"Outside a dog a book is man's best friend, inside a dog it is too dark to read!" -Groucho Marx========="The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." -Jane Austen========="I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book."-JK Rowling========"I spend a lot of time reading." -Bill Gates=========“Ahhh. Bed, book, kitten, sandwich. All one needed in life, really.” -Jacqueline Kelly=========

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Review and quotes: HELLO BEAUTIFUL


Title:
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

Book Beginnings quote:
For the first six days of William Waters's life, he was not an only child. He had a three-year-old sister, a redhead named Caroline after John F. Kennedy's daughter.
Friday56 quote:
Sylvie had read somewhere that the more times a story was told, the less accurate it became. Humans were prone to exaggeration; they leaned away from the parts of the narrative they found boring and leaned into the exciting spots. Details and timelines changed over years of repetition. The story became more myth and less true. Sylvie thought about how she and William rarely told their story and felt pleased; by not being shared, their love story remained intact.
Summary: 
William Waters grew up in a house silenced by tragedy, where his parents could hardly bear to look at him, much less love him. So it’s a relief when his skill on the basketball court earns him a scholarship to college, far away from his childhood home. He soon meets Julia Padavano, a spirited and ambitious young woman who surprises William with her appreciation of his quiet steadiness. With Julia comes her family; she is inseparable from her three younger sisters: Sylvie, the dreamer, is happiest with her nose in a book and imagines a future different from the expected path of wife and mother; Cecelia, the family’s artist; and Emeline, who patiently takes care of all of them. Happily, the Padavanos fold Julia’s new boyfriend into their loving, chaotic household.

But then darkness from William’s past surfaces, jeopardizing not only Julia’s carefully orchestrated plans for their future, but the sisters’ unshakeable loyalty to one another. The result is a catastrophic family rift that changes their lives for generations. Will the loyalty that once rooted them be strong enough to draw them back together when it matters most? (Publisher)

Review: I finished this book in September in time for book club where we were to discuss it and then I had to miss the meeting. Darn. I would have loved to be there for that one. Here is what I said on my Goodreads review right after I finished it. I think you'll get the point that it was a very impactful book...

Okay. First piece of advice: Listen to the audiobook with the speed bumped up. I listened at 1.3 speed and that was almost too slow.

Second piece of advice: Drink plenty of Gatorade before or during the last twenty percent of the book. I didn't and I feel lightheaded and dehydrated from my tears. At one point I had to stop listening just so I could get control of my sobbing. SOBBING.

Thirdly, don't build up too much expectation about Little Women and the similarities. It is there, but just a tiny bit and if you wait around for it you'll be disappointed.

Fourthly, if you have any siblings, call or text them and tell them you love them before it is too late and you don't get any more chances. Wouldn't that be the worst thing? Not to fix what is broken while you still have a chance? 
Here come the tears again...



-Anne

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Nonfiction November Wrap-up, Week Five


Hi everyone. Another Nonfiction November is rapidly coming to an end. For Week Five I am supposed to report on all the nonfiction titles I added to my TBR this month after reading about new books on others' blogs. I admit I didn't do this. I did visit others' blogs but I am focused right now on a ginormous list of nominated nonfiction titles for the Cybils Award (over 240 books). As a Round 2 judge in that category I thought I'd use the month to get a jump on some of the books that may make the finalists lists.

Here are the nonfiction books I read this month, by category. No bragging, though it will seem like I am, but I read a lot of books this month:

Cybils Nominated Books -- Elementary Nonfiction

 



















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After reading these eighteen books, and several others completed in October from this category, I decided that I liked them all. The five star books are just a bit more interesting or engaging to me than the four star books. So I decided to spend the rest of my pre-judging period in November and December focusing on the middle grade and high school nonfiction nominated books. They take much longer to read and the quality seems to vary much more.

Cybils Nominated -- Middle Grades Nonfiction 









Cybils Nominated -- High School Nonfiction (Both read and currently reading)





























And a memoir which is a graphic memoir (so it is not in the nonfiction category.)











Nonfiction/Cybils titles currently on my TBR at the library waiting for me:























I did manage to read one memoir not related to Cybils and attempted to read another but abandoned it during this month of read nonfiction.


















Nonfiction books I've recently added to my TBR on goodreads (in the last two months):

































So that is my Nonfiction November. I read 23 nonfiction titles, most of them children's books but I did learn a lot from them. I am currently working on two more books for Cybils, have nine in the queue at the library and five newly posted nonfiction titles to my Goodreads TBR. Whew!

Thanks to hosts for making Nonfiction November possible.

And thanks to my readers for your enthusiasm and support.

Anne

Monday, November 27, 2023

TTT: Books Set in New England


Top Ten Tuesday: Books Set in New England

I've never visited this part of the United States, except through literature. Here are some good books set at least in part in New England: 

New Hampshire

Maine

New Hampshire

Massachusetts

Massachusetts

Maine

Massachusetts

Vermont

Connecticut

Massachusetts

Apparently I haven't read any books set in Rhode Island recently. I only found one book, My Sister's Keeper by Picoult, that I've read but it was a long time ago. Help. Any good suggestions?

-Anne

Sunday, November 26, 2023

Sunday Salon -- Nov. 26, 2023

One family: half Beavers, half Ducks.


Weather: Cold and clear. It was sunny today but chilly. Temperatures at night are below freezing.

Fiasco, part 2: Last year (2022) our family Thanksgiving ended up being a fiasco. If you don't believe me, read this. Though on a much smaller scale, this year started to shape up into another fiasco but never fully developed into one. This time it was again related, in part, to disease, but the house also conspired against us. 
  • We were set to stay at Mom's house, while my brother and his wife would stay at my sister's house. When Mom came down with bronchitis earlier in the week, we shifted our plans to squeeze in over at my sister's house.
  • As we were driving down the freeway we got  message from my sister to be prepared -- the upstairs toilet was clogged and there was no time to call a plumber. No big deal they have two toilets downstairs. Just an inconvenience.
  • We got in late so everyone was in bed as we prepared for bed, we couldn't get any hot water to wash our hands and face. The next morning we discovered why, the hot water heater was malfunctioning. Not only were showers out but dishes had to be washed by hand, since dishwashers are designed to work with hot water. We had to heat water on the stove to wash the dishes. After our Thanksgiving meal, we started using paper plates to cut down on what needed to be washed.
  • Mom did not join us for the holiday meal, nor did my nephew and his family. A meal planned for thirteen was quickly pared down to seven. We had a lovely meal, though, and there was plenty of food, actually way too much.
  • The next day was the 'Civil War' football game between University of Oregon and Oregon State University. Our family is split in half. Half Beavers, half Ducks. Mom had planned to feed the football game goers before we headed to the stadium, but she still wasn't feeling up to it, so we dropped in, said hi, and headed to the game. After the game, we all ate pie intended for the Thanksgiving meal. Poor Mom stayed up to see us in and then took herself to bed. Don and I took a shower at her house after the game, taking advantage of her hot water.
  • Except for our worry about Mom's health, it was a very wonderful family time together.
Books:
  • Currently reading:
    • Babel by R.F. Kuang. This popular story with the subtitle: An Archaic History of Oxford is part magic, part historical, part sci-fi, and all wonderful. We are listening to this big book. We've  pared down the 21 hours to 10 1/2 hours left to go. 
    • Ruined by Reading by Lynne Sharon Schwartz. It is a short memoir about the author's life in books.
  • Recently finished:
    • The Ladies of Missalonghi by Colleen McCullough. I've read this short book three or four times. I love it's simple plot. It was a fast read for me.
    • The Other Eden by Paul Harding. A fictional account about a true story. Back in the early 1900s families were evicted off a small island off the State of Maine. They were evicted because of their abject poverty and for racist reasons. I felt like crying the whole time I listened to this audiobook, a National Book Award finalist.
    • A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat. A graphic memoir about the summer between middle and high school and a trip that changed everything for Dan. This book was the National Book Award winner for Young People's Literature. Wonderful. 
  • What's Next?
    • Huda F. Cares? by Huda Fahmy. Another National Book Award finalist. This is a graphic novel and sequel to Huda F. Are You?
    • The Land of Lost Things by John Connolly. I loved the first book in this series, which was published in 2006, so I am really looking forward to this sequel.
Politics: Ha-ha. I actually ignored politics all week. What a refreshing concept.

Comics: 









-Anne

Thursday, November 23, 2023

Review and quotes: A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING

A graphic memoir.


Title: A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat

Opening quote:
"I grew up in a small town just outside of Los Angeles." pg. 1


Friday56 (pag 56) quote:
Charles De Gaulle Airport: "Okay, everyone grab your bags! After you do that we'll all end up at the south end of the baggage claim!" Okay, let's go get our stuff." Come on, Dan."


Summary: After being bullied all the way through middle school Dan has low expectations about everything, including the three-week trip to Europe with other students his age. "But during his travels, a series of first begin to change him -- first Fanta, first fondue, and maybe even...first girlfriend?" The book is heartfelt and heartwarming. It also felt so true. Do you remember those torturous middle school years? How did we survive?

Review: On November 15, 2023, just a few days ago, the National Book Award for Young People's literature went to this book A First Time for Everything. Since I always try to read at least two of the National Book Award winners or finalists, it was a no-brainer that I would select this book. I enjoy graphic memoirs if they are done well -- and this one is. It felt so true -- the awkwardness, the uncertainty, the mixed-up emotions, the abrupt shifts in moods. Dan Santat nailed them all. I loved the message about how travel can really help us get a new perspective on ourselves, too.

The book is labeled at a memoir for middle grade readers but I think it fits more in the YA milieu. As an adult, I loved it and didn't feel like I was reading a book for little kids either. I'd age range it 12 years to adults. If your library doesn't have a copy, be sure to request that they buy one.

-Anne

Monday, November 20, 2023

TTT: Thankful for books


Top Ten Tuesday: I'm thankful for books because---


1. Entertainment. I don't get bored because I always have a book or two or three to read. Others may cast about looking for fun. Not me. I just jump into a book.

2. Conversation starters. I am pretty shy so small talk is hard for me. But I have found that books are great conversation starters. "Have you read any good books lately?" almost always works to break the ice.

3. Travel. I get to travel to new lands or worlds without leaving my chair and/or travel guides are very helpful when visiting new places.

4. Connection with my husband and daughters. My husband and I listen to audiobook when we take car trips. We often stop the book and discuss the plot or topic. Both of my daughters are readers. After years of reading to them, they are now making book recommendations for me. Family bonding over books/audiobooks.

5. Comfort and inspiration. I read poetry and devotional books. I often find comfort in the words of these books when I am low or hurting.

6. Help me relate to others. Through books I learn about people who are different than me and I learn tolerance and empathy by reading about their lives.

7. Knowledge. I read quite a lot of nonfiction. I crave learning new information and growing as an individual. Books help me do that.

8. Book clubs. Book clubs are fun and a wonderful way to meet to keep friends.

9. Time with grandsons. I LOVE reading books with my grandsons. Having them sitting next to me and us focusing on a story together is priceless.

10. Gifts. Books make great gifts. My mother especially likes to receive books.

And I am very thankful for you, my bookish friends. Book bloggers are the best! 

-Anne

Saturday, November 18, 2023

Sunday Salon: Thankfulness edition 2023

Everglades National Park. Photo credit: Don Bennett, Oct. 2023.

Weather: Variety. I am grateful for all weather. Right now I am grateful for rain. The earth needs it!

Thankful: Today I dedicate this post to thankfulness. In the midst of pain and strife we all still have a lot to be thankful for. Today and this week I celebrate those things.

Family:

Taken this last summer, this is most of my family.

Don and me with our daughters after seeing the Broadway touring production of SIX in Seattle.

Our grandsons and their parents. June 2023, Whistler, BC.

My siblings and I with Mom on her 94th birthday

Getting ready for a football game with our cousins. All of us in the photo attended the University of Oregon. Missing Dad and Brad, also Duck fans, who live on inside us!.


Friends: I don't often take photos when I am with people but sometimes I snag them when others do. 

My college roommate joined us for a football game a few weeks ago. We win the prize for the most colorful fans, don't you think?

Best friends. Crescent Lake. Mar. 2023.


Pets: 
Carly's cats: Fred and George

Rita's cats: Skimble and Sasha, all scrunched together in a box.

Bingley

Books:

The books I completed this past week and those I am currently reading.

Our church: Don and I don't live very close to extended family. Our church has become our nearby family and our beloved community.

Our little church: Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian Church

This new food discovery: Of course I love food. We all do. But I am wondering what took me 66+ years to discover caramelized spiced pears. They are delicious by themselves, as an ice cream topping, even as a hot cereal topping. I bet they would also work as a pie filling. If you come to my house for a meal, this is what I will be serving for dessert. (Link to recipe.)
Caramelized spiced pears. Photo credit

Living in the Pacific Northwest: Where we have beautiful scenery, mountains and the ocean just an hour or two apart. 
Mount Rainier National Park, Paradise. Jan. 2021. Just a little over an hour from our home.

National Parks: While I'm thinking about nature. Here's a shout out to our National Parks. We've visited seven of them this year. All were gorgeous and amazing. Such beauty.

A view of the giant sequoias from inside a dead tree. Kings Canyon National Park, California. May 2023.

Magnificent giants. The biggest (not quite tallest) trees on earth.


Sunrise from Dante's Point. Death Valley National Park, California. May 2023.

Double Vision. Crescent Lake, Olympic National Park, Washington State. March 2023.

Haleakala National Park. View of the volcano's crater. Feb. 2023. Maui, Hawaii.

Petroglyphs at Hospital Rock, Sequoia National Park, California. May 2023.

Out in Biscayne Bay National Park with Miami in the background. Oct, 2023.

Everglades. Great Egret. Oct. 2023


Trip of a lifetime: to retrace the steps of our paternal grandfather who traveled from Panama to Ecuador and all the way down the Amazon River in 1923. (See my post about the trip here.)
The five of us (and the boat driver) having a blast in the Panama Canal, Oct. 2023.

Funnies: With a focus on Thanksgiving this week.






Except to thank you, dear reader, for sticking with me!

Happy Thanksgiving (USA) or fourth Thursday in November (the rest of the world.)

-Anne