July 25, 2019 THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR

Today is my MIL birthday. Although she looks about sixty--she's actually 88. She's amazing. She REALLY enjoys life. She doesn't grow--ANY GRASS UNDER HER FEET.  If she's not playing bridge, she's taking piano lessons or enjoying dinner followed by a performance at the Garde Theatre. She even makes it to Carnegie Hall every now and then to enjoy her favorite--Opera. She especially enjoys getting together with friends. Take today for instance--My MIL had lunch with two old friends. These were not only friends from grammar school, but also friends from her Gardner Avenue days.  As they gathered around the picnic table-- it was obvious how much they enjoyed each other's company. They reminisced about the old neighborhood and their days together at Harbor School. Later in the  the afternoon,  they gathered around the piano and my MIL played the oldies but goodies. Music is a true window to the past. Before I knew it, the ladies were laughing about old boyfriends, dances--the good old days. They were back in time and--ALL AGLOW-- for a little while. What a gift. A present that money could never buy. Happy Birthday.

Max Morden is a middle-aged art historian who decides to reexamine his past after the death of his wife in John Banville's Booker Prize winning novel The Sea. In an effort to understand his loss and come to terms with his grief,  Max returns to the seaside town where he summered with his family fifty years earlier and met the Grace Family.  Max was thrilled to spend his days with the twins, Chloe and Myles, as well as their nanny Rose. The trio spent every minute together and Max became a fixture in their summer house until tragedy struck and his life was forever changed. It's no mistake that the widowed Max lodges at Miss Vavasour's Guest House--the former summer home of the Grace family. It's here that he takes the reader back to his childhood and the shocking event that shaped his life. This novel seems simple and straightforward at 208 pages, but it's actually a 4 mile run.  The writing is lovely but demands that the reader work for the novel. FYI ---all you Benjamin Black fans--John Banville is the REAL author and they are great crime novels. If you enjoy books under his pen name, then give Banville a try when he signs his REAL name to the novel.

July 18, 2019 PEACEFUL EASY FEELING

I was 42. Yup. And pregnant. My other kids were ELEVEN and THIRTEEN. I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Thought I was almost done--when I found out --I  WAS STARTING OVER. OOPS. Sometimes the best things in life aren't planned. Can't imagine my life without him. He's been a JOY from the start. So easy to be around-- just goes with the flow-- calm all the time.  HE'S THE BUFFER EVERY FAMILY NEEDS. He turned twelve yesterday--time is flying by too fast. Although he has siblings-- many times he feels like an only child. He really has the best of both worlds. His siblings dote on him--WHEN THEY COME TO VISIT--and so do we. It's very different having a child later in life. I never worry about him the way I did the others--OVER RIDICULOUS  THINGS.  I'm probably a better parent-- I'm older and wiser-- I don't sweat the small stuff anymore.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY little bug.
Detective Anderson should have--sweat over the small stuff-- a little more in Stephen King's new book The Outsider and he would have saved himself a lot of trouble. If you like scary, creepy, unsettling stories then this is the book for you. Set in Flint City, Terry Maitland, baseball coach, English teacher, father of two young daughters, has just been arrested for the unthinkable. Violently killing and raping an eleven year old boy named Fredrick Peterson. The evidence seems iron clad--DNA, finger prints, witnesses. But, Terry Maitland has an alibi. Iron clad. How could he be two places at the same time. So begins this investigation into the supernatural. Can both sides be telling the truth? Find out for yourself when you read this frightening, suspense-filled novel. Although it's 560 pages--it flies by--so it's only about a five mile run. Remember it is disturbing so don't say I didn't warn you. Also, heard this book is being turned into an HBO series soon. BOO.

July 11, 2019 IT'S A LONG WAY TO TIPPERARY

It's funny.  Some of the most important decisions we make come when we're actually TOO young to know what the HELL we're doing.  I often wonder where I'd be today if I hadn't taken the Road Less Traveled--by accident. Probably living in the projects somewhere--on welfare--a slew of divorces--tribe of kids--NO TEETH. Thankfully--DODGED that bullet--ONLY because I was YOUNG AND PISSED OFF. It really is all just a CRAPSHOOT. I had NO idea how much that phone call would change NOT just my life but also that of my siblings.  Didn't realize that I was the GLUE that held us together or that the relationships we took for granted were over. Forever changed.  I was lucky enough to spend some time with two of my siblings last weekend. We don't see each other often enough but I want them to know that I'm so  proud of them. They've done amazingly well.  They are not only hard workers but also kind, loving parents. Kudos.
 Kate Brady, one of the main characters of The Country Girls by Edna O'Brien, faced many hardships in life after her sad, tragic childhood in Ireland. The Country Girls is a trilogy--The Country Girls (1960), The Lonely Girl (1962), and Girls in their Married Bliss (1964). This wonderful trilogy is the story of two Irish country girls--Kate Brady, forever the romantic, and her best friend Baba Brennan, realist and adventure seeker. Set in 1950's Ireland, the girls meet as children at school. Kate's father is a mean, abusive man who spends all his money on drink while Baba comes from a prestigious family. After being given a scholarship, Kate and then Baba enter a convent school only to be expelled before graduation. In the second book, the girls  move to a boarding house in Dublin in search of love and excitement. In the final story, the girls move to London where they find husbands and realize that married life is not at all what they hoped it would be. FYI--When this book was originally published it was banned in Ireland--religious leaders took offense--too much sexual imagery. Others felt it was a "National Critique."  The book was later made into a film and O'Brien earned the Kingsley Amis Award in 1962.  I really enjoyed this trilogy. The writing is incredible and O'Brien should be commended for bringing long hidden issues to the forefront. It is a bit of a commitment though--the entire trilogy is about 525 pages. BUT you don't have to read the whole thing at once--each book is less than 200 pages. I couldn't wait to read the whole thing because I was completely absorbed in the Irish countryside--the city and the main characters. So it's your choice. The whole trilogy is probably a 10 mile run--total--but worth every step.

July 5, 2019 BORN IN THE USA

It's a tradition on the fourth of July. P-A-R-T-Y on the beach. Felt like I was in a time warp --and for that I'm grateful. Got to spend time with the cousins--a few old friends--and familiar faces from the past.  Great to see the next generation out there playing Spike ball--Can Jam--Wall Ball--Bucket Ball too. My niece EVEN revived the FLAG CAKE--complete with blueberries and strawberries representing the stars and stripes. Enjoyed Grandma's incredible potato salad--baked beans--burgers--dogs and HOME MADE bean burgers for the vegetarians. Signature drink this year--Watermelon Margaritas. YUM. Feeling extra appreciative this year-- we got to spend another Independence day together. It was perfect.
Michael Judd's life was seemingly perfect until tragedy struck in Sarah Winman's beautifully written novel Tin Man. Set in England, this book was about the friendship of Ellis and Michael and how it evolved and changed over the years. The two boys were twelve when they met. They were inseparable--even going so far as to experiment intimately for a time. At the beginning of the novel, it is 1996,  Michael is working at a dead end job and is extremely depressed. From there, the story jumps back in time through Michael's life as a young boy, his marriage to Annie and the disappearance of Ellis. The second part of the book is from Ellis' point of view and fills the reader in on what happened to Ellis during those lost years. Find out Ellis' story and what is keeping Michael stuck in the past when you read this lovely novel of 224 pages or 2.5 mile run. It is a sad, gripping tale of love and loss that is hard to let go.

June 28, 2019 PLEASE MR. POSTMAN

The art of letter writing. I think it's gone by the wayside. Yup. In the age of texting-- email--twitter--instagram--instant messenger --NO ONE WRITES LETTERS ANYMORE. I used to love writing and receiving letters--especially-- from my pen pal.  Ask any member of Generation Z about pen pals--they won't have a clue. Have a friend who recently asked her son to put a stamp on an envelope--he asked where?? Not kidding--kids today have never addressed an envelope--bought a book of stamps--gone to the post office. I understand that email is instantaneous and free but it's different. Opening a letter and reading the written word is much more personal. I still have a collection of letters and cards that I've saved through the years. It's fun to go back and read them every now and then--especially the ones from my grandmother. She used to send me cards, notes and recipes all the time. So glad I kept them--just seeing her handwriting brings me  comfort I could never get from an email. Pretty sure the characters in Anne Youngson's debut novel Meet Me at the Museum feel the same way. 
In this epistolary novel, Tina Hopgood's correspondence begins with a curator named Anders Larsen because of a shared fascination.  The Tollund Man--a 2000 year old body found in the bogs--that is housed in the musuem Anders works at in Denmark. Initially, Tina writes a letter looking for her old professor with questions about the Tollund Man and Anders replies because her professor is dead. The letters continue and become more personal over time.  Through letters, the reader learns that Tina has been married for forty years. She lives with her husband and extended family on an isolated farm in England.  After the death of her childhood friend, Tina begins to take stock in her life and the choices she has made over the years. Anders, whose wife went missing on their anniversary, is grappling with loneliness and welcomes Tina's letters. As their friendship deepens, they share fears, thoughts, dreams and wonder if it's too late to change. Will they write a new story? Find out when you read this 288 pager--or 3 mile--thought provoking book about the choices we make.

June 24, 2019 IF A PICTURE PAINTS A THOUSAND WORDS

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My oldest son was destined to be an artist. It was in his genes. Pretty sure he came out of the womb holding a pencil. HA--He started illustrating books when he was three. NOT KIDDING. By the time he finished grammar school he'd created several comic books series and hundreds of mythical characters and universes.  My house is literally a fire hazard because I've saved every book he's ever written.  He was the kid who couldn't wait for the Young Author's Competition at school BECAUSE HE WAS GOING TO WIN--and he did--EVERY YEAR.  Although he fooled around a lot in high school--he was always serious about his ART. It was--FRUSTRATINGLY ENOUGH-- the only thing that mattered. So when it came time for college it was a NO BRAINER to me. When I told people-- that we were sending him to school to be an ILLUSTRATOR --they looked at me like I had THREE heads. OKAY--I get it. It wasn't practical enough BUT I'd have been wasting my money  sending him to school to be..say.... an......accountant. We are all different for a reason and it's these differences that make the world go round. Can't image what would have happened to Jarrett J. Krosoczka if his grandparents hadn't encouraged his artistic endeavors when he was young. 

Jarrett J. Krosoczka is the author and illustrator of several books including the very famous Lunch Lady series for young people. His new book, Hey Kiddo, although a graphic novel too, is actually a memoir. This book deals with some heavy topics including losing his mother to addiction, being raised by his grandparents in Worcester, Massachusetts, and finally finding his father when he was a teenager. Although Krosoczka couldn't count on his mother, his grandparents were a force in his life. They encouraged him with his art, sent him to summer art programs, and stood proud as he graduated  from RISD in 2000. This book is important because it is written for young people. It is not only about growing up and coming to terms with addiction, but how art saved  and shaped his life. The illustrations, letters, cards and other artwork  are incredible--coming from different points in his life and inserted throughout the novel. They add a whole other dimension to this 320 page--2.5 mile run. Krosoczka said, "Creating the art for this book has been the most profound artistic endeavor I have yet to undertake and it has truly been a lifetime in the making." Enough said. 

June 20, 2019 BOOK OF LOVE

Who plans their vacation around books?  Pubs maybe but books?  I do. Don't laugh. I'm serious. Just got back from Ireland. Wonderful trip. Started in Dublin where I  visited the oldest bookstore in Ireland. If you love books--you too must visit Hodges Figgis  on Dawson Street.  It's four floors of books including a WHOLE area dedicated to the Easter Rising of 1916. It's a REAL bookstore with REAL booksellers who KNOW books. Talk about books. When in Dublin the Book of Kells is also a must. Not only that but take a gander at Trinity College Library. Incredible. There are over 7,000,000 books--sized and placed alphabetically from A to Z--vertically-- at least 3 stories high. I've never seen anything like it.  While in Killarney couldn't help but stop at Dungeon Books.  Great selection of second handbooks and a friendly staff. While in Galway I also found my way to Charlie Byrne's Bookshop. Named Best Book Shop by the Irish Times, this unique store houses over 100,000 books in a maze-like store. It's filled with nooks and crannies where one could get lost for days. Loved it.
 I also loved the book I read on the plane--The Strays by Emily Bitto. Set in Australia in 1930, Lily the narrator of this thoughtful story, is an only child who longs for a different sort of life. After meeting Eva Trentham at school, the two girls become inseparable and Lily becomes a fixture in the Trentham household where non-conformity is the norm. Eva's father is a  avant-garde painter, who  opens his home to other like-minded painters to live-work-collaborate. In doing so, the girls, including Eva's sisters Beatrice and Heloise, are left to raise themselves and navigate an adult world they don't understand. Find out what happens after this "Utopian Society" turns dystopian when you read this 260 page novel. It's a beautifully written story about childhood, friendship and how the decisions we make shape our lives. It's a 3  mile run that packs a powerful punch. Enjoy.