The Summer of Us has been on my shelf for two years. I have passed it over many times as I searched for a new read but finally picked it up last weekend when I was packing up my books in preparations for our move. The cover caught my eye, as it did when I bought it. My husband laughed when I told him that I bought the book because there is a floral bag on the cover that I'd like to find in real life and buy. Those of you who know me aren't the least bit surprised by that fact.
The Summer of Us was the perfect book for me to read this past week, the final week of school. It's a week filled with long days and longer nights as you try to wrap up a year of learning, and for me this year's last week brings packing up 19 years of teaching, which is no easy task along with packing up 12 years in a house. Good grief! So, to read a book that made me laugh out loud was exactly what I needed.
In The Summer of Us, three unlikely ladies (Gincy, Clare, and Danielle) in their late twenties meet and become friends while renting a beach house for the summer. The chapters are told by alternating characters and these three ladies are so different and their stories are so intriguing that it's easy to keep everyone straight and all of the details in check. I loved reading their stories and was sad when the book was over.
I also loved Chamberlain's style of writing. So much, in fact, that I have downloaded three of her others books to take with me on my upcoming vacation. I look forward to more feel-good, laugh-out-loud stories this summer!
This one's a good one!
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Thursday, June 5, 2014
#27: Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth
Call the Midwife was recommended to me by a friend who seems to know the sort of books I like to read and she was spot on about this one. While I know PBS has turned this book into a series, I had no knowledge of either the book or the series until my friend passed this book along. It has been a gem of a read and a blessing at a time in my life when my stress level has been very high. Leave it to a book to remind me that, despite stress, my life is good.
Call the Midwife is a memoir written by Jennifer Worth, who apparently was a young (22 years old) midwife in the slums of East End London in the 1950's. Her tales remind me of something my teacher friends and I often say about things that children say, parents say, or events around the school: "You can't make this stuff up." I feel certain Worth felt the same way and was able to create a magnificent book about her experiences. I am intrigued to watch the PBS series, but since I have yet to even watch Season 1 of Downton Abbey, I bet the likelihood of me actually watching the show is slim.
What I loved most about this book is that each chapter, or series of 2-3 chapters, tells the story of one delivery, or of one Sister, or of one interesting soul Worth encountered as a midwife. The result is that while it took me a month to read the entire book, I was able to read a few pages at a time and feel as though I accomplished something. I have been trying to take a recertification class, pack up 19 years of school things, and 12 years of a house for four over the past month in anticipation of the end of school, and my career, and an impending move. Finding time to read something other than chapters in my Children's Lit textbook has been hard. So, it was nice to read 5-6 pages at a time and feel as though I was keeping up with the story while reading something memorable and worthwhile.
Worth's time as a midwife was not glamorous, but she changed lives. Her working conditions were not ideal, the people she worked with were not always ideal patients, yet she did her job every day believing in her work, and being proud of the work she did. Her work ethic is something we could all learn from. It's something that seems to be missing from the modern world. But, I'll close this post before I step up on that soapbox!
This is a great read! Thanks, Marcie, for the recommendation!
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Call the Midwife is a memoir written by Jennifer Worth, who apparently was a young (22 years old) midwife in the slums of East End London in the 1950's. Her tales remind me of something my teacher friends and I often say about things that children say, parents say, or events around the school: "You can't make this stuff up." I feel certain Worth felt the same way and was able to create a magnificent book about her experiences. I am intrigued to watch the PBS series, but since I have yet to even watch Season 1 of Downton Abbey, I bet the likelihood of me actually watching the show is slim.
What I loved most about this book is that each chapter, or series of 2-3 chapters, tells the story of one delivery, or of one Sister, or of one interesting soul Worth encountered as a midwife. The result is that while it took me a month to read the entire book, I was able to read a few pages at a time and feel as though I accomplished something. I have been trying to take a recertification class, pack up 19 years of school things, and 12 years of a house for four over the past month in anticipation of the end of school, and my career, and an impending move. Finding time to read something other than chapters in my Children's Lit textbook has been hard. So, it was nice to read 5-6 pages at a time and feel as though I was keeping up with the story while reading something memorable and worthwhile.
Worth's time as a midwife was not glamorous, but she changed lives. Her working conditions were not ideal, the people she worked with were not always ideal patients, yet she did her job every day believing in her work, and being proud of the work she did. Her work ethic is something we could all learn from. It's something that seems to be missing from the modern world. But, I'll close this post before I step up on that soapbox!
This is a great read! Thanks, Marcie, for the recommendation!
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Sunday, May 18, 2014
#26: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
I just finished reading The Fault in Our Stars and I am so filled with emotion, I don't even know where to begin with this post.
I guess at the beginning...
The Fault in Our Stars is the story of Hazel and Gus, two teenagers battling Cancer. I don't know why I ever thought for a second that this book could have a happy ending. Perhaps I have been reading too many Kindergarten books for too long where everything turns out all sunshine, roses, unicorns, and lollipops.
The story is touching, and made me cry, but I was thinking about this book as a parent and crying because I can't imagine loosing your child. As a wife, I was also secretly praying that when the time comes, I go before Rob. I am weak and could never last without him. It's so true. I've always envisioned my life ending like the last scene in The Notebook. I just couldn't do it.
Beyond the theme of cancer and dying, I think that in his book Mr. Green made a clever side-theme of why books shouldn't be taken too seriously. They are, after all, made up stories about people who do not really exist. Their stories end when the books end. This theme, addressed point blank in his Author's note before the first chapter, is one that Hazel struggles with, eventually confronting the author of her favorite book to find out "what happens next" when the books ends. Anyone who knows me, lives with me, or reads this blog knows that I NEED to know what happens next. Maybe I am curious, maybe I just crave closure, but I HAVE to know. But not this time.
You see, if I know what happens, if I probe a little more, there's the possibility I might learn that Hazel has lost her battle. So, I am OK just reading the last chapter, closing the book, and living with hope.
Read this one. Even if you are a grown-up. Don't be afraid to borrow your child's book. It's worth it. I promise. It will make you think twice about sequels. Seriously. And about how seriously you take the books you read. They are just characters, they are just characters...I'm going to have to work on that one.
Happy reading everyone!
-Dodie
I guess at the beginning...
The Fault in Our Stars is the story of Hazel and Gus, two teenagers battling Cancer. I don't know why I ever thought for a second that this book could have a happy ending. Perhaps I have been reading too many Kindergarten books for too long where everything turns out all sunshine, roses, unicorns, and lollipops.
The story is touching, and made me cry, but I was thinking about this book as a parent and crying because I can't imagine loosing your child. As a wife, I was also secretly praying that when the time comes, I go before Rob. I am weak and could never last without him. It's so true. I've always envisioned my life ending like the last scene in The Notebook. I just couldn't do it.
Beyond the theme of cancer and dying, I think that in his book Mr. Green made a clever side-theme of why books shouldn't be taken too seriously. They are, after all, made up stories about people who do not really exist. Their stories end when the books end. This theme, addressed point blank in his Author's note before the first chapter, is one that Hazel struggles with, eventually confronting the author of her favorite book to find out "what happens next" when the books ends. Anyone who knows me, lives with me, or reads this blog knows that I NEED to know what happens next. Maybe I am curious, maybe I just crave closure, but I HAVE to know. But not this time.
You see, if I know what happens, if I probe a little more, there's the possibility I might learn that Hazel has lost her battle. So, I am OK just reading the last chapter, closing the book, and living with hope.
Read this one. Even if you are a grown-up. Don't be afraid to borrow your child's book. It's worth it. I promise. It will make you think twice about sequels. Seriously. And about how seriously you take the books you read. They are just characters, they are just characters...I'm going to have to work on that one.
Happy reading everyone!
-Dodie
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
#25 A Walk in the Park by Jill Mansell
I bought this book in Bermuda and began reading it on the way home. I finished it last week but haven't been able to find a spare moment to blog. So unlike me, I know. I can't tell you the last time I actually read something other than this morning for 10 minutes while I was sitting in the doctor's office waiting to be seen. Clearly my lack of reading time is due in part to 1: It's May and birthdays have begun, 2: It's May and school gets crazy, and 3: We have decided to list our house and move. But, that's another story for another day. Regardless, I have been a bit delinquent with my reading. Good thing we had so much snow and I was so far ahead of the game.
Anyway, A Walk in the Park was another book I chose because of it's adorable cover. Sad, but true facts. It sounded interesting and it was (the characters are like no others I have read about lately), but the cover is precious and the font is fun--it's easy to choose this one by it's cover. In fact, I stood in the Bermuda Bookshop looking at each and every one of Mansell's books trying to decide which one to buy and read because they all had great story lines and they all had cute covers. Shallow, but true.
A Walk in the Park is the story of Lara, her daughter Gigi, and Flynn--Lara's high school boyfriend and Gigi's father (yep...you do the math on that one). It is a fabulous story, hilarious at times (especially when you meet Harry and Enjay), and one with a sweet ending.
This is one for the beach bag and then one for the bookshelf. It really is beautiful!
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
p.s. I am not off to read but off to de-clutter my house to it continues to look like a museum so that we can sell it.
Anyway, A Walk in the Park was another book I chose because of it's adorable cover. Sad, but true facts. It sounded interesting and it was (the characters are like no others I have read about lately), but the cover is precious and the font is fun--it's easy to choose this one by it's cover. In fact, I stood in the Bermuda Bookshop looking at each and every one of Mansell's books trying to decide which one to buy and read because they all had great story lines and they all had cute covers. Shallow, but true.
A Walk in the Park is the story of Lara, her daughter Gigi, and Flynn--Lara's high school boyfriend and Gigi's father (yep...you do the math on that one). It is a fabulous story, hilarious at times (especially when you meet Harry and Enjay), and one with a sweet ending.
This is one for the beach bag and then one for the bookshelf. It really is beautiful!
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
p.s. I am not off to read but off to de-clutter my house to it continues to look like a museum so that we can sell it.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
#24: The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble
On my summer trip last year to Bermuda, I stopped in to the Bermuda Bookstore and found Georgia Bottoms, which was a book so hysterical and wonderful, I had to stop back in during my spring break trip to see if I could find another wonderful book. I found The Reading Group. This may be my new favorite book (do I say that about them all?).
The Reading Group tells the story of a newly founded book club. It's members are Nicole, Harriet, Polly, Susan, and Clare. The cast of characters is listed at the beginning of the novel and I have to admit that this scared me off a bit. I was wondering how complex the novel must be to require a list of characters at the beginning, but it wasn't at all. In fact, after about 100 pages in, I think I could've described the cast with no trouble, offering more details than the author. They are that well crafted by Noble.
The book is sectioned off into 12 parts: one for each book that the group reads and discusses. During each section, we get a glimpse into each character's life and what we see is how closely these ladies' lives parallel the books they have chosen to read. It's quite brilliant, really. It also made me realize that when we read, we take our lives into the books. If the book can't teach us something about ourselves, we tend not to like it as much as those books that do. I have felt this for years about the books I read. It was nice to have my thoughts and feelings validated, even if only by fictional characters.
I can not tell you how much I loved reading this story. I felt heart broken for Clare, and angry with Cressida and Elliot, yet by the end I adored their sweet story and their darling Spencer. I hated Gavin and envied Nicole, but only partly. I think I am probably most like Harriet, in more ways than I care to admit (her round figure being tops on that list). I hope that I can be as good of a mom as Polly and I hope that when my own mom gets older I can be as loving as Susan. What I really wish is that I could be the sixth member of The Reading Group.
This lovely story made me seriously contemplate beginning a Reading Group. I am sure that I could find some lovely friends who would read with me. But keeping my reading to one book a month would hard for me. Unless I read the story over and over (like I did with Wonder). Rob doesn't seem to think that I would like being part of a group. He thinks that I'd become bothered by the lack of discussion of the book in favor of discussions of more gossipy things. And since I don't drink wine, he thinks that few book clubs would even invite me. He's probably right. It seems as though these five fictional ladies created their group because they needed an excuse to get out of the house once a month. I don't feel that need, but I do often feel the need to talk about what I read and to hear other's ideas and thoughts. I guess I fulfill my end of things with this blog. But I rarely hear what other people think. Blogs are often one sided that way, I guess. Maybe one day I will be invited to join a group and I can read and talk about what I read. It will be like college all over again, minus the grades. Could be fun.
Read this book. You will love it. I promise.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
The Reading Group tells the story of a newly founded book club. It's members are Nicole, Harriet, Polly, Susan, and Clare. The cast of characters is listed at the beginning of the novel and I have to admit that this scared me off a bit. I was wondering how complex the novel must be to require a list of characters at the beginning, but it wasn't at all. In fact, after about 100 pages in, I think I could've described the cast with no trouble, offering more details than the author. They are that well crafted by Noble.
The book is sectioned off into 12 parts: one for each book that the group reads and discusses. During each section, we get a glimpse into each character's life and what we see is how closely these ladies' lives parallel the books they have chosen to read. It's quite brilliant, really. It also made me realize that when we read, we take our lives into the books. If the book can't teach us something about ourselves, we tend not to like it as much as those books that do. I have felt this for years about the books I read. It was nice to have my thoughts and feelings validated, even if only by fictional characters.
I can not tell you how much I loved reading this story. I felt heart broken for Clare, and angry with Cressida and Elliot, yet by the end I adored their sweet story and their darling Spencer. I hated Gavin and envied Nicole, but only partly. I think I am probably most like Harriet, in more ways than I care to admit (her round figure being tops on that list). I hope that I can be as good of a mom as Polly and I hope that when my own mom gets older I can be as loving as Susan. What I really wish is that I could be the sixth member of The Reading Group.
This lovely story made me seriously contemplate beginning a Reading Group. I am sure that I could find some lovely friends who would read with me. But keeping my reading to one book a month would hard for me. Unless I read the story over and over (like I did with Wonder). Rob doesn't seem to think that I would like being part of a group. He thinks that I'd become bothered by the lack of discussion of the book in favor of discussions of more gossipy things. And since I don't drink wine, he thinks that few book clubs would even invite me. He's probably right. It seems as though these five fictional ladies created their group because they needed an excuse to get out of the house once a month. I don't feel that need, but I do often feel the need to talk about what I read and to hear other's ideas and thoughts. I guess I fulfill my end of things with this blog. But I rarely hear what other people think. Blogs are often one sided that way, I guess. Maybe one day I will be invited to join a group and I can read and talk about what I read. It will be like college all over again, minus the grades. Could be fun.
Read this book. You will love it. I promise.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
#23 Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
Before reading this novel, I had no idea that Orphan Trains even existed. Did you? Trains full of orphaned children, heading west, lead by chaperones in search of families for these abandoned children? That part of my American History classes was skipped right on over. All three times, apparently.
This novel was so touching, yet so disturbing, as you can imagine. Not all of the orphans were greeted and welcomed by parents who just wanted a child to love. Some wanted additional workers for their farms. Some wanted mothers' helpers for already large families. Some wanted child labor for their small businesses. While I am very proud to be an American, I am not always proud of my nation's history. Especially where women and children are concerned.
Orphan Train focuses on two parallel stories, those of Vivian and Molly. One was an orphan long ago, one is an orphan now. Their lives and stories intersect and we come to love both women for their strength of character and we come to be proud of all that they overcome and achieve together.
As I read this story, I related most with Vivian. And wanted to strangle Molly, at times. While I was never abandoned by my parents, I did have a rather bumpy childhood due to issues within my home. I had enough guidance from other family members, and enough sense in my own head, to make a decision to be a good girl. I didn't rock the boat (Molly capsized hers), I followed the rules, and I did what I needed to do until I was old enough to leave and be on my own. I was, Vivian (to a certain point). Molly chose a different path for her life and I was so happy that she found Jack, a boy who could see beyond the Goth makeup and clothes and attitude and who was able to provide Molly with an opportunity that changed her life. In turn, she helped to change Vivian's.
This story is amazing. It was an easy read in the sense that the details were rich and full, you could follow the back and forth story with ease, and you never wanted to put the book down once you began. It will make you think and ponder and it will make you sad, at times. But the ending is so full of hope, it will make you smile and glad you read this story.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
This novel was so touching, yet so disturbing, as you can imagine. Not all of the orphans were greeted and welcomed by parents who just wanted a child to love. Some wanted additional workers for their farms. Some wanted mothers' helpers for already large families. Some wanted child labor for their small businesses. While I am very proud to be an American, I am not always proud of my nation's history. Especially where women and children are concerned.
Orphan Train focuses on two parallel stories, those of Vivian and Molly. One was an orphan long ago, one is an orphan now. Their lives and stories intersect and we come to love both women for their strength of character and we come to be proud of all that they overcome and achieve together.
As I read this story, I related most with Vivian. And wanted to strangle Molly, at times. While I was never abandoned by my parents, I did have a rather bumpy childhood due to issues within my home. I had enough guidance from other family members, and enough sense in my own head, to make a decision to be a good girl. I didn't rock the boat (Molly capsized hers), I followed the rules, and I did what I needed to do until I was old enough to leave and be on my own. I was, Vivian (to a certain point). Molly chose a different path for her life and I was so happy that she found Jack, a boy who could see beyond the Goth makeup and clothes and attitude and who was able to provide Molly with an opportunity that changed her life. In turn, she helped to change Vivian's.
This story is amazing. It was an easy read in the sense that the details were rich and full, you could follow the back and forth story with ease, and you never wanted to put the book down once you began. It will make you think and ponder and it will make you sad, at times. But the ending is so full of hope, it will make you smile and glad you read this story.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
#22 Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Yes, I re-read Wonder. I re-read it mostly because I am supposed to lead a book discussion at my daughter's school next week and I felt as though I needed to re-read it to refresh my old memory. But, as I was reading the ending of this amazing story for the second time, crying on the plane to Bermuda, making my entire family shake their heads ("There goes mom again, crying over another book), I realized that if ever there was a book to be read twice, maybe to even be read once a year, Wonder is that book.
I am more touched by the second reading than the first. But for all of the same reasons as the first time. I want to buy Wonder for everyone I know. It is a book we all should read. Even the adults. Perhaps especially the adults.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
I am more touched by the second reading than the first. But for all of the same reasons as the first time. I want to buy Wonder for everyone I know. It is a book we all should read. Even the adults. Perhaps especially the adults.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
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