Who Are We Really?

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A book about family, about language, about human nature, about secrets, about memories.

To recount the plot is to involve pages of spoilers, but the story of siblings Rosemary, Fern, and Lowell will remain with me for a long time. The things we do for family and the things families do to us! Oh, I left out one of my favorite characters--the ventriloquist's dummy Madame DeFarge.



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It's Summer--Time to Chill Out a Little

We've already had 90 degree weather here, so it's time to start looking for books to cool off. Here's one for busy readers--it's short, it's entertaining, and it's even mildly educational. The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you are looking for a factual history of times when the Thames froze over you'll need to use one of the books listed in the back of the book. But if you would like a short, chronological feel for reactions by the citizens across the centuries, this is a delightful way to experience the cold, the awe, and the wonder of a river iced over deep enough to work and play on it.


Each "chapter" is only a few pages long, more vingettes that short stories, but each has it's own voice. Although each instant is dated, you might want a reference handy as there are only a few references to the current ruler. (Unless you are a big history buff and have things like that memorized.)

I give this a 3.5 or even a 3.75.

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Books and Death and yet not depressing

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a special book. It is the story of an exclusive book club with just two members, Will and his mother--but it is so much more than that.

It's a tribute to a remarkable woman who cared about people, especially the voiceless people of the world, with a passion. It is a loving memory of the woman who spent the last two years of her life staying in touch with the people she loved with grace and dignity. It is a resounding vote of confidence in the lasting contribution of books to the well-being of the human spirit.

I wish I'd met Mary Ann Schwalbe. She sounds like she was of the good people. And I have several (many) books I wish we could have talked about together.



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Last Read-a-Thon post

The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A successful look at the Alcott family from a fictional point of view. It expands the story without violating conventions of the time. This is a good example of fictionalized biography.

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I must admit I didn't stay up the entire time. I fell asleep about 3 a.m. for an hour. But I've enjoyed the whole thing immensely.

And thanks to my visitors. Lorie and Jean each came over read for awhile. And Gena came over unexpectedly and gave me a revitalizing neck and shoulder rub. This was such a lot of fun that I know I'll be tempted again in October by the next one.

Second book finished for Read-a-Thon

The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is kind of like one of those dreams where things start out very life-like and plausible and gradually things start turning odd. That is if you dream of Edwardian England and eccentric families.

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So far, Lorie has been over to read with me and says she'll be back later.

It's Time to Start Reading!!!

And the big adventure begins with The Tofu Quilt by Ching Yeung Russell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a delightful book filled with marvelous word picures of growing up in Hong Kong--"only" a girl. But she was so lucky. She was a girl with a fierce mother who supported her wish for an education beyond elementary school.

I am going to read some of these next week to the first graders, since they are so interested in poetry.





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Do I have a plan yet? Yes, of sorts

I am arranging this Read-a-Thon as if it is a party. I'm assuming that at least a few of my RL friends will show up at some point for a while. If nothing else, they can play along with some of the mini-challenges. I'm thinking of trying the new recipe for Spinach cake (it's healthy, right?) as well as veggies with hummas. Probably order in pizza for supper. And lots of M&Ms. As for my Reading List (in no particular order--it's just how they are stacked by my chair0: The Art of Racing in the Rain (I must finish this by Monday for Book Group), The Comfort of lies by Randy Susan Meyers, The perks of being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky;Perfect Timing by Catherine Anderson; Sand Castle Bay by Sherryl Woods, The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones,Family Pictures by Jane Green; The unknowns by Gabriel Roth, You Are Not So Smart by David McRaney. And I'm putting rereading some of my Georgette Heyer books in as my fall-backs.