marilyn Robinson 5️ Author analyses & then reads thé entire book of Genesis. She sees so many things I never have. Well worth reading. Eating the apple - is a complex act of will. The old Christian writers refer to ‘thé Fortune Fall,’ embodies agency & freedom; human culpability is absent from parallel religions. Humans are both fallen & divine. Beauty exists in the world because our pleasure is anticipated in the creator. Comparing Babylonian creation & flood accounts thé big difference is how central to gods creation is man.  Cain doesn’t seem to be punished. Is mercy nearer to the personality of God than Justice? Grace tempers Justice in each of the OT stories. Adam & Eve do not die that day. Esau forgives Jacob. Joseph forgives his brothers. Etc. to refrain from thé use of or to put aside power is Godlike.

Matterhorn Karl Marlantes 4️ but I can’t recommend in whole due to the Marine language. However, if you want to read the story of the Vietnam War through the eyes of a Marine infantry platoon, this is your book, all 21 hours of it. 

he Darkest Hour by Anthony McCarten  nonfiction narrative account of the first three weeks of Winston Churchill as PM. The Nazis have overrun the Low Countries & invaded France. Seek a devastating truce or fight on & risk losing the entire professional military? Not good choices Through meeting minutes McCarten describes the battle in the War Council itself.

The Glass Chateau by Stephen P Kieran 5 France at the end of WWII. One of the minor characters says, “Victory doesn’t equal peace.” I came to realize much more clearly that despite an armistice signed by world leaders, prosperity & peace takes a long time to trickle down to the common people. Another said, “Grief is a form of love.“ and every person acts out grief & recovers differently.
Asher’s wife & daughter are killed by a Nazi soldier with one bullet. He joins the French resistance, his speciality is assassination. After the armistice he returns home to find his home & cobbler shop razed, covering the graves of his loved ones. He wanders aimlessly through France for two years, eating a bit every two or three days through someone’s kindness. He discovers the Glass Chateau which has accepted in a limited number of similarly broken men who are taught glass making skills by the glass master & former priest,  Marc & his mothering wife,
Each man’s secrets are carefully hidden & his brokenness is soothed.  Miraculously he finds a place there & begins to heal his soul even while hiding his Jew heritage in this place full of Christians repairing a cathedral. A truly remarkable story of redemption. Kieran is a new favorite author.

Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan 4. Pre-WWII NYC a father, unbeknownst to his family, is involved with gangsters. He suddenly disappears & the family, his death having been rumored, must do without him. Oldest daughter, Anna becomes a Navy diver during WWII & father joins the Merchant Marines. Each faces unique traumas alone. Well written. Good story.
Bakers Secret by Stephen P Kieran 4.5 WWII Normandy Coast of France, a small village is occupied by the Nazis. Emma Is given ration allotment & is ordered to make 12 loaves of bread each day for the Nazi officers. By unusual means she enlarges the batch to 14 & bicycles the extras around town, 1/3 loaf here, 1/3 loaf there. This activity leads her to be contacted by others who wish to circumvent Nazi control & then create a secret network to feed the village. Great cast of characters. Great story.

Death and Fromage by Ian Moore 3 Competitive Chefs, blackmail, multiple murders in the Loire Valley. British accents & French accents. I won’t be reading his other books.
Sent from my iPhone

KARLA COX

 Short History of Nearly Everything  By Bill Bryson

I confess that I listen to at least twice the number of books I actually read in print. Multi-tasking has become an essential gift of our time. When I speed up the delivery, which I usually do, I’m learning more, faster. At least that’s how I see it. 

This book, with those factors considered, provided me with more science lessons than I had in all my years of schooling. Add to that the delight of Bill Bryson’s ever-engaging voice, always enthusiastic about his topics, and you have a total win in a matter of hours.  Too bad I won’t remember every detail… 

From the age of the world to DNA, and all the science I don’t always agree with but leave in the faith realm; it’s all here, compacted, with a closing cautionary quote: One planet, one experiment (Edward Wilson). A fascinating book. 

Team of Rivals  by Doris Kearns Goodwin

My second of Goodwin’s non-fiction, and even more engaging than the first. This book is a history of Lincoln, from the perspective of his genius in selecting his diverse and seemingly contentious cabinet, and their essential teamwork through the bloody and contentious civil war. 

This account painted a much kinder portrait of Mary Lincoln than some biographies; but also more tragic. Both Lincolns suffered greatly from the death of their son Willie; but she was inconsolable and virtually non-functioning for about two years. This was followed by a wagon accident that may have caused brain damage and a change in her temperament. 

From the summary: This is “Pulitzer prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin’s modern classic about the political genius of Abraham Lincoln, his unlikely presidency, and his cabinet of former political foes.” 

William Seward, who was gravely injured in a carriage accident and then also attacked with intent to kill the same night Lincoln was murdered, transformed from his competitive run against Lincoln for president to become his truest and most loyal friend. 

Lincoln is my ultimate national and political hero. This biography crowns others ai have read, and seals his throne. 

I think everyone would benefit from this historical perspective. 

We All Live Here  by JoJo Moyes

“Nobody writes women the way JoJo Moyes does,” is the review Jodi Picoult gives this book. But this book is also about husbands and dads and moms and daughters, and lovers. Because they all claim space in woman’s life and heart. 

This is a fun, sometimes surprising (though usually not) tale of a divorced woman who finds angst in everything - until she finds herself at 43. 

Moyes’ dialogue is truly clever. And since this story takes place in somewhere, England, with a struggling writer heroine, a proper British step-dad, an American movie star absentee dad, two extreme daughters, a noisy dog and a BMW convertible, I’m seeing a movie someday soon. 

When We Meet Again  by Kristin Harmel

The names Kristin Harmel and Kristin Hannah are too similar, and I’m easily confused. But that doesn’t mean either is more worthy of being read; just know that their styles are distinctly different. This story is heartbreaking and spiritually heartlifting, in Harmel’s characteristic way. 

Emily Emerson is used to being alone. Her dad left when she was a child, her mom died when she was 17, she’s just lost her reporting and daily column job, and her grandma, her only remaining anchor, just died when the story begins. Then she receives a mysterious and beautiful painting of her grandmother as a young woman; that painting sets her on a course to learn about her family, herself, and the importance of love, even when it seems impossible. She also learns about the WWII POW camps in Florida, where German prisoners worked for American farmers (a slice of history of which I never knew). 

This is a beautifully written story, moving back & forth from the 1940s and Emily’s current day. It’s about pain, deceit, betrayal, heartbreak, and “If only”, but also redemption and the hope of more than this life. 

A wonderful fictional novel with historical details. 

Remarkably Bright Creatures  by Shelby Van Pelt

This is the story of a Giant Pacific Octopus, named Marcellus by his rescuers (aka, captors); told by Marcellus, the mostly orange and remarkably bright octopus. And it’s also the story of some less-bright but still lovable humans, and one remarkably bright older woman who took time to care about and talk to Marcellus. So he took time to care for her. 

This is a “compulsively readable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope”, that makes connections with  generational relationships and unexpected - yet somehow logical - connections between people, unremarkable and remarkable. 

Van Pelt’s style and story are remarkably like Fredrik Backman’s books. Her debut novel “is a gentle reminder that sometimes… the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.” I loved it! 

An interesting thread connects Moyes’, Harmel’s, and Van Pelt’s stories: they all include unwed mothers, lost opportunities, and heart-wrenching regrets and hopeful tomorrows as prominent themes.  Common threads seem to link stories a lot in my reading, and purely by chance. Or is it?

Secrets of Adulthood by Gretchen Rubin 

This audio book is literally one hour. Less, if you aren’t writing anything down so you’re listening on a higher speed (I thought the normal pace was unbearably slow). 

You may want to write down some of the aphorisms Rubin has been collecting her whole life, of which this little book is merely categorized highlights. 

I’ve really enjoyed her other books, but this one felt a little contrived - like maybe she wanted to generate some vacation income or something. 

The aphorisms are interesting, regardless. And to be fair, the review was much more tantalizing. 

Luminous by Silvia Park 

I returned this one unfinished. That doesn’t happen often at all. It just wasn’t holding me, with its futuristic fantasy. Maybe another year I will try again. 

The Hitler Dilemma  by Caroline Twede Frank

And LDS perspective of serving in Hitler’s army when everything in your heart says it’s wrong. Young Max is drafted, and copes daily with the horrors of fighting a war on the wrong side. But his faith is a personal confirmation that God would protect him gets Max, and his parents safely through the war. An added angle is Max’s interaction with an atheist on a bus across America three years after the war. I often think about how the average German felt during WWII; this book is another of those historical novels that give some valid opinions. Thank you to Geri (?) for loaning it! 

Becoming Dr. Seuss  by Brian Jay Jones

This is the definitive biography of Theodor Geisel, the guy who turned reading, illustration and children’s literature upside down. I could say so much about this book, just as people can say so much about Dr. Seuss; I grew up with his books, bought them for our children, and have long been curious about his life and meaning. So I learned a lot. Some was thrilling, some disappointing. Some refuted the public view (i.e, that he didn’t like children: in fact he adored them one on one, but en masse they terrified him; he and his first wife couldn’t have children, he inherited two stepchildren with his second wife but didn’t raise them). Some were just plain surprising. From his very first, And to think that I saw it on Mulberry Street to his very last, Oh, the Places You’ll Go, Ted Geisel/Theo LeSeig/ Dr Seuss was magic. I really enjoyed learning the story behind the icon. 

Geisel was an Oxford dropout, had few but profound failures [Seven Lady Godivas, 5,000 Fingers of Dr T], experienced changing ideology [insensitive rascist to champion of minorities], was a German-American who vehemently hated Hitler; From college newspaper editor and cartoonist to ad man to political cartoonist to author to movie maker to publisher to most well-known name in American children’s literature; was a dedicated husband and business partner for 40 years, who fell in love with another woman and may have been the cause of his first wife Helen’s suicide; had a brilliant mind and was a quirky artist who found his niche in children’s books, where he originally had no interest; was a soldier who served under Frank Kapra; was a naturally comedic prankster who nevertheless, as a perfectionist, and struggled over every phrase and detail of every work; was a chain smoker and heavy drinker but never alcoholic… But no author is more beloved.

Disposable: America’s Contempt for the Underclass 

by Sarah Jones

Ambivalence. That’s what I feel about this book and its message. While many points about the elderly and the poor suffering more greatly during the COVID Pandemic and in general  are valid, the author seems only to want to vent her furious anger on capitalism, the wealthy, and Trump, though none of these is to blame for the pandemic or its negative impact. My heart hurts for the forgotten people; and I know some segments of society were harder hit by the pandemic. But her vitriol seems misguided and toxic, not informative. Mostly I just couldn’t embrace her cause because of her anger and blame. Maybe I am too politically and theologically different from Ms Jones to find the value in her book. 

Know Your Newlywed  by Elena Armas

This was a made-for audio story, so it was a little like listening to a rom-com. But I have a decent imagination, so it worked and I enjoyed listening. 

Javi and Cleo met on a dating app. They’re both a bit obsessed with a newlywed game show from the 80s, so when it’s chosen for a revival, they decide to apply to compete, sans wedding. And they’re off! It’s a cute, mostly predictable, sweet Hallmark movie in a book. Though I didn’t love that the whole premise was based on lies, everything ends right. Also clean and a quick listen, at just over 4 1/2 hours (on higher speed, of course; it’s five hours normal speed. )

The Dressmakers of London 

by Julia Kelly

This is another heart-engaging Julia Kelly story of women. It’s a WWII story of two English sisters, estranged through life’s circumstances, who inherit their mother’s dress shop together after her rather sudden death. The depth of the story is built on the difficulties of war (one sister is drafted into the WAAF because she is young and single) and the struggle to find common ground between two women whose lives have been very different, though they had the same parents. 

There’s love, hurt, redemption and hope in this lovely book by Julia Kelly. And if you’re a seamstress of any level, you’ll enjoy that foundation (no pun intended) as well. Having created and altered patterns and sewed for my daughters and myself for decades, I loved it. 

The Girl from Venice  by Martin Cruz Smith 

I’ve inadvertently fallen into my WWII groove again, since this was the fourth this month… I guess, because my dad couldn’t serve (4F), I’m learning through authors. 

This story is from an Italian perspective; a love story against the backdrop of occupied Venice. But it’s told through the eyes of Vencenzo - Cenzo throughout the story - a humble fisherman, who is also a highly intelligent veteran of Mussolini’s battles in North Africa. He’s determined not to become involved in the insanity going on in the world. But then he finds a young girl floating in the water in the lagoon near his home village. And she’s alive. And she’s Jewish. Her name is Giulia. This is their story, but many lives interweave with theirs, along with the inevitable suspense of a war-torn country and people who compromise at every turn, to make money or to simply stay alive. It’s about the lunacy of war and the bravery it can inspire. 

Strictly fiction, but definitely worth reading! 

Darktown  by Thomas Mullen

This was a little different from my usual mixture. It was perfect for listening, as the reader’s ability to use the various Atlanta voices brought the story to life. 

Post-WWII Atlanta Georgia, where racism is king, corruption at every level is commonplace, and a good cop isn’t safe. Even less so if he’s among the brand new eight black men who are allowed to wear a badge, carry a firearm, and protect the black neighborhoods of Darktown, aka Sweet Auburn. 

Part mystery, part thriller, mostly sad and a little bit hopeful, this book is well worth the listen, and equally worth the read. 

One more that I forgot from last month but that deserves to be added: 

Igniting The Holy Flame  

By Steven A. Hitz 

While the author’s delivery is a little plodding, his message is profound. He cites many of my favorite religious boundary pushers - Terryl & Fiona Givens, Brian McClarren, and Eastern religious ideas, for instance - and makes an excellent case against False or Fabricated Fellowship and Harmful Religiosity (the two concepts I mentioned in my last RS lesson). He shares personal experiences that make me think he would be a fine individual to talk to, as I definitely learned and re-awakened to important truths from his book, such as the way we love and accept others and how we commune with the Divine, including meditation, a practice I deeply appreciate. I will probably buy it, just to mark the key parts. (I honestly wonder if he used AI to write his book, and voice the audio version, because the underlying message is much more powerful and soul-pleasing than the awkward, even mechanical delivery.) His epilogue says it all: “I have sought to help all people, regardless of where they are in their spiritual journey. [Instead of only pointing out problems,] I have tried to provide solutions… for… Individuals and collective communities of faith. What could happen if all of us… Stripped away that protective armor, so that the flame of spirituality could burn within the hearts of every member of the community? What would we be capable of as a collective of worshipers and seekers of light?”