A Hit (and A Miss)

When we first started this shelter in place situation, oh those many (many) weeks ago, I secretly thought to myself — oh well, at least I’ll get lots of reading time. And with our little house stuffed with unread books I’ve hoarded collected over the years — what an opportunity, I thought.

But, alas, it just hasn’t happened. I’ve been the worst reader lately — picking up and setting aside books — distracted and un-tethered.

There have been some accomplishments — I planted two successive vegetable gardens. First of the lettuce is just now ready. I’ve been doing some knitting while seduced into TV binge-watching with Husband. Also working with our neighborhood association on blocking permanent night time stadium lighting at the private high school across the street…don’t ask — arghh.

But I’ve also wasted time — endlessly checking email and Facebook for friends’ updates and watching stupid (but often cute) videos.

I lacked focus. So this weekend I had a stern talk with myself and bravely finished one book and three-quarters of another. Thus, ‘a hit and a miss’.

Today, the hit:

Fair and Tender Ladies

by Lee Smith

When traveling, I always try and visit an independent bookshop and support them by buying one (just one) book about the region and by a local author. When visiting Asheville, North Carolina last year, I wandered into their famous independent bookshop Malaprop’s, and found this beauty.

We meet Ivy Rowe, the narrator and letter writer of this epistolary novel, when she is a young girl with no education. The letters begin around the turn of the century when Ivy is a child living with eight siblings on the family farm in the mountains of Appalachia. Written with quaint misspellings and in the vernacular of Southern speech, the letters reflect the harsh poverty of farm life, as well as the simple beauties of the Appalachia. “This is the taste of spring,” her father tells Ivy, and she never forgets it, even when the family must move down the mountain into the booming town of Majestic, after her father’s death.

The local school teacher recognizes Ivy’s intelligence and encourages her to continue her education up North. But, betrayed by her passionate nature Ivy becomes pregnant. Thus ‘ruint,’ she marries a childhood friend who takes her back to the family homestead, where she bears several children and endures the endless toil of a farmer’s wife. Just when life seems drearily predictable, she succumbs in middle age to an irresistible affair which brings severe consequences.

Ms. Smith takes us through seven decades of Ivy’s life, and at 367 pages, I got bogged down and laid it aside for many months — (just look at that cover how could I ever have put it aside?). When I got back into Ivy’s life story this weekend, I devoured the latter third of the book which conveys the momentous changes in Appalachia, during which time, as Ivy laments:

Everybody has took everything out of here first the trees, then the coal, then the children.

But in the next letter, Ivy marvels in the beauty of seeing lights down in the valley for the first time:

…and, lo and behold, all up and down the bottom, lights came on! And you can see them shining on the lower slopes of Bethel Mountain too, they twinkle like stars.

Ivy is a wonderfully appealing character with endearing faults: an old soul — proud, yet bright, impetuous, and sensual. She is a fully rounded heroine as are some of the other vivid characters who inhabit Virginia’s Appalachia region. First published in 1988, Fair and Tender Ladies reads in the tradition of oral storytelling. It’s a poetically written, yet not overly sentimental tale of one woman’s life — its joys and sorrows — struggles and delights. I’m so glad I finished Fair and Tender Ladies — and happily, it seems to have broken my reading slump.

One book down, only a houseful to go.

Not an accurate representation of my books.
My shelves are neater – I refuse to stack books on the floor.
But I am known to shelve two deep and behind each other.

Radio Silence

My apologies for the radio silence here at Book Barmy…

I’m up to my eyeballs in a neighborhood association issue…involving permits, environmental regulations, and densely worded planning submissions. It’s a wonderful group of neighbors and we have a great pro-bono consultant ~~~

As a result, my leisure reading time has been cut way back. I’ve even had to set my alarm a few mornings – please, have a bit of sympathy…

In the meantime, remember how I confessed that I enjoyed examining people’s bookcases when they broadcast from home — it seems I’m not alone. Here’s an article from the New York Times:

“What Do Famous People’s Bookshelves Reveal?

I’ll leave you with the current window display from Omnivore Books – a wonderful (and favorite) cooking-themed book shop.

A Message to the Literary World

I thought this was worth sharing ~~ from yesterday’s New York Times

Dear Reader, What an unusual and terrible time this is for all of us. With people’s lives at risk, and many lost so far; with the vast majority of us confined to our homes or out of necessity, precariously trying to work outside our homes. There is much to mourn, much to be grateful for and much cause for worry and fear.

Apart from the obvious life and death matters at stake, we at the Book Review hold a special concern for those whose livelihoods depend on books. We think of the authors whose book tours have been canceled, authors who depend on income from teaching, authors who need money from speaking engagements to supplement their advances. All of those opportunities, temporarily — and in some cases, permanently — gone.

Our hearts go out to the debut authors of the season, many of whom spent years, perhaps a lifetime, waiting for the dream moment when their first book would make its way into the world. We think of the authors whose publication dates have been delayed, complicating not only their financial lives but all other plans, professional and personal. We think of the authors whose new books are coming out right now, at a moment when the realities of everyday life can feel all-consuming, and when libraries are shuttered and many bookstores have closed or laid off workers. We think of those dedicated booksellers and bookstore owners who fear for the future of their retail homes, which even in good times can be difficult to keep going. We are heartened to hear of stores that are maintaining and even beefing up their online presence and manning their phone lines, offering curbside delivery to customers in their communities. We think as well of authors’ co-creators, the people who work in the publishing industry. Editors, copy editors, publicists, art directors, illustrators, salespeople, marketing executives and publishers who are now, like many of us, working from home offices with all their complications. Many in publishing have taken pay cuts, been furloughed or lost jobs. Which brings us back to you, our readers. We know you share our concerns about the state of the literary world we all admire and cherish. We hope that you find time and space in this difficult moment to turn to books, to do what they have always done: challenge us, inform us, entertain us. Books offer us the chance to escape and they force us to engage. Books are among the great empathy builders, bridging gaps that divide us geographically, politically, philosophically and demographically. At a time when many people feel isolated and alone, books bring us together. Please join us in support of all those in the literary world during this challenging time. Pamela Paul Editor of The New York Times Book Review

Birthday in Place

I had a birthday yesterday (yes, sometimes it falls on Easter). My usual birthday treat – wherein I’m let loose at our huge city flower market with Husband and his wallet in tow — well, it just was not going to happen. It seems flowers are not considered essential (I know! – but OK).

Before I could even feel even a little bit sorry for myself and my birthday under lock down — it turned into a wonderful day.

Husband surprised me on several fronts. He somehow found a pot of tulips.

He baked me birthday cookies — see the candles?

There were birthday cards to open, Facebook birthday wishes, and gifts from family and friends.

There also was a new cookbook from a favorite bookshop — Omnivore Books on Food.

Okay, the cookbook was a gift I got myself. Omnivore is small unique shop which is currently closed- but trying to stay in business. The owner (who is very well known in the food circles) is committed to paying her employees– even if out of her own savings. So I felt justified – helping one of my favorite shop owners (check), a cookbook I’ve longed for (check, check), and my birthday (check, check, check). Please click on the link above, and take a look at their website, they are happily fulfilling orders by mail –wherever you live.

But, I have to say, that the best part of my birthday was Husband made me my favorite dinner and cleaned up afterwards! Such a great gift.

It was a big number birthday ~~ Okay, let’s just say I’ve been filling out a certain type of health insurance forms since January.

Reading in Place My Favorite Books: Part 3

How is everyone out there? We’re now into the third week of shelter in place and it’s predicted to last for at least a month longer. Schools will not reopen until the fall, all our parks and beaches are closed except for visitors on foot or bicycle. Our transit system is all but shut down. The city streets are eerily quiet. Friends have been furloughed from their jobs, perhaps permanently. We’re doing our shopping as best we can and relying on our neighborhood shops. It may be a long time before we see our friends, or go out to a film, a restaurant, or (sob) a bookstore. We’re eating in, staying in, distancing on walks, and waving at (not hugging) our favorite children.

Now I’m a grand worrier, it’s my core strength — but even I, in my darkest wee hours worry fests, could ever have worried up ~~ well, a pandemic.

The operative word seems to be surreal. ~~ Okay, enough of that, how about we just move on to more pleasant thoughts — the final installment (for now at least) of my favorite books.

Once again a blatant plug to support your local independent bookstore — especially during these difficult times.

I know the libraries are closed in many areas, so if you want to buy any of these books — Please contact your local independent bookstore. They will happily take your order, personally ship your book(s), and will surely appreciate your distancing business right now. Find your local bookseller HERE

Gift from the Sea, by Anne Morrow Lindberg

Another one of those books I’ve read and re-read, purchased and given away to friends. Anne Morrow Lindberg, shares her meditations on youth and age; love and marriage; peace, solitude and contentment. She writes these during a brief vacation by the sea and draws inspiration from the shells she finds on the shore. A mother of five, an acclaimed writer and a pioneering aviator, Lindbergh casts an unsentimental eye on the trappings of modernity that threaten to overwhelm us: the time-saving gadgets that complicate rather than simplify, the multiple commitments that take us from our families. And by recording her thoughts during a brief escape from everyday demands, she helps readers find a space for contemplation and creativity within their own lives. (Be sure to find an edition with color illustrations of the shells.)

The Summer Guest by Justin Cronin

I fell for this book based on it’s cover and then it sat on my shelves for years unread. One foggy morning I picked it up at random and didn’t look back. This is a complex story of a family and its summer camp over time — the children and their parents, love and loss — all told simply and beautifully. Mr. Cronin paints a beautiful picture of a remote Maine camp where the summers of deep woods and deep lakes come alive on the pages — “enough silence to let you hear the planet spin or make you mad if you thought too long about it.” This is a must read (and a must keep on my shelves) novel. I highly recommend it. My full review with the book cover is HERE.

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

Husband handed me this book and said you should read this, it’s great. I looked at the cheesy pulp western cover and thought — really? But he insisted and, so read it I did. Not only did I read it, I cried through it, I laughed out loud, I thought about when I was away from it, and even dreamed about it. The characters are alive, vivid and you can’t help but be swept along on their journey. This Pulitzer Prize­–winning classic of the American West follows two aging Texas Rangers embarking on one last adventure. Not only an epic tale of the western frontier, Lonesome Dove is also a treatise on friendship, love and loyalty. Even if you’ve seen the film (which was quite good) I highly recommend you experience this masterpiece in novel form. And yes, I did say, and mean — masterpiece.

Parnassus On Wheels, by Christopher Morley

I first read my grandfather’s copy of this idyllic book when I was still at home, obsessed with books, but yet itchy to get out into world. Parnassus On Wheels was the perfect solution. Roger Mifflin is a traveling salesman and roams 1917 New England in a horse-drawn caravan selling books. He’s decided to sell his little enterprise and thinks he’s found a buyer when he meets Helen McGill – a 39 year old spinster living with her brother. Mifflin thought McGill’s brother might like to buy him out, but it is Helen who casts fortune to the wind. Together she and Mifflin set off on the open road and along their way they encounter adventure and romance, and we get to learn Mifflin’s philosophies on life and books. A short, but oddly weighty tale about the love of literature, books, but mostly about life itself. There is a second book in the series, The Mysterious Bookshop, 1919 is a classic mystery set — where else? — in Roger’s bookshop. Many years later, I found my own copies in a used bookshop for $5 each. I’ve re-read both several times. Both are classics and deserve a space on your shelves. Here’s my favorite quote “When you sell a man a book you don’t just sell him twelve ounces of paper and ink and glue – you sell him a whole new life. Love and friendship and humour and ships that sail at sea by night – there’s all heaven and earth in a book, a real book I mean.”

A Fine Balance, by Rohinton Mistry

I very rarely re-read modern books, with the exception of A Fine Balance which I think I’ve read three times. One of the finest novels I’ve ever read.  Overstatement?  Not at all.  Simply superb, the beauty and humor of this book is matched only by the awfulness and arbitrariness of life — a “fine balance”.   The novel takes place in India during the mid-1970s under Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s  “State of Emergency”.  A Fine Balance tells the story of a group of Indian citizens- two tailors, a student and a widow, as they struggle through their lives, how their fates entwined, how their initial distrust for each other blossoms into family of friendship. This is a novel that instantly absorbs the reader.  Preoccupied with the characters — Ishvar, Om, and Dina, — I cried for them, cheered them, and still remember them to this day. The story line and the characters remind me of Dickens. See my full review HERE

P. D. James

Okay, not a book per se, but a series of mysteries — all of which are excellent. Probably best known for her Adam Dalgliesh series, P. D. James is considered the grande dame of mystery and was a remarkable writer who crafted tales of suspense with engaging and interesting characters. She also wrote several stand alone mysteries — Cover Her Face is one of my favorite — again all tautly written. If you only know P.D. James by the PBS Dalgliesh adaptations (which were only passable), you’re in for some great reading ahead. What distinguishes P.D. James (and her mysteries) is that she crafted story lines that bring up questions of social privilege, politics, aesthetics, and theology. Be sure to read the Dalgliesh series in order as the characters and their relationships evolve. A fine mystery series with wonderful writing. Kingsley Amis called her “Iris Murdoch with murder”.

Robert Parker

I think we’ll end this segment about my favorite books with something easy to read, lighthearted and laugh-out-loud funny. Perhaps we all need that right now. I’m talking about Robert Parker’s long running series of mysteries. There are two; the Spenser series and the Jessie Stone series. Both are well worth picking up. Mr. Parker’s novels crackle with wit and contain some of the best dialogue ever written. (If you are an aspiring author, read Parker and learn how dialogue can and should deliver.) My hand reaches for one of his paperbacks whenever I chance upon them – often found at used books stores or those free little library boxes as you walk around. Guaranteed to make you chuckle and forget the outside world for a bit. My full admiration for his writing is HERE.

So folks I’ll say stay well, stay safe, and goodnight — sleep tight.

April Fools

Just checking in. Everyone staying safely home and keeping well? We are. And while you’d be right to think I’m getting alot of reading done, I’ve also been on social media.

Normally, I don’t do much in the social media realm. I have a Facebook page and follow others on Instagram. Won’t get even close to Twitter — thank you very much. But my point, and yes I do have one, is that my time on social media in the recent weeks has proven to be really uplifting and funny. And, so I thought this might be the perfect day to share some humor from my wanderings on the internet.

And then there’s these:

And then there’s this video

This endeth the humor for today — out for a walk, then back to my book.

Try to remember ~~ You are not stuck at home. You are safe at home

Reading in Place My Favorite Books: Part 2

Well it’s week two – but it sure seems longer. I hope everyone is staying well and home. I’m certain by now you’ve read through the books from my last list. No, well okay, I’ll give you some more choices.

But first an observation — is anyone else doing this? Now that many newscasters are broadcasting from their homes – yes, I’m listening to them, but at the same time I’m fascinated by their bookcases. How their books are arranged, type of bookshelves, and straining to see the titles. No, not you? I guess it’s just me. One broadcaster has his books arranged by color ~~ ? discuss please …

Now to the issue at hand – More of My Favorite Books

I know the libraries are closed in many areas, so if you want to buy any of these books — Please contact your local independent bookstore. They will happily take your order, personally ship your book(s), and will surely appreciate your distancing business right now. Find your local bookseller HERE

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

Once on a business trip, I got stuck in Dublin, Ireland and rejoiced at the extra time. After walking around the city most of the day, I wandered into a lovely bookstore and cafe. I enjoyed a perfect cup of tea and bought this book. This memoir kept me riveted on the flight home. A classic story of a poor Irish boy’s childhood, beautifully written and filled with charming Irish stories…such blarney as the Angel on the Seventh Step, who brings his mother babies. Frank endures poverty, near-starvation and the casual cruelty of relatives and neighbors—yet lives to tell his tale with eloquence, exuberance, and remarkable forgiveness. I still have my Dublin purchase on my shelves.

News of the World by Paulette Jiles

This is a do-not-miss book. I’ve pressed this slim novel into many hands of friends and bookstore customers. It’s the tale of seventy-one year old Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd who drifts through northern Texas, reading newspapers out loud to paying audiences hungry for news of the world. At one stop, Captain Kidd is offered a $50 gold piece to deliver a young orphan to her relatives near San Antonio. This little girl, Johanna was captured by the Kiowa tribe as raised as one of their own. Recently been rescued by the U.S. Army, the inconsolable ten-year-old has once again been torn away from the only home and family she knows. The captain’s sense of duty and compassion propels him to accept, though he knows the journey will be difficult. This unlikely pair travels through unsettled territory and unforgiving terrain. The captain must watch for thieves, Comanche, Kiowa, and the federal army—all while trying to corral the wild Johanna, who has forgotten the English language, tries to escape at every opportunity, and refuses to act “civilized.” Yet as the miles pass, the wary Johanna slowly draws closer to the man she calls Kep-dun, and the two lonely survivors forge a tender bond that marks the difference between life and death in this treacherous land. An accomplished and fascinating historical adventure story with heart and humor.

Heidi by Johanna Spyri

I loved this book both as a young girl and in later life with re-reads. Because of this book I’d longed to see the Swiss Alps – done! See HERE. But back to the book. In case you don’t know this classic story. At the age of five, orphaned Heidi is sent to live with her grandfather in the Alps. Everyone in the village is afraid of him, but Heidi is fascinated by his long beard and bushy grey eyebrows. She loves her life in the mountains, playing in the sunshine and growing up amongst the goats and birds. But one terrible day, Heidi is collected by her aunt and is made to live with a new family in town. While she tries to adapt to city life she secretly longs to find a way back up to the mountain and her beloved grandfather. A childhood favorite that holds up over time. Buy it to read to a young one in your life — that can be your excuse anyway.

The Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason

If you’re in need of an intoxicating escape, The Piano Tuner is just the ticket. In 1886 a shy, middle-aged piano tuner named Edgar Drake receives an unusual commission from the British War Office. Edgar has to travel to the remote jungles of northeast Burma and repair a rare piano belonging to a eccentric British officer. The story follows Edgar’s weeks’ long 5,000 mile journey from London by ship, train, carriage, elephant and canoe to complete his assignment. The adventure is interspersed with bits of Burmese history and unforgettable characters. I read this novel 14 year ago and still remember its magical and atmospheric story.

Time and Again by Jack Finney

When asked about my all time favorite books —  Time and Again has a permanent place on that list. I have bought and given away many copies of this book over the years. In 1970, Simon Morley, an advertising sketch artist, is approached by U.S. Army to participate in a secret government project, which involves time travel. Simon jumps at the chance to leave his twentieth-century existence and step back into 1882 New York City.  Aside from his thirst for experience, he has good reason to return to the past—his girlfriend Kate has a curious, half-burned letter dated from that year, which holds a mystery about her lineage.  But when Simon begins to fall in love with a woman he meets in the past, he will be forced to choose between two worlds—forever. What sets this classic time travel novel apart from any other is the detail, the exquisite illustrations and curated photographs.  Mr. Finney’s highly detailed descriptions bring the period to life –  from the interior of the Dakota residence to the often pock-marked faces of the people, unprotected (as they were then) from small pox. Warning, these descriptions may slow you down, but that’s fine, as this is a book to be read slowly and richly savored.

Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain

If I had to choose a favorite Mark Twain novel, it would be this one. Twain’s colorful travelogue is a compilation of the newspaper articles he wrote while on a cruise to Europe, Egypt, and the Holy Land with other American tourists in 1867. His account frequently uses humor to describe the people and places he visits, but the best parts are when Twain uses satire when he becomes cranky with European profiteering or a pointless historical anecdote in Gibraltar. Twain also shows respectful reverence, as in the Canary Islands and the Holy Land. A more serious theme also flows through Twain’s experience. Twain sees the conflict between history and the modern world as he travels with his New World compatriots through the lands of ancient civilizations, ultimately discovering that you can’t believe everything you read in travel guidebooks. If you’re a fellow traveler, and feeling stuck at home, I suggest Innocents Abroad for an armchair view of faraway cultures and places.

The Most of Nora Ephron

I return time after time to this wonderful collection whether to re-read my favorite essay HERE or to dip into any of her works. I’m a huge fan of the sadly departed Nora Ephron, who wrote novels, essays, screen-plays, commentaries and commencement speeches – all included in this hefty volume. If you’re in need of some fun reading, you can’t go wrong with Nora Ephron. My gushing admiration is HERE

I’ll sign off for now, that should give you more books to choose from. I’m working on a final (for now anyway) Part 3 of My Favorite Books.

And remember that social distancing.