May 18, 2024 THE GARBAGE MAN BLUES

Belated Happy Mother's Day to all the women out there who hold families together, sometimes at great sacrifice. Being a mother is probably one of the most challenging jobs of all. When the kids are young--we face exhaustion--later teenage angst brings out the worst in parents and kids alike--then adulthood--where we worry that they are safe, happy and healthy. It's definitely never ending BUT I can't think of a more rewarding thing to do with my life. This was a special Mother's Day for me because I finally ordered a REAL bedroom set after 31 years of marriage. I know that sounds ridiculous but it's true. NO worries, my kids always had the best of everythng BUT we kept putting off spending money on ourselves--til now. This "sacrifice" is absurd when compared to the daily sacrifices Sang Ly makes in the lovely novel The Rent Collector by Camron Wright. Sang Ly, husband Ki Lim and sickly son, Nisay, live in a waste dump call Stung Meanchey in Cambodia. Every day is a struggle as they make a living scavenging through the trash for metal, plastic or recyclables to sell in order to buy medicine for their son and pay the rent collector. The rent collector is a drunk woman who seems to be lacking in compassion until Sang Ly learns her secret after begging the rent collector for another day to pay their rent. As time marches on in the dump, Sang Ly and the rent collector form a friendship that ultimately changes both of their lives in many ways. This beautifully written story is a must read. It touches the heart in so many ways because it is a story of hope and the resilence of the human spirit in a world that seems doomed. This 288 page book is also full of life lessons that we all need to be reminded of at times. 

May 5, 2024 WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

 

20 days left of school. It's that time of year when EVERY day feels like a week. I'm not even kidding. I actually have to WILL myself through each day. Talk myself into having a good day. Beg myself not to say the WRONG THING. Shake my head and take a deep breath about 50 times a day. YUP--that's what it's like at the end of the year. AND THAT'S JUST FOR TEACHERS.  Wonder if the seniors feel the same way? I bet they do. As for the rest of the student body.........they're just muddling through AP exams followed by FINALS. Like I said--It's an UGLY time of year. Stressful for all BUT a necessary Evil-I guess. See you on the other side. Until then, I'll leave you with a review of Alex Michaelides new book The Fury. I totally enjoyed The Silent Patient and The Maidens BUT this thriller/mystery did not live up to my expectations.  Here's the premise--Lara Farrar is an ex-movie star who owns her own island in Greece called Aura. Every Easter, she invites a group of close friends for the weekend. By the end of the weekend, the reader learns about old jealousies, anger, revenge, desire AND that one of them has been killed.  Sounds like an old Agatha Christie mystery right? This story is told through the eyes of Elliot Chase, a second rate author AND unreliable narrator. He introduces the reader to the cast of characters--unlikeable and whiny for the most part--who also spend the weekend on the island. Mix in just the right amount of red herrings and we have ourselves a mystery.  I have to admit that I didn't know what was really going on until the bitter end BUTmy problem with the book was that  I just didn't like any of the characters and didn't care who died. This novel has mixed reviews so I'm eager to know what you think. 

April 21, 2024 WHITE LIAR

 

Best news ever---My daughter joined a book club. My prayers have finally been answered AND-- she asked me to read one of their books. I've been waiting years for this. She was a big reader when she was young and then who knows what happened--cell phones-friends-college. BUT--she's finally making her way back and I'm so glad. She actually listens to some of the books because she has a long commute to and from work. Who cares!!! She's interested in books again. So--she's been telling me about this book she couldn't put down that she wanted me to read by Lisa Jewell. I've read Lisa Jewell before and have enjoyed her psychological thrillers and this one does not disappoint. It's called None of This is True. The main character of this bizarre story is Alix Summer's a famous podcaster. On the night of her forty-fifth birthday, she is celebrating with family and friends when she meets Josie Fair, who is also out celebrating her birthday. They are birthday twins. A few days later the two bump into each other again, and Josie asks Alix to do a podcast about her life as it's on the cusp of big changes.  Alix is in between jobs, so she decides to interview Josie. Before she knows it, Alix realizes she's interviewing a very odd woman who is in a beyond dysfunctional marriage with two very disturbed daughters. Don't want to say too much more except that Alix and her family get drawn into Josie's nightmare and their lives are forever changed. This is a real page turner. It was a whirlwind of crazy. Just when you think you know who's telling the truth--think again. It's about 380 pages that I had a very hard time putting down. Still weighing how I feel about the ending. Let me know what you think. 

April 14, 2024 GONE GONE GONE

 

It was a great week. Relaxing and doing what I love best. Reading--Running--Yoga. That pretty much sums up my week. Did take my son to look at some colleges in Boston though. Talk about PRICEY. I thought we paid a lot when my other kids went to college. Many colleges are upward of 85,000 a year now.  NOT EVEN KIDDING. Guess he won't be going to those schools unless he gets some serious scholarship money. The sad reality though is that there are a million smart kids out there--all looking for scholarship money. UGH.   I'm sure it will all work out, but it is the start of a stressful time as the college search--essay--application process starts. Glad this is my last time going though this CRAZINESS. On to more important things. Read four books over vacation--some I really enjoyed and others NOT SO MUCH. I did enjoy the debut novel by Amanda Peters called The Berry Pickers. As the story unfolds, it is 1962 and a Native American family has left their home in Nova Scotia headed to Maine to pick berries for the summer. One day while the family is picking berries, their youngest daughter, four year old Ruthie goes missing. Joe, her six year old brother, was the last one to see her sitting on a rock at the edge of the berry field and is haunted by her disappearnce. In the next chapter, the reader is introduced to Norma, a young girl growing up in rural Maine. She  has been plagued with dreams and memories she can't understand for years as well as family unwilling to help her. Her mother is needy and overbearing while her father is distant. As she grows up, Norma realizes that many things her parents have told her don't add up and she tries to uncover "the family secret". The story is told in two points of view. Joe, now on his deathbed, as he recounts his life and the tragedy that shaped his family and Norma as she tries to discover her true identity. I enjoyed this book but found it sad, especially, the treatment of the Native Americans throughout the story. It's a well-written book of 320 pages-- with some unforgettable characters--that I think you will enjoy. Happy Reading. 

April 7, 2024 OCTOPUS'S GARDEN

 

Happy to report that I made it to another Spring break. It gets harder every year. Between teaching five classes, running the art department, National Art Honor Society, Mock Trial, Debate, hanging multiple art shows. OMG. I'm exhausted. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm not 35 anymore. I need to start to let a few things go at work. Give some of these responsibities to the younger teachers.....if they will take over.......but not sure what to  give up first. Maybe Mock Trial because it's my least favorite and most time consuming. I only do it because the kids love it and it is a great thing to have on a high school resume. Determined to let one thing go each year until I retire or I 'm not gonna make it. In other news, I just finished a book that I wasn't so sure about, but ended up really enjoying. It was  called Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. This heartwarming tale is set in Washington's Sowell Bay. One of the main characters is Tova Sullivan, a widow who works the night shift cleaning Sowell Bay Aquarium. Another important character is Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus who lives at the aquarium. Marcellus is a very intelligent creature who has figured out how to escape his tank. One night while out of his tank, he gets tangled in electrical cords and is saved by Tova. This is the beginning a beautiful, but strange friendship. As the story continues, the reader is introduced to Cameron Cassmore, a thirty year old loser from California. After learning information about his "long lost father", Cameron flies to Washington determined to meet his father and make him share his wealth. Another important character is Ethan Mack, grocery store owner in Sowell Bay, who is secretly in love with Tova. Each chapter in this book alternates between these characters as the reader learns how each is connected to the other. This 368 novel is a real page-turner. At times, I had trouble putting it down. At it's heart, this is the story about love, loss, grief, family and friendship that will stick with you for a long time. 

March 29, 2024 YOU SPIN ME ROUND

 

Been extremely busy lately. When I finally sit down at the end of the day--my brain is MUSH. My thoughts are all jumbled up and seem to spin-round & round. So that's where I've been. Can't seem to focus or concentrate long enough to write my blog. It's frustating. I've read several books though so without further ado let me tell you a bit about this great book I finished last week. It's called The Reading List and it was written by Sara Nisha Adams. One of the main characters is a widower named Mukesh. He lives a very simple life in Wembley, West London. He has three daughters and a granddaughter named Priya, who is a book worm. Another important character is a lonely teenager named Aleisha who is spending the summer working at the local library. One day while at work, she spies a crumbled piece of paper, opens it and finds a list of novels. She's not much of a reader, but decides to read every book on the list. Wanting to forge a better relationship with his granddaughter through reading, Mukesh finds himself in the library one day asking Aleisha for recommendations. She starts recommending books from the list and the two forge a friendship through reading. The is wonderful story about the power of books. They not only bring unlikely people together,  they help people forget their problems for a while and take readers to magical places. Hope you give this 400 page book a try and let me know what you think. 

March 2, 2024 WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE

 

I teach AP Art History and this week we studied Global Contemporary. This area concentrates on works created after 1980. One of the works was  the Vietnam Memorial. So strange--I was actually reading a book about this devastating  war.  The memorial was originally dedicated in 1982 and I can remember my first visit to it in 1983 when I was a senior in high school. It's a simple but stunning memorial to the 60,000 plus men and women who lost their lives.  There were approximately 10,000 women in the Vietman War--7,000 of them nurses--literally right out of nursing school. Of those 7,000-- 8 died overseas. Sadly, when those nurses came home, they faced many hardships that were highlighted in Kirstin Hannah's new book The Women. The main character in this incredible story is Frances "Frankie" McGrath. Frankie grew up in a well to do family in Southern California in 1965. After completing nursing school, Frankie decides to join the Army Nurses Corp. After 6 weeks of training, she finds herself in Vietnam facing death and destruction at every turn. Luckily, Frankie meets two other nurses, Barb and Ethel, who teach her the ropes as well as how to survive the grueling hours and horror of Vietnam. After two tours of duty, Frankie finally comes home--to a different kind of Hell. This is the story of the nurses who sacrificed in the war, unsong heroes, who were forgotten. It's also the story of finding a new purpose after being one of the "lucky" ones to survive the war. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and had a hard time putting it down. The characters were so well written--real, raw--that they have been hard to let go of. This is a book that will stick with me for  a long time and I highly recommend it.