2022 - Second Quarterly Review

To assist my blog readers, I summarize my reading four times a year, providing a brief description, the page count, and a grading scale (💖5 thumbs up - highly recommend, 4 thumbs up - enjoyed, 3 thumbs up - good, 2 thumbs up - meh, and 1 thumb down - regret, wishing I could get back the time invested). I read the following books during the second quarter of 2022 (links to full reviews can be found in the side-bar, or after 2022, found through the search bar at the right):

The Quilter's Legacy by Jennifer Chiaverini - Sylvia Bergstrom Compson goes on a quest to find her deceased mother's quilts, learning much about her heritage and her heart along the way. 336 pages (I listened in audio form, 9 CDs, 10-1/2 hours), 👍👍👍

These Precious Days by Ann Patchett - A collection of essays about relationships, writing, and reading. Writers should be sure to read "To the Doghouse" for its humorous take on writing lessons from Snoopy. 320 pages, 👍👍👍👍

Circle of Quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini - Elm Creek Quilt Camp seeks two new instructors. Who will get the jobs? 338 pages (I listened in audio form, 9 CDs, 10-1/4 hours), 👍👍👍-1/2

Walter the Farting Dog: Banned from the Beach by William Kotzwinkle - This is the final book in a hilarious series that follows a dog with a flatulence problem who saves the day despite his difficulties. 34 pages, 👍👍👍

The Master Quilter by Jennifer Chiaverini - Secrets abound as the Elm Creek quilters gather blocks for a surprise wedding quilt for Sylvia. 352 pages (I listened in audio form, 9 CDs, 10-3/4 hours), 👍👍👍

Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood - A children's novel in verse about a young boy stranded in a lifeboat after his ship is torpedoed during the war. Clear demonstration of the tangible power of story. 336 pages (I listened in audio form, 3 CDs, 3-1/2 hours), 👍👍👍-1/2

Out of the Rain by V.C. Andrews (ghostwritten by Andrew Neiderman) - Saffron flees Hurley to seek out her father, who once again abandons her anew by insisting she pose as his orphaned niece instead of acknowledging her as his daughter. 291 pages, 👍👍

I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After Twenty Years Away by Bill Bryson - As The Wall Street Journal declares, "Wonderfully droll... Bryson is unparalleled in his ability to cut a culture off at the knees in a way that is so humorous and so affectionate that those being ridiculed are laughing too hard to take offense." Or from The Chicago Sun-Times, "Bryson could write an essay about dryer lint or fever reducers and still make us laugh out loud." 288 pages (I listened to an abridged audio version, 5 CDs, 6 hours), 👍👍👍👍-1/2

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection by Alexander McCall Smith - In this 13th installment, Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi encounter many troubles, but face them with the assistance of the "famous" Clovis Andersen. 289 pages (I listened, with book in hand, on Hoopla, 10-1/2 hours), 👍👍👍-1/2

The Quilter's Homecoming by Jennifer Chiaverini - Book ten in the series, like the others, weaves quilts and conflicts into a tapestry of intrigue. 336 pages (I listened in audio form, 9 CDs, 10 hours), 👍👍👍

Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson - Publisher's Weekly writes of this British travelogue, "Immensely entertaining... Bryson's trenchant, witty, and detailed observations on a variety of towns and villages will delight Anglophiles." 324 pages (I listened to an abridged audio version, 5 CDs, 6 hours), 👍👍👍👍-1/2

With Love from London by Sarah Jio - "When a woman inherits her estranged mother's bookstore in London..." - hooked from the start. 367 pages, 👍👍👍

The Good Pilot Peter Woodhouse by Alexander McCall Smith - An English girl, an American pilot, a rescued dog, and a German soldier all converge in a sweet story of friendship during wartime. 369 pages, 👍👍👍-1/2

Rascal: A Memoir of a Better Era by Sterling North - Set in 1918 Wisconsin, recounts the adventures of a 12-year-old boy and his pet raccoon. Great nostalgic feel. Tender story. 193 pages (I listened in audio form, 4 CDs, 4-1/4 hours), 👍👍👍-1/2

Every Day in Tuscany by Frances Mayes - Excellent choice for those who love Italy - its food, artists, and atmosphere - and poetry. 271 pages (I listened in audio form, 7 CDs, 9-1/6 hours), 👍👍👍

Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe by Bill Bryson - Not as wholesome as the other two in my set, but the section on Italy was marvelous. 254 pages (I listened in abridged audio form, 5 CDs, 6 hours), 👍👍-1/2

There and Back: Photographs from the Edge by Jimmy Chin - Marvelous photographs of adventures with a National Geographic photographer - an eye-feast! 309 pages, 👍👍👍👍

Encouragement in the Waiting (For Your Prodigal to Return to God) by Tami Winkelman - Small doses of encouragement to fortify you in your journey with a rebellious or wayward child. Loved the emphasis on scripture and prayer. 245 pages, 👍👍👍👍-1/2

Book Review: Encouragement in the Waiting

Parenting a prodigal can be daunting. Plus, it often feels as if the trial will never end. You wait and wait for your son or daughter to turn from their bad choices and their ruinous paths. The only thing that keeps me going is scripture and prayer. Thus, I valued the heavy emphasis on those two weapons in Tami Winkelman's newest book, Encouragement in the Waiting (For Your Prodigal to Return to God).

With bite-sized doses of encouragement, jam-packed with fortifying scripture passages, Winkelman reminds parents to never give up. I appreciated her observations. Guilt over less-than-productive parenting often cripples us. Yet, God placed our prodigals in our families for a purpose and knew full well our weaknesses and short-comings. We will never be enough for the task, but God always is! I loved her reminder to use prayer as a first line of defense. In the middle of the book, she offers a valuable list of suggested prayers of blessings to speak over your prodigal. She counters common lies of the enemy and emphasizes the powerful weapon of praise. If you are discouraged in what seems an unending battle, this book will strengthen your resolve in your retaliation against the enemy. Or check out Tami's previous book, Fighting for Your Prodigal Through Prayer: 365 Promises, Praises, and Prayers.

2,000th Post - 100 Armchair Travel Books

Lately, I've been travelling from the comfort of my sofa to many a distant land and time. In my 2,000th post on my blog, I decided to cull 100 titles of books that will take you to a different place. Of course, all books take you places you may have never been. This compilation really is just a list of 100 suggested reads in that light. Instead of only listing travelogues, I have included books that immerse you in another locale and another historical moment. This was a time-consuming post to explore (after 15 years of blogging), so instead of listing the books in categories by places, I've just listed them in roughly reverse chronological order to when I read them. Whatever your particular interests (I'm heavy on Victorian England in this listing), I hope you'll submerge yourself in something new:

1. There and Back - travelogue coffee table book - various death-defying climbs
2. Neither Here Nor There - travelogue - Europe
3. Every Day in Tuscany - memoir - Tuscany/Italy
4. With Love from London - novel - London, England
5. Notes from a Small Island - travelogue - England
6. The World Played Chess - novel - Vietnam War
7. Facing the Mountain - history - WWII (internment camps)
8. The Last Bookshop in London - novel - WWII (London)
9. It Happened at the Fair - novel - 1893 Chicago World's Fair
10. Green Hills of Africa - memoir - Africa
11. Twilight at the World of Tomorrow - history - 1939 New York World's Fair
12. The River of Doubt - history - the Amazon (the River of Doubt in Brazil)
13. The Library Book -  history - 1986 San Francisco Library fire
14. We Dream of Space - middle grade novel - 1986 Challenger mission
15. Destiny of the Republic - history - 1880s America, President Garfield
16. The Five - history - Victorian London, Jack the Ripper
17. A Moveable Feast - memoir - Paris
18. For the Love of Europe - travelogue - Europe
19. The Splendid and the Vile - history - WWII England, Winston Churchill
20. The Wicked Boy - history - Victorian England
21. Walking Home - travelogue - The Pennine Way, England
22. Surprised by Oxford - memoir - Oxford, England
23. The Lost Girls of Paris - novel - London/Paris in WWII
24. An Ocean, an Airplane, and Two Countries Full of Kisses - memoir - America/Italy
25. Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey - history - Highclere Castle, England
26. All the Flowers in Paris - novel - Paris
27. On the Wings of Heroes - middle grade novel - small town USA WWII
28. Out of the Dust - middle grade novel - American "Dust Bowl" in the Depression
29. Love and Other Consolation Prizes - novel - 1909 Seattle World's Fair
30. The Tattooist of Auschwitz - novel - Auschwitz concentration camp
31. Little Heathens - memoir - Iowa in Depression
32. Last Christmas in Paris - novel - Paris
33. The Chilbury Ladies' Choir - novel - WWII England
34. Hiking Through - memoir/travelogue - Appalachian trail
35. Nights of Rain and Stars - novel - Greek seaside village
36. Prairie Fires - history - early American prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder
37. Victoria - history - Victorian England, Queen Victoria
38. P.S. from Paris - novel - Paris
39. The London Eye Mystery - middle grade novel - London
40. Sisterchicks Go Brit! - novel - England
41. London - history - London
42. The Light in the Ruins - novel - WWII Italy
43. Three Weeks in Paris - novel - Paris
44. The Secret Life of Bees - novel - 1960s Southern US
45. The Girl from the Train - novel - WWII Germany
46. The Nightingale - novel - WWII France
47. Burial Rites - novel - 1829 Iceland
48. Revolution - young adult novel - revolutionary France
49. The Summer Before the War - novel - WWII, Rye, England
50. The Road to Little Dribbling - travelogue - England
51. A Faraway Island - middle grade novel - 1939 Sweden
52. The Invention of Wings - novel - 19th century Charleston, South Carolina
53. Wonderland Creek - novel - 1936 Appalachian Kentucky
54. A Night Divided - middle grade novel - Berlin Wall
55. The Carnival at Bray - young adult novel - 1990s Bray, Ireland
56. A Metropolitan Murder - history - 1860s London
57. The Victorian City - history - Victorian London
58. A Girl Named Zippy - memoir - small town Indiana
59. Dirty Old London - history - Victorian London
60. Kidnapped by River Rats - history - Salvation Army in 1880s London
61. Dead Wake - history - WWI, sinking of the Lusitania
62. Revolution - middle grade novel - 1964 Freedom Summer Mississippi
63. The Boys in the Boat - history - 1936 Berlin Olympics
64. Lily's Crossing - middle grade novel - 1940s United States
65. Criss Cross - middle grade novel - 1960s United States
66. Countdown - middle grade novel - 1960s American Cuban Missile Crisis
67. Number the Stars - middle grade novel - WWII Sweden
68. The Songs of Willow Frost - novel - 1920s & 30s Seattle, Washington
69. A Northern Light - young adult novel - 1906 New York murder
70. Out of the Easy - young adult novel - 1950s New Orleans
71. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand - novel - Southern tip of England
72. One Thousand White Women - novel - 1854 Fort Laramie Peace Conference
73. All the Light We Cannot See - novel - WWII France
74. Tallgrass - novel - WWII Japanese-American internment camps
75. The Dressmaker - novel - sinking of the Titanic
76. Tara Road - novel - Dublin
77. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry - novel - English walking tour
78. A Week in Winter - novel - Stoneybridge, Ireland
79. Blackmoore - novel - 1820s Northern England
80. The View from Castle Rock - memoir - early Irish immigrants
81. Under a Flaming Sky - history - 1894 Hinckley, Minnesota fire
82. Unbroken - history - Japanese POW camp WWII survival story
83. In the Garden of Beasts - history - Hitler's Berlin
84. Yielded Captive - novel - jungles of Peru
85. Whitethorn Woods - novel - Rossmore, Ireland
86. The House I Loved - novel - 1860s Paris
87. Breaking the Code - history - the Japanese Katakama Code
88. Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes - young adult novel - England/Europe
89. Minding Frankie - novel - Dublin
90. The Help - novel - 1960s Jackson, Mississippi
91. The Pleasing Hour - novel - Paris
92. The Postmistress - novel - WWII New England town
93. Year of Wonders - novel - 1666 rural England plague
94. The Book Thief - novel - WWII Germany
95. Ruby's Imagine - young adult novel - New Orleans Hurricane Katrina
96. The Case of Madeleine Smith - history - Victorian Scotland
97. The Aurora County All-Stars - middle grade novel - small town Mississippi
98. The Weight of Heaven - novel - India
99. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - novel - WWII Guernsey
100. Three Weeks With My Brother - memoir - trip around the world

Book Review: There and Back

I once dreamed of parasailing off a mountain. Ha! Stark evidence enough that my inner life has shifted over the years! Gone are the days of such outlandish quests. Today, I dream of driving on unfamiliar streets without going into panic mode. But books take you places from the comfort of your armchair. And, when experienced vicariously, you know for sure you will make it "there and back," the goal of every intrepid mountain climber. As Brie Larson observes on the back cover, "Many of us will never risk our lives to see what Jimmy Chin sees, but in these pages, his photography will transport you to the razor's edge, challenging your perceptions of what humans can achieve." So grateful Jimmy Chin accomplished what I would deem impossible.

This coffee table photography book is marvelous! My favorite photos in the book all reflected specific times of day in dual-page spreads. On pages 78-79, I loved the photo of the mountain top set against a deep blue sky background and half-moon shimmering in the distance. On pages 226-227, the starry night above mountain peaks contrasts the bright colors of the tents. A similar nighttime scene captured on 250-251 shows another starry night set against the brilliance of an erupting volcano. Amazing! One photo from the tip of the One World Trade Center is mind-boggling. This book opens eyes to sights you will never see on your own two feet, but can take in, with wonder, from the comfort of your home. I think I'll continue this armchair travel theme!

Book Review: Neither Here Nor There

This third installment from the audio set I purchased for a buck at Goodwill was not as satisfying as the other two. This time around, I was glad it was an abridged version. While the book maintained the usual level of humor, it ventured into crude territory to get there. The seedy underbelly of European cities might make things humorous, but at the expense of listeners who prefer clean reads. I set it aside but was without another audio book, so I reluctantly picked it up again. If I hadn't, I would have missed the sections devoted to Italy. I may have loved Rome, but based on Bryson's descriptions, I would enjoy other parts of that glorious country as well. His descriptions of Naples, Sorrento, and Capri were alluring, but I'm thrilled I dodged his experience of being pick-pocketed in Florence (I had heard that street thieves were relentless). One day, maybe, I'll get back to Italy and do a full-fledged tour.

Content Caution: 📒 - drugs, language, sex

Book Review: Every Day in Tuscany

For over forty years, I've been an Anglophile. I never experienced a yen for Italy. Then, in 2017, I took a solo trip to London/Paris/Rome. If I had to rank them, I enjoyed Rome the most, then Paris, and London the least, this time around. I had a marvelous time in Italy and only wish I had spent more days there. Two days in Rome was simply not enough! Now, whenever travel videos come on my Facebook feed, showing Italian streets and sights, I'm always interested. Plus, Maria Novajosky's book about her Italian heritage whet my appetite even more (see my review here).

The author of Every Day in Tuscany is a poet, so the writing is highly poetic. Almost too much so. Is that possible? She waxes lyrical about the Renaissance painter Luca Signorelli and expounds on many recipes and foods. I'm a horrible cook, so I didn't even bother to open the expanded final CD for the pdf of recipes. Still, it was fun to hear someone articulate what she loves about Italy. It was, as the back cover proclaimed, "a passionate and inviting account of the richness and complexity of Italian life." Yet, if asked to rank the two similar books, I would choose Maria Novajosky's An Ocean, an Airplane, and Two Countries Full of Kisses over this memoir. Perhaps more accessible.

Book Review: Rascal

Written in 1963, two years prior to my birth, this children's memoir tells of a simpler, more wholesome time. Set in 1918 in Wisconsin (near to my past home in northern Illinois), it recounts the adventures of 12-year-old Sterling North and his pet raccoon. This book has sincere boy appeal, but is also entertaining for all. It made me hearken back to times when you could go on a trip and neglect to lock your house doors, when family was nearby and always at the ready to help you in times of need, and when young boys could make pets of wild creatures without worrying about legislation against them. Dipping back in time with Sterling is a satisfying exercise and made me want to know more about the author. The Amazon listing for the book shows the 1st edition copies go for over $300 now. Of course, you can still access it in cheap paperback modern form and I listened to the audiobook. I wonder if they illustrated the book. Suitable for ages 8-12, this would make an excellent classroom read-aloud.

Cedar Point Trip

Back in January, we started planning a family trip to Cedar Point (a favorite destination for the boys). Bryce and his girlfriend wanted to schedule it to coincide with the Indy 500. While the boys and Elizabeth rode rides, John and I planned to take a day trip to Kelley Island. We booked the rooms, the 2-day tickets, and the fast passes. We intended to drive two cars, so Bryce, Elizabeth, and I could return home late Saturday evening. Then, the complications mounted. 

Trevor belatedly realized that he intended to attend his girlfriend's high school graduation that Saturday. Sean had trouble finding a friend to bring instead (especially since, having purchased fast passes, it had to be a friend unafraid of daring rides). Our two foremost options for a dog-sitter came up dry. Toby's groomer suggested two college students but they couldn't take the dog. I tried Rover.com, but so many of the options were homes with several large dogs, and we knew our Toby would not tolerate such an environment. Thus, I decided to remain home with the dog, while John took Sean and a friend and Bryce and Elizabeth drove my car. But Bryce really wanted me to come along.

Finally, I logged back in to Rover and tried to find a good fit in a town close to where Trevor will be for his girlfriend's graduation. Success! We arranged to have Trev drop Toby off that morning and I would pick him up the following morning after our return late the night before.

We had a wonderful time. Friday morning was a bit frantic (heavy rain made the drive stressful), but we arrived at the Breakers hotel (right on the Cedar Point property) around 2 and by 3, Bryce and Elizabeth, Sean and his friend Ben, were riding rides. It rained from 4-6, so John and I ditched our plans for Kelley Island. Our riders were unfazed as they were under cover in the line for Maverick. Then, we received a dreadful text. Bryce's wallet went missing. They weren't sure if it disappeared on the ride or in the crush of the crowd departing the ride. They searched but came up dry.

While they were at the hotel desk requesting replacement tickets and room keys, I prayed that God would intervene and not just return the wallet, but return it intact. The wallet had Bryce and Elizabeth's driver's licenses (necessary for their flights home), a few credit cards, room keys, and cash inside. After a lovely dinner at TGIFriday's and a delicious treat at the ice cream shop in the hotel, Bryce, Elizabeth, John, and I retired early, while the boys went back to ride more.

On Saturday, the four-some had fast passes and John and I had regular entrance tickets. The Breakers provides early entrance, so we bee-lined for Valravn (one of my favorite coasters), where we lucked into front row seats (for a virtual experience, watch this YouTube video). 

Most of the day, John and I held phones while the others rode the rides, but it was nice to walk around with them (and we did ride the Ferris Wheel). 

Eventually, we made our way to Maverick, where an employee remembered finding the wallet with two TX licenses inside. They sent us to lost and found - the wallet was there and contained everything. Praise God!

John remained behind with the boys, while Bryce, Elizabeth and I drove home. By 10 the next morning, the dog was retrieved, Bryce and Elizabeth departed for the Indy 500, and I awaited the return of John and the boys. On Monday, we enjoyed a cook-out and 2 lengthy games of Purdueopoly (great fun!). Tuesday, Elizabeth returned to Houston and Wednesday morning, Bryce returned to Dallas. Their visit was far too short, but enjoyable nonetheless. 

Book Review: The Good Pilot Peter Woodhouse

How can a war novel be light-hearted and tender? Throw in a dog with an unusual name, an orphaned land girl with a dim-witted cousin and maternal auntie, and an American pilot with a big heart - that's how. Val Eliot is as protective of her cousin Willy as Willy is protective of the mistreated dogs on his employer's farm. She agrees to help him rescue one pup Willy has named Peter Woodhouse (after an advertisement on his crate), but where to hide the pup? The American soldiers on a nearby base agree to take on the dog as a mascot and good luck charm.

The story meanders, but is full of hope and charm. Even in bad times, there are good people. Reaching out to help another may come at a risk, but some will take those risks. This is such a sweet story of friendship. Plus, I was amused to find Muncie, Indiana playing a role in another Alexander McCall Smith book (also the home of a character in The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection). Perhaps the author met someone from the town.