December 31, 2018 WHY DON'T YOU READ A BOOK

It's that time of year again. YUP. Trying to make my list of the best books of 2018. A few things I should tell you about the list. These are from the books that I read this year. They are NOT necessarily written in 2018 though. First off-- I review my blogs for 2018-- make the "INITIAL LIST"--which is always TOO LONG. Then I start cutting--after a lot of HEMMING AND HAWING. The books that make the CUT have what I think of as "The perfect recipe." Generally speaking--the books that make the cut are BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN stories with CAPTIVATING--QUIRKY--characters set in  interesting places. They are the stories that stay with me LONG after I've finished them because they've transported me to a foreign place where I've learned something new. They are the authors I go back to time and time again because I get lost in their prose. So without further adieu--I'd like to share my favorite books of 2018:

1)  An Atlas of Impossible Longing by Anuradha Roy reviewed 11/26/18--blog title Addicted to Love.

2) Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller reviewed 4/16/18--blog title The Weight of the World.

3 Pachinko by Min Jin Lee reviewed 10/30/18--blog title If a Picture Paints a Thousand Words.

4)  The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jen-Philipp Sendker reviewed 10/25/18--blog title Summer Breeze.

5)  Often I am Happy by Jens Christian Grondahls reviewed 2/4/18--blog title Lottery.

6)  Stay with Me by Ayobami Adebayo reviewed 6/27/18--blog title Time in a Bottle.

7) The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See reviewed 5/20/18--blog title I Hope you Dance. 

8) There There by Tommy Orange reviewed 12/27/18--blog title House Party. 

Hope this list helps you find your next perfect read. Enjoy. Have a Healthy-Happy New Year.  Happy Reading. 

December 27, 2018 HOUSE PARTY

Exhausted. 3 parties in 4 days--TOO MUCH FOR ME. I don't think I go to 3 parties ALL YEAR. Feel like I'm walking around in a daze. It's funny--when I was in my twenties-- I could party every night and feel good as new the next morning. These days--it's more like a two day recovery between parties--so that means I need  SIX DAYS to recover from the holidays.  Don't get me wrong--I'd do it ALL again in a minute. Great fun with friends and family--playing games-- reminiscing--sipping  holiday drinks. Party #1 used to be a cookie party when my daughter was young. She'd invite friends over and we'd spend hours making cookies. Fast forward 10 years. We still make cookies BUT her friends NOW come over--with their significant other. We still snack--play games but NOW we drink a little JINGLE JANGLE JUICE too.  GREAT FUN. So proud of them. This is followed by the  Christmas Eve & Christmas parties that keep me up WAY TOO LATE.  It's a whirlwind and my heads still spinning BUT--wouldn't change a thing!! Hope to feel like my old self  in time for New Years Eve............... 

Twelve characters, each representing  the urban Native American experience, are on their way to a party too--the Big Oakland Powwow in Tommy Orange's debut novel There There. In order to answer the question--what does it mean to be a Native American today--Orange introduces the reader to a new character in each chapter of the novel.  We learn their history, story and motivation for attending the powwow. Some are looking to reconnect with family, others are searching for their "Indian identity" while others are just trying to understand their place in society. They range from teenagers to the elderly; they come from fractured families, violence, drug and alcohol addiction. This book essentially tells the story of the indigenous community in Oakland, California, and their painful history and detachment from tradition after being forced to live on reservations.  This powerful story is a must read. It is equally funny, disturbing and heartbreaking. The characters come alive because the prose is so deliberate, real, raw, honest. This must read is on the 10 best books of the year list and won The Center for First Novel Prize. It's about 290 pages or a 4 mile run that you will never forget.

December 21, 2018 THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD

My students have taught ME many lessons over the years. I am often humbled by their wisdom at such a young age. They continually help me grow into a  kinder and more compassionate person.  Life is fragile as many of my students know. They've lost grandparents--mothers--fathers--siblings whether it be the result of  substance abuse--mental illness--cancer-- bad luck. Life is just not fair. Some are angry and others grapple with crippling anxiety as they face the holiday season without their loved ones. I wish I had a magic wand that could make all of their troubles go away. But I don't. I'm thankful that they've let me into their worlds  though--through their poems.  In an age where technology has taken over--they have learned that  writing is powerful. It's a salve that helps to heal the wounds that come with life. It's an outlet that I hope they continue to utilize forever because none of us get through this life unscathed. A  lesson they've been forced to face-- far too early. Maggie Harris, the main character of Camille Pagan's new book Woman Last Seen in her Thirties, thinks life is great until her husband of almost 30 years decides to walk away from their marriage.

Maggie is a 53 year old woman from Chicago who has spent so long being a mother and wife that she's lost herself in the process (SOUND FAMILIAR TO ANYONE). She is secure in her family and marriage or so she thinks. Soon after her two children fly the coop, Maggie and Adam are left to rediscover each other. Maggie plans a trip to Rome, but two weeks before their dream vacation, Adam drops the bombshell. He's unhappy in their marriage and wants out. (SOUNDS LIKE A MIDLIFE CRISIS TO ME--THE GRASS IS GREENER KIND OF THING). After he moves out, Maggie begins to realize that she has no life outside of her children and marriage. Although she feels completely lost,  Maggie decides to go on the trip to Rome alone. This is only the beginning of her rediscovery--where Maggie reawakens to a new future, maybe one without Adam. Find out what happens in this--SADLY ALL TO FAMILIAR EVENT--when you read this book for yourself. It's about 245 pages--4 mile run--that hits close to home for anyone at this stage of the game.

December 16, 2018 SANTA BABY

SANTA CLAUS.  Not sure if my youngest--STILL BELIEVES--in the BIG GUY or not. He didn't write SANTA a letter this year and hasn't mentioned  him AT ALL.  I'm afraid to say anything for FEAR that he's gonna ask me if Old Saint Nicholas is real or NOT.  It's actually a little stressful. Do I JUST come right out and say there's NO SANTA or go along with it one more year. I have half a mind TO SCREAM--THERE'S NO SANTA because it's ALL TOO MUCH FOR ME. Shipping all the gifts to the office--taking them home-- hiding them-- finding time to wrap them--only to hide them again. I know it's not--ALL ABOUT ME--BUT-- IT'S EXHAUSTING. Although I'm a TINY BIT sad that my little guy is growing up--I'm secretly relieved. This being SANTA CLAUS is a lot of work. It's been 25 years--time to retire. HO HO HO.

If you're looking for a laugh-out-loud collection of essays to get you through this holiday season--check out David Sedaris' new book Calypso.  First of all, I must confess that this is my first time reading Sedaris--not sure why--but look forward to rectifying that over the school break. This book continues (he has apparently written several essay collections) with stories about his relationship with his father, mother, sisters, and partner Hugh. Most of the stories take place at his new vacation home in North Carolina and revolve in one way or another around issues that include middle age, mortality and the breakdown of the body from its former glory. I personally enjoyed the stories about his Fitbit obsession, playing Sorry, crazy shopping sprees with his sisters, and his ever-changing relationship with his 90 year old father. Although many of the stories are quite funny, others are a little dark and serious because Sedaris totally understands the human condition and is sensitive to changes and aging. He reflects back on his life in an all too honest way that is actually quite refreshing. His family isn't perfect and that's okay. Life is what it is--funny-sad-crazy. Take it and run with it. This collection is about 270 pages--3 mile run--that will leave you wanting to read his other books. Enjoy.

December 9, 2018 IT AIN'T MY FAULT

Blamers. I can't stand people who BLAME EVERYONE ELSE whenever life doesn't go their way.  It's NEVER THEIR FAULT. They keep making the SAME mistakes OVER and OVER--AND STILL DON'T GET IT. Are they Dumb--Knee deep in denial-- Narcissistic--HELP ME TO UNDERSTAND--PLEASE. On to the Whiners. OMG--I'm pretty sure I have even less tolerance for WHINERS. The people who live to complain. For some CRAZY reason--they harbor great enjoyment from this activity--it feeds their soul. We all have a list of "those people." Yup--they are the people we RUN from--LITERALLY. AND if they're not WHINING--a shock in and of itself--they are TALKING ABOUT THEMSELVES--because it REALLY is ALL ABOUT THEM. How about THE ONE UPPERS? These are the NAME DROPPERS--MATERIALIST DESIGN CONSCIENCE--folks who have to tell you they're friends with "So and So"  even though you don't know "So and So". And they always have a nicer CAR-HOUSE-KIDS-VACATION--EVERYTHING. That is their goal in life so that they can feel better about themselves. Do you see why I only have two friends? Enough said. 

 David Hedge, the main character of Stephen McCauley's new book My Ex-Life, realizes how few friends he has after his much younger lover walks out on him and he finds himself alone again. 

David is a college planner who lives in San Francisco in a rented carriage house. He's not only disgusted with his life and career, he's just found out that his beloved home is being sold to his ex. When he thinks life can't get any weirder--he gets a phone call from Julie Fiske--his ex-wife and ex-best friend--with whom he hasn't spoken in 30 years. Julie Fiske lives on the east coast outside of Boston on the shore. Life hasn't been kind to her either. Her husband of 20 years has recently left her for a much younger woman and they are going through a messy divorce. Although she has her daughter Mandy, she still feels very much alone. Her husband is trying to sell their home in an effort to save his dying restaurant, while Julie longs to hold on to the property even though she can't afford it. After speaking on the phone, David agrees to fly east to help Mandy with the college process and help Julie save her home. This NPR best book of 2018 is funny and sad, with a cast of characters you will really enjoy. It's about 380 pages --4 miles run--well worth the read. Enjoy. 

December 3, 2018 FAINT OF HEART

Went to a  studio last week that practices Ashtanga yoga. I had NO clue what I was getting myself into. It was quite a work out-- the BOOT CAMP-- of yoga.  Ashtanga actually mean eight limbs or branches of yoga.  Postures or physical yoga is one branch but others include--breath control--moral code--meditation--concentration. Ashtanga is more than just yoga--it's a way of life. I met some incredibly gifted people at the studio who are deeply commitment to their practice. KUDOS.  Ashtanga goes something like this-- students follow a sequence of poses--holding each for five breaths before moving to a different pose.  They continue through three series that become more challenging as the practice continues. The focus is on forward bends, back bends, and then CRAZY HARD arm balances. I could get through (OK--BARELY)  the first two series but the arm balances were a NO GO.  This practice demands concentration-- commitment--AND IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. If you're looking to broaden your horizons-- challenge your body and mind--give it a try. YOU WON'T REGRET IT. Didn't regret reading Don't Let Him Know by Sandip Roy either.

Thought I'd give this book a try because one of my favorite writers--Abraham Verghese--recommended it. It also attracted my attention because it was a series of short stories--much like Olive Kitteridge--but in this case--an Indian family who live in Calcutta and America. The stories center around Romola Mitra, her husband Avinash and their son Amit. In the first story called "A Happy Meal" Romola is an old woman who has come to live with her son Amit and his family in California after her husband dies. She doesn't understand the language or culture but tradition dictates that she be taken care of in her old age. One day Amit finds an old love letter in a book and wrongly  assumes it was written to his mother years ago. The letter takes Romola back 40 years when she opened the letter-- addressed to her husband-- by mistake and discovered his secret. In another story "Requiem for a Star", Romola is a teenager falling in love for the first time. After her mother forbids her from dating an actor, she promptly arranges Romola's marriage to Avinash.  Every story is  equally wonderful, with characters who come alive. This beautifully written book is about 230 pages or a 4 mile run that you won't regret either!