Category: reading

book-review, books, Family Drama, literature, reading

The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick

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The premise of this book is a bit of a stretch, but somehow it works. Olivia (Liv) Green is a 42 year old wife and mother that works as a cleaner. Her sons are almost grown, with one at University and the other getting ready to head off also. Her husband is constantly being summoned by his sister to talk about their family’s business, which he won’t discuss with Liv.

We see Liv at her jobs – one as a commercial cleaner being left to pick up after people that look through her, one where the parents expect her to care for their kids as well as cleaning for the same cost, and one with her favorite author of all time.

On a Friday she wishes the reclusive author, Essie Starling, a pleasant weekend, only to be informed the following week by a solicitor that Essie is dead and left instructions for Liv to finish her last book and that she can’t tell anyone for 6 months that Essie is dead. As Liv takes on the task, she finds self confidence to stand up for herself against everyone that underestimated her abilities – including herself.

As she works to complete the book in a faithful way for the character – her favorite – to complete the 20th and final book of the series, she digs deep into Essie’s past for inspiration. What she finds shakes her to the core, but also provides her strength to create a new path for herself.   

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The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

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James McBride has impeccable timing, befitting an accomplished jazz musician. His latest book, The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, is just like a jazz composition. Each story within it has its own pace, its own focal point, and its own heart, but the soul of all is the same, just like a great improve jazz session. 

You begin with the police asking questions about bones found in a well on Chicken Hill, the poor section of Pottsville, Pennsylvania where Jews and African Americans live together in a marginalized neighborhood. You meet Moshe, a Romanian immigrant and Chona, born in America but marked with a limp from polio. You hear the story of building a dance hall, initially for the Jews of the town, but the expansion of this to provide entertainment for the African Americans also. You meet Nat, Moshe’s right hand with a history of his own, and his wife Addie. You meet their nephew Dodo, who lost both his hearing and his mother because their oven exploded. You meet Big Soap, an Italian immigrant, Fatty, Paper, Bernice, who all grew up in Pottsville, and you hear all their stories. And through this is the friendship of “the best dancer in the world” who was the only Jew left on Chicken Hill when the police came to ask those questions – like the fiddler on the roof.

While each of these stories seems to be separate, all the players you meet are put together for the ultimate coda. Despite the hardships you face because of where you are born, who your family is, your skins color or your religion, your humanity and compassion for others is what will keep life moving forward toward a happy and fulfilling future.  

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Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

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Losing a parent is not easy. The things we cling to that help us keep their memories alive are all different – and different places are specific to these memories too.

This memoir is a review of that pain, and the history of the relationship between a Korean mother and a half Korean American child, Michelle Zauner. This identity was something that needed to be explored as a way to honor her mother’s homeland and her mother. As is so often true, we can find part of our heritage in the foods that are served, and the complicated relationship of what the foods represents.

Michelle is able to come to Eugene, Oregon to help take care of her mother after she is diagnosed with cancer. As Michelle tries to make up for being a “difficult” child, the roles are reversed of caregiver. Michelle begins to see that the foods served to her, the goals set for her, and the items sent to her were all rooted in a fierce love. As Michelle continues to work through the pain that will last as long as she lives, this is an open and honest step toward healing. 

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The Wife, the Maid and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon

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August 6, 1969 Stella Crater walks into a bar, formally a popular speak easy in the 1930s. She sits in a corner table where the bartender brings over two glasses of whiskey with 6 ice cubes each. She waits for someone to come and listen to her confession. It’s been 39 years since her husband’s disappearance. She has been coming here every year on the anniversary of his disappearance to order his favorite drink – for two – to remember her husband. Someone joins her, and asks for her confession.

The story begins in 1930 – Judge Joseph Crater is in Maine, where his wife, a picture perfect wife, is faced with the truth of her husband’s infidelity – again. After an urgent call at dinner, he declares he is to return to New York the next morning. We meet Maria – a domestic that opens the door to her employer’s (the Craters) apartment, thinking they were in Maine, only to find a naked woman, not his wife, in their bed.  And we meet the mistress – Ritzi – who wanted to be a star at any cost. As the story unfolds the days of 1930 are recalled in each woman’s viewpoint. You hear of the corruption of politicians, cops, and everyone in between. You hear how everyone is afraid of Ownie – the gangster that has the run of the town. You hear how easy it is to slide down the slippery slope of corruption.

I will not give anything away, but the twists and turns of the plot kept me guessing mostly, but I was close to the right answers in the end, but still surprised by the way everything happened. The crux of the story was like an O. Henry story. Be careful what you wish for, and be aware of how easy acquiescence can turn to evil.

This is a well written and plotted book. If you are interested in period pieces, this is all about the roaring 30s in New York City, and the corruption that ran the city. The pace of the story and the ultimate ending were a wonderful nod to letting go of yester -year.

book-review, books, mystery, read around the world, reading

Smaller and Smaller Circles by F.H. Batacan

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This is a murder mystery in the poorest of neighborhoods of Quezon City. With officials stretched with limited resources and hamstrung by apathy and politics that surround a post-Marcos regime in the Philippines, there appears to be a serial killer preying on young boys. Two Jesuit priests, Father Gus Saenz, a forensic anthropologist and his colleague/friend Father Jerome Lucero, a psychologist, are brought in by the Director of the National Bureau of Investigations (NBI) to help solve the case.

Throughout the story the prominence of both the Catholic Church and the government are highlighted – in both positive and negative light. The Priests have been fighting the church to bring to light allegations of abuse for a Cardinal, who simply gets re-assigned, exposing others to his power. Additionally, they are working with people in the NBI that are more concerned with getting credit for solving a crime than for actually finding the real killer. In both ways, Fathers Gus and Jerome are working to protect the young and vulnerable that have no power or voice.

This theme – the need to protect those that are the most vulnerable – is evident in all they do. As the mystery of the murders becomes clearer, the pain of the truth they uncover is heartbreaking.

This is truly a study of the need to have transparency for those in power, and an indictment of what “society” deems as truly important. I want to read more of this crime solving duo.

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Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt #8 of the Seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley (and finished by her son)

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After spending years reading the Seven Sisters books, all epic tales of adventure for an adopted child of “Pa Salt” in Geneva, Switzerland, I was eager to hear the origin story at last. Each sister is named for one of the seven stars in the constellation Seven Sisters.  I had read the books mid-way through their being published, so I had to wait for the last 3 to be published before I could read them. That made this last book a little challenging. Having taken the books from the library, I didn’t have them with me to use as reference to double check or remind myself of things that were being referenced in this new book, and it has been years since I read some of them.

Even with this challenge, it was interesting to read Pa Salt’s story. While fantastical in nature, it was true to the original stories told in the initial books, while fleshing out questions. It took no time to backtrack on items, it just plowed forward with the story and brought you along. After being left hanging at the end of the 7th book, this left me far more satisfied. The loose strings were tied up in pretty bows for me, just as I had expected.

While I would not call this “high literature,” this series takes you on a global tour where you learn of places and industries that you would never have thought of before. I have learned about the building of Rio’s Christ the Redeemer, of flamenco dancing, concertos, book selling, gardening, race riots, and opal mining. Places from all over the world were visited with characters that you care about and that take time to learn from the histories in each area of the world.

Well worth the read – and possible re-read too!

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Dinner at the center of the Earth by Nathan Englander

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This is a complex story told in different alternating timelines. You need to make sure you check the date before reading each chapter. A psychological thriller, you learn of Prisoner X, a man that is only known to be held captive by his guard, his mother, and the General who had put him in the cell.  You see the prisoner and the guard taunting each other, but yet befriending each other. There is no one else to talk to, nor has there been for the last 14 years.

Ruthie is the General’s right hand. She has been with him, taking care of his every need for decades as he lay in a coma. She understands him better than the nurses and doctors that are watching over him now. She can sense that he is slipping away. But she is not family, and will not be allowed there at the end, regardless of her endless vigils at his bedside over the last years.

We are now in France, with a blown cover for a spy that is hoping to survive. He is not the best spy, admittedly, as he sees his own faults. But how will he escape to get home to his family?

As these three stories are unfolded, the simmering hate and quest for justice is at the heart of the story. Grudges are paid for before peace is considered. It is in this cycle that the core of the hatred in the Middle East will never end. Those that strive toward “justice” are on a fools errand if they don’t understand that revenge negates this. People on any side of the issue can be friendly and compassionate, but unless the view of “right” and “vengeance” becomes less rigid, how can there be hope? Even in the face of love and passion, this is an uncompromising truth. This compassion must be hidden from everyone, even themselves, because there is no tolerance in either community for any bending of the definitions.

The examination of the deeds that are “unforgivable” in the book are about someone trying to stop the unending cycle of this. The costs of stopping the pain from continuing are just as high, if not higher, than those that are perpetuating its longevity. Until either side is willing to compromise, there will be no peace, internally for these people, or within the world they live.

While I wish there was a hope or a will to put any human life above revenge, I am aware this is a foolish and naïve statement. While one person at a time has changed views, the widespread desire to keep the fires of hate burning do not leave me hopeful. This book underscores this very well. 

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The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

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Prologue: Aiden goes to his favorite place, the public library, to find solace. He picks up his favorite book, Black Water Rising by Attica Lock, and settles in. Someone sits down near him with books, and leaves a note with a list of books, in case you need them.  He ignores it and continues with his own mystery book.

Flash forward and we meet Aleisha, a teenager working at the library. She is bored with the job and doesn’t like it. Mukesh, a widower, comes to the library to return a book his late wife had checked out, The Time Traveler’s Wife, that her read and asks for help on finding another book. Aleisha, being a teenager, was rude. After this happens, her brother, Aiden, tells her she could do better. When she finds a list of books, in case you need them, she begins to take the list seriously, and read each. She then shares this list with Mukesh, one by one.

As each book is read by these people, you see how they are entangled in their own lives, and how they take the lessons from the books to help them through their days. They try to be brave like Atticus in To Kill a Mockingbird, try to learn from not being afraid of Mrs DeWinter in Rebecca, and more. Mukesh finds connections with Aleisha, and others in the world he re-enters after his wife’s death. And he uses these books to help bridge a relationship with his granddaughter, Priya.  There are other copies of the list found, and people who use these to connect to themselves and to others. But who wrote the list?  I will not spoil this for you. 

This story lays out all I hold dear for books. They take you to different worlds, teach you how others live, and provide you with tools to build a better reality based upon what you have learned. They help you build relationships with other who have shared this experience. Books open worlds for everyone. This is a story of how hard life can be and how books can help you through difficult times. I must admit, I will be re-examining these titles again (I have read most of them already but not all).

To Kill A Mockingbird

Rebecca

The Kite Runner

Life of Pi

Pride & Prejudice

Little Women

Beloved

A Suitable Boy

in case you need them

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His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie

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Meet Afi Tekple of Ghana. She is about to married Elikem Ganyo – who will not be at the wedding because of a business trip. We meet Afi’s greedy Uncle Pious, her best friend Mawusi, her mother, and her mother-in-law “Aunty”. At the wedding ceremony Eli’s brother Richard stands in for him.

And we hear the story of when Afi’s father died his brother Pious did not take in Afi and her mother, but Aunty took her in and gave her a place to live and work. How generous and kind Aunty is, and how much Afi and her mother owe her. As the story continues, we learn that Afi has ambitions to be a designer – she is already a seamstress. She agrees to marry Eli, who is with an unsuitable woman according to his family that does not take care of their sickly daughter, because of what is owed to Aunty. But Afi wants the fairytale – to have him fall in love with her, to win his heart.

After the wedding Afi and her mother are sent to Accra, where Richard and Eli live. She is given a flat with modern conveniences she is not accustomed to. Yet Eli still doesn’t come. Afi decides she would like to go to fashion school to help her achieve her own goals. Eli, who she speaks to daily on the phone, supports her both financially and emotionally.  Aunty’s daughter, Eli’s sister, Yaya comes to take Afi to look at schools. As time passes it is apparent to Afi that everyone around her is reporting her actions and interactions with Eli and others back to Aunty, and she is beginning to feel uncomfortable with this – no one seems to be looking out for only her, but to protect what they had been given by Aunty’s “generosity”.

As Afi makes her own friends and her confidence grows in her fashion abilities, she is able to connect with Eli and their marriage becomes closer to what she wants, but the “other woman” remains in the picture. When Afi decides it is time to demand what she wants, regardless of anyone else’s desires, that she begins to grow for herself. As Afi defies Eli’s family, and her own family, she begins to make strides toward building her own dreams.

As Afi continues to grow up and be successful, she continues to be true to herself and her needs and desires. Ultimately this is a story of knowing who you are, what you will accept, and not compromising your values to get part of it.

This was a fun book to read. I look forward to reading more from this author.

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The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters by Balli Kaur Jaswal

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Three sisters bicker across India as they complete a final pilgrimage taking their mother’s ashes to her homeland to be scattered. Each sister, Rajni, Jezmeen and Shirina is harboring secrets and pain as they follow the directions their mother set down for them before she died.

This is a typical story of sisters misunderstanding each other, the culture they live in, and the sacrifices that people make to help them grow. With each step of the journey the sisters face past hurt and current grief, thinking only of themselves. Over the 10 days on the Pilgrimage, they are able to achieve what their mother wanted – to have them face who they really are, and what they really want – to themselves and to each other. Through this journey they are able to come together and stand up for themselves.

Even if the secrets could be guessed at, it was a well written and fun to read book, and there were some twists that I truly didn’t expect. Those kept me on my toes and wanting to read more.