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.