It's October; fall into reading.
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October Reading -- Happy Fall
Comments (92)Finished Kathleen Tessaro's "Debutante". Not exactly "chick lit." since it doesn't stress designer clothes or "looking for 'Mr. Right' ". Has depth of character and good background development. One of the characters is partly based on the Mitford sisters. It jumps back-and-forth from a modern-day woman to a back-in-time woman. The woman from the past is revealed through a series of letters she wrote, which pop up in each chapter. A unique, intriguing way to tell a tale; but then I like these sort of parallel universe stories. In the Author's Note section I was disgusted to learn of how people (mostly women, it seems) were locked away in institutions for no good reason. In one case they only had typhoid (no mental problems), and after they were cured, they were kept locked up ... some of them for 60 years ! ! The cure for typhoid was discovered in the 1950s ... some of those women were locked up till the 1990s ! And this -- two women were listed in Burkes Peerage as having died, when they were very much alive -- were cousins of the late Queen Mother. It seems the girls' parents didn't want to deal with their upbringing; so just left them at an "institution" for life. They were later joined by three of their first cousins -- also retarded. One of those girls was sent on to Ketwin House, which was closed down amid allegations of sexual and other abuse. Her "stay" there had been paid by the NHS !! -- even though her family was wealthy. These sorts of things make my blood run cold. And to think, these are perpetrated by intelligent people. And -- worst of all --- in the case of children -- they were put there -- and abandoned, sounds like -- by THEIR OWN PARENTS....See MoreWhat are we reading in October 2019?
Comments (131)Lucky Annie, you get to immerse yourself in Moscow for a transcendent reading experience! It was definitely one of those books that left me so sad to come to the last page. I"m in the midst of reading one of the JA Jance Joanna Brady/JP Beaumont series of mysteries. This one is Fire and Ice, and although it's listed as a Beaumont mystery (I've not read that series from its start) it is actually a dual storyline book; each character alternates chapters. They are working separate cases but eventually they will dovetail and the protagonists will connect. I want to thank the person, apologies for not recalling exactly who, that recommended the Joanna Brady books. Love them, and reading one is definitely literary comfort food. I know I'll get solid characters, an intriguing mystery and a sense I've checked in with some virtual friends....See MoreOctober Reading
Comments (142)I have been auditing college and university classes in both VA and SC for the past 20 or so years. In both states, there is a fee to be paid, even for senior citizens. We can opt to take tests and exams, or not. Among the interesting classes I have audited: History of Ireland, History of Western Art, Ancient Egypt, History of Witch Persecution in Germany, Life of Martin Luther and the Reformation, English Renaissance Literature, History of the American West (with an emphasis on Native American tribes), and Voyages of Columbus. Often, we have been assigned original manuscripts to, as in Columbus' journals. Here in Charleston, I'm fortunate to live only a few blocks from the College....See MoreWhat are we reading? October 2020 edition
Comments (100)My last October post.. I finished Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal. Great premise, not so great execution. There were too many side stories that detracted from the best part of the plot - the Punjabi widows, their stifled lives and the freedom they felt when together in the classroom. I wish the author had focused on this part of the story and spent time developing the characters. I did appreciate learning a little bit about Punjabi culture in contemporary England. Overall 2 stars for me. Also finished Afterlife by Julia Alvarez. I long ago read her novel In the Time of Butterflies in which I learned a lot about the Dominican Republic’s dark history. This novel takes place in New England, about a newly retired and suddenly widowed college professor. A moving story about grief, sisterhood, and searching for a meaningful life amidst so many changes. Alvarez uses comic relief to balance the sorrow the main character is feeling. Quick read. 4 stars. Last week, dh and I had a 10 hr roundtrip road trip in one day to take our college son to a doctor appointment, Last time I made the trip alone, this time dh went to help with the long drive so I chose an audiobook that would appeal to both of us. We listened to The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11. Certainly not an easy subject as it’s a chilling and heart wrenching account told in a series of short interviews with first responders, survivors, witnesses, friends and family, govt officials. It certainly held our attentIon but it is a lot to listen to - I was in tears at point listening to one first responder talking about how he and fellow firefiighters laid the body of Fr. Mychal Judge on the altar of St. Peter’s. 5 stars Currently reading Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi. Really enjoyed her previous book, Homegoing. Not too far into this one yet to have an opinion....See Moreyoyobon_gw
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