Reading in the Garden

A Stepmother's Reign of Terror and Oppression Falling Leaves by Adeline Yen Mah is the heart-breaking true story of an “unwanted Chinese” daughter.  Adeline’s birth mother died from complications shortly after Adeline was born and soon a new stepmother entered the lives of the Yen family. The new mother called “Niang” gave birth to a girl and a boy, bringing the total brood to seven children.  Right from the beginning her own children were favored as the stepchildren suffered under her rule. Niang was a vindictive, conniving, tyrant who manipulated her husband, kids, and other family members’ lives in a “reign of terror and oppression.”  In an effort to divide and conquer, Niang encouraged strife and betrayal amongst the siblings.  Everyone was affected by her endless emotional abuse, but it was Adeline who was singled out.  Her own father, however, was not innocent, as he always sided with Niang, no matter how unjust, even dispensing own variations of mis...

The Dark Burden of Love The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman is about a lighthouse keeper and his wife on an isolated island in Western Australia in 1926 who save a baby from a ship wrecked on their shores and bury the dead man who was with her.  This baby seems to be a gift from God to Isabel, the lighthouse keeper's wife, who's had several miscarriages.  With a heavy and reluctant heart, her husband, Tom, gives in to her pleas to keep "Lucy."  This sets the stage for an emotional journey of love, guilt, betrayal, and justice.  It's no secret right from the get-go that this book is designed to pull at your heart strings, and it did a good job of it.  In fact, it pulled on my heart like a taffy machine, yanking all my maternal instincts back and forth and back and forth again until it finally managed to coax out a couple tears, which are not always that forthcoming from me (see Firefly Lane ).   I really did like the book, tears, anguish, and al...

Crime and Drama in California Do you believe in love at first sight?  Frank and Cora did. The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain is about a couple who instantly fall in love, tainted with a hearty dose of brutal lust.  He’s a drifter and she’s married to the owner of a roadside diner. They start a passionate and violent affair where bitings and beatings are all part of the fun. It isn’t long before they plan to take out Cora’s husband and then the fun really gets rolling.  Their quest brings them down a windy road with twists and turns around every corner.  This crime novel was first published in 1934.  It is narrated in a “hard-boiled” roman noir voice where there’s some cheesy fast talk, punctuated with vintage exclamations like “swell, by golly, and grand.”  When it was first written, the violence and sexual heat caused quite a stir.  Offended Bostonians banned the book. But despite, or more likely because of the notoriety, thi...

The Courageous Incident of a Boy on a Mission The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon is about a 15-year-old boy with autism who discovers a neighbor dog has been killed with a pitchfork. Christopher makes it his quest to find the killer, all the while writing a book about the mystery.  Christopher does not like to be touched and has difficulties with social interactions, but he does have a gift for math and logic.  With great determination, he uses his logical reasoning to track the killer and soon finds himself in an unexpected journey of discovery, betrayal, and complicated relationships.  I enjoyed this book because it was so different from anything I’ve read.  I liked “getting into Christopher’s head” and learning his fears and methodology for coping with them. Not only did I like Christopher, but I also had sympathy for those who loved and cared for him. This novel made me feel as though I might have a tiny bit better understan...

All About Edgar Edgar Allan Poe is an American icon in literature. He’s known as the “America’s Shakespeare” or “The Master of Macabre” for his genius in poetry and spinning tales of suspense and horror. Most notably recognizable works include “The Fall of the House of Usher,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and the poem “The Raven” among others. Poe was born on January 19, 1809, the second of three children.  Sadly, within three years of his birth, both of his parents died, and Poe was sent to live with a tobacco merchant while his older brother and younger sister were sent to live with other family members.  The Allans took Edgar in as one of their own.  They even sent him to college, sort of.  Poe attended the University of Virginia with less than one-third of the funds he needed.  Soon he was hitting the gambling tables in an attempt to pay his debts—just like Justin Timberlake in the movie Runner, Runner.  Unlike Justin, he didn’t turn to the drug t...

Ghostcapades The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde is an amusing short story about a brash American family that knowingly moves into a haunted English house.  They’re not afraid, no siree.  The ghost, Sir Simon de Canterville, wastes no time in starting his tricks the moment the family of six settles in. But, this time, he’s the one in for a shock, as this American family proves more difficult to scare.  In fact, his tenured position as head horrorfier is no match as the Otis gang has their own tricks up their sleeves. Instead of fainting at a blood stain that continuously returns on a rug, the elder son quickly pulls out Pinkerton’s Champion Stain Remover and Paragon Detergent to clean it. When the rattling chains prove to interrupt Mr. Otis’s sleep, he opens the door and insists the apparition uses Tammany Rising Sun Lubricator on his manacles.  Even the mother is tough as nails.  The ghost is getting frustrated and demonstrates his most demonic laugh, onl...

Headless Horseman Horror Story In the spirit of Halloween, this month I will suggest some creepy, ghostly short stories by famous authors.  Don’t worry. I’m not into the ghastly chilling scene. I don’t like horror movies and rarely read scary books, with an exception of some Stephen King novels.  I don’t really care to be scared senseless by watching dolls come to life or people inversely crab crawling up a staircase.  I prefer my ghosts to be friendlier, like Casper.  With that said, Washington Irving’s classic short story about a headless horseman chasing a scared school teacher, is a milder kind of fright.  The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving is a short story about a gangly, superstitious, nerdy school teacher named Ichabod Crane, who comes to teach in the small village of Sleepy Hollow.  It isn't long before he is smitten by the coquettish Katrina Van Tassel.  Unfortunately, big and boisterous Abraham, aka Brom Bones, als...