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laurieb755's reviews
759 reviews
Your Life Calling: Reimagining the Rest of Your Life by Jane Pauley
4.0
Not sure how I found this book, perhaps it was from my local library's newsletter, or perhaps the NYT Book Review, but whatever the source, am glad I followed it! Pauley is four years ahead of me in age and her stories of "what's next" resonate.
Pauley shares stories of people who, for a multitude of reasons, found themselves reimagining the next steps in their lives. Often, those next steps seemed dramatically different from the life paths they had been on, yet just as often, when looking backwards, there were plenty of dots that as they connected led to the lines that were shaping the futures.
I think a lot about my next steps because my Dad had Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, which manifested in his late 60s, intensified in his mid-70s, and became debilitating in his late 70s and early 80s, when he finally died into peace at 83. Not knowing what my future will hold makes me all the more determined to make the most of my future. I want the "doing" that I do to have meaning and provide inner satisfaction.
And so Pauley's book resonated. :-)
Pauley shares stories of people who, for a multitude of reasons, found themselves reimagining the next steps in their lives. Often, those next steps seemed dramatically different from the life paths they had been on, yet just as often, when looking backwards, there were plenty of dots that as they connected led to the lines that were shaping the futures.
I think a lot about my next steps because my Dad had Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, which manifested in his late 60s, intensified in his mid-70s, and became debilitating in his late 70s and early 80s, when he finally died into peace at 83. Not knowing what my future will hold makes me all the more determined to make the most of my future. I want the "doing" that I do to have meaning and provide inner satisfaction.
And so Pauley's book resonated. :-)
Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou
5.0
I discovered Maya Angelou in her death, thanks to my wonderful local library having included this book in their weekly newsletter soon after Angelou died. Mom & Me & Mom is powerful, forceful and moving. Maya Angelou's words are to the point, yet rich in telling her tale. The print and spacing between lines are large enough to make it comfortable to read and read and read and finish in a matter of hours. I did not want to put this story down, and at times had to remind myself it was a story of a real person and not a fictional novel, for some portions are so far removed from my own life experiences as to astonish.
While our lives bore little similarity, I had in common with Maya being a daughter, and I thought of my Mom, who died in October 2010, and how now, these few years afterwards, my Mom's lessons and strengths often come to mind.
I have purchased a copy of this book to give to my Aunt (my Mom's sister).
PS Upon hearing about the book being purchased for her, my Aunt said that since she is hosting the next book group meeting, she gets to choose the book, and it is going to be this book. :-)
While our lives bore little similarity, I had in common with Maya being a daughter, and I thought of my Mom, who died in October 2010, and how now, these few years afterwards, my Mom's lessons and strengths often come to mind.
I have purchased a copy of this book to give to my Aunt (my Mom's sister).
PS Upon hearing about the book being purchased for her, my Aunt said that since she is hosting the next book group meeting, she gets to choose the book, and it is going to be this book. :-)
The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley
3.0
This is two stories in one, and I liked them both, but. This is an historical tale coupled with a modern story, but. There is much description of and many parallels between the main characters in each story, but.
It's the "but" that keeps me from giving this book a 4th star. The descriptions were somewhat interesting but seemed like they were written for an historical yet contemporary guidebook. The descriptions of time and place were the background fodder against which the two overlapping stories played out. Most of the relationships in the historical story were interesting, though not surprising, save for one unveiled at the end (nice surprise!) The contemporary relationship was interesting, as well, and I would have preferred knowing even more about the characters. While I had a sense of what he looked like, I was never able to conjure up an image of what she looked like. And since she was the narrator, I felt there was an amorphous, faceless person at the helm.
I read The Firebird at home curled up on an armchair and on an Adirondack chair on our deck, but it would also make a fine book to take to the beach. I recommend the book, but suggest lower expectations. Who knows, you might appreciate that which I did not!
It's the "but" that keeps me from giving this book a 4th star. The descriptions were somewhat interesting but seemed like they were written for an historical yet contemporary guidebook. The descriptions of time and place were the background fodder against which the two overlapping stories played out. Most of the relationships in the historical story were interesting, though not surprising, save for one unveiled at the end (nice surprise!) The contemporary relationship was interesting, as well, and I would have preferred knowing even more about the characters. While I had a sense of what he looked like, I was never able to conjure up an image of what she looked like. And since she was the narrator, I felt there was an amorphous, faceless person at the helm.
I read The Firebird at home curled up on an armchair and on an Adirondack chair on our deck, but it would also make a fine book to take to the beach. I recommend the book, but suggest lower expectations. Who knows, you might appreciate that which I did not!
Letter to My Daughter by Maya Angelou
5.0
I only discovered the writings of Maya Angelou after she died. Something about her obituary stirred me to read Mom & Me & Mom, which led me to Letter to My Daughter. Maya's simple yet powerful words hit home with their poignancy, honesty, and call to think. I purchased Mom & Me & Mom for my Aunt, and now feel that I'd like to gift Letter to My Daughter to her and each of my friends on their birthdays. Perhaps what strikes me most about her writing is the peek into the being of a woman who had the strength to see the good and fair, and the determination to search and advocate for it.
A Yellow Raft in Blue Water by Michael Dorris
4.0
Rayona, Christine and Aunt Ida. Their stories stick with me as they intertwine, 15 year old Rayona, her mother Christine, and Aunt Ida. Through each of their eyes their shared past unfolds. I almost stopped short early in Rayona's story, until my Aunt reassured me that my thoughts at what might come next were unfounded. It was my Aunt who recommended this story, and she was spot on in her suggestion.
Yikes, I was curious to know more about Michael Dorris, the author, and just did some research. I was wondering if he was American Indian and if his story was based upon personal experience. Alas, Dorris's own story is tragic.
Yikes, I was curious to know more about Michael Dorris, the author, and just did some research. I was wondering if he was American Indian and if his story was based upon personal experience. Alas, Dorris's own story is tragic.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
5.0
Anytime mention of ""A Tree Grows In Brooklyn" was made, I used to wonder how the book escaped me during my childhood. As a voracious reader, the book never crossed my doorstep nor did I know anyone reading it. Yet, it was one of those books whose title I knew, and I would occasionally wonder, when the title was mentioned, how my reading education had failed me here.
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What a richly told tale! Moving. Poignant. Loving. And hugely evocative of what I imagine the world was like for my grandparents and great-grandparents, though they lived in the Bronx and Manhattan, and were Jewish and not Irish Catholic. Betty Smith painted a picture as true as I can imagine of life in part of New York at the turn of the 20th century and into the early part of the 1900s through World War I.
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This morning I was telling my Aunt Joan about reading this book, and she immediately said it was a book she could see herself rereading, having read it as a young girl. (She is in her early 80s.)
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Thank you to whoever it was whose list it was on - Ann's? Sarah's? - because that is how I wound up borrowing it from the library!
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What a richly told tale! Moving. Poignant. Loving. And hugely evocative of what I imagine the world was like for my grandparents and great-grandparents, though they lived in the Bronx and Manhattan, and were Jewish and not Irish Catholic. Betty Smith painted a picture as true as I can imagine of life in part of New York at the turn of the 20th century and into the early part of the 1900s through World War I.
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This morning I was telling my Aunt Joan about reading this book, and she immediately said it was a book she could see herself rereading, having read it as a young girl. (She is in her early 80s.)
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Thank you to whoever it was whose list it was on - Ann's? Sarah's? - because that is how I wound up borrowing it from the library!
Mud Season: How One Woman's Dream of Moving to Vermont, Raising Children, Chickens and Sheep, and Running the Old Country Store Pretty Much Led to One Calamity After Another by Ellen Stimson
2.0
Learned about this book from a blurb in my local library's e-newsletter. Ellen Stimson's chronicle is a combination stand-up comedy routine (perhaps better performed in person) or the basis of a sitcom. Either way, at times I found it difficult to take her seriously, though never did I laugh out loud. Sometimes I wondered how anyone could have such a (what seemed) intentionally calamitous life.
Would I recommend this book? Sure, if you are looking for a quick read, or want to have a sense of what life could be like if you lived out the "I want to live a simple life ____" (fill in the blank with your choice: on a farm, owning a country store… anything that took you out of your current comfort zone and into something you imagine as a more wholesome life style). But as a piece of literature, or a book that gets you delving deep, hmmm, not so much.
Would I recommend this book? Sure, if you are looking for a quick read, or want to have a sense of what life could be like if you lived out the "I want to live a simple life ____" (fill in the blank with your choice: on a farm, owning a country store… anything that took you out of your current comfort zone and into something you imagine as a more wholesome life style). But as a piece of literature, or a book that gets you delving deep, hmmm, not so much.
Delicious! by Ruth Reichl
4.0
Not sure who to thank for this one but probably it was my local library's e-newsletter containing a quick description and review of Delicious!
Ruth Reichl - the author's name had a ring of familiarity though I was never a Gourmet reader so am not sure where I would have heard of her; perhaps on a television show?
Am glad I have heard of her now; her writing is delicious and her plot as tasty as your favorite full course meal. I liked the twists and turns, the characters of Sammy and Lulu and Sal & Rosalee, and the descriptions of smells, food and meals that never felt like they were tossed in just to make a salad. Rather, they were fully a part of the story, and without those loving gastronomic delights there would be no story.
This is fare for the reader who likes to think and figure things out, who appreciates a good meal, who likes rich characters with whom you can feel you actually know them, and enjoys a writer who doesn't mince her words.
Have fun! And think about Bertie and the library clues. Ingenious!
Ruth Reichl - the author's name had a ring of familiarity though I was never a Gourmet reader so am not sure where I would have heard of her; perhaps on a television show?
Am glad I have heard of her now; her writing is delicious and her plot as tasty as your favorite full course meal. I liked the twists and turns, the characters of Sammy and Lulu and Sal & Rosalee, and the descriptions of smells, food and meals that never felt like they were tossed in just to make a salad. Rather, they were fully a part of the story, and without those loving gastronomic delights there would be no story.
This is fare for the reader who likes to think and figure things out, who appreciates a good meal, who likes rich characters with whom you can feel you actually know them, and enjoys a writer who doesn't mince her words.
Have fun! And think about Bertie and the library clues. Ingenious!
The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King
4.0
My brother-in-law included this book on a lengthy list of suggestions for what to read, when queried by my husband. As a Sherlock Holmes fan, I couldn't help but be interested in reading Laurie R. King's book.
At first I was put off by Mary Russell's story telling; her style seemed laborious. But slowly I warmed to her story of how she met Sherlock and developed a relationship with him. I believed her, because her description of Sherlock in his 60s (my my, not far from my age now ;-) ) meshed with how I imagined he would be. And then the pace of the tale picked up. Russell, with the guidance of Sherlock (and the editing of King) became an adept sleuth and teller of tales.
I enjoyed the descriptiveness of locations, events and psyches. I appreciated the barring of souls. And I truly delighted in the unveiling of the mastermind responsible. Confession (not a spoiler): I had a tiny inkling of who this would be, but banished it to the back of my mind until further proof could be obtained.
Thus I have put on reserve at my local library Mary Russell's next grand adventure with Holmes, A Monstrous Regiment of Women.
At first I was put off by Mary Russell's story telling; her style seemed laborious. But slowly I warmed to her story of how she met Sherlock and developed a relationship with him. I believed her, because her description of Sherlock in his 60s (my my, not far from my age now ;-) ) meshed with how I imagined he would be. And then the pace of the tale picked up. Russell, with the guidance of Sherlock (and the editing of King) became an adept sleuth and teller of tales.
I enjoyed the descriptiveness of locations, events and psyches. I appreciated the barring of souls. And I truly delighted in the unveiling of the mastermind responsible. Confession (not a spoiler): I had a tiny inkling of who this would be, but banished it to the back of my mind until further proof could be obtained.
Thus I have put on reserve at my local library Mary Russell's next grand adventure with Holmes, A Monstrous Regiment of Women.
New Life, No Instructions by Gail Caldwell
4.0
The picture of Gail Caldwell on the inside of the rear jacket has me wondering if she is a friend from somewhere in my past. She looks so familiar, yet I am certain we have never met. And her writing is just as accessible. She could have been sitting in my living room or on my deck, joining me in some snack or delicious meal and sharing her story in person. Yet I know we have only met through my reading her book.
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I have another friend, Camilla, who was the art teacher at an independent school for many years prior and many years after my five years there. We became friends, and I have a watercolor of hers hanging on the living room wall. It has been there, graced in reds and oranges and desert colors, for over 15 years. Why mention Camilla? She, too, like Gail Caldwell, contracted polio in the year before the inoculations became available. Camilla spent the bulk of her life with a brace on her leg and a limp in her walk.
We were out of touch for a number of years and recently reconnected via LinkedIn, so it was with much surprise and bit of sadness that I learned she did not survive the hip replacement she had undertaken. Two major life impacting events similar to Gail's. Oh yes, and Camilla was single and all her life had dogs; not Samoyeds but little ones whose breed I've long since forgotten. But Camillia was a large woman and I suspect her heart just could not handle the stress of the surgery. Whatever the cause, it seemed Caldwell's memoir reached me at the right moment.
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Read the book. It is honest and moving and might well be useful if you ever get a hip (or knee) replacement. Let it be a motivator. :-)
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I have another friend, Camilla, who was the art teacher at an independent school for many years prior and many years after my five years there. We became friends, and I have a watercolor of hers hanging on the living room wall. It has been there, graced in reds and oranges and desert colors, for over 15 years. Why mention Camilla? She, too, like Gail Caldwell, contracted polio in the year before the inoculations became available. Camilla spent the bulk of her life with a brace on her leg and a limp in her walk.
We were out of touch for a number of years and recently reconnected via LinkedIn, so it was with much surprise and bit of sadness that I learned she did not survive the hip replacement she had undertaken. Two major life impacting events similar to Gail's. Oh yes, and Camilla was single and all her life had dogs; not Samoyeds but little ones whose breed I've long since forgotten. But Camillia was a large woman and I suspect her heart just could not handle the stress of the surgery. Whatever the cause, it seemed Caldwell's memoir reached me at the right moment.
--
Read the book. It is honest and moving and might well be useful if you ever get a hip (or knee) replacement. Let it be a motivator. :-)