KimberlyFish

Next to Love

“War .  . .next to love has most captured the world’s imagination.” Eric Partridge, British lexicographer, 1914. It’s from this seminal quotation that Ellen Feldman crafted one of the most superb novels about war, love, grief, resolution, and pain that I’ve ever read. Set in a town devastated by the loss of soldiers in the D-day invasion, Ms. Feldman weaves three couples together in a heart-breaking story of passion and survival. I’m not going to lie, this book will haunt me for a while, but in a good way. It reminded me why and I guess, how, the human spirit remodels itself to prevail against trauma. This is a story about scars. The things I so admire about this book are the simplicity of her writing, the eloquence of her plotting, and layers of her characters. Please read Next to Love as soon as you can.

The Gap Year

Sarah Bird’s, The  Gap Year, enjoyed nice press in the Dallas Morning News a few weeks ago. Because I was a big fan of her essays in Texas Monthly magazine and owned a few other books of hers, I rushed out to buy this ode to a daughter’s last year in high school. Being in that same place  myself I thought it would be timely, what it was was depressing. Not entirely, parts were funny, but overall I find that writers who don’t have much hope, can’t offer much hope. Sadly, it just comes as a reminder to me that there’s a HUGE segment of the population who would read this novel and think this was a positive, optimistic world view–live and let live. Though I admire Sarah BIrd’s turn of phrase and her characters are always spot-on, I can’t tell you this is a book I would whole-heartedly recommend. Wry, yes. Poignant, definitely. Realistic, probably. Satisfying, no. 

Wherever Grace is Needed

Best book of the summer of the summer–so far. I just had to get that out there in case you didn’t read another single thing I wrote. Zipping through Sam’s yesterday gathering up party food for 17 and 18 year olds, I did my usual jaunt through the book section–to see what the Sam’s book buyer thought was interesting. Among the Colt McCoy bio, Sarah Palins, Glen Beck and reprints of presidential memoirs was a fiction book with the auspicous sounding title. When I flipped to the back cover, and read the endorsements by some pretty credible resources, I tossed it in to the basket without even reading the fly leaf. That’s right–an impulse buy. My MO. At home, after I topped off strawberries, poured out the CheezIts, and iced down the Dr. Peppers, I remembered to set the book on my TBR pile. But in a moment of weakness, I opened the first page just to see what it was about. “In the living room, she went through the same ritual she’d performed everywhere else, joining the tips of her fingers of her two hands to look through, like a viewfinder, and slowly walk around the room to examine every little thing.” The viewfinder imagery got me. I sat down and hours later had to have the book pried from my fingers by my husband who was desperate for me to turn off the lamp so he could sleep. It was that good. And, since I had a bit of a road trip ahead of me for the weekend, I thought, well, I’ll just finish this on the drive. HA! After setting out breakfast for the girls who slumbered (party turned into a sleepover) I just wanted to see what was behind the next page–kind of tease myself with the plot. Three hours later, I turned the last page with the dread of knowing I’d have to leave these wonderful characters behind. Truly, I grieved a little. Between the plot (dear, complex, and utterly real) and the characters (also complex, dear and utterly real) the novel, Wherever Grace is Needed,  by author, Elizabeth Bass, (and Grace is the main character’s name) will go down as one of those books I quickly recommend to anyone who dares ask the question “read anything good lately?” Please, treat yourself to this lovely, gem of a book that chronicles the dynamics of a little street of neighbors gripped by guilt, crisis,loss, identity, and place.

Tassy Morgan’s Bluff

I bought Jim Stinson’s Tassy Morgan’s Bluff because it was on a summer reads display at Barron’s. If Barron’s recommends it, particularly if its artfully surrounded by beach bags and flip flops, I usually give the titles a fair shake and walk out with two or three. This choice didn’t disappoint. The story was cute, fun, delightful and all the sorts of quirky characters one likes to find in something on a summer reads table. Mr. Stinson set his us-against-them story in San Andreas ( a no-fault town,) an ocean-side community in Oregon, but the master planned community idea is universal. And even as Tassy Morgan’s eyesore of a house is inching toward falling into the bluffs, I sympathized with her need for individualism. The story is full of second chances for houses, dogs, and people and that makes for a great summer story.  Flip flops optional.

The Mulberry Tree

I’ve done the sort of thing that makes me nervous–very nervous. I bought a book, got half way through, BEFORE I realized I’ve read it before. What does that say? I’m not old enough for dementia. I don’t think. Anyway, I’m happy to report that even on a second reading that I though was a first reading I thoroughly enjoyed Jude Deveraux’s The Mulberry Tree. A complex story of secrets, lies, friendship, romance and healing of ancient hurts. I recommend it, multiple times over.

Summer in the South

Bought this book based on the cover and title. I’m such a cliche. Actually the inside cover copy read like it’d be interesting too. And it was . . .sort of. Maybe it’s just me, but I didn’t understand the main character or her motivations. I kept going back to re-read pages because I was sure I missed an important clue or revelation, but don’t think I did. So I skipped ahead. Way ahead, like four chapters from the end. I hope you’ll have better luck with a Summer in the South.

Summer Rental

This day doesn’t get much better. I’m at the beach, with friends, and it’s a glorious 90 odd degrees with a perfect white beach and incredible surf. I pull my beach chair up to the line where the tide washes in, sink my feet into the wet sand, kick back in the rusty old chair and read. And read. And read until I’m sunburnt and parched, BUT I had to finish Mary Kay Andrews’ new release Summer Rental while I had all the elements just right. (Not that this is necessary to enjoy her latest beach book manifesto on good living–but it doesn’t hurt.) Once again, Mary Kay Andrews nailed what is right and fun about a novel–escapism. This time the vehicle is an ancient beach house perched on  a dune in Nag’s Head, NC (The house is as much a character as the people who rent it for August.) She writes about real, scarred and authentic characters (houses too) and the crazy circumstances they knot themselves into–albeit with a little condensing courtesy of a fantastic writer. This book goes on top of my summer reccomend list and I hope you’ll enjoy as much as I did. Although, thanks to chapter ten, I’m now on the hunt for a fried grouper sandwich which may or may not be a good thing for my waistline. Thanks, Mary Kay.

Georgia on Her Mind

Another benefit of e-readers: finding books that my bookstore wouldn’t carry. I just read Rachel Hauck’s Georgia On Her Mind via my Kindle this weekend and loved getting a dose of fun, well-written story with a great message. If your bookstore is like mine, they’re cutting back. Only going with the big title books and well-publicized authors. So poking around Amazon’s Kindle store is like finding that old dusty Half-Price Books on the backside of Broadway Avenue (I WAS a regular at my beloved San Antonio’s Half-Price Books; dust, drafty windows and all) and discovering a whole shelf of books by a favorite author. I’ve yet to read anything by Rachel Hauck that I didn’t enjoy so if you have to go to an e-book store, then spend some time downloading her titles. You won’t regret it.

Buckingham Palace Gardens

Judging by the vast list of titles on the flyleaf of Buckingham Palace Gardens, I’m a little late discovering the wonderful stories that Anne Perry creates and sets in 1920s London. I’d chatted with a friend about Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobb series (Love it!) and she turned me on to reading Anne Perry’s detective series with the returning characters of Charlotte and Thomas Pitt. Although, I really didn’t see them as movers and shakers in this story. The murder investigation, and its perception by different people involved with it, left little time to get to know Mr. and Mrs. Pitt. I guess I’ll have to go back to the first novel and start at the beginning if I want their background. In BPG Ms. Perry writes easily about a heinous crime that is far more complex that a simple case of murder. I do like those stories that are layered and by the end you realize that what appeared to be the essence of the plot wasn’t more than a jumping off point, although the Gardens implied in the title never is a factor in the mystery–a better title? Something Nasty in the Queen’s Bedroom, but that might have been a spoiler.

If you’re looking for a good summer read that will travel well to the beach or coffee shop–this one is a good choice.

An assortment of books, mostly read

In between the catch-all that has been my schedule lately (I don’t know how, but my life is being dictated by my daughter’s high school) I’ve been reading various books. I can’t say I finished them all, but I honestly know I’ll probably never get back to them either. BUT, having said that I thought maybe some of you might be interested in these recent purchases:

The Linen Queen, Patricia Falvey. This is one of those cases where the back cover and the book pages don’t mesh, at least in my opinion. I was depressed reading about a girl who had nothing but bad things happen to her (even when they could have been good things) but the difference was her lack of hope.

Flower Confidential, Amy Stewart. This was a cool book. Can’t promise I read every page but I enjoyed getting a behind-the-scenes glimpse in the complex world of flower breeding, growing, and selling. I might never look at grocery store bouquets in the same light.

Rose, Wachsberger and James. This was self-help that didn’t help me at all. I inherited beautiful antique rose bushes when we bought this house seven years ago. And, in seven years I’ve yet to learn how to care and cultivate those roses. Granted, I have a tough love approach to gardening, but I’d hoped this would help me know how to foster my bushes, not so much. But, if I want to flip through a book and see healthy and abundant bushes–this is my ticket.

An Altar in the World, Barbara Brown Taylor. Hmmm. Let’s just say it’s hard for me to read a spiritual book and not have my own bias color my reaction. You might be a little more open-minded.