Top Ten Tuesday for August 9th!

Today's Top Ten Tuesday topic is open-ended. 

I am choosing to follow-up on the topic from July 5th: 

The Top Ten Books I Enjoyed 

That Have Under 2000 Ratings on Goodreads

I'm sure most of you are aware that 

this weekly meme is hosted by 

The Broke and the Bookish. 

But, just in case you didn't already 

know that, now you do! :)

I am excited to revisit this topic 

since my July 5th posting consisted
exclusively of books from 
series with which I am enamored! 

There were another 20+ books 
as well!

On to another 10 of that longer list!

A White Wind Blew by James Markert

Definitely one of the best books I have ever read, 

particularly within one of my absolute favorite genres, 
historical fiction! And there is also mystery/suspense involved! 

You can see a partial list of the historical fiction books 
I have read here. How can I best describe this book? 
It's virtually impossible because it is so very unique, IMHO! 
I can tell you that the Borders Book Club read it and 
each member RAVED about it. We also very much appreciated 
Mr. Markert taking time to speak with us during our discussion! 

I can tell you that a person I know who mostly just reads history read the copy I donated to our local library and LOVED it! She was telling everybody how good she thought it was! Rarely do I unreservedly recommend a book to 
virtually anyone and everyone, but this is one of those. 
And it needs to get more press than it has in the past, IMHO! 

I can tell you that this is one of the rare books I would gladly reread 
in the very near future...if only there was more reading time! :) 
My rereads are typically books I haven't read for DECADES, 
not just within the past 5-10 years. 
[This is what happens when you get "wiser," you can remember experiences 
from decades ago! :) Which I actually think is rather remarkable!]

Growin' Up White by Dwight Ritter

Oh, my gosh! Again, simply one of the best books I have ever read! 
I met Ritter and became aware of this book through the 
Christamore House Guild Book and Author Benefit in 2015. 
(If you're ever going to be in Indianapolis in April, attend this event, 
if at all possible. It is unique and definitely worth the time and money, the latter of which goes to a very good cause--supporting 
scholarships for students with limited financial resources!) 

I admire Ritter in so many ways, not the least of which is that he chose to self-publish, thereby retaining total control of the publication of his text. I am sometimes a bit leery about self-published books 
(having been burned by a couple), this one is definitely top-notch! 
Ritter spent his youth in Indianapolis and this book is very very loosely based upon 
some of his experiences and people from his younger years, including his family. 

Harvard Yard by William Martin

This is one I simply pulled off the shelf while working at Borders! 
And, it contains elements of both of my favorite genres, 
historical fiction AND mystery! :) I feel that Martin's writing style 
is very similar to Dan Brown's, and that must be a good thing, 
in my book! (Pun intended!) :) 
I was fascinated by the plot as well as the historical details 
masterfully interwoven throughout...

Born Under a Million Shadows 
by Andrea Busfield

I am preparing to reread this for Bex's Re-Readathon #4 
(August 10-21) that begins tomorrow! 
And...Andrea has agreed to complete an author interview 
which will be posted here! And...she has a new release out! 
The Silence of Stone! It is available for purchase from 
Books-A-Million, Book Depository, Wordery, IndieBound, and 
Barnes and Noble. (I'm sure it's also available on Amazon, 
but you're on your own with that vendor!)

You can hear her speak of her experience in Afghanistan here. (Yes, she lived there!) 

I always recommend this book as an alternative or companion read to The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. It is not that I disliked The Kite Runner, quite the contrary, however, I found it so very intense and rather depressing. Overall, I prefer this publication mainly because I feel as if people outside Afghanistan may be better able to relate to the ex-pat characters, and thereby also obtain a bit more personalized understanding or at least exposure to Islam and the Afghan culture. If I have time I will also re-read Aphrodite's War, her second book, which has remained with me in detail over the past four years! 

As I re-read, 
I will post reviews 
here 
and provide 
updated links!

Safe From the Sea by Peter Geye

I'm certain I would have never read this book had it not been 
selected as a Fiction Expert read for Borders. 
I was very glad to have read it. 
Certain images and the overall plot certainly remain 
lodged in my mind these 6 years later! That says something! Something good! Geye is a master at using the environment as a character in and of itself. The lakeshore landscape of northern Minnesota emphasized aspects of the story: 
loneliness, isolation, solitude, 
returning to nature.
Though many aspects of human life were explored: fertility, death, the "right to die," 
and all those wonderful (*cough cough*) 
"family relationships"! 
At the time I read somewhere that this 
book qualified as "chick lit" for guys. 
I have no idea about that, but I do know 
that I personally found it be a powerful read, especially for a debut! 
He has had two other books released 
since this one: 

The Lighthouse Road in 2012 
and Wintering in July 2016. 
Both of these are on my TBR listing! 

Prairie Evers by Ellen Airgood

This is a bit of a diversion...
into juvenile literature, but I do so enjoy reading "kid's lit"! 
The story of Prairie is so very poignant! 
I don't know how anyone could resist rooting for her!

A Lost Wife's Tale: A Novel by Marion McGilvary

Sadly, it seems Miss McGilvary is no 
longer writing/publishing! :( 
I felt this was an excellent debut novel! 
Ironically, just as Edith believes she has 
hidden her past, it comes right up and punches her!
I didn't believe Edith quite deserved the bad treatment she received, 
though that would be a very difficult thing to forgive...

The Midnight Dog of the Repo Man (introductory e-short story) 

and The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man: A Novel 
by W. Bruce Cameron

I read the short story first and was glad I had. 
I liked having that introduction to 
these characters, Ruddy and Jake. 
I admit that after receiving an email from 
Mr. Cameron, asking if I would 
read and review this book, 
when I saw the cover my reaction 
was kinda "meh"... 
Although I have adored every one of 
his publications I have read, 
so that was the motivation for me to continue onward, reading and reviewing it! Some of the raucous humor 
in this book reminded me of 
Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series! 
(And that's some high praise, coming from me! lol) 
And I am thrilled that the promised sequel, Repo Madness, 
is due to be released August 23 2016! YES!!!

Emory's Gift by W. Bruce Cameron
I'm uncertain if I've ever read a book which better depicted
an adolescent--so much hesitation,
so little confidence, so "clueless" at times!
This one gives you so very much to ponder...
And, of course, don't forget about LOVE:
first loves and girlfriends, loving/"romantic" relationships
later in life, and just how committed/connected we remain 
to those we've lost...and have we really "lost" them?
Will we have the opportunity to reconnect with them 
in the future? In this lifetime? In another lifetime? 
Ahhh...the possibilities are endless...
Thank you for taking the risk to write this story, Mr. Cameron!
Everyone in our book club truly enjoyed this book!

The Penguin Lessons by Tom Michell


I won a free copy of this book through Goodreads. 

THANK YOU!!
As I told my book club members about it, they decided 
they wanted to read it, too, so we did! 
Each member really enjoyed it and it prompted 
much valuable discussion: ecological issues 
and climate change, love between humans and 
animal companions, and impetuous actions 
that end up providing such benefits!
Though we all cried!

I am struggling to re-enter the world of blogging!
It seems that my time becomes more and more limited, 
or perhaps I am just so much more enamored with reading that I find it 
increasingly difficult to publish on the blog...
I am currently helping at an information desk in the lobby of our building on campus,
so brought my laptop so I can access the Registrar's website, 
faculty/staff directory, etc., in helping guide students,
then thought I should access the blog and see what I might be able to finish and publish
during the lag time between students.
And...voilá! 

(Doesn't that make you feel oh, so much more productive?!?)
😉😉😉

Happy reading

--Lynn

Top Ten Tuesday for July 26!!

I have really been getting into Top Ten Tuesdays lately, 

and this week is no exception!
This is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

I may have mentioned before that I LOVE to LEARN!

Truly, if I had the money and thereby the time 

I would probably have amassed many degrees by now!

But I didn't have either the time or money, so...I hold only one undergraduate degree. 

But...that is better than not having had the opportunity or ability to obtain that one! :)

This week's topic:

Top Ten Things Books Have Made Me Want To Do 

or Learn About After Reading Them


I realize you are probably tired of seeing these next two titles on here, but they are both such rewarding and enlightening reading experiences!!

The one book I've read most recently that made me truly curious and wanting to know more about the subject matter was 

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. 

I have the Social Justice Book Club (#SJBookClub) 
to thank for this one!

This book club is hosted by 
Kerry of Entomology of a Bookworm, 

and was founded by herself, 
Shaina of Shaina Reads, and Shannon of River City Reading.

Stevenson founded the Equal Justice Initiative, headquartered in Montgomery, Alabama.

Though this book is absolutely heartbreaking, each person in this country should read it! 

He is proving there can be hope, love, and mercy, by creating a measure of true justice and fairness. Our first positive contribution is to be educated and informed...only then can we truly advocate for a better world, starting by working for those unfairly accused, or worse, unfairly incarcerated and/or sentenced to death. Many of these convictions are obtained by ignoring often irrefutable evidence that would exonerate these "victims" of the U.S. 'justice system,' which is many times anything but...just. :(

The second book read for the Social Justice Book Club was 

The Long Shadow of Small Ghosts: 

Murder and Memory in an American City 

by Laura Tillman.
I admit to a bit of trepidation about this book and exactly what it 
would entail, mainly because I do NOT like to read true crime...
But this was so very much more than that!
I could personally relate to so many aspects of John's and Angela's lives, since I worked as a mental health professional 
advocating for clients' care and maintenance.

Many of the clients with whom I worked dealt with many of the same issues these two people faced... It is gutwrenching and hopefully, for those unfamiliar with such challenges and the people in our society who wrestle with them, very eye-opening. As Tillman notes, we all participate in an execution, by virtue that we, as citizens of a representational democracy are responsible for such.

Dr. Sarat, a professor of political science at Amherst College, author of 

Gruesome Spectacles: Botched Executions and America's Death Penalty, states

Since 1973, one person has been exonerated 

for every nine executed. (205)

...don't I and every other American have a personal stake in every execution that occurs?

How can any of us discover our position on such a law without comprehending its full weight, 

as we might if we saw it enacted? (208)

Though I have personal experience advocating for people facing such challenges, I would like to do more to advocate for political and policy change to not only increase services available to those who need them, but particularly convenient and reasonable access to services. 
**Lynn now steps down off her social service soapbox...everyone breathes a sigh of relief!**

To continue with discussion of the death penalty and social justice, 

I read The Confession by John Grisham about 5 years ago. 

I was caring for my mother, advocating for her medical care in her 

later years, and I associate some rather poignant memories with this title. It was when I first realized just how impaired her cognitive functioning was in some ways. Much as Will Schwalbe 

did in The End of Your Life Book Club, I was hopeful that mother 

and I could read and discuss the same book, helping to keep her 

active in some way and to connect with each other. 

(A task which was always virtually impossible for my mother and 

myself to accomplish throughout my lifetime.) 
Although mother selected this book, she was unable to track well enough to read it.

This was the first (and last) full-length novel I have read in electronic format. Ebooks are just not for me--I am evidently old and set in my ways! :)

Though this was a work of fiction, I felt in many ways it most likely reflects reality. 

Prosecutors and other legal 'professionals' are unwilling to set aside their own success in obtaining convictions to consider the last-minute possibility of a confession by the actual perpetrator of a crime, even if it means an innocent man 

(a teen at the time of his arrest) is unjustly and unfairly executed...

One of my favorite reads ever was 

The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin.

This was the fourth book read for the 

Literary Wives Online Book Discussion Group.

Prior to reading this book I knew little to nothing 

about either Charles or Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

This was eye-opening, to say the least.

He supported the Nazi Regime?

He also supported multiple 'families' in various worldwide locations while simultaneously being married to Anne?

She was an established writer and though Anne edited his book,

The Spirit of St. Louis, which won the 1954 Pulitzer Prize for Autobiography or Biography, he never acknowledged any contribution made by her. Though he might have been a brave and talented navigator, 

in my humble opinion, he was an asshole in his personal life and political beliefs.

Amazingly, Anne never appeared to harbor any ill-will against him for all this (and more), 

but rather she helped him as she could, even as he lay dying. 

I was gratified to learn that she did make a life for herself 
once her children were self-sufficient adults out on their own!

I want to read so many other books as a result of having read 
this one to learn more about both of these people, but 
especially Anne. I have read and greatly enjoyed 
Gift From the Sea by Anne, though I've yet to complete 

a blog post about this book, it is definitely one I will keep 
to reread bits and portions of throughout the 
remainder of my lifetime. 

I found it to be reflective and spiritually uplifting.


My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem

Though I have recorded notes from this book, 

I have yet to distill my thoughts into a blog post.

(In fact, there may be multiple posts for this one!)

This was the first read for 

Emma Watson's Feminist Book Club on Goodreads 

(Emma's Book Club--Our Shared Shelf)

and it was so enlightening!

I enjoyed this book so much and was grateful for this 

reading and learning experience!

Again, I knew next to nothing about Steinem and was so happy to learn more about her, her life, her experiences, her insights,

and especially her work as a "community organizer"!

This makes me want to learn more about feminists' 

efforts and opportunities to advocate for equal opportunity.

A truly scary read, 
Your Heart Is a Muscle the Size of a Fist 
by Sunil Yapa, 
raises some real questions concerning the validity of 
some global organizations such as 
the World Trade Organization (WHO) 
and the World Bank/World Bank Group. 
Additionally, this novel leads us through the 
individual lives of several protestors, 
an estranged father who leads 
the Seattle Police Department, two of the SPD officers, 
and finally, an international diplomat.
One thing that impressed me most about this book was the way Yapa depicts the duality of human nature: Each human being can be kind, gentle, and compassionate, even risking our own life to save that of others, and yet, in a different situation/role, we can be crueler to others than can perhaps be imagined. Much as we might imagine these global organizations are 'doing good,' they might actually reflect this same duality...
I definitely recommend reading this one!


The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
This series is one of my absolute favorites. 
What does it make me want to learn about?
Africa. 
I would love to visit and explore this vast country. 
The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony 
and Circling the Sun by Paula McLain, 
both excellent books in very different ways,
have served to only further peak my interest in this country.


I know I have mentioned this one before, 
but really, it is an amazing reading experience! 
Two Boys Kissing is just so much more than 
"two boys kissing"!
And while you might expect me to state that 
reading this book made me more curious 
about homosexuality, it did not. 
I long ago became comfortable with 
that concept as well as other 'variations' 
upon gender assignment issues. 

What it did make me want to do is read more 
of David Levithan's writing! 
Though I have yet to follow-up on that desire, 
it is very strong and I'm sure I will read more of his books!

I read Finding Jake by Bryan Reardon 
last year and LOVED it! 
Reardon's writing resonated with me so very well!
Though I am not a fan of 'true crime' in the least, 
and despise sensationalism in the mass media, etc., 
this book gave an alternative POV to 
a school shooting than I've ever read before--
truly unique and thought-provoking!
It was reminiscent of One Mississippi by 
Mark Childress in that it explored a school 
shooting from an adolescent's perspective. 
The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb is 
another book that explores a school shooting from a unique/often overlooked perspective. It explores the life of a person only involved in the periphery of such a catastrophic event in the aftermath of that event. The repercussions can be life-altering to so many...


On a bit lighter note, I would love to learn more about penguins, specifically their relationships with humans, 
after reading 
The Penguin Lessons: What I Learned From a Remarkable Bird 
by Tom Michell. 
I loved this poignant yet uplifting memoir! 
As did all the other members of the Borders Book Club! 

What book has motivated you to learn more?