In 1981, shortly after my 19th birthday, I took a bus to Lackland AFB to start boot camp. 8 months later I finished my training and began work as a feIn 1981, shortly after my 19th birthday, I took a bus to Lackland AFB to start boot camp. 8 months later I finished my training and began work as a female air crew member aboard the E3A AWACS. It was a wonderful job that allowed me to travel around the world. It was also a difficult one as I was breaking into a world that had only admitted men. There were about 5 females in the entire Wing by the end of 1982. It was a world not quite ready for us. There were not flight suits or boots available in our sizes. There weren't dorm rooms and restrooms for women. It was complicated by the fact that many of the men were equally unready to accept us. I share all of this, because Hannah's book resonated with me. I was a child during the Vietnam War, but a decade later, not a lot had changed.
Women were in Vietnam! Nurses were often on the front lines. They were bombed. They performed gruesome surgeries while under fire, and holding flashlights because the power was out. They wrote letters of condolence to families. They convinced young men to have hope, and sat with them as they died. They did all of this while also in danger of sexual assault by the men they worked with, and often needed men they trusted to escort them around their own base. And, after they went home to the USA nobody believed they were ever in Vietnam. Even the VA doctors refused them treatment and discounted their service.
Kristin Hannah in The Women carries the reader to another time and place where the characters are very real, and the war is tangible. If you come away without a better understanding of the experiences and politics of the time, then you didn't read it well. It is a transporting, emotional and intelligent books that allows you to gain knowledge about the war and the world of the time, and also allows you to find compassion and empathy for a generation of people who came before you.
There are event which are predictable, but it does nothing to ruin the story. It is a book I will recommend to everyone, and also a book that made me feel seen.
Thank you @stmartinspress for my #gifted copy. It has earned a permanent place on my shelves....more
Brilliant book that I loved more than any other Bronte novel I have read. I found this one more modern, with stronger feminist vibes, than any other. Brilliant book that I loved more than any other Bronte novel I have read. I found this one more modern, with stronger feminist vibes, than any other. The gothic mood was rich and vivid. The characters felt very real. And the mystery was smart and unique....more
The Keepers of the House (1964), which won Shirley Ann Grau the Pulitzer Prize, is a masterwork on racism, and is uniquely told as the main character The Keepers of the House (1964), which won Shirley Ann Grau the Pulitzer Prize, is a masterwork on racism, and is uniquely told as the main character is a white woman in the deep south. She isn't a racist and, in fact, deals with threats and shunning herself. I won't go into more on that as it could spoil some of this brilliant story.
This is a smart, sophisticated, direct and ruthless indictment of racism. Grau's character comes from a family of Alabama landowners and lives in the ancestral family home. The Howland family have lived in this house for generations. In fact, Abigail Howland is the 7th generation. Abigail's father abandoned his wife and child to fight in WW2 and didn't return home. Her mother died young and so Abigail was raised by her grandfather William with the help of an African American woman named Margaret who lived in the home.
Abigail grows up in the home and marries a man who is running for governor. Unfortunately family secrets are exposed. I don't want to say any more as this may already be too much. The book is wonderful and deserves a wider modern-day audience. Read it....more
This was my second read of this iconic novel. I put it on my favorites shelf the first time and it remains there upon reread. Steinbeck speaks to me. This was my second read of this iconic novel. I put it on my favorites shelf the first time and it remains there upon reread. Steinbeck speaks to me. His characters are rich, textured, flawed, nuanced and real. The history and culture he writes about is of a time and place that most of us do not understand very well. This book makes me cry. It makes me sad. It makes me think. This book is about what one human can do to another, and that can be devastating. There are so many moments that will stick with me. The chapter about the turtle making its slow progression down the highway is so full of meaning and symbolic. The day that Tom's brother Noah chose to stay on the Colorado River and leave his family is crushing in its weight. My heart broke for Ma Joad at that moment.
The book is filled with trauma. It is devastatingly sad, but equally beautiful.
Read the book and then listen to Bruce Springsteen and Tom Morello perform the song The Ghost of Tom Joad.
2020 ReRead: I loved this book even more upon a reread and have changed my rating to five stars. I am so excited for Jack, coming in September.
2018, Or2020 ReRead: I loved this book even more upon a reread and have changed my rating to five stars. I am so excited for Jack, coming in September.
2018, Original Review: Lila is the third book in Robinson's trilogy set in Gilead, Iowa. It tells the story of Lila, the wive of Reverent Broughton. Closing the cover on this book was a sad experience for me. I loved all three books (Home was my favorite) and I will miss Gilead. I will return to visit again one day, but for now I have to say goodbye and I am sad.
This book tells us the story of Lila and how she came to Gilead. We follow along as she meets and eventually marries Boughton. And while she deals with the town's reaction to her pregnancy and the coming of her child. We get to know her past: she was abuducted as a baby; stolen by a character named Doll who worked in her birth home. Doll and Lila joined a group of itinerant travelers with Lila's birth family in chase. Eventually Doll ends up in a knife fight with one member of the family. Lila's childhood was rough. And when she arrives in Gilead she finds Broughton to be kind, accepting, and compassionate. She lacks his faith and struggles with the answers she finds within the pages of the Bible because it seems to reflect a level of judgment on Doll which Lila doesn't like.
This is the story of an odd and awkward relationship between an older man and a younger woman; between a man who has always known faith and a woman who questions it; between a man with a solid and stable life and a woman who is seeing stability for the first time. They are mismatched, but somehow belong. Both struggle to accept happiness and fully embrace love and to me this is completely relatable. Often we, as humans, struggle to accept the blessings that come our way. We fight against happiness and joy despite the fact that it is at our roots what we most need and want. This book is moving, rich, subtle, and deep. It is a beautifully emotional story of love, acceptance, growth and hope....more
When I opened my Overdrive app this afternoon and saw that Daisy Jones & The Six had arrived I immediately pushed play as I have seen it reviewed favoWhen I opened my Overdrive app this afternoon and saw that Daisy Jones & The Six had arrived I immediately pushed play as I have seen it reviewed favorably on BookTube, here on Goodreads, and even in person. Plus I had somehow avoided knowing much about it, other than it was the story of a band, and I like going into books blind. I had no idea that it would end up as my favorite book so far this year (of the 116 completed so far). I pushed play and I ignored life and all the people in it while I listened to the story, until it ended moments ago and I was in tears.
This book is good!
It is basically a mockumentary of a late 1970s band -- each bandmate (and a few others) tell the story to the narrator who has spliced the interviews together to create her story of the band and their eventual breakup. The joy of it is that each person is fully fleshed out, real, funny, smart, talented, selfish, raw... They are so real that I wanted to push stop only in order to listen to their music... I really wanted to listen to each song as they discussed the days when they were writing and playing those songs. I found myself wishing that this one was nonfiction.
The author created such a vivid scenario that it was impossible not to think of myself as a fan of Daisy, Billy, Graham and the rest. And as a teen in the 1970s I find it compelling that this band took on a life and stood beside all the real ones so well.
Ms Owens wrote a beautiful, loving, lush book about love, loss, pain, loneliness, survival, resilience, hope, and trust. She created a unique characteMs Owens wrote a beautiful, loving, lush book about love, loss, pain, loneliness, survival, resilience, hope, and trust. She created a unique character with whom the reader experiences the hardest of emotions.
Kya Clark allows us to learn how to trust again after being hurt. I liked her very much. This brilliant book takes place over about 17 years, and is told through jumps forward and back in time, building tension and empathy. With each chapter I liked Kya more. This is a book that I was sad to see end....more
Despite the rave reviews of this book (and the movie adaption) I have failed to read it until now. I knew only a tiny amount about the story but did kDespite the rave reviews of this book (and the movie adaption) I have failed to read it until now. I knew only a tiny amount about the story but did know about at least one scene in which a young boy was abused. That was enough to dissuade me. What a mistake that was. Yes, this book is brutal. It is jarring, difficult and sad. It is hard to digest. It made me angry. But it is also, beautiful, honest, and full of heart. More than once tears dripped from my eyes and those tears didn't fall only because of the abusive scenes. They fell for the loss of a culture. They fell for the destruction of history when the big buddhas were destroyed. They fell for a man struggling with the guilt from a childhood tragedy. They fell for a silent boy who no longer knew how to trust. And they fell for the hope renewed by the simple act of flying a kite.
My favorite books are those with beautiful character development, deep exploration of culture, and tragic, traumatic events which destroy everything ... except hope. This book has it all....more
Annie Proulx's Pulitzer winner is so vivid and unique. The descriptions of the culture and the landscape of Newfoundland was tangible and beautiful. IAnnie Proulx's Pulitzer winner is so vivid and unique. The descriptions of the culture and the landscape of Newfoundland was tangible and beautiful. I could feel the cold wind in the winter. I could taste the fish. I could hear the flat, nasal accents of the region. Everything about this book makes you feel like you have actually been to the cliffsides of the small seaside villages in the arctic. I love when a book transports me, and this one did. This is a new favorite....more
My family are from Southeast Iowa, but I was raised in Colorado. This meant trips through Nebraska often. And those sweeping views of the "corn and skMy family are from Southeast Iowa, but I was raised in Colorado. This meant trips through Nebraska often. And those sweeping views of the "corn and sky, corn and sky" are ones I know well. It is beautiful; the people work hard to produce those crops but are warm and friendly. When I was about 10 my maternal grandparents brought my paternal grandfather along for the ride to visit us in Colorado. He hated it. He missed the still, quiet, productive land. He couldn't see a use for the mountainous world we now inhabited. Over and over he said: "I wouldn't give you a plug nickel for the whole darn lot of it." I have never forgotten. At the time I thought he was crazy, but now I know he was like Antonia. He loved the flat fields and expansive skies. He loved the work and the produce. My grandpa was a farmer. And in this wonderful classic novel by Willa Cather that love was brought into vivid detail. She painted the fields, the bugs, the heat waves that can be seen low lying above the ground, the fluffy white clouds, the black soil, the sounds of crickets and frogs... She painted a world so real and lush that when the book ended I was sad to say goodbye.
The part of the book that always means the most to me is the development of the characters, and Cather’s characters were real, flawed, open, and lively. I fell in love with Antonia's father in much the same way that she did. He was unique, and completely out-of-place, but still so attached to the land and the story. He was the kind of dad that every girl should have. And Antonia was funny, sassy, and optimistic. No matter how hard her life was she always saw the silver lining. And best of all was our narrator, Jim. He was orphaned as a child and was sent to the prairie to live with his grandparents. They too were wonderful characters, teaching Jim to give everything he could to help those around him - like Antonia's family. Jim was loyal, friendly, hopeful. And despite the hardships of his childhood and the unlikeliness of escaping a similar life he became an educated man.
In the book we get to see the beauty of a lasting relationship and how the love of family and friends shape the people we become. At the end of the book when Antonia and Jim are reunited for a visit and catching up, she tells him about her lasting love and respect for her father:
'Of course it means you are going away from us for good,' she said with a sigh. 'But that don't mean I'll lose you. Look at my papa here; he's been dead all these years, and yet he is more real to me than almost anybody else. He never goes out of my life. I talk to him and consult him all the time. The older I grow, the better I know him and the more I understand him.'
And when Jim told her a bit later that he would return to visit again, she said:
'Perhaps you will. But even if you don't, you're here, like my father. So I won't be lonesome.'
This passage is so lovely and true. I have my dad with me in that same way. I consult with him daily. And, thanks to Cather's beautiful novel I got to visit again with my grandfather who died in 1978.
Herman Wouk is a master storyteller. I read his works The Winds of War and War and Remembrance in the first few months after their release and they haHerman Wouk is a master storyteller. I read his works The Winds of War and War and Remembrance in the first few months after their release and they have consistently stayed on my favorite books ever read list. But for some reason I hadn't read anything else by him. I think perhaps I was afraid that they wouldn't live up to the standard. But this book is brilliant. The characters are rich, flawed, unique and real. The plot is well-paced, finely written. Wouk's ability to tell the story of war is so good. As a reader I can hear the bombs drop, I can feel the sting of salt water sloshing through the door during a gale, I can taste the food. He paints the picture so vividly. He draws with words and it is a lovely experience....more
At the beginning of 2017 I decided that it was finally time to read the Classics. Even so I have avoided certain authors because I was intimidated by At the beginning of 2017 I decided that it was finally time to read the Classics. Even so I have avoided certain authors because I was intimidated by some of them and certain I would hate others. Mostly I have been wrong. Hemingway fit into both of those misconceptions. I will definitely read more of his stories.
This is a book about a war about which I knew one thing only -- that Franco came from it. This book takes place in only four days and in one location so I didn't learn a great deal about the war. But it inspired me to learn more. It is also a book about love and friendship. It is a book about camaraderie among those who fight together. And it is a book about learning and growing. Near the end of the story the protagonist shares these words which I think best shows what the book is about:
“How little we know of what there is to know. I wish that I were going to live a long time instead of going to die today because I have learned much about life in these four days; more, I think than in all other time. I'd like to be an old man to really know. I wonder if you keep on learning or if there is only a certain amount each man can understand. I thought I knew so many things that I know nothing of. I wish there was more time.”
I am 55 years old and I am learning so much from reading these classics -- in my mind that answer's his question....more
Before reading this book I was lucky enough to see a few Booktubers speak of it. Then I googled the title and found that the supRead for Victober 2017
Before reading this book I was lucky enough to see a few Booktubers speak of it. Then I googled the title and found that the superb George Orwell called George Gissing "perhaps the best novelist England has produced"! Wow! With an endorsement such as that this book was quickly moved to the top of my TBR, and it was well worth the jump. This book was deftly written with so much true insight into the publishing world of London in the 1880s, and into the problems of poverty in that era. Gissing's characters are genuine people who explore the most difficult issues of humanity. They face starvation but are too prideful to take help. They are ridiculed and they ridicule. They are sometimes arrogant and judgmental. They are educated but stupid. They are unkind at times and they fail one another often. They love one another but not selflessly. They mock one another. They are so real that I feel as though I know them. The book is very, very good and Gissing is a brilliant writer whom I will revisit soon....more
I absolutely loved this book! It is the first time I have read Thomas Hardy and I have more that I have moved WAY UP the TBR pile. The inVictober 2017
I absolutely loved this book! It is the first time I have read Thomas Hardy and I have more that I have moved WAY UP the TBR pile. The interesting thing about my fervor for this book is that I truly disliked Bathsheba Everdene. I found her to be vain, simpering and boring. And I am a reader who loves books for their complex and intriguing characters. So how the heck did this one rate 5 stars? I am not sure I can even explain it... bur Hardy write beautifully intricate and poetic sentences. There were many, many sentences and paragraphs that I read aloud to my husband. His use of language is clever, lyrical, and lovely. He made me laugh. I listened to the book and read along with a paper version. I stopped often to reread and to figure out exactly what was said. I stopped even more often to reread just for the joy of savoring the words. Despite all those stops I read the entire book in two days and it was wonderful. I will definitely revisit this one soon....more
This is my first Dickens read and I loved it! Pip is wonderfully, richly developed. His life takes him on a course which allows the reader to experienThis is my first Dickens read and I loved it! Pip is wonderfully, richly developed. His life takes him on a course which allows the reader to experience the best and worst of Victorian England. I would have never read this book if it were not for the fact that I discovered Katie, of Books and Things, on Booktube. She raves about Dickens and her enthusiasm made me pick up this book. I think I will be reading Dombey and Son next. And if I love it as much as I love this I will be quickly following it with many more....more
Update -- reread Jan 2020. I found the book to be even better on a second read. This time I really picked up on the details of life in the time and plUpdate -- reread Jan 2020. I found the book to be even better on a second read. This time I really picked up on the details of life in the time and place, and I got into the thoughts of Ethan more.
Steinbeck has a BEAUTIFUL mind. He makes me think, and cry. He is masterful -- telling stories through rich and interesting characters. He illustrates the hard parts of life by showing us how we feel when those things happen. He makes the reader question their own responses to the things that happen around us. He shows us how we feel about prejudice (like in The Grapes of Wrath), poverty and homelessness (like in Of Mice and Men), and even family discord (like in East of Eden). He is a man that I wish I had known... I have a literary crush!
The Winter of Our Discontent is his last book. Thankfully though it is not my last book of his. I have at least 8 or 10 more to read. And, I know that I will revisit many of them many more times....more
Until two months ago I had never read a book written by the sublime Daphne du Maurier. Until two months ago I considered myself a fan of suspense and Until two months ago I had never read a book written by the sublime Daphne du Maurier. Until two months ago I considered myself a fan of suspense and mystery. Until two months ago I had never been so enthralled and enchanted. I am quickly rectifying that problem and have now read 8 of her novels and they are all beautifully written with complex characters, vividly described settings and a meticulous underpinning of suspense and tension. These books live in my thoughts for weeks after I finish reading them and I am slowly and quietly raving about them to all the readers in my life. I am on a mission to share the wonder that is du Maurier.
This book is no different. I loved it.
I will not be posting spoilers or summaries as I cannot do either justice. I will just say this. You will not be disappointed....more
Daphne du Maurier enthralls me. I have inhaled 8 of her books in the last few weeks, and this one ranks among my favorites. I love her ability to writDaphne du Maurier enthralls me. I have inhaled 8 of her books in the last few weeks, and this one ranks among my favorites. I love her ability to write eerie, foreboding and brooding stories without any gore or sensationalism. I love that she writes stories about obsession and intrigue, and builds tension deftly and simply through her magical prose. I love that the locations in her stories are vividly described allowing me to see the places with accuracy and ease. All in all, I love everything about the way she tells me stories!...more
This is the first book I have read by Daphne du Maurier, and it will not be the last! It is a wonderful, old-sDoubts, suspicions and ambiguity abound!
This is the first book I have read by Daphne du Maurier, and it will not be the last! It is a wonderful, old-school romantic mystery. Her attention to character development is superb. Both Phillip and Rachel are dark, mysterious, and often unlikable characters. They are often jealous, and sometimes greedy. They are smart and they are also stupid. They are very real, and that makes them compelling.
The author also deftly builds tension, and allows the mystery to remain a mystery -- making the reader think one thing and then another and another. The story keeps you guessing right up until the end of the book. In fact, I find myself guessing still, several days later.
Perhaps my favorite quote of the book comes near the beginning, in the first chapter. It sets the tone for the entire book.
"No one will ever guess the burden of blame I carry on my shoulders;" he says, "nor will they know that every day, haunted still by doubt, I ask myself a question which I cannot answer. Was Rachel innocent or guilty? Maybe I shall learn that too, in purgatory."
Even the author said (in a later interview) that she did not know whether Rachel was guilty. It makes for a wonderful read which will stay with you and which will certainly inspire me to listen again very soon....more
I will say this right up front: I am incapable of reviewing this book for several reasons, but especially these two: 1. It is that good. 2. Thousands I will say this right up front: I am incapable of reviewing this book for several reasons, but especially these two: 1. It is that good. 2. Thousands of others have reviewed it before me -- including analyses, quotes, descriptions and opinions. All of which are saying exactly what I should say. So, instead I will share one thought and I will review the narrator of the audio book I listened to, Sissy Spacek.
I loved this book. I read it a few years ago when my older son was reading it in 9th grade. And I listened to it again last week. It is a deeply moving and often troubling story. It is full of thought and heart. It is a coming of age story of a girl in the deep South who is surrounded by the vile world of prejudice, but who is raised by an open-minded and open-hearted father. The messages and themes of this book are many... all of them important. It is a book that will linger in your thoughts. It is a book that will touch your heart. And it is a book that everyone should read. Once. More than once is even better!
This quote shares the message that I may like best. “I have always believed, and I still believe, that whatever good or bad fortune may come our way we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value.”
Sissy Spacek brought this book to life. Her narration was so perfect that it made the book even better than it already was. Nobody else should ever read this book as they will not do it the same justice. Superb!...more
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