The History Book Club discussion

8. by Julia Alvarez
Finish date: January 2021
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Rating: B+
Review: When Antonia's husband dies unexpectedly on the day of her retirement as an English professor, her whole world is turned upside down. She faces difficult decisions about who she is going to be going forward. She needs to devote time to self-help and dealing with her grief. But other people need her help too. Her oldest sister is becoming mentally unstable, and the "sisterhood" of four immigrant sisters from the Dominican Republic always look out for each other. Undocumented Mexicans in her Vermont town need her to translate, navigate health care, and help a teenage new mother. Now that Antonia is no longer teaching her students since her retirement, it fills a need in her when she nurtures the young Mexican couple. She wonders what her compassionate doctor husband would do if he were still alive.

"Afterlife" is a beautifully written book about loss, family relationships, and giving to people in need. The book is sprinkled with quotations from Antonia's favorite writers. The story explores the theme of putting the pieces back together when a life has been shattered. A life may be different, but it still can be meaningful.

9. by Nan Shepherd
Finish date: January 2021
Genre: Nonfiction, Nature, Travel
Rating: A-
Review: "So there I lie on the plateau, under me the central core of fire from which was thrust this grumbling grinding mass of plutonic rock, over me blue air, and between the fire of the rock and the fire of the sun, scree, soil and water, moss, grass, flower and tree, insect, bird and beast, wind, rain and snow--the total mountain. Slowly I have found my way in."

"The Living Mountain" is poetic prose in praise of the Cairngorm Mountains of northeastern Scotland. It's nature writing with a philosophical feeling to it. Nan Shepherd started exploring the Cairngorms at an early age, and continued mountain walking until she was aged. Although she was well-traveled, she always returned to her home near the eastern side of the mountain range. Shepherd had climbed its peaks, but she seemed to draw more pleasure from the plateau--observing wildlife, exploring the lochs, and following springs to their natural source. She was a very observant person who often took in the activity of the natural world while she maintained stillness. Shepherd wrote descriptions that use all the senses in appreciating the beautiful, but sometimes unforgiving, mountains.

Nan Shepherd was also the author of three modernist novels, essays, and a collection of poetry about her beloved Cairngorms. She wrote "The Living Mountain" during World War II, but it sat in a drawer for thirty years before being published in 1977. Her image is on Scotland's five-pound note. Robert Macfarlane wrote an excellent introduction to "The Living Mountain" with biographical details and an appreciation of Shepherd's writing. This is a contemplative book that I will tuck away to be enjoyed again.

10. by Silas House
Finish date: January 2021
Genre: Fiction
Rating: B
Review: "Their land was the most important thing they had besides one another. That loving the land was a given, not something one could choose, the same way you love your sister or brother even when you don't want to."

"The Coal Tattoo" is set in the hill country of Kentucky where the mining company helps put food on the table, but sacrifices the land and the men who fall victims to mining accidents. The Sizemore children were raised by their grandmothers after the death of their father in a mining accident and the suicide of their mother. When the grandmothers died, Easter took care of her younger teenage sister, Anneth.

Although they were very close, the temperaments of the two sisters were totally different. Easter was a deeply religious Pentecostal who lived a simple life, and desperately wanted to be a mother. Anneth was a wild beauty who loved dancing, smoking, drinking in bars, and flirting with men. She also had to cope with manic and depressive feelings. "The Coal Tattoo" shows the love between the two sisters which is strong, but often strained. Their shared love of the family land is a strong bond between them.

In addition to the characters, I enjoyed the sense of time and place in this story. Many of the characters were talented singers or musicians, and author Silas House often used music to set a 1960s vibe or show personality traits. A scene with Anneth wildly dancing to "Maybellene" in a tight red dress with all the men's eyes on her was an effective opening to the story. Although this book is part of a trilogy, it can be read as a stand-alone novel.

FEBRUARY

11. by Sheri Reynolds
Finish date: February 2021
Genre: Fiction, Paranormal
Rating: B+
Review: "A Gracious Plenty" is a magical story that pulls at the emotions. When Finch Nobles was a toddler she pulled a pot of boiling water off the stove, burning her face and shoulders. The resulting scars made her an outcast, and she was taunted by the children in the small town. After her parents died, Finch took over the job of caretaker of the cemetery located on her family's land.

Finch is able to communicate with the dead in the cemetery who still have unfinished business before they eventually "lighten" and ascend to their final reward. They also control the weather, help the growing crops, and keep the four seasons on track. A former beauty queen, a crying baby, and a man with a secret past are among the dead that Finch befriends. Her path crosses that of the local policeman as she tries to make things right between the ghosts in the cemetery and the living people they left behind.

Finch is a likable character with lots of spirit. As the book progresses, we see her opening up to friendship which is difficult after all the rejection she faced as a child. This Southern story is compelling and heartwarming.

12. by George Saunders
Finish date: February 2021
Genre: Nonfiction, Books about Books, Essays, Short Stories
Rating: A
Review: Writer George Saunders has been teaching creative writing for years, including a course about 19th Century Russian short story writers. Reading this book feels like attending a mini college class with the professor you wish you had as a teacher. Saunders is enthusiastic, warm, and humorous with a conversational tone.

The book consists of the texts of seven short stories, discussions of techniques used by the Russian writers, and an afterthought about how it relates to Saunders' own writing. The seven stories are "In the Cart," "The Darling," and "Gooseberries" by Anton Chekhov; "Master and Man" and "Alyosha the Pot" by Leo Tolstoy; "The Singers" by Ivan Turgenev; and "The Nose" by Nikolai Gogol. Saunders also discusses issues with translation from Russian to English. He shows how ambiguous endings keep us wondering, and sometimes have different meanings depending on the translator. Gogol used lots of plays on words in his writing, but we miss some of his humor because it doesn't come through when the words are translated. My favorite story was Tolstoy's "Master and Man" where characters make repetitive bad choices, and that makes the story work. In several stories Saunders shows how a writer keeps escalating the action to keep the reader's interest. A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life can be enjoyed by both writers and readers to make their interactions with short stories more meaningful.

13. by Michael Farris Smith
Finish date: February 2021
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: B+
Review: Michael Farris Smith has written a prequel to "The Great Gatsby" showing the earlier life of Nick Carraway, the character who narrates F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic book. Nick was the quiet observer, the cousin of Daisy Buchanan, and the confidant of Jay Gatsby and Tom Buchanan. When Nick moved to wealthy West Egg, New York, in 1922, he had recently fought in the Great War and he was bored with working in his Midwestern family's hardware business. Prohibition had started two years earlier. Nick was trying to make a new beginning, but what prompted his fresh start? The prequel imagines the reasons behind Nick's move to New York to start anew.

Nick grew up in a small Minnesota town where he helped his father in his hardware store, and often read to his mother who suffered from long, dark periods of depression. After attending Yale, he volunteered to fight in the Great War and was sent to France. His horrific experiences in the trenches and the tunnels, and the loss of an important relationship devastated him. Suffering from PTSD, he didn't feel ready to face his hometown and headed to New Orleans instead. Always willing to help the downtrodden, he cared for a seriously disabled war veteran. He became involved with the lives of a group of people in the violent city as he searched for redemption.

Michael Farris Smith writes about traumatized people very well. The reader feels like they are in Nick's head as he listens for enemy footsteps as he sits in a tunnel in France, or as he is haunted by memories going around and around his mind. Smith's Nick seems more troubled at the end of "Nick" than Fitzgerald's character in "The Great Gatsby." But that is partly due to his different role in the classic book--acting as the observer of the interactions among the other characters. "Nick" does not try to rewrite "The Great Gatsby," but gives the reader a greater understanding of Nick Carraway, the returning soldiers, the general mood of the country at that time, and the difficulty of moving on in life after trauma. Recommended!

Thank you, Connie! What a great review! My TBR List thanks you too ... it’s in the race for the longest list on Goodreads!
Regards,
Andrea

Thanks, Andrea. My TBR is even longer--and more great books continue to be published so we'll never catch up!

14. by Eman Quotah
Finish date: February 2021
Genre: Fiction
Rating: B
Review: Newlyweds Muneer and Saeedah came to America on student visas. The mismatched young couple from Saudi Arabia were soon expecting their first child, but Muneer already was thinking about divorcing his volatile wife. Muneer returned to Saudi Arabia while their daughter, Hanadi, stayed with his ex-wife in Ohio. Tormented by the fear that Muneer would eventually separate her from their daughter, Saeedah assumed a new name and disappeared with Hanadi. They moved frequently--constantly switching identities, changing schools, never getting close to people, and living a life of lies.

Muneer finally found his daughter when she was seventeen, and introduced her to a loving extended family in Jidda. (The city of Jidda is known as the bride of the Red Sea.) This is a story of two cultures where Hanadi feels a sense of loss for what she missed and wonders where she belongs. She also loves the greater freedom for women, and educational opportunities in America. "Bride of the Sea" shows us a broken family over a fifty year period. Details of American and Saudi history, religion, food, and traditions are woven into the story. Author Eman Quotah grew up in both Saudi Arabia and the United States so she is able to sensitively portray Hanadi caught between cultures.

15. by Evie Wyld
Finish date: February 2021
Genre: Literary fiction, Feminism
Rating: D+
Review: The North Berwick coast of Scotland, with its view of the Bass Rock, is the setting for the three timelines showing men physically and emotionally abusing women. In addition to the three main stories the book also tells about boys being abused in boarding school, and has snapshots of anonymous women falling victim to misogynistic violence. Men blamed women for their male anger and lack of control. Others labeled women as witches or regarded them as possessions. The book was relentless in its depiction of the violent patriarchy and troubled women through the centuries. The novel lost the force of an important message through overkill. There was also a sense of emotional distance because there were so many characters. It was disappointing since the author can turn a phrase, and possesses talent.

16. by Merlin Sheldrake
Finish date: February2021
Genre: Nonfiction, Science
Rating: A
Review: Merlin Sheldrake is an engaging writer who shares his sense of awe when he investigates the mysteries of fungi. This book is not a dull textbook since Sheldrake uses his gift of storytelling to show the natural world to us.

We often think of food when we consider the world of fungi. Mushrooms and truffles are the fruiting bodies of fungi. We use yeast to bake bread and ferment fruit into alcohol. Fungi are also used to make cheese. Fungi can also metabolize more unusual substances--rocks, plastics, oil, and even radioactive waste. Work is being done to convert recycled material into useful items using mycofabrication.

Symbiosis is an important quality of fungi. Most fungi exist as branching networks of tubular cells called mycelium. Underground fungi supply nitrogen, phosphorus, water, and other soil nutrients to the roots of plants. In return, plants supply sugars and lipids, carbon compounds made through photosynthesis, to the fungi. Lichens and seaweeds are other examples of symbiosis where algae and fungi act as partners that both benefit.

Sheldrake interviews mycologists all over the world, and also tells about his own experiments in the field in Panama. He also tries psychedelics in a controlled clinical setting since they have a recent use to treat deep depression. Drugs made from fungi have been used for organ transplant patients to prevent rejection. We can't forget penicillin, a wonder drug that is still widely used.

This is just a small sample of the many ways that fungi are important. Not only are fungi entangled with themselves, but they are entangled with their physical environment and other organisms, including humans. Who knew that fungi could be so fascinating?

My, Connie,.how fascinating!
Regards,
Andrea

Andrea wrote: "My, Connie,.how fascinating!
Regards,
Andrea"

Thanks, Andrea. I've been thinking of my GR Texas buddies when I've been watching the news of the ice storms and power outages. I hope you are doing well.

Ooohhhh, Connie, things are getting much better! We now have running water, after being without for seven days ... and there are many who are much worse off than we!
Regards,
Andrea

17. by Will Schwalbe
Finish date: February 2021
Genre: Nonfiction, Book about Books, Memoir
Rating: B+
Review: Will Schwalbe shares his love of books in a thoughtful, personal way in "Books for Living." He chose a group of books that spoke to him when he needed them, or opened his eyes to see the world and life a little differently. The book that he turns to most often is "The Importance of Living" by Lin Yutang which was written in 1937. It showed him the importance of slowing down, enjoying periods of contemplation, and appreciating literature and nature. He highlighted an essay on the enjoyment of laying in bed thinking, napping, and listening to music.

The children's book, "Stuart Little," taught him about searching and going on a quest. A kind librarian put a copy of "Giovanni's Room" in his hands when he was a gay young man in high school. "The Gifts of the Body" was important when he was losing friends to AIDS. Anne Lamont's "Bird by Bird" is a reminder to break tasks into pieces to avoid being overwhelmed. I had never given any thought that the same author, Herman Melville, wrote both "Bartleby, the Scrivener" about quitting, and "Moby Dick" about Captain Ahab never giving up his pursuit of the whale. Sometimes it is better for our mental health, physical well-being, or financial security to quit and take a new path. Although the author mentions around a hundred books, there are twenty-six essays about an individual book.

"Books for Living" is a memoir as well as a book about books. Will Schwalbe uses a warm conversational tone that draws the reader in. I rarely reread books, but I'm keeping this treasure on my shelf to read again.

Connie, I agree, this is a book to tuck back on your shelf, a true treasure.

Lorna wrote: "Connie, I agree, this is a book to tuck back on your shelf, a true treasure."

I loved his warm, personal approach to books, Lorna.

My, Connie, those books you mentioned in your review are some of my favorites, particularly:
by E.B. White
and
by Herman Melville
and, of course,
by Herman Melville
Regards,
Andrea

Andrea wrote: "My, Connie, those books you mentioned in your review are some of my favorites, particularly:
by E.B. White
and
[book..."

I'll have to read "Stuart Little" to see what I have been missing, Andrea.

Connie, E.B. White also wrote the beloved Charlotte’s Web.
by E.B. White

Regards,
Andrea

MARCH

18. by Wendell Berry
Finish date: March 2021
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: A
Review: "A Place on Earth" is a book of deep reflection about family, grief, friendship, and the land. Wendell Berry takes us to the small farming community of Port William, Kentucky during the last year of World War II. Mat Feltner's grandfather and father had passed down their farm to him along with their strong work ethic and a love of their community. Mat and Margaret's son, Virgil, is missing in action in Europe. Virgil's wife, Hannah, is expecting their first child. They are dealing with the unknown, a combination of hope and grief, as they wait to hear more about Virgil.

The Feltner grandchildren, their neighbors, and a few quirky characters in town provided humor in the book. It was a year of change and loss for several families, but also a time of new life and celebration as the war ended. Wendell Berry writes thoughtfully about everyday people, the satisfaction of hard work, the change of seasons, and the circle of life.

Wow, Connie, This sounds like a great read! Is this connected to Berry’s book, “Hannah Coulter?” Some of the characters sound familiar.
Regards,
Andrea
by Wendell Berry

Andrea wrote: "Wow, Connie, This sounds like a great read! Is this connected to Berry’s book, “Hannah Coulter?” Some of the characters sound familiar.
Regards,
Andrea
by [authori..."

Yes, this is the same family with the spotlight turned on Mat Feltner, Hannah's first father-in-law. She later married Nathan Coulter. I feel like I know these characters after seeing them turn up at different times in their lives as secondary characters.

Connie, that’s simply splendid! It’s almost as though they were real people. Anthony Trollope does that in his Palliser novels, such as “Can You Forgive Her?” or “The Duke’s Children.”
Regards,
Andrea
by Anthony Trollope
by Anthony Trollope

19. by Tara Westover
Finish date: March 2021
Genre: Memoir
Rating: A
Review: Physical and emotional survival is at the heart of Tara Westover's memoir. She was the youngest of seven children whose family lived in the mountains of Idaho. Her father was a mentally ill religious fanatic and survivalist who distrusted the government, medical doctors, and traditional education. Her mother was a midwife, a herbal healer, and built up a business selling essential oils.

At a young age the children had been forced to work in their father's scrap metal and construction businesses where they had to use unsafe machinery. Even when someone was severely injured or burned, they were treated by their mother since their domineering father would not allow them to go to the hospital. One older brother became so sadistic and violent that Tara feared for her life. Tara had kept journals from a young age, and referred to them when writing the book.

Homeschooling only involved learning to read, grade school math, trips to the library, and Bible reading. One has to admire Tara's intelligence and willpower as she taught herself high school math and other subjects to prepare to take the ACT college entrance exam, encouraged by an older brother. Tara's first time in a classroom was when she started BYU at age seventeen with little understanding of history and the world outside their small town. Tara eventually received a PhD from Cambridge, and she writes in an engaging manner.

Her adult life has been a duality--wanting to be close to her family, but also needing to practice self-preservation. Her father misused their Mormon faith and used religious rhetoric to control people, especially the women in the household. Tara's father and abusive brother said she was possessed by the devil, trying to psychologically make her doubt herself when she complained about her brother's painful abuse. It took years of counseling and education for Tara to get to the point emotionally where she is now. Although some family members back Tara up, and others have different memories of certain events, we have to remember that Tara is writing about her reality and she includes footnotes where there are conflicting views.

It's heartbreaking to think that there are children living off the radar with no one to advocate for them. This is a book that is unnerving to read, but difficult to put down, because one fears what will happen next.

Morning, Connie, isn’t this a fascinating book? It really underscores people’s self-reliance and perseverance. Your review nails it. Thanks!
Regards,
Andrea

Andrea wrote: "Morning, Connie, isn’t this a fascinating book? It really underscores people’s self-reliance and perseverance. Your review nails it. Thanks!
Regards,
Andrea"

Thanks, Andrea. Her childhood did so much psychological damage that it's amazing how much she has accomplished.

20. by Felicity Hayes-McCoy
Finish date: March 2021
Genre: Women's Fiction
Rating: C-
Review: Cassie, a Toronto native, spent time on Ireland's Finfarran Peninsula with her grandmother, Pat, after her grandfather's death. Cassie worked part-time at the library driving a bookmobile around the beautiful peninsula. She also suggested a virtual book club to connect the Irish residents of Finfarran with a group of Irish-Americans in Resolve, a fictional town in northern New York. Many Irish townspeople had emigrated to Resolve so the book club also served as a social connection to friends and family.

Much of the story tracks the friendship between Pat and Mary, a difficult woman who is also a recent widow. Pat had been holding secrets for decades, and there are interesting flashbacks to her younger years. Her handyman friend, Fury, offered wisdom and humor.

Cassie is a free spirit who worked as a hair stylist on cruise ships before her interlude in Ireland. She seems attracted to two very different men, and we wonder where those relationships are heading.

"The Transatlantic Book Club" can be read as a stand-alone book, although it is part of a series. The end of the book seems to be setting up for the next story. This is a relaxing read with a slow-moving plot, and filled with many instances of everyday activities like making tea. Strengths are the lovely descriptions of the Irish countryside, and the sense of community in the small Irish town.

21. by Jane Harper
Finish date: March 2021
Genre: Mystery, Crime
Rating: A
Review: "It's almost like they're jealous. . . Of the fact that he did what they can't bring themselves to do, I think. Because now he's out of it, isn't he? While the rest of us are stuck here to rot, he's got no more worrying about crops or missed payments or the next rainfall."

The small town of Kiewarra in Australia was in the middle of a prolonged drought, and farms were failing financially. It looked like Luke Hadler had cracked from the stress, and shot his wife, son, and himself. But his parents were not convinced that their son was capable of murder. When Luke's childhood buddy, Aaron Falk, came to the funeral, the family asked him to help Sergeant Raco with the investigation. Aaron was an investigator with the federal Financial Intelligence Unit in Melbourne.

Twenty years ago, Aaron and his father had been forced to move from Kiewarre after being subjected to endless rumors about their involvement in the death of Ellie Deacon. The people of Kiewarra have long memories, and they have not forgotten the unsolved case of Ellie's drowning.

This is an engaging mystery with many possible suspects. The secondary characters had interesting backstories, secrets, and possible motives. Aaron and Luke had also been hiding a secret for twenty years. The reader can feel the intense heat and dryness, day after day, and empathize with the farmers as their crops turn to straw. The weather becomes a character that threatens the town. "The Dry" is a riveting page turner that kept me reading late into the night.

22. by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Finish date: March 2021
Genre: Fiction
Rating: A-
Review: "Americanah" looks at race, class, identity, and immigration across three continents. The novel opens with Ifemelu reflecting on natural black hair styles as she is getting her hair braided. She had spent almost fifteen years in the United States as a student, a blogger, and as a writer with a Princeton fellowship. Now she was going to return to her homeland, Nigeria.

The story is told through flashbacks and through her provocative blog, "Raceteenth or Various Observations About American Blacks (Those Formerly Known as Negroes) by a Non-American Black." Ifemelu had never faced racism or felt "black" while she was in Nigeria since everyone has dark skin. But that changed when she came to the United States on a student visa. She tells of racist experiences, as well as times when she felt uncomfortable when people tried to be too politically correct.

The book also follows the story of her Nigerian boyfriend, Obinze, an intelligent calm man who is Ifemelu's great love. Obinze overstayed his visa in England, worked as an illegal worker in menial jobs, but was deported back to Nigeria. He became successful in Nigeria investing in real estate. The book shows a changing Nigeria from a military government to a more democratic country. Nigeria has had its own problems with its ethnic conflicts and corruption. Ifemelu has to adjust to a new Nigeria when she returns.

I enjoyed Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's writing which can range from humorous to serious to biting social commentary. The author must be very observant because she was spot on in her portrayal of many of the American characters. Ifemelu and Obinze are warm, passionate, and ambitious. They faced difficult challenges in their search for identity and the place they belong in our global society. Sometimes they made mistakes, but kept moving ahead. This is the first Adichie novel that I have read, but it won't be the last.

23. by Arthur Conan Doyle
Finish date: March 2021
Genre: Mystery
Rating: B
Review: "There's the scarlet thread of murder running through the colorless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of it."(36)

"A Study in Scarlet" is the first Sherlock Holmes mystery. It was first published in Beeton's Christmas Annual for 1887. It begins with the meeting between Holmes and Dr Watson when the two men become London housemates. Dr Watson, recovering from military service, goes along with Holmes on a murder investigation. Part of the story is told in dramatic flashbacks to 1847 to a Mormon community in Utah. This involves the development of Salt Lake City, violent polygamists, and a man out for revenge.

It was enjoyable to read about Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson as young men. Holmes still has the youthful enthusiasm of a man learning his craft and loving the intellectual challenge. The mystery kept my interest to the end.

24. by Sara Nović
Finish date: March 2021
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: B
Review: "Their musings about how and why people stayed in a country under such terrible conditions were what I hated most. I knew it was ignorance, not insight, that prompted these questions. They asked because they hadn't smelled the air raid smoke or the scent of singed flesh on their own balconies; they couldn't fathom that such a dangerous place could still harbor all the feelings of home."

Ana Juric was a carefree ten-year-old tomboy who enjoyed playing with her best friend Luca in 1991 when the civil war started in Yugoslavia. Ethnic differences and the acquisition of power fueled the civil war. Ana's family lived in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. Her sister had serious medical problems so her family traveled to Bosnia for treatment. On the return trip, they encountered a roadblock manned by Serbian soldiers, and tragedy followed.

The story then moves forward ten years to Ana living in New York City as a university student. She's still afraid to sleep since she wakes up screaming, haunted by her experiences during the war. She decides to go back to Croatia to visit Luca, make sense of her past, and find her home in the world. The story moves back and forth in time narrating the last ten years of Ana's life.

"Girl at War" shows Ana's happy world falling apart when she encounters the trauma and loss of war. The brave young girl had kept her experiences locked up inside her, creating a distance between everyone she meets. It's a thought-provoking look at what it means to be a survivor, and what makes a home.

25. by Maureen Corrigan
Finish date: March 2021
Genre: Books about books, Jazz Age, Nonfiction
Rating: A
Review: Maureen Corrigan, a book critic for NPR and a Professor of Literature at Georgetown University, has been teaching a class about "The Great Gatsby" for decades. She also gives lectures about the magic of her favorite novel for the Big Read program sponsored by the NEA. The author loves the excitement of New York, and grew up a short drive away from the setting of "The Great Gatsby." At the time of F. Scott Fitzgerald's death at age 44, "The Great Gatsby" was no longer on bookstore shelves. Today, it is taught in most American secondary schools, and is often considered the Great American Novel.

Corrigan includes information about Fitzgerald's life, his family, his literary friends, and his wonderful editor, Max Perkins. Although "The Great Gatsby" is a short novel, it has beautiful quotable sentences about class, women, race, and the desire for someone or something out of reach.

The book also tells about the hard-boiled elements in the book. Gatsby, in his quest for success to impress Daisy, probably is involved in bootlegging. Meyer Wolfshiem, with human molars fashioned into cuff links, is a moneylender to take seriously. Tom, Gatsby, and Nick are all veterans of the trench warfare of World War I, and are now looking for financial success. Prohibition and a shady bond market give opportunities for profitable illegal activity.

The military issued small pocket-sized books to the servicemen for entertainment during World War II. An Armed Service Edition of "The Great Gatsby" was printed at the end of the war, and the exposure revived the popularity of the book.

"The Great Gatsby" has also been filmed multiple times with various directors emphasizing different elements of the book--the glitz, the romance, the underworld, the longing for something one cannot reach, and the American Dream.

"So We Read On" was well-researched, had interesting personal commentary, and entertained as it informed. I enjoyed the author's lively, conversational style. I'm excited now to reread "The Great Gatsby" and seek out other books from the Jazz Age.

26. by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Finish date: March 2021
Genre: Literary Fiction
Rating: A
Review: Set in the Jazz Age of the early 1920s, people are trying to leave behind the horrors of World War I and enjoy a time of prosperity. The characters in "The Great Gatsby" long for something they will never reach in their quest for the American Dream. Romance, Prohibition, the criminal underworld, the attempt to repeat the past, and the glitz of the ultra-rich all play parts in this fascinating book.

The first two times I read "The Great Gatsby" years ago, I concentrated on the plot and the themes. For my third reading of the book, I took time to appreciate F. Scott Fitzgerald's beautiful writing and pulled out some some favorite quotes.

Wealthy Daisy, married to Tom Buchanan and loved by Jay Gatsby, with her thoughts about the birth of her daughter: "I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool-that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool."

Narrator Nick Carraway observing Jay Gatsby's parties at his Long Island estate: "There was music from my neighbor's house through the summer nights. In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars."

Gatsby wants to turn the clock back five years to the time when he first met Daisy: "'Can't repeat the past?' he cried incredulously. 'Why of course you can!' His life had been confused and disordered since then, but if he could once return to a certain starting place and go over it all slowly, he could find out what that thing was . . ."

Daisy came from old money, and was very materialistic: "'Her voice is full of money,' he said suddenly. That was it. I'd never understood before. It was full of money-that was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it, the cymbals' song of it. . . High in a white palace the king's daughter, the golden girl . . ."

Nick's thoughts about the Buchanans after a tragedy: "They were careless people, Tom and Daisy-they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made."

Author Fitzgerald sums up the longing for the past, a longing for the thing that we desperately want but cannot reach: "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter-tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms further . . . And one fine morning--
So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."

APRIL

27. by William Faulkner
Finish date: April 2021
Genre: Short fiction, Mystery/Crime
Rating: B
Review: "Ain't truth and justice the same thing?" the sheriff said.
"Since when?" Uncle Gavin said. "In my time I have seen truth that was anything under the sun but just, and I have seen justice using tools and instruments I wouldn't want to touch with a ten-foot fence rail." (111)

Gavin Stevens, a prosecuting attorney in William Faulkner's fictional Yoknapatawpha County, is featured in the five short stories and the title novella in "The Knight's Gambit." Faulkner describes Stevens as "a Harvard graduate: a loose-jointed man with a mop of untidy iron-gray hair, who could discuss Einstein with college professors and who spent whole afternoons among the squatting men against the walls of county stores, talking to them in their idiom." (16)

Stevens was part prosecutor, and part investigator as he looked for justice. As in most mysteries, the "why" is just as important as "what" transpired. We see Stevens remaining closemouthed in one story when a murderer got what he deserved in revenge. In the title story named after a chess move, Stevens prevents a murder but also arranges things for his own happiness. He feels empathy for those that are mentally or emotionally challenged.

Faulkner writes beautifully, although sometimes in a convoluted manner, in this collection. Set in the first half of the 20th Century in Mississippi, the stories have a good sense of time and place. I enjoyed this introduction to lawyer Gavin Stevens.

28. by Judith Flanders
Finish date: April 2021
Genre: Nonfiction, history, sociology
Rating: B
Review: Judith Flanders looked at London in the 19th Century using scenes from Dickens' works to illustrate her research. Dickens loved to walk many miles each day, observing the street life and getting ideas for his literary sketches and novels.

The Victorian era was a time of change in London with the population exploding, and the advent of industrialization, the railroads, and gas lighting. The book shows life on the streets with people walking many miles to work before putting in long hours on the job. Few people had facilities for cooking at home so most of their food was bought from street vendors, eaten at pubs, or baked at cook shops. The streets were noisy places with vendors hawking their wares, street musicians, and other entertainment. The streets were also dirty and dangerous as pedestrians dodged horses and carriages, and had to contend with mud and horse dung. Smoke from coal fires polluted the air, especially during the cold months of the year.

The book describes the markets with their vivid colors, commotion, crowded conditions, and smells. The brutality of the animal markets was one of the most disturbing parts of the book.

Dickens was an advocate for the poor, and the book tells about crowded slums with limited access to water pumps, and deplorable sanitary facilities. Until sewers were built in the latter half of the 19th Century, excrement was present in cellars, the rivers, and the streets. The poor were often hungry, and had to turn to prostitution or spend time in the workhouse. If they were caught stealing, they could be deported to Australia for years of hard labor. People who ran up debts could be sent to debtor's prison, a subject in some of Dickens' novels.

Life could also be fun and entertaining. The book has sections about public squares, the parks, ice skating, picnics, street performances, theater, and friendly gatherings at pubs.

Flanders has described Victorian London in fine detail. The maps, drawings, photographs, and other illustrations were helpful and interesting. There are parts of the book that describe changes in the streets, the tolls, and the rivers in great detail that may be of interest to Londoners, but not to the general reader. There are also some sections where she could have presented a composite view of an idea instead of including so many similar individual instances of research. However, the book was definitely informative, and entertaining and humorous in many sections. It is sure to enhance my reading of the works of Dickens and other authors who wrote during Victorian times. The author has also written books about the Victorian home and other Victorian topics that are not covered in this book.

29. by Rhys Bowen
Finish date: April 2021
Genre: Historical mystery
Rating: B-
Review: A soldier falls to his death when his parachute fails to open, and is found on Lord Westerham's property. His identity is unknown and he is just carrying a photograph, so rumors spread that he is a German spy wearing an outdated British uniform. It's 1941 and the British fear an invasion by Germany. Some pro-German organizations in England believe that it would be in Great Britain's best interest to make peace with Germany to spare the destruction of Britain's most precious monuments.

The book is mostly told through the alternating points of view of lifelong friends Ben Cresswell and Pamela Sutton. They are unaware of the nature of each other's jobs, and sworn to secrecy. Ben works for M15, and Pamela is a codebreaker at Bletchley Park. Their mutual childhood friend, pilot Jeremy Prescott, has escaped from a Nazi POW camp and is recovering from his injuries. Even within the intelligence and military communities, it's hard to know who you can trust, and who could be a German plant for information. The story also shows the sacrifices and fears of the British community--rationing of food and petrol, gathering of metal, billeting soldiers, housing orphans, blackouts, and the danger of bombs.

Although this is a fairly light read, "In Farleigh Field" is suspenseful, romantic, and entertaining. This historical mystery kept me turning the pages late at night.

30. by Neil M. Gunn
Finish date: April 2021
Genre: Literary fiction
Rating: B
Review: "Everyone knows how your mother dislikes the sea. . . She would rather lose you to Australia, where you will live, even though she should never see you again--rather than that you should follow your father." (150)

Twelve-year-old Hugh MacBeth is the youngest child of a family in a Caithness fishing village. Set at the turn of the 20th Century, the younger generation is leaving the area to escape the danger, poverty, and long hours of fishing. A frightening incident involving boats of fishermen caught in the stormy sea trying to sail back to the harbor was vibrantly described. The natural world is shown with its beauty and its violence.

Written in lyrical prose, this is a coming-of-age story of the young boy. It's also a story of changing times in the Scottish Highlands. Will they lose the important oral traditions of passing down family stories, playing traditional songs, and memorizing poetry? There are many changes in the MacBeth family with Hugh seeing two siblings leave for Australia for better opportunities. Later, Hugh fears that his mother might not recover from a serious illness. "Morning Tide" is a quiet, beautifully written story set in northeastern Scotland where author Neil Gunn spent many years.

31. by Paulette Jiles
Finish date: April 2021
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: B
Review: Simon Boudlin had evaded military service in the Civil War due to his youthful appearance and short stature. But the itinerant fiddler finally was conscripted into the Confederate Army in 1865 as the war was drawing to a close. He played at a dinner for the officers of both armies which marked the end of the conflict. It was there that he first set his eyes on Doris, an Irish indentured servant to the Union officer, Colonel Webb. Simon set on a quest to earn enough money from his music to buy a piece of land and win Doris' heart.

Simon joined up with three other musicians to form a ragtag band. It was a struggle for the band to book performances, buy some decent shirts for their shows, and keep a roof over their heads. They may not have had much food for their stomachs, but music was food for their souls. The musicians traveled through Texas to Galveston, Houston, the lawless border area near Mexico, and finally to San Antonio. Doris was living in San Antonio as a governess and household manager for the Webbs. Doris also had a great love of music and played piano. A dramatic confrontation between Simon and Colonel Webb almost derailed the secret plans of the musical couple.

Civil War and Texas Reconstruction-era history were important in this story. The Union occupation forces, who were often corrupt, provided the law until a new civilian government could be set up. After all the destruction of the war, poverty and shortages existed with many items only available on the black market.

The music was glorious! It seemed like Simon entered another realm when he was playing, and transported the listeners with him. Music had a healing power that allowed them to forget the differences in the country for a moment:

"He put his heart into it; many knew the melody but few knew the words. It was long, slow, and full of yearning, it lifted all the faces to him and tilted them over into the stream of magic, some long-ago time when the wars had not begun, before the first shot and before the first lie and the first burning. When all was summer again and the cattle were safe in a green field."

32. by Antoine Laurain
Finish date: April 2021
Genre: Contemporary fiction, Mystery, Romance
Rating: B
Review: Laure was returning home alone late at night when she was mugged, and her mauve bag was snatched. She was later brought to the hospital suffering from a head injury from the attack.

Laurent, a bookseller, finds the mauve bag by a garbage bin the next morning as he's walking to pick up coffee at his favorite Parisian cafe. There's a long line at the police station so he looks through the bag himself to find some clues to the identity of its owner. Laurent opened the mystery woman's red notebook and started reading:

"She must have recorded her thoughts in the notebook as the whim took her, on cafe-terraces or on the Metro. Laurent was fascinated by her reflections which followed on one from the other, random, touching, zany, sensual. He had opened a door into the soul of the woman with the mauve bag and even though he felt what he was doing was inappropriate, he couldn't stop himself from reading on."(30)

Laurent did not believe in dating services, but he had been hoping for a chance encounter to meet someone to love. Thoughts of the unknown woman fill his mind, and he tracks down clues left by the items in her bag. This is a charming story to read when you're in the mood for a sweet, upbeat book to lift your spirits.

33. by A.J. Pearce
Finish date: April 2021
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: B
Review: Spunky legal secretary Emmy Lake has a dream of being a war correspondent. She interviews for a job with a London newspaper without realizing that the job is with its sister publication, "Woman's Friend." She becomes the assistant to Mrs Henrietta Bird, an advice columnist. Emmy is directed to read through the advice-seeking letters, rejecting any that deal with "unpleasant or inappropriate" subjects according to Mrs Bird's list. Mrs Bird's advice to almost any problem is to buck up and stop complaining. Emmy feels terrible that the other troubled letter-writers are not receiving a response, so she writes secret encouraging letters to some of them, pretending to be Mrs Bird.

The book is set in war-torn England during the Blitz. Emmy does her part for the war effort by answering phones for the Fire Patrol. The firemen have the heartbreaking task of pulling people from the bombed buildings night after night.

The book is very humorous in the sections about the advice columnist. But there also exists the reality of the London nights with the horror of death, injuries, and destruction from the bombs. Families are also receiving disturbing telegrams about the men that may have been injured or killed in World War II. Strangers reach out to others to help them through difficult circumstances. Emmy regards writing letters and giving advice in the same light, but eventually Mrs Henrietta Bird discovers the truth. Emmy also finds that she needs help and advice as much as the letter-writers in the magazine.

I've been reading advice columnists in newspapers since I was a teenager--Dear Abby, Ann Landers, Miss Manners, and Dear Amy. Its been interesting to see how much more open people are with their questions now, and how the advice has to keep up with the times. This book was inspired by some historic wartime women's magazines that the author found. Although "Dear Mrs. Bird" has many lighthearted moments, it is also a tribute to the brave and caring women on the homefront.

34. by Colm Tóibín
Finish date: April 2021
Genre: Fiction
Rating: B+
Review: Helen gets a call that her brother, Declan, is dying of AIDS and wants to spend time at their grandmother's home on the Irish coast. Declan had never revealed his gay lifestyle or his illness to his mother or grandmother, and he wants Helen to smooth the way and converse with them first. The three generations have had emotional problems since the death of Helen's and Declan's father.

Two of Declan's friends join them at the grandmother's seaside house. His friends have become a family to Declan while his mother and sister have been out of the loop. The estrangement between Helen and her mother is especially severe, but they have to face the past as they also prepare to soon lose someone they love.

"The Blackwater Lightship" is set in the early 1990s when AIDS was a new disease with few treatment options. It was a devastating time for the gay community, their friends, and their families. Colm Toibin uses beautiful spare prose to show the troubled relationships and the start of the healing process for this family.

35. by Christopher Nicholson
Finish date: April 2021
Genre: Literary fiction, Historical fiction
Rating: B
Review: Thomas Hardy, novelist and poet, was living his last years in rural southwestern England with his second wife, Florence. Thomas, 84, and Florence, 45, are childless but dote on their terrier, Wessex. It is 1924, but Thomas does not want to own any new inventions such as a car or electricity although he can easily afford it. Florence spends her day managing the household, answering correspondence for her husband, and writing his biography while Thomas spends time daily writing poetry. The chilliness of their house during the winter seems to match the temperature of their marriage.

A local acting company is staging a play based on the novelist's book "Tess of the D'Urbervilles." Thomas is infatuated with its star, the beautiful young Gertrude Bugler, who is also the inspiration for his romantic poetry. Through this love triangle the book shows us the strengths and weaknesses of Thomas, Florence, and Gertrude. Thomas' musings about nature, and imagining his own funeral were especially moving.

Christopher Nicholson writes beautiful literary fiction. This is a quiet, character-driven story which is told from three points of view. I've had Hardy's "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" on my list of books to read, and hope to get to it this year after reading Nicholson's lovely "Winter."

36. by Ann Patchett
Finish date: April 2021
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Rating: C+
Review: Bernard Doyle, a Boston politician, is the father of a biological son and two adopted African-American brothers. When a woman pushes one brother out of the way of a speeding car, questions arise about her connection to the family. While the woman is hospitalized, the Doyles shelter her 11-year-old daughter and forge a bond with the girl.

The nature of family in all its forms is at the center of this novel. Politics, responsibility to others in society, adoption, religion and a belief in an afterlife are also important themes. While it does feel incredible that so much could happen to a family in a 24-hour period, the characters are interesting and the novel kept my interest.

MAY

37. by Ian McEwan
Finish date: May 2021
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Rating: B-
Review: "Amsterdam" is a story about ethics, friendship, betrayal, and mortality. These might sound like heavy themes, but there are also some surprising events and cynical humor. The book opens at the funeral of Molly Lane--a beautiful woman and a talented writer/photographer--who had died of a rapidly progressing degenerative disease. Her husband was not happy when three of her former lovers--Clive, Vernon, and Julian--show up to pay their respects. Shaken by Molly's death, Clive and Vernon promise to help the other with assisted suicide in Amsterdam if they faced a debilitating terminal illness.

Vernon is a London newspaper editor who faces the moral dilemma of whether he should publish embarrassing photos of the British Foreign Secretary in drag. He would like to cut this politician's career short, but there are privacy issues. Also, how will his liberal readers and the board of directors react?

Clive has been commissioned to compose a symphony for the end of the millennium. He's working out the chord progression in his head as he's hiking. Nearby, a man and a woman are having a violent struggle. Should he check on the woman, or write down his vibrant musical ideas before they evaporate? This is his chance to compose a "melody of piercing beauty that would transcend its unfashionability and seem both to mourn the passing century and all its senseless cruelty and celebrate its brilliant inventiveness."

Author Ian McEwan writes realistically about the newsroom, politics, and freedom of the press. He also shows the emotional feelings of a composer when the ideas are flowing, and the frustrations when the muse has left. He shows how the wrong ethical decision can lead to great complications later. The ending was unexpected and improbable, but the rest of the book was an interesting read.

38. by Charles Dickens
Finish date: May 2021
Genre: Classic, Fiction
Rating: A
Review: "The earth was made for Dombey and Son to trade in, and the sun and moon were made to give them light. Rivers and seas were formed to float their ships, rainbows gave them promise of fair weather; winds blew for or against their enterprises; stars and planers circled in their orbits, to preserve inviolate a system of which they were the centre."(12)

Mr Dombey is the head of the Dombey and Son firm, an import and export business, and wants to pass it down to a male heir. He's full of pride, and thinks the world revolves around him. He ignores his daughter, Florence, who only wants her father to love her. His son and heir, young Paul, is sickly and frail. Much of the story revolves around Mr Dombey's interactions (or lack of) with Florence. His proud wife, Edith, and his villainous manager, Mr Carker, play important roles in knocking down Mr Dombey off his pedestal.

"Dombey and Son" is the story of a dysfunctional family, and a cast of characters from all social classes. The story is mostly set in Victorian London and Brighton. London's neighborhoods are being torn apart to make way for the railways. The trains were portrayed as an important part of economic progress, but also noisy demons that could cause death and destruction. The sea is another important symbol used to show the transition from life to death. The beaches of Brighton, the London ports, some seasoned ship captains, ocean voyages, and global trading also involve the sea. Pride, money, jealousy, family in many forms, changing technology, education, and forgiveness are all important themes in the story.

Dickens wrote the novel in serial form in 1846-48, juggling the stories of a large group of characters. Dark or emotionally draining chapters are alternated with chapters featuring some lovable comic characters. I read the book with a group over two months, and have grown very attached to certain characters during this slow read. It's a wonderful classic that still has the power to make the reader laugh and shed a few tears.

Connie, isn’t this a wonderful book? But it really should be called “Dombey and Daughter.”
Regards,
Andrea

Andrea wrote: "Connie, isn’t this a wonderful book? But it really should be called “Dombey and Daughter.”
Regards,
Andrea"

Florence certainly was the more important character, but I guess the book was named after the business. Great story!!!

39. by Natasha Trethewey
Finish date: May 2021
Genre: Memoir, Crime
Rating: B+
Review: "To survive trauma, one must be able to tell a story about it." (208)

Natasha Tretheway shows us the journey of her mother's life before Gwen was gunned down by her ex-husband in 1985. Natasha was wrapped in the family love of her grandmother and her other black maternal relatives as a young child in Mississippi. She was a child of a biracial marriage, and remembers the KKK burning a cross on their lawn since interracial unions were still illegal in their state. Natasha's white father eventually left the relationship.

Her mother and Natasha moved to Atlanta where Gwen married Joel Grimmette. She was in fifth grade when she heard her mother's voice: "Please Joel. Please don't hit me again." (102) Her stepfather was also emotionally abusive to Natasha. They walked on eggshells around him, never knowing when he might turn on them. The man haunted their lives even after Gwen left and divorced him. Gwen's own narratives and telephone conversation transcriptions with Joel form part of the book. This gives a voice to the beautiful woman whose life was cut short by domestic violence.

The memories of her mother are always with the author, and she has been working through the emotional trauma with her poetry and her prose writing. "Memorial Drive: A Daughter's Memoir" is a beautiful literary work which pays homage to her beloved mother.

40. by Tommy Orange (no photo)
Finish date: May 2021
Genre: Contemporary fiction, Native Americans
Rating: B
Review: "There There" opens with a prologue about the painful history of Native Americans culminating in many Natives moving to the cities. The author is an "Urban Indian" himself, growing up in Oakland, the setting for this novel. The story is told in a series of vignettes about twelve characters in this California city.

The characters have problems with domestic violence, depression, suicide, poverty, discrimination, and substance abuse. The grandmothers and aunts often have to care for the children of relatives who have been lost to suicide, alcohol, or drugs. Life is hard but they are resilient. Many would like to connect to their heritage to explore their Native identity or for spiritual reasons. The establishment of Indian Centers helps to connect and unify them. Eventually the characters converge at the Big Oakland Powwow. A few of them were making plastic guns with a 3-D printer at the start of the story so it's obvious that there will be trouble at the powwow.

Tommy Orange's dialogue is street-smart and snappy. The reader has to keep track of lots of characters since each of the twelve main characters has family and friends. The book shows the problems and strengths of each person along with their difficult family history. It's an important book in raising awareness about an often forgotten segment of the American population.