She thought all that wet afternoon and finally, as she served Magister Reese his cold-beef-and-bread supper, she cleared her throat a time or two and then softly answered: "I know what I want. A full belly, a contented heart, and a place in this world."
Magister Reese looked up at her in surprise. "You ask a lot for an inn girl. I thought you'd say a sweetheart or a yellow ribbon for your black hair."
"No, this is what I want, but it is my misfortune instead to be hungry, out of humor, and too stupid to be a midwife's apprentice."
"None so stupid," he said. "You can read as well as the cat."
Alyce smiled. And so winter turned to spring. (P. 81)
The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman is the 1996 winner of the Newbery Medal and tells the story of a young orphan found by Jan the Midwife in a dung heap early one morning. First called Beetle and then later named Alyce, the young girl finds her way into the community first as an assistant to the midwife, then as an inn girl, and finally as a midwife's apprentice. Her struggle to become a respectable member of the community to the midwife, the residents, and most importantly to herself is frustrating and yet endearing. Alyce's wants are not major, but she works hard to achieve them in her young, hard life. I very much enjoyed this book and recommend it to others.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Metro Girl
What kind of story pairs Metro Girl with Nascar Guy to find Wild Bill after he disappears in Miami? Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich is a very funny adventure that includes a treasure hunt, bad guys, and unusual friends. The audio version made for a hilarious experience while commuting to work each day. Evanovich's attention to character and dialogue is definitely evident in the narrator's interpretation of this book. (C.J. Critt is the narrator.) And this new (2004) story was a nice redirection for the author who is well known for her Stephanie Plum books.
Alexandra "Barney" Barnaby is looking for her brother Bill after she receives a late night call in which he informs her that he will be gone for a while; this, followed by a scream. Barney heads to Miami to find her brother. It appears that Bill has taken Sam Hooker's boat, and Hooker, a Nascar driver, is not very happy about it. After some investigation, Barney and Hooker discover that Bill and his latest girlfriend Maria are searching for some gold bars that have some historical ties with Cuba and Maria's family. Once the pieces start to fall into place, the chase begins.
I loved this book, but I think a lot of the enjoyment came from the fact that it was an audio book. I found myself laughing out loud, finishing the character's lines, and making comments to the storyline as I listened to the misadventures of the two main characters. The end of the audio book also provided a short interview with the author, Janet Evanovich. A light and silly book, Metro Girl was definitely worth the time to listen to and it made my drive to work a bit more fun as well!
Alexandra "Barney" Barnaby is looking for her brother Bill after she receives a late night call in which he informs her that he will be gone for a while; this, followed by a scream. Barney heads to Miami to find her brother. It appears that Bill has taken Sam Hooker's boat, and Hooker, a Nascar driver, is not very happy about it. After some investigation, Barney and Hooker discover that Bill and his latest girlfriend Maria are searching for some gold bars that have some historical ties with Cuba and Maria's family. Once the pieces start to fall into place, the chase begins.
I loved this book, but I think a lot of the enjoyment came from the fact that it was an audio book. I found myself laughing out loud, finishing the character's lines, and making comments to the storyline as I listened to the misadventures of the two main characters. The end of the audio book also provided a short interview with the author, Janet Evanovich. A light and silly book, Metro Girl was definitely worth the time to listen to and it made my drive to work a bit more fun as well!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
A Little Love Story
Just before we crossed the rise, I looked back again and saw the door was closed and the light still showing in the window and I knew he was praying for us then, asking whatever saints and spirits might be out there to watch over us, help us not to turn bitter and hard, not to be afraid.
I didn't feel any of those things as we made our way across the monastery hayfield in the moonlight --- not bitter, not afraid. I felt then, for some reason, that life was larger and more complicated than I'd ever thought. You couldn't always be sure where bad luck ended and good luck began. You had to just endure certain things, and let time pass, and try to keep the gates open at the edges of your mind. (p. 102)
Jake met a woman one night when she backed her car into his truck while he was at the donut shop celebrating his one year of self-imposed celibacy. Neither one was ready to start a new relationship, but their love story becomes as unique as they are in the novel A Little Love Story by Roland Merullo. Jake is a carpenter and painter; he's from a family that currently includes a drug addict and a monk for siblings. Janet is a personal assistant to the governor; she's from a background of guilt and illness. Their story includes trust, jealousy, bravery, humor, and support. It also includes a debilitating disease, Cystic Fibrosis. But their love grows in a very special way as they learn from one another about the meaning of happiness and healing.
She stopped and rested again. She coughed, looked away from me. "Until I met you, I never cared about living very much. I'd had so much time to get ready for the idea of being dead, you know. And being stuck in this body was not exactly a picnic."
I started to say something, but she waved at me not to.
"When you jumped in the river that time after I fell in, and you came up sputtering and slicked your hair back and it was all standing straight up, at that minute I started to care. I wanted to have some fun with you. I wanted to see if . . . I've never had that much real luck with men. I mean, I had boyfriends I liked, I had enough sex. But I always felt there had to be some deeper level of intimacy that I could get to, some truer connection I could feel . . . So now I know I was right about that, and I know what it feels like, and I want a few more years of it. That's what makes it shitty." She flung one hand, palm-inward, toward the window. "But I can deal with everything else, the fear and the mess and all the ugliness and everything. I just wanted to tell you that. I just want you to be able to deal with it, too." (pp. 196-197)
An extremely touching story told by the male character, A Little Love Story explores the strength and sacrifices that love brings to a very special couple. I loved this book and recommend it to others.
I didn't feel any of those things as we made our way across the monastery hayfield in the moonlight --- not bitter, not afraid. I felt then, for some reason, that life was larger and more complicated than I'd ever thought. You couldn't always be sure where bad luck ended and good luck began. You had to just endure certain things, and let time pass, and try to keep the gates open at the edges of your mind. (p. 102)
Jake met a woman one night when she backed her car into his truck while he was at the donut shop celebrating his one year of self-imposed celibacy. Neither one was ready to start a new relationship, but their love story becomes as unique as they are in the novel A Little Love Story by Roland Merullo. Jake is a carpenter and painter; he's from a family that currently includes a drug addict and a monk for siblings. Janet is a personal assistant to the governor; she's from a background of guilt and illness. Their story includes trust, jealousy, bravery, humor, and support. It also includes a debilitating disease, Cystic Fibrosis. But their love grows in a very special way as they learn from one another about the meaning of happiness and healing.
She stopped and rested again. She coughed, looked away from me. "Until I met you, I never cared about living very much. I'd had so much time to get ready for the idea of being dead, you know. And being stuck in this body was not exactly a picnic."
I started to say something, but she waved at me not to.
"When you jumped in the river that time after I fell in, and you came up sputtering and slicked your hair back and it was all standing straight up, at that minute I started to care. I wanted to have some fun with you. I wanted to see if . . . I've never had that much real luck with men. I mean, I had boyfriends I liked, I had enough sex. But I always felt there had to be some deeper level of intimacy that I could get to, some truer connection I could feel . . . So now I know I was right about that, and I know what it feels like, and I want a few more years of it. That's what makes it shitty." She flung one hand, palm-inward, toward the window. "But I can deal with everything else, the fear and the mess and all the ugliness and everything. I just wanted to tell you that. I just want you to be able to deal with it, too." (pp. 196-197)
An extremely touching story told by the male character, A Little Love Story explores the strength and sacrifices that love brings to a very special couple. I loved this book and recommend it to others.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Digital Fortress
Susan's mind was racing --- Ensei Tankado wrote a program that creates unbreakable codes! She could barely grasp the thought.
"Digital Fortress," Strathmore said. "That's what he's calling it. It's the ultimate counterintelligence weapon. If this program hits the market, every third grader with a modem will be able to send codes the NSA can't break. Our intelligence will be shot."
But Susan's thoughts were far removed from the political implications of Digital Fortress. She was still struggling to comprehend its existence. She'd spent her life breaking codes, firmly denying the existence of the ultimate code. Every code is breakable --- the Bergofsky Principle! She felt like an atheist coming face to face with God.
"If this code gets out," she whispered, "cryptography will become a dead science."
Strathmore nodded. "That's the least of our problems." (p. 38)
Digital Fortress by Dan Brown includes coded messages, suspense, a love story, international drama, and a plot with plenty of twists and turns. I've read the author's two other books that are quite popular (Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code), so I was anxious to try this one that dealt with computers instead of the Church. And I was not let down as a reader.
Susan Fletcher, the head of the NSA's Cryptography Division, must help break a code that is holding her agency's computer TRANSLTR hostage. Her fiancee has mysteriously been sent to Spain to find the pass-key. Employees that happen to be in the office on this particular weekend are slowly discovering that something major is happening in the secretive department that houses the closely guarded computer. And Susan's boss seems to be more involved in the situation that she originally suspected. Susan soon finds she is not sure who or what to trust. Lives are at stake and so is the security of our country's secrets.
I very much enjoyed Digital Fortress and recommend it to others who enjoy Dan Brown's books. It is true to Brown's style and the story was an easy, quick, and suspenseful read that kept me turning the pages from beginning to end.
"Digital Fortress," Strathmore said. "That's what he's calling it. It's the ultimate counterintelligence weapon. If this program hits the market, every third grader with a modem will be able to send codes the NSA can't break. Our intelligence will be shot."
But Susan's thoughts were far removed from the political implications of Digital Fortress. She was still struggling to comprehend its existence. She'd spent her life breaking codes, firmly denying the existence of the ultimate code. Every code is breakable --- the Bergofsky Principle! She felt like an atheist coming face to face with God.
"If this code gets out," she whispered, "cryptography will become a dead science."
Strathmore nodded. "That's the least of our problems." (p. 38)
Digital Fortress by Dan Brown includes coded messages, suspense, a love story, international drama, and a plot with plenty of twists and turns. I've read the author's two other books that are quite popular (Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code), so I was anxious to try this one that dealt with computers instead of the Church. And I was not let down as a reader.
Susan Fletcher, the head of the NSA's Cryptography Division, must help break a code that is holding her agency's computer TRANSLTR hostage. Her fiancee has mysteriously been sent to Spain to find the pass-key. Employees that happen to be in the office on this particular weekend are slowly discovering that something major is happening in the secretive department that houses the closely guarded computer. And Susan's boss seems to be more involved in the situation that she originally suspected. Susan soon finds she is not sure who or what to trust. Lives are at stake and so is the security of our country's secrets.
I very much enjoyed Digital Fortress and recommend it to others who enjoy Dan Brown's books. It is true to Brown's style and the story was an easy, quick, and suspenseful read that kept me turning the pages from beginning to end.
Monday, June 8, 2009
An Hour to Live, an Hour to Love
This is a love story, but it also reveals a love affair with life. Our love is an example of what is possible in all relationships. Any one of us can take the time to notice and appreciate the gifts of any significant person, whether it is a spouse, parent, child, brother, sister, teacher, or friend. Why do we hold back what is in our hearts and take for granted those special people with whom we spend the most time? People want to know that they lived well, and loved well, and each of us has the power to share this gift. The most important question we can ask is: What kind of relationships do we want to have, and how can we nourish others so that we are nourished? Why wait to share the meaning of those relationships and withhold the gift of giving the most extraordinary kind of love --- heartfelt appreciation? We can all leave this world as complete as Richard did by taking the time to reflect on the meaning of our most significant connections and how we can best serve. Why are you waiting? (pp. 49-50)
An Hour to Live, an Hour to Love: The True Story of the Best Gift Ever Given by Richard Carlson and Kristine Carlson is a tribute in memory of Richard Carlson by his wife Kristine after his sudden death a few years ago. On their 18th anniversary, Richard presented Kristine with a letter that addresses the questions "If you had one hour to live and could make just one phone call, who would you call? What would you say? And why are you waiting?" Kristine found it a beautiful piece of writing that expressed Richard's love of life and his love for his family. The first part of the book is the letter she received on their anniversary and the second part is a reflection by Kristine of that letter. A touching book that demonstrates the idea of eternal love, the reminder of living each day as if it were the last, and the gift of a special relationship between two people, An Hour to Live, an Hour to Love is a brief book (only 60 pages) that will leave the reader with a very warm feeling inside. The book is a nice reminder of the special love we share with the people in our lives. I especially enjoyed the poem at the end.
I think I will go hug my loved ones now.
An Hour to Live, an Hour to Love: The True Story of the Best Gift Ever Given by Richard Carlson and Kristine Carlson is a tribute in memory of Richard Carlson by his wife Kristine after his sudden death a few years ago. On their 18th anniversary, Richard presented Kristine with a letter that addresses the questions "If you had one hour to live and could make just one phone call, who would you call? What would you say? And why are you waiting?" Kristine found it a beautiful piece of writing that expressed Richard's love of life and his love for his family. The first part of the book is the letter she received on their anniversary and the second part is a reflection by Kristine of that letter. A touching book that demonstrates the idea of eternal love, the reminder of living each day as if it were the last, and the gift of a special relationship between two people, An Hour to Live, an Hour to Love is a brief book (only 60 pages) that will leave the reader with a very warm feeling inside. The book is a nice reminder of the special love we share with the people in our lives. I especially enjoyed the poem at the end.
I think I will go hug my loved ones now.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Eventide
Carrie had so much to say to Graham. Years of dialogue, ages of stories. It was as if they were nearly one person --- or two sides of a coin. So alike, and yet so completely different. Their lives had viewed completely different worlds. Now, here, they faced each other again.
She wanted to know if she'd been wrong. Was it sin, failure, obsession? She hadn't really carried the torch for him; there was a life to prove it, and yet, had he ever left her? Was a little part of "laying down your life for your friends" also holding a bit of love for someone whom everyone would say to forget?
God, I have to know. Don't I need to know?
...
"Carrie," Graham said, and she marveled at hearing him speak her name again. "What's it all for?" he asked again.
Another of the questions without answers, she thought. And yet, Carrie knew with a peaceful setting inside that it was okay; the answers were unanswerable, at least in this world. But she'd know in just a little while.
She said with eyes closed, "Maybe everything is really all about eternity." (pp.263-264)
Eventide: the time from when the sun begins to set until total darkness has descended. Eventide by Cindy Martinusen is just that, a story about that reflective time when a day, a love, a secret, or a life comes to its end. Three lives that were involved over twenty years ago are again brought together when one of them is dying, one of them is trying to find out secrets from the past, and one of them is still trying to escape secrets from the past. As young adults, Carrie and Graham shared a very special first love for a very short time. It ended badly. Lauren, a devoted friend, helps Carrie overcome her broken heart. Each then moves on from their injured pasts to journey forward in life in ways they see best. But are they accepting, ignoring, or escaping what haunts them most?
How poignant. How like him. His life was all about keeping secrets alive, living with their pain, holding them close. And yet, he didn't want to face those secrets, didn't want them shown in the light. Yes, it was always about what he hadn't done. The promises he hadn't kept, and the dark secrets he held like a knife to jab his own chest. (p.297)
Lauren discovers that Graham was supposed to have buried a box in Italy the summer that he and Carrie fell in love. She locates Graham and asks for the box's location, then informs him that Carrie is dying. Lauren begins an adventure that is out of her nature; but, she ignores this fact and goes through with it for her best friend Carrie. Graham, in the meantime, finds himself docking in Harper's Bay. He feels that he owes Carrie an explanation so that she can be at peace. He also worries about his secret that was left in the buried box, a secret that he has been running from for most of his life that needs to be reconciled. Carrie is preparing for her imminent death. She wants the people that she loves to understand that she has few regrets for the short life she has lived and accepted. She also hopes that her secret in the buried box will help someone discover a past that needs to be revealed.
God wanted her trust, not just her devotion, she realized. Trust and faith --- it was walking blindly sometimes and believing in the One who held your hand. (p. 302)
A beautiful story of trust and faith, life and death, love and fear, Eventide portrays each in a simple and touching way. I very much enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to others.
She wanted to know if she'd been wrong. Was it sin, failure, obsession? She hadn't really carried the torch for him; there was a life to prove it, and yet, had he ever left her? Was a little part of "laying down your life for your friends" also holding a bit of love for someone whom everyone would say to forget?
God, I have to know. Don't I need to know?
...
"Carrie," Graham said, and she marveled at hearing him speak her name again. "What's it all for?" he asked again.
Another of the questions without answers, she thought. And yet, Carrie knew with a peaceful setting inside that it was okay; the answers were unanswerable, at least in this world. But she'd know in just a little while.
She said with eyes closed, "Maybe everything is really all about eternity." (pp.263-264)
Eventide: the time from when the sun begins to set until total darkness has descended. Eventide by Cindy Martinusen is just that, a story about that reflective time when a day, a love, a secret, or a life comes to its end. Three lives that were involved over twenty years ago are again brought together when one of them is dying, one of them is trying to find out secrets from the past, and one of them is still trying to escape secrets from the past. As young adults, Carrie and Graham shared a very special first love for a very short time. It ended badly. Lauren, a devoted friend, helps Carrie overcome her broken heart. Each then moves on from their injured pasts to journey forward in life in ways they see best. But are they accepting, ignoring, or escaping what haunts them most?
How poignant. How like him. His life was all about keeping secrets alive, living with their pain, holding them close. And yet, he didn't want to face those secrets, didn't want them shown in the light. Yes, it was always about what he hadn't done. The promises he hadn't kept, and the dark secrets he held like a knife to jab his own chest. (p.297)
Lauren discovers that Graham was supposed to have buried a box in Italy the summer that he and Carrie fell in love. She locates Graham and asks for the box's location, then informs him that Carrie is dying. Lauren begins an adventure that is out of her nature; but, she ignores this fact and goes through with it for her best friend Carrie. Graham, in the meantime, finds himself docking in Harper's Bay. He feels that he owes Carrie an explanation so that she can be at peace. He also worries about his secret that was left in the buried box, a secret that he has been running from for most of his life that needs to be reconciled. Carrie is preparing for her imminent death. She wants the people that she loves to understand that she has few regrets for the short life she has lived and accepted. She also hopes that her secret in the buried box will help someone discover a past that needs to be revealed.
God wanted her trust, not just her devotion, she realized. Trust and faith --- it was walking blindly sometimes and believing in the One who held your hand. (p. 302)
A beautiful story of trust and faith, life and death, love and fear, Eventide portrays each in a simple and touching way. I very much enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to others.
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