Passing Through All Right

Heading Out to Wonderful by Robert Goolrick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a compelling story! From the moment you meet Charlie you realize that this is not going to be a simple story. Each time I turned the page, I was wondering, is it this chapter where the shoe is going to fall?

The author's opening line is "The thing is, all memory is fiction. You have to remember that." He goes on to say

This story actually happened, and it happened pretty much the way I'm going to tell it to you. It's a true story, as much as six decades of remembering and telling can allow it to be true. Time changes things, and you don't always get everything right."

Charlie walks into town a stranger--he's pretty much adopted by a family, then by the town. But Charlie has an obsession--her name is Sylvan. Heading Out to Wonderful is primarily their story, although you will meet many other people along the way.

I love how the book was written, in fact, the writing reminds me a little bit of My Ántonia. That too, was a story of ordinary people living ordinary lives, told in a respectful way.

I would say this story will also make you think of forgiveness, or, perhaps, the lack of forgiveness. We have so much to give each other, yet, so often we withhold ourselves, holding onto judgment instead.

Some favorite quotes:

When you're young, and you head out to wonderful, everything is fresh and bright as a brand-new penny, but before you get to wonderful, you're going to have to pass through all right.

Childhood is the most dangerous place of all and no one gets past it unscarred.

She could only think, there are no fires of hell, there is only mercy

This book may not be for everyone, it's written in a very reflective manner, but I thought it was excellent, and will be checking out other books by this author.


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A Magical Evening with the Book of Speculation

The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was absolutely pulled into this book from the first page. For me, this book helped me to reach that zone of living in an alternate universe, which is what all the best books do. I did not want to come up for air!

First, the main character, Simon, the librarian, who naturally, loves books (I really liked Simon). Right there, I'm hooked. Then, he receives a beautiful, old, mysterious volume in the mail from a bookseller he doesn't even know. And thus the mystery begins. It is a fantastic mystery--by that I mean that the events recorded in the book, and the events surrounding his ancestors are rather fantastic and out of the realm of belief. But, you believe them, they are part of the story of Simon's life.

You will weave in and out of Simon's life as he digs into the book's mystery. Sometimes you will be in present time (Simon's time), and sometimes you will be in his ancestor's times. I know this can be annoying to some people, but it really worked well in The Book of Speculation.

I love when debut novels are so good, but feel bad for the author, because now I will expect her next book to be just as enthralling.

As always, it's not just the story, but the language used that draws me in. Here are some tidbits for you to consider:

"at night the lights from Connecticut shine across the harbor like they're crying."

"We carry our families like anchors, rooting us in storms, making sure we never drift from where and who we are."

          "Perhaps the book opened a door; books have a way of causing ripples." (love this!)

I borrowed this book from my local library, read it in an evening, and am now re-reading bits of it. It pulled me in like The Thirteenth Tale did years ago. I highly recommend it.



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An Unexpected Tale About Good and Evil

Bohemian Gospel by Dana Chamblee Carpenter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you're looking for a book to take you away, this fit the bill for me. It's fantasy, and somewhat dark, but full of adventure and mystery.

Mouse is abandoned as a child, with no knowledge of her mother or father. She is loved and educated in an Abbey by one of the monks, Father Lucas. She is trained to be a healer by a Nun, Mother Kazi. Although Father Lucas and Mother Kazi love her, they are a little afraid of her, and she senses that from them. Mouse has mysterious gifts, like hearing things long before anyone else hears them, and her body heals itself very quickly. Mouse doesn't know if these are good or evil things.

One day, a young king is injured and Mouse is instrumental in his healing. From that day forward, their lives are intertwined. Their journey leads to love, sadness and sacrifice. There are adventures, and there are questions. When Mouse learns the answers, will she be happy?

The ending was a little flat for me, but I would still highly recommend this read.


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The Dive From Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reviewers were really varied on this book, from 1 star hated it to 5 stars. Most all like the first part of the book, but then were disappointed with the character development choices at the end. For me, I was interested all the way through. I didn't want to give this 3 stars, I thought that was too low, but a 4 seems a little high. So know that this book fell between those choices for me.

Carrie's boyfriend, Mike, dives off Clausen's Pier and becomes paralyzed. Carrie was conflicted about their relationship before the dive,and now she is placed in the unenviable position of being a "lifeline" for Mike. The choices she now makes will affect Mike, Mike's family, herself, the friends that she and Mike hung out--that's a lot of pressure for a 23 year old. We follow Carrie's journey as she tries to figure out who she is, and what role she will play in Mike's life.

Do I agree with the folks who were disappointed in what they perceived as shallowness in the character development as the book moved forward? Well, yes, in some ways--but then again, the 23 year olds of today are not exactly mature. They do make debatable choices, and some of the choices they make are based on how they think other's will make judgments about them. And some of their choices are selfish. I think so many young people are so confused about life, themselves, and how they work together.

One of the things I liked about this book, is how Carrie used sewing as an escape. I love to sew, so her descriptions of fabric, and fashion, and how she used those as an escape were interesting to me.

In the end, Carrie makes a sort of peace with her life and choices. I'm not sure it would have been quite that neat in real life, but it fit Carrie's life, and so it was a just right ending.


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What Story is Your Life Telling?

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life by Donald Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoy Donald Miller's writing, and I like this book even better than Blue Like Jazz.

Basically this book encourages us to think of our lives as story. Don't like the story you're in? Then why don't you look at changing it into a better story? That's what Don did, and along the way he made new friends, went on some adventures, and made a difference in the lives of boys that don't have fathers through a mentoring program. There were portions of the book where I was just chuckling out loud, particularly the chapter featuring snow and kayaks. Don't think the book is all humor though, he also covers hard subjects like losing people you love to cancer.

There are so many great things to quote from this book, but I'll have to restrain myself. Here's a few of my favorites:

"I wonder if that's what we'll do with God when we are through with all this, if he'll show us around heaven, all the light coming in through the windows a thousand miles away, all the fields sweeping down to a couple of chairs under a tree, in a field outside the city. And we'll sit and tell him our stories, and he'll smile and tell us what they mean."

When Miller tries to comfort his cousin about the loss of her father, his Uncle Art, who was like a father to him. He can't find the words, but:

"later that night I pictured Uncle Art, and I could see him in heaven, and he was sitting at a table and there was a celebration. There was dancing and bottles of wine, and there was music. I could see him at a wedding, and I realized that's what I should have told Carol, that her dad was at a wedding."

Miller's friend Kathy is struggling with God and the events he allowed to happen in her life and the life of others. She goes to visit Ntarama in Africa, to visit the church which is the memorial to the people who died because of the terrible atrocities that occurred in the war between the Hutus and the Tutsis people. It's there she heard God's voice

"This is what happens when people walk away from me, Kathy. I have brought you to this place to show you something important.This is what happens when my compassion and love leave a place."

Such a good reminder that we are responsible to be God's hand and feet in this world.

This book is full of stories that will make you think of your life differently. I guarantee you will enjoy it!


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Beryl Markham: Fact or Fiction?

Circling the Sun by Paula McLain
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I think I may be getting frustrated with books that are part biography and part novel. While I enjoyed getting to know about Beryl Markham's life (her accomplishments as a woman are amazing), I kept wondering how the author could know what she (Beryl) was really feeling. Of course she can't, and she has every right to take creative license as it is a novel, but I find myself wanting to know the real bits. That said, I am intrigued to read Beryl's book, West With the Night, so I can see what she has to say in her own words.

To be fair, as a story, I would give it 4 stars, the 3 stars are my frustration with not knowing what is truth and fiction.


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The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Heidi W. Durrow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was pulled into this story of Rachel, a daughter of a Norwegian and a Black American GI. It is a story of loss and despair, with some hope pulled in. I thought the ending was just right. You can view a good synopsis on Heidi's website.

I think this would be an excellent classroom or book club discussion book.


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