Books and Magazines

I've been corresponding with friends lately about their reading habits because I invited them to the Good Reads web-site which is like Shelfari---they both keep track of the books you've read and allow you to recommend books to others while giving you ideas of good books to read, too. Some of the responses have made me think. M.L. said she only has time to read on airplanes. R.T. said she only reads 2 pages a night. Others live in turmoil and couldn't find time to read. G.W. said he only has time to read magazines.

I've been to all of those places. Just this Spring, I realized that if I go to the beach for 5 days, I can get all of my magazines read, but that's a pretty crazy reason to take a vacation. Magazines sit around my house in piles because we subscribe to too many magazines. I was having a hard time reading books because I spent so much time reading magazines. When I check a book out of the library, I only have two weeks to read it (2 pages a night doesn't cut it), so I'm forced to cut into my magazine time. As a result, magazines are starting to pile up again.
I am having to make new rules. 1. If the "news magazine" is more than a month old and I still haven't read it---it's old news---so pitch it. 2. If I can get it on-line, pitch it. (hubby can't agree with me on this with Consumer's but I can pitch old Angie's List magazines)
We should be rich with the number of financial magazines and newsletters we get. . . At least we recycle these with our daughter and son-in-law who probably are thinking, "Great, a two-month old magazine on which mutual funds are good." This interest area has gotten better---we used to subscribe to The Wall Street Journal or Financial Times. About now you're thinking, "so much money being wasted", but most of these aren't costing us anything---cashing in random frequent flyer miles.
Again, these didn't cost us much---we are Friends at the Missouri Botantical Garden, we got a free subscription to Midwest Living when we gave it as a gift, Woman's Day was frequent flyer miles and Food and Family just needed to be signed up on line. I've also had free issues of Weight Watcher's Magazine as rewards or prizes.
We have let some subscriptions expire, but for some reason, I can't throw the magazines away until I read them or finish the crossword puzzles.
I really enjoy these magazines (like the 100's of National Geographics in the basement)---if they're about history, they're pretty timeless. And, yet back to the "if I can find it on-line. . ."All of the Americana magazines at the beginning of this post were thrown out with the exception of one or two copies.

And, I thought I'd have plenty of time to read after I retired. . .

Happy Birthday Richard!

Happy birthday to my brother-in-law Richard (in the dark hat)----father, step-father, father-in-law to many and grandfather to Abby and Chloe.
Although he lives in Texas, his heart is still in Arizona.
But, he's still a wonderful host when we visit----treating us to BBQ, movies and Texas fun!
We hope you have many more wonderful birthdays!

Books Jan.-June 2009

I started the label "books" in March thinking I could occasionally write a book review or share my thoughts on a book. I've FINALLY read a book that I feel like writing about.

In this time, I've read popular books: The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks----I wanted to gag (maybe I am not much of a romantic).

I've read critically acclaimed books: Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez---I wanted to slap them everytime I picked up the book. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett---I don't care if you're being held hostage by terrorists, stop whining! I just wasn't on the side of the main characters---I couldn't sympathize with them. Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross was good, but a little dry. I was frankly relieved when I was done with them.

I read The Host by Stephenie Meyer (Twilight author)---she almost had me. It's a science fiction book written for adults. It did make me think about our humanity, but I never thought, "this book is delicious; I can't put it down."

I desperately wanted a book I could savor: a book I didn't want to put down, but I didn't want it to end either. Finally the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society book came up. I had ordered it at the library for our church book club, but I didn't get the book until the book club had already met. (Double click on any of the photos to see larger, then use the back arrow to come back to this page)
It is what literary scholars call an epistolary novel: it's not a narrative but the story is told in letters, notes, telegrams. It takes place in Britain in 1946, but a lot of the story is about the Guernsey Island when it was occupied by German soldiers during World War II. Although I knew that children in Britain were sent to live in the country or in Canada, I was moved at the story of these children having to leave their island home for the mainland.
It is funny, sad, informative, romantic and soul-searching---a wonderful novel for the summer. The reader meets the members of the "Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" through their letters to Julia Ashton who is a fairly successful author in London. The characters range from a pig farmer, several aristocratic ladies, a "bone and rag" man, a child who is being raised by the society members, an herbalist. They each tell their stories to Julia about the German occupation of their island.

All of their stories seem to feature Elizabeth who founded the society when they were stopped by German soldiers after curfew one night. In many ways, she is like Julia Ashton---intelligent, realistic, brave, ready to tackle any challenge and inspire others. (Double click to read these pages)

I'm always fond of World War II books which have "good" Germans---so often, all Germans are painted with a broad brush of badness. I knew there had been "good" Germans before Schindler's List came along--I knew good people when I lived there. I also love books which make me laugh AND cry. But, when I finish a book and think, "Darn, it's over," I know it's a book I thoroughly enjoyed.

When I'm thinking of something in the book days later, I know it's a book that's gripped me and made me think: Will Thisbee (the rag and bone man) loves Thomas Carlyle. One meeting of the society, he introduces the members to what Carlyle had to say about "the soul." He continues to tell about Dr. Stubbins (a psychiatrist) who didn't make any friends at the Sigmund Freud society when he announced (p.102):

Did any of you ever think that along about the time the notion of a SOUL gave out, Freud popped up with the EGO to take its place? The timing of the man! Did he not pause to reflect? Irresponsible old coot! It is my belief that men must spout this twaddle about egos, because they fear they have no soul! Think about it! And, I have.

It's not a perfect book. Sometimes, the epistolary form got in the way. I wanted to know more about the characters, the setting---I needed more description. One part concerning Oscar Wilde seemed contrived, and I didn't think it was necessary. I would have liked to know more about how the islanders put their lives back in order after the war. Basically, I want a sequel which probably won't happen.

The book has two authors: an aunt and her niece. Their web-site tells a little about them.

"Mary Ann Shaffer was born in Martinsburg, West Virginia, in 1934. Her career included libraries, bookstores, and publishing, but her life-long dream was to "write a book that someone would like enough to publish." Though she did not live to see it, this dream has been realized in The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society."

Shaffer became ill after she sold the book and had to call her niece to put the finishing touches on it.

"Annie Barrows, whose career also included libraries, bookstores, and publishing, is the author of the Ivy and Bean series for children, as well as The Magic Half."

Eli at Longview Park

One of our favorite places to visit is just a few miles from our house---Longview Park in Town and Country. Eli didn't really want to play on the playground but wanted to go on a walk.
He seemed mesmerized by the fountain.
This lake has two places to view it from---an upper one and a lower one.
We were pretty surprised to see the turtles and fish until Leah said, "They probably think we have food." Great! Now I have to try to remember to bring food for the turtles and fish. (Double click to see the fish)
We discovered some new paths, so we explored them.
I was surprised and touched to see the bench pictured above dedicated to someone we knew many years ago before we were even married. Dallas and his wife Lynn lived in the same apartments with us (Dave and I; Jane and Harry; Susan and John) in North County. Dallas remained close friends with Susan and John until his death. Part of the path in Town and Country was dedicated to him (he was an alderman in Town and Country)
The end of the path brought us to the stables.
Leah tried to feed the horse, but wound up throwing the grass at him.
Eli was a little more courageous. Grandma thought the horse was getting a little close and just as she reached down to get Eli, the horse snorted. . .
Scaring Eli.
He was definitely ready for the playground after that terrifying experience.

To see a blog about a winter visit to Longview and Roman's experience with the horses , click here .

Warrens Visit

With remodeling being done at their house, the Warrens came to stay with us a few days. I dug out one of our kiddy pools for Eli.
The pool has a fishing rod and fish---Leah is demonstrating her good fishing form.
While we see Leah and Eli around once a week, it was a treat to see Todd in the evenings.
Since we got up before 6 AM each morning, we decided to go garage saling on Wednesday. Although most of us had eaten our blueberry pancakes earlier, Eli finished his in the car.
We didn't find anything very exciting although the weather was perfect and we enjoyed the morning.