BOOKS I FINISHED - DECEMBER 2024

 

At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities, written by Heather Webber and narrated by Hallie Ricardo and Stephanie Willis

Two women, each dealing with grief in their own way. A small beach town in Alabama where everyone knows each other. A coffee shop that's the hub of the community. This novel is about the importance of being seen and known, accepting truth, and stretching our comfort zone. 

The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell, written by Robert Dugoni

I often avoid books all my friends are raving about because my expectations are too high, but the plot summary of this novel intrigued me and I gave it a try. I'm glad I did. Its written from the perspective of a grown man reflecting on his life, decades of time influenced radically in both positive and negative ways by the fact he was born with red pupils. It's a story of devoted parents, a healthy marriage, lives damaged by addiction and abuse, unhealthy relationships, and friendships that span decades. There are characters deeply devoted to their faith and others questioning or abandoning it, dysfunctional homes and the happy ones people find refuge in, people who never conquer their demons and those who find redemption. Heads up for those who, like me, prefer closed door romance in their reading that there were a few spots I skipped over in this book.

p. 147, The school required that skirts extend to one inch above the knee, but to me it seemed Mickie's skirt inched higher each day. I heard one of the lunch ladies admonish Mickie for "showing too much leg". 

Mickie retorted, "I wouldn't be showing any leg if they'd let us wear pants like the boys."

The Illustrated Book of Sayings: Curious Expressions from Around the World, written and illustrated by Ella Frances Sanders 

This second book by Sanders is just as amusing as her first. Each page focuses on one expression, written in the original language and in English, and elaborates on it in one paragraph. 

Lifeboat 12, written by Susan Hood and narrated by Bruce Mann

Based on the true story of Ken Sparks, this middle grade novel is about a 13 year old boy shipped from London to Canada for safety during WWII. The boat he's on is hit by a torpedo, leading him and several other people to go from relaxing on a luxury liner to fighting for survival on a lifeboat at sea. I've read a couple of Hood's picture books and enjoyed this first novel of hers.

Lost in Translation: An Illustrated Compendium of Untranslatable Words from Around the World, written and illustrated by Ella Frances Sanders

This fun book focuses on one word at a time - stating what country it comes from, what part of speech it is, defining it, and giving a one sentence comment about it.

The Mountain Between Us, written by Charles Martin and narrated by George Newbern

Having recently enjoyed another of Martin's books, I looked for an audiobook of his while on a road trip and this was the only one available. It's the story of a man and woman who meet in an airport and end up on the same charter flight when all the regular flights are canceled. Their plane crashes in snowy mountains, so the book is filled with their attempts to stay alive in a very remote location. It's also, I'd say primarily, about love, demonstrated through integrity, commitment, honor, and words. So much love. Books rarely cause me to cry, but this one did me in. 

Passing, written by Nella Larsen and narrated by Robin Miles

I've heard about this 95 year old novel multiple times and it happened to come up as available immediately when I was looking for an audiobook. On the surface, it's about two light-skinned black women, one living true to who she is in Harlem and the other passing as white with a racist husband who doesn't know the truth. Friends in their youth, a chance encounter as adults brings them back into each other's lives. While the story is certainly about race and identity, it's also about the measures a person will take to get what they want. 

Remember Us, written and narrated by Jacqueline Woodson

This short novel is inspired by real events, the burning of a New York neighborhood in the 1970s. Written through the lens of a girl in middle school, it's an exploration of memory, of realizing that the people and circumstances of our life right now are in the process of becoming part of our past, of changing and disappearing. It's also about belonging, of knowing who you are and appreciating people for who they are. I enjoyed it and listened to the whole thing at once.

When Crickets Cry, written by Charles Martin

A young girl in desperate need of a heart transplant. A man with a past he's trying to run from. This novel, although hard for me to follow at the start because of alternating timelines that weren't clearly delineated, pulled me in. This story, which I heard about on What Should I Read Next?, episode 91 - The books you can't stop recommending, had layered plots and characters - deep love, total devotion to a cause, doing the wrong things for the right reasons, caring about people right where they're at. Although categorized as Christian fiction, I appreciate that it wasn't preachy. 

p. 113, But I was learning that getting well and finding healing are two very different things.

p. 235, Hope is not the result of medicine or anything that science has to offer. It is a flower that sprouts and grows when others pour water upon it. I think sometimes that I spent so much time worrying about how to protect and strengthen the flower - even going so far as to graft in a new stem and root system - that I forgot to simply water it. 

p. 246 (speaking of a hospital), I loved this, the feeling of absolute and eternal optimism, the feeling that no matter how bad or not matter how dire the circumstances or predictions, that until death has  been declared and the sheet rolled up over the patient's eyes, that even beyond the flatline, anything is possible. Beneath the undercurrent of even the direst of predictions, hope lives here. It creeps along the corridors, hangs from every corner of every room, and speeds down every gurney in search of a soul in need. 

p. 293, "I guess sometimes it's got to hurt before it can get better."

I nodded. "Hearts are like that."

 

PUZZLES I FINISHED - DECEMBER 2024

 

Christmas Village - The Jigsaw Puzzle - 1,008 pieces

A friend had this Advent puzzle shipped to me. With one small box of 42 pieces to do each day, we've enjoyed slowly working on it all month and finished it this morning. 

Christmas Doors - Talking Tables - 1,000 pieces

This was different than most Christmas puzzles we do, which was nice. Everyone rallied to finish the last few doors. 

Kaleidoscope - Artist: Christopher Radko - Ceaco - 550 pieces (missing 2)

A friend picked this one up at a thrift store, but soon realized it wasn't fun for her and passed it along to me. I enjoyed it because I love puzzles with lots of patterns.

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for the JCP Portrait Studio employee who gave me a great deal I wasn't aware of. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for the Christmas playlists that Kendra Adachi created and made public on Spotify. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for a window above my kitchen sink that faces the front yard. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

PUZZLES I FINISHED - NOVEMBER 2024

Lake Tahoe - Artist: Eric Dowdle - Dowdle Puzzles - 1,000 pieces (1 missing)

It's always fun to find a Dowdle we haven't done at a thrift store. I found this one at Twice Sold Tales, the Friends of the Library book shop in Wilsonville. 

BOOKS I FINISHED - NOVEMBER 2024

Akin, written by Emma Donoghue and narrated by Jason Culp

A widowed man on the cusp of his 80th birthday. An 11 year old boy with nowhere to go. This unlikely New York pair, a man and his great nephew, meet right before the man heads to France, the place of his birth. Taking the trip together, the book shares historical information while navigating generational differences, loss of loved ones, and a quest to get answers about some mysterious pictures. I love stories about relationships between people of different generations and I'd enjoyed another of Donoghue's books several years ago, so I knew I'd like this one. The downside is that the book had way more profanity than I like. Due to the plot, I assumed the language would ease up as the story progressed, so I didn't ditch it like I usually do. I was wrong. It never eased up. Sharing that content warning for those it would be a deal-breaker for. 

3:08:27, It struck him that being able-bodied was a temporary condition, what with the weaknesses of infancy and age and all that could go haywire in between.

3:59:30, Noah supposed a new form of fun, such as video games, always triggered a moral panic about its capacity to rot the brain and pervert the character. Like comic books when he'd been a kid.

Be Still: A Simple Guide to Quiet Times, written by Brian Heasley

This book was a gift from a friend and I've slowly read it over several weeks. Like many people, I struggle to regularly and consistently spend time reading my Bible and praying, but I want to be more intentional and committed in that area because it's always worth the effort. The fourteen practical chapters of this book were a gentle, non-judgmental nudge toward change.

p. 14, In the midst of success and breakthrough, receptive crowds, people keen to become followers and eager to hear his words and witness his actions, Jesus took himself away from all of it and removed himself to a solitary place for a quiet time.

p. 37, The distraction may come from a genuine sense of doing something in the Kingdom of God, some act of Christian service, or simply trying to live missionally. Even in this, we need to be careful not to focus so much on building the Kingdom that we never take the time to sit at the feet of the King. 

p. 41, You must approach the Bible with prayer, and you must approach prayer with the Bible. 

p. 91, A filtered life can rob us of wonder. If we are not careful, our appreciation of what is beautiful becomes distorted. Our definition of beauty needs an overhaul. There is beauty in toast, in wrinkled skin, in industrial skylines. There is beauty in barren deserts. There is beauty in hospitals. There is beauty in rust. 

p 98, I have been disturbed on more than one occasion by someone saying, after a time of worship in a church service, "I didn't get much out of the worship today." My honest response is Good; we weren't worshiping you.

p. 105,We live in an instant world. If we want it and can find a way to pay for it, we can get it - and we can get it quickly. For our generation to survive and thrive, we need to learn the art of perseverance in a culture of immediacy, which may not come without deliberate effort.

p. 109, This is what I have discovered: Put in the quantity time, and the quality time will happen. <snip> In the midst of quantity time, we have quality moments.

p. 140, Grateful people tend to be generous people.

p. 153, Prayer will make you an activist, but don't let your activism lead you away from prayer.

p. 158, If we plan on picking a fight with injustice, it's vital to prepare, to train ourselves so that we are spiritually healthy and fit. Your quiet time is the gym; it's the road on which you train.

Christmas Jars, written by Jason F. Wright

A small book that's short enough to read in one sitting, I loved this novel about belonging, ambition, generosity, and humility. It's a story about looking past yourself, seeing how your choices impact others, and doing what's right without ulterior motives.

 

Foster, written by Claire Keegan and narrated by Aoife McMahon

Set an Ireland during the 1980s, this short story is about a girl who's sent to live in another household for a time. There's a significant difference between the home environment she came from and the one she's staying in and she finds herself thriving in her foster home. It's a bittersweet story of what it can look like for a child to be truly cared for.

Gorge: My Journey Up Kilimanjaro at 300 Pounds, written by Kara Richardson Whitely

Whitely's climbed Kilimanjaro three times, summiting on her first and third trips at 240 and 300 pounds respectively. This memoir, which I heard about on What Should I Read Next?, episode 82 - Obsessive readers and bookish kindred spirit angels, is not only about the amazing and agonizing experience of climbing that mountain, but also about life experiences that led to the climb and the personal growth she experienced in the process. She's a voice for those who are treated poorly because of their weight, a testament to the fact that strength has nothing to do pants size, and an inspiration to keep moving forward when life's hard.

p. 200, The good thing about being on the mountain is you have all sorts of time to think. The bad thing about the mountain is that you have all sorts of time to think.

The Museum of Ordinary People, written by Mike Gayle and narrated by Witney White

I enjoyed this novel about a woman who's dealing with the unexpected death of her mother, sorting through her childhood home in preparation for selling it. An outdated, yet meaningful set of encyclopedias in that home becomes the catalyst for new experiences, personal growth, and the revealing of secrets as she becomes the curator of a unique museum. With a mysterious inheritance, a hunch that something's more valuable than it appears, and a London setting, it's a story of the people we love and the people we lose, significance of memories, process of grief, and the various ways people respond when life doesn't go as planned. Bonus points for the London lingo. 

The Nature of Fragile Things, written by Susan Meissner

I've read and enjoyed three of Meissner's books over the years, so I grabbed another when I recently browsed the library. I loved this novel about an Irish immigrant, a young woman living in New York, who responds to an ad from a man in San Francisco who's looking for a wife who would also act as a mom to his daughter. They marry and she begins to form a relationship with his daughter, a young girl who won't speak, but he remains very detached from her. One day she discovers that nothing he's told her is true and the next morning the city's devastated by the 1906 earthquake, her life figuratively and literally upended. It's a story of betrayal and loyalty, trauma and healing, and the power of both loving and being loved.

The School of Essential Ingredients, written by Erica Bauermeister and narrated by Cassandra Campbell 

A random selection simply because it was available immediately, this novel is about a group of people taking a cooking class and each chapter focuses on a specific person's story. I enjoy stories with multiple voices, very different lives that become intertwined in a particular setting, and details that are realistic because people have hard things happen to them or make stupid choices. I also love books with compassionate characters, which this one has. I was distracted by what felt like an excessive use of similes and metaphors, but the book was fine. I neither loved nor hated it.

4:25:44, "I think," he said contemplatively into the dark, "we are each a chair and a ladder for the other."

We Never Asked for Wings, written by Vanessa Diffenbaugh and narrated by Emma Bering and Robbie Daymond

I needed an audiobook to listen to, remembered a novel I enjoyed many years ago, and checked to see if the author had any more. This is her only other novel and it was great. A single mom whose two kids have been primarily raised by their grandma unexpectedly has to take full responsibility for them. A teenage boy falls for a girl at school who's bullied because of a physical disability. An absent dad suddenly comes on the scene. A single man falls for a woman who's unsure about what she wants. This story touches on so many things - teenage pregnancy, desire for a good education, undocumented immigration, and more - while showing people doing what they believe is best for the people they love, even when what they do is wrong.

A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman, written by Joan Anderson

I don't know where I heard about this 1999 memoir, but it's been on my TBR list for well over a year. Anderson's husband started a new job that required moving out of state and she decided not to go with him. Their kids were grown and their marriage was unhealthy, and therefore unhappy, so she chose to step back for a while to figure out what she wanted from life and marriage. They were separated for one year, time she spent at their Cape Cod home. This book documents that year one month at a time, describing her growth as an individual, her shifting perspective toward her decades-long marriage, and the experience of being immersed in nature all year long. While her life was very different than mine and I don't share her opinions on some things, I found that much of what she said resonated with me (I'm a middle-aged woman, just a few years behind her in age, length of marriage, and ages of kids as she was when she wrote it) and I enjoyed her writing style.

p. 45, Some go it alone, but most venture out with a crew, each possessing a well-developed skill that will serve him best when all the men pool resources and work in tandem. Such is the way to land a sizable catch. Such is also the way to lead a successful life. 

p. 62, I'm deep into my time-out season of life, where it seems best to be actively passive, involved in little, aware of much.

p. 74, I'm thinking how pleasant it is when two people try to be gentle with one another. 

p. 90, I shall give up on the idea of a fashionable body, or an Olympian body. I just want a body that works, that is durable and resilient, that can climb a mountain, carry grandbabies on its back, be vital and energized even after a long day.

p. 106, Every woman should have a mentor - not her mother, but someone who doesn't have a stake in how she turns out, who encourages her to risk, who picks her up when she falls flat on her face.

p. 143, It occurs to me that I will continue to know my children less if they think I want them to be more.

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful the chair I sat in at my dad's church was low enough that my feet touched the ground. What's one thing that you're thankful for? 

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for phone calls from two long-time friends this week. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for nearly three years that Naomi, Tyler, and I have been able to volunteer with Salem for Refugees. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful to live in a time when I can easily store a camera in my pocket. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

BOOKS I FINISHED - OCTOBER 2024

The Birds' Christmas Carol, written (and I assume illustrated) by Kate Douglas Wiggin

Born on Christmas and about to turn ten years old, Carol is a delight to her family. A bedridden girl in poor health, yet sincerely grateful for all she has, she comes up with a plan to create a phenomenal Christmas for the kids who live next door. This short story - only 69 pages, including illustrations and lots of white space - was originally published in 1886 and is referred to as a classic, but I just discovered it. It will definitely go on my list of books I check out from the library every Christmas season from here on out.

The Book That Made Me: A Collection of 32 Personal Stories, edited by Judith Ridge

I discovered this book when I was searching a particular author's name in the library system and checked it out. As a reader, it was interesting to learn about how various books impacted different authors. The contributors are all Australian, which meant I didn't have preconceived ideas about any of them and was made aware of many books I'd never heard of before. Books about books are a win!

p. 33 (Mandy Hager), This is the magic of truly great fiction: it can either provide a mirror in which to reflect what is going on (in ourselves or our world) or it can become a window (to see into a life or a world other than our own).

p. 54 (Bernard Beckett), Yes, children need stimulation, but not too much. They need a parent who loves them and wants what is best for them, but not one who is neurotic. They need to be protected, but not hovered over; after all, it is only when they're left to make mistakes that they can learn the art of assessing risk. They need to be supported in their education, but not to the point where they feel their parents living vicariously through them. It's not their job to please us.

p. 194 (Julia Lawrinson), It was only later that I realized that I was experiencing one of the gifts of reading: the ability to identify with people whose experiences were far removed from our own, to inhabit the skin of another for a short, imaginative while.

 

Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise, written by Ruth Reichl, narrated by Bernadette Dunne

I read a wide variety of books and this one, which wasn't like anything I'd read before, was really fun. The author was the food critic for two major newspapers and the editor of a popular food magazine, but this memoir is specifically about when she worked at the New York Times. Knowing she'd be given special treatment if she were recognized at a restaurant, she decided to go undercover as a variety of characters, complete with different costumes and personalities. As expected, she not only learns about many specific restaurants and their staffs, but also about the city, her co-workers, and herself. While I'm sure the print version is just fine, I specifically loved the audio version for the narrator's ability to read in so many voices.

I Want to Trust You, but I Don't: Moving Forward When You're Skeptical of Others, Afraid of What God Will Allow, and Doubtful of Your Own Discernment, written by Lysa TerKeurst

I first read one of TerKeurst's books a decade ago when a friend gave it to me, stumbled upon another one two years ago, read a third over the summer, and put this one on hold at the library before it was even published. I really appreciate her focus on what the Bible says, conversational tone, humble transparency in sharing her own struggles, and tact in discussing the behavior of others. Each of us, regardless of our life's circumstances, have had our trust broken and this book helps guide the reader through healthy ways of coping with that hurt. In other words, it's about what the tagline says it's about. 

p. 18, Safety is both fact and feeling. Therefore trust is both fact and feeling. I don't just need to be told I'm safe; I need to believe it for myself.

p. 56, We were made to come together with others, not to be torn apart by others. Broken trust complicates every bit of the parts of love that should be comforting.

p. 67, Look for the fruit in someone's actions, and you won't have to wade through their words. Anyone can say what you want to hear when rebuilding trust. But the truth comes out in their actions. If their actions are in alignment with the fruit of the Spirit, then most likely Jesus is guiding them. And if Jesus is guiding them, you can trust the good work of Jesus is occurring in them.

p. 74, Without compassion, honesty, humility, and true repentance on the part of the offender, broken trust will most likely stay broken. Trust requires both parties to be willing to work through the process of rebuilding.

p. 107, Ultimately, trusting God is holding loosely the parts of  my life I want to hold most tightly. 

p. 123, Now, let's pause before we start fist-bumping and saying, "Yeah, they got what was coming to them." Trust me - I'm tempted to celebrate when those who have caused destruction and devastation experience hardships I think they deserve. But I need to remember that adding more hate and hurt never healed anyone, and it isn't wise. It certainly wouldn't help me find peace.

p. 135, I'm exhausted by picking up the pieces of things I didn't shatter.

p. 179, Sometimes whole doesn't mean put back together the exact right way. For is someone discovers fullness within each broken piece, each part takes on a wholeness of its own.

p. 192, Unresolved hurt inside us will be multiplied out by us unless we make the conscious choice to stop it. 

p. 213, I also realized time doesn't heal all wounds. Its what we plant in the course of time that determines if we heal or not.

Out of My Mind, written by Sharon M. Draper, narrated by Sisi Aisha Johnson

An eleven year old girl with cerebral palsy has a brilliant mind, but a body that can't walk or speak. Frustrated by her inability to communicate with others and eager to fit in with students outside of her special needs classroom, she finds a way to prove to others that she's much smarter than they assume and learns about what matters most to her along the way. This is the first in a three book series. The story reminded me of Lisa, a smart and spunky girl with cerebral palsy who I helped to take care of when I was high school. 

Sidenote: A book narrated by a black woman with a protagonist who describes herself as having short, curly hair probably shouldn't have a white girl with long, straight hair on the cover. The disconnect between the narrator's voice and the physical appearance of the girl on the cover was confusing to me when I first started listening.

The Plan: Manage Your Time Like a Lazy Genius, written by Kendra Adachi

While this book would certainly be useful for a man to read, it's written specifically with women in mind because, as I've heard Adachi say on her podcast and she mentions in the book, 93% of time management books are written by men. They're not bad books and she's definitely not anti-men (I wouldn't follow her if she bashed men), but most women are trying to follow the time management advice of authors who, through no fault of their own, are incapable of relating to the lived experience of being a woman. Just like everything else she's spoken or written, this book is super practical, exceedingly compassionate, and totally realistic. Rather than tell you how to structure your time, she guides you through the process of deciding for yourself based on what matters to you and what your personal circumstances are. Kendra Adachi is a gem. Always. 

p. 52, Your season defines your needs, your needs affect your priorities, and your priorities inform your choices. If you're not aware of your season, life becomes too unwieldy, too spread out, too unmanageable. 

p. 56, Stop judging every day against your best day, and ask yourself what best means anyway.

p. 79, Kate Northrup, the author of Do Less, says we should manage our energy, not our time. I'm so grateful for such an important, simple distinction.

p. 161, Remember, good is here now, and the more we look for it, the more often we see it.

p. 206, When you don't have help, you also don't have hope, and that can bleed a person dry.

The Right Kind of Fool, written by Sarah Loudin Thomas

A deaf thirteen year old boy discovers a dead body near the river, putting himself and his family in the midst of a murder investigation. As law enforcement works with them to solve the crime, the boy's family - the boy who wants to live a normal life, the mom who's always been committed to protecting him, and the dad whose guilt over his son's hearing loss led him to abandon his family - works through their own issues.

River Sing Me Home, written by Eleanor Shearer and narrated by Debra Michaels and Eleanor Shearer

Slavery has just ended in Barbados and been immediately replaced with apprenticeship, another form of forced labor. One woman chooses to run, to actually be free. Inspired by real events in the 1800s, this novel is about the extraordinary lengths she goes to find to her five children who were taken from her and sold into slavery themselves. It's about what what freedom means, how personal it is.

Song of Redemption, written by Lynn Austin

A young woman is captured by the Assyrians. Her years in captivity are filled with brutality, both in how she's treated and what she witnesses. Meanwhile, King Hezekiah has chosen to lead his country according to God's law, something that's new to him and for which he seeks guidance. It's a choice that will be tested in big ways as the Assyrians threaten to attack. Their two stories alternate and eventually converge in this second in a five book series of biblical historical fiction called Chronicles of the Kings. I read the third book last year, a gift from a friend, but haven't read any of the others.

p. 23, "You know, son, there's a reason I wanted to come outside to pray," Zechariah said. "Its too easy to believe in our own importance when we're surrounded by our own creations all day." He reached to pluck a silvery green leaf from an olive tree and twirled it between his fingers. "But look at this. Can we fashion anything as fragile and perfect as this leaf - or as solid and enduring at those mountains?"

p. 61, "Hold your wife close to you, son. Confide in her. Listen to her. Sometimes women see things more clearly than we do. If you win her loyalty and her love, you'll be the happiest man alive."

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for a stove to cook on. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for the satisfying sound that comes from driving over walnuts that have dropped from trees to the streets in my neighborhood. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for people who smile. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for Tyler's hugs. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

BOOKS I FINISHED - SEPTEMBER 2024

 

After the Fire: A True Story of Friendship and Survival, written by Robin Gaby Fisher, narrated by Richard Powers

A random selection because it was available immediately, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. A 2000 dorm fire at Seton Hall University took the lives of three students and injured many more. This book is the story of two roommates who were severely burned and their long recoveries, as well as of the investigative process. I loved learning about their experience, but I'm glad the book also delved into the lives of some of the others who were involved in the story. 

Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival & Hope in an American City, written by Andrea Elliott

I heard about this excellent book from a friend in June of last year. The author, a reporter for The New York Times, spent eight years immersed in the life of Dasani, a girl living in New York City. From the heritage that preceded her existence through the present, hers is a story of brokenness and strength, mistreatment and love. This is a book about trying to survive when the odds are stacked against you, systems that can either help or hinder a person's success, the impact of racial inequality on individual lives, how intertwined the different facets of our lives are, the significance of having someone believe in and advocate for you, and the critical importance of family. 

p. 49, To say that an area has been "gentrified" is to invoke the racially coded language of "urban" neighborhoods where muggings are down and espresso beans are roasted - a place that has been "discovered," as though no one had been living there.

p. 67, "High scores reflect the parents, not the kids," Miss Hester says, referring to homes plentiful in food, where studying is not a luxury.

p. 95, In 1986 - the same year that Chanel discovered her mother's crack pipe - Congress approved a new law making punishment for crack possession (common among the poor) one hundred times more harsh than for powder cocaine (common among the wealthy). 

p. 298, There is nothing more dangerous, in Chanel's estimation, than an arrogant girl, one who walks with her chin so high she can no longer see the ground.

p. 306, Easy victories are the enemy of growth.

p. 394, "We all have stories. But what are we going to do with them? Are they going to allow us to grow, or bury us?"

p. 486, "When we do that it's graffiti," Chanel says. "And when you all do it, it's a mural."

p. 520, The word "understand" comes from Old English - understandan. Literally, it means "to stand in the midst of." It does not mean we have reached some ultimate truth. It means, to my mind, that we have experienced enough of something new, something formerly unseen, to be provoked, humbled, awakened, or even changed by it. 

Lady Tan's Circle of Women, written by Lisa See, narrated by Jennifer Lim and Justin Chien

I really enjoyed this novel set in China during the 1940s. Based on a true story, the protagonist is a girl who's part of elite society, but is also trained to be a doctor by her grandparents. Her education is frowned on culturally, but the women she secretly (and eventually publicly) helps are forever grateful for her knowledge. The environment of extreme wealth and poverty, arranged marriages, concubines, Chinese medicine, foot binding, gender norms, and more is completely unfamiliar to me, so the decades from childhood into Lady Tan's fifties were interesting to read about. She lived respectfully in the culture she was part of while simultaneously working to improve the lives of its women.

A Lesson Before Dying, based on the novel by Ernest J. Gaines, written by Romulus Linney, narrated by Rick Foucheux, Keith Glover, Jamahl Marsh, Linda Powell, Jefferson A. Russell, Jerry Whiddon, and Beatrice Winde

Chosen because it was available immediately, this short audio theatre performance based on a novel is about a young man who's been falsely convicted of murder and is about to face a death sentence. A local man, someone who'd grown up in the same Louisiana town and returned as a teacher, has been asked to meet with the prisoner, but both men are resistant. They eventually come to an understanding as they each grapple with making hard choices, facing the consequences of their own choices, and making the best of choices made for them.

A Season of Gifts, written by Richard Peck, narrated by Ron McLarty

Tyler and I loved this final book in a middle grade trilogy. Grandma is just as rough on the outside and soft on the inside as she was in the first two books. She's sly, funny, and doesn't tolerate any nonsense. The first book was written from the lens of her grandson, the second from her granddaughter, and this one from a twelve year old boy who moved in next door once her grandkids were grown. I didn't plan on listening to the first one with Tyler and neither of us knew it was part of a trilogy until after we finished it, but the whole series was entertaining for both of us.

Small Things Like These, written by Claire Keegan, narrated by Aidan Kelly

I enjoyed this two hour audiobook I heard about from a friend. The novel's set in Ireland during the 1980s and the main character is a man committed to his family, employees, and community. A weaving of his childhood and the people who were integral parts of it with the present day and a scandalous situation that the community turns a blind eye to, the story is his chance to pay kindness forward, do the right thing when others won't, and give hope to someone who needs it.

Their Eyes Were Watching God, written by Zora Neale Hurston, narrated by Ruby Dee

A classic story that I'd never read, I listened to it on Libby because it was available immediately. The protagonist is a middle-aged woman telling her friend the story of her life from her teen years to the present. Hers is a story of a girl forced to marry an older man who had no interest in her as a person, a young woman falling for and marrying a charismatic man who proved to be very controlling for two decades, and a middle-aged woman marrying a younger man who sometimes hits her, but who also clearly values and cares for her. (That sounds so very wrong, but I don't know how else to describe their dynamic.) It's a book about gender roles, race relations, persevering in hard circumstances, learning when and how to push back, and what it means to love someone and be loved in return.

The Truth About Grace, written by Cassie Dandridge Selleck

I discovered this sequel existed right after I finished The Pecan Man, then lamented on Facebook that it wasn't available in print or audio through my library system. It showed up at my doorstep two days later, kindly sent by someone who remained anonymous. I loved this follow-up, a story that focused on the impact of decisions made decades earlier, the burden of secrets and freedom of honesty, the hard work of owning our contribution to problems and learning new ways to live, and the importance of letting others into our lives. 

PUZZLES I FINISHED - SEPTEMBER 2024

Tree of Life 4 - Kaayee Creative Wooden Puzzles - 700 pieces

Tim gave me this puzzle for my birthday. Made of basswood, the pieces come in a variety of interesting pieces and are stored in a box also made of basswood. The puzzle was challenging, but so pretty. 

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for a chance to meet and visit with one of my kid's friends, including the person telling me what they appreciate about my kid. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for screened windows. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for the Filipino breakfast that my sister made for me over the weekend. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful that I spontaneously decided to use a box of lemon cake mix instead of yellow for the dump cake I made for Wednesday night dessert. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

BOOKS I FINISHED - AUGUST 2024

The Book Thief, written by Markus Zusak and narrated by Allan Corduner

Chosen because it was available immediately on Libby, I enjoyed this popular novel. Narrated by death during WWII, it's the story of a German girl, her foster parents, the neighbor boy who's her best friend, the Jewish man hidden in her basement, and her love of books. Like most fiction set in this time period, it's simultaneously brutal and beautiful. It's a testament to the power of words, whether used to harm or heal. 

 

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, written by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows and narrated by Paul Boehmer, Susan Duerden, Rosalyn Landor, John Lee, and Juliet Mills

I've heard people rave about this one forever, but I tend to avoid books with lots of hype and it didn't intrigue me the one time I flipped through the pages of a physical copy. However, I was looking through Libby's "available now" titles a few days ago, this one came up, and I decided to give the audio version a try. I thoroughly enjoyed this epistolary novel about an author whose next book idea comes as a result of the letter she receives from a stranger. Not only does she discover a plot to write about, but she discovers a community of people who lived through the German occupation of WWII, developed close relationships with each other, and want to both tell her about that past and welcome her into their present. 

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, written by James McBride

This novel, set in the 1920's, takes place in a poor Pennsylvania community of Jewish immigrants and black people. A woman who runs a grocery store is adored by nearly everyone. A deaf boy is avoiding capture by the state. A man's trying to hide his guilt. Racism, crime, and deceit are rampant. Secrets and resentments are held for decades. Loyalty, kindness, and bravery are also present. It wasn't what I was expecting, but I liked the story.

The Lazy Genius Kitchen: Have What You Need, Use What You Have, and Enjoy It Like Never Before, written by Kendra Adachi

This is Adachi's second book and it was different than I expected. (I read the first book first, but it's listed second here because I post books in alphabetical order instead of chronological.) Admittedly, I don't know exactly what I expected, but whatever. 

Written in her conversational tone, it's instructive without being bossy, helping the reader figure out what matters most to them in regards to all things kitchen. She describes the five steps to Lazy Genius something (these will be familiar to her podcast listeners because she uses them for everything), then uses those steps to guide the reader through various decisions. For readers who may not have much experience in the kitchen or who lack confidence in working there, she also has a section of the book dedicated to explaining some cooking basics - terms used in recipes, what various tools are used for, and so on. No matter how much you love or hate your kitchen, meal planning, cooking, or feeding people, you'll find something in this book that will be helpful. It's concisely written, super practical, pressure-free, and light-hearted. 

p. 24, When your priority is clear, it makes any sacrifices easier to swallow because you're getting what's most important.

p. 74, Comparison rarely leads us anywhere good, especially when we're comparing our situation to someone who has different priorities. 

p. 177, Your value doesn't come from how well you succeed or how dramatically you fail. Your value is rooted in love, not lists.

The Lazy Genius Way: Embrace What Matters, Ditch What Doesn't, and Get Stuff Done, written by Kendra Adachi

I've listened to The Lazy Genius Podcast for several years, but never bothered to read Adachi's books because I know her principles from listening to the podcast (first book) or don't feel any need (second book). Her third book will be released in October and it intrigues me (already have the pre-order on hold at the library), so I figured I'd read the others first. 

While the information in this one wasn't new to me, her guidance toward being a genius about the things that matter (to you) and lazy about the things that don't is always spoken in practical, compassionate, realistic, and funny ways. She's super down-to-earth, gives lots of examples of her principles, and makes it clear that there's no one right way to do things. I finished this book with some ideas and motivation for changing a few things in my life. 

p. 18, Order isn't always fake, and chaos isn't always vulnerable.

p. 39, Small steps are easy.
Easy steps are sustainable.
Sustainable steps keep moving.
Movement, not necessarily a finish line, is the new goal.

p. 41, A life of meaning doesn't happen in one fell swoop but in small, intentional decisions day after day.

p. 101, When you put everything in its place and live within the space limits of your home, your home will be at peace and hold what matters most.

You don't have to become a minimalist; just put your stuff away.

p. 102, Make space for what matters, and you'll see more clearly what doesn't.

p. 109, Your house might be a reflection of your personality, but the state of it is not a reflection of your value.

p. 121, Crisis is not a prerequisite for seeking community and connection < snip > We're so good at putting qualifications on our struggles, and if the problems are too niche, too ordinary, too privileged, or too [fill in the blank], we don't share them. We keep people out and say everything is fine. < snip > But if you and I wait for tragedy to strike before we let people in, we miss out on all the beautiful, ordinary connections. 

p. 148, True fulfillment comes from subtraction, from removing everything that distracts you from what matters and leaving only what's essential.

p. 150, Yes, we all live with choice, but some people have an easier path to implement those choices than others.

p. 172, If you want to embrace what matters, you need mindfulness. If you want to get stuff done, you need energy to do it. Both of these are fueled by rest.

A Long Way from Chicago, written by Richard Peck and narrated by Ron McLarty

This middle grade novel's about a brother and sister from Chicago who spend time with their grandma in the country every summer. She's a spitfire, which means their summers are always filled with funny, interesting, and memorable experiences as she often does the wrong thing for the right reasons. Tyler and I enjoyed listening to this one together. As he said, "I love Grandma!"

The Nickel Boys, written by Colson Whitehead and narrated by JD Jackson, with acknowledgments narrated by Colson Whitehead

A friend who reads different books than I do recently sent me a picture of what he's read this year. I asked if he had any favorites in the mix, looked up the five he named, and found two I might enjoy. This novel was one and it was available immediately on Libby, so I checked it out. It's a heavy book thematically because it's based on an actual reform school for boys in Florida that horrifically abused and sometimes killed kids for over a century, beginning in 1900. While violence and abuse is a strong theme in the book, I didn't feel like the references to and descriptions of it were gratuitous. It's also a story about racism, corrupt social constructs, those who fight for what's right, trauma, family, and friendship.

 
While it obviously wasn't a fun read, I value books that give me a better understanding of people whose experiences are far different than my own and this glimpse of recent American history does that. Heads up for those with a vocabulary similar to mine, there's definitely more profanity in this book than in what I usually read. The book was still worth reading for me, but I know language is a deal-breaker for some.

The Pecan Man, written by Cassie Dandridge Selleck and narrated by Suzanne Toren

Set in the mid-1970's, this novel centers on a childless widow, her long-time maid, and a homeless man she hires to work in her yard. With blatant racism, subtle bigotry, crime, lies, and loyalty, this story is one with characters to love, perspectives to learn from, and growing self-awareness to admire. In the setting of a small town, it points out greater societal problems while leading the reader toward compassion toward those who are making what they believe to be the best, or only, choices available to them. I'm home alone today and listened to this book non-stop, from start to finish, because the story pulled me in. I'm looking forward to the sequel, which I didn't realize existed until I finished listening.

The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again, written by Catherine Price

I heard about this book on episode 306 of The Lazy Genius Podcast, What We Need to Have More Fun, in March of last year and it intrigued me. Price defines what fun is, as it's a word we use very broadly, distinguishing between two terms she created - True Fun and Fake Fun. In a conversational tone, and with helpful questions and tips for the reader, she writes about the three key factors of True Fun, its importance in our lives, what gets in the way of it happening, and how to increase its presence in our days.

p. 7 (about people constantly being on their phones), I could see that all of us were acting like addicts, but since everyone was afflicted, we were deluding ourselves into thinking that our behaviors were normal and okay.

p. 32, True Fun is the confluence of playfulness, connection, and flow.

p. 42, We can't control the fact that we will die.

But we can control whether we actually live. 

We can control whether we merely endure our days or experience and enjoy them. We can control whether we arrive on our deathbeds feeling like we've wasted our time or end up satisfied with how we've spent our brief moment in the sun. While disconcerting, the idea that most things don't matter is also freeing. 

p. 43, If you habitually direct your attention toward things that upset you - alarmist news headlines, for example, or social media screeds - then you will experience the world as alarming and upsetting. If you choose instead to pay attention to things that uplift you, or that offer opportunities for playfulness, connection, and flow, you will experience the world in a completely different, more positive light.

p. 56, Also, in many cases our devices are simply amplifying issues that we already had, such as not having good boundaries between our work and home lives, relying on external validation as a proxy for self-worth, overemphasizing money as a metric for the value of our time, and buying into the idea that the best way to achieve health, success, and happiness is to maximize every single thing we do.

p. 66, Instead of being consumed by the fear of what me might miss if we were to put down our phones, we should think about all the things we definitely miss when we pick them up. 

p. 72 (about watching people's interaction with their phones), Notice your friends behavior. Notice your family's. Notice your own. Then imagine that instead of phones, we were holding cigarettes or syringes.

p. 170, If you say that your relationships with your friends or children or your spouse are the most important things to you in life, then you need to treat them as such - and put away distractions when you're together. 

p. 173, We're trying to train ourselves to resist our dopamine-fueled cravings for the sake of ultimately much more satisfying - but also harder to come by - real-life experiences.

p. 177, Just as breaking up with a person doesn't have to mean never seeing them again, breaking up with your phone doesn't mean never using it again. It simply means giving yourself to evaluate what's working and what's not so that you can create a new, healthier relationship that keeps what you love and minimizes (or eliminates) what you don't.

p. 180, I call this exercise WWW, which is short for:

What for?
Why now?
What else?

p. 215, One way to loosen perfectionism's grip is to gently investigate what, exactly, you're afraid will happen if you do not perform perfectly - and then continue to ask questions until you convince yourself that it's going to be okay. 

p. 233, Whenever I see a car with a bumper sticker that says, "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention," I am tempted to point out that I actually am paying attention; I'm just choosing not to only pay attention to things that would outrage me.

p. 277, (S)pending money on experiences - especially those that involve other people - has been repeatedly proven to be a much more effective way to boost your sense of well-being and happiness than spending the same amount of money on objects or possessions.

p. 277, Speaking of investments, if you ever have the choice between spending money on an object and spending money on an opportunity to connect with other people, choose the latter. Similarly, if you have limited leisure time, prioritize anything that gives you time with friends.

p. 288, If our attention is like a spotlight, crisp-edged and narrow, for which life provides an infinite number of possible targets but only a finite number of days, then where do we want to focus it?

p. 289, Just ask yourself which you gravitate toward: ruminating or savoring? How much time do you spend hashing out your problems versus celebrating what's good? How does the energy you put into fulfilling your obligations or engaging in conflicts compare to the energy you put into creating opportunities that might lead to fun?

A Year Down Yonder, written by Richard Peck and narrated by Lois Smith

Tyler and I both thought this middle grade sequel to A Long Way from Chicago was just as much fun to listen to. This story is about the fifteen year old sister spending a full year living with her grandma, a woman who continues to be brash in her presentation and kind at heart. Tyler's eager to get the third book in the trilogy started, saying he never would have chosen these books, but that he's thoroughly enjoying them.