Reading in the Garden

Olympic Dreams.    Hitler’s 1936 Olympics saw our “ Boys in the Boat ” row to victory. Now we get to learn about the “Fast Girls” on the U.S. track team who made history—specifically three women who had their own personal obstacles to hurdle before they reached the world’s stage.  Gender discrimination, racism, ostracism, and a horrific accident all played against the financial squeeze of the Great Depression. A completely compelling read! Happy reading,  Annette 

Ultimate Devastation. With the 75 th  anniversary of Hiroshima today on August 6, I had finally decided to read this classic non-fiction book about the destruction, mayhem, and long-term devastation caused during WWII when the U.S. dropped a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima.  And what a chilling book it is!  The author follows six survivors of that harrowing day to find out what happened to them. After reading this book the events of that day may just be burned into my brain like the intense heat and flash of the bomb that actually imprinted shadows of objects and people from the blast on walls like photographs. People were burning, vomiting. As flames consumed structures all around, others were squashed and trapped under buildings and debris. Unbelievably, the weather brought more misery to a living hell with storms and a flood. The radiation, which was powerful enough to expose x-rays in a hospital basement volt, would cause more damage for years to come to t...

Which author do you share a birthday with? August 1, 1819 – September 28, 1891 – Herman Melville,  Moby-Dick   August 2, 1947 – Lawrence Wright,  The End of October August 3, 1924 – June 21, 2003 – Leon Uris,  Exodus    August 4, 1969 – Jojo Moyes,  Me Before You August 5, 1960 – David Baldacci,  Archer  Series August 6, 1809 – Alfred Tennyson, 1 st , Poet  August 7, 1942 – Garrison Keillor,  Lake Wobegon Days    August 8, 1896-December 14, 1953 – Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings,  The Yearling     August 9, 1927 – June 15, 2014 – Daniel Keyes,  Flowers for Algernon   August 10, 1962 – Suzanne Collins,  The Hunger Games   August 11, 1921 – February 10, 1992 – Alex Haley,  Roots   August 12, 1962  – Chris Bohjalian,  The Red Lotus August 13, 1961 – Tom Perrotta,  Election   August 14, 1947 – Danielle Steel, Romance Novels...

A mix of recommendations—novels and non-fiction, adults and kids.    Here are my most recent reads that I enjoyed. End of Octobery by Lawrence Wright : This book, about a pandemic, had me captivated from page one! There were many parallels to the COVID-19 events: empty grocery store shelves, closed borders, etc.  It's a well-researched, gripping novel that chilled me when it took a much more ominous turn!   What pandemic books have you read lately? The Learning Tree by Gordon Parks:   In light of the #Black Lives Matter protests, I decided to go back to my classics reading list from high school. This   is a coming-of-age story  of a twelve-year-old black boy in Kansas during the mid-1920s as he navigates his way through school, family, friendships, love, a bully, and racism.  Sadly, the semi-autobiographical novel, is still relevant today because almost 60 years after it was published in 1963, many of the ...

Outrageously Hilarious Tour de Force.    I loved Auntie Mame and Patrick’s hilarious and outrageous romp around the world in the late 1930s.  The over-the-top escapades, the witty writing, the author’s knack for capturing accents had me laughing the whole way.  The farcical situations they got themselves into were a hoot: like their time in an old run-down 14 th century Austrian village and their unbeknownst association with Nazis or their escape from armed fascists in Vienna.  This book was just pure amusing escapism, and as fun as the first book,  Auntie Mame!  Happy Reading, Happy Travels! Annette

Mother Dearest.    Ooooh  good! Meet Diana, the mother-in-law. She’s the one every new bride is scared to be saddle with. She is not a warm and fuzzy person—more of a blunt, cold fish and now she's dead.  Did she end her own life or did someone decide to do it for her?  This book toggles back and forth between the mother-in-law's and the daughter-in-law's  point of view ; past and present; and along the way reveals more about both.    It was the perfect remedy for me right now.  With all that's going on with the crazy coronavirus, this book was a good escape to get lost in—a quick, easy, captivating read.    Other Good Mysteries/Thrillers You Might Want to Check Out:  The Red Lotus by Chris Bohjalian The One by John Marrs The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn Other Classic Mysteries/Thrillers You Might Want to Check Out:  Murder on the Orient Express by A...

Family Is Where the Heart Is This book will tug your heart in so many directions.  A mother sells her daughter to the circus where she becomes part of a freakshow.  In an alternating storyline years later, a young woman tries to puzzle together the mystery surrounding her family and discovers the heart-wrenching past she never knew about or could possibly imagine.  You can’t help falling in love with tragic Lilly, the giant, docile elephants, and other circus performers who form her family unit.  You’ll also find three of the most vile villains you’ll ever come across: Lilly’s mother, the circus owner, and the man in charge of the freakshow.  Don’t miss this oh-so-good book! If you enjoy books about the circus you may want to consider: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin Happy Reading! And stay safe in these crazy times! A...