The Leavers by Lisa Ko

Immigration is a passionate issue in America, with loud voices screaming from both sides.  Lisa Ko writes an engaging fictional story depicting what it might be like to "belong" ....and not belong.

Six year old Deming is separated from his birth mother when the hair salon where she worked is raided by ICE.  His well meaning "aunt" signs papers for his adoption by a white family, in a small white community...where he doesn't belong.  He becomes Daniel and tries his best to be assimilated into a new environment....but he forever misses his Chinese mother.

This story evokes so many feelings as I reflect on my 2 adopted grandsons, and my 2 Ethiopian nephews.  Can adoption by parents of a different culture make a difference? How can the parents keep a balance between their love and desire for their kids to become part of their family and culture...but not let the kids' culture and family be left behind?  Lots of unanswered questions to ponder in this novel.

The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff

Pam Jenoff has authored many historical novels, several during the World War II era where she captures a variety of different perspectives and ways in which Jewish people were hidden, and transported to safety from war torn Europe.  This story centers around two young women, Noa and Astrid, both with backgrounds of rejection by those who had loved them.  They meet in Germany in 1944 and work at a German circus, Astrid from a Jewish circus family, and Noa with no circus experience...but hiding a Jewish baby she had discovered in a boxcar full of babies meant to be discarded by the German government.  This was an entirely different storyline.  Jenoff researched the circus aspect of sheltering Jews and based this book on the true story of Irene Danner.  I so admire the courage it took for the German circus-owner to get involved by defying his country and saving those who came into his sphere of control.

As I get older the stories told about my parents' generation hold a special place in my heart.  The history that was happening around them, the ways that they faced the challenges, and their ability to move ahead all make me so proud of them.  This was a good read.

Neighbors With No Doors: The Truth About Homelessness and How You Can Make a Difference by Josiah Haken

"Up until my mid twenties I judged people living on the streets.  I had the typical stereotypes, thinking that people were lazy or that they simply wanted to be homeless.  Josiah Haken's book is something I wish I'd read back then.  It would have been an eye opener for me."  Bob Dalton, podcaster and founder of Sackcloth & Ashes

As my kids and I pulled out of the driveway of the big old house we had called home for eight years, I had to face the very stark facts:  "we are without a place to live and have no foreseeable income."  My husband had left for Michigan a week prior with great intentions of finding a job.  In 1997 the word "homeless" was not a commonly used word, but in reality that's how I felt....we were heading back "home" to stay with my gracious parents until we could figure out what was next in our lives.  The acute feelings of failure, of despair, and of fear overshadowed the mental positive-outlook checklist I had created; we are capable, we will get jobs, we will find a place to live, we will survive.  Amazingly, those things did happen for us, but with over half a million estimated homeless people in the United States today it is obvious that not everyone gets the happy ending. 

Josiah Haken is the CEO of City Relief, a not for profit organization in New York City, working to help change the lives of the Unhoused community.  This compelling easy to read 150 page book debunks the popular myths that surround this group of people:  They are lazy. They are dangerous.  They are mentally ill.  They are druggies.  With over a decade of experience and wisdom in working on the streets of NYC, Josiah brings a compassionate plan to those of us who are confused with how to help in this seemingly hopeless situation.  He starts with the simple premise that we treat them with respect and dignity, advocating that even if we have nothing of monetary value to offer them, we look each one in the eye and greet them.  His standard introduction is, "Hi, I'm Josiah.  What's your name?"  He elaborates on this in his second section, Becoming a Good Neighbor:  "My ten years of working with homeless folks have taught me that asking for names are important, even if you don't get an answer.  Showing an interest in someone's identity as a human being always goes a long way.  But I've also learned that it's presumptuous to assume that a homeless person should give me their name before I offer my own."

Interspersed throughout his extremely helpful and insightful narrative are engaging anecdotes about the people he serves and how they have been assisted in acquiring jobs, in locating places to live and in discovering social service organizations that are tailored for each individual's needs.  I loved the closing section on "My Neighbors" with full page pictures and stories of ten of the guests who have become Josiah's friends.

After being challenged by Neighbors With No Doors, my plan for the upcoming Holiday season starts at Thanksgiving.  While sharing together the year's ups and downs with our guests at the bountiful table, I'm committed to a discussion on "Who can we bless?"  I want to describe my emotional journey with being briefly "unhoused" so they somewhat comprehend the myriad of feelings that our homeless neighbors experience on a daily basis.  Will you join me in this singular endeavor?  Read this book!  Let's bring our MOXIE and show the Kalamazoo Homeless Community that we care...with our gifts and service.

Fall Reads

Under the Golden Sun by Jenny Ashcroft

A touching story.  Rose desires a life change with some adventure, as she is uncertain of her relationship with a fiance who seems untrustworthy.  After meeting five year old Walter, a multi-racial child living in London during World War II with his very kind dying aunt, Rose decides to accompany him on an across the world trip to Australia to re-unite him with his family at the aunt's very urgent request.  

Rose's deep, protective love for Walter is the defining foundation of this story; although the many well-developed characters found in the beautiful and vast Australian wilderness give the reader a satisfying sense that all will be well.

A new setting during World War II for me, and interesting to understand how the country from Down Under handled this period of history.

Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen

I am always on the lookout for new novels by this author.  As I have mentioned before, Allen is a pro at magical realism.  There are probably many readers who might have issues with imaginary birds who befriend hurting young girls or with dead folks who hang around as ghosts, protecting their loved ones until they know they are progressing and dealing with their grief....but I'm not one of them.  I pick up these books to be enchanted, to get to know Allen's new characters who have anxieties and fears, and to see how this author weaves a story that always ends with happiness coming to the most broken.

"...Charlotte thought she understood why she loved this place so much...no one here had to be made up of what they used to."

It has been seven years since Allen's last book.  Finding out that she has battled cancer, and lost both her mother and sister endears me to her.  To find hope and bring joy to readers with her whimsical perspective is quite a feat when life brings such turmoil to your life.

The God of the Garden by Andrew Peterson

Andrew Peterson has been a singer-songwriter-author for almost 30 years.  "Is He Worthy?" and "Dancing in the Minefields" are two songs that have particularly touched me. This devotional/memoir brought me to tears as he chronicles his ongoing love of trees, specifically and nature, generally.  His upbringing in IL and FL with his ministry parents is gut-wrenchingly honest.  Included are many drawings of the trees he has loved in various places around the world.  He is a planter of trees and flowers, a bee-keeper, a footpath walker.  And in the midst of his...at times anxiety ridden career, he always comes back to center:  the God of Creation draws us, never leaves us, comforts us, and calls us to commune with Him....particularly in His Creation.

 "Of all the places God-in-flesh could have chosen to live, he decided on a little corner of creation where people farmed, kept bees, cultivated grapes, fished, walked footpaths, and lived in close community.  He lived near to the earth, with an intimate awareness of the way things grew in their season, the way humans cultivated and cared for his creation."

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

As another reviewer observed, "The writing is so witty and brilliant.  There's a zing to it that makes it feel zippy and wholly original."  Yes, the writing continually made me smile, and I appreciated strong-willed, unusual Elizabeth Zott, a chemist in the '60's.  She is a problem solver, resilient, and well beyond persevering.  Her strong personality immediately puts her at odds with co-workers and management in the male-dominated culture of business.  But what really got my heart was her dog, Six-Thirty (so named because she found him on the streets at that particular hour!) and her daughter Mad ( Madeline).  Many chapter segments were written from each of their perspectives, and it made me wonder how the author could personalize their thoughts so well, and make a pet sound like a person!  

I had to rate this with a 3 out of 5 because the whole book speaks in science and chemistry language--this character was pretty focused!  At one point she becomes a famous TV cooking personality, using chemistry to explain her never-fail recipes.  This aspect of the book didn't seem to faze other readers, but I think my aversion to science (in particular to a terrible chemistry teacher) gave me a pre-conceived bad attitude.  All in all, it was pretty enjoyable.

Call Your Daughter Home by Deb Spera

Polite make-believe is weary business, and there is no one better at this than

'POLITE MAKE-BELIEVE IS WEARY BUSINESS AND THERE IS NO ONE BETTER AT IT THAN SOUTHERNERS'

Having lived through four years of college life under the blistering sun and continual frizzy-haired humidity of South Carolina, I could definitely identify with the Branchville, SC setting of Deb Spera's inaugural novel.  In the first weeks of getting acclimated to a new southern culture, a new grueling schedule and new uncertain attempts at friendship; my most vivid memories are of the loneliness and homesickness I felt.  Had I dared mention those feelings to my far away mom on my weekly calls, my guess is that she would have "called her daughter home".  But..she never knew.  Several decades later when my husband and I were burned out from ministry in another state, my mother did have the chance to "call us home". She lovingly cared for our family as we tried to sort out our lives.  Her delight in having us close was evident.

In a variety of ways the three fierce protagonists in this compelling story are on a long arduous journey, coming to grips with their broken relationships with their daughters.  Each of these women take turns speaking their thoughts in the unfolding chapters, giving us a clear picture of how the Boll Weevil infestation of 1915 led to this situation of poverty and hopelessness in 1924, just prior to the Great Depression.  Business owner Annie is the matriarch of the influential Coles family, and she is clueless as to why her daughters left home and refuse to communicate with her.  Retta is a first generation free slave who  untiringly manages Annie's large home, while still grieving for her long dead daughter, Esther.  Downtrodden Gertrude has lived in unspeakable squalor with her abusive husband and four daughters, who seldom see love and tenderness from this hardened mama.  The lives of these resilient women intersect and though their characters and experiences are vastly different, they discover that their commonalities as "sisters" transcend understanding; they positively influence one another.  

Retta's humanity and compassion deeply touched my heart as she gathers hurting people under her wing, nurses Gertrude's daughter back from near-death, and unselfishly serves as midwife to all who need her.  She refuses to dismiss the people that God brings into her sphere, even though her friends and neighbors are disdainful.  In a particularly poignant scene where I finally understood the significance of the book title, Retta is valiantly assisting her young Indian friend Nelly in delivering her first baby.  "Mama used to say to all the womenfolk, "Call out to your child, what is his name?"  And the women would call his name."  With this very difficult breech birth delivery, Retta commands Nelly, " Call out to your daughter.  Call her home."  The tenderness of this exchange struck me as I realized the depth of the ties between daughters and mothers, from the very first moments that we set eyes on them.

Most moms have experienced that strong tie at various times in their lives.  In her third year of college, my daughter struggled with bulimia.  It was a horrific year with a controlling boyfriend, an unsuccessful soccer experience, and the unremitting deadlines of coursework.  As summer was approaching, she accepted a nanny position; but in lengthy phone conversations, she admitted that it was a less than ideal situation with a rather demanding boss-mother.  The mother heart in me knew that this beautiful daughter of mine needed the healing touch of home.  So I "called my daughter home" to love her, to affirm her, to laugh with her, to offer rest, to offer acceptance, to banish anxiety.  It was a summer of restoration and refreshment for her.  It was a summer of relief and hope for me. 

As moms, just like Annie, Retta and Gertrude;  our greatest desire is to have good relationships with our kids, both daughters and sons.  That sometimes means allowing them to figure things out on their own; yet, at other times it means "Calling them Home".  A mesmerizing and redemptive read.

Summer Reads II

 The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson

I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed in this sequel to "The Book Woman".  Cussy's story of the Blue People of the Appalachians was fascinating, so as this story began,  I was looking for a different plot-line than the original; but it seemed the same to me.  After her Blue mom and white father are imprisoned for marrying in Kentucky, daughter Honey is still facing prejudice and continual obstacles from various people in the community,  just as her mom did.   Fortunately there are folks who step up to support her just as they did for her mom.  So... good characters, but something was missing in this one for me, it was just not as strong and pretty predictable.

Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand

Another light read which made me smile.  The author created a totally different scenario than is her norm. In the opening pages, Vivian, a world famous novelist, is killed by a motorist while on her morning run.  She is ushered to heaven by her angel-person, Martha, and granted three nudges to assist her loved ones on earth, while she observes their goings-on for the summer  from the comfort of a beautiful "Greenroom", created especially to her tastes.  Vivian's three kids are foremost in her heart as she watches and determines when to issue these nudges to keep them from making some huge mistakes. 

 

Last page:  "I wish I could write a book about all of this," Vivi says to Martha.  "You, me, the Beyond, the greenroom, the choir, the nudges, the Hermes scarves..."  Martha shakes her head."  So Enjoyable.

The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner

"As I look down at Candace's letter, I feel my strength leaving me like blown dandelion wisps.  Up to this point my mounting anger at Martin's deceit has felt like something to be harnessed and utilized, like a team of ready horses.  But now I feel undone. Emptied of vigor."

Sophie arrives in San Francisco to meet her yet unseen husband to be, as his mail order bride.  She is running away from her Ireland roots, her New York poverty and...her secrets.  Ironically, she meets her match in a husband who has more.  The backdrop of the story line is the 1906 earthquake and resulting fire.  Learning about a historical event in a novel definitely is a plus for me!

This is a captivating "can't put down" read.  I so enjoy authors who can turn a phrase that makes you visualize the feeling of the characters:  "When people are thrown into an abyss and together find their way out of it, they are not the same people.  They are bound to one another ever after, linked together at the core of who they are because it was together that they escaped a terrible fate."

No matter her past, Sophie is a decisive woman with heart....choosing the hard road as she tries to move past her mistakes.  I will try more of Meissner's writings.

Summer Reads

The Maid by Nita Prose

Recommended by a bookclub friend, this was a light read about a very obsessive, meticulous young woman working in the Regency Grand Hotel.  Molly's difficulty in social situations sometimes makes her seem odd and unusual; and as she navigates the hurts of her Gran's death, Molly makes some unfortunate choices in trusting people.  When the police target her as a primary suspect in the death of a hotel guest, Molly finds that true friends emerge to give her encouragement and love.  I love that!

The Beautiful Community: Unity, Diversity And the Church at Its Best by Irwin L. Ince Jr.

While visiting our Tennessee kids, I joined a class that was just beginning this book discussion at their Presbyterian church.  In my ever continuing challenge to understand the full meaning of diversity, both in and out of a church setting, this book was another building block to that end.  The author serves as a pastor at Grace Presbyterian Church of Washington DC, having earned degrees at Reformed Theological Seminary and Covenant Theological Seminary.  He is well equipped to comment on his experiences and thoughts about racism and diversity.  He begins with reviewing our creation so that we can embrace our position as Image Bearers: worthiness with incomparable dignity.  He moves on to our fallenness and unpacks reasons for our divisions.  "To cast off the ugliness of disunity and heal our fractured humanity, we must cultivate spiritual practices that help us pursue beautiful community."  Ince developed many ideas as to how to make that Beautiful Community but his premise is that we have an inability to understand one another.  This quote underscored where many of out differences begin:  "Having existed for most of American history as a marginalized minority with limited to no agency in the culture forced the Black church to adopt this right understanding of our duty to speak out against injustice in the public square.  The majority white church, on the other hand, has enjoyed the luxury of neglecting public justice as a part of the church's calling."  We, the white church, did not need to seek justice because we already enjoyed it.  

The People We Keep by Allison Larkin

My recent reading seems to include many stories of "down and outers" who desperately try to figure out how to manage their lives.  Teenager April, living in a motorless RV when her single dad abandons her, determines that her life will vastly improve if she leaves her hometown and finds a new life.  I loved her grit, I loved that she took chances and began to trust people, I loved that she believed in her music, I loved that she finds new people who become "home" to her ....while keeping some from her past who were always her real family.

The Last Bookshop in London: A Novel of World War II by Madeline Martin

Feeding my never-ending love of World War II novels, this once again provided a new perspective.   Grace finds a job in a bookstore, even though she has never been much of a reader.  Her organization skills bring the bookstore back to life and she becomes an avid reader who shares books with the community in weekly reading sessions,  while the bombing in London goes on and on.  Based on a true story, the added historical element was about the Air Raid Protection Wardens who monitored homes and businesses during the London Blitz, and assisted countless families when their homes were burned or partially destroyed.  This particular story felt slightly saccharine, as Grace was an almost perfect character with no faults, and not much plot.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (#4) by J.K. Rowling

What can I say?  Harry, Ron and Hermione continue in this very fun saga of dangerous adventures.  This was my favorite so far because the main storyline was centered on the competition between four students from 3 different rival schools; Harry being one of them due to someone's wizardry.  These books have given me some common ground with my grands, who are avidly reading them.

Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult

"And sometimes, you cannot tell what you're looking at until it's right under your nose."

Diana loves her career in the competitive niche of the New York art auctioning world.  Her almost-fiance Finn is a surgical resident in the bustling medical arena there.  Even though Diana is speaking of art in this quote, it applies so well to many other situations that she faces as the events that unfold during the covid 19 pandemic reach into her personal world.  With an unusual and unexpected twist halfway through the novel, Picoult veers into a subject that is unknown to most of her readers.  All that Diana had been looking at in her life wasn't what it appeared to be.  I was so shocked by the twist that it almost made me dislike the story...almost!  But as Diana presses in to discover what her future will hold, she draws some bright new conclusions about the difference between what she thought was perfect and what her imperfect new life might look like.

"All of us are grieving something.  But while we are, we're putting one foot in front of the other.  We're waking up to see another day. We're pushing through uncertainty; even if we can't yet see the light at the end of the tunnel.  We are battered and broken, but we're all small miracles."

Us Against You by Fredrik Backman

This author! He makes me feel so many things as he works hard to look at the community of Beartown through his super-clear lenses.  He hates injustice, hatred, and unkindness yet he readily portrays these foibles in his characters.  He makes me acknowledge that all of us exhibit some excellent qualities, yet our broken messes and prejudices co-exist alongside those very fine attributes.  

This is the second in the Beartown series. Although the author is Swedish and this fictional town represents a town in that country, the characters represent all of us- the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Backman has an unusual way of writing, yet it sucks me in.  He not only gives the current story, he also conveys how some of the characters may look in their futures.  

"Ramona takes hold of his hand and whispers, " You don't have to become like him, Benjamin.  You've got his eyes, but I think you can become someone else.  Benji isn't ashamed of crying in front of her."

Backman writes about dreams and broken dreams, about childhood traumas and overcoming them, about parental failings and second chances, about how a community can re-invent itself.  Mostly he's a  realist with a bit of optimism thrown in!  And he always convicts me to become better.

Spring Reads - April 2022

 Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation 

by Kristin Kobes DuMez

Calvin College Professor of History Kristin DuMez writes a sweeping documentary on the past 75 years of white evangelicalism, attempting to answer the question of how we (evangelicals) arrived at this particular place in culture with one foot squarely in the conservative Republican camp.  Extremely readable, I was intrigued to follow the steps that she defines and the leaders she mentions, because I was in the thick of this history, making decisions and following the guidelines of these conservative spokespeople.  This historical perspective gave me much consternation and sometimes shame, for accepting so much of the rhetoric that was espoused without analyzing my immediate acquiescence in the 1980's and '90's; today, I am much more prone to review, think and agonize over what I am told by the media and by both sides of the political spectrum.  DuMez definitely opened my eyes to the past and what has contributed to our current reality, but she didn't convince me that masculine patriarchy was the major contributor to this situation.  As with any flawed organization, there are many components and variables that make it so.

Where the Light Fell: a Memoir by Philip Yancey

Philip Yancey has long been one of my favorite non-fiction authors.  He speaks rationally and sanely about suffering in his bestseller, "Where is God When it Hurts?"  His raw questions in "Disappointment With God" make believers nod their heads along with him.  We all have questions about why God allows hard situations in our lives.  Because Yancey attended the same Bible College as I did, I wanted to hear his story.  This memoir clearly details Yancey's upbringing in a fundamentalist church, with a slightly dysfunctional mother.  Shame and guilt were  regularly dished out; but God dished out extra grace to combat the ill effects.  Yancey, with thoughtful analysis, determines that only God's grace and love kept his faith intact. An interesting read, particularly for others who have had similar histories.

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

Although this was quite a lengthy saga, it was well written and introduced me to Ethiopa's history.  Conjoined twins, Marion and Shiva, are left orphans at birth due to the death of their Indian born mother (a nun) and the fleeing of their surgeon father.  The story chronicles the mysterious tie that the twins have, the conflict between them, and the beautiful but sorrowful ending after their reconciliation.  The outstanding stars of the story are the true adoptive parents who step in to raise them, with great love and guidance.  Both doctors, they include the boys in their medical lives and transfer their passions for excellence in surgery and research to them.

Dear Emmy Blue by Lia Louis

Lia Louis does a great job of describing an introverted twenty something who hasn't quite resolved her past...so cannot move forward.  A mother who has chosen not to be involved, a father who has been incognito, a forever friend who has been her security for years, and his brother.  Lots of moving pieces and fun characters.  Happy ending!

Unashamed: Rahab's Story by Francine Rivers

This was true to the Biblical account and a great reminder of how God's redemption plan unfolded through the lineage of a prostitute.  How amazing is God's grace?  Rivers did a good job adding interesting family characters and developing a love interest with one of the spies, Salmon--putting Rahab into the line of Boaz, Jesse, David and ultimately Jesus.

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

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Written in 2000, this young adult book won both the Newberry Award and the Coretta Scott King award, the first black man to receive that honor.  The story takes place in Flint and Grand Rapids, MI; the author's home state.  He writes convincingly and simply, introducing us to Black culture and characters. So enjoyable. 

Spring Reads- March 2022

 On our two month spring travels, I amazingly managed to read 8 wonderful books.  Writing full reviews seems a bit overwhelming so I am condensing them into two posts! 

The Lake House by Kate Morton

I hadn't picked up one of Morton's novels in several years, but needed a good story to balance out my heavier non-fiction choices.  An abandoned lake house, the 90 year old author's past secrets and regrets, the young investigator who "needed a story" to revive her career...all parts culminated in a very satisfying ending.  How had it taken up so many years to re-connect with this accomplished storyteller?

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

I have been a great fan of Hannah over the years.  She can elicit feelings from the deep parts of my soul, but her past two renderings have left me somewhat wanting.  Perhaps both have been ambitious, lengthy projects that seemed to drag out a bit for me.  I did very much appreciate the historical context of the post depression years and how it affected the "Dust Bowl".  I really had no idea of the trauma involved, and the transition opposition they faced in moving to a more lush, productive state like California (where one would assume, people could start over).  It was another reality check of the difficulties generated by greedy people in power, with racist tendencies.

Gay Girl, Good God: the Story of Who I Was and Who God Has Always Been by Jackie Hill Perry

Recommended by my daughter who heard Perry's story at a conference, this was an excellent read.  It made me again evaluate my thoughts regarding the LGBTQ community in this very divisive climate.  My heart broke over the author's deep longings and cravings for security, for love and acceptance in a society that shunned her; yet also made me hopeful when Perry relayed her joy and resolve in facing what God asked her to do.  She does not sugar-coat this process.  Her thirst and desire for the opposite sex was very real, making every day difficult to face.  Not everyone would agree with her premise that it is possible to leave this lifestyle, that it is painful and involves choices every day that are similar to facing any other addiction choices (drugs, alcohol, abuse, anger, lying, power, greed); but her journey was definitely eye-opening to me.

All American Boys by Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds

A great audio book listen, this is a story of what can happen in a high school when a young black student is mistreated by a police officer in his community; and how the school rallies around him to make a positive statement to the media and the civil authorities.  The added storyline is the white basketball player who is an eye-witness, and also a friend to the police officer involved.  Choices and consequences.  

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

 Spanning over three decades, this detailed  depiction of Russia's many changes from 1822 through 1954

was a delightful read, especially because of Towles' lead character, the very charming Count Rostov.  Some readers looking for a faster pace or a deeper plot will not be enamored of this more slow paced dissection of numerous characters.  However, I was!  Count Rostov is a displaced aristocrat, headed for Siberia and probable death when Russia was "cleaning the swamps" of its wealthy class.  Rostov is saved from that end because of his status as a "pre-revolutionary poet" (a historical contributor); but was still punished by being banished for the rest of his life to the Metropol, an exclusive hotel directly across from the Kremlin.

It was such an interesting premise beginning on page 3, and my initial thought was.."where in the world is this author going to find material to fill the rest of these pages?" The remaining story of the Count's many excursions, friendships, conversations, roles, and unusual life is absolutely enchanting.  Towles' "rabbit trail reflections" are intriguing, causing the reader to pause and reflect:  "For that matter, what can a first impression tell us about anyone?  Why, no more than a chord can tell us about Beethoven, or a brushstroke about Botticelli.  By their very nature, human beings are so capricious, so complex, so delightfully contradictory; that they deserve not only our consideration but our reconsideration - and our unwavering determination to withhold our opinion until we have engaged with them in every possible setting at every possible hour." 

As another reviewer so aptly put it: "Towles bestows on us a language to be treasured; a story to be remembered."  I concur.

Know My Name by Chanel Miller

 Known to the world as Emily Doe for four arduous years, Chanel Miller finally claims her identity and

writes her memoir of the assault and aftermath of the Stanford rape case in 2015.  The horror of the incident, the sexist culture surrounding the rapist's "good reputation", the agony of continuing to face the events of that evening over and over each time there is a hearing, a court appearance or the judge's final verdict...all of Chanel's emotions and anxieties are vulnerably documented in this book.

As the courts are selecting the jury Chanel writes, " People believed I was enjoying my afternoon, when in reality I was about to face my rapist.  How creepy it was that we could conceal these stories.  How easy it was to pretend.  The slivers we show, the mountains we hide."

This was very difficult to read, so I kept stopping to  do other things in order to digest her anger, her loneliness, her loss of identity, her fear, her depression.  But mostly I had to come to grips with the voices that had been in my head whenever I read about a sexual assault..."what was she wearing?"  "what was she drinking?" "why was she there?"  I am ashamed that I have believed these lies that our culture has fed us.  A woman does not want to be assaulted, but somehow we blame the woman instead of the man who has  mentally chosen  his actions and then follows through.  He must take responsibility, not blame the set of circumstances.

As I followed Chanel's journey through to her final Victim Impact Statement, that went viral on Buzzfeed the day after the sentencing,  I was proud that she finally found her voice and so appreciative of the thousands of supporting voices that stood up for her after months of silence.

""For the past year I had been raking through comments looking for signs of support.  I dug through opinion pieces in local newspapers searching for someone to stand up for me.  I locked myself in my car in parking lots crying into hotlines, convinced I was losing my mind.  All year loneliness had followed me, in the stairwell at work, in Philly, in the wooden witness stand, where I looked out at a near-empty audience.  Yet all along there had been eyes watching me, rooting for me, from their own bedrooms, cars , stairwells, and apartments, all of us shielded inside our pain, our fear, our anonymity.  I was surrounded by survivors, I was part of a we."

The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan

Refreshing. Humorous. Spectacular setting. Librarian Nina loses her long term London job, and very uncharacteristically leaps into a new business venture in Scotland.  She blossoms in a tiny town, initiating conversations with the locals and participating in the various Scottish cultural events.  Colgan tells an engaging light-hearted story, perfect for a snowy all-day read!

 

Born A Crime, Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

"His stories weave together to form a moving and searingly funny portrait of a boy making his way through a damaged world in a dangerous time, armed only with a keen sense of humor and a mother's unconventional, unconditional love. "  Bookcover  

Honest, unbelievable, humorous, terrifying.  It's hard to fathom that one book can be so emotionally contradictory but comedian Trevor Noah is a great storyteller and his journey as a young boy in South African apartheid is compelling.  I enjoyed so much of this memoir.  The complicated and intense love between he and his mother, the difficult position of being "colored" on the outside but black on the inside which made his life unbearably lonely,  the mischief he created, the faith of a mother that repeatedly exasperated the son, but in extreme circumstances brought forth some true miracles.

Glimpsing racism in another country, from the top levels down, gave me another broader picture of our world and the ways that humans fight the same types of battles no matter where they live.  This book touched on some of the same themes as "A $500 House in Detroit": governments which usually take advantage of the little guy, rather than helping.  After apartheid was lifted, all manner of people who had been living under slave labor found themselves with no job and no skills.  Most men found their way to Johannesburg to look for work, but with no education he becomes a petty thief and finds himself in and out of jail.  As Noah muses," The more time I spent in jail the more I realized that the law isn't rational at all. It's a lottery.  What color is your skin? How much money do you have?  Who's your lawyer?  Who's the judge? ....He had committed a crime but he was no more a criminal than I was.  The difference was that he didn't have any friends or family to help him out."  So many people fall through the cracks of the government systems, and they just need some education and a skill set.  

This book was an interesting cultural and political experience for me.  Thumbs up.

They Called Us Girls by Kathleen Courtenay Stone

 "At the end of World War II, more American women worked outside the home than ever before.  Yet the culture, from politicians to corporations to television shows, portrayed the ideal woman as a housewife.  Many women happily assumed that role, but a small segment bucked the tide---women who wanted to use their talents differently, especially in jobs that had always been reserved for men." Cynren Press

After my most recent night of binge watching interesting films of my choice, I was captivated with  "On the Basis of Sex", a fascinating look at the early years of Ruth Bader Ginsberg.  She was driven to pursue a "man's career" as an attorney at Harvard in 1955, where she did in fact encounter a very male dominated hostile environment with only eight females in her class of 500.  Ginsberg personally faced gender equality setbacks in countless job searches, which motivated her to eventually argue six landmark cases on gender equality before the Supreme Court for the ACLU.  

Having just finished "They Called Us Girls", I was struck by the resemblances in Ginsberg's life to the seven remarkable women that Stone featured in her book:  all born before 1935, all chose professional careers, all attended respected universities in America, all faced discrimination - sometimes due to gender, sometimes due to race.  The author was interested in discovering why some women willingly took on the opposition in their attainment of a career that, for many others was not worth the agony of pursuit.  She questions, " How did they find the ambition, confidence, sense of self--whatever it was -- to have a professional career when the culture said not to, and most of their contemporaries agreed?  To find out, I would need to talk to women themselves."

And so, she did.  A Lithuanian-Jewish free spirited artist named Dahlov Ipcar who lived on a Maine farm and created heartwarming children's books.  She was asked to host her first exhibition at the Portland Museum of Art when she was 84.  A Trinidadian physician named Muriel Petioni refused to let the color line defeat her even though hospitals were segregated when she began her internship in 1937.  A violin playing Eastern European physicist named Mildred Dresselhaus was invited to the White House multiple times, meeting presidential families from the Roosevelts to the Obamas.  Born in the Dominican Republic, Frieda Garcia fought to have her dual US citizenship re-instated (for voting in a Dominican election on a family trip back to the island); and then chased her dream to become a non-profit leader and activist here. German born Rya Zobel finished law school only to discover that she could not land a job with a law firm.  "Law firms were not hiring girls", she said.  "And we were not women.  We were 'girls'." Zobel became a federal judge!   

These inspiring stories reminded me of my homemaker mother who was born in 1923.  She had none of the similarities that Stone discovered among her seven characters, but I believe she omitted one: Grit.  My mother's grit propelled her into the Navy Waves in 1943 when the program was just beginning, playing on the first Wave softball team at Cecil Field, FL.  For 70 years she believed that she had not contributed much to the war effort because she served stateside. However, at the age of 90 while conversing with young military women at the World War II exhibit in Washington DC, she was repeatedly thanked for her historic contribution to servicewomen...because she "paved  the way" for their careers.

Kudos to the women who have gone before us and paved the way!  March is Women's History Month and Stone's book is an excellent reading choice to strengthen our understanding of how the past can greatly impact the future for our daughters and grand-daughters.

A $500 House in Detroit by Drew Philp

Being a Michigander, this title has been on my "want to read" list for some time.  From the safety of Southwest Michigan, I have watched the abandonment of the Motor City.  First the whites took flight, then the car industries, then the Black middle class.  Now comes a white University of Michigan grad who hates what he is becoming: elitist, privileged, and almost heading out of state like his fellow graduates....and he chooses a different path.  He detours to Detroit and looks for a place to belong in the streets that have been looted, burned and desecrated.  He finds black neighbors who eventually accept him.  He finds an unloved Queen Anne house and two surrounding lots for $1500...and he starts to work.  As the people around him observe, he slowly starts cleaning, remodeling, scavenging, building.  And finally to his delight and unbelief, he finds community.

This story resonated with me because there is a place inside me that would like to be this radical, that would like to care enough about the "throwaway mentality" of our society to really do something like Philp's did...re-building with scraps and re-purposed items, buying from locals rather than "big box" stores, facing his fears of living in a poverty stricken crime area so that he can help make changes.  His passion is huge, even though most of us would think his perspective was a bit unrealistic at the outset.

Aside from the house-building, the other story he clarifies is the planned agenda of the corrupt city over the years; how time and time again, the City of Detroit gave big bucks to the rich who wanted to build huge stadiums, hotels, corporations but they evicted the few residents who had stayed... because they were behind on their $150 water bills, and "someone" wanted the land.  A travesty.  I cheered Drew on when he "saved" his elderly neighbor's home in an online auction. He became one with his neighborhood because he cared deeply.  

"Dear children, our love should not be just words and talk, it must be true love which shows itself in action."  I John 3:18

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

This was a well written page turning young adult novel based on the true story of the 1945 horrendous

sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff in the Baltic Sea.  But it is much more than that.  It is the story of individuals who faced the evils of World War II and after suffering tremendous losses, banded together in their need to reach Gotenhafen Poland...where ships were ready to save them from the assaults of the advancing Russian Army.

Told from the perspectives of four members of this group of travelers, the book's very short chapters make it a quick read as it jumps from Joana to Florian to Emilia to Alfred.  Sepetys is a descriptive writer who brings the reader into an emotional bond with each of the characters who have lost parents, siblings,  homes..and innocence, at the hands of Hitler's and Stalin's henchman.

Every time I read a war story, I am once again outraged and sorrowful at the atrocities of war and how it can turn common men into greedy, debased humans who blindly follow a misguided, mentally deranged leader.  At the same time, I am thankful for the countless numbers of military men and women who were able to keep their humanity, their integrity and their kindness in their fights for the freedoms of others.

This novel brought to life yet another piece of World War II that I knew nothing about.  It was well worth the read.

Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

 

"This Tender Land" by William Kent Krueger stayed with my heart and mind for several months, pondering his story of four orphan runaways during the Depression.  Their lives upended, they teamed up to pursue their dream of being free from the tyranny of the headmistress.  In the same way Kent grabbed me with this story of a minister's family, told by the middle child, Frank.  

It was 1961 in a small Minnesota town, when the body of a young boy was found after being run over by a train.  What follows is the subsequent deaths of four other people that summer and the pain and wounding of a community and of Frank's family.  Frank is curious, adventuresome, courageous and prone to lie easily.  His brother Jake is quiet, perceptive and serves as Frank's conscience.  Their father is a man of faith, never doubting God's goodness and "awful grace"; always choosing to embrace people rather than to accuse.  Not a perfect pastor's family, but perfectly imperfect.  Once again, this story will stay with me because the characters embody faults, weaknesses and sin...but they are quick to show kindness, grace and love in action.  A good read. 

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd

 Sue Monk Kidd is a thoughtful and creative artist of words.  

Having been powerfully moved by "The Invention of Wings" and "The Secret Life of Bees", I knew Kidd to be a thorough researcher of her books.  That holds true for this most recent work.  Her premise is:  What if the Scriptures are silent about Jesus being married?  As I have matured, I have often wrestled with many of the mysteries of God and His Word.  Believing that it is inspired and fully relevant today, I read it with an eye to what I need to act upon.  However, I have also wondered and questioned about the missing details.  There is a gap of time in the Gospels between Jesus speaking as a 12 year old to the religious leaders in the temple, and his public ministry beginning at age 30.  What happened? What kind of a young man was he?  Who were his friends? What kind of relationship did he have with his family?  

In her Author's Note, Kidd states "The story is imagined, but I have tried through extensive research to be true to its historical, cultural, political, and religious backdrop."  She further explains that this wasn't written about Jesus, but Ana.  Ana captured her mind and heart, and she developed her story around this young girl who had a dream to write, when the culture said that she shouldn't and couldn't.  I liked Ana's spirit, her courage, her "rebel" heart.  No, Kidd did not persuade me to believe Jesus was married; but she writes about the possibility with passion and purpose....and the story line is fascinating.  

Elin Hilderbrand's Winter Street series

 "The holidays wouldn't be complete without a little family dysfunction, and Hilderbrand writes it well."―Library Journal

After a rather rough November, I was searching for a light read for the busy Christmas season, something that would cause smiles and laughter rather than an overstimulated brain.  One of my Goodreads' friends had just finished Elin Hilderbrand's four book Winter Street series.  Having read several of Hilderbrand's popular Nantucket beach reads, I grabbed at this idea with gusto!   I pursued multiple libraries online to gather all four in my grubby little hands, so as not to delay the anticipated month-long reading fest!

And the author did not disappoint, these were exactly the type of reads that I desired as my calendar filled with concerts, special luncheons, and preparation for out of town guests.  

Book One,"Winter Street", gave me pause to ponder my initial enthusiasm because the dysfunctional Quinn family had decided quirks which I felt were mostly due to immature and impulsive decisions. This rash behavior began in chapter one with the patriarch and Winter Street Inn owner, Kelley Quinn. The reader is immediately thrust into the fray as the rest of the main characters are introduced: his current wife, his previous wife, four adult children with various spouses/partners and children...all of which contribute to the chaos of that first Christmas which the author so thoroughly details.  Many reviewers complained that the first novel in this series ended abruptly, and had I not been prepared with the entire series; I may have been one of those disgruntled readers.  But diving in to "Winter Stroll" gave me the great satisfaction of putting together the missing threads that had been left dangling.  The same was true of picking up the third book, "Winter Storms", which had originally been cast as the final in a trilogy.  But Hilderbrand was asked by her editor to consider a fourth book, "Winter Solstice", the sequel to the sequel!  And it was such a satisfying ending, putting to rights all of the misfortunes and mishaps that had upended the Quinn family over the four years of Christmases at Winter Inn.

As February's dull skies roll across Michigan, what types of books feed your soul?  Picking up this Hilderbrand series might be the best solution for the doldrums.  If February brings contemplation and reflection, stories by authors such as Leif Erickson or William Kent Krueger, are more descriptive in both setting and characters.  If real life inspiration is needed, biographies or memoirs could be just the ticket.  Quian Julie Wang's "Beautiful Country", Michelle Obama's "Becoming", Cicely Tyson's "Just as I Am", or Philip Yancey's "Where the Light Fell" all contain messages of resilience and hope.

Whether it be light reading that is needed or weightier topics explored, books open avenues to stimulate and refresh...a necessity for a Michigan winter.

Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang

 

Qian writes a poignant memoir of her family's struggles to adapt to America after leaving her home country of China.  She and her mother  came to re-unite with her father, who had been disillusioned with what was happening politically in his home country.  Because her parents had been well respected, educated professionals; they anticipated finding well paying jobs in this land of opportunity.  Unfortunately Qian's story details the wrenching, heartbreaking difficulties that face undocumented immigrants who want a new life in America.

The pain of her continual hunger, the shunning by students and teachers because of her dirty clothing, the harshness of squalid apartment living and bathroom/kitchen sharing with strangers, the disappointments of her parents who take menial jobs in a sweatshop and cleaners, the blatant racism...all of this made me ashamed of our government systems that cannot seem to find a solution to assist immigrants in gaining citizenship more easily.  

We are so quick to judge the immigrants who are fleeing to our country in order to raise their families in a safer environment, thinking they are taking advantage of our healthcare system and draining our tax dollars...Wang tells a different story of fear and loneliness and poverty.  But her perseverance is inspiring as she uses education to crawl out of this oppression.  She is a survivor, now serving as an attorney advocating for education and civil rights, but still affected by the deep scars inflicted during her childhood.

We Begin At the End by Chris Whitaker

"Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness".  Desmond Tutu

Our much anticipated California Thanksgiving fell flat when I tested positive for Covid within a day of arriving at my daughter's home in Santa Cruz.  Dubbed a "breakthrough" case, it didn't feel like I was breaking through anywhere as I quarantined; unable to visit our son's home, unable to travel to the mountain cabin as we had planned, unable to hug or kiss any of my six grands.  Hopeless feelings simmered just under the surface of my "it will be ok" facial facade.  I am not a fan of disrupted plans.

Enter Chris Whitaker's novel, highly recommended by my daughter, which happens to be a  continuing saga of disrupted plans.  It was my lifesaver, in between lonely neighborhood walks in the California sunshine and watching the star studded sky from the hot tub in the evenings.  As the book synopsis states, "Chris Whitaker has written an extraordinary novel about people who deserve so much more than life serves them.  At times devastating, with flashes of humor and hope throughout, it is ultimately an inspiring tale of how the human spirit prevails and how, in the end, love - in all its different guises- wins."

Unaware that it was billed a mystery-thriller by some, I fell in love with the unusual characters before the ever-unraveling plot sucked me in.  Foul mouthed Duchess, the thirteen year old protagonist, lashes out at everyone except her six year old brother, Robin, whom she ferociously defends and protects.   Beautiful, fragile mother Star is desperately loved by the two; but has never recovered from her deep losses so she is  unable to provide the love and security they crave and require.  Robin turns inward while Duchess  proclaims herself an "Outlaw" and builds a deep wall of distrust around her heart. 

After reading a personal article in The Guardian by Whitaker, I have a greater understanding of the depth of pain he has lived through...and that transferral of pain to his characters jumped off the pages and into my heart, many times causing tears of empathy for these wounded individuals.  As I turned the final page feeling depleted and wrung out because of the complicated twists and turns of the narrative, I realized that Whitaker managed to keep me hopeful in the midst of disastrous circumstances.  Hope came, as it usually does, in the form of loving  folks who allow Duchess the space she needs to grieve, to heal, to let go.  Grandpa Hal offers a second chance to the family he had long ago deserted.  Spirited Dolly doesn't allow Duchess's crusty exterior to chase her away.  Police Chief Walk overlooks flaws in the community members as he serves them tirelessly and gives much grace to Star's family over the years.  And tenacious Thomas Noble "sees" the real Duchess the first time he sets eyes on her...and loves her anyway.  

I believe that God uses the caring people in our lives to bring hope when we have lost ours.  It took a while for my hopelessness over Thanksgiving to dissolve. I blame that on my daughter.  She reassured me  that it was still good to see us even without hugs; that our Turkey Day celebration was still a celebration without the bigger table of people that we had anticipated; and that my milder symptoms of  the virus gave cause for us to be grateful.  All true. She elicited hopefulness in my spirit with her loving words.  

In these topsy-turvy times, I pray an inordinate infusion of Hope be granted to you in 2022.