Book Review: The Tin Ticket

The Tin Ticket by Deborah J. Swiss

This is a non-fiction book about women convicts from Great Britain being transported to Australia (Tasmania) in the 1800s. The times in Britain were very difficult, and being a convict often meant simply that the person was too poor to survive without resorting to theft. Once transported, they had to serve their prison term in Tasmania in equally difficult circumstances.

Throughout their lives these girls and women had to use their street smarts and cunning to just survive. They were brave and strong and brought those qualities to their new home, passing the qualities on to their families. They became strong pillars for the foundation of a strong, new country (and I realize the original inhabitants were pushed aside.. that part of the story was only very briefly touched on).

The book was very well researched and told in an engaging manner. I had known very little about convicts' lives when arriving in Australia, and especially knew nothing about the women. I am inspired by their strength, courage, and their fierce devotion to their families once they were allowed to be free citizens. Amazing stories.

Interesting note: reviews at goodreads(dot)com are all over the map, from two stars to five. I quite enjoyed the book and gave it four stars.

Random Stuff and a Book Review

Hi, blog world. I think of you way more often than I write to you. If you're looking for the book review, scroll down to just above the last picture.

What have I been up to? I have mostly been reading and enjoying a happy-go-lucky summer. I have done a bit more knitting than usual. I have watched a few TV things on Netflix and Amazon Prime. Next week I get to go to my cousin's cabin, and later in the summer to my sister's cabin. Yay! I will get some sewing done then. And more reading. I love reading on the deck with the beautiful lake in my view. We have no big travel plans for the rest of this year... just a random road trip here and there.

I babysat Bonus again last week. He is turning into a little boy.. no more baby fat. He is still such a sweet and agreeable boy. That's his built-in personality. Isn't that nice?? He loves playing with cars, and he runs and jumps and dances and sings. It makes me happy just to be with him.

I am working very few hours this summer. It is lovely. Last week I did a two-hour shift, and it went so fast. I think I might not work at all in the month of July. I have a dream job at which I get to set my own hours. It is PERFECT.

Here is a little bit of sewing I have done lately:

It was quilted a while ago; I finally got the binding on and will be sending it to Quilts Beyond Borders.

July blocks for the Lotto at Sunshine


I finished a book, so here is a book review for you: News of the World by Paulette Jiles. I really loved this book! The writing is beautiful. You will get a sense of being in the natural environment in which the characters travel. Not only is that beautiful, also beautiful is the relationship that develops between the two characters: a man in his 70s and a 10-year-old girl. Watch how the man responds to the differences between their two cultures. It's lovely. I highly recommend this book.

Book Review: Little Fires Everywhere

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

This is a book about families, relationships, friendships, life styles, and choices. Most of the characters are teenagers, and the other main characters are moms in two separate families.

I liked this book, but I didn't love it. I wanted to love the characters more than I did. I only liked one or two of them. The sheltered and privileged lives lived by most of the characters led to close-mindedness. Yet they thought they were wonderfully settled and clear thinkers. That was probably one of the points of the story. New residents of the town help the long term residents' minds crack open, but not very wide. These transformations require much time, I guess. But do they have to? Is my mind as open as I think it is?

This was a book club read; I'm eager to hear my club members' thoughts. If you read the book, tell me yours as well.

This is my son's friend, all grown up and a good daddy.

Book Review: The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty

The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty by Vendela Vida
I bought this book at a library sale, just to put into my Little Free Library, but when I got home I started reading it and really enjoyed it. It is written in second person which is unusual, some may find it off-putting. I enjoyed that aspect of it; it adds to the feelings of being involved and "lost" as the main character is.

She takes a vacation to Morocco and right away her backpack is stolen. In the backpack are all her valuables: passport, ID, wallet, cash, and credit cards. She is at a loss as to what to do, and adventures unfold. Since it's told in second person, the reader feels the loss along with her. Clever technique.

Its themes, I guess, are identity - what is it? Who determines it? - and sense of self, belonging, and interacting with others. Interesting book. I'm glad I read it. (The odd title refers to a poem that comes up in the story.)

Book Review: Radium Girls

The Radium Girls by Kate Moore
Wow! This non-fiction book was so interesting, and it was so awful. I mean, the injuries and illnesses and agonizing deaths these women endured made for hard reading. And yet, I was intrigued.

Starting in 1917 when radium was a new "miracle agent" they started using it in paint to make clock dials glow in the dark. It was applied by young girls and women in a factory by brush, which they put in their mouths to make the brush tip as thin as possible. The book looks at this history in two locations: Orange, New Jersey and Ottawa, Illinois.

After a while, the women started getting very sick. Horrendous damage was done to their bodies. Guess what the response of the employers was. Yeah, it was aggravating to read that, too. The practice of "tip pointing" by mouth continued for many years, even when the industry should have known better.

This is an important part of our history and led to better protection and safer working conditions for employees. The strength and courage of the women involved was completely amazing. Though the story took place in the USA, this book was written by a Brit. She purposely wrote it in novelized style, through the eyes of the girls and women involved. It's not a dry history at all but is an interesting story that will grab your attention. (And watch for a couple of British phrases that reveal it wasn't written in USA. Made me smile.)

I have been loving reading outdoors during our lovely spring weather.. however, so far I have always been safely in a chair on the ground.

Book Review: The Life We Bury

The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens, a Minnesota author. The story takes place in Minnesota; it's always fun to see familiar place names in a novel. A University of Minnesota student interviews a nursing home resident for his biography assignment in an English class. This book is a mystery, which I don't usually read and enjoy. When I started reading the book, I didn't realize it was a mystery. I enjoyed it quite a bit for the first two-thirds of the book. It was an interesting concept, well told, and I read pretty steadily to see what happens next.

The last third was crazy. The events became far too outlandish. Unbelievable. I was disappointed, and then the ending.. well, I didn't exactly dislike the ending, but I was not satisfied.

Even though it's not the best in the world, I'm glad I read the book. If nothing else, it was entertaining.

Book Review: Spilled Milk

Spilled Milk by Chloe Benjamin is a novel based on true events. It's a compelling book about growing up in an abusive household. The young girl who receives the brunt of the abuse tries to protect her siblings by saying nothing. Her strength and intelligence help her survive. A glass of spilled milk at a friend's house opens her eyes to what she has been experiencing.

I liked the ideas she provides to law enforcement and judicial system workers to help put victims at ease in a court setting and what kinds of information is helpful to the victim.

Book Review: The Immortalists

The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin... This was a pick for my book club. I probably would never have read this book otherwise. I think I give this book three stars out of five. It is definitely not a favorite and probably not even one that I would recommend, even though it has some redeeming qualities. It was interesting, and I think we will have some good discussion. However, it wasn't a story line that grabbed me. Things I don't find appealing: fortune tellers and their prophesies, magic and magicians, Las Vegas. Those all appeared in this book.

Sometimes I found myself feeling moved or touched; the book brought several questions to mind. I'm interested to see what my book club will have to say about it.

If you have read this book, please tell me your thoughts. Did you love it?

It's finally nice enough to read outside.

Book Review: Midwinter Break

Midwinter Break by Bernard MacLaverty is a book I purchased while in the UK. I started reading it right away, and when I got home, I misplaced it. I have a knack for doing that! It's so frustrating. I still have not found it... it's probably under some fabric pile. I wanted to keep reading it, so I finally bought a Kindle version so I could finish the book.

I backtracked and re-read a bit, and I'm glad I did, because I hadn't fully appreciated the quality writing on the first go-around. I was less distracted on the second read and really absorbed it.

A retired couple goes on a short vacation from Scotland to Amsterdam. She is privately considering a big change in her life. Religion is a big part of her life. He is a heavy drinker who spends his days trying to stock up for his next drinks and trying to hide it from her. He has rejected religion. She is fed up with his drinking; he is so sweetly in love with her. There's not a whole lot of action other than where they go and the walks they take in Amsterdam. I loved the beautiful writing, and the quiet reflections of them both. It's both a history of their relationship and a pondering and mending of rifts that can happen. I give it 4 of 5 stars.

Book Review: Across That Bridge

Across That Bridge: Life Lessons and a Vision for Change by John Lewis. In this jewel of a book, Rep. Lewis presents several categories which he suggests should be mastered in order to bring about meaningful change - to light the fire of a movement. All of these aspects were put into action in the Civil Rights movement in which Mr. Lewis played such an important role. The aspects include faith, patience, study, truth, love, and reconciliation. I learned so much about the Civil Rights movement, and what's more, the lessons he provides are timely today for the desire for change we see percolating in our society. Reading this book has given me hope and has renewed my resolve to keep working. We have within us the ability to affect change for the better and to live in truth. The tenets in this book can help us achieve our dreams.

my great niece demonstrating for sensible gun laws (I'm so proud of her!)

Book Review: Butterfly Sister

Butterfly Sister by Amy Gail Hansen was entertaining. I read it in a day, so I guess it kept my attention, but I do not consider it a great book. The story is too far-fetched. A woman leaves college just before graduating due to a traumatic experience. Then a strange incident takes place regarding a lost suitcase, and the mystery deepens from there. She returns to college, learns about traumas that happened to many of her friends and acquaintances. Everything kind of ties together in way too many strange and coincidental ways. I would have liked it to be more believable and less exaggerated. I can only give this book 3 lukewarm stars.

a library in China

Book Review: Go, Went, Gone

Go, Went, Gone by Jenny Erpenbeck and translated from German by Susan Bernofsky

This is a book about refugees. The people are escaping various wars, desperately seeking a new home where they can be safe and productive citizens. Their travels to get to Europe are fraught with hazards and death. Once they arrive, they still have to make their way to a new place, as their country of arrival does not want them to stay.

All the refugees in this story end up in Berlin. Most of them are from Africa. The main character, Richard, is a citizen of Berlin who takes an interest in them. At first I was a little annoyed with his naiveté. He begins to visit the refugees and ask a lot of questions, which I thought bordered on rude - things he should have known would be their experiences. As time goes on, however, he and the refugees develop friendships. He learns their stories and understands their plight, being stuck in a place that doesn't want them and whose laws make it almost impossible for them to do what they want most: to work and to live a productive life.

I learned to love Richard and his support of his new friends, loved his new friends and their many gifts. The book was very touching and timely. By the end, I absolutely loved the characters and this book. I give it an enthusiastic 5 of 5 stars.

Book Review: Big Little Lies

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty ... I give it 4 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed this book and often laughed out loud, especially in the sections depicting the conversations between the mother and the teenage daughter. The book is mostly about relationships and family/friend dynamics. A murder is hinted at through the whole book and doesn't happen until... well I won't say. Don't you want to read it and find out for yourself?

Book Review: Beartown

Beartown by Fredrik Backman. This story takes place in a small town surrounded by forest. (The forest plays a role in the book.) The townspeople rally around their local boys' hockey team, in fact almost get their identity and fulfillment vicariously through the team. Two things I didn't like about this book: (1) it was about hockey, which I don't like and (2) it seemed to encompass all the stereotypes I don't like - kind of a 'boys will be boys' mentality surrounding the hockey team.

Friends who have read this book loved it, but I have my reservations. It is not ALL about hockey. The hockey culture is a key player in the story, but after a traumatizing event takes place, other viewpoints emerge. I felt that those other viewpoints slipped in too quietly and even surprisingly when the whole town, at least on the surface, seemed to thoroughly embrace the bad parts of hockey culture. Those other viewpoints were a breath of fresh air, but.. too little too late? I would have liked those voices to speak out louder and much earlier than they did.

I hope that if you read this book you will love it, as my friends have. If you're like me, however, you may not enjoy it as much as you hope. If you read it, please tell me your thoughts.

This is not me. Unfortunately. I am reading indoors under a quilt, surrounded outside by snow and cold.

Book Review: Americanah

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Adichie is an excellent writer. Her use of language is superb, and she is so insightful. This is the story of a woman who grows up in Nigeria, then moves to USA, then back to Nigeria. She meets various people, tries to make a life while being very cash-poor, works her way up, all the while observing relationships, USA culture, and marveling that she never "felt black" until she moved to America. Race was a much bigger thing in USA than she was ever used to experiencing in Nigeria. Her observations were astute and eye-opening. Upon her return to Nigeria, she once again makes brilliant observations of the changes and the culture that she had left many years before.

I wanted to love this book, and I sort of did upon finishing it. However, I struggled to get through it because it's long, and there were times when I found it difficult to put up with what was happening. I love the great writing, the main character at times, and the thoughtful insights that helped me see things more clearly. The sloggy parts make me give it a 4 rather than a 5 (out of a possible 5). Two other books by this author were awesome; this one a little less so.

[My favorite by this author is Half of a Yellow Sun.]

Book Review: Nothing to Envy

Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick.

This is a very interesting look into daily life in North Korea over a fifteen year period. Needless to say, it's devastating as we watch the collapse of a country and its economy. Millions of people starved to death, and most people have almost nothing to their names (including underwear)! This is a current story, not something from the dark ages. It ends in about 2009. It's shocking to realize how horrific life was and is in North Korea while most of us in the USA struggle to keep our weight down and stop accumulating so much stuff. A bowl of rice and a pair of socks would be a luxury in their world. Amazing! The author was allowed into North Korea a couple of times, and she also interviewed six defectors after they made their way to South Korea. The last third of the book is their stories of escape and their new lives. I found that part to be riveting.

satellite view of the Korean peninsula at night

Book Review: Aristotle and Dante Discover Secrets of the Universe

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz. I listened to this book on audible dot com; it was excellently narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda. I really liked this beautiful book! Two teen boys come of age while asking many questions about themselves, life, parenting, growing up, what does it all mean? etc. It is very well done. I wanted to give it five stars but there is one thing in the end that I didn't like and that I thought didn't "fit" two of the characters, so I gave it four stars. Other than that, I loved it and loved the characters.

Book Review: Columbine

A Mother's Reckoning by Sue Klebold -- This book was hard to read. Gut-wrenching. The author is the mother of one of the Columbine High School shooters. Her son killed several people and then killed himself. From that day forward, she has had terrible horror to live with. In the excruciating years after Columbine, she has lived in constant grief, sorrow, and fear. She studied the signs, symptoms and treatment of depression and other mental illnesses. She researched the connection between mental illness and violence as well as the roots and causes of violence itself. (It is only a tiny percentage of people with mental illness who perpetrate violence.) She works to learn as much as she can about suicide, its causes, and ways to help prevent it.

The book, I think, was her attempt to understand what her son did and to reveal the self-examination she has done in the ensuing years. She continues to feel intense remorse over what he did and continues to love and miss him as her beloved son. This is a gut-wrenching journey she was forced to walk.

I appreciate learning about her experiences and what she wants to share with the world (her current work in the area of suicide prevention). I have thought of her many times over the years, as I knew she would be grieving the loss of her son along with all the other families who were victims. But she had the added shock of being the mother of a perpetrator.

Her information about suicide prevention is important and is a topic we all need to learn more about and discuss more openly.

Book Review: Work of Wolves

The Work of Wolves by Kent Meyers: This story takes place in Montana. Four very different characters come together to accomplish a daring task... a cowboy, an Indian teen, an exchange student from Germany, and an uncle. As they work together they learn about each other, and they benefit from the unique skills each person brings to the job. There is a rich and cruel rancher, a smarmy sheriff, horses, and a few other interesting characters dotting this adventure as well.

I liked the story and most of the writing. Some of it was quite beautiful. Some, however, is what my aunt would have called "over-writing" -- too much description to convey a mood, when the reader could have discerned these moods and lessons in many fewer sentences. I found myself skimming over some of the long paragraphs to get to the heart of the story. Other than that, it was well done and a good story.

Book Review and Banned Books!

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead opens on a Georgia plantation, the home of several slaves. The main character, Cora, is a young woman whose mother had escaped, leaving Cora alone as a young girl. She had to fend for herself and harbors hard feelings about being left by her mother. As an adult Cora contemplates escape, but not seriously until a young man suggests that they go. The bulk of the book is about the escape and all the things that happen from then to the end; includes Cora's on-again off-again search for her mother. This is a tough book to read because of the terrible subject matter. Don't ever let anyone tell you that slaves were content with their lot in life. It was a life of violence and fear. Life on the Underground Railroad is a mixed bag of experiences. This book is an excellent look at individuals stuck in the life of slavery and the heroic efforts that were made to find the road to freedom.

Sept. 24-30, 2017 is Banned Book week.. pick up a banned book today and enjoy a great read!

Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009

1. Harry Potter (series), by J.K. Rowling
2. Alice series, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
3. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
4. And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell
5. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
6. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou
7. Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
8. His Dark Materials (series), by Philip Pullman
9. ttyl; ttfn; l8r g8r (series), by Lauren Myracle
10. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
11. Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Myers
12. It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris
13. Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey
14. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
15. The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison
16. Forever, by Judy Blume
17. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
18. Go Ask Alice, by Anonymous
19. Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
20. King and King, by Linda de Haan
21. To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
22. Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily von Ziegesar
23. The Giver, by Lois Lowry
24. In the Night Kitchen, by Maurice Sendak
25. Killing Mr. Griffen, by Lois Duncan
26. Beloved, by Toni Morrison
27. My Brother Sam Is Dead, by James Lincoln Collier
28. Bridge To Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson
29. The Face on the Milk Carton, by Caroline B. Cooney
30. We All Fall Down, by Robert Cormier
31. What My Mother Doesn’t Know, by Sonya Sones
32. Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya
33. Snow Falling on Cedars, by David Guterson
34. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things, by Carolyn Mackler
35. Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging, by Louise Rennison
36. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
37. It’s So Amazing, by Robie Harris
38. Arming America, by Michael Bellasiles
39. Kaffir Boy, by Mark Mathabane
40. Life is Funny, by E.R. Frank
41. Whale Talk, by Chris Crutcher
42. The Fighting Ground, by Avi
43. Blubber, by Judy Blume
44. Athletic Shorts, by Chris Crutcher
45. Crazy Lady, by Jane Leslie Conly
46. Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut
47. The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby: The First Graphic Novel by George Beard and Harold Hutchins, the creators of Captain Underpants, by Dav Pilkey
48. Rainbow Boys, by Alex Sanchez
49. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey
50. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
51. Daughters of Eve, by Lois Duncan
52. The Great Gilly Hopkins, by Katherine Paterson
53. You Hear Me?, by Betsy Franco
54. The Facts Speak for Themselves, by Brock Cole
55. Summer of My German Soldier, by Bette Green
56. When Dad Killed Mom, by Julius Lester
57. Blood and Chocolate, by Annette Curtis Klause
58. Fat Kid Rules the World, by K.L. Going
59. Olive’s Ocean, by Kevin Henkes
60. Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson
61. Draw Me A Star, by Eric Carle
62. The Stupids (series), by Harry Allard
63. The Terrorist, by Caroline B. Cooney
64. Mick Harte Was Here, by Barbara Park
65. The Things They Carried, by Tim O’Brien
66. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred Taylor
67. A Time to Kill, by John Grisham
68. Always Running, by Luis Rodriguez
69. Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
70. Harris and Me, by Gary Paulsen
71. Junie B. Jones (series), by Barbara Park
72. Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison
73. What’s Happening to My Body Book, by Lynda Madaras
74. The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold
75. Anastasia (series), by Lois Lowry
76. A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving
77. Crazy: A Novel, by Benjamin Lebert
78. The Joy of Gay Sex, by Dr. Charles Silverstein
79. The Upstairs Room, by Johanna Reiss
80. A Day No Pigs Would Die, by Robert Newton Peck
81. Black Boy, by Richard Wright
82. Deal With It!, by Esther Drill
83. Detour for Emmy, by Marilyn Reynolds
84. So Far From the Bamboo Grove, by Yoko Watkins
85. Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, by Chris Crutcher
86. Cut, by Patricia McCormick
87. Tiger Eyes, by Judy Blume
88. The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood
89. Friday Night Lights, by H.G. Bissenger
90. A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeline L’Engle
91. Julie of the Wolves, by Jean Craighead George
92. The Boy Who Lost His Face, by Louis Sachar
93. Bumps in the Night, by Harry Allard
94. Goosebumps (series), by R.L. Stine
95. Shade’s Children, by Garth Nix
96. Grendel, by John Gardner
97. The House of the Spirits, by Isabel Allende
98. I Saw Esau, by Iona Opte
99. Are You There, God?  It’s Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume
100. America: A Novel, by E.R. Frank