March Got Away From Me...

Hello, friends. March has been a little crazy around here. Our daughter and her boyfriend were here for a couple of weeks (working remotely) at the beginning of the month. We enjoyed a visit from an old friend mid-month and my cousin was here for a long weekend last week. And now the month is just about over...

I've finished several books, but know I won't get around to reviewing them any time soon. Instead, I'll give you my quick takes:

The Yellow House

by Sarah. M. Broom, narrated by Bahni Turpin

Broom is a good writer with an interesting family history, but I was hoping for more from the 2019 National Book Award Winner. I was looking for bigger picture insights into how social and economic policies/programs impacted families in post-Katrina New Orleans East. 

Bahni Turpin's narration, as always, was excellent. 

⭐⭐⭐

Crow Lake by Mary Lawson

I discovered Mary Lawson earlier this year through her new novel, A Town Called Solace. Now I'm diving into her backlist. Crow Lake, written two decades ago, is a novel about four orphaned siblings, their relationships with one another, and how youthful choices shape their adult lives. Beautifully written, with exceptional character development and remarkable insight into sibling relationships, this quiet novel left me feeling a little blue. I will likely raise my rating to 4.5 stars with time.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin

by Erik Larson, narrated by Stephen Hoye

Given what's happening in the world today, this book about William E. Dodd, the U.S. Ambassador to Hitler's Germany in the 1930s, seemed very timely. In addition to the Ambassador, Larson also includes the experiences of  his wife, adult son, and adult daughter as Hitler's power and influence continued to grow. Fascinating reading and listening.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Margreete's Harbor

by Eleanor Morse, narrated by Tavia Gilbert

This character-driven family novel set in 1960s coastal Maine didn't get a lot of buzz when it was published last year, so I'm glad I discovered it on the library's new release shelf. The audio was also available to download, so I experienced it as a read/listen combination. Magreete Bright is showing increasing signs of dementia and her situation becomes a crisis when she accidentally starts a fire in her kitchen. At that point, Magreete's daughter, Liddie, her husband, and their three children leave Michigan and move into Magreete's Maine home. While subject matter may be depressing, Morse handles it all so tenderly. The audio added to my overall experience.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Molecule Away From Madness: Tales of the Hijacked Brain

by Sara Manning Peskin, narrated by Ann Richardson

Surprisingly engaging for a such scientific topic, I primarily listened to this book. Cognitive neurology, molecular science, actual patient profiles, and interesting accounts of scientists involved in making the discoveries held my interest throughout the entire book. I couldn't get enough.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Current Reading//

The Fortnight in September

by R.C. Sherriff, narrated by Jilly Bond

After a slow start, I'm about a third of the way into this book and finding it to be a delight.

Favorite puzzle of the month//

I love New York Puzzle Company puzzles! This is one of their new designs.

Coming up//

Tomorrow we have tickets for Beyond Van Gogh in Sarasota. I've been looking forward to it all month.

Next weekend we're off to Connecticut. We'll spend most of April setting up our condo so we're ready to live there this summer. We're also planning to visit my family in NY for Easter.

With all of that, my plan is to take a blogging break for the month of April. I'll (hopefully) keep up with your blogs, but doubt I'll post again until early May.

How did March treat you? What was your favorite book of the month?

Happy Spring!

February Wrap-Up and Plans for March

 

So February was kind of crazy, but in a mostly good way. Much of the month was spent dealing with real estate transactions. In fact, this post probably reads more like a real estate round-up than a reading wrap-up... sorry.

 We had a few hiccups selling the condo here, but that finally closed on schedule as planned. (The condo used to be our vacation place, but when we decided to move here full time we bought a house instead.)

The next step was to find a condo in Connecticut where we can go to escape the heat, humidity, and hurricanes of Florida summers. That was a slightly wilder process, but the closing happened on Friday. My husband flew up for a few days and one of our NYC daughters and boyfriend took the train up for a day to check things out and be supportive.

Visitors//  

The highlight of the month was a visit from my sister and BIL. We also had a short visit from a NY friend, and now Twin B and her boyfriend are in the midst of a two week visit. They still have the ability to work remotely and are taking full advantage while they can.

February Reading//  Yes, there was a little of that, too. I managed to read a grand total of two books last month.

The Ten Loves of Nishino by Hiromi Kawakami

Mostly a disappointment, reviewed here.

Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America by Gilbert King

I never got around to reviewing this book, but there's still hope. A 5-star read/listen combination for me, it's easy to understand why it won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction.

March Reading Possibilities//

The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom -  *finished, nonfiction, review coming soon

In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson - nonfiction, current read/listen combination

Crow Lake by Mary Lawson - backlist fiction from a favorite author, currently reading

Justice on the Brink: The Death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Rise of Amy Coney Barrett, and Twelve Months That Transformed the Supreme Court by Linda Greenhouse - nonfiction

Honor by Thrity Umrigar - new fiction by a favorite author

French Braid by Anne Tyler - new fiction by a favorite author

Other March Plans//

We got tickets to see Beyond Van Gogh in Sarasota at the end of the month! Several friends have recommended this experience - I can't wait!

We're looking forward to more visitors this month... my cousin, then my brother and his fiancé. With any luck, we'll take in a baseball spring training game. It's not looking hopeful right now.

Car shopping is no fun even in the best of times. Our current vehicle will 'retire' to our condo in CT, so we'll need something else down here that we'll eventually drive up and down the coast. I'm not looking forward to this at all. Wish us luck!

My favorite February puzzle

That's it for my month... how was your February? What have you been reading?

Weekly Update: Real Estate Again... But Reading, Too!

Another week in sunny, and finally warmer, Florida has flown by. The condo closing here went off as planned and worries of last-minute glitches evaporated. We also made progress on the condo closing in CT - signing up with gas and electric companies, working on insurance, and researching cable/internet providers. We're getting there.

We made time for fun last week, too. I walked most days, went out to lunch with my SIL, enjoyed a neighborhood happy hour, and made it to the beach for a couple of sunsets. Overall, a very good week!

Recent reading//

Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America 

by Gilbert King

What an intense read! It took me a couple of weeks to get through my Black History Month book, but it ended up being a 5-star read/listen combination. Hopefully I'll get a review up by the end of the week.

Current reading//

The Yellow House

By Sarah M. Broom, narrated by Bahni Turpin

I picked up this 2019 National Book Award winner during audible's latest 2-for-1 sale. It's described as "A brilliant, haunting and unforgettable memoir from a stunning new talent about the inexorable pull of home and family, set in a shotgun house in New Orleans East." Bahni Turpin, as always, does an amazing job with the narration. It's very good so far.

I picked up a couple of print books from the library yesterday and have a few more from my shelves set aside. Later this afternoon, I'll read the beginnings of each and decide which one to continue in print.

In the kitchen//

I mostly stuck to familiar recipes last week... Thai Basil Beef from Half Baked Harvest Super Simple cookbook (a favorite lately), Crispy Onion Chicken, and Blueberry Baked Oatmeal Bars. I did try a new recipe for Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup from allrecipes magazine, but none of the recipes matched up when I looked for it online. This one was the closest. 

The week ahead//

The winter "season" is officially here! My sister and BIL arrive tomorrow for the week and I'm so excited to spend time with them... it's been a while. Twin B and her boyfriend fly in Saturday for two weeks. They will be working remotely while here, but it will be good to have them around!

How was your week? What have you been reading?

The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date.

A Big Week for Real Estate, But Not Much Reading

On Friday evening, we sat on the beach to watch the sunset and reflect on the whirlwind that had been our week... at least as it related to real estate. The short story is that the closing for our condo here is scheduled for early this week and the buyers have completed their final walk through. The other BIG news is that we have found a condo/townhouse in Connecticut, where we will spend summers, and are set to close on that in early March. Of course, none of this happened without drama... especially given the state of today's real estate market, but I'll spare you the details!

Recent reading//

The Ten Loves of Nishino by Hiromi Kawakami

As much as I love this cover, I won't go out of my way to recommend the book. My review is here.

Current reading//

 

Devil in the Grove by Gilbert King

With all the excitement last week, there was not a lot of reading. My Black History Month book is still in progress. Devil in the Grove is intense and sometimes difficult to read, but fascinating. I'm learning a lot about Thurgood Marshall, the NAACP, and the criminal justice system of the Jim Crow south. It's mind-boggling to realize that this case occurred right here in Florida. I expect to finish this read/listen combination later in the week.

I may add in another book today, too. As much as I'm enjoying this one, there are times when I'd prefer a lighter alternative.

On the blog//

Book Brief: The Ten Loves of Nishino by Hiromi Kawakami 

In the kitchen//

I did try a couple of new recipes last week, with varying degrees of success. First I made this Creamy Red Pepper Pasta with Blistered Tomatoes from Pinch of Yum. I realized afterward that the creamy, yet creamless sauce is actually vegan and quite nutritious. The sauce is made in a food processor with a roasted red pepper (from a jar), cashews, olive oil, and water. It has an unusual but, my daughter and I thought, delicious taste. My husband said it was "weird." I will make this again on a night he won't be home for dinner.

Later in the week I made Skillet Chicken Bulgogi from Allrecipes. It tasty, easy, and, best of all, quick. Dinner was on the table in 30 minutes! I cut the cayenne way down, increased the sauce by 50%, and cooked some fresh broccoli in the microwave to add near the end. Next time I will consider adding either shredded carrots or red pepper, too.

The week ahead//

Tonight we're having my SIL over for dinner, but the Super Bowl is unlikely to figure into our afternoon/ evening plans. Later in the week there's a neighborhood gathering, which is always a good time. Other than that it's pretty much business as usual around here... just how I like it!

How was your week? What have you been reading?

The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date.

Book Brief: The Ten Loves of Nishino by Hiromi Kawakami

The Ten Loves of Hishino

by Hiromi Kawakami,  translated by Allison Markin Powell

Europa Editions ebook 2019, originally published 2003

240 pages

source: purchased (kindle daily deal)

Publisher's summary:

Best-selling and beloved Japanese author Hiromi Kawakami (The Nakano Thrift Shop) tells the story of an enigmatic man through the voices of ten remarkable women who have loved him.  

Each woman has succumbed, even if only for an hour, to that seductive, imprudent, and furtively feline man who drifted so naturally into their lives. Still clinging to the vivid memory of his warm breath and his indecipherable sentences, ten women tell their stories as they attempt to recreate the image of the unfathomable Nishino.

 

Like a modern Decameron, this humorous, sensual, and touching novel by one of Japan’s best-selling and most beloved writers is a powerful and embracing portrait of the human comedy in ten voices. Driven by desires that are at once unique and common, the women in this book are modern, familiar to us, and still mysterious. A little like Nishino himself.

My thoughts:

Unfortunately, my favorite thing about The Ten Loves if Nishino  was the cover and, if I'm completely honest, that's what attracted me to the book in the first place.

This is a collection of short stories, each highlighting a woman and her relationship, whether brief or longer term, with Nishino. From the stories, the reader is meant to piece together a portrait of the man...  a prospect which sounded intriguing. 

The writing/translation was fine, the stories were interesting enough, but the overall effect somehow fell short. They just didn't add up to much - at least for me. I doubt I'll remember much about this book in a week or two. 

I own another novel by the author, The Nakano Thrift Shop (also courtesy of a daily deal), and still plan to read it. If you're curious about this one, go ahead and give it a try - it's short. 

My rating:

January Wrap-Up and February Reading Plans

January was one long month around here. It started off on a pleasant note with holiday visitors remaining though the first week, but went downhill after that as my father-in-law's health deteriorated dramatically, resulting in his death a week later. The rest of the month seems like a blur. 

Surprisingly, I still managed to read four books. 

Books read in January:

1.  The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

     - read/listen combination 

     - literary fiction

      - 4/5 stars (my review)

2. A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell

    - read/listen combination

    - nonfiction

    - 3/5 stars (my review)

3. A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson

    - ebook

    - literary fiction, longlisted for 2021 Booker Prize

    - 5/5 stars (my review)

4. The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green

    - audiobook

    - nonfiction, essays

    - 4/5 stars (my review)

My favorite book of the month:

February is a short month but, since moving to Florida, it has become one of the busiest. This is the beginning of 'high season' around here... lots of visitors, social engagements,  and seasonal programming and fundraisers for many organizations. The pandemic curtailed much of it over the past two years, but we are cautiously optimistic this year. 

My daughter and her boyfriend are here this weekend for her birthday celebration, my sister and BIL will visit over her February break, and we'll also welcome a friend from NY for a few days at the end of the month. Most of our activities and all dining will still be outdoors, but that's progress!

February reading possibilities:

• The Ten Loves of Nishino by Hiromi Kawakami (finished)
• Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America by Gilbert King (nonfiction, Black History Month, in progress)
• There Is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset (classic fiction, Black History Month)
• Sula by Toni Morrison (literary fiction, Black History Month)
• Brown Girls by Daphne Palasi Andreades (debut fiction, on hold from library)
• at least one book already on my shelf

What was your favorite book in January? What are you planning to read this month?

The small starfish in the photo above was discovered on a recent evening walk. Since it was alive,  I scooped it up for a quick photo and placed it gently back into the gulf.

Book Brief: The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green

 

The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet

by John Green, narrated by the author

Penguin Audio, 2021

10 hours and 3 minutes

source: borrowed from the library

Publisher's summary:

The Anthropocene is the current geologic age, in which humans have profoundly reshaped the planet and its biodiversity. In this remarkable symphony of essays adapted and expanded from his groundbreaking podcast, best-selling author John Green reviews different facets of the human-centered planet on a five-star scale - from the QWERTY keyboard and sunsets to Canada geese and Penguins of Madagascar.

Funny, complex, and rich with detail, the reviews chart the contradictions of contemporary humanity. As a species, we are both far too powerful and not nearly powerful enough, a paradox that came into sharp focus as we faced a global pandemic that both separated us and bound us together.

John Green’s gift for storytelling shines throughout this masterful collection. The Anthropocene Reviewed is a open-hearted exploration of the paths we forge and an unironic celebration of falling in love with the world.

My thoughts:

I had never read John Green, never seen the word "anthropocene," and would never  have considered reading this book without the recommendation of several book bloggers during Nonfiction November. 

Working with the premise "everyone is a critic these days" Green (who at one time was  a book reviewer at Bookmarks magazine) writes essays about all sorts of everyday objects, events and phenomenon. At the conclusion of each piece, he rates the subject using a 5-star scale. The essays are interesting, quirky, and cover a vast range of topics... like sunsets, Haley's comet, and even Diet Dr. Pepper. I'd be hard pressed to name a favorite. Getting to know John Green was an added bonus.

While I really loved listening to the author read his own words, these essays would be enjoyable in print, too. I highly recommend this eclectic collection to just about everyone.

My rating: