Sisters by Carol Saline, photography by Sharon J. Wohlmuth

-

Strength of Sisters

Going off the beaten track, today’s book is not a novel, biography, or memoir.  It’s actually a coffee book that my sister gave me almost twenty years ago. Sisters, by Carol Saline with photographs by Sharon J. Wohlmuth, is a collection of stories about women (and some girls) and their relationships with their sisters.  Even though I read this book almost two decades ago, some of the stories stayed with me. I still think (and sometimes cry) about the Cunningham sisters and what their Caribbean trip mean to them. Because of the Young sisters I still get choked up every time I hear “You Are My Sunshine.”  But not all stories are sad.  There are also uplifting stories like the Scull sisters. Their picture was etched in my brain—the two of them with their flirty polka dot dresses and matching hats. These ladies come in a fun-pack.  They’re Cuban-born twins who bubble with joyful vivaciousness.  And who could forget the Johnson sisters, where one of the sisters gave the other a priceless gift. There are some famous sisters. Corretta Scott King and her sister, Edythe, are featured. So is model Christy Turlington, as well as Dixie Carter, Barbara Mandrell and their sisters, among others.

I love this book.  It makes me realize how lucky I am. As sisters, we can count on each other through hard times and have fun hanging out together any time.  I mean, who else could you spend ten hours at IKEA with and love every moment of it? My sisters, that’s who.

What a wonderful gift this book was!  The first thing I see when I open it is a picture of us three girls that my sister glued to the flyleaf with her inscription that sums it all up.  “Having a sister is a special bond. I feel sad for anyone who does not have one—I am glad you are my sister. I love you.”

Although it appears that the original book is no longer in print, there is a 10th anniversary edition still available on Amazon.  It has a new format with new photography and focuses on 13 of the original sets of 36 siblings featured in the first edition.  Check it out, then call, Skype, text, or email your sister (or brother) on Wednesday, April 10—Sibling Day!
You don’t want anything from me except my happiness.
Coretta Scott King to her sister Edythe

Life for us is pink. Happy color. And together makes us strong. Four arms. Four legs. One heart. One mind. One soul. Always. 
The Scull Sisters

She gave me the gift of her loving heart. 
Melba Moorman about her sister Clemmie

There is nothing I could do, no disagreement I could have that would make my sisters not love me.
Claudia Pharis about her four sisters

Happy Reading,
Annette

Check out some novels about sisters reviewed so far:  PomegranateSoup by Marsha Mehran, Shanghai Girls by Lisa See, and The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown.



Comments

Anonymous said…
Ahhh, I love that book too! You brought tears to my eyes this morning. I never had a brother but I know how precious my bond with my sisters are. I couldn't have a stronger bond with 2 amazing women in my life!! I Love My Awsome Sisters!! xoxo
April 5, 2013 at 8:07 AM
Unknown said…
I love this book, it is a prized possession of mine. It reminds me how special it is to have a sister. So, how lucky am I to have two sassy ones!
April 5, 2013 at 9:10 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

-
Image
  You Go, Girl! Pure love—that’s what I felt about this book!  It’s smart, witty, and emboldening! I don’t know how many countless times I cheered or chuckled.   A female chemist struggles to rise above the chauvinistic male domination of the 1960s and live life on her terms despite ingrained oppression of women.  Hooray for this feminist heroine who points out that just because women’s bodies are smaller than men's doesn’t mean their brains are!   I fell in love with brilliant Elizabeth and her support system:  her impressively  smart daughter Mad; her straightforward neighbor Harriet; her kind-hearted producer Walter, the irreverent Reverend Wakely; and her obstetrician/rower Dr. Mason. Oh, and let’s not forget Six-Thirty, her beloved dog!   I would definitely be one of Elizabeth’s devoted fans of her show,  Supper at Six !  If my kids were still at home, I’d mimic Elizabeth and tell them, “Children, set the table. Your mother needs a moment to herself.” (Even though I’m not the
Read more

The Little Italian Hotel by Phaedra Patrick

-
Image
Italy: Just What the Doctor Ordered   This book is a sweet ray of sunshine (with a few stabs to the heart)! A group of grief-stricken people find solace in Italy and each other.   After a husband leaves his self-help radio talk show wife, she invites four random listeners to join her on what would have been her 25 th  wedding anniversary trip to Italy.  On this healing retreat, they each face their own grief in an old-world charming hotel where the innkeeper is stuck in the past and faces his own challenges.    I loved everything about this book:  the setting, the side trips to Florence and Venice, the delicious homemade food the hotel owner whips up, and the friendships formed through bonds of sorrow.   Charming and uplifting!    Pub date: June 6, 2023 If you like books set in Italy you may want to check out: One Italian Summer  by Rebecca Serle The Seamstress of Sardinia  by Bianca Pitzorno Beautiful Ruins  by Jess Walter Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions  by Mario Giordano A Room
Read more

All the Broken Places by John Boyne

-
Image
  Guilt and Consequences. Oooh this book knocked me off my feet!  I have read a lot of good books, but this one was one of the best I’ve read in a long time!   It’s about guilt, conscience, our role in society and as humans.  It was such a well-crafted slow burn, I had a difficult time putting it down.     In this riveting narrative, we are pulled from one page to the next edging toward a 91-year-old woman’s secret from WWII.  At the same time a drama plays out in current-day London, with both culminating to a jaw-dropping moment.   So good!!    Here are a couple lines to give you a taste of the book.   “I told myself that none of it had been my fault, that I had been just a child, but there was a small part of my brain that asked me, if I was entirely innocent, then why was I living under an assumed name?”   –pg 29   Gretel thought the sparkle had left her eyes—her best feature. “Now they were the color of barbed wire, of rusty ovens, of smoke and ash.”  –pg 98   “My wife belongs to m
Read more