The Woman They Could Not Silence - Kate Moore

Genre: Narrative Nonfiction; Historical

Kate Moore’s The Woman They Could Not Silence is a powerful reminder of how little agency women used to have over their lives. Elizabeth Packard is wrongfully committed to an insane asylum on the word of her husband. She is wrenched away from her home and her children. While she initially has some freedoms in the asylum, she fights for her release so passionately that she is ultimately moved to a ward for much more “difficult” women. Even there she works nearly tirelessly to restore dignity to the women with whom she is confined. While her story ends with her release, and she is able to tell her story freely, the loss is extensive. Her story is important and powerful and compelling.

Narrative nonfiction is a powerful education tool for a reader like me. Like with her previous Radium Girls, Moore creates an engaging narrative here. I came to care for Elizabeth very quickly and longed for her to find a better and more free life. I found myself on occasion frustrated with the decisions she made that seemed so - foolish to this 21st century woman who was never forced to defend her sanity to a hateful husband and delusional doctor. The layers here are endless. I am always surprised by the lack of rights held by women at the time. I am always, then, appalled. I am glad we have progressed. I am then also worried that we seem to have moved little in the right direction in terms of mental health care. We don’t have enough professionals. We don’t have enough places. We don’t have access. Misperceptions abound. The religious overtones are disturbing and scary.  The ties between religion, misogyny, and mental illness are stunning. 

And again, I am left grateful for the strength of the women who fought for the rights that I am often in danger of taking for granted. And again, I am uncomfortable with the directions we are heading right now both with women’s rights and with the treatment of the mentally ill. Reading matters. Understanding history matters. I suppose that if you’re reading something like this then I am preaching to the choir.  I am grateful for authors like Kate Moore and books like The Woman They Could Not Silence for their work. She is a woman who, it seems, is still fighting. 

Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books - Kirsten Miller

Contemporary Fiction

This librarian was happy to have read Kirsten Millers’ Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books. In a painfully true to life way Lula Dean has fought successfully to ban all sorts of books from her little Georgia town’s public library. Using fear of the lgbtq+, of people of other races, of feminine mystique and power to win community members to her side. She creates her own little library and fills it with titles she considers appropriate. Beverly is devastated and stores the removed books in her basement hoping for the day they will be returned to the library. On a visit home, Beverly’s daughter Lindsey covertly places these books - disguised in the jackets of Lula’s “acceptable” books right in Lula’s library. 

A lovely type of chaos ensues as reader after reader is surprised by a book they have chosen from Lula Dean’s little library. A meek wife learns to tap into her own power. The mother of a neo nazi reads about Anne Frank. A young man who is gay finds a book to which he can relate. In a relatively short amount of time the community undergoes rather a large change - almost unbelievably. Structurally, each chapter focuses on a specific book - real or imagined along with a character or family. I love the short story feel of it. This structure also allows the reader to get to know several people quite well. Even as I wonder at the possibility that so many kinds of problems exist in a small town, my experience as a teacher in just such a place tells me probably so. Miller expertly balances very serious topics with satire making a difficult book a bit easier to read.

My whole career  and much of my volunteer hours speak to the importance that I give to the reading of good books. In a time when challenges increase and bans are resulting more often this book speaks well to the power of reading to educate and support. Kirsten Miller tackles a series of very serious subjects effectively n Lula Dean’s Little Library Of Banned Books. 

Book cover of Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books

The World's Fair Quilt - Jennifer Chiaverini

Genre - Contemporary/Historical Fiction

If you are already a fan of Jennifer Chiaverini’s Elm Creek Quilts series, her newest installment The World’s Fair Quilt is one for you. If not, this title is a lovely place to start. Sylvia is staring down some changes at Elm Creek Quilts - in part because the camp is in a very difficult financial place. She is also reflecting back on her childhood relationship with her sister Claudia and their experience in working on a quilt for a 1933 contest sponsored by the Chicago World’s Fair. Elm Creek is one of my favorite places to visit.

I have long admired Sylvia, the owner of Elm Creek Quilts. She has creatively saved her family’s home and created a thriving business. She has created a new family, surrounded by friends who care deeply about her. She feels the pressure of honoring them all while staring down increasing financial pressure. Sylvia struggles with the changes that may be necessary in spite of the expert advice of Sarah and Matthew - whom she considers her very own children. Meanwhile, Summer has asked to display the quilt she created with her sister for a world’s fair contest. Searching for the quilt and the memorabilia she’s kept opens a flood of memories. These memories cause her to reevaluate her perceptions of her sister as well as the decisions she’s made. 

The family relationships are what really spoke to me. How often I reflect and reflect again on my history with my family. I hope that I have the insight that Sylvia has to grow and change over time as I gain new information. The book is encouragement to look at both sides when we feel at odds with someone. I always love the quilting talk. I am not a quilter, but perhaps wish I were. In any case, I am one vicariously when I read Chiverini’s books. The historical sections here were fascinating to me as well. I loved the insight into the Bergstrom family struggles and to the 1933 World’s Fair in Chicago. The World’s Fair Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini offers a number of avenues to get the reader's attention. You will enjoy it!

Book cover of The World’s Fair Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini

The Third Gilmore Girl - Kelly Bishop

Memoir

Listening to Kelly Bishop voice her book The Third Gilmore Girl was pure reading magic for me. I had the privilege of watching The Gilmore Girls live as it aired on TV the very first time with my daughter. We very quickly became fans of all three of the Gilmore ladies. How could I not spend some time with Bishop’s memoir? 

I always enjoy a glimpse into the ways of Broadway and Hollywood. I appreciated Bishop’s detailed look at her six decade career. She gave me an engaging and insightful look into that world. I had this vague notion of her involvement in A Chorus Line, but I had no sense of how inextricably she was a part of the musical’s origin story. I read articles; I watched videos. What a fun trail she sent me on. And as someone who has completed The Gilmore Girls in its entirety more times than I could count or should EVER admit, I absolutely drank in the tea about the show. Her insight and perspective are delightful. Bishop also shares about her personal life and the people she loves. She graciously shares the lessons she has learned over the years and is open about both joy and loss. I thank  her. 

I loved the rollercoaster that Bishop took me on with the character of Emily. I loved her. I hated her. I almost always respected her. I loved her memoir as well. After completing The Third Gilmore Girl I found myself respecting Bishop even more than the fictional character she created whom I know so well. Even if you’re not a Gilmore girl fan (what??), please read this anyway. Kelly Bishop’s story will delight and inspire. 

Book cover of The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop

When We Were Innocent-Ella Berman / The Lying Game-Ruth Ware

Contemporary Fiction/Mystery

Both of these rather modern mysteries explore the notions of friendship. How loyal must a friend be? How might we test the limits of a friendship? Ella Berman’s Before We Were Innocent and Ruth Ware’s The Lying Game explore these questions - in the context of secrets, death, and lies. In each novel - the friendships develop in a rather entitled sort of atmosphere (there is definitely a boarding school - love a boarding school book!) - these girls forge friendship as young ladies, and their secrets tie them together for a lifetime. 

Ten years after a college trip to Greece ends in tragedy - Joni needs Bess for an alibi. Bess finds herself unable to say no. They are inextricably tied together because of the tragic death of their friend Evangeline. They are both forced to relive and reflect on this trip. Bess begins to wonder about most of the choices she’s made. So begins When We Were Innocent. Similarly, in The Lying Game, when Kate reaches out with an “I need you,” her girlfriends come, immediately. Isa, a new mother with baby in tow, Fatima, and Thea arrive at the beach house where they spent countless vacations and weekends while in boarding school together. Their friendships are also forged in a shared secret in just one academic year. They, too, begin to question what they’ve believed for over a decade. In both cases suspense builds and long held perceptions are challenged -as are the friendships themselves.

I’m not sure what it says about me that in both books I found myself increasingly frustrated by the…loyalty of these ladies. Like most, I have not always made the wisest decisions regarding friends. However, time and again I wanted to shake these characters into some sort of sense. (You know these people are NOT real, my students would consistently remind me when I got emotional.) I was particularly frustrated when Isa continually put her baby in danger. While I value friendships, some of them the lifetime kind, I suppose I can count myself lucky that I don’t fully understand the bonds formed in the kinds of tragedies they faced. And yet, both authors created suspense in a way that kept me fully engaged. I love to try and figure out the puzzle pieces of a good mystery, and both of these were good mysteries. Nothing makes me happier than thinking I have a mystery figured out, only to find out that I am not quite there yet. Both Ware and Berman write this kind of mystery/thriller for me here. In the hazy days of summer in both cases tragedy happens. As grown women reflect, we get to look back on the events of their lives with them. Maybe we can see something that they did not.

I have often thought about how I was shaped by my childhood and youth - perhaps a little less so after some good counseling and being solidly in middle + age. In any case, I appreciate how these thirty-forty something protagonists look back and try to figure out a good way to move forward - to be unstuck in the tragedy of youth. Berman especially leaves me slightly uncomfortable with the choice made by Bess, but the discomfort is something I like as well. I have never found it particularly easy to wrap things up in a nice, neat bow, and I like some of my books to end that way as well. Please read The Lying Game by Ruth Ware and Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman - entertaining, suspenseful and thoughtful!

Book cover the The Lying Game by Ruth Ware

Book cover Before We Were Innocent Ella Berman

Beautyland - Marie-Helene Bertino

Genre: Science Fiction (Historical??? to say that makes me feel old!)

Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino was a mindbender for me - in a good way. Adina who was born in 1977 becomes “activated” through a family trauma at age 4. From that point on, she believes she is an alien whose job it is to report on humans back to her home planet. She uses a fax machine to issue her reports. 

Adina struggles to fit in with the humans surrounding her. She is somewhat isolated because of her social and economic standing. She is being raised by a single mother, and they struggle. She is a scholarship student at her high school and feels set apart because of that. She often misinterprets what others say. She tends toward the literal - people seldom cooperate.  I was absolutely fascinated by her perspective of the people around her. She is painfully objective and is able to cut through to the foibles of the human race quite effectively. The people who surround Adina are flawed mostly, loving sometimes, and painfully real. Her young life is the 80s, and, of course, so was mine. Bertino captures the spirit of the times well - the good and the not so good.  The actual Beautyland from the novel reminds me well of the Jamesway and Kmart of my youth. The satisfaction that Adina and her mother can find there evokes memories of time spent searching for the perfect 45 record on a Friday night - quite a treat. 

In many respects I felt like I didn’t fully understand this book. I am typically not science fiction or fantasy oriented. I tended to think that Adina was neurodivergent. The internet would have me believe she was, in fact, an alien. Kudos to Bertino for crafting a novel so carefully that I can be comfortable in the uncertainty. And. I appreciate the incisive look at society and the people in it through Adina’s eyes either way.  I recommend Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino - you will be more thoughtful for the read. 

Looking for Jane - Heather Marshall

Genre: Historical Fiction

In Looking for Jane, Heather Marshall creates a compelling look at the history of the autonomy of women through multiple timelines. A mysterious letter that Angela finds in 2017 sends her on a quest that allows her to discover much about the Jane network of the 1970s. Eileen, who was forced to give up her own baby in a Catholic home, is one of the doctors in the Jane network. In the 80s, Nancy joins Eileen there after experiencing her own difficulties. Based on the Jane Collective in Chicago - Marshall’s impeccably researched books explores women, motherhood, reproductive rights, and family.

Marshall’s characters are fully developed and represent the eras in which she places them excellently. She introduces the horror of young girls being forced to relinquish their babies - the absolute cruelty surrounding their “care.” She explores the extensive means by which women attempt to gain control of their bodies and reproductive rights. She does so with these women - for whom I have much empathy. These women are inextricably bound by their histories and experiences. 

As always I find myself stunned by the lack of rights held by women - my mother’s age - in my lifetime. Books like All You Have to Do is Call by Kerri Maher and The Girls We Sent Away by Meagan Church have also contributed to my awareness of how much I take for granted. I consider it my responsibility to continue to learn and acquire as much information as I can. The perspectives provided by history are invaluable to me in this process. Morris is sensitive, thoughtful, and thorough. I was led to Heather Marshall’s Looking for Jane after I read her novel, The Secret History of Audrey James. While the topic differs, the insight into the strength of women remains. Heather Marshall is good! Listen; I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I take much of my freedoms for granted. No matter where you land in terms of your own beliefs and perspectives, education is always good. 

Completely unrelated to the topic of the book and the strength of the writing, the cover is top notch. The rotary dial phone is just the touch for a woman of a certain era. 

Sandwich - Catherine Newman

Sandwich - Catherine Newman

In Catherine Newman’s novel Sandwich, Rocky has what seems to this empty nester the best week ever ahead - a week at the beach with her children and those special to them. To this woman who’s lost her mom that she is even going to get some time with both of her parents seems delightful. As is the case, the week is much more complex than a vacation. Life is seldom simple. Newman creates a humorous and thoughtful look at what is like to be sandwiched between parenting your children and your parents. Catherine Newman speaks to me in her novel in a way that I love.

My experience is that the time during and after menopause has been a time of much reflection. For Rocky it is as well. She is anticipating the idea that her son may have a child. She is remembering her own youth and pregnancies. She is dealing with the illness of her mother. She is as are most mothers trying to be all things to all of her family. Her concerns are real. The conflicts abound. I love character development in a Catherine Newman novel. Like the real people who populate my world, these folks are sometimes likable and sometimes not. They are confused; they struggle with their decisions. But they rely on each other and sometimes have the difficult conversations. Through it all, Newman gives us a family who ultimately love each other. They have histories and traditions - like my own family trips to the beach that include doughnuts and ice cream - and a seafood restaurant. 

In part because of this setting, I related to Rocky perhaps a bit too well. While our experiences are not the same, our struggles are similar. I would love to be able to, right now, simultaneously be able to care for my grandson and my father. I struggle to find the balance that I seek. I question decisions that I made as a parent and work through what has been a tough history with my dad. Perhaps a week at the beach is just what I need. I most highly recommend Sandwich by Catherine Newman. Also check out Newman’s We All Want Impossible Things, reviewed here.

Dinner for Vampires - Bethany Joy Lenz

Genre: Memoir

What a fascinating look inside the world of a cult- the Big House Family - is Dinner For Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz. Bethany details her journey as an actress, as a person of faith, as a cult member, and as a survivor. I listened to the audiobook, narrated excellently by Lenz herself. 

So I am not a member of the One Tree Hill generation - the show just didn’t hit the airwaves at the right time for me. In that sense I only had a general idea of Bethany Joy Lenz. But after hearing her interviewed on a couple of podcasts, I was very much drawn to her work. 

I love memoirs, and Lenz is very vulnerable and thoughtful in this one. Of course I love a Hollywood adjacent story. I have been fascinated by the “stars” since my Tiger Beat years. I was drawn to her story of her life as an actress and singer. But the narrative of her involvement in the Big House Family was fascinating, sad, scary, almost unbelievable. But, believable in her detail and development. I am and have been a person of faith since childhood. Much of what Lenz details feels so akin to how I felt as a child and a young woman. The grooming of the group was careful and slow. And here’s the thing - I understood her choices for a good long while. I have become very thoughtful about how we live in and share our faith as women particularly. Her book challenges me even more. The idea that raising our children as people of faith, can make them vulnerable to groups like this also sticks with me. Like Lenz, I have my own history of … ordering my life according to Christian expectations that are not necessarily Biblical. They were, however, and still are in many spaces accepted. I imposed similar expectations on my own kids - who thankfully challenged me. I’m not 100% sure what to do with my thoughts, but we must be aware of stories like Lenz’s and be thinking of how to protect others. What kind of disturbs me is that in spite of her story and others in the group, members of the group have not been held accountable. I guess I don’t understand the laws here.

Again, I am grateful that Bethany Joy Lenz shared her story in Dinner for Vampires. She has a hopeful ending, but leaves this reader with much to contemplate. 

Dinner For Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz Book Cover

A Week in Winter - Maeve Binchy

Genre - Women’s Fiction, Cozy

Narrator: Rosalyn Landor

A week spent in Ireland - at a newly renovated inn - I don’t mind if I do.  If it is Maeve Binchy creating the time for me - I’m definitely in. Maeve Binchy’s A Week in Winter is a delightfully cozy read for any time of the year. After a not so romantic elopement to America, Chicky returns home after weeks of hard work to convert an old mansion Stone House into an Inn. Binchy introduces us to her friends, her staff, and her guests through the first week of Stone House’s opening through a series of vignettes. She captures Stoneybridge and the people who live there with great care. Each and every guest is fully fleshed out in their chapter. This novel is a delightful read and thanks to the excellent narration a delightful listen as well.

I have read most of Meave Binchy’s books over the years - some more than once (which is unusual for me). I was late getting to this her final novel. But in the chaos of our nation and the world right now I’m choosing to believe it came to me at just the right time. Benchy creates delightful characters. Starry is a strong woman who does not allow misfortune to keep her down for long. She is working hard to find herself. Through the vignettes we come to know Rigger and Orla - who become instrumental to Stone House, also seeking to find themselves. I feel like I’m just listing characters, but seriously, I got to know the principal, the contest winners, the doctors… and I came to care about them all - this is what Binchy can do! I always enjoy Binchy’s Irish settings. She brings the villages and the folks in them to life. 

I have always wanted to be Irish. I am not, and I may never get to Ireland, but I feel like I have been there through reading. If you find yourself in need of a book-cation, Maeve Binchy’s books are quite simply delightful. I’ve been gathering up as many copies as I can to keep in my personal library. I will be adding A Week in Winter so that I may revisit the Stone House every once in a while.

Flying Solo - Linda Holmes

Genre: Romantic Fiction

Loss and grief don’t necessarily call romance to mind, but, as she does, Linda Holmes makes it all work in Flying Solo. Laurie returns to her hometown in Maine as the family representative to clean out her Aunt Dot’s house after her death. Aunt Dot found a place for Laurie when she was overwhelmed with her brothers and her chaotic home. She wants to honor her and her independent spirit after her passing. As she works through piles and piles of pictures, she discovers a wooden duck, they may have ties to a local artisan. Laurie has a mystery to solve. She also reunites with her best friend June and her first love Nick, the local librarian. Laurie is left with much to figure out.

I have learned to love Holmes’ female protagonists. Aunt Dot - who exists only in Laurie’s memories - is a force. She is independent, artistic - a free spirit who lived life on her own terms. She inspires Laurie, who has sought the same kind of independence, moving across the country and creating the kind of quiet life she longed for as a child. But she is unable to see any kind of compromise that might allow for love in her life though Nick tries to offer it. These complex ladies are the kind I’ve come to expect in Holmes’ work. The plot has twists and turns that make the read a fun one. I didn’t expect a quest to determine the price point of a wooden duck that would end up in a discovery (no spoilers) that would cause Laurie to reevaluate her life and decisions. This subplot really contributes to the humor factor too, keeping the book light hearted even with all of the seriousness. Entertainment at its finest!

My big life decisions feel long ago - in terms of marriage and family that is. But I appreciate very much Laurie’s thoughtful approach to her own life. I admire her desire for autonomy, but admit to feeling a bit relieved as she evolved near the end. I just wrote about Holmes’ new release Back After this, and I’m going to just repeat myself here : I love a woman learning to consider what she wants - and learning to trust herself - and acting for her own best interests. I also appreciate that there are no easy answers here. Holmes offers a bit more complexity and a little less ease in her happily ever after. Flying Solo is excellent - I’ll be waiting for Linda Holmes’ next novel!

Let Us Descend - Jesmyn Ward

Genre: Historical Fiction with a bit of magic…

In Let Us Descend, Jesmyn Ward weaves the horrifying and harsh realities of southern slave life with spiritual and magical fantasy elements to share the story of Annis. Annis and her mother are forced to separate by Annis’ evil owner who is also her sire. Separated by a year, he forces both mother and daughter from his plantation in the Carolinas on a march to the slave auction in New Orleans. Annis senses the presence of a spirit - who claims to have engaged with both her grandmother and mother in dark and difficult times. 

I am not as familiar with Ward’s work as I will become. I needed to “sit” with this book and let the horror of history sink in. Ward is not particularly graphic or overly emotional, but the profound torture and loss experienced by these enslaved characters is captured. I can’t imagine the horror of having no female body autonomy. I can’t imagine a forced separation from those I love, most especially my children. I can’t imagine experiencing the cruel punishments devised by slave owners. Oh, I could go on and on, but Ward’s work in this novel makes all of these real. When I reckon with the fact that Annis is a child whose whole life has been made up of these things - I can almost struggle to continue reading. Somehow, Ward weaves in a fantastical, spiritual element throughout the text.  I had to do some reading to wrap my head more fully around Annis’ visions as she descends deeper into the south, loneliness, and hellishness. In his article  “The Spirits of Let Us Descend, Explained” (https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/books/a46029503/the-spirits-of-let-us-descend-explained/) Charley Burlock details Ward’s development of this spiritual component. He reminds us that a spiritual component is historically attached to the enslaved Africans in America. He notes that Ward wasn’t comfortable ascribing her Catholic faith (with which she is no longer a fit for her) or West African gods to her characters. Instead she develops her own goddess Aza who accompanies Annis on this journey, just as she claims to have accompanied Annis’ mother and grandmother. Annis is very much a product of the life Annis lives. She is a bit selfish and manipulative  - and seems fitting for the life Annis must survive in. She brings some hope and connection to the women in her life, however, leaving Annis less bereft in the hellishness suggested by the novel’s title an allusion to Dante. As she must, Annis incorporates Aza into her life in the way that works for her. She must be practical and independent in order to survive and approaches this spirit realm in the same way. But ultimately the spirit helps her escape and have a hope of building a free life of her own. The writing here is just superb - from character and setting building to the lyrical supernatural elements  - this difficult and often horrific content is delivered with the reverence it deserves.

I was inspired to read about Jesamyn Ward and her writing after having read this book. I needed more context about the spiritual elements and was fascinated by her recounting of how she created them in the above article. Through that I read descriptions of her earlier memoir work and learned that she lost her partner to a respiratory illness in the very beginnings of the Covid epidemic while she was crafting this novel. In an interview recounted in “Novelist Jesmyn Ward: ‘Losing my partner almost made me stop writing,’” Emma Brockes notes this from Ward, “When everything in the world changes, these questions remain. ‘How do I live with this? Not in spite of it. How do I live with this?’”(https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/oct/21/novelist-jesmyn-ward-losing-my-partner-almost-made-me-stop-writing).

And here’s this thing - the questions of modern day novelist Jesmyn Ward reflect nearly perfectly the questions of enslaved Annis in the 1860s. And if we are honest with ourselves, often the question of the readers’ lives as well. Gosh, I appreciate her transparency. She humanizes Annis - and while I can’t relate to her experiences AT ALL, I can relate to her questions. What that does for me is make the slavery experience much more personal. Does that matter? I think it does. So many folks are trying to create this narrative of “That” was so long ago (slavery),” and try to remove themselves from our nation’s history. What that does (I’m afraid is doing) is slide us as a culture toward removing the attitudes, the legislation, the policies we’ve put in place to try and create a more equal nation. I just completed Doris Kearns Goodwin’s An Unfinished Love Story where I learned a great deal about the passage of the Civil Rights Act which led me to documentaries and podcasts where I learned even more. I feel so passionate that we can’t go backwards when so much forward work still needs to be completed. Ward’s Let Us Descend inspires me at so many levels. I recommend you read it and see. 

An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s - Doris Kearns Goodwin

Genre - Nonfiction: Historical, Memoir

I had been on the waiting list for An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s by Doris Kearns Goodwin. My nonfiction brain needed to warm up a bit, but boy what an excellent read for me. Doris and her husband Dick make a project out of working through his boxes (and boxes and boxes) of memorabilia from his early working days. They planned to write a book about those experiences. Doris, using Dick’s own speeches and journals, crafts an intimate look at the presidential years of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Baines Johnson. As their speech writer, Dick was in the middle of it all. For example, he was integral in Johnson’s passing of the Civil Rights Bill - written as JFK intended. Doris also captures their lives - their meeting, their love, their political differences, and the beauty of their day to day living. 

This book was a challenge for me. I had to slow down my normal pace and also look up a fair amount of words (Thanks, Ereader!). Doris Kearns is a masterful writer and an expert in her field of history. She uses her knowledge and combined with her own experiences and those of her husband to provide new insight into the tumultuous political landscape of the 1960s. I am not politically and historically gifted enough to evaluate her work from this perspective. But as someone who loves to get her history through narrative nonfiction and memoir, Goodwin had me in the palm of her writing hand. I am fascinated by this period in history and am appreciative of her frontline perspective of it. As tends to happen with me, the book sent me into a flurry of googling, documentary watching, podcast listening, and book buying. I had little idea of the personalities of these historical figures and the weight of their legislation and political landscape.  Kearns also, through this book, explores the relationship that she and her husband share. The unfinished part is especially poignant as she embarks on life without him - without being able to complete this project with him. The blending of history and memoir is beautifully wrought. 

Doris Kearns Goodwin’s An Unfinished Love Story spoke to me in the current moment in two ways. One, it is, for me, a comfort to know that division and difficulty has a long and storied history in these United States.  Perhaps we are exposed to it more now with the 24 hour news cycle and social media, but I needed the refresher that this battle has long existed. Less positively, I worry about the “Great Society” being systematically chipped away at in our current political times. I am unsettled at the reminder of the lack of civil rights in my lifetime and the prejudice that still exists and seems to be pushing us backwards. I love a novel like that stretches me and  makes me think - even one that makes me uncomfortable or empowers me to act. 

A book cover of An Unfinished Love Story by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Another Brooklyn - Jacqueline Woodson

Genre: Literary Fiction

I have long loved Jacqueline Woodson novels, but had lost track of her just a bit when I retired from being a high school librarian. As I was looking for books to read - Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson appeared. I’m not sure how I missed it before, and what an easy choice! Focusing primarily on August, this short, lovely, lyrical book follows the growth of her and her girls: Sylvia, Angela, and Gigi. August moves to Brooklyn with her dad and brother after the death of her mother. She is left largely on her own, trying to find her way in her new urban home, believing for a long time that her mom is not really dead. She doesn’t truly begin to blossom until she becomes a part of her foursome. These girls navigate creepy old men, coming of age moments, first love, death, poverty always supporting each other. 

August is such a multidimensional character. Through retrospect, we are given insight into her childhood. We learn of her mother and the probable mental illness that contributed to her death. Somehow Woodson paints this extraordinarily difficult childhood with an almost magical brush. She captures the innocence of August’s childhood in an almost painful way. She captures much of her growing up in Brooklyn the same way - young girls who become accustomed to men offering them money to “see their panties” at a very young age. August  - who is fully grown and mourning the loss of her father reflects back on her life in Brooklyn in a very objective way. She threads together the good, the bad, all of the experiences in a very thoughtful way (I find I want to say that she has had excellent counseling and can’t find the one word to encompass that). The friendships these girls create are also beautiful to read about  - in spite of their differences, losses, and difficult environments. Though they are extremely close, the friendships do not transfer into adulthood. That fact of life makes me a little sad, but also reflects much of my experience. I’ve had different friendships that define different times in my life. Dramatic events don’t always break up a friendship; sometimes time, distance, and growth in different directions do the same. I have been known to duck out of an aisle at the store to avoid contact with someone from my past - for no real notable reason. Woodson captures the spirit of the 70s. She weaves in Vietnam and music and other cultural allusions seamlessly. We feel the 70s for certain, but also get the sense that what these girls experience is timeless. 

Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson is a poetic and thoughtful slice of life that captures the coming of age of August and her friends. I have to say that the book reminded me in some ways of Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street. The juxtaposition of innocence and very adult experiences are part of both. And both end with hope, with a processing that suggests a good future for these girls as adults. 

A book cover for Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson

The Second Chance Fixer Upper - Grace Worthington

Genre - Contemporary Romance

Narrator - Mike Lenz and Jeannie Sheneman

A little love and a little home improvement - what can go wrong? Well certainly something must! Grace Worthington’s The Second Chance Fixer Upper is a perfect read for February and Valentine’s Day. Maeve is on her own after her husband leaves her for another woman. She is settling into her very own fixer upper - looking forward to making it her own - with her daughter Violet. When her high school ex Jack helps her out with the house, they hatch a scheme to help her get a second chance at her marriage. What if her second chance is meant to come in a different way?

You get exactly what you expect in the best kind of way here. A spark ignites almost immediately between Maeve and Jack - it’s clear to the reader that they are drawn to each other. But Maeve feels like a failure, and Jack is very busy trying to earn his way in his father’s business to support his ailing mother. Sure, he can help her rebuild her self esteem and perhaps reunite with her husband - for Violet’s sake. She can help his father see him in a relationship, settled, ready for responsibility and leadership. We all know where pretending to be in a relationship will lead them, and the journey is a delight. We root for them as they learn to stand up to the people in their lives who underestimate their value. We root for them as they learn to value themselves. We even get a pretty absurd chase through the airport - movie style.

The Second Chance Fixer Upper by Grace Worthington is a charming contemporary romance if you are in the mood for love. You will like Maeve and Jack - even when you want to smack some sense into them. Add this title to your Valentine’s list!

Book cover of Second Chance Fixer Upper by Grace Worthington

We'll Prescribe You A Cat - Syou Ishida

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Translator: E. Madison Shimoda

Just yesterday someone in a reading group I’m in asked for a fun read - something light hearted and fun. At first I thought, “Boy, that’s not what I’ve been reading!” But then I remembered Syou Ishida’s We’ll Provide You a Cat. A variety of different folks are struggling here. On visiting Kokoro Clinic for the Soul in Kyoto, Japan, which they believe is a mental health clinic, they are given a prescription for a cat: Bee, Margot, Koyuki, Tank, or Tangerine. In confusion they all leave with the cat and ultimately their lives are changed - though perhaps not in the way the reader expects. The audio book is delightfully performed by Naruto Komatsu and Natsumi Kuroda.

A business worker who feels lost in his office, a call center worker who just doesn’t quite fit in, a young mom who had to give up a kitten as a child, a handbag designer, and a geisha all find better lives after spending time with these cats. The joy extends to family and friends as well. It is also a delight for the reader to see them move from sadness, to confusion, to happiness across each story Ishida crafts. The ending offers some clever insight into the “clinic.” But no spoilers here. 

These lovely little vignettes are a delight. The writing is funny and in many ways lighthearted while simultaneously highlighting the sadness and loneliness of modern life. But in the end, the cats prevail. I am pretty allergic to cats, beyond what a simple prescription could alleviate. But the lesson is clear even for me. We all need to provide some kind of counterpoint to the relentlessness of everyday life. When I don’t get lazy about it, for me it is some time outside most days - a nice walk. If you, too, are looking for a book that will make you smile and remind you to care for yourself, I recommend We’ll Prescribe You A Cat by Syou Ishida. 

Book Cover of We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida - a cat in a prescription bottle.

Hester - Laurie Lico Albanese

Genre: Historical literary fiction

Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese gives us a fascinating idea of how Nathaniel Hawthorne may have been inspired to write The Scarlet letter. As an English teacher, I always enjoyed teaching Hawthorne’s work. His themes and his view of the world also fascinated my students. And while they struggled with his style and vocabulary, we almost always ended up in very thoughtful discussions. In Hester, Albanese explores the life of Isobel who has come to Salem from Boston because  her husband’s opium addiction had consigned them to the poor house in Scotland. She is a woman of many secrets and a family history of witchcraft accusations who lands in Salem of all places.  She hears and sees colors that others cannot. When her husband is away at sea,  she is forced to rely on her ability to embroider to survive. When she believes that her husband has been lost at sea, she also becomes involved with Nathaniel Hawthorne himself. Narrator Saskia Maarleveld expertly brings the audiobook to life.

I found myself lost a bit in the history at first, but ultimately as the threads started to merge (Do you see what I did there?).I truly appreciated this novel. This book simultaneously celebrates women while illustrating the difficulties faced by them in the early and late 18th century. Isobel’s grandmother is accused of witchcraft in Scotland and escapes execution long enough to deliver her daughter. The chapters that are set in her time are a bit magical themselves - lyrical and lovely in spite of what is often difficult content. Isobel, in spite of all that is against her, is a woman of great strength. Again and again, she must start with nothing to create a life and support herself. To do so in the difficult society that comprises Salem is especially impressive. Many of the women here have a secret strength working within the strictures as best they can. They fight abuse, loneliness, misogyny, and even slavery by working together. Isobel uses her talent with the needle to survive. In spite of the many who try and stop her, her strength and talent prevail. But also, the women who surround her are essential to her success. Nathaniel Hawthorne proves to be quite selfish and cowardly in the end in spite of how much I wanted him to be a romantic hero. (I mean I knew, but man do I hold out hope).  No spoilers, but I guess he chides himself a little through his writing in the end IYKYK. 

In the end - much like The Scarlet Letter - Hester is the story of the strength of women. Laurie Lico Albanese relies on expert research to expand our knowledge of Salem beyond the witchcraft trials. She illustrates the prejudice that exists both ethnic and racial. We see the underground railroad at work and also that all northerners were not supportive of the freedom of slaves. Like in my recent read All You Have To Do Is Call, we see women working with women, protecting them, helping them in the face of misogyny. In this way the 1070s are not that different from the 1600s. What is unnerving is that we may well be comparing the 2020s as well. What I started because of my teaching of The Scarlet Letter and a desire to explore Albanese’s parallels, has taught and reminded me of so much more. I need to pay attention and figure out what I should be doing to raise up and support women - right now.

Book cover of Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese covered with embroidered roses.

All You Have To Do Is Call - Kerri Maher

Genre: Historical Fiction

I read All You Have To Do Is Call by Kerri Maher at the recommendation of a friend. I learned a great deal about the Jane organization in Chicago in the early 70s - a network of women, doctors, police officers, and religious leaders who provided abortion care to women. The focus of the novel is on Veronica, a founder, who is pregnant; Margaret, a young professor; and Patty who is appalled at the notion of Jane as the book begins. Each of these women and their family and friends will grow and change a great deal as the novel progresses. Jane, the organization, will face its own challenges. The audiobook is expertly performed by Lauryn Allman. 

If for any  reason the topic of abortion is a triggering one for you, you might wish to avoid this title. If you just have strong opinions, this novel provides a great deal of historical context with which I was unfamiliar. As we see into the lives of these women - into their minds - we are privy to the restrictions with which women lived even into the 70s. These restrictions were beyond their own reproductive situations. I am always just a bit taken aback because this is my lifetime and these women could have been my mom. This characterization was one of the keys to the success of this novel for me. The setting, of course, works hand in hand with the characterization. I appreciate that we see stay at home wives and mothers, women in academia, women as artists. All of these different perspectives within the time period create an in depth look that I appreciate. Maher explores marriage, dating, work and family balance, friendship, racism and more. Still the book remains uncluttered, and has a strong throughline.

I appreciate very much this insightful and thoughtful look into Jane and the culture for women in the 1970s. Kerri Maher’s All You Have To Do Is Call is an important and compelling read. I always value being reminded how recently the rights as a woman that I take for granted. I am a believer in the power of knowing history and in the strength of women. Clearly, so is Kerri Maher. 

Book Cover of All You Have To Do Is Call by Kerri Maher

We All Want Impossible Things - Catherine Newman

Genre - Contemporary Fiction

Narrator - Jane Oppenheimer

I do - want impossible things that is, so this title was very intriguing. True confession, I chose Catherine Newman’s We All Want Impossible Things blindly among the audiobooks available in my Libby collection. The book gods smiled on me. Edi is dying: she is, in fact, ready for hospice care. Her best friend Ash will be by her side. Edi says goodbye to her 12 year son and moves into a facility close to Ash’s home. The 2 weeks she is given stretches to more and through that we get to relive their friendship and memories with them. We live the pain and sometimes grossness of her disease. This book gives a beautiful friendship and a testament to life and loss. 

Edi and Ash have the kind of friendship to which I aspire. They have been friends since childhood - with each other for all of the important moments. Newman’s writing is lyrical. I’d love to share with you some of my favorite bits of figurative language, but I was listening to an audiobook, and didn’t get them highlighted. One that stuck with me was near the end, when she noted how death - such a big moment is nothing compared to a future of trying to live without your best friends; she compared it to birth which can eclipse an entire future of parenthood. We do the same, I think, with marriages, graduations, and a fair amount of big life events. She captures it beautifully. Often, I was just stopped short with the loveliness of Newman’s language. Even the ugliest moments of Edi’s illness and death are rendered expertly through her words. Jane Oppenheimer delivers these words with the perfect balance of humor and grief. And there are moments of humor. Life is funny, even in the darkest times, and Newman illustrates this very well. 

I guess what I love about this book is that even through the profound sadness, Newman leaves her readers with hope. I don’t have any wisdom about death - in terms of accepting it. I mean I know it’s inevitable. I’ve experienced grief and had my world completely changed through death. I’d give a great deal to undo some of that. What happens in We All Want Impossible Things gives me hope for sustainable friendships that will see me through the darkest times in life - even death. 

The Mighty Red - Louise Erdrich

Genre: Historical (2008?) Fiction; Literary Fiction

The novels of Louise Erdrich never fail to challenge me. I admire her breadth of knowledge, her commitment to culture, and her extraordinary writing. Reading her newest The Mighty Red, displayed all of her talents and definitely challenged me. 

I genuinely don’t have the chops to write a critical review of Louise Erdrich. So, like I’ve done in the past, I’m just going to talk about what I like. She forces me to think about the choices I make impacting our earth in my day to day living. In spite of growing up among corn fields and farmers, I am not as aware of the issues of farmers and farming as I could be. I respect her exploration of the treatment of the land, and its impact on the country surrounding the Red River. I know from my farming friends that their choices are never easy and making a living often seems impossible. I see small farms struggling to stay relevant. I appreciate Erdrich’s exploration of these issues from every angle. I admire her characters. Crystal and Kismet are strong women. Winnie has her own kind of strength as well. They are strong women fighting on a number of fronts. And in the case of Crystal and Kismet, they are strong women who believe a tiny bit in magic and a great deal in the power of their ancestors. The supporting characters (the men?) are equally well developed. Erdrich has a gift in creating people who are neither wholly good nor evil. They are as equally complex as the people in our lives. The setting is uncomfortably aligned with my own: small town life - surrounding farms. People struggle;are victims of an economy they can’t control; get up, go to work, use icy hot and look for small reasons to celebrate. They love and they lose. Everyone mostly knows (they think) everyone else’s business. Mistakes can follow you for a very long time in a small town. Erdrich expertly captures the vicissitudes of such lives. 

In and among all of the chaos of these lives in The Mighty Red, Erdrich captures hope. When completing an Orion questionnaire online Erdrich responded “Yes. What is the alternative?” when asked if she was optimistic about the future. I value this response primarily because her honesty about problematic issues is unflinching, and she is using her art in a way that will hopefully raise awareness and effect change. After all, what is the alternative?

Erdrich, Louise. “Louise Erdrich Answers the Orion Questionnaire.” Orion, Orion Magazine, 1 Oct. 2024, orionmagazine.org/article/louise-erdrich-orion-questionnaire.