Cold Sassy Tree

 

What a terrific book this is! I heard it read on NPR years ago and soon read it again. And now another re-read.

Set in rural Georgia in 1906 and told by young Will Tweedy, it begins with the death of his saintly grandmother and his forthright grandfather's announcement, just three weeks after the funeral, that he plans to marry the attractive young milliner who works in his store. 

The small town of Cold Sassy has much to say about this, as do Grandpa's two daughters. And young Will is the chief witness to all the family uproar caused by this unorthodox union.

This is a delightful dive into the workings of Southern culture and human nature, told with great perception, a good dose of humor, and a lot of wisdom.

My maternal grandparents were of this era, and though they were from Alabama, not Georgia, reading this book was like spending time with family.

There is a sequel (Leaving Cold Sassy) I'm about to begin. I've enjoyed my time with these folks so much, I have to go back for another visit.

UPDATE: Well, the sequel is unfinished as OEB died before completing it. But all her notes and thoughts on it are included which I found fascinating. Then there is an excellent essay about the author. I found the book on Kindle Unlimited (free!) and stayed up late to finish it.

 

Death of the Author

                                         

My older son suggested I might like this book so I leaped right in. It's pretty amazing--a dual story line that follows Zelu, a disabled Nigerian-American writer/wild child and her struggles with her larger than life and overly protective family, interspersed with chapters of the post-apocalyptic novel she is writing about the tribes of robots who have replaced mankind.

I found the Zelu story line totally compelling, especially for the insight into the  Nigerian/American family and community. Zelu's rise to best-seller status and her fight to be, not just independent, but untrammeled by her disability, was epic. And the peek at Igbo and Yoruba culture was fascinating.

For me, the robot sections were certainly thoughtful, especially in light of the growth of AI in our everyday life, but less compelling than the sections about the messy, exuberant life of Zelu.

Until the end. 

The incredible twist at the end left me breathless and needing to reread the entire book. Maybe even rethink reality as I perceive it.

An amazing book!

A Word Nerd's Delight

    

Oxford in the early 1900's, the making of the Oxford English Dictionary, lexicography, women's suffrage, and WWI all come together in this charming re-imagining of the creation of the OED.

It's fiction, with some historical characters, and it's the story of (fictional) Esme who works on the Dictionary, along with some other very real but mostly unheralded women. 

Esme realizes that many words that women use or that pertain to women are not being included in this monumental work and she begins to seek out and document as many of these words as she can find, including those known to the editors of the OED but left out because they are vulgar or obscene (whatever that means.) 

It's a delightful read and full of interesting questions to ponder. No wonder it was a choice of Reese's Book Club.

Robinson Crusoe

                                                                          

Robinson Crusoe is one of those books everybody knows about but probably hasn't read. It's arguably the prototype of cast-away on a deserted island fiction and has spawned a multitude of offspring--Swiss Family Robinson, Lost in Space, The Martian, Castaway . . . to mention a few. And then there are all those cartoons from The New Yorker.

                                                   Like so many, I had never read Defoe's 1719 work in its entirety. But now a copy turned up in my recent book purging/reorganization efforts and now I have.

It's a terrific account of clever survival. Crusoe is on the island some twenty-six years and in that times builds houses, makes pottery, gardens, captures and tames goats, weaves baskets, and makes for himself a rather fine little kingdom.

I have to admit to skimming bits. There's a lot of moral reflection--Crusoe went to sea against the wishes of his parents and remained there despite several close calls before the final catastrophe that stranded him. There's lots of philosophizing about the nature of Good and Evil, including one rather good point made by Friday, the 'savage' Crusoe rescued from cannibals. 

Crusoe has been telling Friday about the devil being God's enemy, and Friday asks if God is stronger than the devil.

Oh, yes, says Crusoe, God is stronger.

Then Friday asks, ". . .why God no kill the devil, so make him no more do wicked?"

Crusoe is at a loss for a good answer and (much like some politicians) "diverted the present discourse . . . rising up hastily as upon some sudden occasion of going out; then sending him for something a good way off. . ."

Some things never change.

                  

The Creek, The Crone, and the Crow

 I had a lovely visit recently from Leah Weiss, a fellow Appalachian author. She brought me a copy of her recently released novel, as well as some beautiful honey, courtesy of her bee-keeper husband. 

The novel is a heady brew of Appalachian folklore, strong women, and a good bit of magic realism--or woo-woo, as my husband calls it.

It's quite a good read on its own, but folks who enjoyed Leah's first two books--If the Creek Don't Rise and All the Little Hopes -- will find even more to love as familiar characters appear in a new light.

Witches, psychics, hidden secrets, wrongs righted--all make for an absorbing quick-paced story.

The English Patient

         In my recent reorganizing of bookshelves in my workroom, I came across this unread copy of best-selling, made-into-a-movie, Booker Prize winning The English Patient. 

I have no idea when I acquired it--could be 25 or so years ago. I know that for whatever reason I never read it--maybe because it was so talked about at the time, maybe the cover that made it look like a romance, maybe I was afraid it would be too sad . . . who knows?

Anyway, I pulled it out and set it where I couldn't ignore it any longer. But I did, for about a month, till, surfeited with the undemanding comfort reads I've been enjoying, I took my challenge and began reading.

And I'm glad I did. It's no romance and it's not heart-breaking--it's a strange and beautiful tale of four very different people thrown together by war.

I won't attempt to summarize it-- you've probably read it or seen the movie (I haven't.) But I found it a compelling read, one that I expect to return to before long. I may very well get the audio book, the better to appreciate the language.

Meanwhile, I've begun reading God's Perfect Child, a book by Caroline Fraser who was raised in the Christian Science faith but left it. 

I'm a total non-believer but am nonetheless fascinated by some of the more extreme manifestations of faith--the Amish, the Hassidic Jews, the snake-handling churches, celibate communities . . .

Mankind is strange and wonderful.

Octopus Ex Machina

                                             

As with many very popular books, I resisted reading Remarkably Bright Creatures, expecting that it would be a tad too sweet and predictable for my taste. But I kept hearing about it and when the Kindle edition showed up on BookBub for a couple of bucks, I decided to see what all the fuss was about.

Well, it is pretty sweet and somewhat predictable but, in my current frame of mind, with the political situation ongoing. it was just the escape I needed. I gulped it down like a comforting cup of coffee (with cream and sugar.)

I liked all the characters but who I really liked was Marcellus, the octopus. Marcellus who narrates short bits of the story; Marcellus who (unaccountably but who cares) knows a lot more about humans than they know about him; Marcellus who, like the deus ex machina of Greek classical theater, is the one to resolve some difficult kinks in the plot. 

Marcellus is charming and he lifts the story out of the humdrum into something strange and wonderful.

               

A Road Not Taken

                                                                 

                                        

When I was a junior in high school, my mother began to despair of ever getting me off her hands. My grades were A's and B's--not good enough to make Honor Society, maybe, in my mother's opinion, not good enough for college. I had dated a bit but wasn't one of the "popular" girls. I was okay looking but never enough to suit my mother, who was something of a beauty. I was happy--but she wasn't.

So, at the time my friends and I were beginning to think about college choices, my mother sent off for a catalog for Katharine Gibbs--a famous school in New York known to turn out girls headed for careers as executive secretaries or, perhaps, secretaries who married wealthy bosses.

Katie Gibbs required their students to dress properly. In the Fifties this meant dresses, stockings and heels, hats, and white gloves. Along with typing, shorthand, and office management, Gibbs girls were coached in deportment and taught "proper" styling-- hair, dress, makeup.  and they were housed at The Barbizon Hotel for Women where, along with a curfew and a no men beyond the lobby rule, they could enjoy a number of amenities.

My mother, who loved New York and was bored with her own life, thought it would be wonderful for me. Maybe her ugly duckling would become a swan. I balked at the white gloves. Besides, I didn't want to be a secretary. Maybe an archaeologist? Or a veterinarian? But no white gloves.

The Katherine Gibbs application never got filled out. And in my senior year, I surprised everyone, including myself by being one of four National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists in our class of around 900. (The other three were straight A students.) Now college seemed to be where I should go.

That year too I fell in love with John, who I'd known since we were in kindergarten and who is now my husband of 62 years. And my life has been far removed from New York and white gloves. Though over the course of seven novels, I got pretty good at typing.

All this came back to me when I read The Barbizon-The Hotel That Set Women Free. It tells the story of The Barbizon and the women who lived there--some Katie Gibbs students; some Guest Editors at Mademoiselle magazine (Joan Didion, Sylvia Plath, Gael Greene, to name a few;) and an assortment of would-be actors and artists, hoping for a break (Grace Kelly, Ali McGraw. Betsey Johnson.)

It's a fascinating study of women's quest for freedom and self-fulfillment that covers about seventy years. The Barbizon finally ceased its women-only policy when it came apparent that women no longer wanted the curfews and sorority house ambiance.

It's a fascinating look at times past from the female point of view. 

HERE is an excellent review.

A Nice Discovery

 In the course of the ongoing task of purging my shelves of books I can bear to let go of (donating to the library book sale,) I came across Ellen Gilchrist's Victory Over Japan. I couldn't remember where it came from but I was pretty sure I'd not read it.

But now I have. And I thoroughly enjoyed it, despite having almost nothing in common with the characters-- beyond being "Southern" (whatever that means.)

In this collection of 14 short stories, some following the same characters, Gilchrist "depicts a group of Southern women, enchanted and enchanting, who cavort through life, in and out of bars, marriages, and divorces,through the world of art and culture, drug busts, their lovers' arms, and even earthquakes in an attempt to find, if not happiness, at least some satisfaction." (from the book jacket, but I couldn't put it better.)

I thought it was an excellent piece of work--and that was even before I discovered it had won the National Book Award for Fiction, kind of a big deal. 

A Perfect Comfort Read

A lovely book, as comforting as a comfy chair and a really hot cup of tea. I was captured on the first page and, apart from picking up Josie and grocery shopping in advance of the predicted storm, I was engrossed in a compelling story with just enough obstacles and difficulties to keep one reading and cheering for a good outcome.

Major Pettigrew is the sort of man the world needs and his story is a welcome escape from the headlines. It's like a warm hug.

I                                       

The Witch's Orchard

 

As an Appalachian author, I was asked some time ago if I would blurb this book, set in Appalachia and, after reading a digital ARC (advance reading copy,) happily did so. Now the book is published and I was sent a copy--so I read it again.

It's a very good read with an admirably tough female protagonist (former military special investigator turned PI Annie Gore)  and a very twisty plot. And a creepy folk tale that differs from teller to teller. Even though I'd read the book some months ago, I still found surprises.

Is this the beginning of a series? I hope so. There are still some unanswered questions . . .

Reading MISS JANE

                                                                

What a beautiful, tender story! A captivating protagonist, a strongly drawn set of supporting characters, and nature writing so lush that I'm reminded of Henri Rousseau's THE DREAM.

The Dream, 1910 by Henri Rousseau

The Kindle edition is a 'deal' on Amazon and after I read the sample offered, I was completely hooked. And pretty much didn't put the book down till I finished.

Set in rural Mississippi in the Twenties and beyond, it's the story of a girl with a complicated difference--a genital birth defect that precludes a 'normal' life of marriage and children. But it's mainly the story of how gracefully and forthrightly she approaches her seemingly circumscribed life.  

Watson's depiction  of country life of the time rings pure and true. As do each of his characters and their sometimes tormented personalities.

A beautiful, beautiful book! Highly recommended.

                                                 

 

A Very Strange Novel

                                       

 

Like drowning in Poison (the perfume,) one review read. Another compared the reading experience to the intoxication of sniffing nail polish remover. 

It's a heady trip, to be sure, this look at the obsession with beauty that pulls together fairy tales (Snow White, Beauty and the Beast,) mythology (Demeter and Persephone,) mother/daughter relationships, the nature of grief, the corrosive danger of envy, a fair amount of hallucinatory goings-on, and, oh yes, Tom Cruise.

Awad is a skillful writer and I especially enjoyed her use of word play as the protagonist looses her grip on language. Her descriptions are lush, if repetitive. But perhaps this speaks to our times.

I have been struck, during the two iterations of the current political regime, that the insistence on a particular sort of look trumps (as it were) an insistence on actual experience. From the eerie shining faces of Ivanka and Jared to the rugged camera-ready good looks of Hegseth to the interchangeable flowing locks (extension augmented) and plumped lips of the women, in DC these days, appearance is everything.

As it is in Rouge --everything. And in the end, nothing. 

A very strange book, to be sure. Entertaining and unsettling. 

Heretic

                            

The word heretic comes from the Greek, originally meaning choosing or chosen. Nixey's fascinating book details the multiple choices available in ancient religions, many bearing surprising commonalities with Christianity.

In fact, many of these "heretical" choices considered themselves Christian. But it was the Catholic Church that assumed the role of orthodoxy, ruthlessly suppressing other beliefs and choices, burning sacred texts and compelling "heretics" to join the one true religion. . . or else.

 

The book is full of interesting stories that have survived, in some form or another, centuries of censorship. I enjoyed it, having no particular religious faith to be challenged. For others it might be eye-opening and perhaps unsettling.

But as I read I kept thinking of the slippery slope our country finds itself on, as a madman and his followers attempt to impose their particular orthodoxy on our media and our schools, banning books, intimidating judges, and deporting dissidents.

It's happening here. So I guess I also found the book unsettling.

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone

                                                                             

Ethan, my older son suggested this for me. It's a kind of dark comedy with a reliable narrator who constantly breaks the fourth wall to address his readers and tantalize them with clues.

Harking back to Agatha Christie and the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, the character are marooned at a ski resort --and people keep dying. The author/narrator plays fair--the clues are all there.

It's a fun read, especially for a fan and/or writer of the genre.

The Lantern's Dance

                                                                         

This latest entry in the ongoing saga of Mary Russell and her rather older husband Sherlock Holmes (yes, that Sherlock,) is a pure delight.  The eighteenth in the series, it's a delightful puzzle, weaving together past and present while unravelling some old family secrets.

I highly recommend the entire series. While this novel can stand alone, it will be especially fulfilling for those who've followed the adventures of ths unlikely duo of Russell and Holmes.

As always, King's writing is intelligent and lively--fully developed characters, well-drawn settings (India and France), and a twisting, teasing plot with an ending to satisfy--and intrigue. 

Great fun!

A Delightful Jigsaw Puzzle

                                                                           

Imagine a jigsaw puzzle composed of fascinating, intricate images, each so fully realized that it can be enjoyed for itself. But as you marvel at the individual pieces, you begin to notice tantalizing glimpses of how one might connect to another.

Kate Atkinson's Big Sky is just such a puzzle--though I didn't tin of it as such whilst reading. Her writing and characters are so compelling that I didn't slow down to ask question--too swept up in the stories.

Each puzzle piece has a story and each takes several turns as narrator. Foremost is Jackson Brodie--the protagonist of three or four earlier Atkinson novels. Ex-police detective, ex-husband, ex-lover, Brodie is a complex and endearing character, especially in his relationship with his son and his ex-lover's dog. 

But, wait! There're more. A pair of Polish girls, arriving in the UK in search of good jobs, only to fall prey to a sex-trafficking operation. A pair of diminutive and determined Detective Constables, following a very cold case dealing with a pedophile ring. There's Vince, and his golfing friends (not friend friends) Tommy, Andy, and dodgy lawyer Steve.

Crystal, Tommy's wife is a Barbie look-alike with a hidden past. Her stepson Harry is a lad of surprising depths. Throw in a third-rate comedian and a drag queen named Bunny and you've got the makings of a complex drama.

The shifts in point of view are so deftly done, one never gets lost. And seeing the same event through different eyes can lend great clarity.

As the pieces of the puzzle begin to click into place, the novel hurtles to a satisfying conclusion, with some of the most unlikely characters demonstrating surprising strength.

I stayed up till midnight to finish this one, unable to put it down. 

Little Worlds

                                                                                

Our neighbor and fellow longtime 'new person' has a new book out--the third in a trilogy about Madison County. Rob is known and celebrated as a photographer, but in this ambitious work, photography intertwines with fiction and memoir. 

Like many of us newcomers, Rob's attachment to the land is deep--and sometimes complicated. His photographs show his fascination with the residents, old and new. The excerpts from his journal detail his coming to terms with his place in this rural county. The fictional section of this trifecta is the imagined story of what comes next.

This story of an imagined future is one in which his descendants return to the long-abandoned farm, in search of safety in a world grown increasingly lawless. The refugees slowly find others like them and begin to learn how to survive in the mountains, and to build community (much as we 'new people' did back in the Seventies and Eighties.)

The future story is interlarded with photographs and excerpts from the journal that suggest similarities between the two times. And there is a generous section of Rob's award-winning photographs to close out the book

It was a fascinating and nostalgic read for me. While we certainly weren't hardcore survivalists, part of our rationale for moving here was to provide a safe haven for family should things get bad. Rob's story imagines just such a future.

You can learn more about Rob and his other books on his website.

His new book is available at Penland's in Marshall, Malaprop's in Asheville, and at the Asheville Art Museum

Recent Reads

                                                                                                                                                

Zadie Smith's Swing Time follows the lives of two mixed race English girls, both obsessed with dance. Tracey has the talent, making it to the chorus line of various shows; her friend, the protagonist and narrator of the book, becomes the personal assistant of a famous singer.

So much is explored in this book, which shifts from England to  West Africa, where the famous singer (white) is planning a school for girls. Misplaced philanthropy, diaspora tourism, families, friendship, careers, choices . . . it's an excellent, engaging read on important subjects. Highly recommended.

***

I'm a longtime fan of Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar series. He writes terrific standalones too, like Stay Close. A soccer mom with a secret, a once-respected photographer, and a detective who can't let go of a very cold case are thrown together as the past threatens to become all too real.

Coben's characters are well drawn and his dialogue crackles. It's a fine, fun read that will keep you guessing. 

                                                                                

An Inconvenient Wife

                                                                                     

Having been a long-time fan of historical fiction about Henry VIII and his six wives, I jumped at the chance to read Karen Olson's modern re-telling of the predicament of a powerful man, burdened with wife after inconvenient wife. 

The novel stands on its own as a mystery, but it's a lot of fun for those of us who are familiar with the old "Divorced (Catherine of Aragon,) beheaded (Anne Boleyn,) died (Jane Seymour,) divorced (Anne of Cleves,) beheaded (Catherine Howard,) survived (Katherine Parr)."

(Divorced isn't quite accurate: these were annulments.)

Olson has a lot of fun too, finding modern names that suggest the historical counterparts--Anna Klein for Anne of Cleves, Hank Tudor for Henry, and so forth. She excels at spinning what is known of these women into modern personalities. Her take on the Anne Boleyn character is especially vivid.

This Tudor romp opens as Hank, a wealthy businessman, has  just married his sixth wife. And a headless body has been discovered on one of his estates. Again. 

We hear from the other wives--in person or through diaries and second-hand accounts. The plot twists and turns--this is after all, a whodunit, and here, Olson departs from the historical facts in service of a rattling good story.

Read a fine review HERE.