The History Book Club discussion

87. by Ann Napolitano
Finish date: October 2020
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Rating: A
Review: "Dear Edward" is a compelling story about the need for human connection following a great loss. Edward Adler, his brother Jordan, and their parents were moving to California where their mother has a new job opportunity. They board a full plane in New York, but the plane crashes in Colorado with Edward as the lone survivor.

Twelve-year-old Edward is taken in by his aunt and uncle, but he is emotionally disconnected from everyone but Shay, the girl next door. Edward misses his family terribly, especially Jordan. The siblings were very close, and had spent most of their time together while they were home-schooled by their father. Edward has both physical and emotional damage. He also has to deal with being a survivor, the Miracle Boy.

Alternating chapters tell about the people and events in the plane before the crash. The other passengers are a fascinating group of people, all with interesting backstories. These chapters also provide emotional relief from the heartbreak that Edward faces after the crash. Later, Edward receives letters from some of the victims' families. They feel the need to connect with the last person to see their loved ones alive. They are all facing a great loss, and feeling very alone.

This was a wonderful book with characters the reader can care about. Although parts of the book are very sad, the moving story shows the healing power of love and a sense of hope for a better future.

88. by Catherine Lacey
Finish date: October 2020
Genre: Contemporary literary fiction, Fable
Rating: B+
Review: In a small Southern town, the congregation arrives at church to find a stranger sleeping on a pew. The person will not speak to them, and their gender, race, and age are ambiguous. The visitor is nicknamed Pew and spends the next week being cared for by the townspeople.

People tend to fill the silences when confronted with a person who remains silent, and Pew often acts as a confessor as they open up about their pasts. The people don't know what to do with someone who is so different since Pew does not fit into any category, and they fear the unknown. We learn about the townspeople by how they treat Pew.

The week leads up to the big event in town, the Forgiveness Festival, which has the feeling of a religious cult. It is interesting that people living in the black side of town refuse to attend. People are forgiven for their transgressions during the Day of Forgiveness. But one has to wonder if their victims forget, especially since there have been serious incidents in town in the past. Chilling revelations about collective guilt come out during the festival.

The introspective story is prefaced by a quote from "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas." This adds to the philosophical mysteries surrounding the town and its unusual visitor. The reader will wonder about Pew's identity. Is Pew a messiah? A scapegoat? An angel? An alien? A lost soul? I'm glad it remains a mystery for us to ponder.

89. by Jeanine Cummins
Finish date: October 2020
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Rating: B
Review: "American Dirt" is a riveting read about survival and a mother's love as a Mexican mother and her precocious eight-year-old son travel north to escape a narcotics cartel. The cartel had just murdered the rest of her family after her journalist husband wrote an article about "el jefe." How do you travel when the cartels control the roads? Migrants are raped or "disappeared" if they cannot pay the cartels. The trains closest to the United States border are only cargo trains, so the migrants must risk their lives riding on top of the railroad cars. They band with two Honduran sisters and help each other through the journey. Coyotes lead the migrants on a harrowing trek at the border. The danger and suspense starts on the first sentence, and never lets up.

There has been controversy with some people thinking that a non-Latinx should not be writing the story about forced migrations in Latin America. The book is written in an American voice. But fictional books are constantly being written by authors about places, events, and eras other than something they personally experienced. It would be wonderful if publishers published and promoted more writers from Latin America. But it seems unfair to verbally attack the author when the critics should be lobbying the publishers for more diversity. While there are certainly many more migration stories that should be told, "American Dirt" is a page-turner that has plenty of food for thought.

Connie, thanks for that fascinating review. That book has been on my TBR List for some time; now I need to move it forward in the cue.
Regards,
Andrea

Andrea, I imagine immigration is an important issue in Texas. This book tells the story from the point of view of the desperate people fleeing from the drug cartels. Immigration is such a complicated subject.

Connie, you’re right on the money about Texas ... bitter feelings about the issue on both sides of the aisle! Of course, my great-grandmother was a Swedish immigrant, so I’m on the side of the Statue of Liberty plaque.
Regards,
Andrea

90. by Francesca Serritella
Finish date: October 2020
Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Paranormal, Mental Illness
Rating: B-
Review: Cady Archer is emotionally haunted by the suicide of her schizophrenic brother, Eric. She and her parents each carry a sense of guilt that they did not do enough to save him during his last year of life as a Harvard student. When Cady enters Harvard in her freshman year, she carries Eric's notebook of coded messages which he wrote while he was struggling with his mental illness.

Cady begins to hear voices of ghosts from Harvard's history. Is she also developing the same mental illness, or are the ghosts trying to contact her for another reason? She has trouble keeping up with Harvard's intensive courses because she's spending so much time talking to Eric's friends and mentor as she looks for the truth. The cryptic writings in Eric's notebook point to complications in his life that his family could never have imagined.

"Ghosts of Harvard" is a suspenseful mystery, as well as a coming-of-age story. The ghosts help Cady understand that none of us can rewrite history in other people's lives. The book has a good sense of place since author Francesca Serritella is a Harvard graduate.

91. by Walter Mosley
Finish date: October 2020
Genre: Mystery, Noir
Rating: B
Review: Ezekeil "Easy" Rawlins is an African American worker at an aircraft plant who has just been fired. He needs to pay the mortgage so he takes a job as a private investigator for a smooth white guy. He wants to locate femme fatale Daphne Monet who is fond of Easy's favorite jazz club. Easy has no idea that this job will pull him into Los Angeles' underworld, and eventually into a new career.

In addition to being an exciting mystery with snappy dialogue, the book also shows the state of race relations in 1948. Easy grew up in Houston, and fought during World War II when the army remained segregated for most of the war. He avoids police intervention in the case since he's afraid of being framed for the violent crimes he's investigating. Easy Rawlins is a likable character who demands respect as he tries to make ends meet in a tough city.

92. by Toni Morrison
Finish date: October 2020
Genre: African-American fiction
Rating: B
Review: Set in 1941 in Toni Morrison's hometown in Ohio, "The Bluest Eye" tells about black girls surrounded by an Anglo white version of beauty and culture. There are references to the Dick and Jane series of reading books which show an idealized happy white family with no black faces in the books. Black girls were given white, blond, blue-eyed dolls as presents. Shirley Temple represented childhood beauty. This also influenced how black girls treated each other, and made them feel inferior.

Pecola Breedlove is a sensitive black girl with little self-confidence who lives in a dysfunctional family. She wishes for blue eyes to make her beautiful and loved. Her story is partly narrated by Claudia MacTeer, an emotionally strong girl from a nurturing black family. The poor black girls feel the effect of sexism, racism, and comparison to an idealized white middle class. There's lots of food for thought in "The Bluest Eye." The book has often been on banned book lists for its topics of incest, pedophilia, and racism.

93. by Toni Morrison
Finish date: October 2020
Genre: African-American fiction
Rating: C+
Review: The theme of childhood traumatic events leaving lasting damage runs through "God Help the Child". The central figure in the book is Lulu who was rejected by her lighter skinned parents because her skin was "midnight black, Sudanese black". When she was young, Lulu makes a terrible mistake to get her mother's attention and approval. When Lulu becomes older, she works for a cosmetics firm and changes her name to Bride. The beautiful Bride embraces her dark blue-black skin, and accentuates it by always wearing white. Although she is successful in business, Bride seems like a superficial person. When her boyfriend, Booker, leaves her, she searches for him to find out the reason.

As she looks for Booker, she meets a young girl who was abused by her prostitute birth mother. She also learns of a violent event in Booker's family that haunts him. There is a bit of magical realism in the book as Bride examines her life, and feels like she is turning back into a young child physically.

The theme of childhood abuse--both emotional and physical--is an important subject to present. Toni Morrison came through with some beautiful writing as usual. Although I liked the book, I wished it was a bit longer so that the characters, especially Booker's Aunt Queen and Bride's mother, could have been seen with more depth.

94. by Casey Cep
Finish date: October 2020
Genre: Nonfiction, True Crime
Rating: B
Review: Reverend Willie Maxwell was allegedly the serial killer of five family members, but there was not enough evidence to convict him. Autopsy results were inconclusive. But he profited from each death since he took out multiple life insurance policies on each victim. Finally a distraught cousin, Robert Burns, practiced vigilante justice and shot Maxwell at his family member's funeral.

Reverend Maxwell had been successfully represented by an excellent defense attorney, Tom Radley. In a strange twist of fate, the same attorney acted as the defense for Robert Burns, Maxwell's killer.

Author Harper Lee was fascinated by true crime ever since she helped Truman Capote with his research for his book "In Cold Blood." Lee attended the trial of Robert Burns, and did extensive research into the Maxwell case. She attempted to write a book about the Maxwell killings, but there was so much gossip and speculation about voodoo in the black community that she felt that she didn't have enough hard facts. Lee was also a perfectionist who felt pressure to produce another bestseller after the overwhelming success of her first book. Alcoholism and writer's block were also problems. We'll never know if Lee left a hidden manuscript about Maxwell somewhere, or if she destroyed all her attempts at a book.

Casey Cep's book covers the Maxwell case, Attorney Tom Radley's defenses, race relations and politics in Alabama, and Harper Lee's true crime investigation. I was impressed with Cep's lively writing in Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee, especially when she was writing about the interesting Harper Lee.

95. by Chris Bohjalian
Finish date: October 2020
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Rating: B-
Review: Alexis met Austin when she treated him for a bullet wound in the emergency room, and they soon became a couple. Austin worked at the same New York City hospital as a fundraiser. Austin, an avid biker, asked Alexis to go with him on a bike tour in Vietnam where he wanted to visit some sites where his father and his uncle had served during the war. He went off alone one day on his bike to honor his relatives, but never returned to the resort where the bike tour was staying. Alexis and the tour guides saw some energy gels by the side of the road, but found no signs of Austin or his bike that afternoon.

As Alexis looks for the truth about what happened to Austin, the plot goes back and forth from Vietnam to New York City. She hires a private investigator to help unravel the mystery of what Austin was really doing in Vietnam. Unsavory characters are connected with a deadly agent. Should she be grieving for her boyfriend, feeling angry that he deceived her about his plans in Vietnam, or both? Alexis does not know who she can trust, and tensions are high.

This mystery/thriller also shows the terrible effects of Agent Orange which was used during the war in Vietnam. "The Red Lotus" is a good read for the pandemic. However, it's best to go into this suspenseful page turner without knowing too much about the plot in advance.

96. by Anne Tyler
Finish date: October 2020
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Rating: C+
Review: Liam Pennywell, a fifth grade teacher, is out of a job when his school downsizes. He's uncertain about what he wants to do in the next stage of his life. To conserve his savings, the sixty-one year old man moves to a smaller apartment. He goes to sleep in his new bedroom, and wakes up in a hospital after being knocked unconscious by an intruder. He can't remember anything about the incident.

While Liam is trying to recover the memory of the intruder breaking into his apartment, he's making connections and renewing relationships. The book has an understated plot with some sweet and humorous moments. There are no fireworks, but contentment seems to be what Liam needs at this point in his life.

NOVEMBER

97. by Brad Watson
Finish date: November 2020
Genre: Literary fiction
Rating: A
Review: "She would always be the odd one, the one with the secret. Who hurried from company without a word, returned a while later, as if nothing were unusual about it."

Brad Watson was inspired by the life of his great-aunt to write the story of Jane Chisolm. The girl was born on a Mississippi farm with a birth defect. Medicine had not advanced enough in the early twentieth century to surgically repair it. It took a special kind of courage to find what the world offered her, instead of only dwelling on the things she was missing. "Miss Jane" shows her relationships with her parents, her sister, a compassionate doctor, and the young man on the next farm. Her mother consulted a fortune teller about her concerns for Jane's future and was told, "She is strong. Even stronger than you. . . . She may even be relatively happy in life. Unlike you."

The book is written beautifully, especially showing how nature can be exquisitely lovely or terribly cruel. I found myself rereading passages of gorgeous lyrical prose describing Jane's enjoyment of nature:

"She loved most being in the woods, with the diffused light and quiet there. Such a stillness, with just the pecking of ground birds and forest animals, the flutter of wings, the occasional skittering of squirrels playing up and down a tree. The silent, imperceptible unfurling of spring buds into blossom. She felt comfortable there. As if nothing could be unnatural in that place, within but apart from the world."

98. by Michael Ondaatje
Finish date: November 2020
Genre: Historical fiction, Literary fiction, Mystery
Rating: B-
Review: "One village can speak for many villages. One victim can speak for many victims."

Anil Tissera, a forensic pathologist, returned to her native Sri Lanka after studying abroad. She is sponsored by a human rights group to investigate the mysterious deaths and disappearances during the civil war. The people were living in constant danger with atrocities committed by all three groups fighting in the 1980s war--the government, the separatists, and the insurgents.

Anil is paired with archaeologist Sarath Diyasena. They unearth four skeletons in a government-controlled area which they nickname Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, and Sailor. The first three skeletons are ancient, but Sailor is a recent victim who has been reburied. Sarath is immersed in history while his brother, a surgeon, deals with the victims of terrorism on a daily basis.

"Anil's Ghost" is partially a detective story as they work to identify Sailor. But this is literary fiction written in Michael Ondaatje's style with small glimpses or fragments of events, mixed with flashbacks, that all come together at the end. This is a story about identity, grief, and the futility of war. The characters are loners, devoted to their work, but often overwhelmed by tragedy. The beauty of the island of Sri Lanka, south of India, contrasts with the darkness of the story. Ondaatje, who is also a poet, wrote the book in beautiful prose. A glimmer of hope at the end kept the story from being relentlessly tragic.

99. by Susan Rivers
Finish date: November 2020
Genre: Historical fiction, Mystery
Rating: B
Review: Inspired by true events, "The Second Mrs Hockaday" tells the story of a new wife who was left behind to manage a South Carolina farm while her husband fought in the American Civil War. Placidia was only 17 years old when she met Confederate Major Gryffth Hockaday. She married him after only knowing him for one day. Two days later, Gryffth had to leave with his troops. He eventually was captured by the Union soldiers so was unable to return home for two years. Shortly before his return, Placidia was pregnant with a baby who died mysteriously. Placidia was accused of infanticide, and taken into custody.

Told in letters, diary entries, and court documents, the truth comes out about the pregnancy. Women lived in constant danger of bandits, deserters, and scavengers. Soldiers, both Union and Confederate, would steal food to feed the troops which left the women, children, and farm hands in a precarious state. The book also included heartbreaking scenes of slaves being beaten, raped, and separated from their families.

This was an interesting historical mystery. Both Placida on the home front, and Gryffth as a soldier suffered through two hellish years. One wondered if their short relationship would be enough to sustain the love between Major Hockaday and his "darling girl" during those challenging times. The story started with Placidia under arrest, and the author keeps us in suspense as the events of two years are revealed.

Connie, you are almost at one-hundred books. Amazing work.

Thanks, Lorna. Reading is a wonderful escape during this pandemic.

What wonderful progress.

Bentley wrote: "What wonderful progress."

Thanks, Bentley.

100. by Patrick Süskind
Finish date: November 2020
Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Mystery
Rating: B
Review: "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer" tells the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille who starts his life as an unwanted, abused orphan in 18th Century France. He has an exquisitely sensitive sense of smell, although his own body possesses no smell of its own. He becomes an apprentice parfumier who wants to possess the most perfect scent in the world. He had followed the alluring smell in the wind to discover a beautiful adolescent girl. The twisted fairy tale goes on from that disturbing day.

The premise behind the plot is that smells subconsciously play an extremely important influence on human behavior. The story mixes realistic events with the weird and fantastic. The book definitely is not for everyone since there are many descriptions of putrid smells, depraved infatuations, and a grotesque protagonist. But one can also feel a little bit of empathy toward the unloved foundling who has no emotional bond with other humans. Some readers might find "Perfume" to be too dark and twisted. But others will feel that the tale is clever, original, full of dark humor, and contains interesting information about perfume and the 18th Century. This was a best-seller in Germany, and has been translated into many languages.

More progress, good

101. by A.N. Wilson
Finish date: November 2020
Genre: Biography, Non-fiction, Books about Books
Rating: B+
Review: "If Dickens remains immortal, it is, among other reasons, for his profound understanding of the inner child who remains with all of us until we die."

A.N. Wilson touches on key events in Charles Dickens' life by showing how Dickens incorporated his life experiences into his writing. "The Mystery of Charles Dickens" is not a birth to death biography. Instead, the chapters of the non-linear book are based on themes such as his death, his childhood, his marriage, charity, public readings, etc. Traumatic events from Dickens' childhood worked their way into many of his novels. Dickens was a strong advocate for the poor and the imprisoned, but he was far from charitable during his divorce from his wife. Wilson uses Dickens' letters and novels to show instances when he had a conflicted nature. In the last chapter, Wilson reflects on his own childhood in a boarding school with an abusive headmaster, and how Dickens' works helped him survive his own childhood traumas. Dickens wrote with a great combination of comedy and tragedy to emotionally engage his readers.

Since there are many references to Dickens' novels, a reader will appreciate Wilson's book more if they are familiar with a few of his works. I'm excited about reading more of Dickens' novels after reading "The Mystery of Charles Dickens." Wilson's writing would be very accessible to most readers. I enjoyed this portrait of an impressive writer and beloved entertainer.

What a perfect review, Connie. I loved this book, too.

Thanks, Lorna. I've been really enjoying reading Dickens' novels and short stories this year.

Thank you, Connie!. These are two of my most favorite writers. Hence, my TBR List shall grow another foot.
Regards,
Andrea

Andrea wrote: "Thank you, Connie!. These are two of my most favorite writers. Hence, my TBR List shall grow another foot.
Regards,
Andrea"

I hope you get a chance to read it, Andrea. The writing was lively and interesting.

102. by Charles Dickens
Finish date: November 2020
Genre: Classic, fiction
Rating: A-
Review: "Little Dorrit" is a novel which was originally published in serial form in nineteen installments between 1855 and 1857. Charles Dickens was traumatized when he was sent out to work as a child during the time his father was in debtors' prison. Dickens incorporated the Marshalsea prison into this novel which has a strong theme of imprisonment. Mr Dorrit was a gentleman who had fallen on hard times. This resulted in a long stay in the prison where he was referred to as "The Father of the Marshalsea." Little Dorrit (Amy) had the distinction of being born in the Marshalsea, and was known for her warm, nurturing manner. There are many reversals of fortune during the events in the novel.

Other characters are emotionally imprisoned because they are bitter, or trying to meet the expectations of society. Some characters live for wealth and social position, but it does not make them happier. Deception is practiced to gain wealth or social status.

Another main character is Arthur Clennam who described himself as "the only child of parents who weighed, measured, and priced everything." His mother was a cold-hearted woman who lived in a Calvinistic manner. Arthur was still emotionally living under the shadow of his upbringing.

There is lots of humor in this novel, including the character names of the upper class Barnacles and Stiltstockings. They run the Circumlocution Office where there are mountains of red tape, citizens fill out multiple forms which only get filed away, and nothing gets done. Dickens does some wonderful satirical writing in the chapters about government bureaucracy.

"Little Dorrit" has many characters and multiple subplots. Although Dickens was writing the book in serial form, he managed to tie up most of the loose ends by the conclusion. He exposed some serious social problems while writing an entertaining story.

103. by Hazel Prior
Finish date: November 2020
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: B
Review: "Ellie and the Harpmaker" is the charming debut novel of Hazel Prior, a professional harpist. Ellie, the wife of a controlling man, comes upon an isolated workshop when she's out walking. She meets Dan who makes beautiful Celtic harps. Ellie has a list of things she wants to do before she turns 40, and learning to play the harp is among her wishes. Although it is not spelled out, Dan seems to have autistic tendencies, feels uncomfortable in social situations, and loves the world of nature.

As their friendship grows, Ellie appreciates having music and simple pleasures in her life. Both Ellie and Dan are lonely people who need someone with sensitivity in their lives. Ellie is always on edge since her husband is emotionally abusive. Someone is hiding an important secret from Dan.

This was a heartwarming story with lyrical descriptions of harps and nature in the Exmoor countryside. It's a lovely book to pick up when you want to relax with a "feel good" read.

104. by Dolores Hitchens
Finish date: November 2020
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Rating: B
Review: Two guys recently out of juvenile detention are looking at nothing but dead ends since they have prison records. Karen, an innocent orphan girl, hears about a stash of money being kept at her guardian's home by a big man from Vegas. The two inexperienced guys plan a heist, but things get complicated when some older thieves also get involved. Everything that could possibly go wrong happens in a series of twists and turns.

Even though the teenagers are planning a crime, the book is written in a way so the reader also has some empathy for them. You start thinking of them as clueless teenagers with the cards of life stacked against them. Eddie, a half-Mexican boy with an alcoholic father and an unhealthy mother, has a softer side even as he follows the lead of his friend Skip. Karen is confused and looking for love. Except for an ex-con uncle, Skip's family is no longer in his life.

This book is the inspiration for the 1964 French film by Jean-Luc Godard, "Band of Outsiders." I haven't seen the film, but the book, "Fools' Gold," is well written with interesting characters.

105. by Gustave Flaubert
Finish date: November 2020
Genre: Classic, Fiction
Rating: B
Review: "A Simple Heart" is a lovely novella about Felicite, a 19th Century hard-working servant with a kind heart. She had a hard life--losing her parents early, and being jilted by her first love. She worked the rest of her life for a widow, Madame Aubain, who had two children. Her life was one of service, piety, and loss. She never traveled, but learned about the world from her nephew's travels as a cabin boy. She was devoted to the parrot, Loulou. As she became deaf, the talking of the parrot was one of the few things she could hear and their connection became even greater. As old age and confusion set in, she thought of the parrot (stuffed after it died) as an embodiment of the Holy Spirit.

While Felicite did not have an exciting life, she lived through the years with dignity and took joy in simple pleasures like caring for a child, receiving a postcard, or playing with her parrot. The character of Felicite was based on Julie, a servant in the Flaubert household. The moving story acknowledges her goodness, kindness, and loving heart.

DECEMBER

106. by Viola Shipman
Finish date: December 2020
Genre: Fiction, Food
Rating: C
Review: "The smells of cinnamon, nutmeg, and apples baking in the oven, the taste of a homemade crust or streusel topping . . . those trigger memories of your mom and grandma baking in the kitchen, of the holidays, of summers at a beloved cabin. They remind us of a time when we were safe, warm, and loved."

Sam Mullins spent her childhood living in northern Michigan where her family owned an orchard and pie shop. The business had been in the family for generations, and recipes were passed down to the daughters on their thirteenth birthdays. After training as a pastry chef and working in New York City, Sam was at a crossroads. Should she return to her roots and the family business?

The librarian for my library book club probably chose this because we enjoy baking for the December holidays. The recipes for apple and berry desserts that were sprinkled throughout the story sounded delicious. Vivid descriptions of Michigan brought back childhood memories of visiting with relatives who had a cottage close to beautiful Lake Michigan. While the ideas of family love and traditions are heartwarming, the story itself was overly sweet and sugary. Readers who love baking or watching Hallmark movies would especially enjoy this book.

107. by Wendell Berry
Finish date: December 2020
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: A
Review: "Though he stands leaning on his cane on the porch of the hotel in Port William, looking out into the first cool morning of September, 1952, he is not there. He is four miles and sixty-four years away, in the time when he had music in him and he was light."

Old Jack Beechum's mind wanders back to his younger days. At ninety-two years old it's not surprising he is a little confused and dreamy. He thinks back to how his family was devastated when his two older brothers died in the Civil War. Jack was raised by his sister, and her later husband who was a role model as a man and a farmer in rural Kentucky.

Jack was strong, stubborn, and a hard worker on the farm he inherited. He had an unfortunate marriage to Ruth who wanted him to be ambitious and rich, but Jack was content with his life as a farmer. Neither Jack nor Ruth could be what the other needed in a partner. Like many farmers, he had problems with debt but his hard work paid it off.

There was a strong bond between the neighbors in Port William that was formed from years of helping each other when the crops came in, and meeting at the general store or the barber shop. His family and friends shared a lifetime of memories with Jack who appreciated the kindness of a home-cooked meal. Although the book revolves around Jack, it also spends time with other Port William characters that seem like beloved real people.

Over Jack's lifetime there was a change in the way of life as people moved from farms to the cities. The children wanted to attend college, and find other occupations. It was hard to make a living on small family farms using horses and a plow. Farming was becoming more mechanized, and run by big businesses.

Wendell Berry is a poetic writer who has a great love of the land. His books are gems that show us an old-fashioned agrarian way of life that has been disappearing in America.

108. by Charles Dickens
Finish date: December 2020
Genre: Holiday novella
Rating: C
Review: Charles Dickens' holiday story of 1844 featured a New Years setting. The chimes of a church in Genoa inspired him to write a story about a poor working class man, Trotty Veck. Politicians have Trotty convinced that the poor cannot do right, and they are born bad. He climbs the bell tower where the spirits of the bells and the goblins show him visions of a possible future for his family and new friends. The visions have messages about people's lack of empathy and understanding of the challenges faced by the poor. Unfortunately, the sadness is not balanced by the occasional humor that characterizes most of Dickens' other work. "The Chimes" is a bleak story about important 19th Century social problems and unsympathetic politicians.

Connie, how delightful: Your having read one of Dickens’ Christmas books at Christmas time! While The Chimes is much darker than Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, it has the same basic message: Man is responsible for the misery of Victorian Britain.
Regards,
Andrea
by Charles Dickens

Andrea wrote: "Connie, how delightful: Your having read one of Dickens’ Christmas books at Christmas time! While The Chimes is much darker than Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, it has the same basic message: Man is re..."

Andrea, I love A Christmas Carol, and am reading it again with a group this month. It's much more uplifting!

by Charles Dickens

109. by Ann Cleeves
Finish date: December 2020
Genre: Mystery
Rating: B+
Review: "Raven Black" is set in chilly January in the barren Shetland Islands, off the north coast of Scotland. A precocious teenager, Catherine Ross, is found strangled close to the home of Mangus Tait, the last person known to have seen her. Mangus is a simpleton who was also a suspect in the disappearance of another girl.

Jimmy Perez, a local police detective, and Roy Taylor, a supervisor from Aberdeen, decide to look beyond Mangus and question the locals. The small isolated community is composed of people who know everyone's secrets and relationships. The author keeps the reader guessing until the end with an interesting group of complex characters who might all have a motive for murder.

I enjoyed Ann Cleeves' writing, and the unusual setting added to the interest. "Raven Black" is the first book of a Shetland Islands series.

110. by J. Jefferson Farjeon
Finish date: December 2020
Genre: Mystery
Rating: C+
Review: "Mystery in White" is a Golden Age mystery set during a heavy snowstorm on Christmas Eve. Passengers are on their way to holiday gatherings on a train traveling from London to the countryside. When the train gets stuck in the huge snowdrifts on the tracks, some of the passengers decide to walk to the next station. For a while it looks like they might get lost in the white-out, but they come upon a deserted house. It's a strange situation with the door unlocked, fires burning in the fireplaces, the kettle boiling, and the table set for tea--but no one is home. Things look ominous as a suspicious stranger arrives, and noises come from a locked room. They also wonder if a psychic passenger is communicating with the dead.

It was fun to settle down with this atmospheric 1937 mystery and a cup of tea during a snowfall in New England yesterday. Fans of Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers will probably enjoy this classic mystery which was re-released as a British Library Crime Classic in 2014.

111. by Charles Dickens
Finish date: December 2020
Genre: Classic
Rating: A
Review: "A Christmas Carol" is one of Charles Dickens' most beloved works. It has a timeless message for us to keep the spirit of Christmas in our lives through kindness and generosity. The story shows that anyone, including the miser Ebenezer Scrooge, has the ability to change their behavior and empathize with others. "A Christmas Carol" is an atmospheric morality tale with four phantoms helping Scrooge realize what is important in life. Dickens' story can be enjoyed as a book, a stage production, or a film. It's a story that should not be missed!

Amen, Connie, “God bless us, every one!”
Regards,
Andrea

Andrea wrote: "Amen, Connie, “God bless us, every one!”
Regards,
Andrea"

With so many people being impacted by the pandemic, we all need to think about the message in "A Christmas Carol" and think of others. The novella is definitely a timeless work. Wishing you a happy 2021, Andrea!

Connie, May your 2021 be blessed with good health and happiness! Like most folks I’m glad to see the close of 2020.
Regards,
Andrea

112. by Hallie Ephron
Finish date: December 2020
Genre: Contemporary fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Rating: B-
Review: Emily recently became a professional organizer, inspired by Marie Kondo's "does an item spark joy" way of uncluttering. But her own home is filled with her husband's "finds." Going to yard sales is his favorite form of recreation.

Emily lands two new clients and soon finds herself entangled in their messes--and their illegal activities. She has no idea who she can trust when people make "things" more important than relationships. This story has lots of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. "Careful What You Wish For" has a likable heroine, an original situation, and good storytelling.

JANUARY

1. by Winifred Watson
Finish date: January 2021
Genre: Classic fiction, Humor
Rating: B
Review: "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" is a humorous 1938 novel about second chances. Guinevere Pettigrew is a destitute governess in her 40s who was sent by her employment agency to interview for a job. The agency had mixed up their clients, and they sent her to Delysia LaFosse who was in need of a maid. When Miss Pettigrew arrives, Delysia is frantic because she has to get rid of one lover before another arrives. Miss Pettigrew, who usually is very straitlaced, tells one little lie after another, getting Delysia out of tough situations. By the end of the day, Miss Pettigrew learns how to have fun, and she acts as a good influence on Delysia.

Many British men were killed during World War I so there were extra women in that generation. The women ended up working as servants and governesses when they often would have loved to be married with a family. Miss Pettigrew was in that situation and did not enjoy her work.

The story is fun and frothy with the dialogue reminding me of a 1930s black and white romantic comedy film. Unfortunately, there were several anti-Semitic remarks in the dialogue. Overall, the book is pure escapism for when you want a dose of humor. Persephone re-released the book, and a film was made in 2008.

2. by Jean-Patrick Manchette
Finish date: January 2021
Genre: Mystery
Rating: B
Review: Good Samaritan Georges Gerfaut received no thanks for bringing an accident victim to the hospital. It was found that the victim had been shot before he crashed the car, and Georges was a possible witness. The killers now had Georges in their sights. After several attempts on his life, Georges goes on the run. He wants to find out who and why these hit-men are trying to kill him, and eliminate them first. Georges is also a man stuck in a rut in a bland life. He recharges himself while he is in hiding, rises to the challenge when he is in danger, and does not hesitate to use vigilante justice.

Although Jean-Patrick Manchette uses a spare writing style, he gives a vivid picture of Georges. He is a middle manager salesman who likes to knock back Cutty Sark, smoke Gitanes, drive expensive fast cars, listen to jazz, and has left political leanings. Georges resembles his creator quite a bit. This is a fast-paced, noir mystery with lots of suspense and black humor packed into 134 pages. The translator, Donald Nicholson-Smith, did a great job too.

3. by Charles Dickens
Finish date: January 2021
Genre: Nonfiction, Travel
Rating: B
Review: The family of Charles Dickens traveled from England, through France, to Italy in 1844. They made beautiful Genoa their home base while they made side trips to areas of interest in Italy. Then they visited Switzerland on their return trip to England. Dickens sent letters home with his personal impressions of each site visited. He used that information to publish a series of eight "Traveling Letters" in the Daily News. These articles were gathered together in "Pictures from Italy" in 1846. Dickens also used his experiences from this trip to set some of the scenes in The Chimes and Little Dorrit.

The book tells about Dickens' personal reactions to the Italian people, the culture, and the beauty of the places he visited. He was enchanted by Venice, and described it as a dream. He enjoyed the history surrounding the Colosseum and ruins, but was not impressed by the religious rituals during Holy Week in Rome. An especially exciting part of the book told of his visit to Mount Vesuvius where he climbed to the rim of the active volcano before sliding down the slippery lava with his clothes singed. Traveling through the snowy Alps with a coach and horses over the winding mountain roads also had elements of danger.

Italy had not yet experienced the Industrial Revolution in 1844, so the Dickens passed through towns where farming, making wine, fishing, mining, hospitality, and selling merchandise were the principle occupations. Churches had a prominent place in every town. He mentioned the poverty and the presence of beggars in some areas.

My father had been in Europe with the US Army doing radio work during World War II. Fifty years ago, he wanted to revisit some of the charming places he had enjoyed. He took our family on a trip to Paris, Munich, and Vienna. We also enjoyed some side trips, including some in northern Italy. My father drove a VW bus through the mountainous Alps, and we hoped he had good health and the vehicle had good brakes as we circled the down the mountains! I found extra pleasure reading Dickens' account of his trip since we had several stops in common. "Pictures from Italy" brought back many pleasant memories. Now is the perfect time to do some traveling through our reading!

4. by Louise Erdrich
Finish date: January 2021
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: B
Review: Set between 1912-1924 in North Dakota, "Tracks" is chronologically the earliest novel in the "Love Medicine" series about some Anishinaabe families. They are caught between the traditions of the indigenous people and the white culture. The book has two narrators--Nanapush, a tribal elder, and Pauline, a mixed-breed orphan whose accounts of events are unreliable. The book opens with tribal numbers being diminished by influenza and consumption, spread by soldiers returning home from World War I.

The Anishinaabe traditionally lived off the plants, fish, and wildlife from their land. but they could not afford the high government taxes on the land. Some land was sold to loggers in order to survive, but clear cutting the trees drove away the wildlife. Hunger, especially during the winter, was a terrible problem.

The tribe was used to trading goods and cooperating as a group before white culture moved in. Later, each family had to use money and try individually to hold on to their plot of land. Eventually, most of the land was sold to the government or lumber companies.

Religion plays a large role in the book. Fleur is a vigorous woman with strong ties to her tribal roots, and spirits in the woods and lake. Fleur is also a skilled hunter, forager, and herbalist. Pauline, in contrast, rejects her native American roots and embraces Christianity. She joins a convent but spends her time in self-flagellation instead of doing good deeds. She exhibits signs of madness as she fights with the Devil, and causes conflict within the tribe.

Author Louise Erdrich weaves together family stories, indigenous traditions, tribal conflicts, and the influence of white culture. There are interesting, quirky characters that will show up again in her "Love Medicine" series of books.

5. by William Faulkner
Finish date: January 2021
Genre: Short stories
Rating: B
Review: During the early 20th Century, William Faulkner wrote some wonderful short stories about the South. "A Rose for Emily," a gothic story about a recluse in a changing Southern town, is one of Faulkner's best. "Barn Burning" shows a boy who has to decide whether to follow his conscience or remain loyal to his family while knowing that his father is an arsonist. "Dry September" is an especially well-written story about racial prejudice. Be aware that Faulkner does use the language of that era regarding African-Americans, but he is showing the injustice toward them.

Faulkner also writes stories about wars and their aftermath--the American Civil War, World War I, and World War II. "Two Soldiers" is narrated by a young boy who wanted to follow his brother into the army after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. "Mountain Victory" is set just after the Civil War ended.

Faulkner's short stories are a good introduction to this Southern author. Some feature characters that also have roles in his Yoknapatawpha County novels. Most of the stories in this collection were previously published in the Saturday Evening Post, Scribners, or American Mercury so this is a high quality collection.

6. by Alka Joshi
Finish date: January 2021
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: B+
Review: Lakshmi ran away from an abusive husband at the tender age of seventeen. She went to the pink city of Jaipur to eventually become a henna artist and herbalist to upper class women. The independent Lakshmi was finally in a financial position to afford a small house when her life was upended. Her former husband found her, and he was accompanied by her sister who she didn't know existed.

Henna artists were in demand for weddings and other important rituals. Wealthy women had parties where they were adorned with henna. Henna was also used for sensual appeal for couples hoping for a pregnancy. Lakshmi also used fragrant oils and lotions that could be massaged into the skin, as well as providing herbal products for a variety of ailments.

"The Henna Artist" is set in 1950s India, a time of great change after India established independence from Great Britain. Elements about class and customs are woven into the story. Lakshmi is on the cutting edge for that era when most women stayed in arranged marriages. But unfortunate actions by her sister threatened to topple everything Lakshmi had carefully cultivated.

The descriptions are full of color, smells of warm spices and delicious food, soft cushions, a marble palace, beautiful plants, and a talking bird. But one is also aware of the men pulling rickshaws, the servants, the prostitutes, and the children roaming the streets. Author Joshi transports us to Jaipur and Shimla in this story.

I enjoyed the characters in this book, especially Lakshmi who seemed to be pulled by responsibilities in many directions. While there were a few events that did not seem totally realistic, I felt that the author was an entertaining storyteller.

7. by Lisa Wingate
Finish date: January 2021
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: A
Review: Lisa Wingate again demonstrates that she is a wonderful storyteller in "The Book of Lost Friends." Slave families who had been separated and sold on the auction block wanted to reconnect after the Civil War. They placed advertisements in the Southwestern Christian Advocate, a Methodist newspaper. Preachers read the ads from the pulpit on Sundays hoping to reach the missing family members. The book separates every chapter with a real "Lost Friends" example, and the reader can feel the heartache of the former slaves looking for their loved ones.

In the 1875 timeline of the story, Hannie Gossett, a freed slave and sharecropper, searches for her family members. She's also looking for legal papers from William Gossett showing that she and others have earned ownership of the land they farmed for ten years. She's accompanied by Gossett's two daughters who would be in desperate straits without their inheritance papers. Dressed as young men, they make a dangerous trip from Louisiana to Texas.

Another timeline is set in 1987 Louisiana. Benny Silva has just started her first teaching job in an underfunded rural high school with many minority students. She is unable to interest her challenging students until they start on a project looking into the history of their families. Many of them have a connection in some way to the Gossett plantation. Nathan Gossett provides them with books and historical information. However some of his relatives do not want family secrets to be uncovered.

The two timelines are woven together nicely, and both kept my interest. Benny tells her student an old proverb that says, "We die once when the last breath leaves our bodies. We die a second time when the last person speaks our name." Author Lisa Wingate is helping to keep the stories of the Lost Friends alive so we can be aware of their lives, and how their experiences affected later generations. "The Book of Lost Friends" is compelling historical fiction with interesting characters.