tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63098031280005181212024-03-15T21:12:36.195-04:00The House of the Seven TailsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.comBlogger717125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-25730560220085522872014-03-18T10:31:00.000-04:002014-03-18T10:31:18.621-04:00 First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intro<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday
Intros</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> is a weekly meme hosted by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Diane</b> at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/2014/03/first-chapter-first-paragraph-tuesday_18.html"><span style="color: #351c75;">Bibliophile by the Sea</span></a></b> every Tuesday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Participants
share the opening paragraph or two of a book they decided to read based on that
paragraph. I have meant to read this book for years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So sad, isn’t it?! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve watched the move countless times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, I purchased a 50<sup>th</sup>
Anniversary Edition of the book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
includes three short stories, which I’m excited about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story is more novella than novel but
still a huge treat. I want to savor it, but I know that I’ll still finish the
book in a day or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What can you do?!</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Drop
by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #351c75;">Bibliophile By the Sea</span></a></b> to read
Diane's selection this week, it’s always a good one, and to see who else is
participating. You'll probably get some good book titles, too!</span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Breakfast At Tiffany’s<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Truman Capote</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></strong></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Chapter 1</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">I am always drawn back to places where I have
lived, the houses and their neighborhoods. For instance, there is a brownstone
in the East Seventies where, during the early years of the war, I had my first
New York apartment. It was one room crowded with attic furniture, a sofa and
fat chairs upholstered in that itchy, particular red velvet that one associates
with hot days on a train. The walls were stucco, and a color rather like
tobacco-spit. Everywhere, in the bathroom too, there were prints of Roman ruins
freckled brown with age. The single window looked out on a fire escape. Even
so, my spirits heightened whenever I felt in my pocket the key to this
apartment; with all its gloom, it still was a place of my own, the first, and
my books were there, and jars of pencils to sharpen, everything I needed, so I
felt, to become the writer I wanted to be.</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">What do you think?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would you keep reading?<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></i></div>
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</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-67274195841902275172014-03-05T11:53:00.001-05:002014-03-05T11:53:45.090-05:00Review: The Free by Willy Vlautin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDbKljbMqpiPS8D-q3P4ojp8znwpS3mrehNgF4FHCnzk9AHy-4xMn0wXGTZmgxySQbiZ_X2J0eccdYNQ4ZbT1Be_XHPywZ5ipY1MFL0wPKDBuHxOjenj9stpgJnyUKhxBq-xK5UbA4iiX/s1600/Free.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDbKljbMqpiPS8D-q3P4ojp8znwpS3mrehNgF4FHCnzk9AHy-4xMn0wXGTZmgxySQbiZ_X2J0eccdYNQ4ZbT1Be_XHPywZ5ipY1MFL0wPKDBuHxOjenj9stpgJnyUKhxBq-xK5UbA4iiX/s1600/Free.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b><i>The
Free</i> by Willy Vlautin <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i>Publisher:
</i>Harper Perennial<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Published:
</i>February 4, 2014<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>ISBN:
</i>978-0062309051<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Pages:
</i>320<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Rating:</i>
4.5 out of 5<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Book Summary:</i> Award-winning
author Willy Vlautin demonstrates his extraordinary talent for confronting
issues facing modern America, illuminated through the lives of three memorable
characters who are looking for a way out of their financial, familial, and
existential crises, in his heartbreaking and hopeful fourth novel<o:p></o:p></div>
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Leroy Kervin is a 31 year old Iraqi War veteran living with
a traumatic brain injury. Unable to dress or feed himself, or cope with his
emotions, he has spent the last seven years in a group home. There he spends
his days watching old sci-fi movies until he awakens one night with a clear
mind and memories of his girlfriend. Realizing what his life has been he
decides it would be better to die than to go on living this way. A failed
suicide attempt leaves Leroy hospitalized where he retreats further into his
mind in order to make sense of his existence.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Freddie McCall is a middle aged father working two jobs.
He's lost his wife and kids, and is close to losing his house. He's buried in
debt, unable to pay the medical bills from his daughter's childhood illness. As
Freddie's situation becomes more desperate he undertakes a risky endeavor he
hopes will solve his problems but could possibly end in disaster. Just as
Freddie is about to lose it all, he is faced with the possibility of getting his
kids back.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pauline Hawkins takes care of everyone else around her. She
cares for her mentally ill father out of a deep sense of obligation. As a nurse
at the local hospital, she treats her patients and their families with a
familiar warmth and tenderness. When Pauline becomes attached to a young
runaway, she learns the difficult lesson that you can't help someone who
doesn't help themselves.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The lives of these three characters intersect as they look
for meaning in desperate times. Willy Vlautin covers themes ranging from health
care to the economic downturn and housing crisis, to the toll war takes on
veterans and their families. The Free is an extraordinary portrait of
contemporary America and a testament to the resiliency of the human heart.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>My Thoughts: The Free</i> is the first book I have read by by
Willy Vlautin<i>. </i>I have never heard of him before<i> </i>now<i>. </i>But I’m happy to
know there are three more books available for me to read because I enjoyed <i>The Free</i> so much. Vlautin’s writing style is simple and
straightforward but compelling. He doesn’t use a lot of metaphors or flowery
language to convey what he’s trying to say.
He simply says it. His characters
are similar. What you see is what you
get. They’re genuine, nice people
struggling with issues that plague many Americans. They refuse to let their
troubles, as bad as they are, defeat them. They’re strong and resilient and,
despite how bad it gets, they’re hopeful.
They continue to do what they can to make things work out in the hopes
of improving their lives.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>The Free</i> is relayed
by the three characters, Freddie, Pauline and Leroy. They tell their stories in interspersing chapters. Freddie, Pauline and Leroy are acquainted but they don’t know
each other. Freddie, Pauline and Leroy are struggling under the weight of some big crises and hoping they make it. They represent many
Americans living in our country today.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Freddie, like so many Americans, is a single parent
concerned about caring for his daughters.
They live with his ex-wife but Freddie pays they’re bills. One daughter is disabled and her medical
bills are staggering. Freddie worries
about paying past medical debts as well as finding the money for future bills
and health insurance. Freddie worries constantly that his house, which has been
in his family for generations, will be taken from him. But he doesn’t know what
more he can do. He already works two jobs, day and night. What little sleep he gets is disturbed by his
constant worries. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Pauline has a good job working as a nurse. In her free time, she cares for her mentally
ill father. But she’s a sad and lonely
woman. She isn’t looking for a
relationship, though. She does not
completely trust men. She was in a
relationship once and he became more and more controlling as time passed. Pauline doesn’t want to repeat that experience. She would prefer to find a friend or companion, male or female, to spend time with and whose company she could enjoy. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Leroy, who signed up with the National Guard, was severely
injured and brain damaged in Iraq. He
returned to the USA and moved into a group home. He suffers from chronic pain
that the doctors don’t seem able to take care of for him. In a moment of lucidity, Leroy remembers that
sci-fi books he used to read obsessively.
He delves deep into his brain, creating a sci-fi story starring himself
and his girlfriend, Jeanette. In this
way, Leroy can separate himself from the society that’s caused him so much pain
and become a whole person again and maybe more.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Freddie, Pauline and
Leroy are good people struggling to lift themselves out of situations of
despair and to wrest some luck out of life. Their stories are heart-breaking but filled with hope. What I find so remarkable about them is their unwillingness to give
up. They are hopeful and willing to
laugh and see the good in their days despite having to struggle so much. That’s what makes this book so worth
reading. These characters soldier
on. Life might be tough but it’s still
worthwhile.<i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-6343060877740504592014-03-04T08:20:00.000-05:002014-03-04T08:20:44.460-05:00~ ~ First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros ~ ~<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIBrbh4f_ocrCE79BMwxuQJQEnlSZBe9sfMVPEtrNfN244pVPKeouBd21liCmoN2wHDdKcv6u85AYfTacmsJsq5wOZU8InP4jAwOJk69FeEoXSVolyxXaj3SESPfcPQG7SsOV0uAY_zH6/s1600/fistchap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIBrbh4f_ocrCE79BMwxuQJQEnlSZBe9sfMVPEtrNfN244pVPKeouBd21liCmoN2wHDdKcv6u85AYfTacmsJsq5wOZU8InP4jAwOJk69FeEoXSVolyxXaj3SESPfcPQG7SsOV0uAY_zH6/s1600/fistchap.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday
Intros</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> is a weekly meme hosted by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Diane</b> at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/2014/03/first-chapter-first-paragraph-tuesday.html"><span style="color: #741b47;">Bibliophile by the Sea</span></a></b> every Tuesday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Participants
share the opening paragraph or two of a book they decided to read based on that
paragraph. I read a book by this author a few years ago, shortly after I began
my book blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved the writing and
the characters were so compelling and interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve wanted to read more of this author’s
work ever since.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, when I was offered
the chance to review one of her books, I was happy to do so especially after
reading the storyline.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Drop
by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #741b47;">Bibliophile By the Sea</span></a></b> to read
Diane's selection this week, it’s always a good one, and to see who else is
participating. You'll probably get some good book titles, too!</span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGppqVnXkN6HHc62t_fhzONOEM3HsWLfG4HPdVZBSLBSWTzCH08pN0sU2jkWkJrmJcnfzohWV9XFOfBETeuA5KJxTPaUudv61UCw_33vdIE7i5FCr0xA6mDLGu3gVQ5MmwWI9S3mp-mX3/s1600/O+girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGppqVnXkN6HHc62t_fhzONOEM3HsWLfG4HPdVZBSLBSWTzCH08pN0sU2jkWkJrmJcnfzohWV9XFOfBETeuA5KJxTPaUudv61UCw_33vdIE7i5FCr0xA6mDLGu3gVQ5MmwWI9S3mp-mX3/s1600/O+girl.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Oleander Girl<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #741b47;">by<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">One</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #741b47;">I’m
swimming through a long, underwater cavern flecked with blue light, the cavern
of love, with Rajat close behind me. We’re in a race, and so far I’m winning
because this is my dream. Sometimes when I’m dreaming, I don’t know it, but
tonight I do. Sometimes when I’m awake, I wonder if I’m dreaming. That,
however, is another story. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #741b47;">I
smile and feel my mouth filling with cool, silver bubbles. Rajat’s fingers
brush the backs of my knees. Even in my dream I know that if I slow down just a
bit, he’ll grab my waist and pull me to him for a mischievous kiss. Imagining
that kiss sends a shudder of pleasure through me. But I don’t want it yet. The
chase is too much fun. I surge away with a splashy kick. Hey! he calls out in
spluttering protest, and I grin wider. Competitive, he slices through the water
with his fierce butterfly stroke and lunges for my ankle. I wait for his
strong, electric grip to send a current through my veins. My mouth floods with
anticipation of our kiss.</span></blockquote>
</div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #741b47;">Then
out of nowhere a wave breaks over me. Salt and sand are on my tongue. I try to
spit them out, but they fill my mouth, choking me. Where’s Rajat when I need
his help? Gasping, I thrash about and wake in my bed, tangled in my bed sheets.
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></blockquote>
</div>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #741b47;">What do you think?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would you keep reading?<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-5299101328499203642014-02-27T12:04:00.000-05:002014-02-27T12:04:18.562-05:00Review Coincidence, J.W. Ironmonger<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Gkl26QCdWDbxdV4N2_SvPQSx8jef4kbZ0cbfcgWWIGbszzLmEwbeB1tp3ZQx0-gGkJKynthNNerPi_A4MA0ZRb-XKnJH1NX0W5wdttmaX53Na5EGI2VJ18L4v1iKQYrNDYEaotn15m5L/s1600/Coincidence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Gkl26QCdWDbxdV4N2_SvPQSx8jef4kbZ0cbfcgWWIGbszzLmEwbeB1tp3ZQx0-gGkJKynthNNerPi_A4MA0ZRb-XKnJH1NX0W5wdttmaX53Na5EGI2VJ18L4v1iKQYrNDYEaotn15m5L/s1600/Coincidence.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Coincidence
by J.W. Ironmonger<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Publisher: Harper Perennial</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Published: 2014</span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ISBN: 978-0-062309891<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pages: 284 <o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rating: 4 out of 5 <o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p> </o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Book Summary:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>One seagull and four pieces of bread
decide the course of one person's life. But is the rest just coincidence? THE
COINCIDENCE AUTHORITY combines the ideas of David Mitchell or Hanif Kureishi
with the warmth of David Nicholls or Marina Lewycka.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thomas Post
is an expert on coincidence. He's an authority. Every coincidence, he says, can
be explained by the cold laws of chance. But why then do coincidences so
afflict the life of Azalea Lewis? And why has Thomas Post's orderly life been
thrown into such disarray by the coincidences of Azalea?<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the
tale of two lost souls, each with a quest to understand the secret patterns
hidden in a very random universe. It is the story of the short but eventful
life of Azalea Lewis, a foundling child discovered at a travelling fair; and it
is the unfolding story of Thomas Post who looks for patterns in a haphazard
world, and who finds his belief in the fabric of life challenged by Azalea.
From the windswept tranquility of a Manx village, to the commuter swarms of
London, to the brutal abduction of child soldiers in Africa, this is a search
for truth, a search for God, a search for love, and a search for a decent pizza
in North London.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My
Thoughts:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought this was a fantastic book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On one level it’s a love story between Thomas
Post and Azalea Lewis, but too complex to be simply be labeled as such. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thomas Post is a Lecturer in Applied Philosophy
at the Institute for Philosophy in London. He’s nicknamed ‘the Coincidence Man’
because he spends much of his time studying coincidences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Azalea teaches English literature and poetry
to adult learners at this same University.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She usually teaches at night and in a completely different area than
Thomas. Their paths don’t cross for many years until one day when Azalea visits
Thomas’ office to discuss the many events in her past and in her history that
she believes to be coincidences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Azalea is a likable
character who it’s easy to sympathize with after hearing the story of the several
tragedies of her childhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the age of thirteen she’d been adopted
twice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She believed for many years her
biological mother abandoned her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
also doesn’t know the name of her biological father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Azalea eventually learns what happened to her
real mother and who might be her biological father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The information she discovers and the events
of her past are fascinating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she
explains how and why she sees many of the events as coincidences it’s difficult
to disagree with her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thomas, it
seems, doesn’t really believe in coincidences and mostly argues against
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Azalea, on the other hand,
believes everything happens for a reason and places a lot of significance on
the coincidences in her life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Azalea tells the story of her difficult,
painful childhood to Thomas, and the coincidences she sees, he argues against
the idea of coincidences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are
several pages of interesting discussion involving philosophy, the Big Bang
Theory, determinism and pre-determinism versus free will, and many different
philosophers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thomas doesn’t change
Azalea’s mind. She still believes things happen for a reason.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There’s a
strong connection between Azalea and Thomas but, he more than she, allow their
differences about the existence of coincidences to come between them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He can
be quite arrogant and condescending.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even after everything Azalea tells him about her childhood, he doesn’t
really understand why she shies away from relationships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She takes her time deciding she wants to date
Thomas and, even while dating she’s not sure she wants a relationship with
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She feels he’ll never understand
what Uganda and the mission where she spent most of her childhood with her
adoptive parents means to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And she
knows Thomas doesn’t understand why she believes events in her past are
definitely coincidences and they are of great significance to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, although she loves him she’s not sure she
can spend her life with him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This book is
also compelling for its beautiful and descriptive writing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The passages regarding Uganda and the mission
where Azalea lived with her adoptive parents is vividly described as a lush,
beautiful countryside teeming with happy people but a lot of poverty and
violence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although much of the
conversation throughout the book is serious there’s humor and lighter dialogue,
especially between Thomas and Azalea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This helps make the novel glimmer with realism and gets you invested in
both main characters, though some of Thomas’ stubborn tendencies made me feel
frustrated for Azalea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Without
giving anything away, the book is not a fairy tale and not for the
intellectually faint of heart. It is heavy and layered in many ways: there’s
philosophy, physics as well as romance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So if you fancy yourself an intellectual romantic or a romantic with an
intellectual bent, this book is calling for you to read it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-54333673557295812062014-02-24T10:48:00.000-05:002014-02-24T10:48:25.034-05:00Review ~ ~ Bingo's Run by James A. Levine ~ ~<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7BhhojMX-_RwfJBFVrLjH54qlQjmNJ5VgqsATKsDqlMQSL5s6th7nDQmh8wQHFFMkXS5naFvrt-FnKRtxO_BVMx5ouNGvKLAUknphs021Avtk1FpyFlPcUdlqR-Jq33Q2_15oCHPD8Re/s1600/Bingo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7BhhojMX-_RwfJBFVrLjH54qlQjmNJ5VgqsATKsDqlMQSL5s6th7nDQmh8wQHFFMkXS5naFvrt-FnKRtxO_BVMx5ouNGvKLAUknphs021Avtk1FpyFlPcUdlqR-Jq33Q2_15oCHPD8Re/s1600/Bingo.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bingo’s Run
by James A. Levine<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Publisher:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>Spiegel & Grau</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Published:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>January 7, 2014</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ISBN:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>978-1-4000-6883-8</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pages:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>304 pages</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rating:</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
4.5 </span>out of 5</span><o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p></o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Book Summary:</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meet Bingo, the greatest drug runner in the
slums of Kibera, Nairobi, and maybe the world. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A teenage grifter, often mistaken for a
younger boy, he faithfully serves Wolf, the drug lord of Kibera. Bingo spends
his days throwing rocks at Krazi Hari, the prophet of Kibera’s garbage mound,
“lipping” safari tourists of their cash, and hanging out with his best friend,
Slo-George, a taciturn fellow whose girth is a mystery to Bingo in a place
where there is never enough food. Bingo earns his keep by running “white” to a
host of clients, including Thomas Hunsa, a reclusive artist whose paintings,
rooted in African tradition, move him. But when Bingo witnesses a drug-related
murder and Wolf sends him to an orphanage for “protection,” Bingo’s life
changes and he learns that life itself is the “run.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A modern
trickster tale that draws on African folklore, Bingo’s Run is a wildly
original, often very funny, and always moving story of a boy alone in a corrupt
and dangerous world who must depend on his wits and inner resources to survive.<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p></o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My Thoughts:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>Kibera, Nairobi is the setting for James Levine’s second novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bingo’s Run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>It’s a place very different from what many of us in “developed”
countries know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Levine paints a vivid
picture of Kibera’s appearance: alleys and slums populated with scores of
people with no shelter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those lucky
enough to have shelter are living in squalor: dirt floors and houses with no
roofs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The even fewer lucky enough to
have a roof have one made of board or corrugated tin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their walls are cardboard, cloth or wood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pathways have formed between the huts due to
all of the foot traffic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of these
paths have become ditches carrying away the filth of humans and animals. <o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is
where Bingo and his fellow countrymen live, where so many of the people have
nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their time is spent picking
through garbage mounds for scraps of food and anything else they may be able to
use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mound “grows forever” and the
smell permeates everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Atop a
particularly large and ever-growing mound of garbage stands a man called Krazi
Hari, a harmless maniac. Krazi Hari philosophizes and yells at all those who
pass-by or stop to watch him or talk and yell back at him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He screams at Bingo and his best friend and
protector, Slo-George.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bingo doesn’t mind,
even enjoys his rants, as when Krazi Hari calls him ‘meejit’ as he often does,
because Bingo knows Krazi Hari is crazy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But Bingo feels offended and angry when other people call him “meejit’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bingo and Slo-George often begin their days
throwing rocks at Krazi Hari.<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bingo Mwolo
is an undersized teenage boy. He is fifteen years old but looks as if he is
ten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bingo tells us this is because he
is a ‘growth retard’. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to
Bingo, he is also smarter than almost everyone else he knows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He works for a local drug dealer, Wolf, as a
runner delivering “white” to many customers throughout the day. Being a ‘growth
retard’ (small for his age) is an advantage for Bingo as a runner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bingo has learned to work the “system”,
combining his best attribute for what he does, speed, with a code he’s
developed that ensures his success. He’s created a list of 13 commandments
which he lives by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Throughout the story,
Bingo explains his commandments and how living according to these rules has
saved his life more than once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bingo
has also hidden away the money he’s made in his job in a variety of different
locations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This guarantees he’ll either have
plenty of money or not lose too much at any one time should one of his stashes
be discovered and pilfered. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s also
learned the importance of paying respect to those who can kill him whenever
they want to, for no reason, and get away with it, a common occurrence in his
line of work. He knows many runners who’ve met such grizzly fates. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There’s
quite a bit of corruption and violence in Nairobi Bingo’s Kiberia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bingo offers an entertaining and eye-opening
explanation of the people and their ‘jobs’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The man at the top of the corrupt and sinister chain of men Bingo works
for is named Gihilihili. In what would be ironic and criminal to westerners, in
Kiberia it is as natural as air that Gihilihili is the head of police.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gihilihili wears several other hats, too,
because he does whatever he wants to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Under Gihilihili are Boss Jonni and then Wolf, extremely violent and
corrupt men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wolf, Bingo’s immediate
superior, loves violence for its own sake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To navigate this maze of uncertainty, a life where Bingo lives under a
Damocles’ sword in almost as literal a sense as possible, Bingo gets involved
in the corruption, running drugs and stealing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Levine allows the reader to feel for Bingo,
if not outright root for him, despite the fact he steals from shop keepers and
tourists alike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To further the irony,
Bingo steals not because he needs to, but either for sport or just to keep his
“skills” in this area sharp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shares
honestly with readers what he’s done when he talks with relish about “lipping”
tourists’ wallets. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not for gain,
but for sport, because the idea is to lip the fattest wallet, the one with the
most money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s difficult to find fault with Bingo when we
know what his life has been like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was, for example, witness to his father’s,
and later, his mother’s, murders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
also tough for the reader to hold Bingo’s choices and actions against him when
he tells us about some of the other people, such as Gihilihili and Wolf. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Comparing </span>
Bingo’s existence (and his countrymen) with the tourists, for example. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tourists are pale, fat and gullible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are necessary to the economy of
corruption in Nairobi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But they can
leave at any time while Bingo and his countrymen cannot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re getting an opportunity to see what life
is like here through the eyes of the natives. Levine, as a result, would like
us to reassess how we view our way of life and feel about ourselves just because
we give a few dollars to charity or spend money in Bingo’s country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This money is NOT helping the locals or
their economy because the corruption is prevalent, designed to benefit only a
very few people at the top of the chain who don the appearance of
respectability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Orphans are housed by
white priests who are also cogs in the corruption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The police chief wears western suits and
jewelry and pays extra attention to the tourists who can line his pockets:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a thousand dollars for a visa here, a few
hundred dollars for a permit there. </span></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Levine
astutely reminds us, as smart and charming as Bingo is, he’s still only fifteen
years old and virtually alone in this world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We’re reminded of this when Bingo gets caught in the crossfire between the
two drug lords, Boss Jonni and Wolf, as they vie for control of the drug trade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the frightening incident between Boss
Jonni and Wolf, Bingo reminds us he trusts no one but himself. This turns out
to be a good ‘rule’ to live by for Bingo because there’s a lot of deceit and
subterfuge surrounding the Boss Jonni/Wolf incident and several people want
Bingo’s trust. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, Wolf, who
prevailed against Boss Jonni, sends Bingo to St. Michael’s orphanage,
ostensibly for Bingo’s safety.<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While at the
orphanage Bingo meets Mrs. Steele, an American. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her “real” purpose for being in Nairobi is
somewhat mysterious. She says she wants to adopt Bingo and bring him to America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bingo is enamored of her and sees her as a
mother figure. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite being alone for so long and trusting
only himself, Bingo cannot help but be excited about the prospect of living in
America. Bingo then discovers Mrs. Steele is an art dealer with an interest in the
artist, Thomsa Hunsa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wants to
secure a contract with him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bingo doesn’t
like this idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s the only person Thomsa
Hunsa trusts after some American art dealers burned him badly years ago. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bingo thinks he should be Thomsa Hunsa’s
dealer. <o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bingo is
confused and unsure. Is Charity, the hotel maid where Bingo is staying with
Mrs. Steele, telling him the truth about Mrs. Steele and her “selfish plans”? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What about the information the maid is
relating to Mrs. Steele about Bingo?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because there is so much corruption in Kiberia, Bingo cannot help but decide
he won’t trust Mrs. Steele.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather, he
wants to use Mrs. Steele and her greed (as he sees it) for Thomas Hunsa’s art
to make his one big score that will free him from his life in Nairobi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He plots and takes on the different roles he
needs to, willing to use friends and other locals to advance his schemes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He plays dumb. He plays obedient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He lies. He steals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He plans to cheat and hurt whoever he needs
to in order to get what he wants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, it’s important to remember that Bingo is at heart still a boy,
despite his<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>experiences that most people
wouldn’t have over several lifetimes that have jaded him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reader hopes Bingo will come to realize
what’s really important, and not go so far that he throws away his chance at
happiness.<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We feel and
root for Bingo because his life is shaped by such malevolent forces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is the “good guy” in a world where morals
are non-existent and survival is all that matters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those lucky enough to have come to power have
done so through terrorizing their compatriots. So if Bingo’s plans include
taking them down, it gives us yet another reason to hope for his success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The means may be immoral in and of
themselves, but they are justified by the ends. But Bingo’s trust issues may
stand in his way. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Levine has
created in Bingo a boy wise beyond his years, and interesting and human enough
to give us no choice but to care about him. When we see him with Mrs. Steele,
we see a boy who misses his mother and on a very basic level wants a mother’s
love. Mrs. Steele (appears to be) offering this to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t overlook the terrible things he
does, even though he couches them within a set of self-styled commandments he
always adheres to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether forced or by
choice, we are made to understand <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why</i>
he does these things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is because of
where he lives and why he has come to be a drug runner. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bingo was also left an orphan at a young age
and did what he had to do and could do to ‘save’ himself. Though Bingo can’t do
anything about being a native of Kiberia or being an orphan, he could opt not to
be a drug runner. But if he did, he would be starving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would not have any clothes or a place to
live. His life would have no purpose except to try and survive each day, one at
a time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would not be able to help his
friend Slo George.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As it is, because he
is a runner, he has money and other substantial advantages so many of his other
native countrymen do not.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
It’s not possible to go into much more detail without giving away the
book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suffice to say that it’s a good
read with very interesting characters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are indeed many instances of clear-cut “bad guys” we want to see
get it in the end, and if that comes via Bingo’s machinations, all the
better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve never believed, except in
extreme circumstances, that good and evil specifically are so clearly
delineated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found it refreshing and
realistic that the rest of the book follows along those lines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of the ‘moral’ aspects of the book are
muddled: the “good guys” aren’t riding in on white stallions with white hats, saving
the day in the end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the “good
guys” are seemingly plain nuts, railing from atop mounds of reeking
garbage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some are drug addicts who
create art while high as a kite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others
see themselves as “growth retards” and allow themselves to see only the worst
in people, almost to the point where it’s too late to make things right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you
want to read a book that takes you places you never even knew were out there
and ways of life that are fascinating because they are so desperate and
different, you should read <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bingo’s Run</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thank you
to<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Giselle-Marie Roig at Random House<u></u><u></u></span> </span>for sending me a copy of Bingo’s Run
to read and review.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-526280210278199652014-02-17T12:12:00.000-05:002014-02-17T12:12:14.161-05:00This Dark Road to Mercy by Wiley Cash <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This Dark
Road to Mercy by Wiley Cash</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Publisher:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>William Morrow</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Published:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>January 28, 2014</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ISBN:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>978-0062088253</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pages: </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>240</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rating: </i>4.5 out of 5</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Book Summary:</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The critically-acclaimed author of the New
York Times bestseller A Land More Kind Than Home returns with a resonant novel
of love and atonement, blood and vengeance, involving two young sisters, a
wayward father, and an enemy determined to see him pay for his sins.<o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When their
mother dies unexpectedly, twelve-year-old Easter and her six-year-old sister
Ruby are shuffled into the foster care system in Gastonia, North Carolina, a
town not far from the Appalachian mountains. But just as they settle into their
new life, their errant father, Wade, an ex-minor league baseball player whom
they haven't seen in years, suddenly appears and wants to spend more time with
them. Unfortunately, Wade has signed away legal rights to his daughters, and
the only way he can get Easter and Ruby back is to steal them away in the
middle of the night.<o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Brady
Weller, the girls' court-appointed guardian, begins looking for Wade, and he
quickly turns up unsettling information linking Wade to a recent armored car
heist, one with a whopping $14.5 million missing. But Brady Weller isn't the
only one hunting the desperate father. Robert Pruitt, a shady and mercurial man
nursing a years-old vendetta, is also determined to find Wade and claim his due.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My Thoughts:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>Wiley Cash’s debut, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Land
More Kind than Home</i> was an extraordinary book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was dark and violent but beautifully written,
filled with mysterious, scintillating characters and, ultimately, it was uplifting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not
uncommon for an author’s second book to pale, at least somewhat, in comparison with
a phenomenal debut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wiley Cash is too
gifted a writer for this to happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
second book is different from the first and not at all disappointing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This
Dark Road to Mercy</i> was a fantastic book. <o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This Dark Road to Mercy</i> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is dark but not as dark as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Land More Kind Than Home</i>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The two books share some similar themes and a few other common elements but they are two very different books. This book is set during the
summer of 1998 when the baseball players, Sammy Sosa, from the Chicago Cubs, and
Mark McGwire, from the St. Louis Cardinals, were competing to break New York
Yankee, Roger Maris’, 1961 home-run record.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This setting added some fun to the book and lightened the story up in parts. It
also added to the story-line's tension, helping to bring it all to a head towards the end of the
book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’re not a fan of baseball,
don’t worry, the book isn’t baseball-intensive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Cash connects the baseball theme through several characters, including 12-year
old Easter Quilby, who is rooting for Sammy Sosa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Easter is one of the main characters in this book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s amazing and a major reason I recommended
reading this book. Baseball and the home-run competition is one of the few
things that excites and puts a smile on Easter’s face throughout much of the
story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Easter is one of three people who
tell this story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The others are Brady
Weller, Easter and Ruby’s court-appointed guardian and Robert Pruitt, the bad
guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Easter describes Robert Pruitt to her
father, Wade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a child’s description
but boy is it creepy-scary!<o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Easter is
more mature than most kids her age and very responsible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s kept an eye on and cared for her
younger sister, 7-year old Ruby, even before their mom died. When Easter and Ruby are put
in foster care, Easter becomes especially watchful over Ruby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Easter is also wise, funny, suspicious of
others and cautious around people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s
observant and careful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But she’s also a
12-year old girl who likes a boy in her school, Marcus, wishes she had dark brown hair and misses her
mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When her long-estranged father, Wade, shows up
at the foster home in North Carolina, Easter isn’t happy to see him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She doesn’t trust him, with good reason, and
part of her doesn’t want to see him. She tries to push him away and get him to leave. But
there’s a part of Easter that also wants a father and his love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Easter and Wade’s
relationship changes and grows over the course of the story. Easter learns more
about Wade when he takes Easter and Ruby out of the foster care home, possibly for good. As Easter begins to know Wade better and realizes he loves her and
wants to be her father, Easter begins to warm up to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really enjoyed ‘watching’ Easter’s
relationship with Wade improve. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We get a
couple of opportunities to see Easter as the 12-year old little girl she would
be if she had a father around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
smiles easier and faster, giggles and laughs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She breathes easier because she doesn’t have to be mature and
responsible all of the time. Easter also understands, better than many adults would understand
this, that a relationship with Wade, even as her father, means
accepting him as he is. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Easter knows Wade
is her father whether she wants him to be or not. Now she knows, after a few
days with him, that he wants to be her father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Easter allows herself to begin feeling love for Wade. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She realizes that it’s best for Ruby if
Easter gets along with Wade and treats him as her father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Easter’s only twelve but she understands if her relationship with Wade is going to work, Easter’s
going to have to help it work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Easter’s
not only smarter than her father, but more ‘worldly’ than Wade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Towards the end of the novel, we learn from
Easter’s behavior, she’s made a decision about Wade.<o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wade, for
all his faults and flaws, and he has a lot of them, loves Easter and Ruby. He
wants to be and behave as their father and he wants to treat them like his
daughters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem with Wade is he
makes many bad decisions and has a lot of bad habits. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is unable to see how his
actions might have some troubling future consequences. He’s in no position,
right now, for instance, to rent or buy a place to live with Easter and Ruby because of something stupid he’s done. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">There’s a second plot-line in this book
that I didn’t discuss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s dark, ugly
and violent. Easter, Ruby and Wade are all in danger and Easter and Wade have
been threatened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> This is</span> also due to a bad
call on Wayne’s part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Easter knows Wade’s
in trouble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> But together, Easter and Wade have made sure </span>Ruby has no idea anything’s
amiss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This other aspect of the story is
fascinating and explains more about Wade. Cash does a remarkable job bringing
the two parts of the story together close to the end of the book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tension has been growing and the atmosphere
is ripe for an ‘explosion’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t
want to miss it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This book is short,
just 240 pages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that’s my only
complaint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, I highly recommend, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This Dark Road to Mercy. </i>It’s worth
reading.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-7559728078131176182014-02-11T09:59:00.002-05:002014-02-11T10:01:49.979-05:00~ ~ First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros ~ ~<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIBrbh4f_ocrCE79BMwxuQJQEnlSZBe9sfMVPEtrNfN244pVPKeouBd21liCmoN2wHDdKcv6u85AYfTacmsJsq5wOZU8InP4jAwOJk69FeEoXSVolyxXaj3SESPfcPQG7SsOV0uAY_zH6/s1600/fistchap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIBrbh4f_ocrCE79BMwxuQJQEnlSZBe9sfMVPEtrNfN244pVPKeouBd21liCmoN2wHDdKcv6u85AYfTacmsJsq5wOZU8InP4jAwOJk69FeEoXSVolyxXaj3SESPfcPQG7SsOV0uAY_zH6/s1600/fistchap.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday
Intros</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> is a weekly meme hosted by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Diane</b> at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/2014/02/fiest-chapter-first-paragraph-tuesday.html"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Bibliophile by the Sea</span></a></b> every Tuesday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Participants
share the opening paragraph or two of a book they decided to read based on that
paragraph. I’m participating in the reading dare ( it's not a reading challenge!) The TBR Triple Dog Dare at the blog, <a href="http://jamesreadsbooks.com/tbr-dare/"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><strong>James Reads Books</strong></span></a><span style="color: #0b5394;">.</span> The dare is the reason I am finally, <em>finally</em> reading this book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is an author whose books
I’ve wanted to, and meant to, read for a long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have this book in audio and paperback so I’ll
be “reading” both.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m really looking
forward to this book and plan to read it at my leisure, probably on the
annoying Access-a-Ride van for the disabled on the way to my Dr. appts., or
while sitting in doctors waiting rooms, or at night before I fall asleep or
when I can’t get to sleep. (You get the idea!) But I won’t be surprised if it
turns out to be one of those books I cannot put down and I end up reading in
a few days! </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Drop
by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Bibliophile By the Sea</span></a></b> to read
<strong>Diane's</strong> selection this week, it’s always a good one, and to see who else is
participating. You'll probably get some good book titles, too!</span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Y0I1ltgP4Aqy01y4JLVdcbIN9IoY_ARpVjk0BUdYtCQMYhyphenhyphenjXLIbP0Zbj0SgCQ5U3fbfwEAzCaoD_D99SEgGw2LX7DuiM-hT9bK8CZNrTWHliVcrzcL0zh5Xv5haEMXMU3Qsb80H4b5J/s1600/CH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Y0I1ltgP4Aqy01y4JLVdcbIN9IoY_ARpVjk0BUdYtCQMYhyphenhyphenjXLIbP0Zbj0SgCQ5U3fbfwEAzCaoD_D99SEgGw2LX7DuiM-hT9bK8CZNrTWHliVcrzcL0zh5Xv5haEMXMU3Qsb80H4b5J/s1600/CH.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Case
Histories</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">by</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Kate
Atkinson</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">I</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Case
History No. I 1970</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Family
Plot</span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #0b5394;">How
lucky were they? A heat wave in the middle of the school holidays, exactly
where it belonged. Every morning the sun was up long before they were, making a
mockery of the flimsy summer curtains that hung limply at their bedroom
windows, a sun already hot and sticky with promise before Olivia even opened
her eyes. Olivia, as reliable as a rooster, always the first to wake, so that
no one in the house had bothered with an alarm clock since she was born three
years ago.</span></blockquote>
</div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #0b5394;">Olivia,
the youngest and therefore the one currently sleeping in the small back bedroom
with the nursery-rhyme wallpaper, a room that all of them had occupied and been
ousted from in turn. Olivia, as cute as a button they were all agreed, even
Julia, who had taken a long time to get over being displaced as the baby of the
family, a position she had occupied for five satisfying years before Olivia
came along.<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></blockquote>
</div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #0b5394;">Rosemary,
their mother, said that she wished Olivia could stay at this age forever
because she was so lovable. They had never heard her use that word to describe
any of them. They had not even realized that such a word existed in her
vocabulary, which was usually restricted to tedious commands: come here, go
away, be quiet,.and -most frequent of all -stop that. Sometimes she would walk into
a room or appear in the garden, glare at them, and say, Whatever it is you're
doing, don't, and then simply walk away again, leaving them feeling aggrieved
and badly done by, even when caught red-handed in the middle of some piece of
mischief -devised by Sylvia usually.<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></blockquote>
</div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">What do you think?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would you keep reading?</span></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">I included an extra paragraph just because I thought it was good & cute & you'd enjoy it. I hope you do!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-55028767191538120592014-01-28T12:34:00.000-05:002014-01-28T12:34:45.854-05:00~ ~ First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros ~ ~<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIBrbh4f_ocrCE79BMwxuQJQEnlSZBe9sfMVPEtrNfN244pVPKeouBd21liCmoN2wHDdKcv6u85AYfTacmsJsq5wOZU8InP4jAwOJk69FeEoXSVolyxXaj3SESPfcPQG7SsOV0uAY_zH6/s1600/fistchap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIBrbh4f_ocrCE79BMwxuQJQEnlSZBe9sfMVPEtrNfN244pVPKeouBd21liCmoN2wHDdKcv6u85AYfTacmsJsq5wOZU8InP4jAwOJk69FeEoXSVolyxXaj3SESPfcPQG7SsOV0uAY_zH6/s1600/fistchap.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday
Intros</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> is a weekly meme hosted by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Diane</b> at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bibliophile by the
Sea</b> every Tuesday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Participants
share the opening paragraph or two of a book we’ve decided to read based on
that paragraph. I read this author’s first book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was terrific so, when I had a chance to
get an ARC of his second book, I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
sounds mesmerizing and I cannot wait to read it.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Don't
forget to drop by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bibliophile By the Sea</b>
to read Diane's selection this week and to see who else is participating.
You'll probably get some good book titles, too!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZWg9euNZJIgRjGNuwA7g2VRDcgaIo10VLM6sp86wrMzTi8egONdlPcDYrtRgtYVP7H3bFS5NPVUUlNmKQzoregqepONK1VHdSheKVBASxiTD5ibG8RSWg3Qpb_TMX18KoRCk3uJ4a4nBm/s1600/WC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZWg9euNZJIgRjGNuwA7g2VRDcgaIo10VLM6sp86wrMzTi8egONdlPcDYrtRgtYVP7H3bFS5NPVUUlNmKQzoregqepONK1VHdSheKVBASxiTD5ibG8RSWg3Qpb_TMX18KoRCk3uJ4a4nBm/s1600/WC.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This
Dark Road to Mercy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">by</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Wiley
Cash</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chapter 1 - Easter Quillby</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><blockquote class="tr_bq">
</blockquote>
Wade disappeared on us when I was six
years old, and then he showed up out of nowhere the year I turned twelve. By
then I’d spent half my life listening to Mom blame him for everything from the
lights getting turned off to me and Ruby not having new shoes to wear to
school, and by the time he came back I’d already decided that he was the loser
she’d always said he was. But it turns out he was much more than that. He was
also a thief, and if I’d known what kind of people were looking for him I never
would’ve let him take me and my little sister out of Gastonia, North Carolina,
in the first place. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
My earliest memories of Wade are from my
mom taking me to the baseball stadium at Sims Field back before she died. She’d
point to the field and say, “There’s your daddy right there.” I wasn’t any
older than three or four, but I can still remember staring out at the infield
where all the men looked the exact same in their uniforms, wondering how I
would ever spot my daddy at a baseball game if he looked just like everybody
else.<o:p></o:p></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><em>What
do you think?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would you keep reading?<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-58453252243051515982014-01-21T10:02:00.002-05:002014-01-21T10:02:43.951-05:00~ ~ First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros ~ ~<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b> </div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIBrbh4f_ocrCE79BMwxuQJQEnlSZBe9sfMVPEtrNfN244pVPKeouBd21liCmoN2wHDdKcv6u85AYfTacmsJsq5wOZU8InP4jAwOJk69FeEoXSVolyxXaj3SESPfcPQG7SsOV0uAY_zH6/s1600/fistchap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIBrbh4f_ocrCE79BMwxuQJQEnlSZBe9sfMVPEtrNfN244pVPKeouBd21liCmoN2wHDdKcv6u85AYfTacmsJsq5wOZU8InP4jAwOJk69FeEoXSVolyxXaj3SESPfcPQG7SsOV0uAY_zH6/s1600/fistchap.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday
Intros</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> is a weekly meme hosted by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Diane</b> at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/2014/01/first-chapter-first-paragraph-tuesday_21.html"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Bibliophile by the Sea</span></a></b> every Tuesday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We share the
opening paragraph or two of a book we’ve decided to read based on that
paragraph. This is a book by an author I’ve always meant to read and haven’t
yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s written many books, so,
hopefully, this is just the first of many of his I’ll read!</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't
forget to drop by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/2014/01/first-chapter-first-paragraph-tuesday_21.html"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Bibliophile By the Sea</span></a></b>
to read Diane's selection this week and to see who else is participating.
You'll probably get some good book titles, too!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic9XNQSk4zVgrJgf3qfQcTdn7woDY5HQs9i4mlBocGcHwmKn09JeckcIBed-5vCJiqBQLGqTHW6hR22vh4v5mUmp2hbcQCtxiFy50Pt5k_gEv4f914Rxuuc0KTiAoMgJ-UQm1lqBeN3NGW/s1600/Talk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic9XNQSk4zVgrJgf3qfQcTdn7woDY5HQs9i4mlBocGcHwmKn09JeckcIBed-5vCJiqBQLGqTHW6hR22vh4v5mUmp2hbcQCtxiFy50Pt5k_gEv4f914Rxuuc0KTiAoMgJ-UQm1lqBeN3NGW/s1600/Talk.jpg" height="320" width="208" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Talk
Talk<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> b</span>y<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">T.C.
Boyle</span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">One</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"></span> </div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #0b5394;">She was running late, always running
late, a failing of hers, she knew it, but then she couldn't find her purse and
once she did manage to locate it (underneath her blue corduroy jacket on the
coat tree in the front hall), she couldn't find her keys. They should have been
in her purse, but they weren't, and so she'd made a circuit of the apartment —
two circuits, three — before she thought to look through the pockets of the
jeans she'd worn the day before, but where were they ? No time for toast. Forget
the toast, forget food. She was out of orange juice. Out of butter and cream
cheese. The newspaper on the front mat was just another obstacle. Piss-warm —
was that an acceptable term? Yes — piss-warm<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>coffee in a stained mug, a quick check of lipstick and hair in the
rearview mirror, and then she was putting the car in gear and backing out onto
the street.</span></blockquote>
</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"></span> </blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"></span> </blockquote>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #0b5394;">She may have been peripherally aware of
a van flitting by in the opposite direction, the piebald dog sniffing at a
stain on the edge of the pavement, someone's lawn sprinkler holding the light
in a shimmer of translucent beads, but the persistent beat of adrenaline — or
nerves, or whatever it was — wouldn't allow her to focus. Plus, the sun was in
her eyes, and where were her sunglasses? She thought she remembered seeing them
on the bureau, in a snarl of jewelry — or was it the kitchen table, next to the
bananas, and she'd considered taking a banana with her, fast food, potassium,
roughage, but then she figured she wouldn't because with Dr. Stroud it was
better to have nothing at all in your stomach. Air. Air alone would sustain
her.</span></blockquote>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em><span style="color: #0b5394;">What
do you think?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would you keep reading?<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-57397560346052351952014-01-20T12:26:00.002-05:002014-01-20T12:26:55.960-05:00Review Labor Day by Joyce Maynard<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkgQ3IuNd-zZK9wPR7Sss5uRwdqxtMBIQcXIPctYkT34_9XPyKr3lr6WEOW0Sl1Z9veA6nmBaDN2zkOprDZt7ncbR1XH4r4iUfjuuqgIDqpyfdbJRzqa_JBNrlk97sRiViKqc8Yys9sOx/s1600/LD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkgQ3IuNd-zZK9wPR7Sss5uRwdqxtMBIQcXIPctYkT34_9XPyKr3lr6WEOW0Sl1Z9veA6nmBaDN2zkOprDZt7ncbR1XH4r4iUfjuuqgIDqpyfdbJRzqa_JBNrlk97sRiViKqc8Yys9sOx/s1600/LD.jpg" height="320" width="226" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><em></em></strong></span> </div>
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<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><em>Labor Day</em> by
Joyce Maynard</strong></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Publisher:</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>William Morrow & Company</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Published:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>December 3, 2013 (movie tie-in edition)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ISBN:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>9780062313638</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pages:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>288</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rating:</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <strong><u>
</u></strong></span><strong><u>5</u></strong> out of out of 5<o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Book summary: As the end of summer approaches
and a long, hot Labor Day weekend looms, the life of lonely thirteen-year-old
Henry Wheeler is irrevocably changed when he and his emotionally fragile mother
show kindness to a stranger with a terrible secret. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">In a manner evoking Ian McEwan's
"Atonement" and Nick Hornby's "About a Boy," acclaimed
author Joyce Maynard weaves a beautiful, poignant tale of love, sex,
adolescence, and devastating treachery as seen through the eyes of a young
teenage boy--and the man he later becomes--looking back at an unexpected
encounter that begins one single long, hot, life-altering weekend.</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p> </o:p></i></span></span></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My Thoughts:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>This is a fantastic book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s the second book I’ve read by Joyce Maynard, the first being her
most recent, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">After Her</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as I read <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">After Her</i>, I wanted to read another book by Joyce Maynard because
her prose style and story lines are so addictive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Labor
Day </i>has been on my list of books to read for a long time so it was a
natural choice to read it next. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve
read some wonderful reviews of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Labor Day </i>and
I wanted to read the book before the movie came out because I find nine times
out of ten, the book is better!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t
at all disappointed with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Labor Day</i>,
being even better than I’d hoped or expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I didn’t want to be finished reading it because I was enjoying it so
much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the extremely satisfying
end helped cushion that let down one feels at the conclusion of a great book.<o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Labor Day</i> is quiet and
introspective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A grown up Henry is the
narrator, relaying what happened in his life during the 6 day Labor Day weekend
when he was 13 years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Henry is more
mature than a lot of boys his age but is also naïve, socially awkward and unpopular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doesn’t really have any friends, spending
his free time at home with Adele, his divorced mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is the only company she’s had since her
divorce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She doesn’t like to leave the
house and spends most of her time inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When Henry isn’t keeping his mother company and Adele isn’t delivering
one of her daily monologues to Henry, he spends his time either watching TV or
thinking about girls and sex, of which he knows little but wants to know more.<o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Henry
cajoles Adele into taking him out to the store for things he needs for the
upcoming new school year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
reluctantly drives Henry to the local five-and-dime, Pricemart, just before
Labor Day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Henry is thirteen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While Henry is browsing he’s approached by
Frank, an adult, who’s a loner and physically injured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s bleeding from his leg and his head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As such he requests Henry’s help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surprisingly, Henry’s able to convince Adele
to give Frank a ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The surprises
continue as Adele allows Frank to come home with her and Henry. Adele even
fixes Frank’s injured leg and the cut on his head. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Adele doesn’t
seem concerned with where Frank’s come from or who he is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She makes it clear to Frank that her only
concern is for Henry’s safety and well-being.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Frank assures her Henry is completely safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It slowly becomes clear that there’s a real
connection between Adele and Frank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Henry relays how Frank and Adele seem to communicate silently with looks
and gestures. Frank understands the importance of Henry’s place in Adele’s life
and has no interest in coming between them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frank is enthusiastic towards Henry. He wants
to spend time with him, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wants to
teach Henry to throw a baseball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Frank
breathes life into Adele and Henry’s world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He cooks rather than just heating up TV dinners. He’s able to fix things
around the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knows how to bake a
pie and he teaches Henry the proper way to do so. Adele and Henry see Frank for
the person he truly is and trust him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
most important think Frank does is release Henry from being his mother’s
companion. Frank wants to be the one to care for Adele. Henry can feel the
burden leaving him and that feeling manifests itself physically. He can breathe
easier now that he knows he’s not responsible for his mother’s happiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a burden for a thirteen-year old boy!<o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Joyce
Maynard’s characters, particularly Henry, are terrific.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re quiet and contemplative and they feel
real. There’s nothing false about them: they’re just lonely, alone and looking
to connect with someone. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt the
author’s connection to Adele and Henry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She trusts them and believes in them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The book isn’t autobiographical, according to Maynard, but after reading
a few interviews with her, it’s undeniable there’s at least a little bit of her
in Adele, the divorced, lonely mother. It explains her interesting and quirky
character and how well created she is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although I personally didn’t feel very
connected to Adele or Henry, I sympathized with them, particularly Henry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The poor kid doesn’t have a chance at fitting
in with a mother whose happiness he feels is his responsibility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Growing up is tough enough without such a
burden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Did Maynard
create Henry because she had a son (or daughter) in a similar situation?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If she did, perhaps this is a way now to
reach out to him and explain herself, as well as let him know that now she
understands what he must have gone through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If not, then she is an author with vivid imagination and amazing
creative abilities, not that they have to be mutually exclusive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frank’s origin is something we can only guess
at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps he was created as a
necessary catalyst to propel the story forward, born in a flash of
inspiration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In any event, his character
is a testimony to Maynard’s great story telling. Labor Day is a unique and
creative story about love, family, believing in others and loyalty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s beautifully written with ingenious
characters and a fascinating plot. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
a book I highly recommend and believe it would be a shame for anyone to miss
reading it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<o:p><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #274e13;">It’s now a
major motion picture starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-59012447296597761742014-01-14T11:48:00.000-05:002014-01-14T11:48:58.533-05:00 ~ ~ First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros ~ ~<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIBrbh4f_ocrCE79BMwxuQJQEnlSZBe9sfMVPEtrNfN244pVPKeouBd21liCmoN2wHDdKcv6u85AYfTacmsJsq5wOZU8InP4jAwOJk69FeEoXSVolyxXaj3SESPfcPQG7SsOV0uAY_zH6/s1600/fistchap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIBrbh4f_ocrCE79BMwxuQJQEnlSZBe9sfMVPEtrNfN244pVPKeouBd21liCmoN2wHDdKcv6u85AYfTacmsJsq5wOZU8InP4jAwOJk69FeEoXSVolyxXaj3SESPfcPQG7SsOV0uAY_zH6/s1600/fistchap.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday
Intros</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> is a weekly meme hosted by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Diane</b> at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/2014/01/first-chapter-firat-paragraph-tuesday.html"><span style="color: #20124d;">Bibliophile by theSea</span></a></b> every Tuesday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We share the
opening paragraph, or two, of a book we’ve decided to read based on that
paragraph. I‘m reviewing this book next month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I chose this book after reading its summary on Goodreads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The characters and setting caught my
attention. I was also struck by the author’s interest in music and writing
music which is how he segued into book writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The author’s three prior books are stories
about the reality of struggling to grow up and the difficulties one encounters
along the way. The storylines are based in reality and hard luck but also show
glimmers of inspiration and hope. All of the author’s books have
won prizes, have been highly recommended and praised. I'm really looking
forward to reading this book!</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Don't
forget to drop by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/2014/01/first-chapter-firat-paragraph-tuesday.html"><span style="color: #20124d;">Bibliophile By the Sea</span></a></b>
to read Diane's selection this week and to see who else is participating.
You'll probably get some good book titles, too!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDbKljbMqpiPS8D-q3P4ojp8znwpS3mrehNgF4FHCnzk9AHy-4xMn0wXGTZmgxySQbiZ_X2J0eccdYNQ4ZbT1Be_XHPywZ5ipY1MFL0wPKDBuHxOjenj9stpgJnyUKhxBq-xK5UbA4iiX/s1600/Free.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDbKljbMqpiPS8D-q3P4ojp8znwpS3mrehNgF4FHCnzk9AHy-4xMn0wXGTZmgxySQbiZ_X2J0eccdYNQ4ZbT1Be_XHPywZ5ipY1MFL0wPKDBuHxOjenj9stpgJnyUKhxBq-xK5UbA4iiX/s320/Free.jpg" width="212" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><strong>The
Free</strong> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="color: #20124d;">by </span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong>Willy Vlautin</strong></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #20124d;">Leroy
Kervin opened his eyes to see a woman in a blue-and-white-starred bikini
holding a pneumatic drill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could see
her blond hair and high heels and thin, long legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the first time in seven years he could
see her without blurred vision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could
see her clearly from the glow of a small colored nightlight.<o:p></o:p></span></blockquote>
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</span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #20124d;">He
lay in a twin bed and looked at the girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He could read the company name below her on the calendar: JACKSON’S TOOL
SUPPLY. He remembered that his cousin worked there. Suddenly he could think
things through, he could put things together, where in the past years he’d been
unable to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was like his mind had
suddenly walked out of a never-ending snowstorm. Tears dripped down the side
ofhis face in relief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was he finally
free?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was he really himself again?</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="color: #20124d;"> </span></o:p></span></blockquote>
</div>
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong><em><span style="color: #20124d;">What
do you think?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would you keep reading?<o:p></o:p></span></em></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-27084837884682776982014-01-11T13:13:00.000-05:002014-01-12T10:54:32.300-05:00The TBR Triple Dog Dare <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgLC7Yturd2ys6uYzjolq9P7nZLHby-WKTiwT52UJ7CnpQ2OcqpXvhqPYIcO6c_8RPOMzphx-AO18J57k52CuCdFp_tz5Pf6nUt-wCLD_LZW49NNzpPmsFtQVp5cnBVKtFm5JITg01dgD/s1600/TBR+Triple+Dog+Dare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgLC7Yturd2ys6uYzjolq9P7nZLHby-WKTiwT52UJ7CnpQ2OcqpXvhqPYIcO6c_8RPOMzphx-AO18J57k52CuCdFp_tz5Pf6nUt-wCLD_LZW49NNzpPmsFtQVp5cnBVKtFm5JITg01dgD/s1600/TBR+Triple+Dog+Dare.jpg" height="256" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Triple Dog Dare January 1, 2014 – April
2014<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #20124d;">I am
a little late to this party but very excited about the <strong>TBR Triple Dog Dare Reading</strong> <strong>Challenge</strong> hosted by CB at his blog, </span><a href="http://readywhenyouarecb.blogspot.com/"><strong><span style="color: #20124d;">Ready When You Are, C.B..</span></strong></a><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve been reading books from my shelf for the past few months because,
when I went through them looking for a particular title, I found some great books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are still plenty of books I
want to read and don’t yet own, but I’ve got a good start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I especially want to participate in this meme if this is going to
be the last year it's hosted. Hopefully somebody will host this meme next year!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Okay, enough of that!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Here's a list</span> of books I hope to read while participating in this meme. Some I will read, and some will be replaced with others and so on and so forth:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Help by Kathryn Stockett </span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Andrew's Brain by E. L. Doctorow</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong>Rules of Civility by Amor Towles</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong>The Weight of Heaven by Thrity Umrigar</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Bingo's Run by James A. Levine</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong>The Fault in our Stars by John Green</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong>A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong>The Revenge of the Radioactive Lady by Elizabeth Stuckey-French</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong>Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCamm</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong>The Gathering by Anne Enright</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong>Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by by Allison Hoover Bartlett</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><strong>Take the Long Way Home by Gail Caldwell</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><strong>The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><strong>Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><strong>The Welsh Girl by Peter Ho Davies</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><strong>A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><strong>Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><strong>The Story of Lucy Gault by William Trevor</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><strong>Goat Mountain by David Vann</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><strong>The Coldest Night by Robert Olmstead</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><strong>......etc.</strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-2358624691391923142014-01-09T13:26:00.000-05:002014-01-09T13:26:09.612-05:00Review: Playing St. Barbara by Marian Szczepanski<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSw4Qe5tPIS0vMP2xUy67RGBxX90-y7TjO9T5t2VvtVxWNaAUG_Y8mNXUdcU2ifhXpvty3vA9n4MiZ-QC4hIyeu_fsp4V4SrDn5xnMwqt-ITn21JYf_66FFl-3oWWU14jhRilezBkILJ3/s1600/Playing+St.+B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSw4Qe5tPIS0vMP2xUy67RGBxX90-y7TjO9T5t2VvtVxWNaAUG_Y8mNXUdcU2ifhXpvty3vA9n4MiZ-QC4hIyeu_fsp4V4SrDn5xnMwqt-ITn21JYf_66FFl-3oWWU14jhRilezBkILJ3/s1600/Playing+St.+B.jpg" height="320" width="207" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><em>Playing St.
Barbara</em> by Marian Szczepanski</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"></i></span><span style="color: #741b47;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Publisher: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>High Hill Press</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Published:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>2013</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ISBN:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>978160653077151895</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pages:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>380</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><em>Rating:</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><em> </em><strong><u>3</u></strong><em> </em></span><em>out of 5</em></span></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></i></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Book Summary:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>The secrets, struggles, and
self-redemption of a Depression-era coal miner's wife and three daughters play
out against a turbulent historical backdrop of Ku Klux Klan intimidation and
the 1933 Pennsylvania Mine War. Their intertwined lives eerily mirror the 7th
century legend of St. Barbara, patroness of miners, reenacted annually in the
town pageant. Tested by scandal, heartbreak, and tragedy, each woman will write
her own courageous ending to St. Barbara's story.</span></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My Thoughts:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>This book is well written, intense and thoughtful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The characters, though fully developed, have
lives so foreign to me I am unable to relate to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since they are, however, so seemingly real,
with struggles I couldn’t imagine facing, I couldn’t help but feel sympathetic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were times I wanted to step in and help
them, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>if only I could.</span></span> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Playing St. Barbara</i> is the dark, somber
story about the Sweeney Family, told from the viewpoints of the family’s
mother, Clare, and the older daughters, Deidre, Katie and Norah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fin Sweeney, a heavy drinker with a violent
streak, is the tyrannical head of the family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He works in the coal mines which are dangerous, frightening places to
work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are several coal miner
deaths due to accidents every year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #741b47;">The women
are afraid of Fin but they also stand up to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fin physically abuses Clare every day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wants a son so, when he returns home
nightly, drunk from the pub, he forces himself on Clare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The following day, she does whatever she can
to guarantee a miscarriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She doesn’t
want Fin to have a son who would be under Fin’s influence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s bad enough she’s had to watch,
helplessly, as he abused his daughters over the years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Though the
book is very well written, intricate and realistic, I personally found it difficult
to get through because it’s so bleak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Often I try to find in the author’s voice a message in their story,
whether it’s one of hope or maybe redemption through suffering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was hard pressed to find anything like that
here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It takes some doing but an
argument could be made that there is a testament to the human spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The women try to live on the most basic
levels of survival, but that means accepting the violence as a fact of
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather than breaking free of it,
it seems the best Clare can hope for is a miscarriage to keep Fin from being
able to terrorize another innocent victim. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Clare gets caught by Fin, there’s little
doubt he’d kill her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is why I found
it so hard to take anything positive away from the book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At every turn there’s a dead end with violent
consequences, and the Sisyphean nature of the women’s lives, having to face the
same fate day in and day out left me depressed.</span> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #741b47;">The book’s
title refers to an annual play put on by the high school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>St. Barbara is the patron saint of miners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is redemption in St. Barbara’s story,
but for me this just adds to the frustration because there is no parallel
between the play and the lives of the women in the story. If anything, it
serves to add to the chasm between real life and what the women could ever hope
for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deirdre, the second oldest
daughter, did marry but it was against her father’s wishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even her marriage was dangerous and
sacrificial: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>she needed her mother’s
help to keep her father from preventing it, knowing that the steps he would’ve
taken would have been extreme.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And now
that she is married, she is alienated from her family and the only contact she
has with them is if they visit her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
even has a son, and it goes without saying that he will never meet his grandfather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even events that should seem joyful have to
be shrouded in secrecy and fraught with fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #741b47;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s
difficult to say I enjoyed this book but I found it interesting. I don’t like happy endings with everything tied up neatly with a big red bow. But I also
prefer more than a continuation of the same bleakness and despair with which
the book began.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem here seemed
to be that Deidre, Katie and Norah weren’t satisfied with the lives they made
for themselves. Deidre’s discovered that marriage to Billy, who loves her and
whom she loves, and a house filled with children isn’t as satisfactory as she
imagined. Deidre seems to want a career or a job like Norah. Basically, Deidre wants it all. Katie’s not completely happy in the convent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> She may wish she married Jack after all, it's hard to say. </span>But both women have a life better than Clare
has had despite any struggles they face</span>. </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> It would be nice if they showed some appreciation for their lives.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinzIfIUejK1_i2m3pmIkpWq1ViK4aTdd4B-YfDI_Sp139_cAJH4J02LKZUjQFSKX3i6kZm-CHqNg0h9pW7sqUA82hzRqA5FgReTkKkGQK2rLY785z5ILccL3IZokwWYVHCgBiWlAziHXfq/s1600/marian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinzIfIUejK1_i2m3pmIkpWq1ViK4aTdd4B-YfDI_Sp139_cAJH4J02LKZUjQFSKX3i6kZm-CHqNg0h9pW7sqUA82hzRqA5FgReTkKkGQK2rLY785z5ILccL3IZokwWYVHCgBiWlAziHXfq/s1600/marian.jpg" /></a></div>
<span id="freeTextContainerauthor7249822"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The granddaughter of immigrant coal miners, Marian Szczepanski grew up in southwestern Pennsylvania and lived as a young child in the Jamison Coal Company house where her mother and aunts were raised. She holds an MFA in fiction from the Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College and has won awards for short fiction and magazine feature writing. Playing St. Barbara is her first novel. She lives in Houston, Texas.</span></span><br />
<span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The author's website and Facebook addresses:</span><a href="http://www.marianszczepanski.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>http://www.marianszczepanski.com/</strong></span></a><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/marianszczepanskiauthor" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>https://www.facebook.com/marianszczep...</strong></span></a></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-43421419956592207612014-01-07T13:34:00.000-05:002014-01-07T13:34:10.689-05:00~ ~ First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros ~ ~ <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIBrbh4f_ocrCE79BMwxuQJQEnlSZBe9sfMVPEtrNfN244pVPKeouBd21liCmoN2wHDdKcv6u85AYfTacmsJsq5wOZU8InP4jAwOJk69FeEoXSVolyxXaj3SESPfcPQG7SsOV0uAY_zH6/s1600/fistchap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIBrbh4f_ocrCE79BMwxuQJQEnlSZBe9sfMVPEtrNfN244pVPKeouBd21liCmoN2wHDdKcv6u85AYfTacmsJsq5wOZU8InP4jAwOJk69FeEoXSVolyxXaj3SESPfcPQG7SsOV0uAY_zH6/s1600/fistchap.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><b>First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros </b>is a weekly meme hosted by <strong>Diane</strong> at <a href="http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/2014/01/first-chapter-first-paragraph-tuesday.html"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><strong>Bibliophile by the Sea</strong></span></span></span></a> every Tuesday. To participate share the opening paragraph or two of a book you've decided to read based on that paragraph. This book was highlighted in the Shelf Awareness newsletter I receive in my email a few times a week. I've read some of Doctorow's book in the past and really enjoyed them. This book caught my attention because of its unique, creative nature. My copy is an ARC. The book hasn't been published yet but is due to come out sometime next week. I hope I enjoy it as much as I expect too!</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span><span style="color: #0b5394;"></span></span></span><br /><span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">Don't forget to drop by <b><a href="http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/2014/01/first-chapter-first-paragraph-tuesday.html"><span style="color: #134f5c;">Bibliophile By the Sea</span></a></b></span><span style="color: #134f5c;"> to read Diane's selection this week and find out who else is participating in this fun meme! You'll probably get some good book titles, too!</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Andrew's Brain </span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">by </span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">E. L. Doctorow</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I can tell you about my friend Andrew, the cognitive scientist. But it's not pretty. One evening he appeared with an infant in his arms at the door of his ex-wife, Martha. Because Briony, his lovely young wife after Martha, had died.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Of what?</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We'll get to that. I can't do this alone, Andrew said, as Martha stared at him from the open doorway. It happened to have been snowing that night, and Martha was transfixed by the soft creature-like snowflakes alighting on Andrew's NY Yankees hat brim. Martha was like that, enrapt by the peripheral things as if setting them to music. Even in ordinary times, she was slow to respond, looking at you with her large dark rolling protuberant eyes. Then the smile would come. or the nod, or the shake of the head. Meanwhile the heat from her home drifted through the open door and fogged up Andrew's eyeglasses. He stood there behind his foggy lenses like a blind man in the snowfall and was without volition when at least she reached out, gently took the swaddled infant from him, stepped back, and closed the door in his face.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This was where?</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Martha lived then in New Rochelle, a suburb of New York, in a neighborhood of large homes of different styles _ Tudor, Dutch Colonial, Greek Revival - most of them built in the 1920's and 30's, houses set back from the street with tall old Norway maples the predominant trees. Andrew ran to his car and came back with a baby carrier, a valise, two plastic bags filled with baby needs. He banged on the door: Martha, Martha! She is six month's old, she has a name, she has a birth certificate. I have it here, open the door please, Martha. I am not abandoning my daughter, I just need some help, I need help!</span></blockquote>
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<span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span><strong><em><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #20124d;">What do you think? Would you keep reading?</span></span></em></strong> </span></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-45500263749952100892014-01-01T09:51:00.000-05:002014-01-01T09:51:24.695-05:00~ ~ It's 2014 ~ ~<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Happy New Year!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Best Wishes for a Great Year!!</span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-63350414415456807782013-12-20T13:25:00.000-05:002013-12-20T13:25:21.916-05:00Review: The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig18Al-IB6lGcO326sO11IKRqaOejUuNHgHOBBWgKdYO_gk-I8XUOwL9IBnOzTIaK4nLAIBWzQQUhiyKUs9MfzMbJGSVtbkmr_0ryXjoSKCFTo280IHd-78UJQaj1fPyaBiS_7HRvU9XYm/s1600/school.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig18Al-IB6lGcO326sO11IKRqaOejUuNHgHOBBWgKdYO_gk-I8XUOwL9IBnOzTIaK4nLAIBWzQQUhiyKUs9MfzMbJGSVtbkmr_0ryXjoSKCFTo280IHd-78UJQaj1fPyaBiS_7HRvU9XYm/s320/school.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"></span></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;">The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Publisher:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>Putnam</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Published:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>January 22, 2009</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ISBN:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>978-0399155437</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pages:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>256</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rating:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i><strong>4.5</strong><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>out of 5</span></span></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></i></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Book Summary: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The School of Essential Ingredients follows
the lives of eight students who gather in Lillian's Restaurant every Monday
night for cooking class. It soon becomes clear, however, that each one seeks a
recipe for something beyond the kitchen. Students include Claire, a young
mother struggling with the demands of her family; Antonia, an Italian kitchen
designer learning to adapt to life in America; and Tom, a widower mourning the
loss of his wife to breast cancer. Chef Lillian, a woman whose connection with
food is both soulful and exacting, helps them to create dishes whose flavor and
techniques expand beyond the restaurant and into the secret corners of her
students' lives. One by one the students are transformed by the aromas,
flavors, and textures of Lillian's food, including a white-on-white cake that
prompts wistful reflections on the sweet fragility of love and a peppery
heirloom tomato sauce that seems to spark one romance but end another. Brought
together by the power of food and companionship, the lives of the characters
mingle and intertwine, united by the revealing nature of what can be created in
the kitchen.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My Thoughts:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>This is a wonderful book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
made me feel warm and cozy and hungry!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
adored the characters; especially Lillian who’s not only an incredible chef but
she almost seems to be a little bit magician.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lillian understands food and people and when she gets them together, she
weaves a wonderful kind of magic that includes aromatic ingredients that meld
together to create delicious and beautiful food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there’s something else going on, too. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lillian’s cooking classes are a kind of
therapy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her students finish the class
able to create delicious dishes and they’ve made some life-long friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But even more, Lillian’s students come alive
in her class; <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>they find themselves and
whatever was missing from their lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Whatever the trouble, pain or angst they were struggling or dealing with
when the cooking class began is resolved over the course of the class.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">Lillian
lifted the cake pans from the oven and rested them on metal racks on the
counter. The layers rose level and smooth from the pans: the scent, tinged with
vanilla, traveled across the room in soft, heavy waves, filling the space with
whispers of other kitchens, other loves. The students found themselves leaning
forward in their chairs to greet the smells and the memories that came with
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Breakfast cake baking on a snow
day off from school, all the world on holiday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The sound of cookie sheets clanging against the metal oven racks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bakery that was the reason to get up on
cold, dark mornings; a croissant placed warm in a young woman’s hand on her way
to the job she never meant to have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Christmas, Valentines, birthdays, flowing together, one cake after
another, lit by eyes bright with love.</span></blockquote>
<br />
<o:p><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Erica
Bauermeister’s writing is wonderful and delicious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her descriptions of the food and the
different dishes are sublime and almost had me drooling. Her prose describes a
scene in such a way that I was able to picture it almost as if I was there. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She brings the places in the book, such as
Lilly’s restaurant and its kitchen to life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s like her words paint us a picture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Bauermeister does the same thing with her characters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She describes them with just enough and the
right detail, that we can fill in the rest and see them in Lilly’s kitchen or
in their home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bauermeister’s writing drew me into the story
immediately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was hooked and didn’t want
to stop reading. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a delightful
story with joyous moments and sad ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s about love, loss, friendship and life and celebrating it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I highly recommend this book.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-82077519896792396952013-12-17T12:32:00.000-05:002013-12-17T12:32:01.421-05:00Virtual Advent Tour 2013: Day 17 Christmas in NYC!!<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b style="color: #cc0000;">This is a fun and festive blog tour hosted by Kelly and Marg. Visit their beautiful blog, </b><b><a href="http://adventblogtour.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: red;">Virtual Advent Tour</span></a><span style="color: #cc0000;">,</span></b><b style="color: #cc0000;"> to see the other terrific blog participants and their holiday posts!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Christmas in NYC</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When
I was growing up on Long Island, a suburb of NYC, my parents would take my
sister and I to the city for a weekend. It was the start of the Christmas season for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My father’s firm had an apt for clients to
use when they were in from out of town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My dad would make sure, really early in the year, that we could stay there
one weekend after Thanksgiving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBq9D-Fjijps_KBZ5v79XgFWnEtEm0N8N0uQjsq6TXuEHJfb9pMTlWr7Ge6qxNXoFFTw_W5Dy399UYVwnDzkaSO9w9GWBTDTPPgLxGfGhpyYkRJannqnHWoUgSza7Z1tJGy2SX1aRMrhSi/s1600/L+%2526+T+window.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBq9D-Fjijps_KBZ5v79XgFWnEtEm0N8N0uQjsq6TXuEHJfb9pMTlWr7Ge6qxNXoFFTw_W5Dy399UYVwnDzkaSO9w9GWBTDTPPgLxGfGhpyYkRJannqnHWoUgSza7Z1tJGy2SX1aRMrhSi/s1600/L+%2526+T+window.jpg" /></a><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Friday
night was always casual and relaxing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’d
usually go someplace super casual, like a pub for burgers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a leisurely dinner we would walk back to
the apartment passing Lord & Taylor’s department store to see their window
display.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Every year their windows are
decorated in some type of Christmas theme with each window telling part of a
story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some other stores do this, too,
but L & T’s have always been the best.</span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XKlOj22M_ch3iXHNqhevSWVkJ75PAMQSlc62VsaPPKbfkHfZAHJIZb4RQTNu53OGov4yy9IRxW1Cn5_GVxvlcqGZRlfyJ7UWGbNdpFHQEXktgWLkPy5JXcc8Y5jSdCEn9Vt58xAu8i2E/s1600/lord-and-taylor-window-holiday-2013-01-575x383.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XKlOj22M_ch3iXHNqhevSWVkJ75PAMQSlc62VsaPPKbfkHfZAHJIZb4RQTNu53OGov4yy9IRxW1Cn5_GVxvlcqGZRlfyJ7UWGbNdpFHQEXktgWLkPy5JXcc8Y5jSdCEn9Vt58xAu8i2E/s320/lord-and-taylor-window-holiday-2013-01-575x383.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdVQDECsqPGyLDJ51EY0pFXyWZQMfhPih5fNNOLmpi_vT9YFtg2c_q3x7IG7Esmgda29DYWYsCWoSmK8694hGY08P7o0Hh2l6CRASciX8YZWOmGvKQAjKLygfMVWnmZm7iFHIf4Slkh6l/s1600/imagesSGFHMQPC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdVQDECsqPGyLDJ51EY0pFXyWZQMfhPih5fNNOLmpi_vT9YFtg2c_q3x7IG7Esmgda29DYWYsCWoSmK8694hGY08P7o0Hh2l6CRASciX8YZWOmGvKQAjKLygfMVWnmZm7iFHIf4Slkh6l/s1600/imagesSGFHMQPC.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Saturday
was always a shopping day for my mom, sister and me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dad usually went to his office for a few hours
to get some work done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My sister and I
would meet him at a store later in the afternoon, usually Tiffany’s and from
there we’d go to Rizzoli’s bookstore, to help him Christmas shop for my mom.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8emWnqTzWAB4dYhQA3JTmprfJ158tcGnByZli8e0NpXfy-V0Km6hjCfpi__IStjDI484uzcqXESh4In84pxpviTQllDXGpqYcefl_GJdQu6tMrkKHsrg_sS6paWeqiwMju1TK0gevmavr/s1600/NYC+Christmas+wrapping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8emWnqTzWAB4dYhQA3JTmprfJ158tcGnByZli8e0NpXfy-V0Km6hjCfpi__IStjDI484uzcqXESh4In84pxpviTQllDXGpqYcefl_GJdQu6tMrkKHsrg_sS6paWeqiwMju1TK0gevmavr/s320/NYC+Christmas+wrapping.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsVDkWbO0vpFsUsuvAYXNuqvaiy5r9n9_wcyS2JzLElkxqJ_26n58QmklSz_PtJ2JkXQDqhpfCWA0ILwlx0FnJ1mUUahkrx5M8hw9fPOVH5MVc6FvgSy4guiAtiud-omWD0dFz29SathnW/s1600/Rizzoli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsVDkWbO0vpFsUsuvAYXNuqvaiy5r9n9_wcyS2JzLElkxqJ_26n58QmklSz_PtJ2JkXQDqhpfCWA0ILwlx0FnJ1mUUahkrx5M8hw9fPOVH5MVc6FvgSy4guiAtiud-omWD0dFz29SathnW/s320/Rizzoli.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #38761d; mso-spacerun: yes;">We always walked past the NY Public Library, too to see their stately lion and their tree</span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvjcvsT_613hQTPYsJT0dkvcMU3xW3q0_UKbV5FPpI4460uJtCVSKXSGkAIXyVLPd2dS_lGs5wjf9umPU8VVSD0rNnqfeJupkA-97Chrq3F0jqxYvqqwd6k8dimD0RlhMPnbg3kU8eyrd/s1600/NYPL+Lion.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvjcvsT_613hQTPYsJT0dkvcMU3xW3q0_UKbV5FPpI4460uJtCVSKXSGkAIXyVLPd2dS_lGs5wjf9umPU8VVSD0rNnqfeJupkA-97Chrq3F0jqxYvqqwd6k8dimD0RlhMPnbg3kU8eyrd/s1600/NYPL+Lion.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fRaHOPLOw_QLBUswXRfaG20BvgIeIHhE9uX5jXZCo-nG_djAcXEmbIhGJNguZwnM-iaQ71Smym_3BzvryFoMEk1toNUxqdvn5r8GsDSQV0osrLHDdANiOQkckhAQgzLFQ-2GWE59JIhb/s1600/NYPL+tree.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fRaHOPLOw_QLBUswXRfaG20BvgIeIHhE9uX5jXZCo-nG_djAcXEmbIhGJNguZwnM-iaQ71Smym_3BzvryFoMEk1toNUxqdvn5r8GsDSQV0osrLHDdANiOQkckhAQgzLFQ-2GWE59JIhb/s1600/NYPL+tree.png" /></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnIFDuBJQaJh0yrxb2RoLccAnw4ofLtx7ZcymocQb9XS_kh87x4JHA9prvw3oZgjqyVO2x7oKAn0MwJeNbQyZa9Mjz8xw5uSUuMYKvfqmQddI2gOqSicIc9OK8NmaeJgSoKNgfxaV7Dkq/s1600/lincolnc22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnIFDuBJQaJh0yrxb2RoLccAnw4ofLtx7ZcymocQb9XS_kh87x4JHA9prvw3oZgjqyVO2x7oKAn0MwJeNbQyZa9Mjz8xw5uSUuMYKvfqmQddI2gOqSicIc9OK8NmaeJgSoKNgfxaV7Dkq/s320/lincolnc22.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">On
Saturday night, we usually saw The Nutcracker Ballet, a favorite of my sister
and I, at Lincoln Center. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8mnvEQhS2OCMwk-5b7Jx-qVWtysUR8ezZF8F4J4-6VCLtMfErRFUkzU9kzb07jVLLuQafUag_UB62Q5E56xlWgFpfdapWnjumnOY5TfqeAzNWqaFnEwRdhv1OX5yNj5YPsIdca49G-uVK/s1600/nutcracker+ballet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8mnvEQhS2OCMwk-5b7Jx-qVWtysUR8ezZF8F4J4-6VCLtMfErRFUkzU9kzb07jVLLuQafUag_UB62Q5E56xlWgFpfdapWnjumnOY5TfqeAzNWqaFnEwRdhv1OX5yNj5YPsIdca49G-uVK/s1600/nutcracker+ballet.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Although, after several years of The Nutcracker, if
there was a Broadway show we were interested in or Radio City Hall’s show
enticed us, we might see that instead.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">It </span></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">didn't</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> matter.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Anything we saw
we enjoyed and the night was always magical.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ZpwO6a4ZF43jz9YxlXsoxUEefg_scxTii2D02PMD-okqiK9qTKkI6D8FUkY29g6nr_yPsrRMs7IO0jArQEi9ELKJgBs1XjwL2UCAG2VQApEZx-qPAzGK4foZLrFYE2uPoj9lM5XKyKmZ/s1600/nutcrackerballet4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ZpwO6a4ZF43jz9YxlXsoxUEefg_scxTii2D02PMD-okqiK9qTKkI6D8FUkY29g6nr_yPsrRMs7IO0jArQEi9ELKJgBs1XjwL2UCAG2VQApEZx-qPAzGK4foZLrFYE2uPoj9lM5XKyKmZ/s320/nutcrackerballet4.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2X_ZOMz89KE7FM_9vlRv1te5-uGOESCdm4nVNHM0UYJOGU_3BKhxLqbzSd1zDH__8EuwTTKazCndwOZgvczVsekMkg8hdZp98iTQ2iENUK5yzvsvAqKBJRc70Atbf6oqCNyJay1i01ukO/s1600/Rockettes-TWINKLE.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2X_ZOMz89KE7FM_9vlRv1te5-uGOESCdm4nVNHM0UYJOGU_3BKhxLqbzSd1zDH__8EuwTTKazCndwOZgvczVsekMkg8hdZp98iTQ2iENUK5yzvsvAqKBJRc70Atbf6oqCNyJay1i01ukO/s320/Rockettes-TWINKLE.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>This was particularly true after the ballet or show because we would go
over to Rockefeller Center to see the huge Christmas Tree there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even late at night, there are a lot of people
around, but fortunately not the crowds there during the day. And we always stopped at St. Patrick's Cathedral across the street.</span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDnEGKDgQLfrO-poaxDNcWmYLtbOhk2fPiGDd84i9FLs8XL3f3uh-5LwkRIaObVElUvVMwdK0Xumzm_zH5DNafHEHJwFu4sxqD9QGITeZ0CCnhTbZVzvxhAqRTnRnZSpOYk1_MO8-x6n49/s1600/Angels+and+tree-TWINKLE.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDnEGKDgQLfrO-poaxDNcWmYLtbOhk2fPiGDd84i9FLs8XL3f3uh-5LwkRIaObVElUvVMwdK0Xumzm_zH5DNafHEHJwFu4sxqD9QGITeZ0CCnhTbZVzvxhAqRTnRnZSpOYk1_MO8-x6n49/s320/Angels+and+tree-TWINKLE.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Sunday
was always brunch and a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see their tree and many
other exhibits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was an especially
good day because my dad spent the entire day with us…no work!</span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">One fun place to visit, which we didn't get to every year, is the greatest toy store around -</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Merry Christmas and </span><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Happy Holidays</span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"> to all of you and yours</span><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">!!</span></b><br />
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</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-6861950774234698182013-12-13T13:03:00.002-05:002013-12-13T13:03:39.386-05:00Review: What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7pmqR2VkD1cL2iAXHD8T_DEisc6BnJW7A79cWJmh0l7th8rIm52m9VUruEtcwpUGHQXMveq2QYpB63SrA0jpehnbqxYkL-0iT94bk2s3ZYcKH3O7TjEsn1gUrXJfkbOL2ETJDkj0G07rs/s1600/Alice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7pmqR2VkD1cL2iAXHD8T_DEisc6BnJW7A79cWJmh0l7th8rIm52m9VUruEtcwpUGHQXMveq2QYpB63SrA0jpehnbqxYkL-0iT94bk2s3ZYcKH3O7TjEsn1gUrXJfkbOL2ETJDkj0G07rs/s1600/Alice.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><em>What Alice
Forgot</em> by Liane Moriarty</strong></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><em>Publisher:</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><em>Published:</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>June 2, 2011</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><em>ISBN:</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>978-0425271902</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><em>Pages:</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>496</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><em>Rating:</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>4.5 out of 5</span></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"></span></o:p> </div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Book Summary:</span></em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;"> </span><span id="freeText18220125030416322810"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Remember the woman you used to be ...<br /><br />Alice is twenty-nine. She is whimsical, optimistic and adores sleep, chocolate, her ramshackle new house and her wonderful husband Nick. What's more, she's looking forward to the birth of the 'Sultana' - her first baby. <br /><br />But now Alice has slipped and hit her head in her step-aerobics class and everyone's telling her she's misplaced the last ten years of her life.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span><br /><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">In fact, it would seem that Alice is actually thirty-nine and now she loves schedules, expensive lingerie, caffeine and manicures. She has three children and the honeymoon is well and truly over for her and Nick. In fact, he looks at her like she's his worst enemy. What's more, her beloved sister Elisabeth isn't speaking to her either. And who is this 'Gina' everyone is so carefully trying not to mention? <br /><br />Alice isn't sure that she likes life ten years on. Every photo is another memory she doesn't have and nothing makes sense. Just how much can happen in a decade? Has she really lost her lovely husband forever?</span><a class="actionLinkLite" href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6469165-what-alice-forgot#"></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My thoughts<em>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></em>I loved this book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I expected a fun, entertaining book but it
was much more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What Alice Forgot</i> is smart, funny, complex and thoughtful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a light, humorous and charming book on
one level but there’s a much deeper and more thought-provoking aspect as the
narrative progresses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About one-quarter
into it, when I reluctantly put it down for a while, I realized the story had
stuck with me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was thinking about some
of the issues it raised. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Author, Liane Moriarty,
successfully incorporated serious issues affecting women and marriages into the
story without interrupting the easy flow of the book or its readability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moriarty’s success comes as a result of her ability
to create main characters that are three-dimensional and fleshed out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Moriarty
tells Alice’s story from the point of view of Alice and two other women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Elisabeth, Alice’s sister, writes daily
journal entries to her psychologist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She’s seeing him because she struggled with infertility issues for many
years while she and her husband tried to get pregnant. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alice’s grandmother, Frannie, writes a letter
each day to an old flame, regaling him with stories about what’s happening in
her life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Elisabeth and Frannie tell
their own stories, with Alice’s occasional help, offering further intrigue and
interest to this book. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through Alice,
Elisabeth and Frannie, we learn all about Alice’s past, as well as her
situation currently, about Alice’s other family members, particularly her
eccentric and interesting mother, Barbara, and her friends, especially
Gina.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s much about Alice, her
family and friends that I’m holding back because ‘meeting’ them through reading
this book is a treat. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
characters alone make this book worth reading. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moriarty created compelling characters familiar
to us and with whom we can relate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
found it easy, as I read this story, to imagine Alice and her family and
friends around a table at the local coffee shop, enjoying Alice’s daughter’s
performance at the talent show or chatting casually at a summer BBQ. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fact that Alice, her husband, Nick, and
her family and friends aren’t perfect but have flaws and eccentricities makes
them all the more appealing and interesting. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moriarty uses Alice’s memory loss as a vehicle
for looking at the way Alice, Elisabeth and the others have changed over the years,
for better or worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We get a much more
thorough perspective of the characters and who they are as a result of Alice’s
amnesia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is because Alice’s memory
loss has caused her to regress. In other words, at the time of the memory loss,
she wakes up thinking it’s ten years earlier, but Alice’s family, friends, even
Alice, as well as the world around her, have not stopped changing and growing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
brings many serious issues that affected Elisabeth, Alice and some of the other
characters, over the years, to the forefront for exploration. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alice asks different people in her life probing
questions she wouldn’t normally ask if she hadn’t suffered memory loss. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This provides for many interesting and varied
viewpoints (everybody has an opinion!) on the different issues that would be more
difficult to smoothly incorporate into the story, otherwise.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Many of themes
in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What Alice Forgot</i> are culled from
current life by Moriarty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If women aren’t
already discussing the topics in this book, I expect they will after reading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What Alice Forgot</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moriaty’s themes, particularly those of of
identity, change and growth, individually, and within relationships and
marriage, speak to most women. They were on my mind, as I read Alice’s story, well
before I finished this book. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, I
continued to think about them once I finished the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
think many women will think about these issues just as Alice does. Alice is
fortunate, in some ways that she’s able to revisit her younger self and,
eventually, see how she’s changed and grown over time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t get quite the same opportunity Alice
does but we can look back on our lives and think about how we’ve changed and
grown in individually and within our relationships and marriage. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;">I “unburied”
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What Alice Forgot</i> on my bookshelf
when Liane Moriarty’s current book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Husband’s Secret</i> was published and began receiving wonderful reviews from
bloggers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know when I would get
a copy of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Husband’s Secret</i> to
read and, if I don’t read an extremely popular book when it’s first published,
I usually like to wait until the fervor has died down before I read the
book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remembered What Alice Forgot
also received fantastic reviews. And now I know why!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;">I highly
recommend this book<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-22674650465520337552013-12-04T14:05:00.000-05:002013-12-04T14:05:38.133-05:00Review: Wish You Were Here by Stewart O'Nan<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSet6Zy0x-0uVUVfUtOwiJVDkrebMQtHGx89FAPYl0guwxGidw-FMU4VTv3A5LKz7lXOg1RO5DWbysH0niqB4Fq-8oidQWas03jDOGHTPn-Vry80rssuzudPU0E0LIRqIlRDsb-0yuqtwC/s1600/Wish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSet6Zy0x-0uVUVfUtOwiJVDkrebMQtHGx89FAPYl0guwxGidw-FMU4VTv3A5LKz7lXOg1RO5DWbysH0niqB4Fq-8oidQWas03jDOGHTPn-Vry80rssuzudPU0E0LIRqIlRDsb-0yuqtwC/s320/Wish.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"></i></b></span> </div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wish
You Were Here</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> by Stewart O’Nan</i></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Publisher:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>Grove Press</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Published:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>May 2002</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ISBN:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>9780802117151</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pages:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>517</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rating:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">4.5 </b>out of 5</span></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Book Summary:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>A year after the death of her husband,
Henry, Emily Maxwell gathers her family by Lake Chautauqua in western New York
for what will be a last vacation at their summer cottage. Joining is her
sister-in-law, who silently mourns the sale of the lake house, and a long-lost
love. Emily's firebrand daughter, a recovering alcoholic recently separated
from her husband, brings her children from Detroit. Emily's son, who has quit
his job and mortgaged his future to pursue his art, comes accompanied by his
children and his wife, who is secretly heartened to be visiting the house for
the last time. Memories of past summers resurface, old rivalries flare up, and
love is rekindled and born anew, resulting in a timeless novel drawn, as the
best writing often is, from the ebbs and flow of daily life.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">O'Nan has a gift for voicing the inner fears
that motivate and stifle us, and his characters move and act as members of a
polite society--a family even. Yet each is distinctly alone, with voices and
turmoil raging inside. The tension between the characters is keenly drawn, and
O'Nan perceptively captures the snippets of thought and memory that follow us
around. Ken notes "he assumed more than he knew, not only about the
world--whose workings would remain closed, forever a mystery--but even those
closest to him." Emily, while preparing dinner, finds her late husband's
bottle of scotch, and imbibes:</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“She went to the window over the sink and
held it up to the light, long now and mote-struck, casting shadows under the
chestnut, firing an amber glow in her hand.... She looked around the kitchen
again as if she'd forgotten something but couldn't find what it was.”</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></i></span></div>
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Calibri;">Wish You Were Here is an excellent character
study of a family grudgingly plodding forward while believing the best chance
for happiness passed by sometime ago.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></i></div>
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My Thoughts: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>This
was the second book I read by Stewart O’Nan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After reading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Odds</i>, there
was no question in my mind I’d read more of O’Nan books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, my library had <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wish You Were Here</i> on the shelves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fly-leaf summary described a book I would
have wanted to read without knowing about O’Nan’s writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The author’s observations and understanding
of human nature take this book, about an extremely dysfunctional extended family,
to a whole other level. <em>Wish You Were Here</em> hooks you right away and draws you
into the story quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>O’Nan allows us
to meet all of the family members, to watch as they interact with each other
and to eavesdrop on their private thoughts and struggles. We watch as their quirks, flaws and characters develop before us providing us with an understanding of human nature and behavior. Halfway through the
book I felt as if I knew the Maxwell Family personally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I continued reading, anxious to know where
Emily, Ken, Ella and Sara’s journey’s, as well as those of the other family members, would take them the rest of
their week at the cottage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">O’Nan is a
remarkable author who seems to truly understands how people think, feel and how they reveal
themselves. One of the things I find most fascinating about O’Nan’s writing and
storytelling is he understands all humans: the young, old and
middle-aged, both male and female. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
the rare author who enables me to understand, Lisa, a completely self-centered and petulant
wife and mother. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I strongly disliked the
latter character for much of the book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But,
towards the end, due to O’Nan’s compelling prose, I felt myself sympathizing
with her. I realized how lonely she felt everyday with her husband
so absorbed by his own interests he forgot she was around much of the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>O’Nan also made it possible for me to understand
a young, intelligent, teenager struggling with <span style="color: #0c343d;">her sexuality and lusting after
her friend and female cousin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
heartbreaking to witness Ella’s struggle over whether or not she should reveal
her feelings and her awareness that she was alone with her problem.</span></span></span><o:p><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Emily, the
elderly matriarch of the Maxwell clan, the mother, grandmother and
sister-in-law, was my favorite character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She’s not a sweet, darling octogenarian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She’s often controlling, quietly demanding, irascible and prone to
nagging. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her children complain and whine
about her to each other. And, secretly, they’re afraid of disappointing
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emily is still grieving her husband,
Henry’s death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are reminders of
him everywhere she turns at the cottage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The relief and sadness she feels at deciding, finally, to definitely sell
the cottage is understandable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emily’s
decision’s made easier when she realizes Margaret needs her help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>O’Nan captures, perfectly, the
mother-daughter relationship here. Margaret’s awkward and fearful about
revealing to her mother the state of her marriage and how poorly she coped with
it all while Emily just wants to be sure her daughter and grandchildren are
safe.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Calibri;">Ken,
Margaret and Emily are each individually flawed and there is a tremendous
amount of dysfunction in their interactions but, at the foundation of it all is
their love for one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’ll take
care of each other and watch out for one another when needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This may be what Lisa chafes at and
despises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She came into the family an
outsider and keeps herself at a distance, allowing anger and bitterness to
grow, rather than show love and acceptance to her husband’s family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She relishes the personal intimacies she has
with Ken but refuses to befriend his sister or mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>O’Nan understands these intricacies of human
behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He successfully weaves them
into his story, bringing the characters to life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their conversations, arguments and silences
make sense to us because we recognize them from our own life or the lives of
the people around us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em>Wish You Were
Here</em> is absorbing simply because it feels like it’s about people we know or knew
at one time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This book was a little slow
at times, but still an excellent read that I highly recommend to all readers. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-57624773150220134302013-11-27T12:52:00.000-05:002013-11-27T12:52:41.438-05:00~ ~ Reading Laziness and Turkey Day ~ ~<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcOBEBf0-AOF15DlhEdoD5nTEITNL6b-raYPrrhKt-48BhVCgbmp8KTrX05KyEBc4r6QWv3A3EFHNTmnF6_kp-PWHLe8S-ahwF8BDlRhiwd4-H0PpWnu8npOJ7vz7JPNxCnyO5zEM_oFI/s1600/labor+day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcOBEBf0-AOF15DlhEdoD5nTEITNL6b-raYPrrhKt-48BhVCgbmp8KTrX05KyEBc4r6QWv3A3EFHNTmnF6_kp-PWHLe8S-ahwF8BDlRhiwd4-H0PpWnu8npOJ7vz7JPNxCnyO5zEM_oFI/s200/labor+day.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjod2RHl20ev5IoVGms1Apznm0mpRN6SPpv5wSHLqoMyQDdfa_zUTmzgGJkIocxMSK4Wd1JiYL2OYo5256zhWGXh6CJfCOJZdOTguo3iZ59dHzE_YSdghyphenhyphenv3DBhTiBeEuCS9r-snL5Xt6L6/s1600/street+sweeper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjod2RHl20ev5IoVGms1Apznm0mpRN6SPpv5wSHLqoMyQDdfa_zUTmzgGJkIocxMSK4Wd1JiYL2OYo5256zhWGXh6CJfCOJZdOTguo3iZ59dHzE_YSdghyphenhyphenv3DBhTiBeEuCS9r-snL5Xt6L6/s200/street+sweeper.jpg" width="131" /></span></a><span style="color: #20124d; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #4c1130;">It's damp, cold and rainy here in the NYC area. This kind of weather makes me feel lazy and slow to get things done, especially today. It probably has partly to do with the bronchitis infection I've had for a couple weeks that just refuses to go away. But I think it mostly as to do with the fact that, although I have some things I need to do, I'm having difficulty putting down the book <em>The Street Sweeper</em>, that I'm reading</span> <span style="color: #4c1130;">(among others!). It's just such a good book, so interesting. And yesterday I started reading <em>Labor Day</em>, wow. I cannot believe it took me this long... I wish there were more hours in the day!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #4c1130;">So, although I'm tired and lazy today, I'm not quite at the point my adorable little Fig is...</span> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJfgQlvfAUiPhq_b2li4LCEXsVYIYo1nr-DoA7i5gHenc4MiPEFDJWExziMgcPJhFWQHNXguCJGlt_pss9rXXz4jtUkk93vtRG0h5iOWDZbEPBeK-jmAh2SC0lx5xBMiA4Iz0Ns1wxSZmN/s1600/lazy+Lucky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJfgQlvfAUiPhq_b2li4LCEXsVYIYo1nr-DoA7i5gHenc4MiPEFDJWExziMgcPJhFWQHNXguCJGlt_pss9rXXz4jtUkk93vtRG0h5iOWDZbEPBeK-jmAh2SC0lx5xBMiA4Iz0Ns1wxSZmN/s320/lazy+Lucky.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-size: large;">I hope you all have a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow, whatever your plans may be! Enjoy and eat lots of yummy food! And Thank you for hanging in with me!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTmtYc1CXCk90JSDb-LG92KEoqkmHW8ByumcQTl9ZFRZ_6amP17KP7MrOSOz-TNXGcLOqoPPLepxHAg6da1mcjnTFVdiGTFDLcNo0r0j0zksJABMFiZUuJfxWNIMUg2o_2Bhag5ZtLXM00/s1600/Gobble+gobble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTmtYc1CXCk90JSDb-LG92KEoqkmHW8ByumcQTl9ZFRZ_6amP17KP7MrOSOz-TNXGcLOqoPPLepxHAg6da1mcjnTFVdiGTFDLcNo0r0j0zksJABMFiZUuJfxWNIMUg2o_2Bhag5ZtLXM00/s320/Gobble+gobble.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-33537303990264469682013-11-26T10:33:00.000-05:002013-11-26T10:33:32.352-05:00~ First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros ~<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIBrbh4f_ocrCE79BMwxuQJQEnlSZBe9sfMVPEtrNfN244pVPKeouBd21liCmoN2wHDdKcv6u85AYfTacmsJsq5wOZU8InP4jAwOJk69FeEoXSVolyxXaj3SESPfcPQG7SsOV0uAY_zH6/s1600/fistchap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIBrbh4f_ocrCE79BMwxuQJQEnlSZBe9sfMVPEtrNfN244pVPKeouBd21liCmoN2wHDdKcv6u85AYfTacmsJsq5wOZU8InP4jAwOJk69FeEoXSVolyxXaj3SESPfcPQG7SsOV0uAY_zH6/s1600/fistchap.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><strong>First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros</strong> is a weekly
meme hosted by <strong>Diane</strong> at<strong> </strong></span><a href="http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/2013/11/first-chapter-first-paragraph-tuesday_26.html"><span style="color: #274e13;"><strong>Bibliophile by the Sea</strong></span></a><span style="color: #274e13;"> every Tuesday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Participants share the opening paragraph or
two of a book they decided to read based on that paragraph. I have wanted to
read my book for this week for a long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Like so many other books, it just got away from me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Recently I reviewed the author’s most recent
book, After Her, which was very good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This prompted me to get a copy of this book before I forget about it once
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of you may have already read
this book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If not and you’re interested,
let me know! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Don't forget to drop by </span><a href="http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/2013/11/first-chapter-first-paragraph-tuesday_26.html"><span style="color: #274e13;"><strong>Bibliophile By the Sea</strong></span></a><span style="color: #274e13;"> to read
Diane's selection this week and find out who else is participating in this fun
meme! You'll probably get some good book titles, too!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcOBEBf0-AOF15DlhEdoD5nTEITNL6b-raYPrrhKt-48BhVCgbmp8KTrX05KyEBc4r6QWv3A3EFHNTmnF6_kp-PWHLe8S-ahwF8BDlRhiwd4-H0PpWnu8npOJ7vz7JPNxCnyO5zEM_oFI/s1600/labor+day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcOBEBf0-AOF15DlhEdoD5nTEITNL6b-raYPrrhKt-48BhVCgbmp8KTrX05KyEBc4r6QWv3A3EFHNTmnF6_kp-PWHLe8S-ahwF8BDlRhiwd4-H0PpWnu8npOJ7vz7JPNxCnyO5zEM_oFI/s320/labor+day.jpg" width="212" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Labor Day by Joyce
Maynard<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #274e13;">It was just the two of us, my mother and me, after my father
left. He said I should count the new baby he had with his new wife, Marjorie,
as part of my family too, plus Richard, Marjorie's son, who was six months
younger than me though he was good at all the sports I messed up in. But our
family was my mother, Adele, and me, period. I would have counted the hamster,
Joe, before including that baby, Chloe. </span></blockquote>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #274e13;">Saturday nights when my father picked me up to take us all
out to dinner at Friendly's, he was always wanting me to sit next to her in the
backseat. Then he'd pull a pack of baseball cards out of his pocket and lay
them on the table in the booth, to split between Richard and me. I always gave
mine to Richard. Why not? Baseball was a sore spot for me. When the phys ed
teacher said, OK, Henry, you play with the blues, all the other guys on the blue
team would groan. </span></blockquote>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #274e13;">For the most part, my mother never mentioned my father, or
the woman he was married to now, or her son, or the baby, but once by mistake,
when I left a picture out on the table that he'd given me, of the five of
us-the year before, when I went with them to Disney-she had studied it for at
least a minute. Stood there in the kitchen, holding the picture in her small,
pale hand, her long graceful neck tilted a little to one side as if the image
she was looking at contained some great and troubling mystery, though really it
was just the five of us, scrunched together in the teacup ride.<o:p></o:p></span></blockquote>
</div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #274e13;">What do you think? Would you keep
reading?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-85776572943915344232013-11-20T12:36:00.001-05:002013-11-20T12:36:36.603-05:00~ ~ Wondrous Words Wednesday ~ ~<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbPmK5ffoP2pgNaUla9BKf0yIHzaN3n2RSaPz-N6ZvGIUneGsBFmciIboQ4Almw_VCBzvdn77fsJ18S5keVn80-ntDLbMeSlZUYARJw3jiCQBnvEnSpIRtLBjiwbh2faj_JBXQ5xLGpAa/s1600/wondrous2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbPmK5ffoP2pgNaUla9BKf0yIHzaN3n2RSaPz-N6ZvGIUneGsBFmciIboQ4Almw_VCBzvdn77fsJ18S5keVn80-ntDLbMeSlZUYARJw3jiCQBnvEnSpIRtLBjiwbh2faj_JBXQ5xLGpAa/s1600/wondrous2.PNG" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><strong>Wondrous Words Wednesday</strong> is a weekly meme hosted by
<a href="http://bermudaonion.net/2013/11/20/wondrous-words-wednesday-249/"><strong><span style="color: black;">Bermudaonion's Weblog</span></strong></a> where participants share words they encountered in their
reading. Feel free to join in the fun! Make sure to leave a link to your post
over at <a href="http://bermudaonion.net/2013/11/20/wondrous-words-wednesday-249/"><strong><span style="color: black;">Bermudaonion's Weblog.</span></strong></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjod2RHl20ev5IoVGms1Apznm0mpRN6SPpv5wSHLqoMyQDdfa_zUTmzgGJkIocxMSK4Wd1JiYL2OYo5256zhWGXh6CJfCOJZdOTguo3iZ59dHzE_YSdghyphenhyphenv3DBhTiBeEuCS9r-snL5Xt6L6/s1600/street+sweeper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjod2RHl20ev5IoVGms1Apznm0mpRN6SPpv5wSHLqoMyQDdfa_zUTmzgGJkIocxMSK4Wd1JiYL2OYo5256zhWGXh6CJfCOJZdOTguo3iZ59dHzE_YSdghyphenhyphenv3DBhTiBeEuCS9r-snL5Xt6L6/s320/street+sweeper.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">These words
are from <strong><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Street Sweeper </i>by Elliot
Perlman</strong></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But when
asked what the chances were that the defense of a black man from the Bronx
would be believed, when the two co-accused black men were pleading guilty to
armed robbery, Numbers’ eyes seemed suddenly to brim with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sentience</i>.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1. Sentience<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>{noun}</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">1. responsive
to or conscious of sense impressions; able to feel, see, hear, smell, or taste</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">2. aware</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">3. finely
sensitive in perception or feeling</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">His argument
was a reminder that without <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">concomitant</i>
changes in the law there would have been no grounds on which the local activists
could base their fight. </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2. Concomitant<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(adj.)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">1. existing
or occurring with something else, often in a lesser way; accompanying;
concurrent</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">(noun):</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">2. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a concomitant quality, circumstance, or thing;
a phenomenon that naturally accompanies or follows something</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
lighthouse of history might suggest flashing glimpses of the way ahead but it’s
imprudent to count on history for a precise illuminated map replete with
synclines and anticlines of the terrain ahead.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3. Synclines<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>(noun) Geology</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">: A fold in
rocks in which the rock layers dip inward from both sides toward the axis.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">4. Anticlines<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>(noun) Geology</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">: A fold
with strata sloping downward on both sides from a common crest.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-43948749662915802152013-11-19T11:50:00.000-05:002013-11-19T11:50:34.375-05:00Review ~ A Friend of the Family by Lauren Grodstein<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrl-SpfrckMJmx4_pKuBklOJ5g7oZowrzrcupxGfMU0cUHkKM-smfPDl1PoRPWoMOwVmFqnrqBo8cXttuYKCwQ3EJp4qL4pxOIZSXJEZwyAmfADnAQLiWKbtF3XIvjVg7wqD1ub0uks0Hh/s1600/Friend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrl-SpfrckMJmx4_pKuBklOJ5g7oZowrzrcupxGfMU0cUHkKM-smfPDl1PoRPWoMOwVmFqnrqBo8cXttuYKCwQ3EJp4qL4pxOIZSXJEZwyAmfADnAQLiWKbtF3XIvjVg7wqD1ub0uks0Hh/s320/Friend.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><em><strong>A Friend of
the Family</strong> by Lauren Grodstein</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Publisher:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>Algonquin Paperbacks</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Published:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>November 9, 2010</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ISBN:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>978 - 1565129160</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pages:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>320</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rating:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>4.5</u></b> out of 5</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></i></div>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Book Summary:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Pete Dizinoff has spent his whole life
working toward an adulthood that would be, by all measures, judged successful.
And in nearly every way, he's accomplished just that: A skilled and intuitive
internist with a loyal following of patients, he's built a thriving medical
practice in Round Hill, New Jersey. He has a loving and devoted wife, a network
of close friends, a comfortable suburban status, an impressive house, a good
view from the porch. And most of all, he has a son, for whom he wants only the
best. Pete and his wife, Elaine, have only one child, and Pete has pinned his
hopes on Alec. They've afforded him every opportunity, bailed him out of close
calls with the law, and, despite Alec's lack of interest, even managed to get
him accepted by a good college.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But Pete
never counted on the wild card: Laura, his best friend's daughter. Ten years
older than Alec, irresistibly beautiful, with a history so shocking that it's
never spoken of, Laura sets her sights on Alec, who falls under her spell. And
with that, Pete sees his dreams for his son not just unraveling but completely
destroyed. With a belief that he has only the best intentions, he sets out to
derail the romance. But he could not have foreseen how, in the process, he
might shatter his whole life and devastate his family. </span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;">A riveting
story of suburban tragedy in the tradition of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Ice Storm</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">American
Beauty</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Little Children</i>,
Lauren Grodstein charts a father's fall from grace as he struggles to save his
family, his reputation, and himself.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My Thoughts:</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a fantastic, thought-provoking
book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Family relationships and the
complex job of parenting are the central issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Specifically, Lauren Grodstein is asking
readers to think about whether or not parents can force their children to make
certain choices that will impact their future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And how much control can parents exert over the choices their children
make? The answers to these questions aren’t easy and may depend on the specific
situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the case of Dr. Pete
Dizinoff, his wife, Elaine and son, Alec, there are some vital facts that need
to be known before answering these questions.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Peter
Dizinoff is the narrator of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Friend of
the Family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>When the novel opens,
he’s not living in the house with Elaine and Alec anymore, but in the studio over
the garage where Alec used to live and paint (he’s a passionate artist).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t find out until the end what Pete’s
done to get himself expelled from his home. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An unreliable narrator, he doesn’t trust the
readers and makes us wait until almost the end of the novel to find out both
what he’s done and what the malpractice suit is all about. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the course of the novel, Pete tells us
about himself, Elaine and Alec, their best friends, Joe and Iris and their
daughter Laura, about his medical practice and living in Round Hill. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">While
narrating, Pete complains whines, judges, grandstands and brags.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, he also makes it clear he’s got a thing
for his best friend Joe’s wife, Iris!</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Still, Pete
thinks he’s a nice guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not so sure
I agree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s arrogant and believes he
knows better than most people about what’s right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s very judgmental but because he keeps his
judgments to himself, he sees himself as a warm and generous guy. He's not particularly good at helping out the people close to him when they're in a bad spot. There was a time when Joe needed Pete's support. Pete wasn't comfortable with the situation so he ducked Joe and his phone calls for weeks. Pete's not good at listening
to others, either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He's in the midst
of a malpractice law suit in which a young woman died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had Dr. Pete listened to her, paid
her a bit more attention rather than being distracted by his own life,
things may have turned out differently.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Peter didn’t
trust that young women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In much the same
way, he doesn’t fully trust Elaine or Alec because he believes he knows best.
He and Elaine have let Alec do what he wants for a long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alec, for instance, quit school to focus on
his art. His parents built a studio over the garage for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now Pete’s demanding Alec go to college. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alec doesn’t want to and Pete’s furious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He refuses to have a real conversation with
Alec, he simply yells at him and orders him around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think Pete’s position would be more understandable
if he was worried about Alec’s future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But Peter is worried about what neighbors, friends and colleagues will
say about him if his son, Alec doesn’t become a big success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Success and the opinion of people who know
him, especially people who live in and around the Dizinoff's upper-middle class
neighborhood, has become very important to Pete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s difficult to be sure what’s more
important to Pete: Alec or what people think of Pete.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Grodstein’s
writing style is compelling and engaging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She had my attention from the first chapter and I became more absorbed
as the novel progressed. I enjoyed the periodic and subtle foreshadowing of
events She also makes some brilliant observations of life in the suburbs. She
showed a great knack for bringing the upper middle class suburb of Round Hill
to life and utterly relatable to anyone whose lived there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the manicured lawns, tended gardens and
picket fences, with the impressive homes comes competition among the neighbors
and parents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grodstein successfully
develops Peter Dizinoff into a character many readers will recognize from their
own lives, especially anyone who lived or lives in the suburbs. Readers may be
close to someone like Pete or he may be an acquaintance but it’s not uncommon
to know someone who worries, way too much, what friends and neighbors will
think of him because of his family’s behavior. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pete easily resembles men and women who live
in upper middle-class suburbs and play the game of “keeping up with the Joneses”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the more successful Pete becomes the
more closed-minded and judgmental he is of others, even his best friends.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;">The one part
of this book I had some problems with was the ending. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t think the behavior that gets Pete
kicked out of his house would be judged as harshly against him as it is by
Elaine, Alec and Pete’s best friends, Joe and Iris.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s possible, I suppose, that part of what
they were upset with was Pete’s intrusiveness, his failure to stay out of Alec’s
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pete would have us believe he was
acting in Alec’s best interests but it seems more he was acting in his own interests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe that’s what Pete’s family was condemning
more than the alleged behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
maybe it was time for Pete to be judged after doing so much of it himself.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;">I highly
recommend this book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would make a
great choice for a book club, too, as there’s plenty to discuss.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-37778257381863191942013-11-13T13:23:00.000-05:002013-11-13T13:23:18.847-05:00~ ~ Wondrous Words Wednesday ~ ~ <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbPmK5ffoP2pgNaUla9BKf0yIHzaN3n2RSaPz-N6ZvGIUneGsBFmciIboQ4Almw_VCBzvdn77fsJ18S5keVn80-ntDLbMeSlZUYARJw3jiCQBnvEnSpIRtLBjiwbh2faj_JBXQ5xLGpAa/s1600/wondrous2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbPmK5ffoP2pgNaUla9BKf0yIHzaN3n2RSaPz-N6ZvGIUneGsBFmciIboQ4Almw_VCBzvdn77fsJ18S5keVn80-ntDLbMeSlZUYARJw3jiCQBnvEnSpIRtLBjiwbh2faj_JBXQ5xLGpAa/s1600/wondrous2.PNG" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by
<a href="http://bermudaonion.net/2013/11/13/wondrous-words-wednesday-248/"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Bermudaonion's Weblog</span></strong></a> where we share words that we’ve encountered in our
reading. Feel free to join in the fun and be sure to leave a link to your post
over at <strong><a href="http://bermudaonion.net/2013/11/13/wondrous-words-wednesday-248/"><span style="color: #351c75;">Bermudaonion's Weblog</span></a></strong><span style="color: #351c75;">.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyC9HPEDG3C2-jhAMtc8G621aV3xulrIxKalJqCCy0naFlpqzBzjpbZImgZ7AV120KUCveFqzoVVbiN3Mt9ptA4IcE8Zjk_oci1ORRKd6bpVK-h5x5OseLykpUi_Zuwli7xbrTlnOeKQk8/s1600/pumpkin-eater-cover1_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyC9HPEDG3C2-jhAMtc8G621aV3xulrIxKalJqCCy0naFlpqzBzjpbZImgZ7AV120KUCveFqzoVVbiN3Mt9ptA4IcE8Zjk_oci1ORRKd6bpVK-h5x5OseLykpUi_Zuwli7xbrTlnOeKQk8/s320/pumpkin-eater-cover1_.jpg" width="194" /></a></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #351c75;">These</span> <span style="color: #351c75;">words
are from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Pumpkin Eater</i> by Daphne
Merkin</span></span><o:p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She was
nineteen at the time, a dark, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gamine</i>
beauty who years later would be momentarily mistaken by a waiter for Audrey
Hepburn.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1. Gamine <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>{</b>noun}</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">[gam-een,
-in, ga-meen]</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">1. a
neglected girl who is left to run about the streets.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;">2. a
diminutive or very slender girl, especially one who is pert, impudent, or
playfully mischievous.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Despite the
discord at home, the family was featured as a gleaming image of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fecundity </i>on all fronts for numerous
newspaper and magazine articles, with John becoming ever more renowned for his
plays and prowess at the bar.</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2. Fecundity<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>-noun</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">[fi-kuhn-di-tee]</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">1. extant
copies of books produced in the earliest stages (before 1501) of printing from
movable type. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">2. the
earliest stages or first traces of anything.</span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">I must say that for a young man with his life in front of him to saddle himself with a brood of children and a wife as plain <em>feckless</em> as this daughter of mine seems to me lunacy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>3. Feckless </strong>~ adjective</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="show_spellpr" style="display: inline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span class="prondelim">[</span><span class="pron"><span class="boldface">fek</span>-lis</span><span class="prondelim">]</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span class="dnindex"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">1.</span> </span></span></span><span style="color: #351c75;"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">ineffective;</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">incompetent;</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">futile:</span> </span><span class="ital-inline"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">feckless</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">attempts</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">to</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">repair</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">the</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">plumbing.</span> </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;"> </span><div class="luna-Ent">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span class="dnindex"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">2.</span> </span></span><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">having</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">no</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">sense</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">of</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">responsibility;</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">indifferent;</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">lazy.</span></span></span></span></div>
<o:p></o:p></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">"It was a mere <em>peccadillo</em>," Jake said abruptly, as though about to recite.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">"What?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">"<em>Peccadillo</em>. <em>Bagatelle</em>."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>4.Peccadillo</strong> ~ noun</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="show_spellpr" style="display: inline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span class="prondelim">[</span><span class="pron">pek-<span class="ital-inline">uh</span>-<span class="boldface">dil</span>-oh</span><span class="prondelim">]</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="show_spellpr" style="display: inline;"><span class="prondelim"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="color: #351c75;">1. </span><span id="hotword"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">a very </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">minor</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">slight</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">sin</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">offense;</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">trifling</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">fault.</span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="show_spellpr" style="display: inline;"><span class="prondelim"><span><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;"></span></span></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="show_spellpr" style="display: inline;"><span class="prondelim"><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>5.Bagatelle</strong> ~ noun</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span class="show_spellpr" style="display: inline;"><span class="prondelim"><span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span class="dnindex"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">1. something </span></span></span><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">of</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">little</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">value</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">importance;</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">trifle.</span> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="luna-Ent">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span class="dnindex"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">2. </span></span></span><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">game</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">played</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">on</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">board</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">having</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">holes</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">at</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">one</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">end</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">into</span> which </span><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">balls</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">are</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">to</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">be</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">struck</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">with</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">cue.</span> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="luna-Ent">
<span><span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">3. </span><span id="hotword"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">short</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">and</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">light</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">musical</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">composition,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">typically</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">for</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">the</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default; text-decoration: none;">piano.</span></span></span> </span></span></span></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309803128000518121.post-28467805989573119482013-11-12T10:20:00.002-05:002013-11-12T10:20:45.076-05:00~ First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros ~<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIBrbh4f_ocrCE79BMwxuQJQEnlSZBe9sfMVPEtrNfN244pVPKeouBd21liCmoN2wHDdKcv6u85AYfTacmsJsq5wOZU8InP4jAwOJk69FeEoXSVolyxXaj3SESPfcPQG7SsOV0uAY_zH6/s1600/fistchap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIBrbh4f_ocrCE79BMwxuQJQEnlSZBe9sfMVPEtrNfN244pVPKeouBd21liCmoN2wHDdKcv6u85AYfTacmsJsq5wOZU8InP4jAwOJk69FeEoXSVolyxXaj3SESPfcPQG7SsOV0uAY_zH6/s1600/fistchap.jpg" /></a></div>
<span><span style="font-size: large;"><strong></strong></span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><strong>First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros</strong> is a weekly meme hosted by <strong>Diane</strong> at <strong><a href="http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/2013/11/first-chapter-first-paragraph-tuesday_12.html"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">Bibliophile by the Sea</span></span></a></strong> every Tuesday. To participate, share the opening paragraph or two of a book you've decided to read or have already started reading, based on that paragraph. I've read several reviews and posts about this book and was intrigued by it. When I saw it at a local second-hand book shop, I picked it up and started reading it and, the next thing I knew, I'd read 10 pages!</span> </span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span></span><span><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;">Visit <strong><a href="http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">Bibliophile by the Sea</span></span></a></strong> for Diane's selection this week and for links to the other participants. You'll get some good book titles, too!</span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-kWgK-KmreG29nym-33lyJ1naMQTeR3r4KBkbfpAw_Zfz6w4Hd6f1FWdOdNWCgpskDqgvE87lAh7BpR9wLgAWwd2iQ1n2HKqcRsnuCsPHvXrwqucCm5yMSI6nPZllYd6ZgoH9LBF697M/s1600/Cover_Stiltsville_2D_275x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-kWgK-KmreG29nym-33lyJ1naMQTeR3r4KBkbfpAw_Zfz6w4Hd6f1FWdOdNWCgpskDqgvE87lAh7BpR9wLgAWwd2iQ1n2HKqcRsnuCsPHvXrwqucCm5yMSI6nPZllYd6ZgoH9LBF697M/s320/Cover_Stiltsville_2D_275x400.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>
<span><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;">Stiltsville</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;">by</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;">Susanna Daniel</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"></span></span><br />
<div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #134f5c;">1969</span></blockquote>
</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #134f5c;">On a Sunday morning in late July, at the end of my first-ever visit to Miami, I took a cab from my hotel to Snapper Creek marina to join a woman named Marse Heiger, whom I’d met the day before. When I stepped out of the cab, I saw Marse standing in the well of her little fishing boat, wearing denim knee shorts and a yellow sleeveless blouse, her stiff brown hair pinned under a bandanna. She waved and gestured for me to climb into the boat. She poured me a mug of coffee from an aluminum thermos and started the engine.</span></blockquote>
<span style="color: #134f5c;"></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #134f5c;">“Ready?” she said. We puttered out of the marina, under a bridge from which two black boys were fishing with what looked like homemade poles, down a winding canal flanked by mangroves. The knobby, twining roots rose from the water. I sat on a cushioned bench and Marse sat in a captain’s chair at the helm. She handed me a scarf and told me to tie back my hair, which I did. We passed an egret standing stock-still on a mangrove root, then emerged from the canal into the wide, open bay. The Miami shoreline stretched out in both directions. Marse picked up speed, and each time we came down on a wave, I gripped the corner of my bench.</span></blockquote>
<span style="color: #134f5c;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><em>What do you think? Would you continue reading this book?</em></strong></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09866342436745173619noreply@blogger.com8