Fiction Column

Hi! Let’s play Twenty Questions—who is this writing? Well, I’m gorgeous, witty, talented, educated and opinionated---certainly the last two, at the very least! Okay—it’s me, Constance Clarke of Chicago, writing a new column for your (I hope!) enjoyment, courtesy of my employer of the last 30 years, using the books from Memorial Library. First, I have—finally—realized the great value of the computer, since I use it for my columns no matter what my home address is; i.e. I am now in Texas but I am moving back to Kansas—Maize, outside of Wichita’s West side, to be precise—in late Sept. and, if Jill, our director, still agrees, I’ll send the column from there this Fall. The main reason to do move is that all of our family is up and down Hwy 54, and we are 10 to 14 hours away!

All of this is true, while the column for today deals in Fiction---and I apologize for my haste into the column but our hot water heater sprung a leak, while we were gone from home 12 days!, and a scorpion greeted me on our kitchen rug this a.m. So, we’ve had ruined carpet, pads, kitchen sink bottoms, mold—and I’ve never been so anxious to leave on a fun trip with friends as I am next week!


Okay, one of my favorite subjects—provided it’s well written—is a mystery and, especially, if it’s a British one. To wit: “Murder as a Fine Art”, by David Morrell, and you may have already read one of his 27 novels. He’ been nominated for every major mystery award and his first novel, “First Blood”, introduced the character Rambo. A series of horrific murders terrified London some 43 years before our mystery begins, and a Thomas De Quincy, “infamous for his memoir ‘Confessions of an Opium-Eater’ is the major suspect in these mass murders identical to the ones that terrorized London earlier.” So, he’s anxious to clear his name—“clear” being a relative term here since he is crippled by his addiction—so he gets aid from “his devoted daughter, Emily, and a pair of determined Scotland Yard detectives, “and England becomes a battleground between a literary star and a brilliant murderer whose lived are linked by secrets from long ago.” I practically drooled on the page. In reading small sections of it, as is my wont, I found the policemen believable, the characters just that—characters—, and the probable ending quite satisfying. Do go into LML (Liberal Memorial Library, of course!) and find it, settle in a favorite chair and enjoy! (There really IS something special about a Brit mystery!)

Now, we come to an adventure story, “The Barbed Crown; an Ethan Gage Adventure”, by William Dietrich, full of high seas adventure, guns going off at enemy ships, Mr. Gage’s many adventures with and against Bonaparte, his wife, Astiza and another seductress (out to trap him and to turn him from thwarting Bonaparte’s plans to conquer Europe to help Bony). All of this is alongside the kidnapping and freeing of his son, Harry, and, when his careful plans fail, he is put in the middle of the famous sea battle, “Battle of Trafalgar”—and that, dear readers, was a humdinger of a chapter to read—my ears hurt from the cannon’s constant firing that was taking place on many warships from several nations---water everywhere, dead bodies floating, ship’s masts hitting the ocean in broken pieces, orders yelled, people falling overboard—I was exhausted by the end of it, and I strongly recommend the book for the battle description, if nothing else! What a movie scene that would make—with or without Johnny Depp! (Speaking of, I am curious to see Depp play Tonto in the upcoming “Lone Ranger” movie.) This action-adventure is as good as a wild movie, in the same vein, and quite a fun read—go—find—read.

Sophie Kinsella is the favorite author of a lot of readers—mainly women—and she’s really quite funny, for an English girl, that is, and her newest book is “Wedding Night.” “Lottie just knows that her boyfriend is going to propose during Lunch at one of London’s fanciest restaurant”—except he doesn’t. So, when Ben, an old flame, calls her, to her surprise, “and reminds Lottie of their pact to get married if they were both still single at 30”, she jumps at the chance. Well, family and friends are stunned. So, her sister, Fliss, and Ben’s closest friend, Lorcan (Lorcan?) are determined to stop the wedding, and Fliss concocts “an elaborate scheme to sabotage their wedding night.” I mean, if you can’t depend on sisters and friends to decide what’s best for you, who can you really trust? The personalities are vividly drawn, and maybe the wedding night will go on, smoothly, or not—between oil and peanuts (well, read the book!) Seriously, it’s a light, fun, summer read from an author who knows how to write them.

This next book looked intriguing, when I was checking books in Publisher’s Weekly for Jill to consider, and she sent it to me for this column the title is “Evidence of Life”, by Barbara Sissel, and while it’s not really a great or hold-your-interest story, it’s easily worth a “B”, as a choice for summer reading. Abby’s husband, Nick, and daughter, Lindsey, go on a father-daughter trip and disappear. So, Abby sets out to find out what happened and as disturbing clues begin to surface, “Abby realizes that the truth may be far more sinister than she imagined” and that everything she once believed about her marriage and family may be wrong. There’s a few more characters involved, the suspense quotient is fairly high, so, as I said, or implied, the edge-of-your-seat kind of feeling is not the kind that C.J.Box or Jeffrey Deaver gives, but it’s not at the bottom of my list, either, so get it and enjoy it. Wouldja like a preview of what’s coming?

• James Lee Burke’s “Light of the World: A Dave Robicheaux Novel”
• “Unseen” by Karin Slaughter
•  “Save Yourself”, by Kelly Braffet (this title got a star and a box around its description, which is the top rating that Publisher’s Weekly can give a title)
• “Human Remains”, by Elizabeth Haynes (well known and popular)
• ”Lemon Orchard”, by Luanne Rice
• ”JFK’s Last Hundred Days: The Transformation of a Man and the Emergence of a Great President”, by Thurston Clarke
• “Miss Anne in Harlem; The White Women of the Black Renaissance”, by Carla Kaplan (starred and boxed).

Stay tuned and keep cool and enjoy reading—always. Be sure your pet has fresh water, both morning and evening, and keep cool, yourself. Thanks for reading, bye!

Nonfiction Column

Allo, Chickies—I'm back from several weeks somewhere in outer space—Christmas, kidney stones, and extra volunteering at the Kroc Ctr. here (the Salvation Army has built nine of them and is on their way to a tenth outside of Washington which will be 84,000 sq. ft.!) and unfortunately, due to a computer crash and replacement and learning how to “do” this column in a new setting, plus a deadline, this will be a short column I will, however, list the books I was sent from the library, and say something about a selection of them as I have an appointment in about one hour and I need to get this column sent. Okay, here are the Non-Fiction books that the library sent me—and, by the way, the main reason I’ve run out of time is that our Liberal mail is, apparently, sent to Amarillo for further distribution, so these titles were three days later than usual.

Okay, "Cesar Millan’s Short Guide to a Happy Dog; 98 Essential Tips and Techniques"; "The Heavy; a Mother, a Daughter, a Diet", by Dara-Lynn Weiss; "When Spiritual But Not Religious Is Not Enough; Seeing God in Surprising Places, Even the Church", by Lillian Daniel ( who is a minister); "Grand Central; How a Train Station Transformed America", by Sam Roberts; "The Real Jane Austen; A Life in Small Things", by Paula Byrne.  I was so very pleased by this selection, sent to me, and I will say a few things about each of them, as I have time available—but—pay attention!—they are at the “liberry” (as the kids say) for you to check out and enjoy and learn from.

Ready—Set—Go!  Millan is, as we dog people know, a dog expert who believes in Control, humans being the ones displaying it and it does not—not—mean harshness or yelling or, as I’ve been known to do, doing sharp pulls on a leash when annoyed on a walk, or raising my "stage voice" in annoyance. He says, "to be a pack leader you must be in control, i.e. if you are on a walk and your dog starts to pull ahead, take control by changing and immediately going in another direction; if your dog is exhibiting a behavior you do not want, stop it then.

Control is not being unkind; humans have trouble with the words, "control" and "dominance" but, says Cesar, if these words disturb you, then substitute other words that mean the same thing but has pleasanter images—identify why the words bother you and, if necessary, replace them with words that are neutral to you, if necessary because, to dogs, our words don’t mean anything—they are just tones of sound. Dogs communicate with energy and—pay attention!—they respond best to us when we are calm and assertive, not hurried, angry, or impatient. This book will bring you plenty of knowledge, says Cesar, "achieving calmness, however, is up to you—work with me and read this book with an open mind."  I  loved one sentence that said, in effect, their mothers never talked to them!

The book, "The Heavy", was in column form, for about a year, in "Vogue" magazine and raised a furor when the mother of a 7-year-old, Bea, was diagnosed as being obese and the mother was told to teach her better eating habits—women, for or against, weighed in (little pun there!) and the biggest point that Dara had to confront was her own eating habits as well as those of her husband and son, and compounding the challenge "were eating environments that set Bea up to fail and unwelcome judgments from her own friends" who, while applauding the idea for Bea’s sake, often were the cause of distress by saying , "Oh, it’s just one cookie—that won’t hurt her." Dara, the mother, "was criticized as readily for enabling Bea’s condition as she was for enforcing the rigid limits necessary to address it—she was made to feel so wrong for trying to do the right thing."  It’s funny in places, uncomfortable in others, but all mothers can identify with it—either from their young years or as a mother today—and,yes, Yogurt does have calories, I learned, and since I think it tastes strange anyway, I was amused ‘cause it is touted to be a necessity on all diets. Nonsense!  How does Bea ultimately do—and the rest of the family? Read the book!

The book, "Grand Central; How a Train Station Transformed America", by Sam Roberts is just wonderful—its beginning, its deterioration and the struggle to save it (which had Jackie-O in the lead), also the homeless people, the great clock in its center, its history through wars—you start reading it and resent any interruptions.  Get it and enjoy.

Since beginning this particular column, I have learned there is a little more time to devote to it than I first thought—thank heavens! I loved the points made, in a funny yet definite way, in "When Spiritual But Not Religious’ Is Not Enough; Seeing God in Surprising Places, Even the Church", by Lillian Daniel. She is well-qualified to speak on such matters as she is the senior minister of the First Congregational Church, outside the Chicago area, since 2004 and the author of two previous books.

She has a knack of making her points with pointed humor and begins by describing a conversation with another passenger during a plane ride, he said, "Let me give you my testimony, if you will allow it, about why I do not attend church" and, after the explanation (by then, I would hazard a guess, they were well over the Rio Grande!) of early years, said his marriage had ended, it was, really, "my wife’s church" and so he found himself spending his Sunday mornings putting on his running shoes and taking off through the woods---"I see myself in the trees and the butterflies.  I am one with the great outdoors. I find God there, and I realized that I am deeply spiritual but no longer religious."

"I was not shocked or upset by the man’s story—I have heard it a million times before—there’s always the long walk, the trees, the walk on the beach—and don’t forget the sunset ‘cause these people always want to tell you that God is in the sunset but push a little harder on this satisfying and self-developed religion and you don’t get much depth—you find God in the sunset and trees—so do I.  But how about in the face of Cancer? Cancer is part of nature, too—as is homelessness, Leukemia, frailty in older people. I think God does want us to feel gratitude. I do not think God particularly wants us to feel "lucky"—I do think God wants us to witness pain and suffering and appalling conditions, and get angry and want to do something about it."

Great writing, funny stories—always ending with words of compassion, wisdom or, yes, even stinging sarcasm to "move" us. Get the book and look up from it, when a point hits you, and think about what Ms. Daniel is saying.

I’m heading to Lawrence for the K.U. basketball game in 2 days and can only assume that the highways will be okay for traveling—and don’t let anyone ever tell you that South Texas does not get cold days in the Winter—it ain’t necessarily so, but blizzards are relatively  rare.

Find a good book at the library and sit in an easy chair, sip hot tea, chocolate or coffee (with dark choc. bits of candy) and figure that Spring will, indeed, come fairly soon. Don’t leave pets out in the cold outdoors overnight, please, and to make my point, go out, just before bedtime, in average wear of jeans and a sweater, stay there 40 minutes and you’ll see how unpleasant it can be.  Buy some small chocolate bunny candy and give some out to others and enjoy the pleased looks on the faces of the recipients. Spring will be here soon, I promise. Bye!

Non-fiction

As one of Chicago’s famous sportscasters always—always said (even during sleet and snow!)—“It’s a beautiful day in Chicago!” and my father, driving in rain or sleet and snow, had unfavorable comments! However, Fall is usually everybody’s favorite season and the weather “pretty much” behaves, and it’s a good time to get into or continue your walking and exercising and planning for Thanksgiving! Don’t overwhelm yourself, however (said she who is planning a birthday party for her husband this Monday and quietly tearing her hair! Himself is in “the mid-eighties” and doing quite well, considering a badly-used and abused shoulder and a back that can hamper his running in a 10 K race—or, actually, a 2 K would be a problem. In live, however, things are what they are—they are facts that one deals with and we are looking forward to a Christmas cruise to the islands, out of Galveston, and I’m really looking forward to seeing Galveston and a neighbor here is a 5th generation Galvestonian and told me a lot about its wonders and history.

Since we’re dealing in facts, let me quickly state that this is a non-Fiction col. (smooth segue, right?) and the first one is a good “relationship advice book”, “How to Have a Match Made in Heaven”, by Ariel and Shya Kane, and this couple has taught/given seminars to individuals, couples, and organizations “how to live in the moment and unwire the knee-jerk behaviors that get in the way of living life with ease”, such as Himself and I discussing the fascinating subject of, do I have to have any more clothes? Everyone has the “button” that can be pushed and this couple discusses the buttons and other factors i.e. everything is not 50-50 and one of the other demands that the other one do their share or give in their share or take responsibility for their mistakes (I don’t recall the last time I made a mistake, actually, but I can tell you in 15 seconds prep time the ones Himself needs to pay attention to!) By the way, all of this is in humor, you understand.

One of their first points is excellent but you gotta think about it. “In order to be kinder to yourself and others, you first have to pay attention to the way you currently behave, and it starts by noticing when you’re harsh and when you use derogatory terms or an abusive tone. When you notice this behavior and don’t judge yourself for doing it, then the behavior will dwindle away on its own. Do not criticize yourself for what you see, then you’re resisting your behavior, which will only that that despite your best intentions, you won’t be able to stop. You’ll be trapped in a cycle of behaving “badly,” then feeling “badly,” and then behaving “badly” all over again. When you are harsh with yourself for being harsh, it simply reinforces the behavior, and, in other words, what you resist persists, grows stronger, and dominates your life. But, if you have been unkind to your partner, it’s still a really good idea to apologize.”

Their points are quite good, and learning how we can grow stronger and be nicer in our relationships is a worthwhile endeavor, in my humble opinion. Their points are taken from actual people whom they’ve talked to and I found this an interesting point—intimacy—“When Shya (her husband) say the word ‘intimacy’, your mind probably goes to physical and you thought he meant sex, when what he means is an extension of how you are being together in the kitchen or the living room. A lot of us need to recognize that it’s how you handle the glass of orange juice or pour your partner’s coffee or what you laugh at and share the same instant thoughts—it’s about actually being where you are in everything that you do, rather than going somewhere else in your thoughts or actions—i.e. turning away from the person rather than laughing or adding to the comments.” I thought it an excellent point and we’ve all both—I stress both partners—done this, then later on said, “Now, what were you finding so funny this morning?”—7 hours later! The moment is gone, lil darling. I was, frankly, a little leery of this book and found it very common sense and their observations quiet intelligent, so go find it and check it out and, just maybe, find some ideas you can ponder and, perhaps, use whether your marriage be a few months old or, in my case, quite a few years.

This next book, I guess I just assumed must be fairly obvious by now, and maybe to those of us from age 55 on up it is, but, as I read “The One Hundred; A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own”, by Nina Garcia, I came to my conclusion that, honestly, many of these pieces we all have seen, bought, debated about buying, and become more conscious of what we’re putting in our closets. Ms. Garcia is “the unerring, formidable fashion judge on the TV show, “Project Runway”, and has terrific credentials of having worked with top designers and now lives and works in New York City (I’d have bet on that over, say, Forgan, Ok.).Let’s see some of what she has to say—let’s start with the exotic skin handbag. Shop for and find one at a really good second-hand store—they are much cheaper there—and the three skins that will never—never—go out of style are crocodile, snakeskin and ostrich, “and if you need justification for spending what you assuredly will spend even at a bargain, these bags never—ever—go out of style.

Coco Chanel once said, “Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury”—in other words, Poppets, one should not be overly conscious of the style one is wearing—it should be comfortable but it can also be luxurious and warm and just plain wonderful i.e. cashmere sweaters. They do go on sale, you know, and there is no bulk, it’s warm, and you’ll love the light, easy feel—“it is advisable to have as many as possible in as many versions as possible.” Amen, Sister, and, yes, they, too, go on sale at dept. stores as Spring approaches. Need more down-to-earth ideas from Ms. Garcia? By all means—let’s talk about brooches and cable-knit sweaters. The old idea---as in “used-to-be”—was to wear a discreet but pretty flower brooch at the V of a neckline or on a suit lapel (just one, please, my grandmother said). Fageddiboudit! Wear four or five close together on a lapel, pocket, large collar or wherever you choose—you can buy them at inexpensive jewelry stores or Dillard’s or Macy’s or Nordstrom’s or most anywhere ‘cause they’re the newest fun way to wear them! Bright and sparkly (like our personalities, right ladies!

The cable-knit sweater began, in Ireland, hand-knitted and very warm in order to keep the fishermen warm (even though some people thought it was Ali McGraw in “Love Story”!)and there’s a personal style for everyone i.e. “Weekend Casual; Supremely Sophisticated, Thoroughly Modern and Prep School Chic---and the last one is, stay true to your roots and wear a J.Crew version with chinos and moccasins. Great, fun book to look through and, dare I say it, learn from and what are the classics and what are “fads.” I, personally, at this stage in life, have some of each. Good luck!

Wouldn’t it be great fun to listen in on presidential phone calls? Can you believe that JFK deliberately had a tape deck installed in his office but—guess what?—“In July 1962, in an effort to preserve an accurate of presidential decision-making in a highly charged atmosphere of conflicting viewpoints, strategic tactics, JFK installed hidden recording machines in both the Oval Office and in the Cabinet Room. The result is a priceless historical archive comprising some 265 hours of taped material” and the book is “Listening In; The Secret White House Recordings of John F. Kennedy”, Ted Widmer. Checking out this book also includes 2 CD’s, available at the desk.

His daughter, Caroline, does the foreword, should that interest you. Here are the stories behind the story “in the unguarded words and voices of the decision-makers themselves.” Some of this country’s really important events, that are covered, Cuban Missile Crisis, Space Race, Vietnam, and the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and there is a dramatic level in the 2 CD’s to make clear what a lot of history we’ve all been through. It’s an important book—and, actually, quite readable—and one that perhaps all of us should read and ponder. I, personally, found the conversation about could we go to the moon and when between Mr. Webb and Kennedy and you will, too. Please check out this book, as well as the CD’s, and learn while enjoying.

The last book is “Change Your Words, Change Your Life; Understanding the Power of Every Word You Speak”, by a famous author, Joyce Meyer, who believes (and uses Bible passages to brilliantly bracket them) “Words are a big deal. I believe that our words can increase or decrease our level of joy, affect the answers to our prayers and have a positive or negative effect on our future.” She provides a series of guidelines for making sure that what we say is constructive not negative and achieve the results in our lives and personal relations we want and, actually provides good stepping stones. Some of her topics include

• How to Tame Your Tongue (thought of a few people to send this book to already, haven’t ‘cha?)
• When to Talk and When Not to Talk (now, I’ve got a few people who could benefit!);
• The Corrosion of Complaints
• How to Have a Smart Mouth and Do You Really Have to Give Your Opinion?(I just feel I should share my valuable insights on almost anything—okay?) 

There are my choices for this column, and I sincerely hope one of them strikes a chord with you! Do check out our newest Non-Fiction books at the library and say a friendly “hi” to our staff ‘cause they like and are good at what they do and they do a great deal. I know our Board appreciated the extra events through the Spring and Summer and don’t forget our newest electronic “gadgets” we provide. Enjoy the Fall weather and coming chilly Winter ‘cause it gives us all a chance to stay in where it’s warm and read our favorite authors—or maybe some new ones on the scene. Go see the movie, “Argo” and reflect that it’s all true---also coming up, in the movie realm, is “Lincoln” which it already being talked about for an Oscar. Enjoy your walking and speak kindly to everyone. Bye!

Fiction

Okay, Poppets, the vacation is over, the deep tan is fading, lazy afternoons of swimming or hiking or the main, easy Summer events are coming to an end—maybe not entirely in that you can still do a few of them for another 30 to 34 days, but, according to the calendar, we’re headed into Fall—and not a moment too soon, for most of us! Certainly I’m not suggesting getting out the Christmas ornaments, but it is a time to leave one season behind and I think we all do that, mentally. For instance, all the magazines and stores are finished with Summer clothes and accessories (bar-b-q sets, rattan chairs and plastic tables, and kiddie pools!) However, there’s one enjoyment we have all year round—books to read—and it’s great fun to “lose yourself” in a good story—which brings us to the subject of this column which is good Fiction.

Just so you can begin noticing, the further we get into Fall/Winter, the more you will be seeing popular authors in print and don’t forget to notice the new authors,’cause they are tomorrow’s best sellers! To put it in a current frame, Paul Ryan and our mayor, Julian Castro, are the up-and–coming powerful politicians of the next 12 to 14 years -- and, I hope, Condoleza Rice! I’ve vote for her for president now, if I could!

Well, I doubt if she ever runs for the top office but since we’re talking Fiction, let us go to the first title (how’s that, Patrice? Slick, huh? After another 100 or so Fiction columns—and their graceful segues—a simple bracelet would be nice—probably for you for making me aware of a smooth beginning to the column! We’ll discuss it later.) About the time that I think I’m pretty “in the know” about Fiction as to authors, trends, what’s developing in the field, Memorial Library sends me books to review that,
A. I’ve never heard of the authors and/or
B.  I find them hard for me—strictly as a reader now—to get “in sync” with.
It doesn’t mean I won’t be and won’t ever like the authors, it just means I can feel like a dog on a waxed floor, for a time.

So, “A City of Broken Glass”, by Rebecca Cantrell, is in that category, for me, and it says, on the cover, “A Hannah Vogel novel”, and if that rings a bell for you, great! She’s received starred reviews, by the august Publisher’s Weekly, and written three other books that, apparently, like this current on deals with the awful rise of the Nazis and their rise to power and, certainly, what it took to dominate several countries in Europe.

Hannah is a former spy for the Brits, as well as being an editor, and is traveling to Poland with her 12-year-old son, Anton, to write an article on a local festival,”when she hears that 12,000 Polish Jews have been deported from Germany”, and she changes plans and rushes to get the story on the refugees, regardless of the consequences. Her ex-lover enters into it, she helps a Jewish friend, Paul, search for his missing toddler, and tries to get the requisite paperwork together to exit the country. Along with all of this is a toddler whom she is determined to help, even though it puts her family at risk.

This all takes place before the terrible”Night of Broken Glass” where the windows and everything glass was broken to drive the Jews out of their homes and businesses—and, I imagine, to make their places of worship as well by the broken glass. It makes one shake their head and murmur—“Man’s inhumanity to Man.” The pace is exciting and the story is, while true, certainly frightening.

Now we have "This is How It Ends", by Kathleen MacMahon. It’s a love story and seems, upon perusal, quite charming. The plot is simplicity itself; "Bruno, an American, has come to Ireland to search for his roots and Addie, an out-of-work architect, is recovering from heartbreak and taking care of her infirm father." That’s how it begins, as two strangers try to get to know each other, in a fairly limited space of time.

"Back in the States, he had visited his mother every week." He just didn’t tell anyone about it, not even his girlfriend. Something she found impossible to understand—In Bruno’s opinion, she refused to understand. She was furious to find out his mother had been alive all that time. “I assumed she was dead! You only ever talked about her in the past tense—you never mentioned visiting her." He hadn’t actually intended to lie to her, but he could see that it amounted to the same thing. She thought it was about her and white with outrage she walked out. Bruno was shocked to find that he wasn’t even sorry."

That small segment showed a great deal about Bruno, his kindness and attachment to family—which was what he was doing in Ireland—and his eventual being close to Addie is done charmingly and well. A good author to "tune into" and just enjoy. She enables her characters to deal with love and learning of a dreadful fate, all being considerate and coping as well as they can—how does it end? Well.

Okay, next book—and I thought it was to be a Western by the title; “Tombstone Blues,” by Ken Hodgson, and couldn’t have been more wrong. Samantha Sterling has a new job, running a B and B in Tombstone, Arizona "The sprawling B and B is owned by a group of" –are you ready for this?--“gay hit-men and their tough-as-nails mother looking for help with their 'real' business of whacking people (killing them, that is) for The Company. All in the name of National Security, that is.”

Well, Samantha, after witnessing the poisoning of "a client on the first day on the job, is given a choice—joining in the family business or follow the dead man down an abandoned mineshaft.” Peachy. So, she wisely decides to play along—while planning to escape. The question, as always, is How? She will have to join forces with and learn from Esther, the experienced hit-lady who carries her gun in her purple beehive hairdo, so she begins learning "the hit-woman’s craft". Of course, before long Samantha "learns that removing the scum of the earth from the earth has its advantages……Soon, an outside force comes in and the gang has to battle in earnest to save themselves.

It’s a fun book to read, too. At one point, they are all discussing a certain gentleman and what should be done about him; "We’re not going to kill the man, are we?" asked Samantha and Esther chimes in with "We haven’t been paid to whack him", as she chugged down the last of her wine, “so that’s the end of that. Dinner sounds good—I’m off to take my nap. Wake me up if I’m not up by 6". I’m certainly glad that Esther understands basic business! Great, fun book and the lead man seems to understand cats—so I’ll overlook his chosen profession. Disregarding the gang’s choice of profession, this story is hilarious and I’m going to look forward to reading the next book along the same vein. Go find this.

Speaking of odd or interesting or laughable or just plain off titles, let’s consider “Serenade to a Cuckoo; A P.I. Mystery”, by Flo Fitzpatrick—and recipes are included! Heckuva deal! I always like looking at recipes., even though I may not bother to actually cook them, you understand. (Whatever happened to “help in the kitchen”?)

I’ll keep in the moment and tell you that this is about P.I. McGinnis, “who tends to dive into dangerous situations with nothing big a strong sense of humor as her back-up and who has a TV show about her life.” There is an antique clock that holds the key to the murders and if she can’t produce it, she’ll be next on the list of the recently deceased. If you like “light mysteries” and a good cast of people, this might be the one for you. The Brownies and Fudge Sauce look wonderful and if you want to try to make them, I think they’ll make you proud.

These titles are all good Summer reading, not “heavy”, and these books will sit well with any preference readers might have from romance to mystery to “characters” and you can thank me later! “The time has come, the walrus said, to speak of other things—of shoes and ships and sealing wax, and cabbages and kings”—and for the time being, we must part company—but a Non-Fiction will arrive next and in a relatively short time. So, fire up the grill, shape the hamburgers but do not pack them tightly, perhaps a small casserole of a mixture of baked and chili beans and, if you can find it, three tab. Out of a jar of the wonderful “Bacon Jam” and some onions, and sliced tomatoes—and no bread or bun, just put the hamburger on the plate—and read a book after the meal—outside, on the porch or patio.

The time will come soon enough when it will be too dark and cold to sit outside after dinner, so take advantage of this “soft time of weather” and if all you do is watch the sparrows or Mourning Doves or the kids playing ball, do it! Rufus Cooper likes watching the trunks of trees carefully to see if he can see the quick flick of a squirrel’s tale—the insult will not go unnoticed—and the chase is on! He never catches one but “hope springs eternal”, does it not? Take care and Caio! Bye!

Non-Fiction

The great charm of books that are “true and not given to idle fancy” is that our element of trust is with the author, his research, his point of view and we like the manner in which he expounds, that is, puts forward his ideas and, at least to him, his point of righteousness/viewpoint/ "this-is-the- way-to-look-at-this." Many times, the author doesn’t particularly care whether everyone—or even the majority of readers—agrees with him—he’s not running a popularity contest in his writing and stated opinions to support his theories but he does care that the readers at least consider the points he raises. I think all of us do, when the point is, to us, clear and obvious and needing to be recognized as its own authority. Fine. I can trust an author’s intelligence and messianic spirit as well as the next person, but I do reserve—as is my right, to disagree with a theory or “point”-- yet still see the author’s point of view. "Civil discourse" was, I think, the idea of the Founding Fathers, the right to disagree but not become bitterly personal and use vicious verbal or written attacks. Ah well, you can see how well our country is doing now vis a vis with the president and Congress “communicating” and “discussing strong opinions”, but I digress from the realm of Non-Fiction books.


So, let’s look at a selection of books that are available in the library and I hope you find one to suit your mood and tastes from it. To begin: “Life Everlasting; The Animal Way of Death”, by Bernd Heinrich, who, according to the literary experts at the “New York Times Book Review”, says about this book, “Heinrich, who combines his keen scientific eye with the soul of a poet, glimpses an entirely different realm, one filled with wondrous activities both above and below the seemingly lifeless countryside.” So there—now you know. For those of you still reading, with slightly glazed eyes, thinking there has to be more to be said—pay attention.

This author has a hunting camp in Maine, and when a friend asked to be buried there so that he might have “a green burial”, it got Heinrich to asking lifelong questions, i.e. “How exactly does the animal world deal with the flip side of the life cycle and what lessons can be learned from a close look at the animal world?”  His work/field research (literally out in the fields and observing) focused on “the fascinating doings of creatures most of us would turn away from”, as in the field mouse burials conducted by carrion beetles (do they have a way to play the perennial “Amazing Grace” on leaves?), “the communication strategies of ravens” and the teamwork displayed by wolves. Foxes and Weasels (animal not human, that is)and bald eagles in the dispersal of their prey in the harsh cold winters and the author talks about and proves that humans still play out “ancient and important as scavengers, thereby turning life to life.”

The details are thoroughly written about, the decay, the smell, what each animal body taught him, from bees to elephant dung, but there’s no denying that the subject has its rules and methods and the outcome always in the genes.  To the tiny mites, for example, beetles are simply a vehicle for hitchhiking to more fresh fly eggs, and, I must admit, his adventures with the large animal carcasses was fascinating and I’m sure the odor, after 5 days, was daunting.  An interesting book, by a very smart man who is a contributor to national publications and is professor emeritus of Biology and the Univ. of Vermont. Check it out from the library.

“Be a Great Single Parent; Be Stress-Free and  Happy”, Susie Hayman, has some really common-sense advice combined with smarts and humor. There are, today, so many single parents with so many hurdles to jump both with their children and looking at their own wants and needs, that I’d think this book would have appeal and support.

Some of the topics are very personal and these topics are talked about, i.e.Getting Over Feelings of Guilt and Failure; Helping Your Children Cope; Going Alone; New Partners, Dating and Mating; and, in my opinion, a powerful thought/weapon is the “I” statement, which are all about to say “what I want”, “what bothers me is” and “I need”—they help both the person speaking and the one being spoken to and makes it clear as to what is going on and what can be done to help. All behavior experts agree that using the “I” pronoun is always non-confrontational, expresses your feelings, you can –and should—explain why you feel that way, and , at the end, you express what you would like to see happen. “You” is usually the percursor to being antagonistic and will not resolve the issues---but, as I’ve said, simply changing some wording is helpful.  A most sensible book and written in an easy, conversational tone, not a lecturing one.  Go find a copy!

“Osa and Martin; For the Love of Adventure”, is the story of an extremely well-known couple who lived an adventurous life, were world movie wildlife pioneers and, “on Osa’s initiative took their wildlife series onto the vaudeville stage to raise money for expeditions to the South Seas, her decisions were usually valid and valuable and they were together until Martin’s tragic death in a plane crash in 1937”.

Martin had been so well thought of that he was offered membership in the world-famous Explorer’s Club, but, at the time of course, women were not admitted to that select group.  They honeymooned in cannibal country and did early, dangerous safaris into lion country and they explored and were delighted with the world around them. Their mission was to bring Africa to Americans, and they did well, but the KKK were deeply suspicious of them. A wonderful life, inhabited with their “pets” and they were almost continually exhausted, traveling all over America , but “did it for Africa” and their next big expedition was to also be using the movies’ newest thing of “sound”. I really enjoyed this story and loved, particularly, reading about a couple who completely agreed on what they wanted to do with their lives—and did it. You’ll enjoy it, too, and it’s amazing how far we’ve all come in how we regard Africa, adventures, lions, and other cultures. A most delightful book.

I had never heard of “Rainy Brain, Sunny Brain: How to Retrain Your Brain to Overcome Pessimism and Achieve a More Positive Outlook”, by Elaine Fox, which certainly includes those people who are prone for depression, anxiety, fears, and addiction for those on one end of the scale while the pleasure seekers, who want to stay “up”, “are inclined towards risky or destructive behavior can learn to take control of their lives.”

I find it encouraging that she feels that we can retrain our brains to brighten up our lives, feel more positive and in control, and that, in essence, we can influence our own personalities—rather than letting others tell us what we “should do” or “you need to get a grip and change things in your life”. It’s a more positive thought to feel you—just you—are responsible for your decisions. She and other researchers discovered, both with their patients and returning vets, that reliving the experiences of assault, rape, burglary can and will re-trigger the feelings of panic and helplessness, and the studies go on with how to help people conquer their fears—whether of spiders, or getting on an airplane, or clowns or ticking clocks—if you’re in a state of panic over your personal demon, this book really has some excellent helpful ideas.

One of the most interesting, cutting-edge technologies, is “extinction training” and, prior to that (it involved working with the brain’s cortex and mild electric shocks on the wrist as the bad memory was re-lived by the patient) being exposed over and over to what the person was afraid of i.e. spiders, barking dogs, etc. Fascinating book, not, however,an “easy read” but well worth sticking with.

Okay, Poppets, time to go  to the stores in the mall and force myself to look for a couple of things in Chico’s, so, walk the dog in early morning cool, call a friend you haven’t talked with in awhile, get a double-dip ice cream cone, and I’ll see you next column. Bye!   

Fiction

Yes, it’s me again, your wise and wonderful reviewer, waiting, hopefully, for this big, black rain cloud that’s hanging over us here at Comanche Trade to let loose some much-needed wet stuff. We can but hope—any rain dances are appreciated!  Last Summer, like the remaining lower half of the U.S., is always on the lookout for moisture, ‘cause stories like the one I particularly remember from last Summer, is always at the back of my mind, to wit; some gentleman was trying to light his grill and bar-b-q in his back yard, and for some reason, a spark flew out of the grill or a piece of hot charcoal, it caught some extremely dry grass on fire, and in 30 minutes, he had burned 300+ acres (and no hamburgers for dinner, either!) Ye Gods! How dry was that ground and it could happen this Summer, anywhere, in any state, so please be careful!  To burn your neighbor’s house down is considered the height of rudeness.

Speaking of bar-b-q, how do you like your hot dogs? Some of the members of my family prefer them just a little “burned” or broiled and the ones you see in stores or convenience stores at gas pumps are always so “perfect” and not a burned spot on them—they’re really strange and naked looking—like someone should throw a napkin over them or something. It’s better to just get a well-done hot dog, put on pickle relish, even a little coleslaw, dig into the potato chip bag, get some potato salad and all the black olives you think you can take without looking greedy, find a shady spot and pick up one of these titles to enjoy. 

Some of these authors are familiar to me and a couple of new—no matter, we shall see what they wrote and were trying to convey. Liberal is a medium-sized town, as is Kerrville, or maybe others would call them “small-town”—whatever the term, those who are from it always seem to want to a big city, have a great (read “important”) job, earn a big salary, have a lifestyle that reflects that (be sure to learn how to play golf and know on wine from another—none of it boxed, please) and so on—“The 500”, by Matthew Quirk, is about those people and their idealized dream, and the city that our chief protagonist works in is Washington (surprise!), and Mike Ford, fresh out of Harvard Law School, has landed his dream job at the Davies Group, Washington’s most powerful consulting firm—and how he’s staring down the barrel of a gun, pursued by two of the world’s most dangerous men.” This definite possibility that he’ll have to lie and cheat and steal and kill was not something this educated son of a small-stakes con man ever thought he’d have to face again. 

The title refers to the fact and “the 500” are “the elite men and women who really run Washington—and, conversely the world—but Mike learns that, with those who have a pedigree, a con is still a con.” You know the famous saying in Washington?  “If you want a friend here, get a dog.” It is told in first person, which is not my favorite way of narrating a story, but that’s a personal thing and does not stand in the way of telling a good story and this is one. It’s much in the mantra of “The Firm” and I enjoyed Mike’s hard-boiled yet sentimental way of looking at things and the hard-boiled yet tongue-in-cheek way of describing the firm he’s in, the people he deals with, the parties he goes to. 

“These guys, at the Davies Group, are not “lobbyists”, as in the heyday of the 80’s. Those guys are the rabble. Comparing them to the folks at the Davies Group is like comparing Zales to Tiffany’s.They do very little formal lobbying. They don’t do volume. They do not advertise. They have ‘relationships’.  They are discreet. They are very, very expensive. If you really need something done in Washington, and you have the money, and you know the people you have to know to ever get a referral to a top firm, the Davies group is at the peak of that cozy little world.”  I’m telling you, dear poppets, you start reading and you laugh or shake your head in wonderment or utter “Huh—“ loudly every so often, but bored you won’t be. I, personally, can’t wait to finish the book—and wonder upon which firm it’s based on –and, yes, I’m darned sure there is a real Davies group in Washington—maybe several. Go find the book at the library or put your name on the reserve list. Today!  

There is a new series starting on TV, “Longmire”, based on the series of books by Craig Johnson, and in the book, “As the Crow Flies”, the Wyoming sheriff Walt Longmire is feeling a different state of mind from cowboys and criminals ‘cause his daughter, Cady, “is getting married to the brother of his undersheriff. Feisty Victoria Morretti and Walt and his old friend Henry Standing Bear are the unlikely wedding planners.”  I’ll bet they’re unlikely!  Anyway, Cady is not going to be pleased when the arrangements go up in smoke two weeks before the wedding—but then what bride would be pleased?  Well, it’s up to the “wedding planners” to find a new location and the pair head to the Cheyenne Reservation.

Suddenly, a young Crow woman is jumping off Painted Warrior’s cliff to her death and it’s at first thought a suicide.  Then, a child is injured and “Dog” (yes, a real dog) is installed by her bed, on his bed, while she sleeps and recovers and won’t touch food or water—he raises his head, looks at the sheriff, and settles back down (I loved that touch!) Then, there’s a lot of humor and romantic sparks between Longmire and “the newly appointed tribal police chief and returned Iraqi war veteran, the beautiful Lolo Long” who gets him to help with the murder of the jumper—and the high-spirited Lolo doesn’t hesitate to clash with this wedding planner. The dialogue is funny and, yes, charming, and I think Liz Taylor would like it as well as anyone liking a “light read” that has a mystery in it, too.  The FBI gets in on the chase, the bride makes sure her dad can say “I give this woman to this man” in Cheyenne, and it all ends up all right.  So, there’s another good read for you for Summer.  

Still with me? Excellent. Our next book is “a woman’s book” in that it entails several relationships, trading partners, lots of tension between everybody, including the bride and her best friend, the father of the bride and mother, whiffs of old affairs, regrets, and it’s just the week-end of the wedding—not even a whole month for everyone to misbehave. Goodness (although, as Mae West said to someone who said “Goodness, that’s a beautiful diamond bracelet you have!” she responded, “Goodness had nothing to do with it, Honey!”) The book is “Seating Arrangements”, by Maggie Shipstead, and it well illustrates the dangers of living or trying to be anything other than what you are and “the dangers of leading an inauthentic life.”  There’s certainly a lot of emotion and, for the thee days, misplaced “pairings” and the bride and groom find themselves looking at and enduring, in some cases, the unfortunate consequences of bad behavior and those who try to recapture a youth, a feeling that is really not possible but also sad. It is a book you keep on reading  and, strangely enough, laughing at or sympathizing with the characters and  the men and women involved have reasons—or excuses—to behave as they do. I genuinely enjoyed these people and could feel sorry for them and wish the bride and groom and all the in-laws well.  It’s a good Summer read—call the library to reserve it. 

A quick last note about a book that has a beautiful cover and I just sat and looked at the picture of Italian sea, lying below the really striking cliffs and houses above it. Oh, the title? “Beautiful Ruins”, by Jess Walter, in a most unusual storyline that extends over some 50 years. It begins “on a rocky patch of sun-drenched Italian coastline, where a young innkeeper is looking out over the Ligurian Sea and sees this tall, thin woman, a vision in white, approaching him on a boat. She is, he learns, an actress, dying of Cancer” and our half of the story begins, 50 years later, when an elderly Italian man shows up on a movie studio’s back lot, searching for the mysterious woman he last saw at his hotel.”  I was immediately hooked!  It goes from the set of the legendary “Cleopatra”, lots of people, “the heroically preserved producer who once brought them together and his idealistic young assistant”—and the delightful and exasperating Richard Burton himself. A story of flawed and fascinating people and the emotions each brings is all brought to a delightful boil. In looking through this book, I find the people are shown in humor, their longings and regrets, and it’s a good read if you honestly don’t expect to just rush through it—the characters will keep pulling at you. 

Okay, Poppets, It’s time for me to go and open the door and smell the wonderful way the earth does after a rain, and then grill hot dogs, put them on toasted buns, chili and cheese to finish, so y’all have a good next 3 weeks and if you have a chocolate shake (thick, please, not soupy), think of me and pick up one of these books and enjoy the good feeling you’ll have.  Tell Jill or Pauline or Carol at Liberal Library, “hello” from me!  Bye!

Non-fiction

Okay, it’s hot—and bound to get hotter.  It’s time to buy—and then chill—the watermelon and scrape the grill—plus, bathe the dog, check that the various animals have had their shots and plan where you will spend the fourth of July next year.  I was watching, as I passed by the telly, the beginning of another “America’s Got Talent” and, watching previews of some of the past or present acts (I couldn’t tell which), I was reminded of what I think Simon Cowell said, a couple of years back—“Why doesn’t somebody tell about 90 –percent of the contestants that they have no talent and to go home?” The man has a point, I thought for the hundredth time, as I watched some poor fat horn-blowing 55 yr. old ride across the stage on his tricycle and watching the judges hide their eyes.  Please, people, before you’d ever go on stage, ask some total strangers to evaluate your act and abide by their decision. It’s a sad fact that most of those on stage—shouldn’t be. 

Speaking of facts, this is the Non-Fiction column (I’m doing pretty well at this segue business, Patti, and soon may be giving tips to other writers!), and we have some interesting books to discuss. Attendez! You know how we have learned so much about the Kennedy’s, both private and public, early years and the tragedies until we felt we knew them very well indeed, and, in some well-known marriages, their spouses and children, right? Well, one of those attached-to-the-Kennedys-by–marriage was a truly dedicated public servant and one of those men whom a lot—a lot—of people leaned on. His son has written a delightful, brings-tears-to-your-eyes book; “A Good Man: Rediscovering My Father, Sargent Shriver”, by Mark Shriver. 

“Sargent, “Sarge”, Shriver –founder of the Peace Corps and architect of President Johnson’s War on Poverty—died in 2011 after a long and valiant fight against Alzheimer’s, and thousands of tributes poured in from friends and strangers”—from the man who drove the garbage truck, past Sarge’s house, to the waitresses who waited on Sarge at his favorite cafes where he went for 35 years. So many people called Sarge “a good man” that Mark wanted to find out why and how this continuing and old-fashioned phrase was used about his father—not from famous names but ordinary people. 

Mark also wanted to know the source of his father’s always-present sense of joy in life, and began thinking about stories from his own childhood and the bustling Shriver household, “and Mark zeroes in on the three guiding principles of his father’s life—faith, hope and love.”  This is also Sarge’s courage and grace “ during his battle with Alzheimers and Mark’s difficult journey as his son during that time.”  I truly was impressed with the not only Sarge’s way of being a father and example but also Mark’s anecdotes and letting me in on the family “secrets” of belonging, being loved and forgiven “cause that’s what we all try to do with our children. Give yourself a great gift of a wonderful “Summer read” and get your hot, little hands on this book.  There are color photographs of different times and events, and these, too, will be of interest. 

This next book, “The Real Crash;; How to Save Yourself and Your Country”, by Peter Schief, “who demonstrates how the infusion of billions of dollars of stimulus money has only dug a deeper hole—the United States government simply spends too much and does not collect enough money to pay its debts, and in the end, Americans from all walks of life face a crushing consequence.”  He goes onto say some obvious truths—“We’re in hock to China, we can’t afford the homes we own, and the entire premise of our currency is false.”  We’re probably too good a customer for China to ask us to settle even half of our debt, but, according to banking rules, if you can’t pay your debt you sell or give up something to the person or, in this case, China if they decide to call in the note or some of it—I mean, do we really need Alaska?

Our present system is broken, Schief says, “and there are only two paths forward—the one we’re on now leads to a currency and sovereign debt crisis that will utterly destroy our economy and impoverish the vast majority of our citizens.” Wait! Our learned author has a way out! “If we want to change course, the final destination will be far more appealing” and now we get to the nitty-gritty, “drastically reduce government spending, eliminate entire agencies, end costly foreign military escapades and focus only on national defense, stop student loans and mortgage interest deductions, drug wars, and all bank and business bailouts.”  Oh, yes,” America should declare bankruptcy, default on it debts, and reform our system from the ground up.” 

Does he mean, do you suppose, a new Constitution and Bill of Rights?  Doing away with common business practices? How would young people go to college, and, yes, I know they are in debt up to their eyeballs when they do go, for about 15 years to pay the loan back.  Would the average citizen even know what to do or where to begin? Is investing in gold better than the dollar?  The man does have credentials as an economist taking up a lot of the back flyleaf but I, personally, have no intention of reading the whole book and, at base, find some of his ideas “not doable”?. You wade through it and tell me what you think—leave a message at Memorial Library. 

To change pace, let’s look at “Eat and Run; My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness”, by Scott Jurek, who, “for nearly two decades has been a dominant force—and darling—in the grueling and growing sport of ultrarunning”, and, when I first heard of him, he went to Mexico to then with the Tarahumara Indians, “he has achieved all of this on a plant-based diet.”  In his early beginnings at running, he hated it. Now, keep in mind we’re not talking something as simple (and easier to understand) such as the Boston Marathon—he ran very—very long distances and “Scott’s story shows the power of an iron will and blows apart all the stereo types of what athletes should eat to fuel for their optimal performance.”  

His account of the, I have learned, extremely tough Hardrock Ultra—it is one hundred miles and you’ll have to conquer eleven mountain passes, six of them over 13,000 ft, and climbing a 14,000 ft. peak, a total vertical climb and descent of 66,000ft and veterans of it happily pointed out that “it would be more than would be involved in climbing and descending Mount Everest from sea level!”  Then, two nights before the race, he was playing soccer and in trying to wrest the ball from a 7-year-old, slipped on the wet grass and sprained an ankle!  Bad move. There’s an interesting amount of info in here as to how we program our brains for a physical challenge—the brain, upon understanding distance, effort, etc. refers to other times that physical exertion was required and how to keep the body going—literally going and not collapsing.  At one point, he developed a painful condition called Plantar Fasclitis, a swelling of the connective tissue that runs across the bottom of the foot. He writes, movingly, of his friends who were with him in races and, when he hit a “funk”, would be understanding and remind him when they, too, had been discouraged or wondering if  it was worth continuing. Really, you will enjoy not only learning about this extreme sport but getting to know an expert in the field who is all too human and honest.  

Okay, let’s come “down to earth”  a little with everyday problem and possible solutions with what kids need to succeed—“What Kids Need to Succeed; Proven, Practical Ways to Raise Good Kids—3^rd edition; Proven, Practical Ways to Raise Good Kids”, by Peter Benson. Sections of the book are; Building External Assets, Empowerment, Constructive Use of Time, Building Internal Assets, Positive Values, and Social Competencies.  

There are so many really excellent points made in this book by this team, that it amazed me it was all included in a softcover, 6 by 8 inches, and, well constructed, and each asset had a number, an interesting percentage stat to begin discussion of an asset i.e. “Asset #26; Caring and, under that, “Kids place high value on helping other people”, and in a box underneath that, “52% of the kids we surveyed have this asset in their lives” and then there’s two, sometimes three, pages of points about Caring. That format is for all the assets that young people have to have, ideally, to lead good and pleasant lives and avoid some of the pitfalls of bad judgment and bad friends and bad situations that all of them will have to weigh and measure and decide about.  

There are good points about what adults can do to help give positive assets to youth i.e. “Think about how you approach young people—when you work with kids, do you focus most of your energy on intervening and directing the crisis, do you discuss how to prevent problems, or are you attempting to promote and work on assets?”  “Could you commit to building one asset?”, ask these experts, even something as simple be more aware of and spend a little few minutes each day talking to and getting to know one child in your neighborhood, rather than just walking or jogging by them and ignoring them?  

There are quite a few sensible, helpful suggestions in here to help children learn, be creative, and care about others.  If you show that you care about them, it stands to reason that they’ll think about this when they meet and have to interact with people through their lives. Sometimes, just saying “excuse me”, if you bump into them shows that we all need to be aware of how we affect others. I know, personally, after a knee replacement and a Rotator Cuff surgery in a shoulder, the nicest ones in my time of “Oh, drat, how am I going to open the door to the store with one arm in a sling and the other holding a purse?”, the ones who hurried to the store door or my car door were the children of Kerrville—and no adults prompted them—they just did it and—and, I might add—with a smile.  You repeat what you observe, my dears, rather than what you are told, but reciting tales of kindness around the children reinforces the idea of showing compassion, don’t you agree? This small book is charming and hits the nail on the head—go check it out and see if you don’t agree with me. 

Okay, thanks for sticking with me and I wish you an air conditioner that stays on and a lot of iced sun tea.ad a passing thought for those poor people who lost their homes in fires and those who have no electricity—for the 9^th day!—in the Northwest—maybe our troubles are not too bad when compared with theirs.  Be sure and smile and speak to strangers—you were once one to the friends you have now!  Bye!

Fiction

So, Poppets, here comes Summer and heat and mosquitoes and, let’s be fair, a chance to walk and exercise or play tennis or golf, eat a good grilled hamburger and indulge in a Banana Split!  Thank goodness for air conditioning and iced tea, a few good movies, Rufus Cooper to enjoy the evening’s cooler air with on our walk, and pulling on a simple Summer shift to sit outside, in the evening, while reading one of my favorite types of books—a tough-to-figure-out Brit mystery—and what’s your favorite Fiction book? 

Well, some would say Danielle Steel and some Baldacci, some Mary Higgins Clark, and others Stephen King but whatever you like in your favorite “spot to read”, may I suggest some titles to be enjoyed from the following list?  Let’s begin with a very well-known and respected author of our country’s Civil War years, “A Blaze of Glory; A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh”, by Jeff Shaara, an author who researches his material well and this book reflects that. “With stunning you-are-there immediacy, Shaara takes us inside the maelstrom of Shiloh and, drawing on meticulous research, he dramatizes the key actions and decisions of the commanders on both sides, but—but—but, dear readers, what was going to interest me and will you, “here too are the thoughts and voices of the junior officers, conscripts and enlisted men who gave their all for the cause, brave participants in a pitched back and forth battle  whose casualty count would far surpass anything the American public had yet seen in this war.”  

Gallant young Southern gentlemen rode gaily out to war on their Chestnut blooded mares and/or geldings, carrying their daddy’s gun and enough ammo for three days while Southern women, with their black servants (a touch I’ve always found amusing but believable!) went up on the hillsides, and unpacked a picnic lunch to watch the battle of the day.  Ye Gods! The fact that, certainly at Gettysburg’s battlefield, there was no cover to hide behind as the troops tried desperately to get to the Union (Northern troops) guns, up on the high ridge above them, and it was like shooting ducks in a barrel—go to one of the Civil War battlefields and really listen to the stories—all true—that your guide can tell you. The courage—and blindness—the bitterness and bad decisions of the generals, the savagery of the heat of battle—all of it is here. 

When I saw the book in the library and grabbed it for the column, I was surprised to find it listed as “Fiction”, but then I read Shaara’s explanation; “This book had to be described as a novel because there is dialogue , and you are often inside the minds of these characters, but I recognize (and accept)the risk that you might not agree with my interpretations.  That’s as it should be.  My research is painstaking and I rely exclusively on original sources, in other words the accounts of the people who were there, and I make a strenuous effort to be historically accurate, to get the facts straight.” And in reading as little as I have of this wonderful period of history, the personalities, jealousies, “I know best” attitudes, he goes to great lengths to bring you into the minds and emotions of the participants, from Lee and Grant to the privates in the 2 armies.  It cost us, as a country, a lot and we lost a lot of great young men and they were magnificent, whether in victory or defeat.  Check out the book and carve out some “you time” to be transported back to a time of war, glory, anguish, dirt, disease, hunger, and, finally, being the country we are. 

This next author, John Katzenbach, writes excellent “tight” stories—no excess details or dialogue—but everything that needs to be in his stories are there—three of his books have been made into movies and while I can agree that a lot of mediocre books get made into movies—sometimes to give young actors/actresses a chance to practice their craft—I think I can say that Sean Connery and Bruce Willis are not in that category (nor were they in the same movie!) This book, “What Comes Next”, has a fascinating theme, having to do with a sadistic killer and a very frightened young girl, who is snatched off the street in daylight and her only witness is “a retired university professor diagnosed with a rare degenerative disease that will lead him to lose his memory and die within a few years” and as the police drag their heels trying to find that girl, “ he comes to realize (with the help of conversations with his deceased wife who urges him to help the girl) that if he doesn’t get involved and try to find her, she will die. 

“She” is Jennifer Riggins, who is being held prisoner “by a depraved couple who run an exclusive Web site, named What Comes Next, on which viewers can watch, in real time, the horrors inflicted on the couple’s victims.”  Cute, huh? The couple can drown their captured prey, burn them, tear them apart on a rack—whatever they think will keep the people turning to their Web site .  Jennifer is “Number four” and is certainly at the couple’s mercy and thousands of fans tune in to see “What Comes Next?” I really enjoyed not only the physical courage that the afflicted professor shows but also the common sense and urging on of his wife—who has been dead several years but is “back”, urging her husband on.  I’m sure that when I check it out for me, later, that I will find all of it spine-tingling and “a good read.”  

Anyone who does not recognize the name “Clive Cussler” in Fiction has been on the planet Neptune!  He collaborates with different authors (which would be an excellent way for the “newbies” to learn their craft!), and “The Storm”, with Graham Brown, is now available and is one of those in the series called NUMA files. “”In the middle of the Indian Ocean, a NUMA research vessel is taking water samples, when  member of the crew spots a sheen of black oil ahead of them.  But it is not oil. Like a horde of army ants, a swam of black particles suddenly attacks the ship, killing everyone aboard, the ship goes up in flames, and a few hours later, Kurt Austin and other members of the NUMA crew are on their way there.” Black particles that kill everyone on board?  I’m hooked already!  Apparently, this is a scheme to alter the weather patterns of the world, killing millions, and with that black particle disaster, it’s already in place.  

Now, obviously, Cussler ( and Brown) have vivid imaginations, and their villain is Jinn Al-Khalif, who plans to make leaders of countries be subject unto him, turn over their national treasures and money to him, and his faithful “Tonto” is Sabah, one of the few who can talk to Jinn and contradict him and not be killed. The thing, or rather strongest point that Cussler insists on is both a believable scenario, constant action, and believable dialogue between his characters.  Shakespeare he ain’t but a superb story teller he is, and you will keep turning the pages quickly as the action gets faster and more intriguing.  A dam breaks, guns are smuggled, a mastermind has to be stopped—the action is nonstop and, considering the state of the world, the scenario is believable where one brilliant mind could hatch a nefarious (there’s a 50 cent word!) plot to bring world leaders to their knees in the light of major calamity to their nation and the description of what happens in Egypt when the bad guy forces the big Nasser dam to split open and put water down into the valley is the equivalent of four Niagara Falls is told in very descriptive prose. If you or someone you know likes believable adventure tales, find this book and, no, I won’t tell you the ending but then, I never do. The description of the black particles alone are hair raising enough. 

A little change of pace with Luanne Rice and her newest “Little Night” is an intriguing tale wherein “Claire Burke’s life took a devastating turn when she tried to protect her sister, Anne, from an abusive and controlling husband and ended up serving prison time for assault. The verdict largely hinged on Anne’s defense of her husband, which were all lies, and the sisters have been estranged ever since.”  So, it’s now 20 years later,and Claire is living a quiet life when her niece, Grit, turns up and the two want to build a relationship.  This will entail both of them facing the past and the wounds inflicted by Anne and her husband and, hopefully, be able to heal. Then, logically, Clare begins to think that her sister will have followed Grit to New York and while both “hold out hope for a long-awaited reunion with her”, sometime plans go on a different path from dreams. Like Jodi Piccoult, her stories are full of emotion, family, “human interest”, and I found, in my random reading, that her portrayal of Grit was exceptional, very understanding of a young girl’s anxieties and need to feel welcome, and her aunt’s graceful trying to re-connect with and hope for the best in her relationship with her sister.  This book is truly delightful and I urge you to check it out and spend a very pleasant 3 or 4 hours.  

“Wish You Were Here”,by Graham Swift, be is going to be a soap opera tear-jerker, and I don’t necessarily mean that in a bad way, since human emotions can bring forth a variety of responses, with tears of self-reproach being one of them. On the Isle of Wight, Jack Luxton, the proprietor of a seaside caravan park,”receives the news that his brother, Tom, not seen for years, has been killed in combat in Iraq.. The news will have unexpected effects on Jack and his wife, Ellie and emotions will run high. I think it’s a “sleeper” and should reward the reader with family tensions while Tom was asleep and how Jack and Ellie will deal with the fact.

So, dear and faithful readers, enjoy having longer days/evenings when you can get comfy, put your iced tea glass or cup of coffee or glass of wine by your side, pick up the book you’ve been looking forward to reading and just relax and forget about your family reunion over the 4^th of July, the next installment of your income tax, and the fact that no one in Congress has progressed beyond first grade in learning how to “get along with others”—just read and zone out!  Thanks for being part of my book world! Bye!

Non-fiction

"Helen, she’s back—I thought Ms. Librarian of the mid-nineties just had a column in here. Why doesn't someone give her a cat? On second thought, cats don’t read columns. Oh, well..maybe she’s lonesome and wants to talk to us about more books—and more books. I wonder if she drinks beer—I do." Hi, guys! I’m sitting here looking at another major golf tour on TV and remembering how my dear, darling grandmother, whom I called “Foof”, loved the game and, at one time, was Kansas Women’s Golf Champion—or something like that, anyway. I know she always said, “You can hit the ball a mile, but you can lose your game on the putting green”, and she was so pleased when I took Golf at Washburn University in Topeka as part of my Phys. Ed. Course. I told her my final score was some now-forgotten low number for 9 holes, and she was so proud of me—and then I said, “You know, it’s terribly annoying when you dig up grass and dirt, with your swing, but the ball is still sitting there!” Foof said “Wait a minute—you whiffed the ball on each hole—you didn’t actually hit it?” and I told her that eventually, after several swings, I certainly did hit the ball. When she stopped laughing, I learned each stroke counted --and promptly gave up the game. I love the definition of Golf—“a perfectly good walk spoiled.”

I’m about to order a pretty white, floaty dress for Summer heat and I’m sure it will come in handy when it’s between 97 and 100 degrees—and another fact I can confidently say is that this column is Non-Fiction and we will find just the perfect “read” for you, out there—I’m confident. So, let’s begin with a truly funny book, “Cruising Attitude; Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama, and Crazy Passengers at 35,000 Feet”, by Heather Poole, and the stories she tells are endlessly funny and you can hardly put the book down!

Prince William’s wife, Catherine, “was born to parents who had both worked as airline crew before going into the party supply business—“and some of those who have married flight attendants are Robert De Niro, Wayne Newton, Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, Greece Prime Minister George Papandreous, and Kelsey Grammar, among others and while times and requirements have changed, the job is still a desirable one, with thousands of people applying each year.”

I just hooted when she said, every time she gets on the plane, she tries to identify the “Crazy”, who will say or do or demand or plans to do, on their own, something that really would make that particular flight strange, or tiring, or fraught with possibilities of disaster…and then there was the princess who didn’t like her seat, the light, had to have fresh, uncooked vegetables, wanted changed from Business class to First Class, no foam cup but a regular china mug, needed supporting help to get to the bathroom (which may or may not have been the reason the sink was overflowing with what might or might not have been brown water, clutched Heather’s arm tightly and hissed, “I haven’t asked for much on this flight, and I’ve been pretty nice on this flight considering the circumstances.” Heather said, “I inhaled deeply and nodded my head in agreement—because, in fact, she had asked more of me than any other passenger had in 15 years of flying!” The “brown water” inner vision got me! Ye Gods and Little Fishhooks! What a charmer to have to take care of.

Her stories are a great panoramic view of how the stewardesses/flight attendants got started, their early standards, and, today, in her airline, “the average age of a flight attendant is 40 years old and for the first time in history, being a flight attendant is considered a profession, not just a job. Ninety-six percent of the people who apply to an airline don’t get hired” -- you might want to read that again, should you know someone who is applying and thinking it’s a no-brainer -- they better have some brains as well as looks and ambition. Get the book and sit back to enjoy and learn what being a “stew” really is. Great reading!

Wow—what a change this next book is—“Revelations; Visions, Prophecy and Politics in the Book of Revelation”, by Elaine Pagels, and in its first pages, I was lost. ???? First of all, this gal is Professor of Religion at Princeton University and the author of a bestseller, “Beyond Belief” and her knowledge just leaps off the page!

“Revelations” is, hands down, the most controversial book of the Bible and, in her previous books, "Pagels has brought readers to the suppressed biblical texts known as the Gnostic Gospels—now, she turns to a text that is firmly, dramatically, within the New Testament canon. What is the meaning of its surreal images of dragons, monsters, angels and cosmic wars. Why were other books of revelations discarded while this one survived?"

So, she returns to the last days of the mighty Roman Empire, where militant Jews in the city of Jerusalem had been defeated and it resulted in the desecration of the Great Temple in that city; in the aftermath of that war, John of Patmos, “a Jewish prophet and a follower of Jesus Christ, wrote the Book of Revelation, prophesying God’s judgment on the pagan empire that devastated and dominated his people.” Well, Christians, needing hope and promise, championed/agreed with John’s prophecies because they offered hope and promise as offering hope, but “others seized on the Book of Revelations as a weapon against heretics and infidels of all kinds”, and the book has fascinated these same people up to today. And this is what I found fascinating—“Those who loved John’s visions refused to discard them and instead reinterpreted them—as Christians have done for 2,000 years” and, perhaps, the best way to look at Revelations is each generation sees its own conflicts, sufferings, and hope in the grand visions that John had or saw.

On a fabulous trip to Greece—I’d go again next week, given the chance—the one place I thought I had no interest in climbing up another small mountain—literally!—to reach was on the island of Patmos and being able to see the cave where John was held prisoner, and where he did his writing of the Revelations. So, I stayed on board ship and have regretted it ever since—what a wonderful opportunity it would have been for this Episcopal layreader to have seen John’s cave. We were told that the reason his captors let his writings of strange visions go out to the world was that the Romans thought he was crazy and these were hallucinations and no one would take them seriously. In this writing, God sends terrible catastrophes upon Earth and its people and then steps in to save them. Not an easy book, but one that, if read one chapter at a time is worth your effort.

We seem to be getting several books written about the heroic dogs who are in war zones and the, literally, life saving skills they are taught that has saved their soldier/handler many times, and the book,"Soldier Dogs; The Untold Story of America’s Canine Heroes”, by Maria Goodavage, is really great to read in that it has how the dogs are trained—as well as their soldier/handlers. The lives they save are real lives “and play an increasingly crucial role in real battlefield situations.” Throughout history, dogs have been messengers, sled pullers, first-aid deliverers and scouts—“My life is in my dog’s nose”, many handlers have told the author.

A lot of the beginning training work is done “on leash” but it becomes an advanced course when the dog is taken off leash, and encouraged to move off from his handler 50 to 60 ft. and sniff out IED’s—and the first thing they learn is to bond with their “person”, and the worst thing, to me, would be to ignore the blast of explosives going on all around them (but then, I don’t like someone eating popcorn around me in the movie!)

Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Kristopher Knight—“Gunny” is a legendary trainer, tough on men and dogs, will step in and address a problem (very frank, almost brutal in making his points but sound judgement and great skills in managing men and dogs) and the lessons handed out are remembered—on both sides of the leash. If an aggressive dog doesn’t back off his target, “the trick, say the veteran handlers, is to remain calm and in control while getting the dog’s attention via a little ‘ass whupping’, whereby the dog is thrown down on his back and quickly slapped on his head—the idea is not to hurt him so much as to let him know, in no uncertain terms that this behavior will not be tolerated.” Justice, as we all know, can come from unexpected places “and it is not unheard of for other instructors or handlers to mete out quid pro quid punishment. Kick a dog hard in his belly when he’s already flat on his back, for instance, and don’t be surprised when what goes around comes around.” Yes! I’ll bet on it being the last time an unfair punishment is given to the dog by that particular trainer.

Great book—and a branch of one of my dogs, my Belgian Shepherd, Trooper, called a French Malinois, was strapped across the shoulders of a Seal Team member as they parachuted into B.Laden’s compound. They are a short-coated black and brown dog who is a little hard-headed but smart and devoted to their “person”, and that dog is still “in service” today. Wouldn’t you love to have a one-on-one talk with “Gunny” and hear his stories, both with dogs and handlers? Great book, find, heel, and read, dear readers.

Last quick look at a book is “The Man Without a Face; The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin”, by Masha Gessen. In 1999, "the family surrounding Boris Yeltsin went looking for a successor to the ailing and increasingly unpopular president of Russia and Putin, with very little governmental experience, beyond having worked as deputy mayor of St. Petersburg, seemed the perfect choice."

The infatuated West were determined to see in him the progressive leader of their dreams, “even as with ruthless efficiency Putin dismantled the country’s media, wrested control and wealth from a growing middle class and decimated the fragile mechanisms of democracy.” Surprise! After just a few years, every obstacle was overcome and every opposing view silenced---those who would not be dominated left or died.” Quite a book with great insights into Putin as he was and is will be for awhile.

Enjoy a good book, here at the beginning of Summer, with, in daytime hours, a glass of iced tea (with lime, please) and, in the evening on your patio, a glass of cold white wine (perhaps a chilled “Clos de Bois”?) In any case, be sure your animals have fresh water morning and evening and be sure to read one of the books mentioned here—or all of them! Be glad you have a great library in Liberal and thanks for reading along! Caio!