A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle

Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence was my first "travel" book to read. It was the book club choice for the month of March. While it seems that the majority of the people in the group found it to be a bit dull, I found it to be quite delightful and entertaining!

Peter and his wife move to Provence, France (from London) after vacationing there and falling in love with the small town. A Year in Provence is an account of their first year, broken up into chapters by month, and told from Peter's point of view. From the surprisingly frigid "Mistral" winds that greeted them in January, to the completion of their never-ending home renovations right before Christmas, the book is chock-full of amusing anecdotes and quaint villagers. There are goat races, annoying and unexpected houseguests, home renovations that never seem to end, and an eccentric and crusty old neighbor-- just to mention a little of what Peter experiences during his first year.

One of my favorite things about this book is the almost constant description of food! The people of Provence always seem to be eating all kinds of freshly baked bread, olives, various types of cheeses, and far more interesting sounding dishes than anything I normally eat, and always with plenty of wine. Also interesting is the descriptions of the various customs, and how Peter and his wife had to learn to decipher not only the French language, but also the body language and facial expressions common to the region.

The lifestyle they adopted was SO much more laid back than what they were used to in London. It sounded quite appealing to me! The only negative I found is that I would have liked Peter to be a little more personal. He gives very little information about his wife, their relationship, and their former life in London. But, since this was a travel memoir (I think that is the appropriate genre?), more emphasis was placed on what Peter was seeing and doing and less on what his personal thoughts and relationships were like. I still really enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it!


Date completed: March 2009
Number of pages: 207

Bedlam South by Mark Grisham and David Donaldson

In the last year, I have been on a bit of a Civil War kick. Maybe it's normal and I just wasn't aware, but it seems that there have been lots of historical fiction novels published recently about the Civil War. When I read several pre-publication reviews of Bedlam South by Mark Grisham and David Donaldson, I knew I had find a copy.

While perusing the authors' website, I saw that they were coming to my own town (north of Dallas, Texas) to do a book signing. I had never attended a book signing, so I was a little nervous about going by myself, so I convinced Trish to come too. We both didn't really know what to expect, and neither one of us had read the book, so we didn't really have a list of questions to ask. We were the first to arrive, and stood awkwardly in front of the authors for a few minutes. They seemed just as uncomfortable as we were, as this is their first book, and they hadn't done very many events. After we started talking, the tension and awkardness eased a bit, and it was very interesting to hear about how the two collaborated to write their book. Mark Grisham (brother to John Grisham) has always had a keen interest in the Civil War and has a history degree, and David Donaldson has a PhD and is a marriage and family counselor. Besides their differing scholastic backgrounds, the two also have very different writing styles. Mr. Grisham wrote about the soldiers and the battle scenes while Mr. Donaldson wrote about the insane asylum and the treatment for the patients. They both were true Southern gentlemen with their warm Mississippi accents and their willingness to answer our questions.

Bedlam South is unique in more than the just the method in which it was written. The central character, Dr. Joseph Bryarly, is not a soldier but a psychologist with a secret. From early on in the story, it is obvious he is trying to run from his past by focusing on giving his patients his best care. However, the asylums during the mid 1800s were terrible, and the patients were basically used for horrible experiments. Though Dr. Bryarly tries to help, he has little freedom to practice his own methods because the man in charge is an evil man who enjoys inflicting pain.

Zeke and Billy Gibson are two brothers fighting for the Confederacy. Billy is an officer and is a battle-hardened soldier, while Zeke is "fresh from the farm" and eager to fight. They are separated during the terrible battle of Fredricksburg and neither knows if the other survived.

These are just three of the many characters in Bedlam South. Though they all have their own stories, they share the same struggle to survive the war and protect those they love. Though Grisham and Donaldson have great characters with intriguing storylines, there are almost too many in the 320 pages. It seems as if none of the characters truly were developed to their potential. An exmple is Mary Beth Greene, who is a prostitute, yet still a lady. I would have liked to have gotten to know her story better instead of just a few bits and pieces here and there. The writing can be a bit rudimentary at times and a little heavy on the cliches. However, I did enjoy the book, and I felt sorrow and joy right along with the characters. I believe Grisham and Donaldson are working on another book, and I will definitely be interested in reading it.

Date Completed: February 2009

Number of pages: 322

A Challenge, a Read-a-Thon and random thoughts (oh my!)

The last last few months, I have become a not-so-great blogger. I haven't been posting very frequently, I haven't been commenting on others' blogs very often, and I've been skimming posts far more than actually reading every word. While this makes me feel a little guilty, the reason for this is that I've been spending lots of quality time with my husband (who was away from home for 2 years for work) and my friends and family. Like everyone else out there, I can't seem to find enough time to do all the things I want to do. So, the area that I'm spending less time on than I would like is blogging. However, I am still reading books, I am still reading blogs, and I am trying to comment when I have something to say. Though I have become a bit of a lurker, it's only because I'm trying not to spend too much time on the computer, but I'm still here, and I still enjoy the blogging community!!

I knew that with my husband back home, I wouldn't have as much time for reading and blogging as I did last year, so I decided not to join any challenges this year. I accidentally joined too many last year, then I felt really bad when I didn't complete all of them. However, I HAVE to join Trish's Classics Challenge for 3 reasons: 1. Trish is awesome. 2. I LOVE the button that Nymeth created. 3. I need a little extra push to read classics. Since this is already a long post, I'm not going to include the rules for the challenge, and if you are interested, please visit the challenge blog. The following is my list for the "classics snack" option:

1. My Antonia by Willa Cather

2. A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

3. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

4. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

(Possible alternates: Oliver Twist and The Age of Innocence)

Bonus Future Classic: Empire Falls or The Joy Luck Club

Lastly, I was VERY excited to hear that the exciting 24-hour Read-a-thon event is going to be April 18-19th. Dewey started the read-a-thon, and I think it is wonderful that others are continuing this event. I had tons of fun participating in October 2008, and I'm really looking forward to getting involved again in April!

The Triumph of Deborah by Eva Etzioni-Halevy

I was surprised and thrilled when I received an e-mail from Eva Etzioni-Halevy asking if I would read and review her book, The Triumph of Deborah. I had seen her book reviewed by several other bloggers and I was already interested in reading it, as I enjoy both historical fiction as well as reading about Biblical characters and time periods.

Deborah is a leader and judge of the Israelites, which is unusual as women were very rarely in any position of authority. She knows the Israelite army must push back the Canaanites, who are trying to overtake the Israelite land, but she hates to send her people into battle. She convinces Barak, a young warrior, to lead the battle, even though others advise her to follow older and more experienced soldiers' plans. Deborah and her husband have disagreements over this issue, and they can't seem to find a compromise.

Barak is successful in battle and after defeating the Canaanites, he brings back the Canaanite women and children to his city. He has his eye set on Asherah, a Canaanite princess, and takes her to his home to be his wife. She has no desire to be the wife of her enemy, and looks for ways to escape. Nogah, whose father was the Canaanite king, and whose mother was an Israelite captive in Canaan, decides to work in Barak's house as a servant. She catches Barak's eye as well, even though she is not as beautiful as Asherah.

The Triumph of Deborah weaves together the lives of Deborah and Barak and shows the struggles they have in their respective positions of power, and how this affects their personal relationships as well. Including much Biblical history, Etzioni-Halevy also includes many passages from the Bible about the laws for the Israelite people. Though the passage in the book of Judges that tells about the real judge Deborah, is relatively short (Judges chapters 4 and 5), Etzioni-Halevy drew from other books in the Old Testament to paint a realistic picture of what life would be like for Israelites in that time.

I especially found this to be an interesting book to read, as one of my goals for the year 2009 is to read through the Bible. As I was reading this book, I was simultaneously reading the Old Testament, and I frequently came across the passages in the Bible that were included in the book. (I would have appreciated it if these passages in the book were given footnotes to the verses in the Bible, for easy reference.) While the basics of The Triumph of Deborah are true to the Biblical account, much of the book is fictionalized. I greatly enjoyed the fictional character Nogah, and I almost feel that she is a stronger female character than Deborah. I was disappointed that the sexual relationships were so dominant. What was described as love between the characters seemed more like lust, and this dampened my enjoyment of the book overall. However, the book is engaging and well-researched, and reading it made me interested in doing some research of my own on the life of Deborah, as well as this time period. I really appreciate Mrs. Etzioni-Halevy sending the book, and I have added her other two books, The Song of Hannah and The Garden of Ruth to my "to be read" list.

Number of pages: 358

Date Completed: February 2009

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

Title and author of book: The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

Fiction or non-fiction? Genre? Classic Fiction

What led you to pick up this book? This is the February pick for my face-to-face book club.

Plot Summary: A young drawing master, Walter Hartright, finds a 4 month job teaching watercolor painting to two young women--Laura and Marian. The night before he travels to the home he will be working in, he is out for a walk and encounters a strange woman who is all dressed in white. Once he meets his two pupils the next day, he is startled at the resemblance of Laura to the mysterious woman in white. At first, he is simply curious if there is a connection with this woman to his new students, but as he becomes more involved with the family, he realizes there are more secrets, plots and danger than he ever would have guessed. "A gripping tale of murder, intrigue, madness, and mistaken identity, Collins psychological thriller has never been out of print in the 140 years since its publication" (from the back of the book).

What did you like most about the book? the memorable characters and suspenseful plot

What did you like least? The book was quite long, but there aren't really any sections that could be removed. I can't think of anything I would change!

What did you think of the writing style? The story was told from various narrators, as well as through diaries and letters. This method definitely kept up the suspense, as each narrator was only aware of certain pieces of the story. The reader has to put all the pieces together before the mysteries can be revealed.

Which of your readers are most likely to enjoy this book? This book could be enjoyed by a very wide audience. Though it is a classic, it is not difficult to read at all, and though it is quite long, the reading goes pretty quickly.

What did you think of the main characters? I really loved Marian and Walter! Marian Halcombe is different from many women in her time period. She is not delicate; she doesn't swoon at the slightest difficulty; she speaks her mind with intelligence and grace. Walter is the true definition of a gentleman. Though he is in no way wealthy, he puts others before himself, even if that means risking his own life.

If this book has been made into a movie, and if you’ve seen the movie, compare the book to the movie.: I haven't seen a movie version, but I'm guessing there is probably more than one out there! Has anyone seen the movie? Do you recommend it?

Share a quote from the book: The first line is great! "This is the story of what a Woman's patience can endure, and what a Man's resolution can achieve."

Share a favorite scene from the book: I'm not going to describe the scene, because there is no way I can do so without giving something away, but I got goosebumps at the last line of the second Epoch--very creepy! Also, I laughed out loud (on an airplane) when the Count is talking to his pet mice. Just the image of a very fat man with white mice running all over him is hilarious, but at one point, he is holding one in his hand and he says to it, "My pretty little smooth white rascal...here is a moral lesson for you. A truly wise Mouse is a truly good Mouse" (233). Very funny to me!

What did you think of the ending? I was very happy with the ending. I can't say more because again, I don't want to give anything away.

I was a little worried when I saw how giant this book was (645 pages), and that it was written in 1860--I thought it would take more forever to read, but this will now be one of my favorite classics! I also think it is neat that Wilkie Collins and Charles Dickens were friends.

Date Completed: February 6, 2009

Number of pages: 645

The Mighty Queens of Freeville by Amy Dickinson

Amy Dickinson writes an advice column called "Ask Amy" in the well-known Chicago Tribune. She wrote a memoir with the complete title of The Mighty Queens of Freeville: A Mother, A Daughter, and the People Who Raised Them. While I haven't read very many memoirs in my life, I enjoyed this one so much that I would like to begin reading more!

Peter Sagal (author and the host of NPR's "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!") does a great job of summarizing the book, and I share his feelings exactly, "...Amy Dickinson shares her life story about love and loss, parents, daughters, aunts, fathers, pets and life from the mundane to the ridiculous to the quietly heartbreaking. Or, sometimes loudly heartbreaking, with great big honking sobs. Amy doesn't have all the answers, but she suggests a good place to find them: at home, with the people who love you."

Amy's father left her family when she was an adolescent, and her own husband leaves her as well, with a 2-year old daughter. However, Amy raised her daughter in a warm, loving atmosphere, just as her mother raised Amy and her siblings. All the women in the family seem so strong, capable and caring, even though they have dealt with disappointment, sadness and the breakup of marriage. Like her mother, Amy does not become bitter and cynical when she is left to raise a daughter on her own, but she maintains a sense of humor and positive attitude to prevail through the tough times.

I really connected with Amy throughout her memoir. She is honest about her experiences, and she is not overly emotional or humorous just for the story's sake. Though I enjoy humor, it really starts to annoy me there is tons of humor, especially sarcastic humor, but Amy is funny without trying too hard or becoming annoying. The following is a passage that I found to be quite funny, and which I could definitely say about myself as well, "I am crafty to a fault, by which I mean that anything handmade by me is usually delivered along with the phrase 'I'm sorry. It's all my fault.' " (113). Other things I share in common with Amy are her love of cats, and her delight of spending time in the home she grew up in. I also love that her daughter dressed up as Laura Ingalls Wilder for Halloween!

The Mighty Queens of Freeville was a delightful read! It is fairly short, and could probably be read in one or two settings. I think women from the age of 20 to 80 would all enjoy this book!
(A special thanks to Hyperion for sending me this advanced reader's copy! The book will be released on Feb. 3, 2009).

Date completed: January 14, 2008
# of pages: 224

The Known World by Edward P. Jones

The Known World by Edward P. Jones is based in Manchester County, Virginia, and tells the story of a pre-Civil War slave owner, his family, and his slaves. What makes this story so different from many others is that the slave-owner, Henry Townsend, is a black man who was a slave himself before his father purchased his freedom.

Edward P. Jones gives the readers of his Pulitzer Prize winning novel a glimpse of life for all types of people, both black and white, who live in Virginia in the mid-1800s. There is Fern Elston--a free black woman who educates black children; there is Sheriff John Skiffington, who tries to be an upstanding Christian citizen while upholding the laws and keeping the peace, all the while struggling with his own internal demons; there is William Robbins, one of the wealthiest white men in the county, who not only has a wife and daughter, but who falls in love with a black woman and has 2 children with her; and there is Moses, the slave who is the overseer of all other slaves. Jones's characters are so unique in their personalities and situations.

Though I have been on a bit of a Civil War kick the last year, I have never read anything about a former slave slave-owner. I must admit that I never even knew that such circumstances ever existed. I did just a little bit of research on the topic and it looks as though a good percentage of black "slave owners" were former slaves who purchased their own freedom, then purchased their family members, and the purchased family members were then considered their property. However, there are also records of free black slave owners who owned large numbers of slaves to work their land.

I found The Known World to be an engrossing read. Jones brings many circumstances of slavery and the pre-war South out in the open that are not examined in most regular U.S. History classes. This would be a great book to discuss with others, and I will remember it for a long time. Highly recommended!

Date completed: January 9, 2008

# of Pages: 388