Reading in the Garden

The Secret of Hygge.    I blew right through this book. It’s a highly interesting and entertaining insight to a foreigner in Denmark learning what gives it the designation as the happiest country despite having one of the highest taxes.  I learned so much.  -The Danes pay the highest taxes in exchange for a social welfare system that provides security in jobs, schooling, healthcare and general peace of mind.  -In a country where winters are looong and dark, the Danes get cozy in their minimalistic homes, light candles, and embrace hygge (which you’ll learn all about in the book.) -This country of 406 island embraces hobbies/clubs, porn on public TV, shorter work weeks, and a lack of political corruption.  I could go on and on, but Helen Russell tells it best with her wry humor intermixed with statistics and personal impressions, both good and bad.  Find out what a “Princess Stick” is and how bee stings can help during labor!...

The Art of Navigating Relationships and Indian Customs. I  loved  this story that made me feel like I just stepped off the train right into the heart of the Pink City of Jaipur, India. An enthralling tale of sisters navigating their relationship with each other and Indian customs in the 1950s. I got absorbed in this foreign country set in a vibrant background of rich colors, foods, a culture of traditions, superstitions and the caste system, and of course beautiful henna patterns!    I was also excited about the extras in this book—the list of characters at the beginning, the glossary of terms, a few paragraphs about henna and the caste system as well as a couple of recipes at the end.  It’s like a total India immersion kit—makes it all the more satisfying and unforgettable.  Happy Reading! Annette

An Exceptional Memoir This book exceeded all my expectations—an exceptional memoir!  A woman cobbles together her father’s enigmatic past to build a clear picture of the progression of restrictions and brutality against Jews in WWII.   The author never even knew her father was Jewish when she began digging into his past after his death.  What she discovered was bone-chilling.  After years and years of research she learned the fate of her family members, the systematic oppression and obscure laws, and the extermination of loved ones. “…the process of separation and dehumanization emerges. In dizzying increments, the rules become devastating in their absurdity, in their horror…They had to surrender their driving licenses—and, eventually, their cars and bicycles. Their radios. Their cameras. Their stamp collections. Their sewing machines. Their umbrellas. Their pets.” (Ariana Neumann,  When Time Stopped: A Memoir of My Fath...

The future of dating is here! Soooooo clever! Five people are matched with their soulmates through DNA—what could go wrong? This book is a true page-turner.  Each chapter left me hanging and grappling for more.  It had me distracted in the real world while I contemplated what was happening with the characters in the book.  Flawlessly far-fetched—or is it?  LOVED IT!   Hollywood is missing out if they haven’t optioned this for the big screen yet.  My book club raved about it too!  Unanimous votes of thumbs-up. It’ll give you something to think about. Happy Valentine’s Day! ha. Annette

What would you do if it was YOUR sister?  What would you do if your sister was a serial killer?  Our book club had a great discussion about this book.  Where does sisterly love end?  To what ends would you go to protect your loved one?  There were so many interesting questions this book raised. What would bring one to kill?  Does loving your sibling mean you should give up your own grasp at happiness?   When is it too late to stop covering for a sister who shows no remorse, nothing but selfish, self-centered traits?  This “dark comedy” was a quick read that was a big hit with my book club! –So out of the norm, and so memorable.  :)  Annette

From Auschwitz to Siberian Gulag.    Another breathtaking book from the author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz.  Based on true events,  Cilka Klein survives three years in the notorious Auschwitz Concentration Camp during WWII, where Josef Mengele chooses inmates to experiment on and over a million Jews are sent to their deaths in gas chambers.    Incredibly, Cilka goes from one nightmare to the next when the Russians accuse her of collaborating with the Germans and sentence her to fifteen years of hard labor in a Siberian Gulag above the Arctic Circle.    Brutal winters aren't the only ruthless elements she encounters. She must learn to survive in a savage place where rape is the norm and  superiors can send prisoners to the "hole" for minor infractions. Cilka's perseverance in the face of overwhelming injustice is a testament to the indomitable spirit! Unimaginable!  Unforgettable! Annette

Merry Christmas!!  Sending you warm thoughts with wishes of a healthy, happy, and book-filled new year! Originally I was going to list my favorite books of the year, but that turned out to be an impossible task because all of the books I read this year were excellent. I couldn’t choose a favorite. Having said that, I did put a star by the ones that you might want to float to the top of your list if you are having a hard time deciding which one to read first.    Historical Fiction: •  ¬ The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek   by Kim Michele Richardson (historical references to the pack horse program during the 1930s and blue people of Kentucky) •  The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb  by Melanie Benjamin (Based on a woman who was 2’8” tall) •  The Girls in the Picture   by Melanie Benjamin (about silent film star Mary Pickford and screenwriter Frances Marion) •  I Always Loved You  by Robin Oliveira (about...