Friday, December 30, 2011

Book Review - Explosive Eighteen



Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich

2011, Bantam Books
Why?  I've read all the Stephanie Plum series and have eagerly awaited 18's publication since I closed the pages of 17
What Now? Glad I didn't purchase a hardback of this one :(  After I write my review I'm anxious to see what other Evanovich fans have to say about this 

Golden Lines:

"Did you report the found driver's license to the police?"
"Yes. I told Morelli."
"Then I'm sure he's there with a cadaver dog.  He's an idiot, but he's a good cop."
"Why is he an idiot?"
"He lets me get close to you."


Lula swung through the coffee shop door and came over to us.  "Is that a gun?"
"Oh for Crissake, who's this?" Brenda asked.
"I'm Lula.  Who the heck are you?"
"This is a private conversation," Brenda said.
"Yeah, but I want to take a look at your little peashooter.  It's kinda cute."
"It's a gun," Brenda said.
Lula pulled her Glock out of her bag and aimed it at Brenda.  "Bitch, this is a gun.  It could put a hole in you big enough to drive a truck through."
"Honestly," Brenda said, "this is just so boring."  And she huffed off to her car and drove away.
"She was kinda snippy, being I just wanted to see her gun," Lula said.


Summary

Returning from a ruined trip to Hawaii, Stephanie finds herself in the middle of a crime mess...just from sitting by the wrong person on the airplane.  The man sitting on the airplane accidentally slips a photo into her messenger bag that a lot of people want...and want bad enough to hunt Stephanie down.  Stephanie is trailed by fake FBI men, real FBI men, the hairdresser sister of a mobster and a foreign killer.  She's dodging dangerous people at every move.  At the same time, Stephanie's dodging (unsuccessfully) both Ranger and Morelli after the events in Hawaii and doesn't seem any closer to making a choice.  


What I Liked

Stephanie and Lula - I definitely giggled out loud at more than one place...these two are nuts.

I can't think of anything else. :(



What I Didn't Like

Why the heck did Lula keep saying WHAM?  There were more than enough Food Network mentions so I'm assuming Lula's new saying is a spin-off from Emeril Lagasse?

Stephanie's trip to Hawaii was a major cliffhanger at the end of Book 17.  In Explosive Eighteen it was glossed over like it was nothing.  The one paragraph that finally explained what happened on the trip when Stephanie explained to her mother, Lula and Grandma Mazur could have been developed into the storyline that occurred before this one.  Unless Evanovich is dragging it all out even more, I honestly have no idea what she's thinking by not hashing this out.  

***SPOILER ALERT***
I am no prude, but in all the other books, Stephanie is either with Morrelli or Ranger...not both...and she's usually committed to one of them, not neither of them.  This was a major change of events for Evanovich, and I just can't imagine where she's headed with it.

Evanovich also suggest twice in different places that Stephanie might have been lax in her family planning while in Hawaii.  What is that all about??  You've got to be kidding me???  If Evanovich does that, I'm done.  For a LOT of reasons.
***SPOILER OVER***

The minor character names in this book were the worst...Razzle Dazzle, Tootie Raguzzi, Lancer Lancelot, Buggy, Magpie, Sly Slasher, Lahonka, ...??? Huh??

Even the bad guys were jokes this time...the scariest character was Razzle Dazzle...and no, that's not a typo.  How can someone be scary with a name like Razzle Dazzle??  Even more important, how can someone be scary when he talks like this"
"You will be stopping moving," he said. "You are understanding?"
Oy.

All of a sudden, Stephanie is a martial arts expert??  I know she works well with rage, but she's so tough now that even the cops are amazed at her actions on surveillance video??  Huh?

Morelli's interactions with Stephanie after Evanovich's Hawaii explanation are not consistent with his traditional expectations of Stephanie and of where their relationship is or is not going.  

Ranger - I've always been a Morrelli girl, and I have never disliked Ranger, but at this point, I'm beginning to.  If he cares so much for Stephanie, knows he's not interested in a "relationship" and knows Stephanie would be safer, happier with Morrelli, then why doesn't Ranger just step back.  In this book it almost seems like Ranger's using Stephanie.  For example, what happens in a closet where Stephanie and Ranger are hiding is unnecessary.  I had to re-read that page just to make sure it really happened...and still wasn't sure until a few pages later when Stephanie mentions the event and left no doubt in my mind.  Unless, of course, something else happened in Hawaii to make Ranger think he and Stephanie are together??   Unfortunately, I guess we'll never know.
Grrrrrr!

Overall Recommendation:

At first I thought only die hard Stephanie fans would like this, but I'm wondering if only those who haven't read any of the other books would really be the ones to read this?  And, I'm not even sure they would see the series for the wild ride it has been until now.  This is the worst Stephanie Plum yet; I'm so disappointed.  And, I'm not even sorry about giving it a negative review.
I'm sad.


Thursday, December 29, 2011

A Marriage Carol - Book Review



A Marriage Carol by Chris Fabry and Gary Chapman
Moody Press, 2011
Why?  My first Net Galley review...I love the original A Christmas Carol and this sounded like an interesting retelling of the story.
What now?  No need to purchase a hard copy of this one


Golden Lines

When I looked up we were nearing a curve, and through the haze and blowing snow I noticed two headlights bearing down on us like our oncoming future.  I couldn't scream, couldn't speak, just threw out a hand and pointed.
Instinct.  His foot to the pedal.  Steering wheel one way, then the other.  Fishtailing.  A truck's air horn.  Jacob reached out for me.
Spinning.
Weightless.
Out of control.
A snow globe shaken and dropped.


Summary:

Marlee and Jacob Ebeneezer are on their way to their lawyer's office in a snowstorm to sign their divorce papers on Christmas Eve.  An accident carries Marlee and Jacob through the past, present and possible futures of their lives depending on their impending divorce.


What I Liked:

I'm a fan of A Christmas Carol and enjoy watching and reading the many different ways the story can be told.  I was intrigued by the synopsis I read on Net Galley and downloaded it because of that alone.  I'd never heard of the book before then.  

The description of the snow, the couple driving and snarking with each other on the way to the lawyer's office was the most vivid scene to me.  I think any couple has moments like these.  

The little twist at the end when Marlee meets the old man's wife...I didn't see this coming and it was a pleasant surprise since I had already decided I wasn't crazy about this version.  

The images of Marlee and Jacob's early life together and how their relationship changed over time.  For anyone who is in a later stage of their marriage, these scenes will be true to heart.  The early, lovey dovey years, the hectic years when the kids are babies, and the growing years as the kids begin to make their own way and you find yourselves looking back toward each other again hit close to home for me.

Like the original A Christmas Carol, the book is very short.  This was very important to me once I started skimming.  I'm one of those people who has a hard time putting a book away once I've started reading it.  The knowledge that the story was a quick one was enough to keep me going.


What I Didn't Like:

As good of a message this is, the story itself is too predictable for me to "like."  The story is a faith based story, but the authors almost hit the reader over the head with religious tropes.  I am a Christian, but I think some readers, who may really need to hear the overall message of this book, could be turned off by the preaching early on.  Even I skimmed through a lot of it.

I thought Marlee was too calm for a woman whose husband/soon to be ex-husband was out lost in the snowstorm after the accident.  Even though they were on their way to be divorced, I didn't see her sitting around "waiting" on what to do next.  If someone is lost in a snowstorm, seconds can mean the difference between life and death.

Marlee was the only one who actually experienced the Christmas scenes from the past, present and future.  From the synopsis, I expected them to go through that together.  I was actually looking forward to that.  Marriage takes two...and in any situation where a marriage is splitting apart, it is usually not a one-sided ordeal (except, of course, in extreme cases).  In this story Marlee seemed to be the one who wanted the divorce...all bc of an old flame from high school who drank a lot of Coors?  Again, too obvious and a ridiculous example.  When Marlee saw her future with the high school dude demanding for her to bring him another beer, I had visions of the movie The Urban Cowboy where Debra Winger's character is living with the ex-convict after leaving John Travolta.  She comes in from the grocery story and throws a pack of cigarettes at him; he takes her by the hair and makes her pick the carton of cigarettes up.  I actually rolled my eyes when I read this part of the story.  The obvious made the story feel on purpose and rushed and cheesy.

Um, the melting snow as the visual for the scenes from the past, present and future was pretty silly and "magical" to me...unbelievable.  Good grief.

Marlee was worried that she might have gotten into a car with a serial killer, but she wasn't all that worried about being alone with an older many she's just met in his home during the night of a snowstorm.  Huh?  Again, completely unrealistic.


Overall Response:

This book was just ok to me...I do realize that it may very well be a wake-up call for some couples. Can this book stop a divorce...probably not.  But, maybe, especially around the holidays, it might remind a husband and/or wife of all that they have together.  Maybe.  I also couldn't help but wondering what a great story this could have been had some of the simpler issues been worked out and even developed into a much richer storyline.  If the authors don't have time to develop a story worth reading, what's the point?


Recommendation:

This little book might be a helpful gift for a couple in trouble who have a lot more together than they do apart...and just need a reminder.  
I don't review negatively much, and I always feel bad when I do...just because I didn't like this story doesn't mean someone else won't.


FTC Disclosure: An e-copy of A Marriage Carol was sent to me free of charge from the publisher through Net Galley.  All opinions are my own.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Top 10 Favorite Books I Read in 2011





I love Top Ten Tuesday lists at the end of the year over at The Broke and the Bookish: the 10 books I hope Santa brings, the best books I read in 2011 and then the top 10 I'm looking forward to in 2012.

I'm not a "typical" reader I don't think.  Of my favorites of 2011 not a single one was actually published in 2011.  When I began blogging and particularly reviewing books, one of my intentions was to prioritize my reading again.  As long as I can remember, reading and books have brought me intense pleasure...after an 8 year stint working with nothing but academic text, I vowed to re-invigorate my reading life.  And, I have.  I still can't get through a book as fast as some of the book bloggers out there, but I also don't really feel the need to...some books were meant to be savored...or thought through as they are being read...while others have to be read every second of every minute bc I just can't stand to wait another minute to find out what will happen next. The Hunger Games and Water for Elephants are the only two books on this list that I flew through.  


1.  Little Women by Louisa May Alcott


This was my first read of 2011, and I loved it.  Alcott should be read slow and easy...candlelight or Christmas light preferable.  You also must be able to relax and just enjoy the story for what it is...a family story...but especially that of 4 sisters and how their lives are shaped over time.



2.  March by Geraldine Brooks


After Little Women, I went on an Alcott binge...I read Little Men and Jo's Boys, won an Alcott bio that I started and picked up my first Geraldine Brooks.   Oh my goodness.  American Civil War history in the light of reality vs. fantasy.  The good, the bad and the ugly.  I can't wait to read more of Brooks.



3.  The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins


Another book that garnered a lot of hype, but I didn't give in until my firstborn talked me into it.  Katniss is the kind of heroine I enjoy...tough and sensitive at the same time, loyal, head held high, and a fighter.  There was enough believable edge here to keep me interested as well.  A little nervous about the movie... but I always am.


4.  The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck


I can't even remember why this book got my attention in 2011...but it did.  This is one of those novels that stays with you for a long, long time after you read it.


5.  HT Be Your Dog's Best Friend by The Monks of New Skete


After I got Layla, I was determined to learn everything I could about my big dog and be the best owner I could possibly be.  I enjoyed learning about the monks, their lives and their dogs.  Their positive reinforcement/leader of the pack take on owning German Shepherds makes perfect sense to me.



6.  The United States of Arugula by David Kamp


A history of the food culture in the United States from the earliest influences, James Beard, Julia Child and friends, to the Food Network generation of today.  How food has shaped communities, re-invigorated run-down areas, brought families together and educated even home cooks on eating well.


7.  Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen


I almost didn't read this one.  Amidst all the hype I kept picking it up, reading the synopsis and trying to get excited about the storyline.  I just couldn't.  At the last moment I downloaded it on my Kindle and read it on a trip to Baltimore...I couldn't put it down.  I even downloaded the Kindle app on my Blackberry so I could read my book everywhere, waiting in lines, on the train, etc...LOVED it.


8.  Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier


I chose this as a read to share with one of my classes.  I loved it.  We discussed it for 6 weeks even though I finished it before then, and then we watched the movie, comparing our perspectives with Hollywood's.  I enjoyed this assignment so much that I'm planning to continue it next semester...this time with Marcus Zuzak's The Book Thief.




9.  The House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne


Another slow read...language, language, language.  Again, as with Little Women, take your time and enjoy this one...a family, but not so much a family story as it is a mystery...generations of hate finally come to an end.  Good stuff.



10.  The Children of Henry VIII by Alison Weir


My Tudor addiction is alive and well...I also can't get enough of Alison Weir.  She's something else.



And, there they are...the 2011 reads I enjoyed the most :)
Can't wait to see what happens in 2012 :):)

Monday, December 26, 2011

Monday at the Movies - Cold Mountain


Cold Mountain
December, 2003

First and foremost, let me say that I am one of those people who very seldom likes a movie as much as a book.  And, I've adopted a self-imposed edict that a movie may not be watched (by me) unless I've read the book first.  I know I'm weird...but, that's just the way it is.  It is important to know this about me though before you take my review to heart.

It's probably important to read my review of the book first as well...you can find it here.


Trailer





What I liked:

The scenery - nature, the environment, place to place was a hugely important aspect of this novel, so I was very glad to see the movie makers took the time to make sure nature was at the forefront of the movie as well.  

Graphic scenes - please don't get me wrong...I didn't like the graphic scenes...but this is war...there should be graphic scenes...anything less than graphic softens history for each generation removed from the actual events.  As graphic and hard to watch as some of the scenes in the movie, I felt the book descriptions were even more so.  Again, those scenes were not intended for shock effect...but a true depiction of the circumstances.

Attitudes - when the men hear that war has been declared, they begin jumping around hooting and hollering about going to war...as if they're going to wrestle a few rounds with the fellas down the street.  Young and old drop everything, leave everyone and go to fight...they truly think they'll be back quickly...and most of them never return at all.  I think these scenes are important because as bad as things were, ever are, or ever could be again, the tragedies of the Civil War were not seen as such from the beginning.  What is war?  How can you guess if you never been there?  How can you guess even if you have been there?  The men and women who went to Vietnam never expected the horrors and atrocities they suffered there either nor how they would  be treated when they returned.  The men of the North and South never expected such lawlessness as what they left behind...how women and children and helpless families were taken advantage of...and the examples could go on and on.  
War should never be taken lightly...with only fist pumping and going over to kick someone's a#$$.  Is there really ever a "winner"?

Ruby/Renee Zellweger - almost a flawless portrayal I think...hardcore, a spade a spade, realistic to the bone, hard-worker, smart, country, and independent.  The following is a perfect introduction to the character Ruby:



Jude Law as Inman - at first I wasn't sure...and I wasn't completely comfortable with his accent, but his acting overshadowed that for me...and that's really saying something.   His plight...a young honorable farmer, off to war, attracted to Ada, a war he doesn't believe in even from the beginning, the violence, wanting to go home, his perseverance, his inability to walk away from someone else in need, standing up for what's right while at the same time trying to be loyal...Inman is probably the most complicated person in this novel/movie, and Jude 
Law nailed it.  

The end - a very important part of this story is the way it ends.  The final scene was not my favorite in the movie and was much more meaningful and emotional in the book.  However, the actual ending "event" was done very well...even if you know what is going to happen (and I did), I felt the anticipation as Inman tracked down the fleeing member of the guard...I even caught myself hoping that the inevitable somehow might not happen.  That's pretty good movie-making, folks.


What I didn't like:

Nicole Kidman as Ada - I was a little nervous about the Nicole Kidman thing from the very beginning.  She just didn't fit my brain's image of Ada as I read the book.  While I felt she gave Ada her best shot, there were moments, especially at the end in the snow, when she looked like she had just put on blush and lip gloss.  That bothered me...I also couldn't help but wonder about her harsh portrayal of a woman with progressive ideas.  In the book Ada is much more believable...I'm not sure I'm really explaining this well...and maybe my doubts were about Kidman rather than her portrayal of Ada.  Kidman's best scene was the one where she is under the house hiding and the rooster attacks her.  Kidman looks like a crazed woman who literally has reached a point of nothing else to lose.  Perfect.

Changes to the story - As expected there were certainly some smaller scenes that were left out...and a few minor changes to the story or characters...and while I notice those, I can deal with them.  However, there was a major shift for Sally Swanger's character.  That I did not understand at all...living with Ada and Ruby after the brutal slaughter of her family...no voice...Did I miss something?  With that big of a change, I felt there should be some outstanding reason, some other part of the story developed...but there wasn't.  

Romance as a bigger theme - The movie was made much more into a love story than the book.  In the book Inman and Ada hardly knew each other when he left.  Their "love" grew from an idea of wanting what they had before the war took it all away.  The movie portrayed them somehow as the love of each other's lives from the very beginning, and I just didn't see it that way when I read the book.  


My Overall Response

I liked this movie enough to buy a copy and keep it in our DVD library.  It was not as good as the book, but what movie ever is?   I enjoyed looking for clips to share for this post which makes me think I will definitely watch it again.


Thursday, December 22, 2011

The Children of Henry VIII - Book Review



The Children of Henry VIII by Alison Weir
Ballantine, 1996
Why? I'm obsessed with the Tudors
What now? into the glass case of keepers it goes 

Golden Lines

Edward VI, meanwhile, was growing up fast and excelled at riding, running and shooting, despite increasing short-sightedness.  Consistently striving to emulate Henry VIII, he was becoming more and more like his father.  Hands on hips, he would imitate Henry's straddling pose, and emit 'thunderous oaths' in his high, imperious voice.  By calculated displays of wrath and coldness, he sought to make men fear him as they had his father.  By now a fanatical Protestant, he was fond of lecturing those around him in the articles of his faith, a role which sat oddly with his youth.  His councillors and courtiers were already in awe of him. 'He will be the wonder and terror of the world if he lives,' declared Bishop Hopper that year. 


The watching lords and ladies waited politely for their new queen to compose herself, believing that she wept for the late King, since between sobs she had muttered something about 'so noble a prince.' After a while Jane calmed herself and rose to her feet, bracing herself to make a stand against what she knew to be tyranny.
'The crown is not my right,' she stated flatly, 'and pleaseth me not.  The Lady Mary is the rightful heir.'


Mary was, indeed, a political innocent, incapable of subtlety or the ability to dissemble.  Unlike the other Tudor monarchs, who made a virtue of expediency, she ruled according to the dictates of her conscience, which sometimes made her a formidable person to deal with, for she could be ruthless in carrying out what she believed to be her duty.  But, if her conscience did not point the way, then she suffered agonies of indecision; if it did, she never lacked the courage of her convictions.  An objective point of view was beyond her; she was single-minded to a fault.  The quality she admired most in anyone was goodness, which was a quality she herself could boast.


As far as religion was concerned, Elizabeth kept her own counsel.  We know very little of what she was taught as a child, only that she came under the influence of the Cambridge reformers who tutored her and her brother, and of her Protestant stepmother, Katherine Parr.  Although she herself came to embrace their views, circumstances often dictated that she had to be discreet, so she learned a certain pragmatism with regard to religion.  As a result, she was never a bigot or a fanatic.  She was not even very pious.  As an adult, she commissioned a private prayer in which she gave thanks to God for having 'from my earliest days kept me back from the deep abysses of natural ignorance and damnable superstition, that I might enjoy the great sun of righteousness which brings with its rays life and salvation, while leaving so many kings, princes and princesses in ignorance under the power of Satan'.  On another occasion she displayed an unusually enlightened view for her time when she declared: 'There is only one faith and one Jesus Christ; the rest is a dispute about trifles.'

Summary
The Tudor reign is probably one of  the most recognized time periods in British history due to King Henry marrying 6 wives, one of whom was Anne Boleyn, the woman for whom Henry broke away from the Catholic Church and began the Reformation Movement.

Edward, Mary and Elizabeth were the three legitimate children of King Henry VIII  and heirs to the English throne.    Henry divorced his first wife, Katherine of Aragon, mother to the Princess Mary, executed Anne Boleyn, mother of the Princess Elizabeth, and lost Prince Edward's mother, Jane Seymour, in her childbed before marrying 3 more times.  His relationship with each of his daughters was strained due heavily to his failed relationships with their mothers.  Prince Edward, on the other hand, was treated as a King from birth because he was a male heir and because his mother survived her marriage.  The children's relationships with one another were also complicated.  Mary and Elizabeth were brought up in different faiths, Mary in the Catholic faith and Elizabeth as a Protestant.  This issue alone caused strife between them all their lives.  Edward was also partial to the Protestant faith, but as a young King was very much led by his uncles and others of his council.  Each reigned as sovereign with Elizabeth ruling as the last of the Tudors.  Weir presents the children of Henry VIII as children first, their interactions or lack of interaction with each other and their father.  Only Princess Mary was lucky enough to have a few years with her own mother before she was sent away.  King Henry's children, their individual lives greatly influenced by the religious and  political climate during their lifetimes, and the favor of their father as well as the people of England shaped each of them into the person they would become and the kind of sovereign they were to England.


What I Liked

Information on King Edward - because he died so young I've not read much about him...He was young, and his reign was short and controlled by his handlers, so I can see why he might be considered less important than the others...however, Edward was a Protestant.  If he had not ruled before Mary, things could have been very different.

Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Elizabeth - what an absolutely tough cookie this one was...not only tough but smart...she made mistakes but she learned from them...she didn't get caught up in ridiculous stuff and called her own shots.  I knew this about her as Queen but from Weir's research it becomes apparent that those personality characteristics were hers from the beginning.  I like to think she got the best of both her mother and father...the anger and power from her father and her cunning from her mother.  

Historical documentation - while I love a good piece of historical fiction, I especially appreciate a work like this one that presents history in a narrative form.  By the time I got to Mary's reign, I couldn't put the book down...even though I knew what was going to happen next.  Weir pulls the reader in so that he/she feels like these are regular people somehow.  Weir weaves in comments of documents that still exist, those that don't, lands and castles and who they belong to then and now...but in such a way that it feels part of the story.

The Bibliography - I'm a geek.  I know it.  I just love a good bibliography.  Weir provides the reader with access to the documents she studied, previous books read, and lots and lots of primary research.  Her story is based on artifacts and information that is known, not assumed.  I spent an hour just scouring the Bib.

Jane Grey - Jane Grey's story REALLY gets swept under the rug in history, but Weir doesn't shy away from it.  Jane Grey's story may be one of the saddest, in fact, being a pawn of the greedy adults around her and then paying the ultimate price for crimes that were not her own.

Queen Mary - I don't like Mary, never have.  But, Weir gives more of a glimpse into who Mary was and why she was.  There's a lot of information on Mary, and it seems Weir is very careful in the chapters focusing on Mary as queen to produce evidence rather than accepted rumor or stories that have survived centuries but aren't based on fact.  I don't like Mary any better now that I've read the book, but Mary's life was much more complicated than just her nickname, Bloody Mary, implies.  


What I Didn't Like

Mary - in all fairness as I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I've never been a Mary fan...so this dislike really has nothing to do with the book really...just my personal opinion.  Weir does present Mary in such a light that the reader does get a lot of inside information on WHY Mary acted as she did.  But, that info is presented in an objective manner...the reader gets to decide for herself.  I have always believed Mary was ill suited to the monarchy...while she had many positive attributes and a strong personality, she was too emotional and too sentimental.  She was, of course, the only child of a loveless marriage, watched her father put her mother away, and then never was able to see her own mother again.  Those events alone would render a person psychologically unbalanced; unfortunately, the psychologically unbalanced don't always make good leaders.  I believe Mary was a religious fanatic...she held hard to her catholic faith because it represented something stable to her....something she never experienced anywhere or anytime else.  She truly believed she was chosen by God to be the one who healed England's religious dissention.  Because of this fanaticism she earned the title Bloody Mary...she reminds me of what we know of terrorists today.  

An overwhelming amount of information - it's not that I didn't like the amount of information....but...if a person is not into this kind of history or doesn't have at least a little background in Tudor history, he/she could easily get lost.  This isn't a read for the faint of heart or for someone who's looking for a skimmed over romanticized view of King Henry's children's lives.

Not enough Elizabeth - Elizabeth has her own books later of course so I'm sure that's why Weir chose to cut off this story at the beginning of Elizabeth's reign, but she's my favorite so I would have liked to see more of her.  


Overall Response

Weir may be one of the most talented historical writers in the world.  So much so that I added her newest book on Mary Boleyn to my Amazon auto ship before it was published; I don't do that often.  Her ability to weave facts into a captivating narrative is incredible.  Most books chocked with factual information are dry and read like a textbook...not these.


Recommendations

Anyone who is interested in British history, the British monarchy, the history of the relationship between church and state, King Edward, Queen Mary, or Queen Elizabeth should read this book...NOW.  

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Wolf Hall ReadAlong Parts 1 and 2




Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Henry Holt and Company, 2010
On my Nook


Part I Golden Lines

"If you cannot find him a son," he says, "you must find him a piece of scripture.  To ease his mind."
The cardinal appears to be looking for it, on his desk.  "Well, Deuteronomy.  Which positively recommends that a man should marry his deceased brother's wife.  As he did."  The cardinal sighs.  "But he doesn't like Deuteronomy."
Useless to say, why not?  Useless to suggest that, if  Deuteronomy orders you to marry your brother's relict, and Leviticus says don't, or you will not breed, you should try to live with the contradiction, and accept that the question of which takes priority was thrashed out in Rome, for a fat fee, by leading prelates, twenty years ago when the dispensations were issued, and delivered under papal seal.
"I don't see why he takes Leviticus to heart.  He has a daughter living."
"But I think it is generally understood, in the scriptures, that 'children' means 'sons.'"

Part II Golden Lines

"Men say," Liz reaches for her scissors, "'I can't endure it when women cry' - just as people say, 'I can't endure this wet weather.' As if it were nothing to do with the men at all, the crying.  Just one of those things that happen."
"I've never made you cry, have I?"
"Only with laughter," she says.
Conversation fades into an easy silence; she is embroidering her own thoughts, he is plotting what to do with his money.  He is supporting two young scholars, not belonging to the family, through Cambridge University; the gift blesses the giver.  I could increase those endowments, he thinks, and - "I suppose I should make a will," he says.
She reaches out for his hand, "Tom, don't die."
"Good God, no, I'm not proposing it."


My Impression of the Story so Far

I'm a Tudor England fanatic, so I was drawn to this readalong without question...and it hasn't disappointed me yet.
The story, unlike many others set in this time period, is told from Thomas Cromwell's point of view and is more about Cromwell than Henry VIII.  I love this aspect of it simply for that reason...it's another perspective, another side to the story, another look at history to see how it all came together.  This is not a story, however, that can be skimmed.  I've had to pay very close attention to names, dates, the provided family tree, etc. to understand all the connections between people, families and events.  

Wolf Hall is specifically about Thomas Cromwell himself...his early life, his dysfunctional childhood with an alcoholic father, his decision to leave home at 15 rather than be killed by his father and how he supported himself for the next part of his life.  Thomas was incredibly smart, a fighter, picked up on things easily, and specifically was a whiz with numbers.  He came home eventually, a made man and became a trusted, vital part of the business end of Cardinal Wolsey.  Cardinal Wolsey was, for a time, King Henry VIII's most influential adviser.  The tide turns for Wolsey when King Henry decides he wants a divorce from Wife #1 Catherine of Aragon in order to marry Anne Boleyn, and he's willing to break England away from the Roman Catholic Church in order to get what he wants.  King Henry essentially tells Wolsey to get his divorce...or else.  Cromwell then has to stand by and watch his mentor fall from grace because of the impossible whims of the King.  

Thomas Cromwell was a good man.  The love he showed his family and others who needed him are things I didn't know before this novel.  He was a fighter and a survivor and seemed to have it all at one point.  Unfortunately each year all London families fought the sweating sickness, and many were lost quickly...Cromwell's household doesn't escape death either.  Thomas was able to overcome his traumatic childhood in order to have a happy, stable family...only to lose it again.  This is where I believe Cromwell begins to cut himself off emotionally from everyone and everything...that Cromwell is the one most well known during the Tudor era...or the one that is legendary.  I'm looking forward to more of this author's in depth look into the life of Thomas Cromwell during the Reformation.


This ReadALong is a joint endeavor of Natalie @ Coffee and a Book Chick and Nicole @ Linus's Blanket

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Saturday Snapshot - The Ducks

I'm in bed today...turns out I don't have a virus...I have bronchitis, a sinus infection and my blood pressure is too high.
I guess I'm sick! :p

Days like today I really really appreciate my trusty laptop...I found this picture this morning...I had forgotten all about it :)

The Head of My Household took this photo...he had my camera to take pictures of a hawk that visits our lake sometimes and randomly snapped a few of our youngest.

I love how the sunlight is shining behind her hair and even her arms...I'll probably frame this one...if I ever get out of this bed!  I'm a very grumpy patient!





Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce @ At Home with Books.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Bossypants - Book Review



Bossypants by Tina Fey

Little Brown and Company, 2011
Why? A co-worker talked me into it...I also had read about it and heard it was funny, and I'm always game for lighthearted funny :)
What Now? will donate this one to the library or give it away


Golden Lines

I've never understood why every character being "hot" was necessary for enjoying a TV show.  It's the same reason I don't get Hooters.  Why do we need to enjoy chicken wings and boobies at the same time?  Yes, they are a natural and beautiful part  of the human experience.  And so are boobies.  By why at the same time?

On September 3, 2008, then governor Palin accepted the vice presidential nomination.   Around this same time, Oprah formally agreed to be on 30 Rock, and it was determined that my daughter's third-birthday party would have a Peter Pan theme.  Each of these events was equally important in my life.

Of course the final ingredient for a perfect Christmas vacation is a good Buffer.  A Buffer is a neutral party who keeps the conversation light.  Everyone needs a Buffer.  You don't think Mary and Joseph were psyched to see the Little Drummer Boy?

Of course I'm not supposed to admit that there is triannual torrential sobbing in my office, because it's bad for the feminine cause.  It makes it harder for women to be taken seriously in the workplace.  It makes it harder for other working moms to justify their choice.  But I have friends who stay home with their kids and they also have a triannual sob, so I think we should call it even.  I think we should be kind to one another about it.  I think we should agree to blame the children.

The Mother's Prayer for Its Daughter...
...And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, 
Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends,
For I will not have that Shit.  I will not have it.


Summary

What the heck is this book about?
Bossypants is about Tina Fey, the real person (woman), and her navigation of a sometimes not so real career in show business.  Fey begins with her childhood, adolescence, and her family but quickly shifts to her early days in community theatre, "Saturday Night Live," producing, directing, writing and improv, "30 Rock" and then her return to SNL due to her remarkable resemblance to VP candidate Sarah Palin.  
What Fey talks mostly about though is how she chooses to live her life as a working mother in the land of glamorous people and still somehow remain sane and most importantly true to herself.
The best way she does just that is to call the shots how they are...there's no hem-hawing around with Fey.


What I Liked 

The Humor.
Duh.
Even though this book won't go down on my list of lifetime favorites (heck, I'm not even going to keep the book), there were times when I laughed out loud.  Fey is funny; there is no doubt about that.  She's hardheaded, she's bossy, she has an opinion and she's not afraid to use it, and she's just as conflicted as every other mother/working mother in the world, 

The feminist tone - I actually think this is why my co-worker suggested the book for me.  Fey definitely fights the good fight in a male dominated workplace...sure, a lot of actors are women, but successful producers and writers, not so much.  And, even when women do find a seat at the roundtable, they are still pressured to look good and give up their careers to have babies...because hey, isn't that what a woman's life is really all about?

Discussion of family - Fey's parents, her husband and of course her daughter are obviously important to her.  In today's Hollywood, we don't always get to see that and even when we think we're finally getting to see a real person in Hollywood, they implode and we smack ourselves on the head, "Doh! Duped again!!"
Heck, I'm so naive I thought Demi and Ashton would stay together forever :p
Fey seems solid...and that's refreshing.


What I Didn't Like

Ok, I'm not a prude...but there was a little bit of language that made me cringe...comments like somebody "sucking a bag of *&%$#"
Ahem.
There were definitely times when colorful language was called for...like when producers complained about a certain show because "there was nobody on that show they wanted to f&%$."
Fey promises us that producers really do say those kinds of things so we'll see exactly the kind of people she sometimes has to deal with and the same ole perception of women as sex objects more than anything else.
O.K.
But, even I was caught off guard more than a few times.

I felt left out of much of the conversation about SNL and "30 Rock," and this was the deal breaker for me.  It's probably THE reason I won't keep the book.   I was a SNL fan up until about 1987. My friends and I used to come in from Saturday night outings in time to watch SNL at someone's house...that's how much we liked it...but I had long since quit watching the show by the time Tina Fey and Amy Poehler became regulars, and Tina Fey only showed up on my radar during the Sarah Palin years.  Heck, by the time she and Amy Poehler were in "Baby Mama," I had no idea who either of them were.  I never watched "30 Rock," and don't know one thing at all about it...except from the discussions in this book.  At times I felt like I was in an Anatomy &; Physiology class before I had finished Bio I.  I needed a foundation to enjoy these parts of the book...a foundation I'm unsure I could ever really gain after the fact.


My Overall Response

I "liked" this book, and I'm glad I read it.  I did have to push myself in the end because I just wanted it done, but mostly because the feeling left out of the SNL/30 Rock conversation began to get a little old.    If Fey writes anything else in the future...especially about life in general, I'll read it in a heartbeat...besides her obvious Hollywood connections, I think she really has  a lot to say about life, parenting, the people we interact with everyday, leadership, women's issues, etc. 


Recommendation

If you are a fan of "Saturday Night Live," especially the Tina Fey era or a fan of "30 Rock," I can't even imagine how you would NOT like this book.  However, I actually am not sure I would recommend Bossypants  if you've not watched these shows in the past though and/or are not a Tina Fey fan already.  There's just too much detailed information her about the cast, jokes, skits, actors, and even actual scripts.


Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Top Ten Tuesday - TBR Selections for Winter


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the ladies over at The Broke and the Bookish.  This week's theme is top ten books for Winter off your TBR shelves. My first thought was, "Didn't we just do a TBR list?"  But, as I browsed my TBR shelves, I realized that when I'm looking for something to read, I do have a very specific mindset, and one of the things that affects my book choice is what's happening outside...there are beach reads, scary stuff, gardening and outside stories, amongst a host of others that I probably read more at certain times of the year than others.  So, as I scanned my shelves I thought about what I would want to read on a cold, wet day just like the one we're having today. 

Winter is messy in Mississippi.  If we have snow, we don't have that fluffy stuff everybody else gets; we have wet slushy stuff that makes a complete mess.  Don't get me wrong; we enjoy it just the same, but we Mississippi folks don't have a clue what to do when the roads get slushy or icy; our electricity goes off, and we get stranded at home.  I guess because we're so used to being hot, it's pretty difficult for us to switch to such an extreme temperature.  Of course, I keep saying "WE"; it could be just ME ;)
Anyhoo, Winter is time to stay indoors in Mississippi, wrapped in a blanket and snuggled up by the fire.

All that said because Winter reading to me is cozy reading...similar to Fall reading but not necessarily spooky...Winter to me is cold, drafty castles or older houses and characters keeping warm whilst I do the very same thing.  Winter to me is Classics...but don't laugh because I haven't read these.  Yes, I'm an English major...but I was an American Lit fan, so when given a choice, I skipped over these titles in favor of early colonial American texts.  I  really haven't had time till now to think about going back and reading some of these.    

The following top ten list includes books by non-American authors and are all actually already sitting on my TBR shelves just waiting patiently.  Where do I start??  Any advice??  Warnings?

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Can you believe I actually own this beautiful annotated edition and haven't read it?  



Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
I know absolutely nothing about this one...except that lots of people say I should read it...ok, ok.




Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
My oldest daughter raves about this one...and chastises me every time she realizes I still haven't read it.




Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
My middle daughter hated, and I mean hated this one.  She begged me for the movie and Spark Notes for it in order to pass the test.  I wouldn't give in to either. 




Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
I read A Christmas Carol last year during the holidays and was so deeply involved in the descriptions of Old London that I didn't want the story to end.  I wonder if this Dickens will be as detailed?



Emma by Jane Austen
I actually saw this movie when it was made with Gwenyth Paltrow...don't snicker.  I was and still am somewhat of a Paltrow fan.  




Howard's End by E.M. Forrester
I've seen a snippet or two of this movie with Anthony Hopkins...but not enough to really know what was happening.



Mrs.  Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
I've read A Room of One's Own, The Hours and seen the movie "The Hours."  But, I've never read the Woolf novel that inspired Cunningham to write The Hours. Time to remedy that :)





The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
I know this one is about a garden and a couple of kids...that's it.


Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
I'm breaking the law on this one...I've seen the movie...and cried and cried and cried at the end.  But, that was back when my older girls were little so I think I can enjoy the read just as much...if not more.




**I might have read these last two, but if I did, it was so long ago that I won't remember anything anyway :)  Besides that, I'd like to read them with an adult lens now.

Till next week...

Monday, November 28, 2011

Thankfully Reading Weekend Wrap-Up


I've never participated in a ReadAThon before because I just couldn't imagine somehow being able to just read, read and read without much interruption.   The weekend after Thanksgiving is usually a pretty low key weekend for me anyway though because I've spent the prior couple of weeks at least preparing for Thanksgiving.  So, I thought, why not??  Rainy, cold weather and a smidgen of the crud myself even added to my stay in bed or in the recliner and read mode.  And, nobody, not one soul questioned it :):):)

I finished 3 books this weekend: Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier, Bossypants by Tina Fey and The Children of Henry VIII by Alison Weir.  I took reading breaks in between them to go ahead and start the reviews while things were fresh on my mind.  I did a few dishes, kept the laundry going, graded just a few papers, and caught up on my blog reading, but other than those little breaks here and there over the last 3 days, I just read...just gloriously read.

Cold Mountain was my current read, so I finished it first, and I will still going be discussing it with my students this upcoming Wednesday.  I did finish my review for this one and posted it Friday. 

Bossypants was one I kept picking up and putting back down.  I was ready to be done with it though.  Tina Fey is funny as all get out, but I think I would have liked this one more had I been an SNL fan during her tenure or a 30 Rock watcher.

Last but not least, The Children of Henry VIII was one I wasn't rushing through...so much information to digest in this one...but I'm definitely now ready to move on to the next Weir historical narrative...good good stuff.

I'll have to work on some projects tomorrow and grade more than a few papers, but it was worth it!! 
Ready for the next ReadAThon!

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Weekend Cooking - The Annual Thanksgiving Feast



I'm a pretty traditional person when it comes to Thanksgiving.  When I was first married, my mom would travel to our home in Tennessee and help me prepare the meal.  Then, one year she couldn't make it at the last minute, and I was on my own.  We had many phone conversations that year and the next, but after that, I was A-ok.  I absolutely LOVE preparing this meal.

To stay organized and to make sure I enjoy the process rather than getting overwhelmed, I started taking notes on my recipe cards and kept one card just with the menu and important reminders for the dishes that I only make once a year.  I enjoy looking back over my cards each year and seeing the little notes I make to myself.  So far this process has worked for me because I still enjoy Thanksgiving just as much as everyone else.

For this week's Weekend Cooking installment it only seems natural to include my Thanksgiving menu here with the comments I would add as reminders for next year.  


Turkey - Turkey freaks me out.  Yes, I know; I'm silly.  But, it really does.  I save it for last so that it doesn't touch anything else.  (I told you it freaks me out).  I've always used my mom's recipe for my turkey, but it's hit and miss...I'm also scared to death that I'm going to undercook the thing, and everybody will leave vomiting, so I usually overcook it.  It's certainly still edible, but it ain't memorable by any stretch of the imagination.  I know, I know, use the dang meat thermometer...I have one...but I always forget until I pull Mr. Gobble out of the oven and slap myself on the head.  I've wanted to try brining for several years, but I live in rural MS...the freshest turkeys I'm going to find around here are the ones running around in the woods behind my house.  And, I'm so not going there...the already dead ones freak me out enough.  So, frozen Butterball is my best bet, which means brining still hasn't happened.  However, this year I found an incredibly simple recipe over at Lisa's Buttery Books called Turkey with Rosemary ...oh. my. gracious. The flavor of this turkey was mouth watering...of course, if you don't like rosemary, you won't like this, but even my brother-in-law who is a discerning eater commented in the middle of the meal..."I can't believe the flavor in this meat!"
You do have to stick your hands all down in the turkey to rub the butter mixture between the skin and the meat...and that was tough for me...but the taste is worth the trouble.


Brown Sugar Spiral Sliced Ham - I let the Honey Baked Ham folks do their magic on this each year...I've tried to make my own exactly twice...it's just not even close to the same.  

Cornbread Dressing - this is my mom's recipe...it's one I just know how to do and really can't give you amounts, etc.  It has cornbread, onion, celery, boiled chicken, chicken broth, eggs, salt and pepper.  I always make too much and freeze a pan for Easter.  I did not add enough salt this year (I'm always scared of putting too much), so I need to be a little more generous next year.  I also was unsure of the number of folks coming, so I cooked the extra pan too...I didn't need it, but that's ok due to the salt issue.

Sweet Potato Casserole - I found this recipe in a Kentucky cookbook many many moons ago...I don't even own the cookbook anymore; I just have my recipe card...I don't do the marshmallow vs. brown sugar pecan topping debate...I use both :)  One of my nephews kept fly by pinching the melted marshmallows before I could get the dang thing on the table this year.  And, several of the kids asked about this casserole as they walked through my front door.  (Can you see my smile from ear to ear?).  Several years ago at my middle daughter's request, we were going around the table taking turns telling something we were thankful for while the marshmallows browned...in the middle of the prayer we smelled smoke; sure enough, I had caught the marshmallows on fire.  We scraped them off and ate the casserole anyway :)

Green Peas - from the can...LeSeur baby peas are best...boiled with just a little butter 

Mashed Potatoes - the real kind...boil potatoes, drain, add butter, salt, pepper and milk.  Whip with hand mixer.  The kids like to make a "bird's nest" with their potatoes and put their little green peas on top.

Corn Casserole - this  is my mother-in-law's specialty...it's the very easy Jiffy recipe, but I cook it to death. We decided a couple of years ago that it was best if this became her Thanksgiving task from now on.

Roasted Asparagus - I love asparagus, and I try to add some veggies to my menu that are not casseroled to death.  My mother-in-law used to make an asparagus casserole because my father-in-law liked it so much.  I kept up the recipe for the first couple of years after we lost him...but nobody else eats it, and it just seemed so much sadder to have to scrape all that down the drain after the meal.  This year I decided to branch out and roast some fresh asparagus.  This is such a simple process, and it only takes about 10 minutes...found this on PW's website.  Roasted asparagus has also earned itself a spot on our traditional Thanksgiving menu.  I think Pops would have approved :)



Green Bean Bundles - Most of our family won't eat the traditional green bean casserole...I tried several different variations and then finally just started heating up green beans from the can.  I'm not sure what my people have against green beans.  The Green Bean Bundle recipe was a new recipe last year, and it was delicious, so it has become a staple.  3-4 green beans wrapped in bacon and cooked with brown sugar, butter, garlic powder and onion salt.  Yum!!!  There are 80,000 versions of this recipe on the Internet...some using fresh beans and very few using canned.  I used canned this year, but fresh would be a good tweak to make although it would add some cooking time.


Yellow Squash Casserole - this was a new recipe as well...also from Lisa @ Buttery Books.  A lot of my family is reluctant to eat squash, but the ones who tried this casserole were blown away by it...the buttery goodness brings out the taste of the squash and doesn't overpower it...This one's a keeper too and will be on the menu next year.  Even better as leftovers :)




Pumpkin Pie - my youngest will eat pumpkin pie with her fingers...I've tried several recipes since she likes it so much, but I never get the filling correct...it's edible but not very pretty and tends to be more like pudding than pie towards the middle.  This year on Pinterest (what else?), I found a recipe and video on The Joy of Baking website...I decided to give pumpkin pie one more shot...and it WORKED!! My little one actually cut herself a piece of pie and held it in her hands while she ate it!! SUCCESS!!



Butterfinger Pie - my middle daughter's specialty - Butterfinger bars, cool whip, ice cream and a graham cracker crust.  There's never anything left of this recipe.  The first year she asked to make this I almost didn't let her because I didn't think it really fit the Thanksgiving menu.  I'm so glad now that I did.  It's so special for her to have her own contribution to the day...one that is most welcome!! 

Pumpkin Trifle - this is the only recipe from this year's menu that won't make it to next year.  I make this recipe several times each fall and take it to potlucks at church...always to rave reviews.  Nobody but my mother-in-law touched it at Thanksgiving.  Ain't goin to all that trouble to throw all that stuff away.  I will replace this dessert next year with my old standard Bourbon Bread Pudding.   As we were sitting around eating dessert, my brother-in-law asked my husband, "Did she not make bread pudding?"  Husband said, "Did you not make bread pudding?" Oy.



Yeast Rolls - I use Rhodes frozen bread dough to make these...I spray my muffin pans really well early in the morning of Thanksgiving and fill each space with 2 dough rolls.  By 30 minutes before lunch the dough has thawed and risen to fluffy puffy heights.  10 minutes in the oven and I never have any of these leftover...no matter how many I make.  Easy Peasy.

Till next year :)


Weekend Cooking is hosted by Candace @ Beth F Reads

**After all the blog controversy this past week I feel compelled to say that none of the companies or name brands mentioned in this post know me, care about me or have compensated me in any way for reviewing their products.
Amen.