I never intended this blogging break to get quite so far out of hand, far enough out of hand that I am having difficulty getting myself back to the things I actually want to do. So today I have to write a blog post. And I don't really have anything to write about except that life has not yet stabilized around here.
Frankly I don't want to write about that. So what is left? Books. I had every intention of writing reviews, but let my mind get sucked into some kind of chaotic vortex and now I can't settle down. A list, hopefully with a few observations thrown in, may be just the first step I need.
Isabel Wilkerson The Warmth of Other Suns. This is the only book I managed to read in April. It was an excellent book, quite scholarly, although it did not necessarily come across as scholarly. In fact one of the good points I would make about this book is that the scholarship and erudition are executed with a light hand. The author's technique of weaving the history in throughout the story of three unrelated participants was quite effective although I did, at first, find it difficult to remember the details. When I started reading the book I did not have time to really follow through quickly, and ended up rereading the book from the beginning at the end of the month. This proved a good technique as the many threads in the book started off seeming quite disparate and the author didn't really manage to tie them together well until near the middle of the book, after which everything became much clearer. The book shines a light on an often overlooked aspect of US history and is well-worth reading.
Carré Otis, Beauty Disrupted. I read this on the trip to NY. I had just finished the previous book and wanted something quick to read. I didn't expect much but was surprised. From self-absorbed beauty who refused to accept responsibility, Carre Otis managed to survive and grow up. Perhpas the point I appreciated most was when she wrote that yes, her childhood was messed up, and she was misunderstood, but her parents were doing the best they could and that all families are dysfunctional and everyone is misunderstood. Granted, some families are more messed up than others, but for most of us the question is wether we let our pasts bring us down or we manage to rise above them.
Alexandra Zissu; The Conscious Kitchen. I was on the waiting list for this book for six weeks. When I got it I found it mostly dissapointing. The information is basic, and good if you haven't thought about the source of your food and the implications therein, but there was nothing new I hadn't learned elsewhere.
Mark Walton; Boundless Potential. This book is not so much a step-by-step guide as it is inspirational. The author interviews people who have reinvented themselves in mid-life and beyond and created new, often more-fulfilling lives. In the process he starts a discussion about changes in society we are just beginning to face, namely an active, intelligent older population that still has much to offer but it is not necessarily welcomed in a business environment that continues to see middle aged and older people as "over the hill".
Suze Orman; Young, Fabulous and Broke and Women and Money. These books were given to me a while back and I hadn't read them. I wanted to get them off the stack. I'm basically a fan of Orman anyway, G and I used to enjoy watching her show, and I think she is fabulous. They were quick reads. Even though I would consider myself fairly fiscally savy, there were some points that made me think. Women and Money spends more time dealing with issues that keep women in particular from taking control of their money. Both books are easy to read and filled with good information.
Annabel Pitcher; My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece is an excellent, powerful and astute novel written from the perspective of a 10 year old boy who is struggling to come to terms with the huge rent in his family following the death of his older sister five years previously. The book is charming and entertaining and deals with bullying, grief, alcoholism, broken families, muslim/non-muslim relations and coming of age in a way that is entertaining, sensitive, and at times heart-breaking. I highly recommend this book.
Tim Gunn; Shaken, not Stirred. Read in the airport. Short and sweet.
Diane Mott Davidson, Goldy Bear (Schultz) mysteries, complete set (16 novels). I'm not going to list these, the list is available. I have read/re-read them all over the last few weeks. They have been perfectly escapist enough to help me deal with the general turmoil of my life. I am all for allowing oneself time to escape and wallow a bit before pulling oneself together. At times they were maddening, and altough I have enjoyed the Goldy books over the years, reading Goldy's exploits all of a piece have reminded me of what a good-hearted but impossible nudge she is, and in many ways, how completely oblivious. Nonetheless, I will look forward to the next novel whenever it appears.
