Recent Reading Report

Recent reads have been quite satisfying, and I thought I might just let all you dear readers in on some of the titles I have enjoyed. All these books have been of the audio variety, as I've totally converted from physical books to audio books so that I can multitask in the sewing room.

An absolute delight of a book, Theo of Golden introduces us to the elderly Theo, quite the gentleman, who goes through his day-to-day life being kind to people! That is a very simplified take on him, but as one reads this book, his kindness, generosity, thoughtfulness, and insight become an example for readers to want to emulate. I was thinking of him as almost Christ-like in his simple and genuine treatment of others. I loved all the various interactions he had with townspeople, even the ones who weren't very likeable. He never wavered in how he effortlessly gave of himself to make others feel valued. The ending, while sad, was also uplifting. Theo of Golden ranks among the top 5 in best books I've ever read.

 Years ago, I read an Ellen Marie Wiseman novel called What She Left Behind; I recall that I ravenously consumed it, handed it off to my mother who also ravenously consumed it. I should have been seeking more books by Wiseman, but alas, only just now read The Lies They Told. It began a bit stilted and slow, but after the initial few chapters, I was won over by a plot centered on a very disturbing and little-known history of eugenics in America. There was quite a system established to keep bloodlines pure and unsullied, and the mountain people of Appalachia and Blue Ridge were too often the victims. Imagine a do-gooder from the city coming up your mountain trail and taking your children and your land! This actually happened, according to Wiseman's research. Historical fiction at its finest. I was spellbound by the story and appreciated the thorough author's notes in which she shares her sources.

 In The Correspondent, Sybil writes letters, and this easy-to-read novel basically tells us all we need to know about our main character through letters that she both writes and receives. She has the benefit of looking back on a long, rich life, full of experiences both thrilling and mundane. She values letter-writing, and uses her skill to communicate not only with family and friends, but also with others she wishes to "connect" with - she just has a knack for knowing that they'd appreciate and respond to a hand-written letter. A plot does unfold in all these letters, and it forces Sybil to come to grips with some parts of her life she'd spent years avoiding. It was quite the satisfying little book.

Two others I recommend, but will dispense with a detailed synopsis, are Broken Country and We Begin At the End. I enjoyed them both, and would read other titles by both authors. 

These books were all pretty highly acclaimed and took weeks or months to come to me on my Libby app that I have through the library. In between these excellent reads, I read a lot of less-than-literary cop novels - bad language, gritty crime scenes, and formulaic plots. I don't mind them, and they sure make me appreciate getting to enjoy some superbly crafted works like the ones recommended above.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne 

Snowbird Reading

Since retiring, nearly all of my reading has been done with audio books. For a formerly confirmed book-in-hands kinda' gal, this change in preference is rather surprising. The benefit of this switch to preferring audio is the ability it gives me to multi-task. A book in my ear and a large stack of chain-piecing makes a perfect combination. 

One of the many aspects of not knowing what to expect with our recent snowbird experience - would I be able to incorporate a literary element into our vacation experiment? As it turns out, I did exactly what I do here at home - long miles of chain-piecing and an audio book queued up. Worked like a dream.

I read six books, some I would recommend; others perhaps not. I won't give an in-depth review, but I will share overall impressions. First, I re-read To Kill A Mockingbird because I then wanted to read the follow-up book Go Set A Watchman. I briefly alluded to this in a previous post.

I was glad to re-read TKAM; after so many years, there was much I'd forgotten. GSAW was not nearly as satisfying, unfortunately. I imagined how Scout would grow up and how she'd behave as an adult; the way she is depicted in that later version just didn't fit. She was a complainer and a whiner - much too willing to jump to false conclusions than seemed implausible. For a little girl who thought her father could do no wrong, she sure was more than willing to see otherwise in the sequel. I just didn't care much for the book and I was really glad to be finished with it. I actually thought of just quitting about halfway through, but figured I owed it to Harper Lee to give her a chance at character growth on Scout's part. I suppose in the end she did, but it wasn't at all satisfying.

Next, I read Weyward. I wasn't so sure I was in the mood for this mixture of magical realism and historical fiction, but this book turned out to be quite a great little adventure. The mystique of women with particular skills in medicine, potions and tinctures that reappear in later generations fascinated me. This tale contained stories from three time-periods, all of which were captivating and satisfying. The present-day character solves family mysteries, and she learns of sad realities endured by her ancestors. I enjoyed this immensely and highly recommend.

Then, Yellowface came up in the queue. Almost immediately, I was not impressed as the main character follows through with a reprehensible lie right from the start. It was really hard to like this girl, and that just doesn't normally go hand-in-hand with protagonists. I stayed with it, however, because - 1) it came with a good recommendation from a source I normally trust, 2) the character worked in the publishing industry, and it was rather interesting to see the inner working of all that, and 3) surely, (I hoped) she would eventually come clean with her "lie" and be all the better for it. Well, I suppose it was worth the time I spent finishing it, but I'm not really crazy to recommend it. I know there are lots of better books.

The River We Remember was great. Such an impressive sense of setting, Krueger outdid himself with the slow, easy development of the plot. I liked the characters and their backstories were engaging. The characters are vastly diverse - a Native American with his Japanese wife, an aging small town deputy, a "lady lawyer" and a good, old-fashioned journalist. I will read more by Krueger, for sure.

Last, Horse by Geraldine Brooks arrived on my shelf, and I was very eager to read this simply because I am such a fan of this author, having read nearly all of her best works. I did love this, and she continues to impress the heck out of me with the extent of her research, but I won't rank it up there with People of the Book or Year of Wonders or March. 

All the information on the horses, the history of horse racing, breeding records, the invaluable parts played by trainers and jockeys and investors and slaves and wealthy landowners and free blacks - all so very fascinating. What soured me was Brooks' tendency to tell the reader what to think about certain present day hot-button issues. I would prefer that she leave that to the reader; we are generally intelligent enough to see the issues presented, and can form our own opinions, whether they agree with hers or not. So I do definitely recommend Horse, but with the warning that there will be some politicizing in the latter half of the novel.

That concluded my Florida reading, As we headed for Ohio, I had Charles Frazier's The Trackers on the audio earbuds. You remember, I hope, Cold Mountain and Varina, both of which were excellent. The same author gives us this book and since being home, I've finished it and highly recommend it. Set during the depression in a small Wyoming town, the main character has a job through the WPA, but ends up doing far more than painting a mural in the post office. He gets caught up in the lives of a few of the townspeople, and the action moves across America before it's over. I definitely recommend.

I'm currently at retreat and did not bring my computer, so I will be MIA until at least Friday. I will have plenty of pictures and tales of all the projects, so come back later to check on my reports of all our sewing fun.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

March Wrap Up

We are slowly recovering from the recent stomach bug, but are slower than we'd like to be in once again feeling "normal." This has made me late with actually getting April underway, so I may as well finish off March with a quick wrap-up.

My collage contains two main subjects: Cate and Florida. Very little quilting, but that's okay. Let's get to the details.

ROW 1: Cate shows her happy little smile wearing a pretty spring hat. I tried really hard to finish the floral diamond quilt; I did not achieve that goal, however. On a pretty March day, DH and I drove my mom to nearby Peebles, OH, to visit with her one remaining uncle, my great Uncle John.

ROW 2: Cate again. In this photo, she has her bare feet touching the grass in our front yard. She seemed fascinated with being outdoors. From our yard and DH's hard garden work, we had an abundance of daffodils for cutting. The family in Florida pitched in to help us paint our new vacation home. Here, first cousin David and his wife Dawn are tackling the family room ceiling.

ROW 3: That same Florida family was always eager and willing to hit up area restaurants for dinner. We were especially big fans of a Mexican place in Inverness. Oh Cate! You adorable thing! Sporting all the accessories! And my most-focused on efforts of late - the flowers for a Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt.

I cannot recall when I've been so late in sharing a finish for the new year. Perhaps I will be able to do so this month. That remains to be seen.

I spent a bit of time back at the table in the quilting room, cutting strips and squares out of scraps. It is a job that will take a lot of time. I do listen to a good audio book while working, which keeps me entertained; I mustn't complain, after all I created the scrappy mess.

Current audiobook: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. I am late getting to this one; it came out 10 years ago, and won the 2014 Pulitzer for fiction.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Two Book Recommendations

Based on the very little sewing I've done lately my March goals may be just a tad too lofty. Oh, well, instead of news from the quilting room, let me share with you a couple of excellent books I've recently finished.

In looking for a photo to share here, I discovered that there are quite a few links to discussions of I Must Betray You, which of course, I perused. First, it is considered YA fiction, which I completely did not pick up on while reading it. Shame on me for that! I taught high school and college English for over 40 years! With a teenage main character, though, it totally works for teens. It would be a fascinating book to read with young people now that I think on it.

The novel is set in Communist Romania in the late 1980s just prior to and including the 1989 revolution. I was a young working mother at the time, and while I was aware of the horror stories on the news, I didn't have a depth of knowledge about the conditions and strife occurring there. This book provided quite an education for me, consequently, at the oppression Romanians suffered under the communist rule of Nicolae Ceausescu and his armed spies and informers. They recruited regular everyday citizens to be informers which resulted in no one being able to trust even their closest family members. Mothers, fathers, siblings, best friends - all were suspicious. The level of fear and suspicion grew as the story unfolded, and I was left wondering just how deeply the informing had seeped into the circle of our main character's family and friends. 

I highly recommend. Here are some links that were of interest to me; it looks as if it is being made into a movie. Ruta Sepetys homepage  United Pop  YouTube trailer  Amazon

After finishing I Must Betray You, I was reluctant to begin another book. It had a significant lingering effect. However, I did start another book, and it was just as wonderful, thankfully.

Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave is just as gripping and rewarding a read. A whole lot of WWII fiction has been released lately, so I was skeptical that yet another telling would really offer nothing new. This book, however, offered up characters who engaged in the war effort in ways I'd not previously considered. The setting is London and our characters are young adults with a certain amount of privilege in their background and upbringing. However, they do their parts with heartbreaking results, in some cases. I was most captivated by the amazing prose of the author. I listened to an audio book but would totally consider buying a copy just to reread and underline some of his incredible descriptions and comparisons. Poetry on every page. Here are some links to investigate. Amazon  Publisher/Author Page  Goodreads 

Now I must get going! 

Happy Quilting, Friends!

On the Audio Book Playlist

One way for me to keep myself on task in the the sewing room is to have a good audio book queued up on my library app. Here are some good ones that I've listened to recently.

The Power of Moments was so good that I listened to it twice. It is nonfiction and delves into how to create more memorable moments in our lives and the lives of others - loved ones, co-workers, strangers, even. If I were still in the classroom, I would have a lot of good ideas to add into my teaching. I shared a good section with my daughter who works in HR - as a young professional, she could definitely use the ideas presented in this book.

Not all of my reading has been nonfiction. More often than not, I read fiction. These next few - all mysteries - have been quite satisfying. 

If I were to rank these three, Before the Fall would take top billing. The main character was a man with character, an unfailing moral compass - upstanding, honest, following his conscience at every obstacle. A rare breed, for sure, but I sure did like his heroic efforts in this book. I see that it is being made into a movie; it'll be a good one, in my opinion.

The other two were entertaining, but I can't rave about either one of them, truth be told. I actually had to review the blurb on The Last Thing He Told Me, because I couldn't recall the story line.  Embarrassing, but true. That doesn't make it a bad book; that just tells you something about my short-term memory. 

Listening to books while I sew doesn't have to be the most riveting material. I am content with whatever can occupy my brain while I am stitching or pressing or whatever. Well, I do have standards, though, and not everything makes the cut. There have been a few that were so uninteresting that I quit them after a few chapters.

 

Let me tell you about my backup plan for when I am waiting on bestsellers to make their way to my library card.

I determined a couple of years ago, that I would find authors I liked who had an extensive list of titles from which to choose. I went through a gazillion novels by Vince Flynn, Ann Cleeves, Susan Meissner, Alllyson K. Abbott; Louise Penny, Brad Thor, and more. With most of these, I tried to read in order if the characters were recurring and a timeline existed from one novel to the next. 

My current novelist of choice is Philippa Gregory, whose incredible list of historical fiction titles has kept me entertained for many months. Her knowledge and storytelling prowess of the history of the kings and queens of England is beyond compare. She is the very best in the telling of the stories of the royals throughout England's history. I determined that I would read these novels in chronological order and so it takes awhile if I need to wait on one title or another. Generally, though, the titles are so plentiful that I am not waiting long. I can just about always get something from her to fill down time. And I am not so demanding about staying in chronological order as I was at the beginning.

The King's Curse is my current read. It is the tale of the reign of King Henry VIII, told from the perspective of Margaret Pole, who was descended from the Plantagenets, the family deposed by the Tudors. I have a natural curiosity about all these historic royals, and I am forever impressed by how skillfully Gregory can tell these stories from such diverse points of view. In one book, for example, she tells a story that sheds a particular character in a negative light, yet can come back in a later tale, and show that same character in a positive light. Quite impressive. 

I can do a lot of sewing with a good book playing in my ear; whiling away many hours in the sewing room this way, and I am content to do so.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Reading While I Sew

You may know by now that I have a propensity for doing two things at once. Case in point: I am still making blocks for two quilts - the great granny squares and the trip around the world squares.

Since early in retirement, I picked up the audio book habit. Formerly, an avid book-in-my-hand reader, I tried listening while sewing, and I liked it a lot. I learned that when doing just basic things that require little concentration, I could also do lots of reading. I loved the idea of completing two things at once. I also learned that I cannot under any circumstances listen while measuring or cutting, nor can I listen while long-arming. Pressing, trimming, chain-piecing - these are great times to have an audio book going.

Recently, my Overdrive app contained these titles. What's the chance of having three books with the word 'stars' in the titles? Mighty strange coincidence, I would say. 

The picture is small which makes it hard to see the titles. They are The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue; When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McClain; and Raft of Stars by Andrew Graff.

These are a mixed bag of books covering a wide range of topics. The Pull of Stars covers just 3 days in a Dublin hospital during the 1918 flu epidemic. The stress of the flu has put incredible pressures and conditions on the staff, including the main character, a nurse in a labor and delivery ward. The topic was timely with our recent pandemic experiences. While some rather graphic hospital procedures were realistically detailed, the story kept me engaged. Until the very end, that is, when our main character  suddenly behaves entirely differently, totally unexpected and out-of-character, in my opinion. The ending of this book took such a ridiculous turn, leaving this reader to wonder what on earth causes authors to take such tangents in concluding a book. I was quite dissatisfied, and very reservedly would I recommend it based on the contrived present-day, social agenda-driven ending.

When the Stars Go Dark is a crime detective tale involving teenage runaways and/or kidnappings. Referencing several real-life crimes, this fictional mystery is told from a detective's perspective with a similar history involving a childhood friend. I was engaged while listening, but the story must not have been overly memorable, because I had to refer to the Goodreads synopsis for help in recalling it. I guess that means I cannot honestly give it raving reviews.

The most satisfying of these three books was Raft of Stars which qualifies as a young-adult title, in my opinion. Think of a modern-day (1994) Huckleberry Finn. The characters are well-developed; adults are caring and responsible; kids are kids. This book would be great to recommend to young readers, say middle-school and up. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

A more recent title filling my ears was 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard. From the beginning, I felt as though I probably was not going to enjoy the book - it deals with the 2020 shut down, a murder scene found right at the very beginning, and a preposterously poor decision by the female main character. I had misgivings, for sure, but I stayed with it. Twists occur, and I certainly did not see it ending as it did. The background story of the pandemic and how it was handled in Ireland was interesting, and overall, the book was though-provoking. I do think the characters behaved foolishly, but given the pandemic situation, maybe it could be believed. I suppose I am glad I read it, but gosh, reading so soon after the pandemic? I might not be ready!

I am packing today for retreat, and I have a few household things to check off my list before being gone a whole week. Busy, busy!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Best Books of 2021

 Since I recapped my top makes of the previous year, I decided to also recap my top reads as well. As a book lover who held on way, way too long to the notion of "I'm a reader, not a listener" of books, I have converted 100% to audio books since retiring in 2009. I can get into such a good sewing groove with a good book going alongside me. I love the multitasking aspect of it - stay engaged with a book while also making a quilt. Win-win!

Late last month, I counted all my reads for 2021 - 38 titles on my list. Of those, 3 were DNF - did not finish. So the net total for last year is 35. Considering all the weeks spent taking vacations (I never listen to a book while with DH), I am pleased with 35. For some reason, I felt as though I'd read fewer. And I did read fewer than 2020. Not concerning. A fluctuating total is to be expected, I think.

The six book represented in the collage represent my top 6 reads of 2021. Gosh, these were good books for a variety of very different reasons, by my estimation.

The Book of Lost Friends - I still am haunted by the Wingate book - so beautifully written about a topic that had never occurred to me before - how did freed slaves find their lost loved ones after the Civil War? 

The River - this is the one book I sorta' wish I'd had a physical copy of just so that I could look at the words on the pages. Heller's prose is wonderful, and had I my own copy, it'd be underlined all over the place. The plot was exceptional - again, very unique in its perspective. 

A Place Called Wisdom - my book club read this together, and what a fantastic discussion. It is a coming of age story about a boy who encounters some really diverse and interesting people on his way back to being reunited with his grandmother. Very poignant and quite engaging.

The Overstory - This is the book for my intellectual self; gosh, was it a challenge! Not so much in that it was hard to read; rather, it had such big thoughts. I sometimes felt as if my brain were incapable of pondering such intellectual notions. I am sure that if I were to read it again, I would understand it so much more clearly. Such an academic book, but I found that I connected with all the characters. It is an impressive book; one that weaves story lines together so cleverly and so subtly. I doubt I ever will reread it, but I am sure I would gain new insights were I to do so.

The Last Days of Night - The entire time I read this book, I kept thinking that it would be a fabulous movie. I later learned that it is indeed being made into a movie. That is definitely one I will see. It is about the invention of the AC and DC current. That saga is basically a feud between Thomas Edison (who won the race) and Nikolai Tesla. It was a cut-throat battle, one that is very well told in this book.

Surviving Savannah - The oft-used technique of a present-day story told alongside an historic one has become quite popular, some done more successfully than others. This one succeeded, in my opinion, and I was engaged by both story lines. The historic one wins out, though, as they so often do. I learned about an actual event that I wasn't even aware of having happened - a shipwreck off the North Carolina coast in post-Civil War era. The ship left from Savannah, GA. It obviously predates the Titanic, but the two catastrophes had definite similarities.

Have you read anything good yet in 2022? I have 3 books downloaded on my Overdrive App at the moment, yet I fear all of them will have to be renewed next month. They are: 1) Bring Up the Bodies, by Hilary Mantel, 2) These Is My Words by Nancy E. Turner, and 3) The Book That Matters Most by Ann Hood. 

I am not going to get a single one done, let alone three! Vacationing is not a time for me to be reading. I will be doubling down when we get back home and I return to the quilting room.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Books and Quilts

It's no secret that I love reading almost as much as I love quilting, so I thought it time to share some of my recent reads. Since the first of the year, I account for having read 23 books - all but one were audio books.  I will share seven which were exceptionally good in that they left lasting impressions well after finishing. Books with some sort of impact - are memorable, thought-provoking, tap one's curiosity, show evidence of skillful writing, or are exceptionally well-researched - all these factor into my ranking system. Then, I will show just pictures of most of the rest at the end.

The River - Excellent writing; great setting in remote country the of northern Canadian forests; gripping plot. This mystery had me on the edge of my seat. I will definitely read more by Peter Heller.

The Last Days of Night - Exceptionally researched book about the invention of the light bulb and the war of AC vs. DC currents. The big players of the times were all here in this book - Edison, Westinghouse, Tesla - told from the perspective of Westinghouse's lawyer. Fascinating history that I knew little about; I stopped reading more than once to Google information. I kept talking about the book to my husband, and said this would make a great movie - guess what? It is being made into a movie!

The Book of Lost Friends - The setting is the deep South in the years following the Civil War. Freed slaves use pamphlets shared by black churches to post want ads looking for loved ones separated by the ugly selling practices of slavery. Based on factual advertisements, the author creates a fantastic story with memorable, resourceful characters. 

The Echo Maker and The Overstory - two books by Richard Powers are probably the most 'academic' books of the bunch. Especially with The Overstory, I wondered more than once if I were smart enough to read the book. Powers possesses a brilliant mind commanding an incredible range of knowledge. The way he weaves diverse topics into a plot is as skillful as any I have ever read. These were not "light reads;" rather, they required my concentration and attention, but were totally worth it. I will read more by Powers.

Once Upon A River - Wonderful, magical storytelling. Setterfield writes with such impressive attention to details in her weaving of this novel. The Goodreads blurb says it perfectly: "...a glorious tapestry of a book that combines folklore and science, magic and myth. Suspenseful, romantic, and richly atmospheric, the beginning of this novel sweeps you away on a powerful current of storytelling, transports you through worlds both real and imagined, to the triumphant conclusion whose depths will continue to give up their treasures long after the last page is turned." Yes. Yes. Yes.

The Midnight Library - The one book I read the old-fashioned way, rather than listened to. This one might be my least favorite of the best books. The thing that fascinated me was the examination of life's "what-ifs." Consider the idea of how a seemingly simple choice in one's life could result in the most significant impact. The plot is based on the notion that one might stop between life and death to see what might have been. For example, what might have happened if you'd said yes instead of no to to coffee with a complete stranger? In the midnight library, the main character is given a glimpse of what her life might have been had she said yes to coffee, and lots of other what-ifs, too. Issues involving mental health are subtly suggested through a carefully measured melding of magical realism and science fiction.

These seven books top my 23 reads so far in 2021. The rest are just good, entertaining books - they enchant me with great characters, clever plots, captivating settings, and often, historical perspective. I do tend to prefer historical fiction - any era of history suits. Here are some of the others, without commentary.

Note on the next two titles: I am reading Philippa Gregory historical fiction in chronological order, which means I often have to wait awhile on certain titles. Murder on the Rocks is the first of 5 books in the Mack's Bar Mysteries by Allyson K. Abbott; I finished all of them.

And, for you quilters who want to see quilt-related pictures, let me share one in-progress photo of a quilt I am about to have finished to the flimsy stage. I will do a more complete post on it later this week.

Happy Reading and Happy Quilting, Friends!