July 19,2017 THE PRETENDER

It's been REALLY hot and humid lately. Running has been SLOW and air quality alerts have been all over the news. Gotta get out there early--before the sun pokes her weary head through the clouds--THAT'S FOR SURE. Seriously drenched from head to toe with sweat after every run--Kind of like sitting in a sauna for an hour. Hopefully I'll sweat off a couple of unwanted pounds--or NOT.  I'm pretty kooky about my weight--have been for years. I'm actually afraid to weigh myself these days--I've been eating AS MUCH AS I've been running--It's a vicious cycle. Wish I weren't so critical of myself--it's like I see myself through a coke bottle. My youngest turned ten the other day so we were looking at old photos. I remember looking at those pictures right after they were taken--analyzing every body part--ARMS--THIGHS--BELLY--and thinking YUK!!  So crazy. I look at  those SAME pictures NOW--and shake my head. WHAT WAS I THINKING??   I'd give anything to look like that now. NEVER SATISFIED. My goal is to be MORE forgiving and LESS judgmental about my body--need to stop overanalyzing and be thankful that I am healthy and able-bodied. Everything else is just icing on the cake. If  Colman Silk, the main character of Philip Roth's novel The Human Stain, only accepted himself--maybe his life would have turned out differently.

First of all,  a little about Philip Roth. He's a great American writer and winner of several awards during his long career including a National Book Award, Pulitzer and a Man Booker Prize for  lifetime achievement in fiction. The Human Stain is set in 1998 in New England and told from the perspective of Nathan Zuckerman, a writer researching Silk's life for a biography.  Coleman Silk is a Classics professor at the end of his career at Athena College. He has had a distinguished career and is well-received by both faculty and students--until two students accuse him of being a racist. Silk is eventually forced to retire in a wake of shame--without even defending himself. His wife dies shortly thereafter and Silk falls off the deep end and decides to stick it to everyone. He has an affair with a 34 year old illiterate janitor who works at Athena--with a whole set of problems including a violent ex-husband out for revenge. His children are disgusted by his behavior and won't speak to him and his former colleagues don't know what to think. In the midst of all this chaos, Zuckerman learns some damaging information while researching for his biography on Silk.  Coleman Silk has been keeping a secret for 50 years--from his wife, children and friends. A secret that will change everything. Find out Silk's secret when you read this tale about race, shame, violence and political correctness--all set against the Clinton impeachment scandal of 1998. Hope you get all the irony that's packed into these 380 pages. It's a bit dense--maybe a 6 mile run--but the writing is brilliant and Roth is definitely worth the read.

July 17, 2017 A CHANGE WOULD DO YOU GOOD

If someone told me 25 years ago that I would become a runner--I probably would have laughed in their face. I always "thought" that I hated running--it was TOO MUCH WORK--I'd get too SWEATY--it was too much EFFORT.   It's funny how attitudes and thinking evolves. As we grow and mature--it's our DUTY to re-evaluate and change our lives in positive ways or we'll get STUCK--sometimes repeating learned patterns that are self-destructive. Yesterday while out on a long run with a few comrades, we started talking about change. We all agreed that change is GOOD and NECESSARY but it's actually really HARD. It's REALLY a state of mind and a willingness to be dedicated to that change until it becomes a habit. Whether you're working on self-reflecting and making behavioral changes or trying to change your diet because of long held values--IT IS NOT EASY. Change is a HUGE commitment--it takes time-energy-focus and PERSISTENCE. You have to really want it and THAT'S THE HARDEST PART. So if you're thinking about making a change--DO IT NOW. It's never too late. CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE--CHANGE YOUR MIND--CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

If Vince Camden, the main character of Jess Walter's winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Award,  Citizen Vince, took my advice, he would have changed his life after entering the witness protection program. Vince is a former mobster, relocated to Spokane, Washington, after testifying against the mob. In his new life, he's a donut maker and petty thief. He hangs around a seedy bar, where he plays poker, deals in dope and has a hooker for a girl friend. He hasn't changed much. He is also involved in a credit card scam that leads him into a world of trouble as his old friends show up in Spokane for revenge. Vince decides he must go back to New York--clean up some loose ends--if he wants to live. This is a humorous crime drama with a drop of politics as the story is set one week before the Presidential election in 1980.  Vince actually gets caught up in the politics of the time as this is the first time he is able to vote and he's taking it seriously. He's got one week to get back to New York-- survive the police and mobsters who are out to get him--so that he can become an upstanding citizen. Find out what happens to Vince when you read this page turner for yourself. It's about 290 pages of fun--like an episode of The Sopranos. It's a slow 4 mile run that will make you a huge Jess Walter fan.

July 13, 2017 TAKE THIS JOB AND SHOVE IT

Being a MOTHER is ONE TOUGH JOB. You're DAMNED if you DO and you're DAMNED if you DON'T. The list of rules is mind-boggling--and it seems to change on a dime. These are some of the lessons  I've learned--THE HARD WAY over the years.
1) DON'T ASK QUESTIONS--GOD FORBID (eye rolling & head shaking) STUPID QUESTIONS--which are all based on some TOP secret criteria.
2) DO NOT MAKE DIRECT EYE CONTACT--this may cause a mild to severe irritation depending on MOOD of the subject being LOOKED AT.
3) NEVER EVER MAKE SUGGESTIONS--Even when asked--because it will SOMEHOW become YOUR FAULT.
4) JUST SAY YES--it will save you a lot of aggravation in the long run. The CAR--MONEY--CREDIT CARDS--SURE-No problem--Is there anything else I can give you (make sure you are smiling when you say this)

5) REMEMBER THAT YOUR WORLD ALWAYS REVOLVES AROUND EVERYONE ELSE. Cancel ALL plans--AT THE DROP OF A HAT--for any ridiculous-even petty demand. I've been told this is an UNWRITTEN motherhood rule BUT I think it's REALLY just part of a diabolical plan to SLOWLY suck the life out of all MOTHERS.
6) BECOME A WORLD RENOWNED CHEF--Always prepare RESTAURANT QUALITY meals for Vegans, Vegetarians, Meatatarians, Pescetarians, and the  Lactose-free diner. This will save you  from excessive whining and complaining everyday between the hours of  4-8. THE PRIME WHINING HOURS.
WARNING:  THESE RULES--OR GUIDELINES-- ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY. GOOD LUCK AND GODSPEED.
All this blabbering about mothers made me think of a wonderful novel I read a few years back called One True Thing by Anna Quindlen. Talk about perfect mothers, Kate, is the quintessential mother--she is a stay-at-home mom who cooks, cleans, sews, needlepoints--she's one of THOSE mothers--a real caretaker. As the novel unwinds, Ellen in is jail for the mercy killing of her mother--mulling over the previous months. After receiving a phone call from her father, Ellen, a 23 year old  writer living in NYC, returns home to care for her mother who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Ellen feels obligated to return home as she has always looked up to her father and sought his praise. On the other hand, she has never understood her mother and has only tolerated her--even looking down on her chosen profession.  All of this changes once Ellen comes home. As an adult, she sees things differently. She gets to know her mother on a different level, now as  her caretaker.  Ellen comes to realize that her mother is the cement that has kept her family together. She comes to resent her father, a man she only saw through rose colored glasses. This is a wonderful, well-written novel that is also thought provoking. It begs us to question how we treat the terminally ill. Find out what happens to Ellen when she faces the grand jury for her crime. Will she remain in jail? Find out what ultimately happens to her family when you read this book of about 290 pages. This is a real pager turner--so it's only a 3 mile run that you will never forget.

July 11, 2017 I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

Maybe it wasn't such a great idea after all?!?   RUN to the SAILFEST 5K--RUN THE RACE--then RUN home. Who Knows??  Put it this way--it DIDN'T help my time at all.  Came in 5TH THIS YEAR in my age group--the elusive 3rd place--out of reach YET again. At least it was by more than  ONE SECOND this year--I was a WHOLE minute slower-- GUESS I didn't run that first mile fast enough.  The 5k is tough because you have to run the WHOLE race FAST--it's a very different mindset.  I'm used to pacing myself for the long haul--our actual goal was to get in 9 miles--hence the mind set.  NEEDED TO RUN THE ACTUAL RACE PART OF OUR LONG RUN A BIT FASTER. Oh well-- IT'S ALL GOOD. My  comrade had a great race this year--the extra running didn't phase her in the least. Happy for her--she placed 6th!  She has been training harder this year--and it's really paid off. Congrats! Just keeping it all in perspective--happy to be out there--ready to face the next challenge. Onward ho!! The quest continues for glory! Not sure if you've ever heard of Siddhartha--but he went on a journey too--for spiritual enlightenment in Herman Hesse's MEGGA famous novel  written in 1922 of the same name.

Hesse, a well-known writer who focused on the search for self-knowledge and spiritually, actually won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1946 for his efforts. His name also appears on the "Best selling authors of all times list"--selling  over 100 million copies worldwide. Originally written in German, Siddhartha gained popularity in the United States after it was translated into English in the 1960s.  Set in India, this is the story of a young man named Siddhartha who leaves his family to go on a spiritual quest with his best friend Govinda. Along the way, the duo give up all of their earthly possessions and join the Shramanas as wandering  ascetic beggars. Siddhartha and Govinda later leave these religious to seek out Buddha. They eventually find Buddha and spend time listening to his teachings, but Siddhartha feels restless for more. Leaving Govinda with Buddha, Siddhartha abandons his quest and starts to live a life of pleasure, greed and materialism. After several years, Siddhartha realizes that this lifestyle leaves him feeling empty and worthless so he decides to return to his original quest--finding spirituality and the elusive sacred sound OM. Find out if Siddhartha is finally successful by the end of his life when you read this inspiring, timeless tale  of about 150 pages. This book will really make you think about your own life and question your own journey. I often wonder if we can only find OM by making mistakes in life and gaining wisdom. I don't know--it's just a thought. Anyways, this MUST read is seriously only a 3 mile run that is well worth the journey.

July 7, 2017 CRUEL TO BE KIND

Ran through a DELUGE this morning with my comrade. WOW. The rain was like a stampede-- the roads were LITERALLY flooded in only a matter of minutes. GOOD TIMES. I love running in the rain this time of year and my comrade--PUTS UP WITH IT. I know she won't let me down when the going gets tough!  So we've been chatting a lot lately about "old sayings."  I know you're thinking to yourself WHAT??  Just bear with me. When you spend as much time as we do pounding the pavement--WEIRD stuff comes up. So without further ADO--I'D LIKE TO BRING YOU BACK TO THE PAST. Step inside my time machine and remember these STRANGE but FUNNY things we heard a million times when we were growing up:
 --Over my DEAD body! --I've had it UP TO HERE with you! --I'll SMACK you into next week! --Quit making a MOUNTAIN  out of a molehill! --Don't use THAT tone with me! --I'm gonna give you to the COUNT OF THREE! --Why? Because I said SO! --Cool your Jets!  --Save that talk for the GUTTER! --When HELL freezes over! --I'm gonna give you something to REALLY cry about! --Hold your horses! --Who told you life was fair? --So help me GOD! --Don't make me repeat myself!  HAY is for horses! ---Wait til your FATHER gets home! --Clear your plate....people are starving in Africa.  Don't get SMART with me! --How would you like a KNUCKLE sandwich?  AND last but certainly not least--One of my favorites--YOU'RE DRIVING ME TO DRINK!   It's no wonder we're all crazy right?? HA! Classics-- Every ONE of them. I'm actually thinking of bringing some of them back with my kids. I'll let you know how it goes!

 I'm sure Jono Riley, the narrator of Ron McLarty's novel Traveler heard many of these classics too while growing up in his blue collar neighborhood in East Providence during the 1960s.  After receiving news that his childhood sweetheart, Marie, has died,  Jono a fifty-something year old actor/bartender living in New York City, decides to travel home for the funeral. This sets in motion a story that easily weaves between the past and present as Jono is flooded with memories of the old neighborhood, the gang, and some things that are probably better off left alone. The mystery of who fired the shotgun 40 years ago that lodged a bullet in Marie's back is suddenly at the forefront again.  Marie has apparently died as a result of the bullet finally piercing an artery. The gang-Jono, Cubby, Billy and Bobby--have to piece together this old mystery in order to make peace with the past and finally move on. If you're from New England, specifically Rhode Island, you will really love this book as McLarty's descriptions are second to none-- the old neighborhoods and blue collar vocabulary are believable and fun because McLarty actually grew up there.  This book is ultimately a winner  because it's about loyalty and the importance of childhood friends. It's a trip down memory lane you won't forget. So, find out what really happened to Marie when you read this page turner of 290 pages. It's only a 3 mile run --with a twist at the end--so watch out. Happy Reading.

July 5, 2017 SHAME SHAME SHAME

Intelligence, integrity, humility, empathy, responsibility.  These are some of the words that pop into my IDEALIST brain when pondering the attributes of a good president.  Regardless of political party, the person  representing the United States should be above petty, childish "unpresidential" behavior. The President of the United States should also have self-control and common sense enough--NOT TO  TWEET every ridiculous--embarrassing thought that enters his mind.  If self-control is questionable on something as benign as tweeting, what's going to happen when our country is faced with serious issues involving life and death?? The President of the United States is behaving POORLY, and I FOR ONE AM MORTIFIED.  As an American--I hang my head in shame-- we REALLY are the LAUGHING STOCK of the world. The SAD REALITY is that our President's behavior is simply a REFLECTION of America as a whole. I see it every day. Since when is it okay to ridicule others--especially on social media? Since when is it okay to bully people--even the press? When is it okay to be dishonest?  When is okay to blame others for your reckless behavior and decisions instead of accepting responsibility? With the role model we have in office right now--all I can do is shake my head--WAKE UP AMERICA--What a shame!
It would really be a shame though, if I didn't review one of my favorite books, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Annie Barrows & Mary Ann Shaffer.

I absolutely loved this book when I read it a few years back. The cast of characters will touch your heart--they are simply unforgettable. This novel is told in epistolary style--a series of letters between Juliet Ashton, a well-known author living in London in 1946 and the the members of the Guernsey  Literary and Potato Peel Society who live on the Island of Guernsey. Ashton is looking for the subject of  her next book and becomes interested in writing about the harshness of World War II--of which both London and Guernsey have just emerged. After finding a letter in an old book written by Dawsey Adams, a farmer from Guernsey,  an unlikely correspondence begins that eventually extends to all the members of the literary society. From the letters, Ashton learns about the German occupation of Guernsey and the hardships faced by the natives at the hands of the Nazis. She also learns about kindness, and the glue that binds the inhabitants of Guernsey--from the pig farmer to the doctor--so much so-- that she sets sail for Guernsey to meet the people who have changed her life. In one sense, this is a book about war and survival, but it is so much more. It's also the story of the camaraderie that develops after The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society is established. This wonderful story is only 290 pages--about a 3.5 mile run--that will stick with your forever. Enjoy!

July 3, 2017 ITS MY PARTY

Can't believe The Belle of the Book is already celebrating 1 year. Wow--that flew by. When I first started the blog--I wasn't sure where it was going. It REALLY was DAUNTING--to start a blog and put myself out there. The blog has grown, changed and taken shape through--TRIAL AND ERROR--and --I think I have found a formula that works well--for now.  As a writer, the trick is to balance the blog. Some posts are serious and I HOPE YOU REALIZE--many are not. My posts are all the things I'm thinking about or doing that take shape in MY MIND. They are my reality--the way I see things-- or remember things. I hope some of the topics I have chosen has been informative, made you stop to think--or at the very LEAST--given you a chuckle--hopefully--at my expense. That would really make me happy. MOST IMPORTANT--I hope my blog has opened your mind to a few new books--that maybe you wouldn't have otherwise read. That would be FANTASTIC.  The blog has over 15,000 viewers from all over the world- China--Portugal--Russia--Germany and even Egypt. WOW--the internet is incredible. I hope you continue to read my blog and share it with your friends. Because tomorrow is the anniversary of our country's  Independence what better book to review then--Fourth of July Creek by Smith Henderson.

Pete Snow is a divorced social worker living in Tenmile, Montana, an impoverished town. He has a reputation for handling the most difficult cases including that of 11 year old Benjamin Pearl--a starving almost feral child living in the Montana wilderness with his father, Jeremiah Pearl. Jeremiah is well-known to the F.B.I. for his extremist Christian views and criminal record. Jeremiah is a survivalist whose paranoia borders on insanity. Just as Pete starts to gain the trust of Jeremiah, the F.B.I. gets classified information that he is a homegrown terrorist and a manhunt ensues. Pete knows that Jeremiah is different but he is also not a terrorist. However, the authorities ignore his pleas to leave the Pearl family alone. Pete is also in the midst of dealing with his dead-beat ex-wife and his daughter who has gone missing. Will the F.B.I. contain the situation or will several people die? Will Pete convince both parties to back away? Will Pete find his daughter? Find the answer to these and many other questions when you read this novel that questions freedom, community, suspicion, and difference. It's 470 pages--about a 6 mile run--that is relevant today--and begs the question: are any of us really free?? Happy Fourth of July!