BooksWurm

BO

2010-05-07T08:08:00.001-07:00

What can I say? I grew tire of blogging, changed computers etc.., But now I'm compelled to share my recent book obsessions. It isn't fall, yet I feel the need to reminisce about Michigan Football. I loved both books. Lots of similar stories, but what an era of coaching. I love how Bo was true to himself and truly cared about the student athlete and the concept of TEAM.

The End of Detroit -Micheline Maynard

2010-03-06T10:23:00.000-08:00

Dancer -Colum Mc Cann

2010-02-23T07:59:00.000-08:00

I had to read another Colum McCann book so I picked Dancer, a fictional account of the life of Rudolf Nureyev. Wonderful insight into post WWII Russia and it's slide back to a more open society. After defecting, Nureyev is not allowed home for 25 years. He has the world at his fingertips socializes with Andy Warhol and John Lennon; but can't visit with his own mother.

By the time Rudi gets to St. Petersburg for formal dance training he is already 18. He had received some training in his village town of Ufa. He is taken under the wing of Alexsandr Pushkin(Sasha) and trains for 5 years before defecting on tour in London. His life gets a bit wild. His dance partner for many years is Margot Fonteyn who is 19 years older than him. He dies of Aids in 1991, but is able to see his mother in Russia before she dies.

The book really develops the characters surrounding Rudi's whole life as McCann sees it. It is not a biography, but a very interesting look at the life of a dancer.

Let the Great World Spin -Colum McCann To Reach the Clouds -Philippe Petit

2010-02-04T07:20:00.001-08:00

Reading these two book together only made sense to me. McCann's book if fiction with the climax of the story ocurring on August 7, 1974 when Petit performs for NY on a wire between the World Trade Center Towers.

From Gloria in McCann's book:

"People are good or half good or a quarter good, and it changes all the time--but even on the best day nobody's perfect."

"Everything falls into the hands of music eventually."

And from her daughter's voice:

"A man high in the air while a plane disappears, it seems, into the edge of the building. One small scrap of history meeting a larger one. As if the walking man were somehow anticipating what would come later. The intrusion of time and history. The collision point of stories. We wait for the explosion but it never occurs. The plane passes, the tightrope walker gets to the end of the wire. Things don't fall apart."

Petit's personal narrative is also fascinating. The amount of preparation is phenomenal. I also found it fascinating that his motives have never been about money. In fact, he is often broke. I loved his design at the end for rebuilt WTC Towers.

A Walk in the Woods -Bill Bryson Sway -Ori & Rom Brafman

2010-01-19T15:40:00.000-08:00

Two books local groups have been reading so I thought I'd give them a try. A Walk in the Woods is about the Appalachian Trail. Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior
is a business book about the psychological forces that shape behavior. Both are interesting and lend themselves to group discussions.

The Road - Cormac McCarthy

2010-01-11T08:54:00.001-08:00

After seeing this book on several lists as a top book of the past decade, I thought I'd better check it out. It is hard to read a book and be objective with so much prior accolade but I'll try. At the same time I was reading this, I have been re-reading The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene and I found several similarities. Although many hail McCarthy as brilliant, I'm not sure I'm there yet. I think The Power and the Glory is a classic that will stand the tests of time with phenomenal writing. I'm not sure The Road will. The setting is futuristic after a vague world apocalypse. It is a very masculine view of the future with rampant violence, a father protecting his son and a mother who checks herself out because she can't deal. Typical male perspective of the world. I found the book depressing although the ending could be argued is hopeful. It reminds me a bit of Lois Lowry's book The Giver which I have previously blogged about which did leave me feeling hopeful. I did find The Road easy to read and much of the writing does make you stop and think. Overall, though, I really did not care for it. Another book that I would add to my decade top ten over this one would be Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult. Her character development and story about a high school shooting is awesome.

Heroic Measures -Jill Ciment

2010-01-05T15:13:00.000-08:00

Ruth and Alex are aging out of their walk up home in New York City and need to find a place with an elevator. In the middle of preparing for an open house their tiny dachshound dog falls ill and needs surgery. The book involves only a few days worth of calendar time, but you get to know the lifetimes of Ruth and Alex. A fun easy weekend read.

www.jillciment.com

Strength in What Remains -Tracy Kidder

2009-12-27T09:21:00.001-08:00

This book is an unbelievable story of survival. Deo arrives in New York City from Burundi's horrible civil war with $200.00. He speaks no English and knows no one. The story is survival in New York and the harrowing stories of war he survived in getting to New York. He attends Columbia University and returns to Africa to build medical facilities. Tracy Kidder does an amazing job of chronicling Deo's life. On a visit to New York tos return to places Deo had lived they visit St John the Devine Church. Deo says, "I can't tell you how many times I came here. It is so peaceful. Your mind is so open. You know, I really have been successful in finding my own peaceful corners. On my own."

It is an amazing story and a book to promote peace. The woman who comes to his aid while escaping to the Rwandan border is a Hutu and Deo is a Tutsi. She helps him anyway. She says,"But I'm a woman and I'm a mother." That, she said, was her ubwoko, her ethnicity. When he returns to Burundi in 2006 to build a medical clinic, he forms a men's committee and a women's committee. The women's committee managed the realtions between the clinic and the village. Deo found that if he didn't have separate committees the women had no voice.

The book ends with Deo saying, "Let's work on the clinic. Let's put this tragedy behind us, because remembering is not going to benefit anyone."

www.tracykidder.com

"The Creative Habit"; "The Collaborative Habit" - Twyla Tharp

2009-12-27T09:15:00.000-08:00

Both of these books are great reads! The Creative Habit is alot about Twyla's personal process for creation. The Collaborative Habit is a great read on getting along with people.

"The Christmas List"- Richard Paul Evans & "Christmas Present" -Jacqulyn Mitchard

2009-12-27T09:06:00.000-08:00

Both of these books follow the Dickens theme of making the most of your life at Christmas. The Mitchard Book is about a dying woman and the Evans book is about a shrewd business man who tries to repair some broken relationships. Both are quick easy holiday reads.

What Makes a Child Lucky -Gioia Timpanelli

2009-12-01T08:25:00.000-08:00

One hundred and twenty seven pages and a gem! I'm still digesting this book, but wanted to get a start on recommending it. The author is a wonderful storyteller. This story involves a boy of 13 thrown into a crowd of criminals and how he survives and still finds good in the world. A wonderful read.

http://www.gioiatimpanelli.net/

A Quilter's Holiday -Jennifer Chiaverini

2009-11-16T07:59:00.000-08:00

An Elm Creek Quilts novel is always a delight. Sylvia is looking for long lost family. Diane is dealing with a family who is growing up and Sarah and Anna are just getting started. A well timed release for the Thanksgiving holiday.

The Middle Place -Kelly Corrigan

2009-11-04T10:59:00.001-08:00

The topic seems melancholy: a father and daughter fighting different cancers. The book is not depressing at all it; was very uplifting. I couldn't put it down. Everyone needs a George in their lives somewhere his optimisim is contagious.

The Unfinished Angel -Sharon Creech

2009-11-03T09:27:00.000-08:00

I think I'll have to preface this review by stating that I think I've enjoyed every Sharon Creech book I've ever read. This one is no exception. The book takes place in a village of the Swiss Alps. Zola arrives with her father to start a children's school and finds an angel in the stone tower. Together they find orphaned children and bring them to the school. The language takes some getting used to, but is endearing as the angel has the voice of a young child and often the grammar reflects that. "Now the peoples will do something, because peoples take care of other peoples, especially childrens, right."

The Chapters all have facscinating names. My favorite is Mr. Pomodoro, Zola's father, Creech introduces the concept of why and what people save for emotional support. Zola saves feathers and the angel wonders about that. Mr. Pomodoro saves chocolate and one of the villagers has a seceret stash of blue socks. The book is full of interesting characters and relationships.

Catching Up..Four Reads

2009-10-26T16:28:00.001-07:00

These are the books I've read lately and neglected blogging about. I picked up the Meg Wolitzer book at the library as an express seven day checkout and ended up pushing myself to finish it. I really did not care for it. The idea of the book appealed to me as many women take career breaks to raise children, myself included. The book profiles about four different women and the choices they've made which all seem to be heavily influenced by money. They all send their kids to a private NY school and complain all of the time about how money is tight. I found the book to be whinny and annoying and too much of keeping up appearances and not much humanity.

I enjoyed the Peter Mayle book A Good Year it takes place between London and the south of France vineyards. Lots of talk about wine and the French countryside with some romance thrown in. A very light enjoyable read!

Seeking Peace by Mary Pipher was also a great read. Mary talks about how hectic her life became with the success of Revivng Ophelia. I enjoyed reading about her life reprioritizing process.

The Awakening by Kate Chopin is a true classic with great writing. I read it because my daughter's English class is reading it and I wanted to refresh my memory of the story. Really, really classic writing: "The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude; to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation." Refreshing to read a classic again!

Girl in a Blue Dress -Gaynor Arnold

2009-09-14T07:34:00.001-07:00

Because I thrived on reading Charles Dickens in my younger days, this book was wonderful! It is a perspective of the marriage of Charles Dickens and his first wife Catherine of whom he spent the last ten years of his life estranged from. I couldn't put this book down all weekend and will hate having to return it to the library.

Through Thick and Thin- Alison Pace and Knit Two -Kate Jacobs

2009-09-14T07:24:00.000-07:00

Two fun reads for back-to-school week. I think I've now read all of Alison Pace's books. I had read the pre-quel to "Knit Two", but had put off reading this as I didn't really like the way the first one ended. The were both fun reads. From Alison, I learned the concept of doggie-yoga. I don't think I will try it, but it was fun to read about. Kate Jacobs picks up five years after the first book left off. I enjoyed it alot more than I thought I would.

The Fortune Quilt -Lani Diane Rich & If Andy Warhol Had a Girlfriend -Alison Pace

2009-08-12T16:07:00.000-07:00

These two books were my airplane reads for a recent trip. They were both wonderful. I had never read anything by Lani Diane Rich so it was a lucky library pick. I loved the title and the story holds up to it. Brandy builds quilts from inspirations and Carly's quilt was made 12 years before Brandy and Carly meet. Carly is a bit freaked out by the weird way of fortune telling, but comes to live more by intuition than thought.

www.lanidianerich.com

I had read other books by Alison Pace so this one I searched for at the library. Again I loved it! Each chapter starts with a Warhol quote and it's a love story built around the art world.

www.alisonpace.com

Labyrinth -Kate Mosse

2009-07-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

Finally, I found a book worth blogging about. I loved this book. I have read quite a few bad ones lately so it was a relief. This book reminds me a little of The Book of Love with the labyrinth taking center stage with much historical insight into France during the early 1200's. The story switches back in forth from modern days to the 1200's between two female characters. The Chartres Labyrinth takes less of a part in this book, but it is also mentioned. Very intriguing historical fiction.

www.labyrinthbook.net

Looking for Alibrandi -Melina Marchetta & The Perks of Being a Wallflower -Stephen Chbosky

2009-06-27T10:33:00.000-07:00

I have read eight books this month and am having a hard time keeping up with the blogging. Between torential rains and getting my daughter ready for summer camp, blogging has fallen aside. These two books, however, have brought me back. The Chbosky book was on my daughter's reading list last summer as a comparison to The Catcher in the Rye. I'm not sure where she heard about the Marchetta book, but it too is reminiscent of The Catcher in the Rye. Both books were published in the 90's Looking for Alibrandi is already a movie. As a parent, my reading has grown with my children. I believe that The Catcher in the Rye will stand the test of time and deserves to be on every reading list. I am not sure that the Chbosky book deserves this status. Once again as the parent of two daughters, I find the reading lists at the school biased toward male authors. I loved the Marchetta book. True writing, great quotes and a great story. I found very little to like or appreciate about the Chbosky book.

Riding Lessons -Sara Gruen

2009-06-07T08:03:00.001-07:00

I found this book at a yard sale for two quarters. I was reluctant as I didn't really care for "Water for Elephants" another title by the same author. I've learned over and over to give authors another chance, I really enjoyed "Riding Lessons". It is about a daughter coming home to her dying father's horse farm after a riding accident has kept her away from horses for 20 years. A horse comes to her attention that has been abused and has remarkable ties to her own past. It was an enjoyable story.

http://www.saragruen.com/

My Life in Pink & Green -Lisa Greenwald

2009-05-28T09:37:00.000-07:00

I picked this book up at the library with my sixth-grader in mind. The main character is 12 year old Lucy Desberg who sets out to save the family drugstore. I loved Lucy's spunk and faith in her talents. I often find myself reading "junior fiction" because it is quick and gives me perspective on my own children. I loved the scene in the book where Lucy gets new sneakers and she says, "I know they're just sneakers, but a new beginning is a new beginning, even if it's just a new beginning for your feet." A very enjoyable book.

My daughter posing with the book!

The Book of Love -Kathleen McGowan

2009-05-21T08:32:00.000-07:00

This book follows Kathleen McGowan's "The Expected One". It, like her previous work, is a treasure. I love it for it's "layered learning" concept. Yesterday, I checked out a book on the Chartres Cathedral in France as the book inspired me to learn more. The book jacket portrays a sacred labyrith at the Cathedral. The story moves back and forth between present day Maureen Pascal's search for an ancient document and Matilda of Tuscany from medieval Europe presumed to have been a caretaker of the document. It is a great read!

www.KathleenMcGowan.com

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life -Wendy Mass

2009-05-14T06:15:00.001-07:00

Wendy Mass is an author that inspires you to read more of her work. This story involves a boy who is about to turn thirteen and is left a box by his deceased father to open on his birthday. The box needs four keys, but the keys are lost. Jeremy and his friend Lizzy are on a mission to find the four keys and unlock the father's box to find the meaning of life. I liked the part where Jeremy and Lizzy are assigned community service and the mom calls it a job, but Jeremy argues with her because they won't get paid. "A job is where you are assigned a task to complete to the best of your ability. Money or no money."

Land of Lincoln -Andrew Ferguson

2009-05-08T18:35:00.000-07:00

This book takes a look at the impact Abraham Lincoln still has in America. The author takes us through museums and park statues all dedicated to Abe. It also looks at Lincoln impersonators, Lincoln Style Management Companies and the historical Lincoln Trail through 3 midwestern states developed by the oil industry to promote automobile travel. I loved the journey the author takes back to sites from his own childhood with his wife and children in tow. They don't find the same sense of "Lincoln Awe" as the author! Any parent can relate to this chapter. Having just visited the great state of Illionois, I enjoyed learning more about Lincoln. It is a fun read with all kinds of interesting facts.

Still Alice -by Lisa Genova

2009-04-23T07:14:00.000-07:00

Alice Howland, the main character, is a Harvard Psychology Professor who is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease at age 50. This book reads quickly and is a reminder to all of us that life can "turn on a dime". Because her disease occurs so young it also progresses very rapidly. The book is written from Alice's point of view even as her memory deteriorates. A very intersting look at what must go on inside the minds of all Alzheimer's victims.

www.StillAlice.com

Street Gang :The Complete History of Sesame Street -Michael Davis

2009-04-15T07:03:00.000-07:00

Even if you don't watch much TV, you know the concept of Sesame Street. It's goal has always been to teach preschoolers via TV. My own children loved it. One liked Big Bird the other was an Elmo Fan. I identify more with Oscar the character who won the spot on the jacket cover! Who wouldn't love to live in a trash can and get away with being grouchy all of the time? The book's introduction talks about the tragic early death of Jim Henson and his funeral. Carroll Spinney as Big Bird sings "Bein Green" and ends with a Thank You, Kermit!! I remember the day Jim Henson died so sad. Now the world has lost Mark Fidrych former Detroit Tiger pitching sensation also nicknamed the "Bird" from his resemblance to Big Bird! The world would be less colorful without Jim Henson's characters.

I like that the book chronicles early children's television shows like Howdy Doody and Captain Kangaroo. The history is very well researched and presented. This fall marks the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street. It is amazing that it has survived so well with the onslaught of children's programming.

I really did not like the title for this book. I don't like the word "gang" in the title it seem to have negative connotations and the book is about a children's show. Within, I learned that they came upon the name Sesame Street as a quick last minute decision. Funny how it took off!

http://www.streetgangthebook.com/

The Giver -Lois Lowry

2009-03-24T10:48:00.001-07:00

I read this book for the first time about 14 years ago when it first came out. My daughter is currently reading it for school so I thought I'd refresh my memory. It remains one of the best books I've ever read. The book has a science fiction setting in a world of utopia where all seems perfect. Of course, things are never perfect and the main character Jonas at age twelve soon figures this out. It is a great story about diversity and change.

Upon reviewing web related sites about the book, I was interested that some schools think it's subject matter so severe that it gets banned. It is fiction!!! I am always amazed what people will read into a story.

If you want to appreciate your life in all of it's unperfect glory, pick up a copy of The Giver you won't be disappointed.

http://www.loislowry.com/

Following are some images from my daughter's book report. If you click on the image to enlarge it you may be able to read it better. It provides a great summary of the story's plot.

Self Help Book Mania!

2009-02-24T06:09:00.001-08:00

Here are five books I've read over the past year that I haven't blogged about, but are worth reading.

"Steering by Starlight" by Martha Beck. I checked this out of the library last week. Martha Beck is a columnist for "Oprah" Magazine and a "life coach." I've read her column ocassionally,but never read her books. There is a self help book prior to this one called "Finding Your Own North Star". It doesn't seem necessary to read that one first though. I like her stories about clients she's had and I appreciate the knowledge she bring to the table. I did not fill out all of the worksheets in the book..it's a library book for god's sake! I like some of her psychological concepts like feeding your inner lizard, the ring of fire, backwards living contrarians, and the defense against the dark arts. I loved this quote by Gandhi she uses:

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall-think of it, always."

"Painting the Walls Red" by Judy Ford. I picked this book up at TJMaxx for a dollar! Yes, I'm over 40 so I qualify! Some of the chapters are: Creativity is a Miraculous Matter, Mourning Glory and Sacred Spaces, On not Taking yourself so Seriously" A quick fun read. I think I got my dollars worth!

"Change your Thoughts- Change your Life" by Wayne Dyer. I read this book slowly throught a long time period. There is much here. The subtitle is "Living the Wisdom of the Tao". He takes each verse of the "Tao Te Ching" by Lao-tzu and put an updated spin on it. There are 81 verses. Read it slow.

"A New Earth Awakening to Your Life's Purpose" by Eckhart Tolle. Who didn't read this book last year? I enjoyed it. I find it a bit hard to now look back at all of the craziness surrounding this book and to identify what it meant to me personally. Lots of talk about egos and overcoming it.

"At the Root of this Longing" by Carol Lee Flinders. A friend loaned me this book. It is a look at spirituality and women. There are two main concepts that I took away from this book. One is that change comes in a three-phase cycle: enclosure,magnification and emergence. Obviously a caterpillar to butterfly pictoral, but if you think about it deeply it is true. We all need private spaces to examine life and emerge with a new outlook. The other concept this book introduced to me was the three Islamic Gates: Is it True? Is it Kind? Is it Necessary? I find myself needing this filter system alot!

The Case of Abraham Lincoln -Julie M. Fenster

2009-02-20T08:25:00.000-08:00

To celebrate Lincoln's birthday this month, I thought I'd read something about his life. This book appealed to me because it is mostly about his life in Springfield, Illinois before he becomes President. The subtitle of the book is "A story of Adultery, Murder, and the Making of a Great President". It shows what Lincoln's life was like as a circuit court lawyer and how the politics of the times were rapidly changing with new political parties rising up. I like that the book includes what his neighbors thought of him. The book covers a scene in which a new lawyer comes to town and watches as Lincoln examines a "self-raker" a new farm tool on the town street.

The author goes on to say, " Lincoln possessed the mind of an engineer, having taken out a patent in 1849 for means of easing riverboats over shoals. Though he never pursued his interest in mechanical inventions professionally, some of his characteristic traits were those of a scientific mind: his dependence on logic as a means of renewal, for example; his indifference to material comforts; and his ability to entirely lose himself in thought, as though in a different world." I love this!! I never knew Lincoln had a patent. The fact that he thinks like an engineer I find flaterring having been one myself.

Another thing I found interesting in this book is all of the various political parties that are floating to the surface in 1856, most around the slavery issue and whther new states could be slave states. The "Know Nothing Party" existed based on a hatred of catholic people. Thankfuly most of the radical parties died off.

The book also tells the story of a Springfield murder mystery that Lincoln get pulled into and which side he represents. A worthy read.

House Of Dance -Beth Kephart

2009-02-20T08:08:00.001-08:00

Rosie Keith coexist in the same house with her wayward mother one summer as her grandfather lies dying across town. She passes a dance studio everyday as she walks to visit her grandfather. While visiting with her grandfather, she learns of his love for jazz music and dancing and how much he misses his wife who has died. She vows to take money which her own absent father sends her every week to give her grandfather a dance party. She uses the money for dance lessons at the studio.

I love this book for many reasons. First, it shows a relationship spanning generations which has become rare in our society. Second, it show that gifts which come from the heart and are very intangible are some of the best gifts of all. My favorite part of the book is as Rosie sits talking with her grandfather and trying to help him dispose of some of his life's clutter, they put special things "In Trust". She learns why some old record albums may have special meaning to him and he exposes her to artists of his era which she also learns to appreciate. Not everything is sacred much of it does get cleared out as they make way for a hospital bed.

This book is so full of life even though it is ultimately the story of a dying man!

www.beth-kephart.blogspot.com

Every Soul a Star -Wendy Mass

2009-01-15T06:26:00.000-08:00

This book is about three couldn't be different teens thrown together to watch a solar eclipse. Each teen has a unique voice and the chapters alternate between their perspectives. Ally, lives at a campground called "Moon Shadow" which has been preparing for the eclipse for years. Bree's family much to the surprise of Ally is taking over the campground after the eclipse. Jack ends up at "Moon Shadow" with his science teacher in lieu of summer school. There are lots of other colorful characters as well. I love the writing and the book is full of witty moments. One of my favorites is betwen Ally and Bree at the building called the "Art House". Ally is explaining to Bree that the images painted on the walls belong to the people who made them and Bree responds with, "I don't think that's what art is ...once it's out there, it's for everyone."

A few other good one liners from the book that I enjoyed are:

"The vastness of space always puts my problems in perspective"

"Life is short, but it's wide."

A bit cliche, but important nonetheless.

www.wendymass.com

Two of my Favorite Holiday Reads

2008-12-23T18:33:00.001-08:00

I love both of these holiday books and read them every year. I'd elaborate, but the holidays and abnormal snowfalls are taking over my life!!

My Favorite Knitting Books

2008-11-13T06:54:00.001-08:00

These 2 books I used quite a bit about learning the process of knitting.

http://www.masondixonknitting.com/

http://www.lelanargi.com/

http://www.elizabethlenhard.com/

http://www.debbiemacomber.com/

I love fiction and these are some of the better knitting stories. Elizabeth Lenhard has three books about teenage knitters. Debbie Macomber is on her fourth Blossom Street Book. I loved the Lela Nargi book as it is full of quotes and is her journey about learning the process of knitting.

How Starbucks Saved My Life -Michael Gates Gill

2008-10-29T09:30:00.000-07:00

Sometimes in the winter, I drive my kids through Starbucks for a hot chocolate. We always get a kick out of the friendliness of the baristas. They say things like, "Hey, how ya doin?" " I haven't seen you in awhile". It always seemed disingenuous to me, and a bit corporately contrived. The book was published in Sept. of 2007 and I remember at Christmas last year thinking it would make a good present, especially for my brother-in-law who works in marketing. Well I guess he got something else and I forgot about the book until spotting it at the library shelved under 647? I know it wasn't with the biographies, but I have no idea what dewey decimal 647 is unless I go look. I often find it interesting how "memoir" type books get shelved for sale and at libraries. It never seems obvious to me. My friend David wrote a memoir and they shelved it with the religious material? I read the book and did not find it to be partucularly religious oriented. If you know what you are looking for you can easily find it, but some days I like to browse and see what I find. I was glad to find this book again.

Michael Gill has been fired in his mid fifties from a well paying job and tries consulting on his own for ten years when due to a divorce and new young child he finds himself in need of any paying job. He is hired by Starbucks and begins to realize what work really looks like. I must say I found it a bit humourous to think of the "suit" cleaning a downtown NY Starbuck's toilet. It brought back fond memories of my own working days of cleaning the bathroom at Burger King. If everyone in society had to clean a public restroom once in awhile, the world would be a better place. I admired his desire to do any job given him and to be on time and try his best. I sometimes wish if our younger generation could learn anything from the older generation it would be this strong work ethic. There are also lessons of corporate culture and how that affects employee performance. I found this book to also contain inherent lessons of diversity due to age and color differences of the Starbucks Employees.

The book did not make me want to rush out and get a job at Starbucks or to shop there more often, but it was a lesson in the cliche that life is what you make it. It is important to keep moving with the times and you may have to reinvent yourself , but happiness is always available if you choose it.

The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle -David Wroblewski

2008-10-21T09:36:00.001-07:00

A seven day express checkout book from the library is always hard because the pressure is on to finish it in a week despite all of your other obligations. I picked this book up last week as it was a "New York Times Bestseller" only later, after reading it, did I also learn that it was a favorite of Oprah's. I liked the character of Edgar and the dogs, but I felt that overall the story was weak and predictable. Some of the writing is very engaging such as: "You swam in a river of chance and coincidence. You clung to the happiest accidents -the rest you let float by." I found the character of Edgar's mother to be a man's view of motherhood--not at all believable to me a mother of two. There are some surprises along the way. I loved the character of Henry. I was not spellbound by the book I was forcing myself to finish it so that I could return it.

www.edgarsawtelle.com

Stradivari's Genius -Toby Faber

2008-10-14T09:39:00.001-07:00

I picked this book up at the library last week and have enjoyed reading the history of five violins and one cello. Antonio Stradivari of Cremona Italy died in 1737, but his leagacy of making string intruments has survived 300 years. Antonio lived for 93 years at a time when normal life expectancy was about 50 years. He outlived 2 wives and three children. The first marriage brought six children and the second marriage five.

This book is a reminder that craftmanship is important. Stradivari constantly experimented with technique and took great pride in his work. It was his lifelong passion. The book's afterword looks at the varied analysis of what the differences were is in his process. Was the wood soaked in salt water? What were the varnish secrets? I think the book is a good reminder that science can't answer some questions. Antonio simply poured his heart and soul into his work and there is no formula to account for that.

The Cellist of Sarajevo -Steven Galloway

2008-10-11T18:13:00.000-07:00

This story involves a period when a cellist decides that he will play for 22 days; one for each life taken as a result of a bomb falling on a group of civilians waiting in a bread line. The cellist witnesses the event and plays at the center of the bomb crater. He plays and the war continues around him.

The book follows three main characters through this time period. Kenan is trying to collect water for his family, Dragan's family has left the city, but he has stayed to work as a baker, and Arrow an assassin. They all mourn the city as it was and are desperately trying to cope with the city as it is. Crossing the street and avoiding sniper fire is the new reality. They all learn about the cellist and encounter his playing in different ways. This book is a reminder of the human capacity to rise above hatred. A favorite line from the book is: "She didn't have to be filled with hatred. The music demanded that she remember this, that she know to a certainty that the world still held the capacity for goodness. The notes were proof of that." Music does have healing powers and the cellist is trying to heal himself and to honor the lives that were brutally taken. This book is a quick life-affirming read.

Mary Margaret Meets Her Match and Mary Margaret Mary Christmas - Christine Kole MacLean

2008-10-05T16:54:00.001-07:00

I had read the two previous Mary Margaret Books a few years back and couldn't resist making my reading collection complete. I was at Treehouse Books and see that Ms. MacLean will be signing her newly released Mary Margaret book on November 1.

Mary Margaret is a wonderful character. She is nine and very full of herself. I loved the Christmas book. She is the age where presents are the main reason for Christmas. The story leads up to Christmas with the daily struggles of an elementary aged child. I loved that Ms. MacLean works into the story issues of forgiveness and peace. Sometimes giving, even at Mary Margaret's age is "almost as good as" receiving!

www.christinekolemaclean.com

The World in Six Songs -Daniel J. Levitin

2008-09-23T16:57:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking about my favorite Kindermusik teacher,Yvette Odell, and how she had to move from Holland to keep doing what she loves, so when I was walking through Barnes and Noble the other day I splurged. If she were still here, I'd give it to her to read next, but she's probably already heard of Mr. Levitin and his research. In the first chapter, he talks of attending the annual meeting of Kindermusik teachers. He has a very scientific approach to music and the brain. His first book was titled This is Your Brain on Music. This book classifies music into six categories: Friendship, Joy, Knowledge, Comfort, Religion and Love. I'm now thinking about this as I listen to the radio while picking up my kids. Is the song by Three Doors Down, It's Not My Time a comfort song? Sometimes the book got bogged down with science, but overall it was very enjoyable. My favorite quote from the book is:

"What distinguishes us most is one thing that no other animals do: art. And it's not just the existence of art, but the centrality of it. Humans have demonsrated a powerful drive toward making art of all different kinds--representational and abstract, static and dynamic, creations that employ space, time, sight, sound, and movement."

The book talks about some of the earliest cave paintings showing humans dancing. In the chapter on religion, he refers to a ballet that Joni Mitchell recently choreographed in Canada. You can watch a clip of it on You Tube here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwNhhRhY1ik

It reminds me again of how intertwined music and dance are and I'm thankful to all of the teachers in the world who know this and practice it in their classrooms. My children have been fortunate enough to do Kindermusik and have teachers that sing and bring in banjo players and teach square dancing. How lucky they are!

If you want to know more about this book go to www.sixsongs.net I learned from his web site that he is coming to Kalamazoo what a treat that would be.

English Textbook

2008-08-24T08:24:00.000-07:00

School starts next week. My tenth grader picked up her books a few days ago and I've been reading some of its content. It's good to know that after all of the hassles with the required reading, there is hope for the real English Class! I found the perfect essay in the book on reading lists! It is written by Francine Prose. I've wondered when books like "Life of Pi" became classics. It's good to know that another mother shares my view. Read her essay. It is excellent.

http://www.harpers.org/archive/1999/09/0060648

The next essay from the book I loved was by Anna Quindlen. So many of our high school students are so stressed now. The pressures are much higher than when I was in high school. There are tenth graders taking 4 Advanced Placement Classes. I think it's too much. No one seems to be focusing these kids on what they really want to do in life. It is more about the race to be top in your class. That being said, it does seem like curriculum overall has been watered down to meet the new high school graduation requirements. When will we learn the value of true education and stop focusing on test scores and requirements? I'm more worried about what is at my children's core than their test scores, as Anna writes, that is what will sustain you.

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/comm/oped/Quindlen.shtml

Peeled -Joan Bauer

2008-08-23T18:48:00.001-07:00

I loved this book! I've read a few books for this age group that involve freedom of speech and the power of the press, but I think this is one of the best. The story takes place in an upstate New York apple orchard town. The main character, Hildy, writes for her school newspaper. Developers are moving into a town facing tough economic times. I liked the references in the book to Poland's History. Hildy's friend Minska operates a restaurant in town where some of the scenes take place. Minska is constantly inspiring Hildy to carry on based on her own life's experiences. She has a plaque in the restuarant from when the Pope visited Poland which states "The future of Poland will depend on how many people are mature enough to be nonconformists." Minska then tells Hildy about how it felt to be there and hear those words.

The developers are preying on the fear of the townspeople, so there is discussion on fear and truth. Hildy has recently lost her father so she is dealing with her own fears and sees how easily fear can escalate. The story gets to the point where the school paper is shut down which affects the community. Hildy's thoughts about this are: "In case anyone wants to know what it's like in a community when the newspaper goes away, the good news is that it's missed. I'd never understood that without news, people aren't connected."

I think about that as I contemplate the reason why I initially started blogging about books. I was hoping that our local newspaper would take some interest. I've enjoyed my local newspaper for ten years, but it seem like the local flavor has really gone out of it lately. The economy is rough and cutbacks are everywhere and it seemed like they were on to something with "community bloggers". They didn't follow through and I couldn't give up the fun of writing about what I'm reading so I've continued. This sentence really made me think though--if the local paper was gone would it be missed? Can we replace the printed word with web sites? Reading the newspaper has become so much of my morning routine could I do without it? For me personally, it still revolves around the paper connecting me to the community. When I feel that it no longer does that, I will stop subscribing. Either way, my book blogging desire will be there. Minska wisdom from Peeled "My mother," Minska said, "always told me something when I was going to give up. She said, 'Sometimes just getting up in the morning and standing at the gate can bring the gate down.' " I'm not trying to bring any gates down, but it is a lesson in persistence. I'll keep writing about the books I read because I believe it has a value which is independent from a newspaper connection.

www.joanbauer.com

Touching Stars & Sister's Choice -Emilie Richards

2008-08-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

These two books continue the Shenandoah Album series for author Emilie Richards. I enjoy how she incorporates Virginia history and quilting into her books. After visiting her web site, she is planning more for this series! They are very fun books.

www.emilierichards.com

We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For -Alice Walker

2008-08-12T18:52:00.000-07:00

I picked this book up while looking for "Walden". Both are shelved under essays. The chapters come from different opportunities and speeches which Alice Walker has given. It incorporates some of her poetry and other work and at the end of each chapter is a time for personal reflection. Some of my favorite quotes which come from her poems are:

"We do not know the beginning

Or the end

We only see the middle of things

Which is our own life"

and from a different poem:

"This is the true wine of astonishment,

We are not

Over

When we think

We are."

Alice also calls for action on many of today's world issues. This book is worth picking up and reflecting on.

The Gate Keepers -Jacques Steinberg

2008-08-01T17:21:00.000-07:00

"The Gatekeepers" is another book off the dreaded high school list. The book chronicles the annual admission process to Wesleyan University. The admission year is for 1999-2000. I thought some of this information is probably already a bit dated. I did not enjoy the author's style of writing at all. He swings back and forth between students too much. There are about five students who are more featured in the book than others. I found all of them to be annoying. I think of the five highlighted 2 choose Wesleyan and one Native American(chosen specifically for his heritage) doesn't make it through the first academic year there.

Knowing that this whole college game is in my family's near future, reading this book gives you less faith than ever in the processes used. The admission officer in the book has the territory of California and Wesleyan is in New England competing with the Ivy League. I thought as I was reading this how decisions might be much different in today's increased travel cost environment. The kids in the book from California were all flying east for college tours and some were from families with limited means. Will this be happening as much in my children's generation?

My daughter decided to read "Walden" off of the list which is probably a safe bet as the book has been in print for 154 years. Another one that I looked at from the list, but couldn't even finish was by Annie Dillard "An American Childhood" which is also a memoir. I've heard that her other work is good. The memoir is very slow. I thought I would enjoy it as it takes place in Pittsburgh, PA and I used to live there. I found nothing in her story to relate to. I think I'll try her fiction. Ironically, she used to teach at Wesleyan and did a thesis project on "Walden". I think I'll return to books that aren't on a teacher's list now.

First Boy -Gary Schmidt

2008-07-29T08:33:00.000-07:00

Cooper Jewett has been raised by his grandparents on a New Hamshire Dairy Farm. When his grandfather suddenly dies, he is left to keep up the farm. At the same time strange things are happening in New Hampshire with the political primary season. One of the candidates comes to Cooper's school and proposes that Cooper join him on the campaign trail. Cooper faces an identity crisis similar to most teens, but complictaed by his grandparents denial to be upfront with him about his own parents. He loves his New Hampsire life, but wonders about the rest of the world as well.

I enjoyed the writing quite a bit. When dealing with his sense of loss, Schmidt writes, "..whatever it was that had stopped in him when his grandfather had died still hung broken. He felt it deep, like a stone too big to heft out of the garden. He just had to hoe around it and make do." I like that nurture wins over nature-- themes that Mark Twain obsessed over as well. I thought the story line itself was a bit far fetched. Nonetheless, it was fun to read.

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius -Dave Eggers

2008-07-20T07:14:00.000-07:00

I picked this book off of my daughter's summer reading list. She has chosen The Catcher in the Rye as her fictional work and then she had to pick from a list of 16 nonfictional books. It is worthy to point out that of those 16 choices, 10 were from male authors and 3 female. Of those 3 female author possibilities, one The Glass Castle was also on the list last year so she had read it for her freshman english class. So, for those of you counting that is 2 female authors, and 10 male! For those of you who may have never read The Catcher in the Rye, it is also about male adolescents.

With that prologue in place, I probably would have never come to this book on my own. It is good to get out of your comfort zone once in awhile. I can see why it is on the list because it too is the ramblings of a young man. Will my daughter enjoy it- no she will hate it. She is narrowing down the list trying to find something she can tolerate. I don't think this one will be it. This is a "heartbreaking" story of a 21 year old man who loses both of his parents to cancer within a few months and then becomes a co-guardian with his sister of their 8 year old brother. The setting is mostly San Francisco and some Chicago where Dave Eggers grew up and his parents died. The time frame is the mid 1990s as I often found myself wondering why he spends so much time going to pay phones! Cell Phones have absolutely exploded in use in the past ten years. He worries about his younger brother quite a bit, but also befriends him in the way only a brother could.

As with any memoir, I was curious what has happened since. The book was published in 2000 so it has been eight years. The brother seem to manage his growing up unfortunately the sister takes her own life. The author holds nothing back in his glimpse at the few years following the parent's death. We learn of the father's alcoholism and every sexual escapade the author has. Quite frankly to me, it got a bit boring after awhile. Granted I have never been a young male, but all of the brutal honesty about running naked on the beach and having your private parts hurt was a little much. Then of course there is the overuse of the word "fuck". A glimpse at the very last paragraph of the book will give you an idea, I counted 22 times in that paragraph alone.

Some of his ramblings I enjoyed and I realize that honesty makes for good writing. This book was a runner up for the Pulitzer Prize so some hot shots must have loved it. Towards the end of the book he goes back to Chicago for a visit and I could totally relate to visiting the house you once lived in etc. The scene of him scattering his mother's ashes in Lake Michigan is also very vivid. The author has talents as most of his descriptions are vivid and memorable. Some unfortunately fell under my current lingo of TMI(too much information).

Well looking up his current life on the internet, the most obvious things out there are that he won a TED Prize for "Once upon a School". If you have never been to the TED website:

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/dave_eggers_makes_his_ted_prize_wish_once_upon_a_school.html

I urge you to go there and listen to his speech. He obviously cares about the state of our schools and is working to involve local communities more. During that lecture, I found a "want to read" for my list it is called Waiting to be Heard it is written by high school students and what they think about today's world. It was written by students at Mr. Eggers tutoring center in San Francisco. I'll blog about it once I get my hands on a copy. In the meantime, it is back to the dreaded list with my daughter to find something she could get through for her school requirement. Maybe I'll even suggest a few for the teacher's list to balance the male female ratio a bit!

Drinking the Rain -Alix Kates Shulman

2008-07-02T07:12:00.001-07:00

At 50, Alix Shulman decides to live remotely on a Maine Island while working on a book. I picked this book up on our recent trip east and enjoyed reading it. The book encompasses ten years of her life. I was amazed at how self sufficient she became in a short period of time. She learns to eat what is available near her small electricity/plumbing free cabin. I loved the way she began the book with this quote by Franz Kafka: " You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait. Do not even wait, be quite still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet." The quote was part of the reason I bought the book while on vacation and the memoir was equally as good.

www.alixkshulman.com

The Seer of Shadows -Avi

2008-06-07T10:56:00.000-07:00

I read this book on the bus for my daughter's filed trip last week to Greenfield Village. It was a long day, but it was a nice charter bus and I finished the whole book. It was fun to be reading a story from 1872 at the same time we viewed many things from Thomas Edison of the same era. This book involves the early days of photography and a young apprentice named Horace Carpentine. I enjoy books that also involve historical themes and Avi does a good job of explaining life at this time. Even the concept of being "apprenticed" out must seem foreign to children of today. Horace starts to develop pictures that contain the image of a deceased girl named Elenora. He befriends the black servant girl of Elenora's aunt and learns more about the girl's tragic death. Pegg, the servant, and Horace work to solve the mystery of the images and help Eleanora rest in peace.

There is lots of description on the photographic process and how day to day life was at this time. I found the overall story to be a little weaker than some of Avi's better known books. My younger daughter loved the "Poppy", "Ragweed" and "Poppy and Rye" books. My absolute favorite Avi book of all time is "Nothing but the Truth". It is even more relevant to me today with all of the scandle over the West Ottawa valedictorian not being able to quote the bible in his commencement speech. Read "Nothing but the Truth" --it is a real education on freedom of speech!

My Favorite Maine Books

2008-05-29T07:29:00.001-07:00

Here they are my favorite Maine books! While thinking about an upcoming vacation, I started the reminisce about time spent living there. My children were both born in Maine. What a beautiful state and you too can travel there in a book!

Harriet Beecher Stowe
Edna St. Vincent Millay

Rachel Field's "Hitty" is one of my all time favorite children's books. It is the travel adventure of a doll through 100 years.

"Miss Rumphius" is another children's treasure from Barbara Cooney. It emphasizes to children their responsibilty to make the world more beautiful.

Robert McCloskey's simple tale "One Morning in Maine" is about Sally and her lost tooth. I read it numerous times to my children when they were around five and fascinated with loose teeth.

Linda Greenlaw in the nonfiction book "The Lobster Chronicles" talks about being female in the very male dominated profession of lobstering.

"Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy" is by Grand Rapids own Gary D. Schmidt. (No relation to me--Schmidt is a very common name!) It is a race relation book from 1912 in Phippsburg, Maine and nearby Malaga Island. The State takes the island from a poor community of interracial squatters. The story is aimed at middle schoolers and it was a "Newberry Honor Book" I loved this book and hope to get my soon to be middle schooler interested in it before we travel there.

"Charlotte's Web" speaks for itself . What a childhood treasure! E.B. White wrote the book in Maine.

Charlotte Agell was a favorite author of my daughter's when we lived in Maine. I read the season books numerous times. My copy of "I Swam with a Seal" is signed for Danielle. We went to a book signing while living there. Charlotte Agell still lives in midcoast Maine. Visit her at
www.charlotteagell.com

Memorial Day Weekend Reads

2008-05-27T07:17:00.001-07:00

These are the three books I've plowed through recently. Two of them I felt a bit rushed on as I had an express 7 day check out from Herrick Library. I had been itching to read them though. I always feel like I've hit the jackpot when I come across a book I'd love to buy on that 7 day check out rack! "The Catcher in the Rye" speaks for itself. It showed up on my 15 year old daughter's summer reading list, so I dug a copy out of my stash and absorbed myself in the world of Holden Cualfield once again. The internet has made all reading so much fun! After reading "The Catcher in the Rye", I spent time looking and wondering what J.D. Salinger, the noted recluse, has been up to. I had forgotten that "The Catcher in the Rye" had played such a role in the shooting of John Lennon. From my limited research J.D. is still held up at 90 years old in New Hampshire. As my teenager watched the fervor of googling, she said I was an internet stalker! I'm just amazed how fast we can get information now--it doesn't mean I'll ever act on it. I just love asking questions that lead to more questions and seeing if my computer can take me there. I did have to tease her that perhaps on a planned vacation east this summer we should drive through J.D.'s New Hampsire town and see what's up? She thought that was a little creepy and I was only kidding. It was nice to visit with Holden Cualfield again. My perspective is so different as a mother not an adolescent. I found myself wondering at the parental philosophy that ships kids off to boarding school. I was obviously thankful that Holden still had his younger sibling Phoebe in his life. Siblings are so important as I hope my children some day realize.

It is kind of ironic that the other two books I read this weekend also have strong sibling connotations. "Run" deals with adoptions and sibling issues and "The Last Lecture" talks about childhood dreams. "Run" is fiction; "The Last Lecture" is a book about a Carnegie Mellon Professor who is dying and the lessons he wishes to leave to his three children.

I managed to make a trip on Memorial Day to visit my own two siblings. What a weekend!

The Aurora County All-Stars -Deborah Wiles

2008-05-19T15:20:00.000-07:00

I bought this book at my daughter's school book fair a few weeks ago. I had read "Each Little Bird That Sings" by the same author a few years back so thought I'd give this one a try. By reading the jacket and looking at the picture, I knew I was in for a treat! The book combines baseball, Walt Whitman poetry, a drama queen and a pug dog! How perfect! House Jackson is the main character. He loves baseball, is motherless and reads to a dying neighbor while recovering from an injury. The book combines the fervor of a 12 year old boy, a girl named Frances (who prefers to be called Finesse) and the battle over which is more important a baseball game or a drama production. I loved it! I also thoroughly enjoyed her website/ blog entries and have copied a few of the gems below. Now -- maybe I can get my 11 year old to read it!

http://www.deborahwiles.com/

I took these quotes directly from Deborah Wiles website:

Blogging is how we are finding one another in this ever-bigger world, how we are discovering like voices and minds and hearts. I want to be a part of that discovery. So I'll write about what matters to me, and I'll keep looking for you, your voice, your mind, your heart. It's a symphony true, this searching, in whatever form it takes, as Walt Whitman wrote, as Norwood Boyd and Elizabeth Jackson said, as House Jackson learned. A symphony true:

After the dazzle of day is done
Only the dark, dark night shows to my eyes the stars
After the clangor of organ majestic, or chorus, or perfect band,
Silent, athwart my soul, moves the symphony true.

Frederick Buechner:
"My story is important not because it is mine. . . but because if I tell it anything like right, the chances are you will recognize that in many ways it is yours. Maybe nothing is more important than that we keep track . . . of these stories of who we are and where we have come from and the people we have met along the way because it is precisely through these stories in all their particularity . . . that God makes himself known to each of us most powerfully and personally . . . to lose track of our stories is to be profoundly impoverished not only humanly but spiritually. I not only have my secrets, I am my secrets. And you are yours. Our secrets are human secrets, and our trusting each other enough to share them with each other has much to do with the secret of what it means to be human."

A Three Dog Life -Abigail Thomas

2008-05-09T08:14:00.000-07:00

This book is a memoir which chronicles Abigail's life after her husband is hit by a car and suffers brain damage. I picked it up at the book store as the title caught my eye and I too am a dog lover. The cover had an endorsement by Stephen King which says, "The best memoir I have ever read. This book is a punch to the heart. Read It." Pretty heady stuff! I'm not a huge Stephen King fan, but his endoresement was spot on!

The book is written as little vignettes of the author's daily life. Each chapter has a different title and the book is not set up chronologically. The flow of dealing with a before and after story is all still there. I enjoyed her writing of the memoir more as moments. One of my favorite quotes from this book is : "Well, now I know I can control my tongue, my temper, and my appetites, but that's it. I have no effect on weather, traffic, or luck. I can't make good things happen. I can't keep anybody safe. I can't influence the future and I can't fix up the past.

What a relief."

Sometimes, I can't even control my tongue, my temper, or my appetite! It is a relief to realize that nothing else "controllable" is even on the radar screen of reasonableness.

www.AbigailThomas.net

What Now? - Ann Patchett

2008-04-30T10:58:00.001-07:00

I have been a huge fan of Ann Patchett for a few years. My favorite book by her is "Bel Canto" This is a very small book that comes from a graduation speech which she gave at her alma mater Sarah Lawrence College. This is a book which I would highly recommend as a gift to any graduate this spring. A favorite quote from the book is "Sometimes the best we can hope for is to be graceful and brave in the face of all of the changes that will surely come. It also helps to have a sense of humor about your own fate, to not think that you alone are blessed when good fortune comes your way, or cursed when it passes you by. It helps if you can realize that this part of life when you don't know what's coming next is often the part that people look back on with the greatest affection." I was crying by the end of this book. Wonderful, Wonderful Writing!!

http://www.annpatchett.com/

Fire in the Heart - Deepak Chopra

2008-04-30T10:56:00.000-07:00

I bought this book at my daughter's book fair to give to my teenager for her birthday. I think it is hard to develop spirituality in Holland. There is alot of religion in West Michigan, but not much spirituality. The book focuses on learning about your own uniqueness and appreciating this great gift of life. I really enjoyed the lesson of the rainbow. The teenager asks his spiritual advisor why a rainbow makes him feel good and the response is "Because life is meant to be sweet, and when you see something as sweet as a rainbow, it makes you remember that."

I had never read anything by Deepak Chopra before, but I know that he has a huge following www.chopra.com

Ancient Futures: Learning From Ladakh by Helena Norberg-Hodge

2008-04-25T07:50:00.000-07:00

My Friend Yvette loaned me this book. It was publiushed by the Sierra Club in 1991. When I first glanced through the book, I thought wow 1991 was before the explosion of the world wide web how must this "ancient culture" look now? I wasn't sure I would get much out of the book, but it is a wonderful study in sociology. It reminds me a bit of the more recent book called "Three Cups of Tea" which I read last summer. The theme of both books is that western culture and "development" are not necessarily the best way. The book "Three Cups of Tea" has a focus on education of children along western idealogies. Along the way, the author learns from the local people about the benefits to a slower pace of life. This book, Ancient Futures, focus is that we have much to learn from the way things used to be done. There was very little waste by the Ladakh people until they started to "modernize" their facilities. Interdependence was valued, but with the new more wetern ways independence became important. With the culture changes, problems of the west crept in such as depression and isolation.

One of the first things I thought of upon reading this book, was the stories about the Tsunami several years ago that killed so many people. Some of the more indiginous "boat" people in those areas were able to remain safe from the Tsunami as they had a vast culural knowledge of the phenomenon as it was occurring. I guess this was an extreme case of what happens to culture when the relationship to the environment and a respect of nature is lost. It also made me think of all of the "development" according to western standards that are happening in China today. How much of China's ancient ways will be lost in an attempt to modernize?

Closer to home, this book is a reminder to all of us to slow down and appreciate relationships with humans and the earth for what they are--life sustaining.

Fresh Water: Women Writing on the Great Lakes - Alison Swan, Editor

2008-04-23T08:51:00.000-07:00

Last Night, I attended the readings at Herrick Library from this book. I had purchased the book last fall and read most of it. I enjoyed seeing the women in person and as they read I began to relax and appreciate the writing again. The book inspired me to try my own hand at an essay. I then submitted my essay to a project that the Holland Area Arts Council was sponsoring and am anxiously awaiting their final product.

It has been a wild week for me and books. I worked the book fair at my daughter's school yesterday and purchased several books that I'm dying to dig into. My friend Yvette gave me two books to read last week which I have begun and last week while at the library renewing a book which I hadn't finished yet, I picked up this wonderful publication called BookPage http://www.bookpage.com/ As I was waiting for my daughter to dance, I read through the book reviews highlighted within and now have several more desirable reads on my list. How will I find time to get anything else done?

Absolute Trust in the Goodness of the Earth -Alice Walker

2008-04-20T14:24:00.000-07:00

As an example, here is one stanza from the poem: "When You Look"

That heaven

Is a matter

Not of inventing

Glory

But of recognizing

It.

That the blue sky with its

Sunsets &

Clouds

Is simply

Beautiful. And that is enough.

A great quick read for poetry month!

Your Own, Sylvia a verse portrait of Sylvia Plath by Stephanie Hemphill

2008-04-19T06:21:00.001-07:00

I checked this book out of the library recently to honor April poetry month. The book is written in poems by Stephanie Hemphill with footnotes that chronicle what is going on in Sylvia's life at the time. The book is a quick way to read about the life of Sylvia Plath, but the author has spent an amazing amount of time and research to come up with 246 pages of poetry to detail Sylvia's life. The author's note clarifies that although the book is based on real events and real people, it is foremost a work of fiction. It seems that society has recently been sensitive to the fine line between fact and fiction. Pretty soon all historical books will come with this disclaimer. One of my favorite reads in the past year or so was The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. Defintely a fictional genre book, but I certainly learned alot of history reading it!

Inheritance -Natalie Danford

2008-04-13T09:04:00.001-07:00

This story swivels between the past and the present. The main character in the book is Olivia Bonocchio. She returns to her father's birthplace in Urbino, Italy after she discovers a deed to a house there in his name dated 1940. The story also takes place in present day 1994 after Olivia's father Luigi has passed away. Part of the story takes place in a week as Olivia is in Italy trying to determine the validity of the deed. The other part of the story, spans Luigi's life as an Italian Immigrant in New York City beginning in 1945. Finally, the end of the book fills in the World War II era and gives a big picture of Luigi's life.

This book reminds all of us of evils in the not too distant past that affected so many numerous individual lives. The fact that Luigi does not become bitter and continues to forage a life for himself is a testament to the human spirit.

www.nataliedanford.com

Not Quite What I was Planning Six Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure - Editors: Fershleiser & Smith

2008-04-04T18:58:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed this quick read. Here are some six word memoirs from the book that embrace my life at the moment.

"I'm my mother and I'm fine." -K. Bertrand

"Secret of Life, marry an Italian." -Nora Ephron

"Fourteen years old story still untold." -David Gidwani

"I'm ten, and have an attitude." -Tillie Seger

That's one quick memoir for each member of my family. My husband is Italian and I have two children one 14 and one 10.

To learn more about this fabulous read go to www.Smithmag.net

The Winding Ways Quilt -Jennifer Chiaverini

2008-04-03T06:23:00.001-07:00

This is the twelfth book in a series of books called "Elm Creek Novels". If you enjoy quilting or appreciate quilting as an art form, you will love these books. The character development over the series is amazing as well. You will quickly find yourself thinking of Sarah and Sylvia as your own friends. Sylvia is a Master Quilter who returns, after many years, to her family's estate in rural Pennsylvania. There she befriends a young woman named Sarah and together they turn the estate into a quilt camp. This book chronicles the lives of all of the founding members of the Elm Creek Camp. True to the title, Sylvia is working on a winding ways quilt pattern and the stories are about the different paths the lives of the eight founders have taken. One of my favorite quotes from this book is "..the bonds that unite us are so much stronger than the dozens of petty differences that divide us." Before you leave this book, you will also be thinking of Sylvia, Sarah, Judy, Gwen, Summer, Diane, Bonnie, and Agnes as your friends. If you live in Holland, you will also want to visit the Tulip Time Quilt Show in May. The beauty will inspire you whether you quilt or not!

www.elmcreek.net

Change of Heart -Jodi Picoult

2008-03-31T07:46:00.000-07:00

Jodi Picoult has an amazing talent for writing. I enjoy almost everything I've read of hers. Her latest novel focuses on the death penalty. The book includes much factual information about religion and the death penalty. I always learn a few things when I read a novel by Picoult, but what I appreciate more is her gift of words. Page 308 of this book states, " Words are like nets -we hope they'll cover what we mean, but we know they can't possibly hold that much joy, or grief, or wonder." There are tons of marvelous saying like this peppered throughout the book. The main characters are Shay Bourne, the death row inmate; June Nealon, his victim's wife who's daughter requires a heart transplant; the jewish ACLU attorney representing Bourne and a catholic priest who acts as his spiritual advisor. If you've never read Picoult, pick this book up and try it. You won't be disappointed. If you like it, there are 14 more novels by this author waiting for you to read.

www.jodipicoult.com

Color Books

2008-03-27T08:50:00.000-07:00

Because spring is finally arriving, I went through my own book collection with an eye toward color! Here is what I came up with:A beautiful children's story with a focus on giving!

Another great story on color and moods. I think this is why we all feel happier in the spring the world has more color!

A great poetry book focused on color!

A book, according to the cover, for ages 9 and up. Its focus is a child's perspective of the building of the atomic bomb. It was a wonderful historical fiction read!

Fannie Flagg is one of my favorite authors. The book spans fictional Elmwood Springs, Missouri from 1946-2000. Neighbor Dorothy runs a newsy radio show from her house complete with a Cocker Spaniel under the desk. These are characters that you don't easily forget .

Monet is one of my favorites, but any art book is sure to have lots of color!

A Whole New Mind - Daniel H. Pink

2008-03-26T05:29:00.000-07:00

I read this book in prepartion for a talk by Daniel Pink that the Holland Area Arts Council and other local organizations sponsored. I've been excited about hearing this author speak for about a month now as I could tell from his style of writing that it would make for an interesting visual display. Also, having read his bio on-line I knew that he was a former speech writer for Al Gore; I figured this gave him a few points in the public speaking department. I have attended lectures from other prominenet authors who were lousy speakers. Mr. Pink, thankfully, was not in that category, and lived up to my expectations by giving an interesting talk yesterday at West Ottawa's Performing Arts Center.

For me, a stay-at-home mom with an engineering degree and a law degree, I found his talk personally enlighteneing. First, the stay-at-home mom part required me to think how could I possibly attend a lecture at 4:00 in the afternoon? As any parent knows this is a hard time of day, especially when you have elementary aged children as I still do. My oldest child expressed interest in the topic, my younger child has a hard time sitting still for anything. Then, of course there was the outrageous ticket price $35.00 each. Was this worth it for an eleven year old? As I began outlining the options to the younger child she decided she would rather go with me than suffer through any of the other babysitter options. Mostly because I really wanted to hear this speaker and it seems rare for Holland Michigan to host such events, I decided to make it a family affair.

Getting to the event on time was a challenge. I took daughter #2 out of school a bit early, but forgot that children this age are always hungry and failed to provide a snack. Not enough time to swing home especially with the coal train blocking the tracks forever. We were seated ready to go at 3:50. Now, the Holland part hits home, I am the only person who thought that bringing anyone under the age of 21 to this event was appropriate. To top it off, I am dressed like a mom carpooler and half of the auditorium is blocked off for business purchased seats. The guy seated next to us appears to be a pilot for United and can't let go of the Blackberry. I have an "old fashioned Blackberry"( a notepad and pen) which I try to "text message" on to keep the eleven year old interested. True to form, for the mostly business crowd, the event is delayed by folks networking who can't seem to sit down until about 4:10. Twenty minutes of answering the question, "What time is it?" During this period when it's after 4:00, I say to the eleven year old, "Look you may be uncomfortable here I can easily take you home before it starts and come back later to get your sister." No the excitement has taken hold and part of her wants to see what the grownup are up to. So we commit to Mr. Pink and finally he is introduced and we're off!

The first comment on my paper Blackberry is " This guy looks like Danny Tanner from Full House". My response, "Yes and they are both named Dan!" We continue as I half listen, half text like the pilot next to us. Daniel Pink talks about growing up in the midwest and going to law school because it was a "good thing to do" to ensure your employability. He talks about how the world is changing and we shouldn't educate our children for our past and not their future. I'm now glad that I brought my children. The future is their world and they need to have a say in it. I want them to think toward the future. The i-pod display is particularly interesting. I would not have an i-pod or know how to use it if it weren't for my kids. They are helping me prepare for the future as well. He talks about his six abilities that matter most. It starts with design, goes on to a discussion about empathy. The eleven year old texts," What number is he on now?" She is listening!! My heart leaps. She takes her own note- "Can a computer do it faster?"

The lecture wraps up with a focus toward education and he compliments the West Ottawa School District for the beautiful facility. He says, "You would be surprise how many schools I've visited that look like they are stuck in the seventies." I'm proud to live in this district! He states that he observed the juried art show at the arts council and he hopes that some of those folks are contemplating careers in science. I couldn't have agreed more. Math and science are trump cards he says. You need to stay strong in those areas. I'm thinking about my high school aged daughter now who needs to hear that. She would love to draw and create all day long. He talks about employers who hire Georgia Tech graduates asking the college not to send"bubble headed weenies" as job applicants. This leads Georgia Tech to include other factors in their admission decisions such as giving weight to students who play a musical instrument! Having worked as an engineer for 15 years, I think well roundedness is helpful. I think back to my undergraduate days in engineering and the English Professor emphasizing to us "techies" that yes indeed we were all still human and "Humanities" matters even to engineering students. We of course, at 18, thought we didn't need to mess with any more English classes.

Now the lecture is over and my younger daughter is still laughing that Daniel Pink forgot to draw the eyebrows on his first self portrait. I'm thinking back to the book where he talks about drawing and learning to really see. One of the abilities that matter most, he calls symphony. In this section of the book, he talks about learning to see negative spaces. I remember getting the FedEx symbol and seeing the arrow in the negative space. I also remember at the end of that section, there is a Hershey Kiss with a "whimsical negative space". I didn't really see what he saw in the Hershey symbol. I promise myself to get the book out and try again. I'm glad to still be learning and I enjoyed this book and the lecture. I hope it inspires all of us to think more about how we educate our children.