Play Book Tag discussion

I completed one challenge in 20116. Yay me! It was the first time I've focused enough to complete a challenge. Let's see if I can complete both in 2017

Climbing the PBT Stairs

Step 1: Series
Book 1: Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos

Step 2: Classic
Book 1: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Book 2: Dr Zhivago by Boris Pasternak

Step 3: True Crime (Admin Tag)
Book 1: Columbine by Dave Cullen
Book 2:Comrade Chikatilo: The Psychopathology of Russia's Notorious Serial Killer by Mikhail Krivich
Book 3:Justice at Dachau: The Trials of an American Prosecutor by Joshua M. Greene


Step 4: World Literature
Book 1: Missing Soluch by Mahmoud Dowlatabadi
Book 2:The Trial by Franz Kafka
Book 3: The Good Muslimby Tahmima Anam
Book 4: Caspian Rain by Gina B. Nahai

Step 5: History
Book 1: Agente: Female Spies in World Wars and Cold Wars by Douglas Boyd
Book 2: Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
Book 3: The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore
Book 4: The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra
Book 5: Spy Princess: The Life Of Noor Inayat Khan by Shrabani Basu

Step 6: Ireland
1. St. Patrick of Ireland by Philip Freeman
2. God's Executioner: Oliver Cromwell and the Conquest of Ireland by Micheál Ó Siochrú
3. King Dan: The Rise of Daniel O'Connell 1775 - 1829 by Patrick M. Geoghegan
4. The Story of Ireland: A History of the Irish People by Neil Hegarty
5. The Celts: A History by Peter Berresford Ellis
6.The Great Hunger: Ireland 1845-1849 by Cecil Woodham-Smith

Step Seven: Family
1. Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf
2.Mata Hari's Last Dance
3. Counting the Days While My Mind Slips Away: A Love Letter to My Family by Ben Utecht
4. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
5. Hot Milk by Deborah Levy
6. Last Train to Istanbul by Ayşe Kulin
7. It Ends with UsbyColleen Hoover

Hitting the PBT High Notes:

2008: Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos
2009: Dr. Zhivagoby Boris Pasternak
2010: Columbine by Dave Cullen
2011: Moloka'i Alan Brennert
2012: Divining Women by Kaye Gibbons
2013: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
2014:>Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
2015: The Housekeeper and the Professor Yōko Ogawa
2016:Hot Milk by Deborah Levy

PBT Monthly Read:

January: Foreign Literature
1. Missing Soluch by Mahmoud Dowlatabadi - 1.5 stars rounded to 2
2. The Trial by Franz Kafka 3.5 Stars rounded to 4
3. The Good Muslim by Tahmima Anam - 4 stars
4. The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yōko Ogawa - 5 Stars and a <3
5. Caspian Rain byGina B. Nahai -
February: Quirky
6. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
7. Kitchens of the Great Midwest byJ. Ryan Stradal
8. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
March: Ireland
9. St. Patrick of Ireland by Philip Freeman
10. God's Executioner: Oliver Cromwell and the Conquest of Ireland by Micheál Ó Siochrú
11. King Dan: The Rise of Daniel O'Connell 1775 - 1829 by Patrick M. Geoghegan
12. The Great Hunger: Ireland 1845-1849 by Cecil Woodham-Smith
April: Bestseller
13. Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
14. Paris for One by Jojo Moyes
15. Dr Zhivago by Nancy Stanley
16. Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo
17. Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
18. Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance
May:
June:
July:
August:
September:
October:
November:
December:

Regina wrote: "I completed one challenge in 20116. Yay me! It was the first time I've focused enough to complete a challenge. Let's see if I can complete both in 2017"

Wow - You went into the future just to complete a challenge. Pretty cool!

Ladyslott wrote: "Regina wrote: "I completed one challenge in 20116. Yay me! It was the first time I've focused enough to complete a challenge. Let's see if I can complete both in 2017"

Wow - You went into the futu..."

Well, you know, I'm hanging out with Wyatt, Rufus, and Lucy these days ;-)

Regina wrote: "Well, you know, I'm hanging out with Wyatt, Rufus, and Lucy these days ;-) ..."

That's on my to watch list - just finished This Is Us on Saturday which made my cry every episode.

I'm loving This Is Us as well!

Oh I watch more tv than I read books. Also loving Timeless and This is Us. I think Wyatt is unbelievably handsome. Young, but he flips my pages.

Ha! Nicole R and I have been texting a lot lately on that subject

Seriously? Count me in! I have a serious love of TV and am very much enjoying some of the new pilots. I also like Bull, Pitch, Designated Survivor, and I even enjoy watching the new MacGyver with my 11 year old. And then, there are all the old favorites: Younger, Madam Secretary, Once Upon a Time, Quantico, Survivor, and Amazing Race, all the Dance and Voice Shows, and a few sitcoms, like the Goldbergs. Oh - we really liked Notorious, but they are likely to cut it. Scandal is coming back and I do watch how to Get away with Murder and Hell's Kitchen. Hubby watches all the housewives and everything on Bravo.

Wow! You watch all that and read?! I'm impressed!

And raise three ADHD boys and work. Nearly combusted over an 8th grade social studies test just now.

Tip my hat to you too... we're all in it together.

Regina wrote: "Hitting the PBT High Notes:

2008: Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos
2009: Dr. Zhivago
2010: Columbine by [author:Dave Cullen|1116816..."

This book can best be summed up in a quote from Sister Catherine, "I've come to believe that how we choose to live with pain, or injustice, or death is the true measure fo the Divine within us...I use to wonder, why did God give children leprosy? Now I believe God doesn't give anyone leprosy. He gives us, if we choose to use it, the spirit to live with leprosy, and with the iminence of death." (pg 307)

Set in Kalaupapa, a "leper colony" on the island of Moloka'i, the story spans the years 1891 -1970. Seven year old Rachel is discovered to have Hansen's Disease (leprosy). By edict of the Board of Health, Rachel is torn from her family and sent into exile on Molokai. Under the care of the Franciscan Nuns (seemingly abandoned by most of her family), Rachel grows up in the colony, builds a family, and becomes part of a community.

Brennert does an excellent job of integrating historical characters into a fictional story that was beautifully written. He does justice to those who championed to make Kalaupapa a place where people could "come to live and not come to die". It certainly makes me want to learn more. Furthermore, Brennert shows the struggle between two cultures at crossroads, particularly as it related to traditional customs vs. introduction of Christianity to the island. Through this story the reader can learn of Hawaii's rich history, the culture of the island, and some wonderfuly mythology. You see the advancement of technology and pop culture as it is slowly introduced to the colony with each wave of new patients.

This was a re-read for me for my f2f book club. I had wondered if I would enjoy it as much the second time around because one thing I love in historical fiction is when I'm introduced to a new concept. The first time I read it head I was completely taken in by the manner in which authorities approached those with this disease and the colony. However, I found the story the second time around was strong enough to carry it. The character development and the portrayal of relationships is excellent. I still love it.

Missing Soluch by Mahmoud Dowlatabadi 1.5 stars rounded to 2

Mergan and Soluch have gradually been drifting apart; they no longer find the companionship they once enjoyed in their marriage. One day Soluch simply disappears. No one knows where he's gone. Set in an isolated village in Iran Mergan and her children, two sons and a daughter, immediately fighting to survive each day.

This book, the first ever written in the everyday language of the Iranian people, is touted as "the most important work in modern Iranian literature" Since I've read quite a bit of Iranian literature I was really looking forward to reading this work because of its accolades. I don't know if the book suffered from two high of expectations. I went into it expecting the lyrical prose employed by many Iranian authors. Reviewers have even described it as such. However, whether true in its original pen or if this was a result of translation, I found it sparse yet pithy. I also simply never cared about the characters nor the trials and tribulations they went through.

Needless to say I was sorely disappointed :-(

by Franz Kafka 3.5 Stars Rounded to 4

The protagonist, K, is a young and slightly arrogant banker. For seemingly no reason at all (at least no reason anyone ever reveals) he is arrested on his thirtieth birthday. Under house arrest he is allowed to continue working and retain certain freedoms. Eventually he is given very vague instruction on how to proceed with his trial proceedings. What ensues is a journey that keeps the reader and K unbalanced and sometimes unhinged.

This is one of those books I read and I realize just how simple minded I am. I can tell the work is brilliant, and I get some of it. On the surface the book is an absurd trial scene. But, lurking below, I get the sense Kafka is drawing on his experience as a Czech in the Austro-Hungarian empire, a German-speaker among Czechs, a Jew among German-speakers, and a disbeliever among Jews to portray limitations humans place on each other that can ultimately lead to destruction. The psychological aspects of K's self-destruction reminded me of Fyodor Dostoyevsky's writing.

As is often the case with good dystopian novels, since this was written in 1914, it is eerily prescient for conditions in WWII Europe

by Tahmima Anam - 4 stars

The second in Anam's Bangladesh series, The Good Muslim picks up where A Golden Age ends. The Bangladesh War for Independence has ended and the country that has emerged hasn't lived up to the standards for which Maya, Sohail, and Rehanna thought they were fighting . Unlike the first book, this story is more about the relationship between brother and sister than from Rehanna's point of view. As the story opens there is open tension between the once close siblings. Maya still holds to her Revolutionary ideals but has left journalism and trained as a doctor. She holds to a purely secular point of view, blaming religion for the shortcomings in both the country's and human's flaws. "Maya had always prided herself on remembering exactly who she had been before the war broke out. She remembered her politics, the promises she made to herself about the country." Sohail, however, has sought comfort in the Quaran and has become a holy man, attempting to assuage the guilt he feels over his actions during and at the conclusion of the war. "I have committed murder. If he were to tell his sister about the war, this is what he would have to tell her. She wants stories of heroism...But he has no story of this kind." The tension culminates around both desire to save Zaid, Sohail's son and an opportunity to forgive each other and themselves

A Golden Age was Anam's debut novel and the strength of the second novel shows tremendous promise for this writer. Not only does she have a gift for language with beautiful prose, but she understands the complexity of human emotions and relationships. While A Golden Age's central themes center around the different kind of loves experienced by humans and to what length we will go for it, The Good Muslim is about family and faith.

I would not recommend reading this alone. I think it is important to read the first in the series to appreciate the fullness of the characters relationships. I wish I had read this one in closer proximity to the first. I'm not a fan of series, but I can highly recommend this one.

by Yōko Ogawa 5 stars and a <3

The housekeeper, a single mom of a pre-teen son, is assigned work to a professor who has suffered a traumatic head injury. Due to the head injury, the professor can remember everything prior to the accident in 1975, and has an 80-minute bandwidth for time thereafter. This makes for a difficult work environment since his sister-in-law, the employer, instructs the housekeepers to handle all issues on their own. This housekeeper is the tenth in line that didn't last. Once the professor discovers the housekeeper has a son he insists that she bring the boy with her to work. What ensues is an opportunity for the professor to share his passions - mathematics and baseball.

This is absolutely just a beautiful little story about the power of human interactions. There's not a lot that happens in the story but the way the three of these characters come to love each other is simply heartwarming. The housekeeper is not highly educated and the professor is brilliant, but she takes the time to show an interest in his work and that means something, something big. I've read people ponder on whether if those who don't share the same level of appreciation for the sport of baseball will enjoy the novel as much. I enjoy going to baseball games but I can't watch them on television, and I didn't feel that level of affinity was necessary to appreciate the story. It didn't really matter that it was baseball that three shared it just mattered that in their world's that were so different they could find something in common. On the other hand, there is a lot of math theories, and I do love math. I loved many of Ogawa's turn of phrases but I really loved this one - “Math has proven the existence of God, because it is absolute and without contradiction; but the devil must exist as well, because we cannot prove it”. But, I can see where that might frustrate some readers. But, I don't think it took away from the story at all. If you aren't a math person I would say try to not focus so hard on the fact that it is math. It is more important that the housekeeper took the time to try and understand the professor's passion.

I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in great characters and heartwarming stories.

by Douglas Boyd - 2 Stars

Anyone who follows my reading knows I absolutely ADORE the women of SOE and their role in WWII. So, when Netgalley offered me an advance copy of Agente, which promised to look at not only their activities, but others women's roles in espionage over a wide range of conflicts I was immediately interested. Then, the introduction promised, "this book explores why female agents from all social backgrounds and many different countries volunteered over the centuries for this dangerous life, how effective they were and what training, if any, they were given," I was really excited about that since in my study of history it seems that women are more heavily represented for Russia even though it was well known that their careers were often ended by execution and from Jewish backgrounds (and the book seemed to validate that assumption). The opportunity to understand the WHY of those decisions really intrigued me. Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed by the work.

First, and foremost, the book failed to fulfill the promise of "exploring" the enumerated topics listed above. From an historical work exploring connotes analysis. The author sometimes, but not always, simply stated a reason - such as avenging a loved ones death. If information was given on training it was a simple statement of what areas they were trained in. The author did a better job of showing the number of countries and conflicts women represented with a few resoundingly effective accomplishments.

Second, the book lacked focused. The title and introduction says it will focus on those in the secret service. However, only about half of the women in the book were spies. The remaining were collaborators, part of resistance movements, provided comfort to those considered enemies, or were forced to endure torture as a result of being a resident in occupied territory with a very odd and disjointed paragraph on Aubrey Hepburn that certainly didn't fit. All of these are meaningful and gut-wrenching topics, but it caused huge deviations from the premise and the space dedicated here may have better served the author to flesh out the aspects that did tie into the premise. Finally, there was a frustratingly lack of detail behind positions put forth. For instance, in the chapter Women Against Hitler the author states, "While willing to risk their lives on courier missions, all four women refused on principle to carry out sabotage." What principle? Why? Exploring items like this would give the reader a much better understanding into the mind of these women.

There was a great deal of promise within the book, however. The chapter on the women of SOE, while not without flaws, brought to life the things these women endured, and I'm pretty protective of their memory. The flaws were not enough to elicit any ire from me. So, that's a really good thing. The chapter entitled Heroine or Liar did a good job of presenting both sides of the argument, I was utterly fascinated by Dvorah in The Pearl in the Lebanese Oyster, and I learned a few interesting tidbits, such as Women's History Month is directly tied to Betty McIntosh and I found some women I want to study further.

A better premise may have been looking at the bravery of women during wartime. It is also an important topic for study. So, I would recommend this book for anyone interested in women's experience in wars throughout history or someone looking for a very high level over the topic.

by Gina B. Nahai

In the years leading up to the Islamic Revolution in Iran there are two classes of Jews. One is the group that left the ghettos when the Shah opened them up. This group became affluent members of the community and considered themselves Iranian first and Jewish second. The second group did not have the means to leave and thus remain among the poorest of society but ardently religious. Bahar is a vivacious young teenager from the ghetto sect. The narrator describes her: “The girl on the street – her name is Bahar –would not stand out in any crowd. She’s not particularly beautiful, or smart, or endowed with exceptional wit, but she has a zest for life and irrational optimism that is alarming because it is so out of sync with reality that surrounds her.” Omid is from the affluent sect. One day, after basically being left at the altar by a fiancé selected by his overbearing parents, he sees Bahar on the street while riding in the backseat of his chauffeur – driven car. He decides to approach his parents about pursuing her for his wife not because he’s attracted to her or thinks she’d make a good wife and companion, but “because he wanted a wife, maybe a child or two – so he would fulfill whatever his role was supposed to be as a husband, and so he would, once and for all, settle the matter of his domestic life and know that he’ll never be challenged, or disturbed, or called upon to be a part of a “couple”. At his proposal, against warnings from her parents of what she was signing up for, Bahra accepts. She thinks this is her ticket out of the ghetto and a path to pursue her educational dreams.
Omid is a weakling, disrespected by his father. As a result, he is emotionally bankrupt. “He deals with the living the way Americans do the dead: elegantly and with grace, but without excessive emotionality.” However, days before his marriage he crosses paths with a beautiful, rich, Muslim woman. He’s immediately captivated and becomes obsessive. He tracks her down and begins what will become a long-term affair. The effects on Bahar are devastating as she realizes not only will she not be permitted to pursue her dreams, but her life will be devoid of any affection or care. “I’ve thought about this for a long time – how my father gave so little of himself to Bahar, who needed him so much, and gave so much to a woman who could easily have done without him. I think there was something in the way Bahar depended on him, the way she waited year after year for him to come back, that made him want to leave. I think his indifference, his cruelty, were products of Bahar’s weakness. It isn’t what she had wanted to become; it’s what he force her into. But he resents her for it all the same.”

A daughter is eventually born and Bahar transfers all of her hopes and aspirations onto Yaas. Eventually it becomes evident that something is wrong with Yaas, and it adds to the already established family tension, leading to a tragic end. “I think now it was this rage – my mother’s inability to prevail over the forces she had once believed surmountable, the shame she felt for not having fought back at first, and later not fighting enough – I think it was this rage that made her unable to accept my limitations, to accept me with those limitations. I think it was her sadness at having sold herself for a wish, her dreams that rose like shins in the night, lit up and glorious against the reality of what she would be able to attain – I think it was those dreams that, in the end, kept us apart.”

WOW! WOW! WOW!

I haven't had a book speak to me like this since The Fault in Our Stars While The Fault resembled my actual experiences this one could have easily been what my life could have been like and is probably similar to my own mother's experience. I relate so well to the young Bahar and the way Nahai shows the evolution of Bahar's character is nothing short of brilliant and heartbreaking. Omid's role in her devolution is gut-wrenching. Had he put as much effort into her as he did his lover two lives would have turned out very differently. Omid doesn’t appreciate the vivaciousness he has in Bahar – “She’s innocent and sincere – yes, willing to help anywhere she can, to forgive a snub and respond with kindness because that’s what people do when they’re from the ghetto or barely out of it; they expect to be snubbed – and this may be a quality that would be forgiven in another time and place, but among Tehran’s new elite, who have forgotten their own ghetto past too well, it only provokes condescension.” Or, geez, leave her alone. She'd been better off staying in the ghetto.

You will notice I use a lot of quotes. I just didn't feel like I could convey the sentiment better than Nahai and I think her style of writing is one of the attractions of the book. I LOVED her writing style. It's been a while since I've been so drawn to an author's style. I definitely want to look at some of her other work.

One word of caution. I added this to my TBR a long time ago. I kept putting it off because I kept seeing references to magical realism. With a few exceptions, I'm not a fan of this genre. There is a small amount of that here but it is a ghost story and the subplot is important to Yaas' situation. I mention this because I HIGHLY recommend this book but don't want to mislead people who have strong feelings about magical realism.

It is hard to imagine this won't make my top ten this year.

Regina, what is the name of this book you are describing? I didn't catch it, but am immediately adding it to my TBR. Incredibly well written review. Hits two of my stairs, too...

Amy wrote: "Regina, what is the name of this book you are describing? I didn't catch it, but am immediately adding it to my TBR. Incredibly well written review. Hits two of my stairs, too..."


Caspian Rain, sorry!

I saw that like a minute later from the Daily Feed and added it. I think I'd love it.

I hope you do!

by Neil Hegarty

Going into the this read I knew very little of Ireland's history outside of it's context within the Tudor dynasty of Great Britain. I've never traveled anywhere with such little knowledge of a location's history. So, since we are going this summer I have a list of books to enhance my knowledge a bit. This was the perfect book with which to start this journey, covering the time from 5th century AD to present day Ireland in 342 pages in an engaging and readable writing style. Hegarty does an excellent job laying out the timeline for important events and introducing important figures during this time. There is a fantastic timeline at the end of the book. The only point of criticism I have is the author could at times spend too much time on events outside of the country.

On a personal note, I was surprised by how wrong some of my assumptions about aspects of the country's history.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone interested in an introduction to Ireland's history.

When it fits a tag, I'm reading it too. Maybe Nicole will be free of her two tomes by then to join us- lol.

Vacation Reads:

1. The Story of Ireland: A History of the Irish People by Neil Hegarty

by Emily St. John Mandel - 4.5 Stars rounded to 4

Thrice divorced and famous actor, Arthur Leander, dies of heart attack on stage while performing King Lear. Jeevan, in training as a paramedic rushes on stage to perform CPR while the young, aspiring actress, Kristen, looks on stunned at losing the kind, fatherly Leander. Once everyone leaves the theatre a slow realization that a pandemic is spreading throughout the world. The Georgia flu ends society as it is known.

Post-apocalyptic tales can fall into a routine structure. Station Eleven, however, resists that danger. The back story of Miranda, Leander's first wife, is creative and provides an interesting element to the story. There is a robust cast of characters and Mandel adeptly loosely ties their lives together in a way that is satisfying. I found myself thinking of the characters often at the conclusion of the tale, even dreaming about them one night. Ultimately, the story of the importance of relationships that sustain us is central because "survival is not sufficient."

Good book for anyone who enjoys this genre.

by Kaye Gibbons - 2 Stars

Told from the perspective of Mary, a young woman from a wealthy Washington D.C. family, Mary relates the tale of her Uncle "Troop" and his wife, Maureen, life in North Carolina. Maureen is expecting their first child. Mary goes to stay with the isolated aunt through marriage to assist through her delivery and in the aftermath of the baby's arrival. She's appalled by the treatment inflicted on Maureen by her uncle and provides the emotional support Maureen needs to change her life.

I picked this audio book up from the library and it was brutal. The book is read by Kaye Gibbons, the author. She's from North Carolina so one would expect a southern accent, but the reading came across as either her exaggerating the accent or over enunciating every syllable. It was distracting and it is a shame because there were a number of lines that were incredibly witty and made me chuckle. Further, I don't typically have a problem with detestable characters, but, egads! Troop is awful. He's narcissistic, cruel, and you just want Maureen to strangle him. Since she seems incapable of standing up to him I, in turn, wanted to strangle her. This is an issue I often have with "feminist" literature. I go into it expecting a strong female character but often they are weak and assuming. Finally, I found the side story of Mary's brother, Daniel, a distraction and really didn't get how it tied into the larger plot.

I know this is a favorite of many readers here. I really think I would have liked it better had I actually read it. The audio was definitely distracting

by Erin Morgenstern - 2 Stars

The circus comes to town. It arrives one day with no publicity. It just simply appears. It only operates at night and once inside it is like no other experience. As the circus travels around the world two young illusionists, Marco and Celia, are being trained separately for a competition by masters who treat them more like puppets.

I know a lot of people love this book. In all fairness I'd be warned by many of them this was not a book that would appeal to me. They were right. While I recognize Morgenstern has a gift with language, I found the story wholly unsatisfying. I did appreciate the magical atmosphere she painted with words but that was the only thing I liked about the book. I found the competition overly drawn and the love story underwhelming. If she had focused more on the love story I think this book would have been enjoyable. I mean who wouldn't want to fall in love with all that magic floating around?

In the end, I can see why people enjoy the book but it wasn't for me.

by Deborah Levy - 4 Stars

Sophia is a young woman who was abandoned by her father at a young age and has been left to care for mother with a mysterious illness that manifests itself in inconsistent ways. In one more attempt to find answers after a twenty-five year investigation they have traveled to Spain from the UK for another opinion. In addition to looking for answers for her mother, Sophia continues to try and understand herself and battle the loneliness she feels. Her entire self-perception is tied to her mother’s well-being. “Truest love will be her first language. She will learn to say ‘Papa’ from an early age and mean it. I have more of an ear for the language of symptoms and side effects, because that is my mother’s language. Perhaps it is my mother tongue.”

What a subtly brilliant work this is. It resonates strongly with any adult child of divorce who has dealt with the confusion of mingling desperation for parents’ affection, loneliness, and fear of responsibility as a result. The relationship between Sophia and her parents has greatly impacted the way Sophia leads her life. She’s educated but can’t seem to find her way in the world with an uncompleted PhD in anthropologist but working as barista. She’s so desperate to be someone’s “beloved” and to live a bold life that she takes risks and chooses relationships unwisely. The writing is beautiful but not in a sweeping manner. It is simply heartbreaking and understated, but direct. “It was my special skill to make my day small so as to make her day bigger.” The work is full of irony. “If she let me turn the chair, she would be staring at the night stars. It would be the smallest movement to change her view but she is not interested.” But, the symbolism is poignant. It isn’t allusive or pretentious. I often don’t pick up on symbolism in literature, but this was powerful.

Great work; I probably would have never read it based on the description of the novel had it not been for reviews from people in PBT.

Holy cow you're almost done with the high notes challenge! I thought I was ahead, and I've only done 3/10!

I've astounded myself! I'm making up for a two/year reading slump with a vengeance. Lol

by Peter Berresford Ellis - 4 Stars

Ellis traces the broad history of Celtic migration and influence on Europe from the time they emerge around 6th century B.C. through the dawn of the Christian era. Challenging some of the stereotypes Ellis breaks the society down into its origins, laws, religion, arts and sciences, and roles of its members.

While I’m focused right now on a deep study into Irish history the books does a great job of framing the overall impact of the Celts into broader world history, even having a fascinating impact on Brazil. The two most fascinating aspects of the work is how closely Celtic society and religion parallel India’s history and Hinduism and the origins of the modern day Halloween celebrations. In an earlier read on Irish folktales and mythology I couldn’t help but notice the fairy-tale, happy-ever-after nature of the stories. This is more fully explained in Ellis’ work. Further, while I’ve heard the term Druid before I had very little understanding of the role in their society. If Ellis is to be believed (I will get to that in a moment) they are a fascinating study in their own right.

The work verifies earlier reads of the continuity of Celtic/Irish history in the absence of Roman conquest. You can’t help but really appreciate the fullness of its history, with two royal lines able to trace its genealogy 3,000 when combined with oral tradition. The advanced nature of aspects of this society rival the astounding nature of ancient Egyptians with a law that seems based on a great deal of common sense and justice. The medical technology and laws regulating it was incredibly progressive with the Irish language claiming the world’s largest collection of medical texts in any one language prior to 1800.

This is a quick and easy read but there are a few flaws. First, Ellis is obviously a Celtophile – to the point where he, at times, comes across as not entirely objective. The best example is in dealing with human sacrifice and barbarity of Celtic war. While the argument of “it’s no different than the Romans” may be valid, his approach comes across as a married couple fighting and trying to one up each other on the wrongs committed. It was a little tiresome. He is also a bit repetitive for my taste and he could be contradictory at times. For instance, on one hand he argues that the Church so highly regarded Celtic tradition it absorbed it into its own practices. But, on the other hand, would argue that written history couldn’t be trusted because of the church’s attempt to slander the traditions.

Overall, for someone with limited exposure to Celtic history this is a great place to start.

Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos - 3.5 Stars Rounded down to 3

Cornelia hasn't lived up to the expectation of most of her friends and family as the manager of a coffee shop in Philadelphia. When a Carey Grant look-a-like walks into the shop one day she thinks her dreams of a romantic fairy-tale relationship off of one of her favorite classic movies is about to ensue until one day he shows up with his eleven year old daughter, Clare, of whose existence Cornelia is unaware. As the story of Clare's abandonment by her mother unfolds Cornelia discovers Martin is less than ideal and Cornelia wonders if she can ever really love such a man.

I've gone back and forth on whether to round up or down. I definitely enjoyed this book more than I thought. I have to admit I had very low expectations for this read. However, the book is much deeper than the summary on the back cover. The book is told from alternative perspectives, swapping chapters between Cornelia and Clare. I thoroughly enjoyed Clare's point of view. Your heart can't help but to go out to this precocious young woman. She's brave but damaged by watching her mother spiral our of control. But, Cornelia is just too perfect, to the point that she didn't come across as authentic for my liking. She's a single woman with no children yet she knows exactly what to do and say at exactly the right moment with this scarred and scared eleven year old who unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep one day with the exception of one, single outburst? There's also a lot of references to movies with which I'm completely unfamiliar. I might would have had a deeper appreciation for the references if I were a movie-goer.

But, a book that exceeds expectations is a nice surprise. Even though I don't share the affinity many others do I'm still glad I read it. It is a solid story with a good pace about love, friendship, and the affects of mental illness.

byLouisa May Alcott -3.5 Stars Rounded to 3

Loosely based on the life of the author and her three sisters, the story follows the lives of four sisters as the pass from childhood into adulthood under the eye of their mother while their father is off fighting in the Civil War.

I kind of feel bad rating the book a three because I definitely understand the merits of the work and appreciate why it is listed among the greats in literature. Particularly for the time it was written the book delves into important women's issues that resonate even today. Alcott adeptly creates four distinct characters who are obviously influenced by the character of their parents. Each chapter seems to highlight experiences from one sister. This gives a feel of a series of short stories that give you a peek into the psyche of each sister. It was a nice way to unfold the entire story. But, it just wasn't for me. When I was young my mom was always trying to convince me to read it. I now wish I had read it back then because I think I would have enjoyed it more at an earlier age.

by Shrabani Basu - 5 stars and <3

If you following my reading you know I have a slight obsession with the women of the SOE. All of my reading to date has been an overall examination of the program and its contribution to the war, particularly its role in preparing for the D-Day invasion. I’ve never done a reading on a specific member of the program. If you are going to read on one particular figure of the extraordinary program Noor Inayat Khan is definitely the one to start with. An Indian princess on her father’s side with an American mother, Noor was born in Moscow and raised in Paris. She was an accomplished musician whose brother studied the violin under Stravinsky and was an author of children’s books. Her stories were broadcast on the Children’s Hour of Radio Paris. She was working on the concept of publishing a children’s newspaper when she was forced to flee with her family to London as Hitler’s army was advancing towards Paris. Her father was a Sufi, a Muslim mystic, who also adhered to the teachings of Gandhi. Noor was raised with a sense of religious tolerance and was a Muslim who fell in love with a Jew. Although raised as a pacifist she came to the conclusion that not actively resisting Hitler was tantamount to an accomplice to murder.

She volunteered for Women’s Auxiliary Air Force where she learned radio transmission. This combined with language skills attracted the attention of the newly created program of training women for espionage behind enemy lines of the SOE. She was detached to the French section, whose main aim was to prepare the ground for the invasion of France. She was attached to the Prosper circuit, who had become one of the largest, busiest, and most hazardous forces around Paris and of the SOE networks. Noor was the first woman operator to be flown into occupied France and of the thirty-nine women sent to France thirteen, including Noor, never returned.

The average survival time for a radio operator in the field was approximately six weeks. Of the more than 200 captured agents of the two sections of the SOE, only twenty-six lived to tell their tale. Within ten day of Noor’s arrival the network had been infiltrated and fallen into complete disarray with sweeping arrests of up to 1500 people. London wanted to extract her but she refused because she was the last radio operator left in Paris. She wanted to remain until a replacement could be sent. London accepted her response as an “offer of sacrifice of a soldier and allowed her to remain.” She eluded capture for three months and continued the dangerous work. She accomplished a great deal including managing to facilitate the escape of thirty Allied airmen shot down in France. A replacement was found and plans were to extract her on October 15, 1943. She was arrested the day before and was eventually executed at Dachau on September 13, 1944 with three other SOE female agents. Her contributions were recognized by both the UK and France, awarded the George Cross from UK and Coix de Guerre from France. She was one of only three women SOE agents to receive the George Cross.

Fantastic book! There is a great deal of debate around whether these women were trained properly, whether they should have been sent behind enemy lines, and what their accomplishments really were. Many books are heavily skewered either in lionizing the women or tampering down their involvement. Basu strikes a very good balance in her work. It is obvious she has a great deal of admiration for Noor, but she doesn’t hesitate to show her mistakes and weaknesses. I have my own biases and feel they were incredibly important and am happy to be in Eisenhower’s camp on this one who credits the women’s activity by shortening the war by six month. I like Ike!

by Dave Cullen - 5 Stars

On April 20, 1999, both of my children were in school. I remember being frightened about various things when they were growing up. When they were babies it was would they stop breathing in the middle of the night, as toddlers it was chocking on a toy or food, as children it was "stranger danger," then school shootings emerged as a danger. This was particularly scary because it was completely beyond my control. "Columbine" definitely stands out as one of the most vivid incidents of this stage.

“We remember Columbine as a pair of outcast Goths from the Trench Coat Mafia snapping and tearing through their high school hunting down jocks to settle a long-running feud." According to Cullen, a reporter who began covering the incident on noon the day of event, almost none of this is true. I was shocked. I consider myself a fairly well-informed individual and this was my impression starting this read but I would add to those myths two more. One, the killers were products of detached parents. Secondly, a school culture of bullying perpetuated by a "turn the blind eye" school administration. Cullen, systematically and convincingly tears down every single assumption and takes to task his colleagues in the media industry. Instead, Cullen portrays Eric as a psychopath who easily manipulated a bi-polar and suicidal Dylan and planned rather than "snapping" systematically planned the mass destruction of the entire student population (as opposed to the targeting of bullies) for well over a year. Can I just say I really came to adore the principal Mr. D? After reading this, while one may take issue with Eric's dad's approach to discipline you certainly can attach "detached" parent to him.


Ya'll know I'm an avid non-fiction reader. Kudos to Cullen for writing one of the most objective and analytical books I've ever come across. Most students of history recognize and take into account author biases because all humans are prone to some sort, as well as the reader. However, if Cullen harbors them they are almost undetectable. The only place where it might be found is with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department. But, while mistakes could be understandable a systematic cover up cannot. It would still be interesting to dig into the department's account just to compare. I thought we were going to see some bias in the religious community's response early in the book. But Cullen redeems himself with the treatment of the Barnell's and the Kliebold's pastor. That's one of the things I appreciated the most. Cullen doesn't paint pure heroes or villains. He relates the humanity of everyone involved with a great deal of sensitivity, including the killer's parents.

The book is difficult to read at time and sometimes it is inspiring. I appreciated finding out how some of the survivor's lives played out in the years since the incident. But, I think it is an important work in our culture. It goes without saying it is tragic. But, one of the tragedies is in missing the one opportunity to avert, or at least delay the opportunity for, this event to happen. I guess it could be argued that since Eric was a psychopath even if he'd served time for the felony for which he was arrested he would have eventually followed through with a similar event. But, it still feels tragic.

by Mikhail Krivich - 3 Stars

Andrei Chikatilo was accused and convicted over fifty-three savage and sadistic murders young boy and girls as well as women ages eight to twenty-four throughout Russian territory over a twelve year period beginning in 1978. He was almost caught after the first murder, but there was a previously convicted man, Aleksandr Kravchenko, in the area who had a prior rape and murder conviction. Even though he had obviously turned his life around it was just easier for authorities to pin the murder on him rather than follow the clues leading to Chikatilo. Sadly, Kavchenko was wrongly executed and Chikatilo was emboldened and learned from his mistakes. Securing jobs that allowed for an unusual mobility in Soviet Union at the time further aided his ability to elude capture, as he often committed the atrocities while traveling on business.

Chikatilo came to my attention when I read Child 44, a fiction work loosely based on Chikatilo. Loosely is correct because the only thing the two have in common is that the main characters of both books were Russian serial killers. In Tom Rob Smith fiction account the Soviet culture of promoting a Utopian society created the atmosphere for which the killer went undetected. That was not the reality. While authorities definitely made mistakes, they aggressively pursued the case, subject half a million people to questioning and testing. As a result 1,000 unrelated cases were solved.

The book is difficult to read. The murders are disgusting. I'm used to reading difficult subject matter as it relates to war studies, but this was even hard for me to get through. It is also a bit unsatisfying because of the time of publication Chikatilo is convicted but awaiting appeals. I had to look up the conclusion of the story. I don't know that I can recommend it, but it was interesting to see how Soviet police investigation worked and how the case was solved.

by Philip Freeman - Stars

What a disappointment! But, it really isn't the author's fault. It's just that with the exception of two letters written by Patrick himself - Confession and (both of which are at least fully included in this work) - apparently very little historical information remains on Patrick. Unfortunately, Confession reliability is suspect; it seems more of a modern-day retelling of several Old Testament stories in the shape of Patrick's life as if further emphasizing God's direct selection and approval of Patrick and his work in Ireland.

All we know is that Patrick was from a Roman family in Britain. They were a land-owning family and served the church for two generations. At the age of fifteen Patrick was kidnapped and sold into slavery into Ireland. Patrick claims to have received a vision commanding him to return home. After a one month journey across Ireland he finds a ship willing to take him aboard and back to Britain. Reunited with his family, he claims to have another vision to return to Ireland and convert its people. He eventually became a Deacon then a Bishop and faced opposition with the British church, which used a sin of some kind (we don't even know what it is) from his teenage years as a pretext to investigate Patrick. That's ALL we know. We don't even have the benefit of knowing what towns he was born in, lived in slavery, found a return ship to return home, where he preached, where he died, or where he's buried. We don't know how long he stayed in Britain before returning to England. We don't know the outcome of the investigation.

The book was frustrating for its lack facts and it continuous use of phrases like "you can imagine", "might have", "likely", "probably," "possibly", etc. But, the lack of documents is understandable taking into account Irish culture at the time. It was heavily reliant on oral tradition and writing religious texts was forbidden in Celtic religion. But, it is a shame because the conviction and genuine care of the Irish Christians displayed in the letter to Croticus gives you a glimpse into his heart. It would have been nice to know more. Patrick is probably a subject that should be left to historical fiction writers rather than non-fiction unless more evidence is ever uncovered.

by Micheál Ó Siochrú -3.5 Rounded to 4 Stars

Cromwell, a committed Puritan, is an incredibly controversial figure in British history. On the one hand BBC viewers proclaimed him one of the greatest Britons of all time. Conversely, he evokes viscerally strong emotions from the Irish. Having only spent nine months in Ireland between 1649-1650, he is considered by the Irish a war criminal, a religious persecutor, and ethnic cleanser as he continued to carry out the work of the British crown bringing natives and Catholics into subjection.

Cromwell was one of the signatories that brought about Charles I's execution, inflaming the Irish situation. Having little military experience he was tapped to lead troops into Ireland. In the summer of 1649, Cromwell was sent to Ireland with two objectives: to place it firmly under English control; to superintend the confiscation the land of all 'rebels' - as a result almost forty per cent of the land of Ireland was redistributed from Catholics born in Ireland to Protestants born in Britain. His first target was the town of Drogheda north of Dublin which he stormed and captured. Perhaps 2,500 men, mainly in arms, were killed during the storm and several hundred more - all the officers, all Catholic priests and friars, every tenth common soldier - were killed, many clubbed to death. It was in accordance with the laws of war, but it went far beyond what any General had done in England. Cromwell then perpetrated a messier massacre at Wexford. Thereafter most towns surrendered on his approach, and he scrupulously observed surrender articles and spared the lives of soldiers and civilians. It was and is a controversial conquest. But, from the English point of view, it worked. In the summer of 1650, he returned to England and was sent off to Scotland, where Charles II had been proclaimed and crowned as King of Britain and Ireland. In a campaign as unrelenting but less brutal, he wiped out the royal armies and established a military occupation of the lowlands and west that was to last until 1660. In September 1651 he returned to a roman-style triumphant entry in London.

As I go through this study of Irish history I'm amazed at the profound effect Henry VII's separation from the Catholic church impacted the Irish. Readers, both fiction and historical non-fiction, are often attracted to the Tudor period for a number of reasons. Often it is the salacious nature of his relationship with his wives that receive the most focus. But, so far at least in my study, actions approximately 600 years ago are still felt on the island that now stands divided between north and south.

Step 7: Family

by Kent Haruf - 4 Stars

Addie and Louis are widows and neighbors in their seventies. They are both lonely but for Addie the nights are the loneliest. Addie makes a proposition to Louis - spend their nights together. The proposition is not an intimate proposal, simply an opportunity to spend their nights talking. When Louis takes her up on the idea the relationship is scandalous not only to their rural neighbors, but more importantly to Addie's son.

This is a simply a sweet little novel and shows how important relationships and emotional connections are to our well-being. Addie and Louis spend hours getting to know each other, talking about their triumphs as well as their regrets in life. I loved how well-drawn the two protagonists were. They were authentic. Both lives are full of moments they can each be proud of as well as moments they would change if it were possible. Recounting their lives to each other allows an opportunity to reflect and deal honestly with the lives each have lived.

This is a quick read and very good. The audio book was well-done.

Step 7: Family
by - 4 Stars

Jane is a single mother hiding the circumstances of her pregnancy from everyone around her. She decides to move with her 5-year old son to a coastal town in Australia so her son, Ziggy, can grow up near the beach. On the way to kindergarten orientation Jane stops to assist Madeline, who has just slipped in the middle of the road on her 40th birthday and twisted her ankle. Eternally grateful for saving her from utter humiliation by ensuring her 5-year old daughter, Chloe, makes it to orientation in time Madeline invites Jane to join her and Celeste at a local coffee house. Celeste seems to have it all. The mother of twins is stunningly beautiful, rich, and in a seemingly perfect marriage. At orientation Renata's daughter, Ammabelle, accuses Ziggy of trying to strangle her. The lines are drawn as Renata, a corporate executive, now has Ziggy and Jane in her cross-hairs. Madeline, fiercely loyal, will not take this lying down. Everyone is forced to take sides.

On the surface this would be classified as chick-lit. But it explored some pretty serious themes that included domestic abuse, rape, and bullying. The subject matter was handled very well and it was a real-page turner. In the opening pages you learn there's been a murder at a school function but the victim and killer aren't revealed until close to the end. The reader really does want to get to that knowledge because there are some very well-drawn characters here. I really appreciated how, as the mother of two daughters active in a wide range of activities throughout their school career, I recognized every single character in those experiences. But, it wasn't simply an "aha! That's just like X. He/She'd act that very way." No, Moriarty developed a background and circumstances that made the vast majority (not all!) of the characters sympathetic on some level. For instance, if I met Madeline in real life I'm afraid my first impression would not be one of high regard. But, I really her like her in this book! My one complaint, (view spoiler)

On a personal level. l really like the friendship between the three women. I think partly because there are a couple of women with whom I don't think my path would have crossed had it not been for Girl Scouts. Over the years we developed an amazing friendship and stay in touch today.

This isn't going to change your life or anything but it was an engaging and quick read

Step 7: Family

by - 4 stars

"I now understand that our existence as human beings lies in our ability to remember. Everything that matters about our identities - our very sense of self - comes from our memories. We may live in the present, but that doesn't last. Every moment quickly slips into the stream of short-term memory and journeys toward the ocean that is the long-term memory center of the brain. There our memories take root, shaping us, refining us, defining who we are. We are the culmination of all we have experienced, all we have thought and read and believed, all we have loved. We are living memories. Without memories we cease to be ourselves. In a very real way we cease to be." (Pg. 9)

Ben Utecht played five years in the NFL for not the Indianapolis Colts and the Cincinnati Bengals, winning a coveted ring Super Bowl in Super Bowl XLI. Yet throughout his college and professional career he suffered five documented concussions and untold undocumented ones, often referred to as "getting his bell rung." The concussions eventually took their toll and he now lives with permanent decreased memories and cognitive abilities.

If you are a football fan or the parent of a sports participant this is a must read. There has been a much more focused spotlight by the NFL and former players. But Ben brings a personal touch with the fullness of his story. It's a poignant memoir about faith, love, and appreciating each moment with with the ones you love.

A could of items to note, however. I thought from the subtitle, "A Letter To My Family," is a bit misleading. I expected this to be structured as an epistolary form. The letter comes in the last chapter. Up until that point it is a recounting of his experience in football programs. Secondly, faith is at the core of Ben's life. If discussion of faith bothers you this is not the work for you. It isn't didactic in nature. In fact, while being a Christian myself I don't align with his interpretation of the manifestation of God's power in our lives, but it didn't take away from my appreciation of the story.

Step 7: Family

by - 3 Stars

"Now I understand the truth: I confused the order of things. I created pain; I danced to my own destruction."

Mata Hari, the archetype of seductive female spies, is a controversial figure in history. Supporters consistently attempt to get the French government to re-open her case to determine if the military tribunal sentencing her to death had any evidence to support their claims or if the entire trial was a sham, a propaganda stunt by the French to deflect failings in the war effort. The mention of her names conjures up salacious images of an exotic dancer and a seductress of military leaders across Europe. With a little documented past it would seem a perfect figure for an historical novel. But, and I should say I usually love Moran's work, this just fell flat for me. I think it was mainly that I didn't find her a sympathetic character in the least even with the line Moran chose to follow. I simply found her in this tale simply foolish. Or maybe it is because I come with my own bias towards Mata Hari's role in the war.

This is a typical Moran work - you will find the fast paced, page-turning aspect of her other work. However, some of it seemed a bit rushed. I found myself wanting her to paint more of a picture of pre-war Europe than she did, although I did like the tension between Mata Hari and Eduordo, the lawyer who discovered her talents. I also felt Mata Hari's time as a "spy" was rushed. But, I recognize that may have been a deliberate choice by Moran since she chose the perspective she did regarding Mata Hari's guilt or innocence. While I spent most of my time frustrated with Marta Hari, I do think Moran showed how lonely she was in the end and, I admit, I felt a tug at my heart.

For what it's worth. (view spoiler)

Not my favorite Moran work, but she's still one of my favorite historical fiction authors. Anytime I need a quick read she's one of my go-to authors.

Step 7: Family

by - 4 Stars

Selva, the daughter of one of the Ottoman's last pasha's, has fallen in love with Rafael (Rafo) Alfandari, a Turkish Jew. As stubborn as her father, she rebels against his edict to stay away from and Rafo and instead marries him, forcing the two to flee to Paris in order to stave off the wrath of both families. Missed dearly by her sister, whose marriage to a Turkish diplomat gives her access to friends within the Turkish embassy in Paris, she help in some form from back home when Germany occupies France and Rafo has a close encounter with the SS.

I realize I can often be hard on historical fiction set in WWII. But, this one really hits the mark. The history is good, VERY good with the possible exception of the claim that no other country tried to help European Jews (Albania would probably take issue with that statement). There's a lot to work with in modern Turkish history and the author does an excellent job of painting it for this era without beating the reader over the head. The character are wonderfully drawn. I absolutely adored Selva for her grit and courage. Her husband often becomes exasperated with her because she shows the same courage it took to marry him as it relates to saving Jews not only of Turkish nationality but of all backgrounds. "I was looking for a soul mate, but I ended up with a comrade in arms...Selva thinks she's a soldier. She's taken it upon herself to save the world single-handedly." I also really liked the way consulate officials were compiled into two composite characters that reflects the admirable actions of the historical figures of that era.

I knocked off half a star for the translation. While you caught a glimpse of great lines every once in awhile like "Life was beautiful. It was worth living, even in a cramped, narrow corridor. Just one note, a single note, was enough to symbolize the power of humanity." In the translated version the dialogue comes across awfully choppy.

I downloaded and sailed through it reading it and listening on Whispersync. With an Amazon deal I was able to get both versions for around $5. That was great because I truly didn't want to put the book down.

Lilly, an aspiring flower shop owner, and Ryle, a rising neurosurgeon, meet on a rooftop of a Boston apartment building one evening after they've both experienced stressful days. Starting a game of what will become known as "naked truths" they confide in each, allowing each to work through the day's issues and, ultimately, get to know each other. Most importantly, they discover they each want different things out of life. She is looking for her "Holly Grail," relationship and he, while admitting an attraction, has sworn off relationships of any sort. Parting, they think they will go their separate ways until Lilly's path crosses Ryle's sister's, and the two become instantaneous best-fiends. As Lilly and Ryle's relationship blossoms (pardon the pun) Lilly revisits her high school journals and reflects on falling in love for the first time while witnessing an abusive relationship between her parents.

NEVER IN A MILLION, GAZILLION, BILLION, JILLION YEARS WOULD I HAVE THOUGHT I WOULD LIKED THIS. I hesitated to give any synopsis because if someone had described the book to me or characters I really would have rolled my eyes and passed. There was even a moment during the courtship phase I almost put it aside. But it was picked for book club, and I'm all in at book club right now.

I'm not giving anything away because you realize very early that the book is about domestic abuse. But, this isn't a cut and dry, good vs. evil kind of tale of two-dimensional characters. "There is no such thing as bad people. We're all just people who sometimes do bad things." The characters are very well drawn psychologically even if on the surface their actions might not seem believable. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. I don't care what she does or what his excuse is that behavior is unacceptable. I agree. But, Hoover digs deeper and gets into the mind of the victim. If you have ever cared for someone who was in an abusive relationship or witnessed one and screamed, ether figuratively or literally, "WHY DO YOU STAY?!" this gives you a peek into what you might not understand. Hoover is not trying to defend abusers. So, don't let that dissuade you from reading it. It is more in the vein of early Jodi Picoult books without the alternative perspectives and better writing. Much better writing; it's raw and emotional, haunting, sad, and beautiful."

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