Wedded bliss and motherhood for Anne

Anne's House of Dreams 

by L.M. Montgomery

Although I was initially a bit disappointed that Anne would no longer be at Green Gables very often, I am NEVER disappointed in another installment of the Green Gables series! Thanks so much to Reeder Reads for putting this read-along together and heading it! I am so way far behind on my reading schedule for May I was uncertain if I could (1) get this read, and (2) complete a blog post, all before June 1st! But I have managed it! I have the usual 30 or more sticky notes in this book to mark those spots to which I wish to refer as I compose my review. However, overall, this is another favorite for me among the five I have now read in this series. 

I adore Montgomery's writing in so many ways. She doesn't hesitate to include what, for me at least, is some challenging vocabulary. I love learning new words! Anne's life always includes some tragedy as well as all the good stuff, so it isn't as "Polly-Annish" as I might have feared. As Marilla notes in considering her feelings and the future once Anne and Gilbert are married, "every joy must bring with it its little shadow of sorrow." (2) And I still believe Montgomery is unsurpassed in introducing new characters in each book and making the reader feel as if you've known them all along throughout the entire series! Captain Jim, Susan, Leslie, Cornelia. These are just four of the newly unforgettable people in Anne's life. I admit I was a bit nostalgic about Anne and Gilbert moving away from Green Gables, because I was going to miss Marilla, Rachel Lynde, and the twins, Davy and Dora, so very much. But it was fortunate for Anne and Gilbert that he was able to locate a doctor willing to retire so Gilbert could take over his practice!

Anne's wedding is held at Green Gables, a very small and intimate affair, as one might expect of Anne--she only wanted those closest to her in attendance. And there was no honeymoon to foreign locations; Gilbert and Anne choose instead to spend their time in virtual isolation at their "House of Dreams" located on the water in a beautifully green and lush setting. 

     "I don't suppose we'll have four such perfect weeks again--but we've had them. 

  Everything--wind, weather, folks, house of dreams--has conspired to make our 

  honeymoon delightful. There hasn't even been a rainy day since we came here."

     "And we haven't quarrelled once," teased Gilbert.

     "Well, 'that's a pleasure all the greater for being deferred,'" quoted Anne. I'm so glad 

  we decided to spend our honeymoon here. Our memories of it will always belong here, 

  in our house of dreams, instead of being scattered about in strange places." (40)

How wise of her. I would agree. 

Anne discussed the pros and cons of the new 'modern inconvenience'--the telephone. I had totally forgotten about the "party lines" of the past (Yes, I do remember them!), when you could literally hear others breathing as they listened to your conversation, and/or the sound of phones being hung up or picked up as you talked! That was a little creepy...to think others could listen. Though I was on my cell phone several years ago speaking with a friend out in California (I was in Indiana at the time) and all of a sudden she and I begin overhearing a conversation between a mother (located in Indiana) and her daughter (in California), then after a couple of minutes, I am speaking with the daughter and my friend is speaking with the mother, and our initial connection was broken! That was freaky! And proof that technology is not infallible! So, although we no longer have party lines...who knows?!? :)

In discussion of her upcoming wedding with Mrs. Harmon Andrews (her friend Jane's rather snooty mother), Anne responds to the mention of her red hair: 

     "Red hair is very fashionable now," said Anne, trying to smile, but speaking rather 

  coldly. Life had developed in her a sense of humour, which helped her over many 

  difficulties; but as yet nothing had availed to steel her against a reference to her hair." 

       (9)

Hah! Some things never change! :)

Anne describes her idea of the perfect marriage ceremony being performed in the orchard at dawn and Mrs. Lynde reacts: 

     "But that would be terrible queer, Anne. Why it wouldn't really seem legal. And what 

  would Mrs. Harmon Andrews say?" 

     "Ah, there's the rub," sighed Anne. "There are so many things in life we cannot do 

  because of the fear of what Mrs. Harmon Andrews would say. ''Tis true, 'tis pity, and 

  pity 'tis, 'tis true.' What delightful things we might do were it not for Mrs. Harmon 

  Andrews!" (13) 

Oh, my, I feel that is particularly true in a rural area, so many worry about what others think. Geeminy! I remember all about that growing up in the rural small-town Midwest! 

Then Phil delivers what is surely Anne's favorite wedding gift ever, Gog and Magog, the ceramic dogs from Patty's Place, where she and Phil lived while at college. Miss Patty and Maria were planning to will them to her, but decided they would give them to her while she was young. Awwww... What a sacrifice for them and yet what a wonderful gift to Anne. That made me love these two older sisters even more! 

As Gilbert describes the house he has found for them to live in, Anne exclaims,

     "Oh, I'm so glad! I couldn't live where there were no trees--something vital in me 

  would starve. Well, after that, there's no use asking if there's a brook anywhere near. 

  That would be expecting too much."

     "But there is a brook--and it actually cuts across one corner of the garden."

     "Then," said Anne, with a long sigh of supreme satisfaction, "this house you have 

  found is my house of dreams and none other." (11)

Montgomery describes the surrounding landscape of the "House of Dreams":

     The woods call to us with a hundred voices, but the sea has one only--a mighty voice that drowns our souls in its majestic music. The woods are human, but the sea is of the company of the archangels. (54) 

And so Anne was the first bride of Green Gables on a gorgeously sunny September afternoon.

     Gilbert, waiting for her in the hall below, looked up at her [as she came down the 

  stairs] with adoring eyes. It was to him she was coming in the sweet surrender of a 

  bride. Was he worthy of her? Could he make her as happy as he hoped? If he failed her--

  if he could not measure up to her standard of manhood--then, as she held out her 

  hand, their eyes met and all doubt was swept away in a glad certainty. They belonged 

  to each other; and, no matter what life might hold for them, it could never alter that. 

  Their happiness was in each other's keeping and both were unafraid." (21)

I admit to cringing a bit at the "sweet surrender" part! However, the ending seemed a bit more egalitarian, and after all, Gilbert had patiently waited...for years! It required him almost dying to bring Anne around. :)

And there were so many new and wonderfully delightful personalities among the friends Anne and Gilbert would make while living in their "House of Dreams." Captain Jim, though a "homely man"...had a "spirit shining through that rugged tenement [that] beautified it so wholly." (27) Though Miss Cornelia notes, 

     "Captain Jim is a good man, but he's kinda vexing in one way. You can't make him 

  mad. I've tried for over twenty years and he just keeps on being placid. It does sort of 

  rile me." (49)

In fact, Captain Jim and Miss Cornelia's relationship reminded me of my former mother- and father-in-laws' constant bickering! :)

Anne asks Miss Cornelia why she hates men:

     "Lord, dearie, I don't hate them. They aren't worth it. I just sort of despise them. I 

  think I'll like your husband if he keeps on as he has begun. But apart from him, about 

  the only men in the world I've much use for are the old doctor and Captain Jim." (48)

Though I would say there's little difference between hating and despising, I can understand her not wishing to expend the amount of energy it requires to hate... 

Anne becomes just a bit insecure when Gilbert heartily agrees Leslie is beautiful after his first meeting with her--she has a head full of abundantly shiny golden hair.

     "Gilbert, would you like my hair better if it were like Leslie's?" she asked wistfully.

     "I wouldn't have your hair any colour but just what it is for the world," said Gilbert, 

  with one or two convincing accompaniments. "You wouldn't be Anne if you had golden 

  hair--or hair of any colour but"--

     "Red," said Anne. with gloomy satisfaction.

     "Yes, red--to give warmth to that milk-white skin and those shining gray-green eyes 

  of yours. Golden hair wouldn't suit you at all, Queen Anne--my Queen Anne--queen of 

  my heart and life and home."

     "Then you may admire Leslie's all you like," said Anne magnanimously. (80)    

I'd like to think that if I had met Anne and Gilbert, I would have considered them to be of "the race that knows Joseph," too! :) You need to read this to learn about Anne's children, Joyce and James Matthew, and the whereabouts of Leslie's husband. Oh, and Miss Cornelia actually plans to be married at the end!! Shock! There is so much packed into these mere 227 pages! Have you read this series? I am love love loving it!

My Memorial Day thoughts...

This may well be one of the very first times I've created a strictly personal blog post, but here goes...

Though I rarely celebrate a holiday, mainly due to the fact that most of them are part of a religious belief system, I do always remember those I've lost in my life on this holiday. But here's the thing--I remember those people who were closest to me and meant so much to me EVERY SINGLE DAY! I don't need this one day each year to do that since each of these people imprinted themselves upon my soul in so many ways. 

Though he said they were black,
this is what I envision.

However, in reminiscing about veterans, I do have a person I can honor, even if it is posthumously. That would be my former father-in-law, "Goob." He served in World War II in the Pacific theater, most of his stories dealt with the time he was posted in New Guinea. Just the different climate and thereby varied insects and plant-life made for many recollections that he would occasionally speak about to the rest of us. One of those stories will stick with me throughout my lifetime. It dealt with spiders. Not just spiders as most of us think of them, these were real-life HUMONGOUS VERY HAIRY spiders. As Goob demonstrated,
when he held one in his hand, the body was

This is about the size, I imagine. BTW, this is a scientist
holding a model!

large enough to more than fill his palm, 
with the legs hanging down...and they 
were very hairy! YUCK!! 
However, as he explained, the soldiers never chased them away, but worked to live with them amicably since they would kill other deadly and annoying insects, enabling more peaceful sleep. These spiders would make their webbed homes in the top of the tents and "stand guard" over the soldiers, as it were!

He was a mild-mannered soft-spoken individual who was quite content to work in the background and never seek recognition for himself. The bulk of work he performed during World War II dealt with breaking codes and repairing communication equipment. He could dismantle virtually any machine, diagnose why it would not work, obtain replacement parts, rebuild it, and it would work again! His talents in this area appeared to be limitless! I never will forget the third time (within a 12-month period) he had to work on my stand mixer, and he finally admitted defeat, stating, "Sis, you're just gonna have to buy an all-metal mixer, a commercial grade one, 'cause you just use 'em too much. These newer ones mainly have plastic parts and they aren't made for the amount of use you give 'em!" Then he laughed, 'cause he knew he was one of the biggest fans of my baked goods--cookies, cakes, pies, you name it--he always stopped by and critiqued them all...at least once, depending upon how well he liked them! (He had been known to stop by the house 2-3 times per day for coffee and a treat!) The greatest compliment he could ever give you about something you cooked was, "That's almost as good as my mother made." There were only two things I made that received that highest accolade, molasses cookies and pies. And he even told me once that he thought the molasses cookies might even be a bit better than what his mother used to make! :) I knew I had arrived when he told me that, rather than his typical evaluation of "It'll eat," followed by a chuckle. I had a lot of respect for this man. He did not gush or gloat, but seemed to appreciate each day and plodded through each one... He never rushed and he was never "in a hurry," but he was always there if you needed him. 

This one man fixed more furnaces, air-conditioning units, refrigerators, washers, and dryers in his local community than probably any one man before or since! And if someone couldn't pay him, he would barter or take payments, whatever... He was truly kind and generous...perhaps to a fault at times, but I would rather a person be overly generous than stingy. His wife belonged to a very small local church and he kept the absolutely ancient furnace running in that building. He would even check on it very early (3-4AM) on Sunday mornings and turn it up so it would be warm for Sunday services. He never felt the need to attend church himself, but he would enable others to attend in comfort. I never did know what his spiritual beliefs were, and as usually happens, I wish I'd spent more time truly communicating with and getting to know this man who was the closest thing I had to a father, particularly in the wake of my one and only uncle's death. 

Goob endured much during his wartime service and in the aftermath. His health suffered from the diseases to which he was exposed during his military service and those that lingered with him throughout the remainder of his lifetime. But he never complained or criticized his plight, he just went through life with a positive attitude and a smile. Though he did like to grumble and mumble at times, it seemed as if he mainly did this to amuse himself...and others! I believe he wanted others to believe he was a "grumpy old man," when he truly was not. He had the most infectious chuckle! 

He and my former mother-in-law were two of the most unique individuals I've ever known, and they had one of the most unique marital relationships I've witnessed. These two people loved to bicker with each other more than anything. I began to realize this was evidently their idea of "loving communication." They remained married throughout their entire adult lives, and although I respect that immensely, I often wondered just how happy each of them was in the marriage. Though they were evidently happy enough...and I don't believe either of them would have ever seriously considered divorce; that just wasn't in their realm of possibility. I never will forget her stating to me that she was so glad Goob wasn't alive to witness my own divorce from her son. I personally believe she may well have underestimated her husband's ability to understand my own marital relationship, but we will never know...perhaps she was right and it would have broken his heart. I hope not...and I hope he knew how much I really loved him. I feel he must know that my three sons all inherited mechanical skills working with their hands from him. Every time they create or remodel something in their own house or repair a vehicle, I know he knows that he lives on...

Not just one day, but many years...

One Day by David Nicholls

I realize this cover may not be one you have seen before for this book. It is the ARC I was sent as a Borders employee in early 2010, prior to the book's release. I was a "Fiction Expert" reviewer for Borders at the time. (I know, doesn't that sound official and show-offy? But truly, all you had to do was volunteer! I'm fairly certain there was no vetting process, just appreciation for us nerds who would help market books.) 

I loved this book the first time I read it, recommended it to our book club, and we just discussed it yesterday, so wanted to publish a review while it's all still fresh in my mind. (I am old, you know--no reason to chance what might remain in my mind later on.) Please allow me to note that after five years I had forgotten more than I thought I had, and, as you might expect, it was not quite as enthralling the second time around just because I knew what happened...but I could still read it as a study of human nature and enjoy it immensely. One comment, having read one of Nick Hornby's books and not being particularly enamored by it, his recommendation had little to do with my interest in reading this, though I do agree with his reactions. 

Of the five members attending, one could not get into the book at all, abandoning it after 140 pages, three others liked it to varying amounts, and I still loved it! This book felt particularly "British" to one member and was therefore a bit more difficult for her to get into. We did use the questions I had located as some starting points for discussion, but we all agreed that Dexter was quite unlikable until he finally appeared to grow up and overcome his addiction(s) though I was reminded at the very end of the book of the fact that Emma had ALWAYS held a special attraction for him from the beginning of their relationship. I really like this cover (to the right) for the book. I plan to watch the movie after completing this review of the book, so that will be interesting... One of our book club members prefers the movie to the book, but the rest of us had yet to watch it. 

The format is a bit unusual as the book progresses, particularly at the end, though for me, that was especially effective, a couple of our book club members found it a bit confusing. It is always recommended to bring any story "full circle" and Nicholls did that spectacularly, in my opinion! Once I read a blurb describing The Unbearable Lightness of Being (having not read it yet myself), I realized the irony symbolized by the mention of this book early on. 

     'Let's just cuddle, shall we?'

     'Of course. If you want,' he said gallantly, though in truth he had never really seen the 

  point of cuddling. Cuddling was for great aunts and teddy bears. Cuddling gave him cramp.

  Best now to admit defeat and get home as soon as possible, but she was settling her 

  head against his shoulder territorially, and they lay like this, rigid and self-conscious for 

  some time... (11)

Dexter was "beautiful" and definitely a king with regard to the kingdom of "one-night stands." Emma was definitely not the type of female with whom he usually "hooked up." And that describes them throughout much of this novel. In their views of the future, they were quite different--she, idealistic though realistically focused and he, oblivious to much of anything regarding the future, particularly since he would be traveling the world throughout the summer. As one of our book club members noted, it was this financial independence that enabled his addictive behaviors and lackadaisical attitude toward adult life, and I suppose that is true to an extent. Though I know of two adult males who had no such financial independence and still ruined their adult lives, dying at young ages, as a result of addictions...so I believe it can happen to anyone regardless of their financial wherewithal. 

Nicholls offsets serious issues with humor and irony. 
     Emma got a job pulling pints in the local pub, and time passed, and she felt her brain 
  begin to soften like something forgotten at the back of the fridge. (22)
That I could relate to very well! I worked in a job that was local to my community during one summer and I swore to never do that again! I really wanted to expand my horizons a bit and get to know different people. Emma writes to Dexter while working at her second job with the Sledgehammer Theatre Co-operative (Hah! What a name!) touring with 'Cruel Cargo,' an Arts Council-funded spectacular about the slave-trade told through the medium of story, folk song and some pretty shocking mime (16), about one of her co-stars:

     [Candy's] Geordie accent is unbelievable, like she's had a stroke or something and she's 

  also got this thing about doing yoga in her lingerie. There, that's got your attention, hasn't 

  it? It's the first time I've seen someone do the Sun Worship in hold-up stockings and a 

  basque. That can't be right, can it? (18)
This passage made me laugh several times! Such humor is sprinkled throughout the book.
     Dexter didn't like to think of himself as vain, but there were definitely times when he
  wished there was someone on hand to take his photograph. (24) 
Hate to tell ya, Dex, but in my humble opinion, that IS the definition of vain! :)
     The attraction of a life devoted to sensation, pleasure and self would probably wear thin 
  one day, but there was still plenty of time for that. (25)
It definitely required a VERY long time before Dexter tired of pleasure-seeking for its own sake, regardless of others' feelings, etc. 

It seems as if Dexter finally finds his niche as a TV presenter, 
     In rare moments of self-doubt, Dexter had once worried that a lack of intellect might hold 
  him back in life, but here was a job where confidence, energy, perhaps even a certain 
  arrogance were what mattered, all quantities that lay within his grasp. Yes, you had to be 
  smart, but not Emma-smart. Just politic, shrewd, ambitious. (62)
However, he manages to even mess that up! It is not long after that that Emma tells him,
     'Dexter, I love you so much. So, so much, and I probably always will.' Her lips touched 
  his cheek, 'I just don't like you anymore. I'm sorry.' (210)
Another incident to which I could relate as I also cut ties with a person I truly loved, because his addictive behaviors were reprehensible to me and he was not the same person. It hurt so much to do that, but I felt it was necessary...I couldn't stand the heartbreak of watching him spiral downward. 

Definite irony in the fact that Dexter had an affair with a student during his brief teaching stint, and then Emma (quite out of character, according to one of our book club members) has an affair with her principal during her teaching stint. None of us could figure out why, except that it was convenient and unattached sex for her, since he was married. As she describes one of their sexual encounters, she states that one day she would like to have sex on furniture that doesn't stack. (218) That had me laughing out loud!

I was bothered by Dexter being drunk while caring for his infant daughter. I know this happens, but it really bothers me. And to make matters worse, Sylvie knew he was drunk, but was more interested in her own extramarital affair then in the well-being of her daughter! Geeminy! Anyone can give birth, but not everyone is capable of decent parenting! :( 

I was glad that Dex and Em did finally admit to each other their true feelings. I never did like Collum; he was just a creep! And poor Jasmine, she certainly had to adapt to many life changes in her first few years of life. (I would have loved to name a daughter Jasmine, however, I had three sons...so that didn't happen!) Have you read this one yet? One of our book club members felt it was depressing, however, I found it rather uplifting in the end. If you've read it, what did you think? 

I am anxious to read his newest release, Us, which is not a sequel to this book. And...on to the movie adaptation! This book did remind me much of the movie City of Angels with Meg Ryan and Nicholas Cage--one of my favorites! Wonder if the movie will seem similar?

Ahhhh...be still my heart!!

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

I realize I don't actually need another book read-along or reading challenge or book club in which to participate, however... 

 I am joining others in the Gone With the Wind Read-Along initiated by Corinne at the pursuit of happiness. 

This cover (to the left) looks nothing like mine!
About two years ago I purchased a copy of this classic. 
My edition is definitely "classic"/"used"! 

Okay, in reality, it is old, published in 1964! (Almost as old as I am!) And it looks it, with the edges of the pages yellowed with age and I love it! I am obviously the first person to actually read it, which always makes me wonder about previous owner(s)!
My other copy was  paperback, but this is a hardback, 
and much more to my liking! 

At 10 pages in I am reminded of the first time I read this as a teenager. What fantasies I created from this text! I imagined myself as Scarlett, of course, the belle of the pre-Civil War Southern U.S. And then as one of the slaves. Then as Melanie. Then Ashley. And finally, as THE MAN, Rhett! Raised in a household of women, I always believed Rhett to be a real "man's man"! Though in reality, I had no idea exactly what that meant! :)               

And, oh, the pictures I found online to supplement my blog posts. I really MUST watch the movie again, but not until I have reread the book! 

                                

Check it out at the pursuit of happiness!

The reading schedule for this read-along is as follows:

          Friday, May 1st: initial post about how excited we are to begin! (I truly am!)

        

          Saturday, May 16th: Check-in for Chapters 1-10 (145 pages)

          Saturday, May 30th: Check-in for Chapters 11-20 (99 pages)

          Saturday, June 13th: Check-in for Chapters 21-30 (118 pages)

          Saturday, June 27th: Check-in for Chapters 31-40 (147 pages)

          Saturday, July 11th: Check-in for Chapters 41-50 (122 pages)

          Saturday, July 28th: Check-in for Chapters 51-60 (79 pages)

          Saturday, August 1st: Check-in for Chapters 61-63  (23 pages) FINAL DISCUSSION

How about you? Have you read this book? (This will be the 6th or 7th time for me!) Or have you watched the movie? (This will be the 6th time I've watched the movie, and only the first time I wasn't in a movie theater to do so!) I can never decide which character is my favorite, 'cause I always feel Mitchell does such an excellent job of characterization that I know each one so intimately!

To the South I go! 

The worst of the worst launder more than just money!?!

Al Capone Does My Shirts: A Novel 

by Gennifer Choldenko

I just needed a break from the adult book world and what better distraction than children's literature? Admittedly, this is one of the very few books to which I was mainly attracted by the title. I just had to see what it was all about! Was I ever pleasantly surprised! This is so much more than a "kids" book! (As is so often the case!) :)

I have loved all the Newbery Medal and Newbery Honor books I've read, and this Honor book was no exception! I guess I had never really considered the total setup with a community like that on Alcatraz. Firstly, of course, the geographic location of an island forces isolation to themselves upon everyone living there. Secondly, I would have never considered that perhaps Alcatraz Island was a much safer and more secure environment than that of San Francisco just across the bay. Thirdly, we must remember the time, it was the depression--there were few jobs and so very many people were unemployed. At this time in US history, most females did not work outside the home, so it was mostly males competing for jobs and they were extremely scarce... 

Moose introduces us to his world on page 3:
        The convicts we have are the kind other prisons don't want. I never knew prisons 
     could be picky, but I guess they can. You get to Alcatraz by being the worst of the worst.
     Unless you're me. I came here because my mother said I had to. (3)
Yes, Moose, that is typically what happens at age 12--we go where our parents tell us to go! Live with our parents, wherever that might be... :) 

       I peek out the front window of our new apartment and look up to see a little glass room 
     lit bright in the dark night. This is the dock guard tower, a popcorn stand on stilts where
     somebody's dad sits with enough firepower to blow us all to smithereens. The only guns
     on the island are up high in the towers or the catwalks, because one flick of the wrist and
     a gun carried by a guard is a gun carried by a criminal. The keys to all the boats are
     kept up there for the same reason. They even have a crapper in each tower so the
     guards don't have to come down to take a leak. (4)
Yikes! That's some scary stuff! I don't think I would be thrilled with those living arrangements! But when you're 12 that's probably exciting, especially to your peers not living there!

Moose's dad explains the laundry system on Alcatraz:
     We don't put the laundry out until Wednesday. Comes back Monday.
       "Mom doesn't have to do it?"
       He shakes his head. "The convicts do the washing here."
       "The convicts wash my shirts, as in murderer convicts and kidnapper convicts, and     
     then I'm supposed to wear them?"
       He laughs. (34)
This knowledge proves to come in handy for Moose, Piper, and some of the other kids living on Alcatraz. Though what can seem good in the beginning...well...you know...

We soon learn that Moose's sister, Natalie, has some not-so-normal behaviors and habits.
And...
        Sometimes Nat's tantrums go on and on for days and nothing makes them stop. It's 
     impossible to know what will set her off. (9) 
I immediately feel for Natalie's whole family, but particularly Moose. I always think life is much harder for the more "normal"/socially acceptable sibling(s). :( This is one of my favorite parts of this series. Natalie's challenges feel so real and are depicted so realistically, so I was not at all surprised to learn that Choldenko's real-life sister deals with the symptoms of autism. No wonder she can depict Natalie so accurately! And sweetly! And so smart is so many ways! Natalie was definitely my favorite character. And who could resist her frequent proclamation, "Natalie Flanagan's whole family." :) 
     Natalie's age is always ten. Every year my mom has a party for her and she turns ten
     again. My mom started counting Nat's age this screwy way a long time ago. It was just
     easier to have her younger than me. Then my mother could be happy for each new thing
     I did, without it being another thing Natalie couldn't do. (12) 
I can understand this coping mechanism on his mom's part. 

Then enter Theresa Mattaman, "little Eleanor Roosevelt," who is trying to push her way into their apartment, and "Natalie-the-screamer" on the other side of the door, inside the apartment. As Moose thinks, "What they say about females being the weaker sex is the biggest lie in the world." :)

Moose describes himself:
     I don't like getting in trouble. I was born responsible. It's a curse. (16)
However, I wonder how much of that is inborn for Moose and how much is the result of constantly being held responsible for Natalie's well-being and behavior. That would be a lot of pressure for a child!

       Natalie turns all the way around and looks me straight in the eye in that weird way she
     has of suddenly being present after weeks of being somewhere else. (23)
Moose begins wondering whether Natalie may realize this is the first day she will go to school, for although they've built up the Esther P. Marinoff,
     "...somehow in all this talking, we ignored the major thing.
       You don't come home from the Esther P. Marinoff. Every morning when the sun comes
     up, that's where Natalie will be. (23)
Ooohhh, poor Natalie. Her parents don't tell her the truth that this is a "residential" school and she won't be returning home every night, fearing (rightfully so) it will upset her immeasurably, and yet, she is NOT stupid, she can sense the mood... 

Moose mistakenly assumed Natalie was interested in history since she had loved it when he read to her from a history book, 
       But it didn't take long to realize it wasn't history Natalie was interested in. It's the 
     indexes she loves. Any subject will do. (26)
      Sometimes is seems easier to be Natalie. People force her to do stuff. I have to force 
     myself. (42)
However, Natalie only lasts one day at Esther P. Marinoff, and since his Dad must work, Moose accompanies his mother to pick her up.
     Here we go again... Before the Esther P. Marinoff, the Barriman School was "It" and 
     before that the heat treatments and before that the aluminum formula before that UCLA. 
       At UCLA they made us cut Natalie's hair. Shaved it right off. They tested her like she 
     was some kind of insect. (65)
I remember my grandmother desperately searching for treatment for my aunt who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. It is desperation that you feel, particularly back in the early 1960's when there was basically NOTHING available, so I can only imagine in the 1930's!!

And wouldn't you like to be baby Rocky, who can rightfully claim (when he's older, of course!) that Al Capone's mother once rocked you and stopped your crying as an infant? :) So the kids' ruse to meet Al Capone's mother while on the boat to Alcatraz did work, however, Mrs. Capone never did see her own son, as she was so traumatized by the strip search which revealed nothing more than the metal stays in her old-fashioned corset had set off the metal detector. She refused to stay on the island. 
       I can't get over this. I keep thinking about when Al Capone was a baby. I'll bet his 
     mama sang him the same song she sang to Rocky. I'll bet she held his hand when they 
     crossed the street, packed his lunch for school, and sewed his name in his jacket--A. 
     Capone so everyone would know it was his.  
       I'll bet she wishes she could do it all over again too...if only Al were little and she could.
       (134)
Ah, yes, some of these criminals might have had just such a "normal" upbringing...

Moose uncharacteristically leaves Natalie unattended for a period of time while he looks for "convict" baseballs that may have gone over the wall from the inside. When he returns,
       "Hey, Nat, everything okay here? You just been playing your game, right?"
       "105," she says.
       "105?" I ask. (141)
Though at the time Moose believes she is talking about the numbers of rocks with which she is playing or the number of birds she has counted, he doesn't realize until near the end of the book just what this number truly means to Natalie. 

Then Moose asks his father the one question I'm sure most siblings of "different" children ask eventually,
       "Did I cause Natalie to be the way she is?" The question seems to come from 
     somewhere deep inside of me. 
       "Moose?" My father freezes, his eyes riveted on me.
       "Something I did? You said she got worse when she was three. That's when I was 
     born. Was it me?" I concentrate on the rug.
       "Moose." My dad grabs my shoulders and he looks straight into my eyes. "I don't 
     know," he says, taking a teary breath, "what caused Natalie to be sick. I don't think 
     anyone knows that. But I do know this." He bites his lip, his voice so full of feeling, he's 
     having trouble speaking. "Absolutely...absolutely for sure it had nothing, nothing at all to 
     do with you. (173)

These characters are so real. 

Choldenko does a great job of delineating the children and their inter-relationships, 

as well as the adults on the island. 

She includes a summary of her research and what was factual and what she fictionalized. 

I think children would enjoy this book. I certainly did. 

So much so, that I read the next two in the series! 

Does it sound interesting? Imaginative? 

Engaged Anne--principal and meddler of the best kind!

Anne of Windy Poplars
by L.M. Montgomery

I am so very glad I took advantage of ReederReads' Green Gables Read-Along!

We get to know Anne as the principal of Summertime High School, living on Spook's Lane in Windy Poplars. As Anne writes to Gilbert,
     Isn't that an address? Did you ever hear anything
     so delicious? Windy Poplars is the name of my new
     home and I love it. I also love Spook's Lane, which
     has no legal existence. It should be Trent Street
     but it is never called Trent Street... It's dusk
     dearest. (In passing, isn't 'dusk' a lovely word? I
     like it better than twilight. It sounds so velvety
     and shadowy and...and...dusky.) In daylight I
     belong to the world...in the night to sleep and
     eternity. But in the dusk I'm free from both and
     belong only to myself...and you. (3)

     I wended my way to the graveyard this evening, Anne wrote to Gilbert... I
     think 'wend your way' is a lovely phrase and I try to work it in whenever I
     can. (51)
I'm so glad to see that Anne has yet to lose her fascination with words, nor her imaginative beliefs! Anne is Anne is Anne...and I'm always thrilled with that knowledge as I read each of these books. She becomes so familiar and well-known at the start and never loses that appeal...at least to me! (And, in case you're wondering, like Anne, I also try to use certain favorite words or phrases whenever possible!)

The first person she and Mrs. Lynde meet in town is Mrs. Braddock who immediately warns her of the "Royal family":
     ...a third cousin of theirs applied for the Principalship and they all think he
     should have got it. When your application was accepted the whole kit and
     kaboodle of them threw back their heads and howled. Well, people are like
     that. We have to take them as we find them, you know. They'll be as smooth
     as cream to you but they'll work against you every time. I'm not wanting to
     discourage you, but forewarned is forearmed. I hope you'll make good just
     to spite them. (6)
Ah, that good ol' two-faced business--nice to your face, nasty behind your back! I was once told by a minister's wife that she had learned, the first church members who fall all over themselves to ingratiate you and praise you upon your arrival in a new church, are typically the first to stab you in the back, much as the Pringles are known to be. So very sad, "that's what," as Mrs. Lynde would say! But I loved Mrs. Braddock for telling Anne in a most factual and positive way without lowering herself to the Pringles' level of snide hypocrisy!

Anne lucks out by beating the new banker in town to the "tower room" at Windy Poplars and lives with the two widows and Rebecca Dew, of whom she writes to Gilbert,
     You can't separate those names, Gilbert. It's impossible...though the
     widows do it. They call her Rebecca when they speak to her. I don't know
     how they manage it. (10)
And the way Aunt Kate and Aunt Chatty (everyone calls them 'aunt'!) use reverse psychology with Rebecca Dew is hysterical! First to get her to agree to take Anne as a boarder and then to keep Dusty Miller living with them! So funny!

     No matter how often and long I'm away from [Green Gables], the minute a
     vacation comes I'm part of it again as if I have never been away, and my
     heart is torn over leaving it. But I know I'll like it here. And it likes me. I
     always know whether a house likes me or not. (12)
Fanciful Anne! Knowing whether a house likes her or not! :) We learn much about Anne's life during these three years through the letters she writes to Gilbert, as well as narrative. I typically love epistolary novels (The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows always comes to mind as a beautiful example.) I so enjoyed imagining Gilbert's reactions as he read Anne's long letters!

Regarding her trials and tribulations with the Pringles:
     School has been 'keeping' for two weeks now and I've got things pretty well
     organized. But Mrs. Braddock was right...the Pringles are my problem. And
     as yet I don't see exactly how I'm going to solve it in spite of my lucky
     clovers. ...they are as smooth as cream, and as slippery.

     My room is full of Pringles and a good many students who bear another
     name have Pringle blood in them. The ring-leader of them seems to be Jen
     Pringle, a green-eyed bantling who looks as Becky Sharp must have looked
     at fourteen. I believe she is deliberately organizing a subtle campaign of
     insubordination and disrespect, with which I am going to find it hard to cope.
     (17) [Confession: I had to google Becky Sharp, having never read Vanity
              Fair!]
But just as Anne believes she has lost this 'war,' as so often happens with her, she lucks out and gains some valuable historical information pertinent to the Pringles that salvages her relationship with them, being accepted by all of them, making her secure in her three-year contract as principal and much happier since she admits that she still can't stand not to be 'liked' by everyone, just as she felt as a child. Interestingly, as I read this I thought of a person who told me their goal in life was to "make everyone love me." This made me uneasy, because it is so unrealistic, not everyone will love any one person, so while you can hopefully establish respectful relationships with most people you encounter, it is impossible to make each person love or even like you. But I assume that Anne was referring to the ability to establish effective and respectful relationships, at least I am making that my interpretation of her desire. :)

One of the main themes of all the Green Gables books I've read thus far is the idea of Anne simply trying to be the best person she can be, even when meddling into other peoples' lives and affairs, and these actions turning out to save her in many ways. For example, her private nurturing of Sophy Sinclair's desire and talent to act, thereby thwarting Jen Pringle, the lead actress in the High School play , when she claimed to be sick the day of the performance, hoping to destroy any hope of Anne's success as the faculty sponsor of the event. This allowed Sophy to stand in and experience success which lead her to become a very successful actress as an adult, and saving Anne from defeat! Anne's persistence to get to know and like Katherine which led the woman to change careers and find happiness she had never hoped to discover within herself.

Perhaps the two most poignant stories of all in this book: Little Elizabeth's hope that her father would rescue her from life with her Grandmother and The Woman, and that bit of magic as Lewis and Anne deliver Little Fellow's picture to his father, altering his life perspective for the better! And finally, perhaps the funniest and most realistic to me, her part in the Hazel and Terry marriage debacle, or so it seemed... Anne's life continues to contain one adventure after another, as she puts herself 'out there' in society and tries to 'do good' for others as much as she is able...

I believe this may well be my second favorite book of this series so far, after the first book, Anne of Green Gables. How about your favorite(s) within this series? And if you haven't read them, you really should. In my opinion this is classic/children's literature at it's best! 

A great visit with six authors--all in one day!!

CHG Book & Author Luncheon

Friday, April 17, 2015

I just had the most amazing experience this past Friday...well, it actually stemmed from an amazing experience one year ago, in April 2014!! I did not post about attending this event last year, though I was so thrilled with it! So I'll make up for that today...you'll learn (Probably more than you ever wanted to know!) all about this annual event that brings close to 1,000 readers and 4-6 authors together for a time of camaraderie and sharing each other's company! 

Firstly, in February of 2014 one of my coworkers asked if I would like to use her ticket to attend a "Book Author event." Well...of course...I really, well, I just really had to take a look at my rather crowded social calendar to determine whether this would fit into my schedule or not... Okay, not! I'm lying! I IMMEDIATELY said YES!!! (And yes, I may have YELLED it!) What is it? When? How much does it cost, etc., etc., etc. I'm sure she was sorry she'd ever offered her ticket to me within those first few minutes! But really...what else could she expect from a book nerd like me! 

As it turned out, she is a member of the Christamore House Guild (CHG), whose sole mission is to raise money to support the Christamore House, located just west of the IUPUI main campus in Indianapolis, Indiana. Inside this rather innocuous looking building, life teems with learning, helping, respecting, and most of all, conscientious caring! This is some of what I have learned in one year's time about this organization. It is much more than a community center, or preschool, or home for the elderly; it is a safe haven for community children in those after-school hours with many opportunities to expand and develop intellectually and socially, and engage in civic enrichment activities. 

What more could you ask from a non-profit? It is as all-inclusive as any such organization I've seen, and considering my employment in social work, I've seen a few! But it was just one event last spring that initiated my interest in membership. As I investigated that opportunity, I became convinced I could spare some time and money to help this Guild support this community center's worthy endeavors! What is more noble or effective than helping people improve their lives? Nothing, in my humble opinion. What began as a totally self-indulgent event for me, became so much more...and I am so grateful for this unique opportunity to give to and help others! 

So, last year's Book & Author Luncheon included (Listed alphabetically, to avoid any suggestion of favorites!):

Krista Bremer--My Accidental Jihad

Carol Cassella--Gemini

     I also loved Oxygen!

Robin Oliveira--I Always Loved You

     I adored her historical fiction novel My Name is Mary Sutter!

Chris Pavone--The Accident

     Also loved The Expats, the first in this series.

Ayelet Waldman--Love & Treasure

     Though I did read and review Red Hook Road. 

It was too late for me to actually read many of these books prior to attending the event, though I had been lucky enough to meet Carol Cassella on March 17, 2014, at the Gemini book release party held at The Elliott Bay Book Company while on vacation in Seattle, Washington. I was also able to meet so many others of my absolute favorite authors at that event! (But that's a whole 'nother blog post just waiting to be written!) I did read some other books written by some of these authors, but not THESE books specifically. Just not enough time! 

I did much better this year, particularly since I had advance notice of the authors to be included and their latest releases. This year's event included these authors/books:

Marisa de los Santos--The Precious One 

     She is listed first due to "seniority"/longevity--I have read and adored all her other 

     books, as well as this one!

Dwight Ritter--Growin' Up White

     Second because this is one of the best books I have ever read! Period!

Bryan Reardon--Finding Jake

     Third because initially I felt Ritter's book hit me a bit harder than Reardon's, though in

     the aftermath, I believe these two could tie for second! :)

Elizabeth Berg (The Dream Lover)

     Fourth because I have read and really liked Open House with my book club. 

     Unfortunately, this book was only released two days prior to the event, and I was 

     unable to take time off work to read it... :( But it will be high on my TBR list to read 

     and review as soon as possible. I'm excited, because I believe this is her first historical 

     fiction novel and I love historical fiction!

Jane Green--Saving Grace

     Fourth because this is the only book of hers I've read, and while it wasn't as creepy as
     I feared it might be, it just wasn't a theme with which I was enamored, from the 

     start! Though I really appreciated her writing and will definitely read more of her 

     books, including The Beach House which she claims to be her own favorite!

Amanda Eyre Ward--The Same Sky 

     I loved speaking with Ms. Ward and listening to her speak about her writing process 

     and research for this book. This is a very timely issue and a heartbreaking one. I just 

     prefer much more detailed characterization and didn't feel as if I got to know these 

     characters as well as I would have liked to. But the good news is...I am definitely in 

     the minority since it is currently rated 3.89 with 1,421 ratings on Goodreads! I have 

     marked another one of her books and intend to read it, just to compare--maybe it was 

     just this specific book...

Admittedly, I feel as if I've "cheated" by just using my Goodreads reviews for almost all of these books, but I like to process and take time with my blog posts of reviews, so those are still being composed! To be released in the (hopefully very near) future. :)

My point here is that sometimes life leads us to surprisingly pleasant and fulfilling experiences in the most unexpected ways. I try to keep myself open to new ideas and opportunities to expand my horizons, and this has proven to be invaluable in the enjoyment of my life! And next year, I will have had a much more active role in this event as a 2nd-year CHG member! 

Have you read any of these books? Have you met any of these authors? Obviously, I have some catching up to do with regard to reading last year's books!