Growing with gratitude for life's challenges
Kate Morton has mastered the art of writing a timeless novel: a compelling setting, well-developed characters, the weaving together of unforgettable storylines, and flawless description. The Lake House is a delicious read, the kind of book you don’t want to put down. The Lake House centers around a beautiful estate abandoned under tragic circumstances: a mystery […]
Read MoreThe Nest, by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney is an ambitious work weaving together many diverse characters and their overlapping storylines. The central plot focuses around a family of four adult children all awaiting their slice of the coveted “nest”: trust money set to be released on the fortieth birthday of the youngest sibling. Predictably something happens […]
Read MoreReminiscent of lazy summer days, right down to the flip-flops, The Wiregrass is a delightful read. Author Pam Webber has captured the innocence of childhood and those undefinable moments when awareness begins to shift. Nettie and her cousins congregate every summer at the small town home of Ain’t Pitty, who aids and abets the children […]
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Explosive, sometimes irrational, anger is a steady companion of addiction. Anyone who has lived with or been an addict will recognize the pattern played out in the pages of Mishka Shubaly’s memoir : I Swear I’ll Make It Up To You. Shubaly holds nothing back in the telling of his story, subtitled: A Life On […]
Read MoreOccasionally, I come across a book that I deem worthy of sharing (well, worthy in my humble estimation). Please understand that as most of my day is spent in the horizontal position, I typically have three to five books on the go at any time. Most of what I read does not merit attention here, […]
Read MoreAs an audio book, A Little Life, by Hanya Yanagihara, runs for over 32 hours. I passed by it several times, but lured by the recommendations on Audible.com, finally committed. A Little Life is an admirable undertaking: the author has spared no details in weaving this tale: establishing first the framework of relationships that form […]
Read MoreJust finished listening to “Carly’s Voice” by Arthur Fleischmann with his daughter, Carly. Carly, unlike her twin sister, did not develop normally, and after a barrage of tests and consultations was determined to be developmentally delayed and mentally challenged – autistic, non verbal. Having stumbled across ABA, Carly’s parents hired one-on-one therapists to work with […]
Read MoreWill has been all around the world, yet has never left home, such is the creative parenting of his single mother, Diane, whose paralyzing agoraphobia keeps them trapped Inside. “If I Fall, If I Die” reminiscent of “Room” by Emma Donoghue, examines the life of a mother and son trapped in isolation, although in Christie’s […]
Read MoreDavid Adams Richards likes to drag his readers in out of scenarios, sometimes repeating ideas, until they are hooked into his masterful weave. He demonstrates that life is made up of incestuous circles, and that not all are as ‘principled’ as they would like to think. Principles To Live By centers around the mystery of […]
Read MoreJust as Paul Kalanithi’s future looked bright, cancer struck. As a doctor (neurosurgeon) he knew all too well what he was about to face, and guided by his oncologist, had to make difficult life choices. Kalanithi bravely decided to commit his journey to paper, offering an inside glimpse of illness from the eyes of a […]
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One Woman's Quest II 