by Kelly O’Connor McNees

Amy Einhorn Books

Published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons

April, 2010

My Rating: A+

When I was a girl, Little Women was a favorite among my friends and I. We read it numerous times. We talked endlessly about the Marsh family and their activities. We play-acted portions of the book. Yes, we were obsessed.

We were convinced that Jo was, in truth, Louisa May Alcott. We speculated for hours about what really happened between Jo and Laurie.

It’s too bad we didn’t have The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott back then. It’s as if the author heard our speculations. Actually, I believe she was speculating too. Kelly McNees took some of her speculations and, what I’m sure was lots of research, and turned them into the perfect sequel to Little Women.

The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott is the fictional story of what could have happened to Louisa Alcott in 1855. During that summer Louisa, her parents, and her three sisters moved from Boston to the little town of Walpole. Louisa’s plan was to help her family settle in and then return to Boston to write her stories and pursue her goal of independence. Contrary to the expectations for women of the time, Louisa longed to be a spinster and to be free to live life on her own terms.

Louisa’s goal was tested in Walpole when she met Joseph, a young man who was different from other men she knew. They liked the same literature, they were equals in intellectual debates and, best of all, Joseph truly understood Louisa. Louisa was torn between her growing love for Joseph and her goals and ambitions.

This story gives us an inside look at the marriage of Louisa’s parents and why Louisa developed her determination to remain single. It paints a very negative picture of Louisa’s father, Bronson Alcott and in turn the role of a wife as seen in Louisa’s mother. Bronson Alcott believed that he was above work, thus forcing his family to live a life of “genteel poverty.” It put an enormous strain on his wife and daughters.

In addition to an everyday look at the Alcott family life, this novel features some of the activities enjoyed by young people during this time period. We see a swimming party with typical swimwear, a trip to the circus, and the staging of an amateur play. There were happy times as well as heartbreaking tragedies in Walpole that summer.

More than anything else, I enjoyed the characters in The Lost Summer. Louisa was complicated but believable. I loved her older sister Anna and of course, Joseph. I thoroughly disliked Louisa’s father which should tell you how well developed the character was.

I understand this is the first novel for Ms. McNees. I’m very surprised, as the story feels like that of an experienced novelist. A nice bonus was the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. Each one comes from the writings of Miss Alcott.

So, for all my friends, childhood and otherwise, who share my love of Little Women and other of Louisa May Alcott’s stories, I recommend this book with the hightest praise. It’s so very well done.

Thanks to TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to read this book. For other stops on the tour please visit here.

Challenges: This story speaks volumes about the treatment of women and is an excellent read for the Women Unbound Challenge. Published under the imprint of Amy Einhorn, this book also qualifies for the Amy Einhorn Challenge.

To read The Lumby Lines is to approach a book in a different manner. Reading this book is equal to a visit to a special place and a special group of people. It’s not your typical page-turner and I mean that in a good way. The Lumby Lines is similar to spending an extended amount of time in a small community and getting to know the residents and the various points of interest. This book is meant to be enjoyed over a long period of time.

Lumby is a small town somewhere in the northwest; it feels like Washington state. It’s inhabited by typical folk who tend to be a bit on the quirky side. The area is surrounded by rolling hills, rivers, a lake, orchards and other small towns.

Outside of Lumby is a very old monastery, Montis Abbey. The monastery is vacant and one of the buildings has been severely damaged by fire. It  looks like it will eventually fall in upon itself, and then it is suddenly purchased by some “outsiders,” a couple from the East Coast who want to turn it into an inn.

The physical beauty of the area around Lumby is good but it’s not what kept me “visiting” The Lumby Lines. It was the people. Getting to know the residents is at the heart of the book. Let me tell you about my favorites:

• Mark and Pam are the new owners of the monastery. They’ve walked away from high-powered careers and invested everything they have in the inn.
• Gabrielle Beezer owns a Mexican restaurant in town. Her husband, Dennis, runs the newspaper in a neighboring town. Their teenage son, Brian, seems to love playing pranks that backfire on him. His parents are worried.
• Brother Matthew and a few other monks were former residents of Montis. Matthew is full of wisdom plus a lot of knowledge about the monastery, including the extensive orchards and the beehives.
• Joshua is a former monk who has quite the zest for living and helping others. He and Dennis love betting on all sorts of things.
• Charlotte is probably the oldest resident and definitely the richest. You wouldn’t know it from the dirt under her fingernails or her ordinary life style. She loves to give cashier checks anonymously to various people. She’s a mystery I’d like to know more about.

There are more people to become acquainted with in this book. There are also events in the book that are fun. I enjoyed reading about the construction process on the abbey, an exciting raft race down a swollen river, a budding romance, a new business venture for the monks and the reclaiming of the old orchard.

There are so many other things in The Lumby Lines besides reading the story. The art work you see on the cover is also scattered throughout the book. It’s by the author’s husband, Art Polin. I also liked the occasional listing of the Sheriff’s complaints and the newspaper articles about quirky events in town.

And then, there is the back of the book which contains recipes (a fabulous one for pasta with chicken, brocolli and cheese), an interview with the author, and questions about the book for book clubs. There is a lot to love in this book.

The Lumby Lines is the first book in the series. There is Stealing Lumby, Lumby’s Bounty, The Promise of Lumby, and Lumby on the Air – coming this Spring. I intend to visit all of the Lumby books. There is also a regular newsletter  and a great website, Lumby Books. I love the little moose that walks around the edge of the screen.

My stay at Lumby was so pleasant that I want a return visit. I’ve grown so fond of the residents that I won’t be able to walk away from them. I’ll be sure to tell you about them. I’d love it if you joined me.

Check your local library for The Lumby Lines or any of the other Gail Fraser books. The Lumby Lines is also available at Amazon. (I am an Amazon Associate.)

The Lumby Lines by Gail Fraser  - New American Library, 2005  -  My Rating: A

by Elizabeth Eulberg

Published by Point, an imprint of Scholastic, 2010

My Rating: B

Penny Lane is a junior in high school who has just had her first major heartbreak caused by a boy she has known and trusted her entire life. He broke her heart so badly that she has vowed to go through the rest of high school without dating. She forms her own club for this purpose, The Lonely Hearts Club.

Before long Penny’s club is growing as other high school girls decide to join. The club is really more about taking care of yourself rather than hating boys. The girls want to make sure they don’t change themselves because of boys. As the club grows in popularity and numbers, it begins to bother some the the high school boys and the high school principal.

It’s a fun and sometimes humorous book. It reminded me of my fifteenth year with all the heartbreak and drama. And I enjoyed all the references to the Beatles songs. The story sends a good message to young girls. The reasoning in it is sound.

It’s a YA book but one that adults will enjoy as well. As I’m writing this post my eleven-year old granddaughter is sitting next to me reading it. I thought perhaps it would be better read in a couple of years and her mom agrees (but she’s already read the Twilight series…).

I want to thank Kathy (Bermuda Onion) for this book. It was a win from her. It’s a new release so it may not yet be at your library. It is available from Amazon.

Rediscovering the Values of Jesus

by Phillip Gulley

Harper One, 2010

My Rating: A

Before I tell you about this book, you should know that I am a Christian. Except for the past decade, I’ve been an active church member. I’ve served as a church elder and in other leadership positions. I come to this book with a solid background of faith. This book hasn’t shaken my internal faith but it has shaken my thinking about many of the basic practices of the church. I suspect the author would like that reaction.

To some people this book is going to appear sacrilegious and subversive. I’m sure it’s causing controversy in many circles. I think that’s a very good thing. If this book is successful, it will have people talking and arguing and questioning the concepts Phillip Gulley is setting forth here.

Phillip Gulley is a Quaker minister (and author with an interactive website) who is questioning the major activities within the Christian church, primarily in America. Using the title of his book he organized his chapters around “if – then” arguments. Let me show you what I mean. Here are a few of the chapter titles:

If The Church Were Christian . . .

• Jesus would be a model for living rather than an object of worship.
• Gracious behavior would be more important than right belief.
• Inviting questions would be valued more than supplying answers.
• Meeting needs would be more important than maintaining institutions.
• Peace would be more important than power.
• This life would be more important than the afterlife.

All of this is a powerful message for the 39,000 denominations and independent churches in America. These are serious questions. It’s a powerful message for individual Christians as well. As I see it, an important question for myself and others who call ourselves believers is this: What is the correlation between Jesus’ example and how I live my life? Is my church helping me with those questions? As Phillip Gulley said, I don’t want the church to give me the right answer. I want it to help me ask more questions.

Some churches claim they are growing, but what’s really growing are the large numbers of people who no longer attend. They keep their membership for purposes of weddings, funerals, and baptisms but, except for special occasions, they are no longer present. I don’t believe these people have lost their faith. They just don’t see the church as a help in their spiritual journey. If the church were really modeling the behavior and teachings of Jesus, wouldn’t they still be there?

This book has not shaken my faith. Just the opposite has happened. This book has caused me to think, think out-loud, talk with others, and now, eagerly, re-read the Scriptures. (I started in Matthew 5.) I’m more excited than ever to be a Christian. I want to look again at the life of Jesus. As the subtitle of this book says, I want to Rediscover the Values of Jesus. I’d love it if the church were able to do that too.

This would make an excellent study for a Christian discussion group or adult Sunday School class or the staff and leadership group within a church. In the back of the book the author has added a list of questions for each chapter.

It’s been my pleasure to participate in today’s stop on the TLC tour of If The Church Were Christian. I’d like to thank Trish of TLC for allowing me to read and review this book. Please visit other bloggers who are participating in this tour. You are sure to get other opinions of the book. The list is here.

by Joseph Monniger

Gallery Books, 2010

My Rating: A

Eternal on the Water is a beautiful love story. It’s not a romance novel. And, yes, there is a difference. There is no silliness in this story. It’s a beautiful adult love story set primarily out of doors. What makes this a cut above  the other love stories is the writing. I want to share with you a few passages so you get a real feel for the writing. Let me first give you a simple outline of the story.

Jonathan Cobb has taken a sabbatical from his teaching job so he can study Thoreau. He has decided to kayak the Allagash River and camp on Pillsbury Island. Mary Fury is a biologist who loves crows and has long ties to and a deep love of this Maine river. Jonathan and Mary meet in a camping area the night before they are set to launch a trip on the river. They like each other immediately and travel together down the river. They are letting this new love they feel for each other grow.

In this first passage Cobb is thinking about the night they slept together (no sex):

How in the world had this happened? We had kissed only once, but when I woke I found my arm over her, her body pushed back into mine to spoon. I felt like a man who had lived in a house all his life who, opening a door he expects to lead him into a closet, finds the house possesses other, more gorgeous rooms. Rooms he had not dreamed of, rooms he had not imagined.

So much of the book takes place outdoors and I loved that. I felt I was with them and I could see and hear and smell everything in the forests and on the river. Here’s another section from the book.I could see this too. Here Cobb is spending the night on Thoreau’s island and he’s been fussing, getting his pack organized.

. . . but now, rolling onto my back, I saw the moon, nearly full, and the gray clouds moving past it like dog shadows running behind summer sheets hung to dry on a clothesline.

In addition to the outdoors of Maine, the story takes us to New Hampshire, Yellowstone National Park and Indonesia.It’s a great adventure for Jonathan and Mary. An adventure trip is also how they see their lives together.

The author took a risk by telling us the end of the story at the very beginning. For me it worked. I was driven to find out the rest of the story. I wanted to know why all of this happened. I’m not going to spoil it for you though because I really want you to read it.

Above all this is a love story so let me close with this final quote.

I liked her smile. And I knew that I had fallen in love. I knew that I wanted to run rivers with her, and camp, and go out to dinner and dance, and meet people with her at my side, and establish routines, and hear every knock-knock joke in her repertoire. I knew that. The knowledge came as simple as clean linen.

Isn’t it beautiful?

Check you local library for this book. Eternal on the Water is also available at Amazon. (I am an Amazon Associate.) I received and read this book as part of Barnes and Nobles’ First Look Book Club.

Macmillan Publishing, 2009

My Rating: A

Britten and Brulightly is a mystery set in rainy London. The title refers to a partnership of two private investigators. Britten prefers the term “researcher.” Brulightly is the partner who is never seen by the reader although we do hear him talking. Britten is the one we see and hear on every page.

The partners are hired by Charlotte Maughton to investigate the death of her fiance. The police have ruled it a suicide but Charlotte doesn’t buy that. Charlotte knows he was a good and honorable man and one who was excited about their upcoming wedding. She is convinced he would not kill himself.

Britten, along with Brulightly, set out to gather the facts surrounding the dead man’s life. As in all good mysteries, this takes them down various paths. Although the story may sound simple, it is anything but. This is a complex mystery which leads to all sorts of hidden secrets.

The written words make a good story but the pictures make it a spectacular experience. My eyes weren’t only on the words. I was “reading” the pictures as well. The drawings were so perfect for this story as you can see in the sample above. (I apologize for the less than lady-like language.)

The author/illustrator, Hannah Berry, is a true artist. Every page, every picture made me feel the mood of the story. I don’t know enough about art to understand the specific techniques used here but to me it looked like ink drawings that were then water-colored over with color to set the mood. And the mood was like the old-time detective stories, a la Raymond Chandler.

This is my second graphic novel. My nephew Bob thought I would enjoy it since I love mysteries. And, Bob was right. I did enjoy it. I still had trouble occasionally reading the small, cursive writing, but that’s probably me and my inexperience with graphic novels. I also had trouble with the lighting. The pages are slick and any light over the book gave a glow that was difficult to see through. Sitting with the sun at my back was the final solution.

It was slow reading but I was totally absorbed in this book. I strongly recommend this one to you if a.) you like detective novels, and b.) you want to try a graphic novel. Sample pages from the novel are available from the publisher.

Check your public library to see if this book is available. Britten and Brulightly is also available at Amazon.

I chose to feature Ethel Waters because back in the late 1950′s I actually saw Ethel Waters perform – live – several times. Every Monday night in Pasadena, California, ‘Phil Kerr Presents’ featured some of the best performers in gospel music. Her signature song at those shows was His Eye Is On The Sparrow. There was never a dry eye in the place when she sang that song. The words to the chorus:

I sing because I’m happy

I sing because I’m free

His eye is on the sparrow

And I know He watches me

Although I’d seen her on television (as Beulah), I honestly thought she was best known as a gospel singer. I was unaware of her background or the rest of the story. So I picked up her autobiography, His Eye Is On The Sparrow (1951). It’s quite the story.

Ethel Waters’ childhood was defined by extreme poverty – both materially and emotionally. Here’s how she tells it in the opening lines of her autobiography:

I never was a child. I never was coddled, or liked, or understood by my family. I never felt I belonged. I was always an outsider. I was born out of wedlock, but that had nothing to do with all this. To people like mine a thing like that just didn’t mean much. Nobody brought me up.

Ethel’s mother was raped when she was 12. After Ethel was born she wanted no reminder of that painful event. Ethel’s grandmother took responsibility for Ethel but her job kept her absent all but one day a week. Ethel was left with whomever among the aunts and other relatives were home. As she grew, she took care of herself. Because she was always hungry, she learned to be one of the best thieves in the neighborhood. She grew up to be strong and tough.

There was only one constant in young Ethel’s life which brought her both joy and her future livelihood – singing. Singing the blues was “one emotional outlet [her] people always had when they had the blues.” Everyone sang. Instead of telling Ethel stories, they sang.

Ethel never thought about earning a living as a singer but one night, on a dare, she sang at a club. In the audience were two professionals who had a small vaudeville unit. They liked her and hired her to travel with them and play in theaters all around the east coast and the south. Ethel’s specialty was singing the blues, but she could sing popular ballads as well as jazz..

When Ethel went to Harlem she thought it would be just for a few weeks. Although it was only a short distance from her home in the Philadelphia area, New York -

“was the Big Time as no other American city has ever been. The greatest act in colored show business had long made Harlem their home and favorite stamping ground. When other performers had spoken to me about Harlem their eyes had filled with excitement and a dreamy wonder. I didn’t know whether I could make good in such a place.”

But Ethel did make good. She went on to make records, act and sing on Broadway, make movies and TV shows. She had some dry spells especially when she hit her forties. Many thought she was a has-been. But Ethel Waters had resilience and an extremely strong inner faith. Whether she was up or down, she always read her scriptures and kept on praying. The words to the song, His Eye Is On The Sparrow, was the theme song of her life.

The book was excellent (an A). I borrowed it from the library and I could tell it has been well loved by thousands of readers. Each page lays flat as if it’s a spiral bound book. It’s been read that much. Check your library for it or buy the paperback at Amazon. [The hardcover is now $81.95]

There is an old video clip on You-Tube of Ethel Waters singing His Eye Is On The Sparrow. She was at a Billy Graham crusade in 1975, just two years before her death. Her voice was still strong and there was such a warm glow on her face. If you’d like to see that video, click here.

Harlem Stomp: A Cultural History Of The Harlem Renaissance

by Laban Carrickn Hill

Little, Brown & Company, 2003

My Rating: A

Summary from the Book Jacket: The Harlem Renaissance was one of the most exciting and important periods (late 1910′s to 1930′s) in American cultural history. Determined to make a new start for themselves at the dawn of the twentieth century, many African Americans joined the “Great Migration” and headed to the North. For those who landed in the hotbed of Harlem, New York, it was a time of intellectual, artistic, literary, and of polictical blossoming. Influential African-American artists and activists took center stage as their burgeoning creativity captured the attention of the world.

My evaluation: According to the Library Journal, this book is a Young Adult and is suitable for Grade 7 and up. Well, I’m way past the 7th grade but the book was perfect for me. It was jammed full of short historical clips, loads of pictures, drawings, paintings, posters, and so forth. It was a pleasant way to learn the history of this time period.

Harlem Stomp was also about more than just history. It featured the authors, artists, intellectuals, and activists that were an important part of this era. And, the author also covered some of the issues of the time. It never felt like a young adult book. It was very sophisticated.

For students who want to study further, there is an excellent bibliography at the end. It also has a good index. I’m grateful to Harlem Stomp for helping me understand this important part of our cultural history.

Source: I borrowed this book from the public library. It s also available at Amazon.

Kensington Publishing, 2009

My Rating: C+

This hardly ever happens to me but, I was on my way to a dental appointment and realized I didn’t have a book with me. Arghh! I hate to be stuck somewhere without a book.

It was closer for me to stop at a shop and grab a paperback rather than go back home. There was really nothing I really wanted to read (that hardly ever happens, either) until I spotted this book by Fern Michaels. My sister, Kaye, has been singing the praises of the author’s Sisterhood series.

In the past I purchased two of the books in this series. My goal was to get them all and then start reading. I like series books and I like to read them in order. So, here I am reading book number 15!

Summery: It wasn’t that hard to catch on to what was going on. Here’s what I figured out: There is a group of women, known as the Sisterhood, who have done something so bad that they have to hide out at a mountainside retreat. Only a pardon from the president will allow them to be free. Money does not seem to be a problem. There are also a group of people in normal society who are strong supporters. This includes high level people and some sexy men.

From time to time the Sisters become involved in a mission helping people who have suffered at the hands of others. The Sisters put things right and seek revenge.

In Vanishing Act the Sisters become involved when one of their outside partners is completely wiped out due to identity theft. They learn the masterminds of this identity theft ring is a very clever couple who change names and disguises on a daily basis. The goal of the Sisters is to figure out who else has been robbed, determine the best way to capture the couple and how to get the money back to the victims.

My evaluation: It was easy and fun to get caught up in this story. I read it off and on at the dentist’s but then had to keep turning the pages until I knew what was going to happen next. While it was fun to read I had to keep telling my “inner-scoffer” to go away. This is similar to reading a “super-hero” story. Things that happen in the story could in no way happen in real life. If you like your thrillers to be completely possible, this series is not for you.

I liked the women who made up the Sisters. I wish this story would have featured more of them. I have a hunch that the other books in the series do include more of these characters. I’ll have a chance to check this theory out in February. My sister and I will be getting together and she is planning to share her whole bag of these books! After I read a few more I’ll share my thoughts with you.

“I’m convinced that the underlying principles of good cooking are the same everywhere. These principles have less to do with recipes and techniques than they do with gathering good ingredients, which for me is the essence of cooking.”

Ms. Waters believes that if we follow these principles we will transform our cooking.

• Eat locally and sustainably
• Eat seasonally
• Shop at farmers’ markets
• Plant a garden
• Conserve, compost and recycle
• Cook simply, engaging all your senses
• Cook together
• Eat together
• Remeber food is precious

The book is divided into two parts. The first part is “lessons and foundations” and, believe me, this is not just for new cooks. I could have used this forty years ago. I especially liked her section on stocking a pantry, what equipment to buy, and menu planning. In Part I she also covers basic procedures like making broth and sauces, cooking beans and pastas, slow cooking and grilling, and on to desserts. It’s a fabulous cooking-school-in-a-book. I recommend Part I if you want a solid understanding of the basic skills of a good cook.

Part II is the gravy – it’s all about the recipes. The very first chapter of this section reminds me of my youngest granddaughter, Lou. Even as a little one she would say when hungry, “I need a little something.”  In this”little something”  chapter the author gives us marinated cheese with herbs and olives, stuffed eggs, fresh-pickled vegetables and a lot more. The rest of Part II covers more sauces, salads, soups, pasta, breads, eggs and cheese, vegetables, fish, poultry, meat and more desserts. I’d love to tell you about the various recipes but I’m afraid this post will be extremely long.

Ms. Waters completes her book with some resources, a glossary and an excellent index. For more information about Alice Waters, her restaurants and even her foundation work at a local middle school, visit Chez Panisse.

• The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution
• by Alice Waters
• Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2007
• My Rating: A

[Source: I borrowed this copy from the public library but it is obvious I need to buy my own copy.}

Copies of this book are also available at Amazon.

For more books about food and/or other foodie type discussions, visit Weekend Cooking.