My first thought on finishing this novel a few minutes ago was, "I'm so glad that I've only read two of Elizabeth Berg's books. This means that there are so many more waiting for me on the library's shelves!" Tapestry of Fortunes is the lovely, life affirming story of a woman, Cece, who has lost her best friend, Penny. A successful motivational speaker and author, Cecelia Ross is fifty-something when she comes to the realization that the life she has been living has lost its meaning for her. She decides to take a break from her career, sell her house, and volunteer at a local hospice. In an unlikely move, she also chooses to rent a room in a beautiful old house and live there with a disparate group of women with whom she develops an immediate rapport. A postcard from Cece's old love Dennis Halsinger prompts the women to embark on a road trip where each of them revisits past life decisions and embraces new hope for the future. Along the way, Cece communicates mentally with Penny, who remains an integral part of her life and her decisions and urges her to find her true joy in life.
I can't begin to say how much I enjoyed this novel. The title is apt, for Berg is a genius at interweaving the emotional threads of each woman's story into a beautiful blend of colors and feelings. Interspersing the use of tarot cards lightheartedly throughout the novel adds an extra touch of interest. Anyone who loves women's fiction, stories about friendship, middle-aged romance, local color, and the captivating details of everyday life lived to its fullest should read this novel. I just loved it! By the way, it also has one of the most beautiful covers I've ever seen. Look for it!
I was just reading some of the reviews on Goodreads about this book and they were all over the map. Someone even hated the cover! It's amazing how varied people's tastes can be!
BIBLIOPHILY
Monday, January 27, 2014
Thursday, January 23, 2014
SIX YEARS (Harlan Coben)
It's been a while since I've read a thriller. Lately I've been focusing primarily on women's fiction, because I like the emotional component, as well as historical fiction and traditional mysteries. Six Years was pretty good. College professor Jake was devastated when, six years before the novel begins, his soul-mate Natalie dumped him and married another man that she claimed was her old boyfriend, asking Jake to leave them alone. Jake respected her wish for privacy and closure, but when he finds out that Natalie's husband, Todd, has died he decides to contact her at long last, only to discover that Todd left a wife of twenty years and two sons. None of them have ever heard of Natalie. Naturally he sets out to find the truth of what happened to Natalie, meeting obstacle after obstacle and realizing that those he thought he could trust may not be what they seem to be. Jake displays an admirable ability to think on his feet, outwitting evil gangsters and even killing when necessary to save his own life. I really liked Jake's integrity, his concern for the safety of his students and his underlying shock and wonder at his ability to kill, even in self-defense. Overall, I would classify this as a satisfying thriller. It's quick to read, full of both action and psychological suspense, and Coben does an excellent job of keeping the reader guessing while unfolding the plot logically and cleanly.
Monday, January 20, 2014
THE OBITUARY WRITER (Ann Hood)
Last week someone returned this book to the library and said "You should read this!" I did, and I have to say that I am very appreciative of the recommendation. Hood's latest had already been mentioned in my BookBuggs group and was in the back of my mind to read someday, but I hadn't gotten around to it, partially because Ann Hood often writes about grief and loss and I wasn't really in the mood. The Obituary Writer drew me in immediately, though.
Claire is a housewife in Virginia in1961, enamored of the Kennedy charisma and expecting a baby that she isn't sure is her husband's. When her husband discovered her with her lover, the affair came to an abrupt end and her marriage has been understandably strained ever since. She longs for the easy conversation and passion she enjoyed with her lover and grieves for what is lost. Vivian, an obituary writer in 1919, has lived for 16 years in California's Napa Valley without closure, grieving for her married lover, David, who disappeared without a trace during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Vivian has put her life on hold searching for David, filling her time with composing beautiful, personal obituaries for bereaved parents, spouses, and children. The two women's stories are told in 7 chapters with alternating segments. I spent the first 100 pages wondering about the connection between the two women while enjoying each of their stories. It did come together beautifully at the end.
Every woman has experienced loss, disappointment, and grief. I find it amazing that I chose to read this novel directly after finishing David Menasche's memoir, because they tie in so beautifully together. We all make choices in life and we all experience things beyond our control. We can choose to accept what we cannot change and move on, living life to the fullest, or we can choose to view our obstacles as a reason to stop living and empathizing. The Obituary Writer provides an interesting historical perspective on love, loss, and acceptance. I highly recommend it.
Claire is a housewife in Virginia in1961, enamored of the Kennedy charisma and expecting a baby that she isn't sure is her husband's. When her husband discovered her with her lover, the affair came to an abrupt end and her marriage has been understandably strained ever since. She longs for the easy conversation and passion she enjoyed with her lover and grieves for what is lost. Vivian, an obituary writer in 1919, has lived for 16 years in California's Napa Valley without closure, grieving for her married lover, David, who disappeared without a trace during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Vivian has put her life on hold searching for David, filling her time with composing beautiful, personal obituaries for bereaved parents, spouses, and children. The two women's stories are told in 7 chapters with alternating segments. I spent the first 100 pages wondering about the connection between the two women while enjoying each of their stories. It did come together beautifully at the end.
Every woman has experienced loss, disappointment, and grief. I find it amazing that I chose to read this novel directly after finishing David Menasche's memoir, because they tie in so beautifully together. We all make choices in life and we all experience things beyond our control. We can choose to accept what we cannot change and move on, living life to the fullest, or we can choose to view our obstacles as a reason to stop living and empathizing. The Obituary Writer provides an interesting historical perspective on love, loss, and acceptance. I highly recommend it.
THE PRIORITY LIST: A TEACHER'S FINAL QUEST TO DISCOVER LIFE'S GREATEST LESSONS (David Menasche)
This beautiful, inspirational memoir should be on everyone's "to read" list. It WILL change your way of thinking about life and what it should mean. I promise!
David Menasche, a devoted husband and gifted teacher, was diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of 34 and made the decision to live the fullest, most meaningful life possible in the time he had left. As a high school teacher, he had effectively incorporated life lessons into studies of literature, earning the unconditional love and respect of his students. The "spiral" was the initial means by which he described the stages of life and eventual goals to his students. The beginning of the spiral is birth and infancy, when we are focused completely on our own needs and feelings. The end of the spiral, the goal of living, is "when you can empathize with others and act with true respect and kindness because to be here is to care more about others than you care about yourself." From this concept evolved the "priority list," a list of words such as wealth, respect, privacy, security and love, words that can be prioritized and rearranged as we journey through life. Originally the words were used in Menasche's classes to analyze characters in literature, but students were also asked to apply them to their own lives and goals in order to better understand themselves and their motivations. It obviously worked.
Six years after being diagnosed, partially blind and partially crippled on his left side, Menasche was finally forced to give up teaching, but he used this disappointment an opportunity to travel the country visiting former students and friends who welcomed him with joy and open arms. This book is a testament to the idea that life is constantly evolving and changing and that "obstacles" can make the journey more challenging, but not impossible. This is not a memoir about dying, but about life and how far empathy and kindness can go towards making all of the difference in a life. David Menasche is still alive today and settled in New Orleans. He is also on Facebook. Friend him and follow him as he continues his journey through life. H is truly a person who sees the joy in living and loving. We can learn a lot from his outlook.
David Menasche, a devoted husband and gifted teacher, was diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of 34 and made the decision to live the fullest, most meaningful life possible in the time he had left. As a high school teacher, he had effectively incorporated life lessons into studies of literature, earning the unconditional love and respect of his students. The "spiral" was the initial means by which he described the stages of life and eventual goals to his students. The beginning of the spiral is birth and infancy, when we are focused completely on our own needs and feelings. The end of the spiral, the goal of living, is "when you can empathize with others and act with true respect and kindness because to be here is to care more about others than you care about yourself." From this concept evolved the "priority list," a list of words such as wealth, respect, privacy, security and love, words that can be prioritized and rearranged as we journey through life. Originally the words were used in Menasche's classes to analyze characters in literature, but students were also asked to apply them to their own lives and goals in order to better understand themselves and their motivations. It obviously worked.
Six years after being diagnosed, partially blind and partially crippled on his left side, Menasche was finally forced to give up teaching, but he used this disappointment an opportunity to travel the country visiting former students and friends who welcomed him with joy and open arms. This book is a testament to the idea that life is constantly evolving and changing and that "obstacles" can make the journey more challenging, but not impossible. This is not a memoir about dying, but about life and how far empathy and kindness can go towards making all of the difference in a life. David Menasche is still alive today and settled in New Orleans. He is also on Facebook. Friend him and follow him as he continues his journey through life. H is truly a person who sees the joy in living and loving. We can learn a lot from his outlook.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
JANE AND THE MADNESS OF LORD BYRON (Stephanie Barron)
This novel was a joy from start to finish. Barron seems to be channeling Jane Austen and the reader is treated to a bird's-eye views of life in Austen's time, written in what could easily seem to be Austen's own words. There are quite a few "real" characters here in addition to Austen and her brother, Henry, including Lord Byron, Lady Caroline Lamb, and the dilettante prince regent, the future King George IV.
Jane and her brother, Henry, travel to Bath after the death of Henry's beloved wife, Eliza. On their way, they rescue a lovely young woman, Catherine Twining, who has apparently been abducted by the infamous Lord Byron, who had planned to marry her at Gretna Green. During their sojourn in Bath the young woman's body us found in Lord Byron's chamber, wrapped in the sail from his boat, but the circumstances of the death and discovery convince Jane that Bryon is not the killer,
Barron has infused the novel with rich, believable details of life in Austen's time. The reader can almost feel and smell the Assembly Rooms at Bath and the combination of real historical characters and details with fictional situations is seamless. I highly recommend this series.
Jane and her brother, Henry, travel to Bath after the death of Henry's beloved wife, Eliza. On their way, they rescue a lovely young woman, Catherine Twining, who has apparently been abducted by the infamous Lord Byron, who had planned to marry her at Gretna Green. During their sojourn in Bath the young woman's body us found in Lord Byron's chamber, wrapped in the sail from his boat, but the circumstances of the death and discovery convince Jane that Bryon is not the killer,
Barron has infused the novel with rich, believable details of life in Austen's time. The reader can almost feel and smell the Assembly Rooms at Bath and the combination of real historical characters and details with fictional situations is seamless. I highly recommend this series.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
SHADOWS OF DEATH (Jeanne Dams)
I can never resist Jeanne Dams' Dorothy Martin and her husband, retired Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt. In Shadows of Death the pair are invited to Orkney, Scotland, by an artist friend to visit the site of an ancient city being carefully excavated. Naturally, the body of the project's main benefactor is discovered in the middle of the archaeological dig on a remote island and the main suspect soon disappears. With a terror threat being investigated nearby, the local police rely on Alan and Dorothy to investigate.
One of the most wonderful things about Dams's characters is their authenticity. Alan and Dorothy are an older couple experiencing the aches and pains of aging (Dorothy had a knee replacement in an earlier book). The reader is drawn into the middle of their lives in every novel. We know what they eat, how much they miss their pets, what gives them indigestion,and when they shower or change clothes, and even when they make love, but it is all done so gently and subtly that it never gets boring. I thoroughly love Dorothy and Alan and I wait anxious for each new entry in the series to be published. I've even gotten my mother hooked! Dams always includes enough intrigue and action to entertain and the mystery is always interesting, but somehow she makes the reader believe that this couple could be real.
One of the most wonderful things about Dams's characters is their authenticity. Alan and Dorothy are an older couple experiencing the aches and pains of aging (Dorothy had a knee replacement in an earlier book). The reader is drawn into the middle of their lives in every novel. We know what they eat, how much they miss their pets, what gives them indigestion,and when they shower or change clothes, and even when they make love, but it is all done so gently and subtly that it never gets boring. I thoroughly love Dorothy and Alan and I wait anxious for each new entry in the series to be published. I've even gotten my mother hooked! Dams always includes enough intrigue and action to entertain and the mystery is always interesting, but somehow she makes the reader believe that this couple could be real.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
PAGAN SPRING (G.M. Malliet)
Max Tudor never ceases to be fascinating. Malliet's MI5 agent turned Anglican priest continues to be such a fresh concept, even in this third novel of the series. The secret here, I think, is the continued development of the characters and their relationships. A lot of cozies have romantic relationships that develop throughout the series, but none so odd as that of haunted, handsome, and devout Max and Awena, the beautiful new-age free spirit. The village of Nether Monkslip is as much a character as any of the people in the book.
In Pagan Spring, the murder victim is Thaddeus Bottle, an egotistical retired actor and playwright. Thaddeus recently moved back to the village of his birth with his downtrodden wife Melinda. When he is discovered dead in bed by his wife, the initial assumption is that he suffered a natural death. He was 78 years old. Max, of course, becomes suspicious when he notices a small amount of blood on Thaddeus's neck and the inevitable conclusion is murder.
Malliet does a tremendous job of introducing and developing the relationships among the various residents of Nether Monkslip. The Cut & Curl, the Writers' Square, and Awena's shop / studio all provide the reader with ample opportunity to experience the heart and soul of the village and to gain more insight into the life of this charming place. I will say that I did have a few suspicions regarding who might be the culprit in this one, but I was still surprised by the ending. I enjoyed every moment of this mystery and I'm looking forward to the next installment.
In Pagan Spring, the murder victim is Thaddeus Bottle, an egotistical retired actor and playwright. Thaddeus recently moved back to the village of his birth with his downtrodden wife Melinda. When he is discovered dead in bed by his wife, the initial assumption is that he suffered a natural death. He was 78 years old. Max, of course, becomes suspicious when he notices a small amount of blood on Thaddeus's neck and the inevitable conclusion is murder.
Malliet does a tremendous job of introducing and developing the relationships among the various residents of Nether Monkslip. The Cut & Curl, the Writers' Square, and Awena's shop / studio all provide the reader with ample opportunity to experience the heart and soul of the village and to gain more insight into the life of this charming place. I will say that I did have a few suspicions regarding who might be the culprit in this one, but I was still surprised by the ending. I enjoyed every moment of this mystery and I'm looking forward to the next installment.
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