Mary E. Trimble

The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom is a poignant novel of a great guitarist who touches lives in almost magical ways. The story begins in Spain, 1936.

Frankie Presto, orphaned at birth, is raised by the man who rescues him, then later by a blind musician who, in addition to teaching Frankie the guitar, teaches him about life. When Frankie is nine, his life changes drastically when he is sent to America in the bottom of a ship. The only thing he is able to take with him is an old guitar and six precious strings.

The Voice of Music narrates the story, interspersed by such great musicians as Wynton Marsalis, Duke Ellington, Bruce Springsteen, Hank Williams, Tony Bennett, and many more. Even Elvis makes an appearance. Frankie becomes a world-renowned musician, playing from classical to jazz to rock and roll. His magnificent talent touches numerous lives along the way.

The story covers many years, beginning with World War II to present day. Its enriching wisdom makes this book a classic with thoughts such as: “Music is in the connection of human souls speaking a language that needs no words.”

I’ve read and reviewed other excellent books by Mitch Albom, but this book is in a class by itself. Musicians, especially guitarists, will love this book. Actually, anyone who loves music will cherish this story. I highly recommend The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto.

Book Review: The Girl from Charnelle

Posted on February 21, 2022 by Mary

The Girl from Charnelle by K. L. Cook grabbed my attention from beginning to end. The novel begins in the Panhandle town of Charnelle, Texas, 1958. We read the story from Laura Tate’s perspective.

Laura was only 14 when her mother left the family and Laura was thrust into the role of “woman of the house,” cooking, keeping house and caring for her three brothers while her father struggled with the reality of being a single parent.

A couple of years later, at a 1960 New Year’s Eve community party, John Letiz, a married man twice Laura’s age, makes a pass at her. She’s flattered, but shocked. For one thing, John Letiz is a friend and work colleague of her father’s. For another, Laura babysits for the Letizes’ two little boys. But John is an attractive man and, it seems, persistent.

Laura and John embark on an affair. John warns her that no one, absolutely no one, should know. It’s dangerous. He could go to jail. Although she’s thrilled when he picks her up at their out-of-the way meeting place, she finds it demeaning when she has to crouch down on the floor of the front seat so they are not seen together. Charnelle is a small town. People know one another and they talk. The two meet on a scheduled basis and Laura feels their love becoming more intense. She dreams of having John all to herself, of not having to hide their love. She becomes weary of sneaking around. Her girlfriends talk about their dates and she yearns to tell them about John. In the meantime, she accepts baby-sitting jobs with the Letizes and plays her various roles simultaneously as daughter, sister, baby sitter, student, and lover.

But as we know, these encounters do not end well.

The Girl from Charnelle is an amazing read with realistic thoughts, actions and encounters. Later, I was surprised to learn that the author, K. L. Cook, is a man. His insight to a young girl’s thoughts and emotions is impressive. This novel kept me alternately filled with dread and spellbound, page after page. I highly recommend this book not only for adults, but to teens who might benefit from understanding the reality and far-reaching consequences of illicit affairs.

Book Review: Brave Girl, Quiet Girl

Posted on February 14, 2022 by Mary

Brave Girl, Quiet Girl by Catherine Ryan Hyde is yet another powerful novel by a highly competent, prolific writer. Hyde’s writing allows the reader to get into the heads of her characters. I could see the world from the eyes of the various personalities, could feel their pain, their anxiety, and their fragile grip on hope.

The story takes place in present day Los Angeles. Brooke uses every excuse she can to get away from her over-bearing mother. Brooke, thirty-nine, divorced with a two-year-old daughter, Etta, is financially forced to live with her mother. Although Brooke begrudgingly acknowledges gratitude that her mother lets her stay there, the woman is so negative and overbearing that Brooke must get out of the house. Because her own car is old and untrustworthy, she borrows her mother’s elegant Mercedes to take her daughter, Etta, to a movie.

After the movie they return to the car and Brooke dutifully straps little Etta into her up-to-code car seat in the backseat of the car. Brooke has just settled behind the steering wheel when a carjacker rips open the door, drags her out of the car, climbs in, and drives off. Brooke watches, terrified and helpless, as the car speeds down the street, with Etta still in her car seat.

On the other side of town, Molly, only sixteen, is living on the streets in a bad section of Los Angeles. She’s been homeless ever since her mother kicked her out of their Utah home. Unbelievably, on her way to the wooden crate she calls “home,” she finds a baby, on the sidewalk, still in her car seat, abandoned. Molly looks around for the mother, but finds no one looking for this sweet child. Shielding the little girl from possible, if not likely danger, she tries to find help, to notify police. Her cell phone stopped working months ago. Danger lurks everywhere. This baby could be a gold-mine for people with evil intentions.

Brave Girl, Quiet Girl is a gripping story, with huge dollops of compassion across generations and financial circumstances. I highly recommend this compelling and emotional novel.

Book Review: Miners’ Moon

Posted on February 7, 2022 by Mary

Miners’ Moon, the fourth novel of “A Nellie Burns and Moonshine Mystery” series by Julie Weston, is a suspenseful thriller that takes place in northern Idaho during Prohibition.

Nellie Burns, a crime photographer, and Sheriff Charlie Astenguigoiri travel from central to northern Idaho on an assignment to investigate bootlegging activities. While there, a mine explosion draws them into a second investigation. They send home for their friend, a retired miner, Ross (Rosy) Kipling, to help them solve the mine explosion. Rosy brings Nellie’s black lab, Moonshine—named after the silvery light of the moon, not illegally made distilled alcohol.

Charlie tramps the hills and valleys of the back country searching for illegal stills, often found in abandoned mines. In the meantime, Nellie questions survivors of the mine explosion. Was the explosion sabotage or a just a terrible accident in which six men died and many more injured? She takes pictures of the survivors and of scenes that might help solve the mystery. Her dog, at her side whenever possible, plays an important life-saving role in Nellie’s quest for the truth. In the meantime, Rosy pretends to seek work as a miner and descends the principal mine to learn what caused the explosion. Eventually, all three descend the depths of the mine, with potentially disastrous results.

Miners’ Moon is rich in mining details—its methods and terminology. It’s a dirty, smelly, unhealthy occupation, with miners at the mercy of the company. The forming of unions is discouraged, sometimes violently so. The novel also is informative about Prohibition and its ramifications, which often involved complicity of local officials. The interaction between the characters is fun and brings hope that Nellie and Charlie may finally have more than a business relationship.

I very much enjoyed Miners’ Moon and found this latest book of the series as captivating as its prequels. The suspenseful story kept me intrigued from beginning to end.

Book Review: Blessing in Disguise

Posted on January 30, 2022 by Mary

Blessing in Disguise, a fun, suspenseful novel by Lauraine Snelling, is the sixth and last book of the “Red River of the North” series. I’ve loved them all, but Blessing in Disguise is my favorite. The story toggles between Blessing, North Dakota and Ipswich, South Dakota, 1889.

In Valdres, Norway, Augusta Bjorklund is heart-broken when she learns her intended bridegroom has married someone else. Their plan was that he would make his way to America, then send for her. Now she learns that her elderly widowed mother who has immigrated to Blessing, North Dakota, needs her. Her heart isn’t convinced it’s what she wants to do, but she feels obligated. Unfortunately, she didn’t take advice from others to first learn English. She’ll have plenty of time to learn English once she’s in America.

Rancher Kane Moyer is ready to marry. He has established a successful ranch and built a house fit for a new bride. He plans to go to the nearest town, Ispwich, some distance from his ranch, to pick up his Norwegian mail-order bride. Unfortunately, a letter written to him by his intended saying she will be detained for one month hasn’t reached him yet.

Once in America, Augusta makes her way to St. Paul, Minnesota, but not understanding the ticket agent’s directions, boards the wrong train and ends up in Ispwich, South Dakota.

By the time Kane makes his way to Ispwich with his horse-drawn wagon, the train has already arrived and there she is, waiting. She’s actually prettier than he imagined, but she doesn’t speak a word of English, and he speaks no Norweigian. She apparently had someone else write her letters to him. They resort to miming. She says something about Blessing, and he agrees that it’s a blessing they have finally met.

In the meantime, Augusta’s family is alarmed that she hasn’t arrived in Blessing. Her brother goes in search of her.

Blessing in Disguise is full of details of life in the early days of North and South Dakota. Having read the previous five books of the series, many of the characters were like old friends. I enjoyed learning about the way industrious Norwegians managed to build their homes and businesses from raw materials, such as sod and later timber that they cut down themselves. The people of Blessing centered their lives around their faith, were loyal to their community, and persevered when going got tough. Blessing in Disguise is a reminder of how our nation was founded and the many sacrifices our early pioneers made.

Book Review: The Midwife of Hope River

Posted on January 24, 2022 by Mary

The Midwife of Hope River: A Novel of an American Midwife by Patricia Harman is one of those books that I dreaded reaching the end—I loved it so much. The story’s moving and uplifting theme transported me to a different place, to a new level of awareness.

Widowed Midwife Patience Murphy, 36, struggles against poverty in Appalachia during the late 1920s and early 1930s, where the Great Depression has brought even more misery to an impoverished area. To Patience, delivering babies is her calling. It makes no difference if the parents are black or white. Her job is to help deliver new life, to try her best to make the event a blessing, a celebration. She has no tolerance for those doctors who won’t treat blacks, who will neither call on them at home nor allow them in the “white” hospitals. There are separations in most areas of West Virginia lives, but to the midwife, there is no difference. A new life is sacred.

Daniel Hester, a taciturn Hope River veterinarian, and Patience cross paths from time to time, usually out of necessity. Hester has a passion for animals, especially horses, but doesn’t seem to need a human in his life.

Patience is no angel, she has a past and there’s always the lurking fear of it catching up to her. She also struggles financially. Sometimes she doesn’t get paid at all for her delivery assistance; sometimes it’s a loaf of bread or a few pounds of potatoes. But there’s never a question as to whether or not she’ll help.

A lasting relationship between Daniel and Patience seems unlikely, but sometimes life takes an interesting twist.

The author’s real-life experience as a midwife brings authenticity to the story. Written in diary form, the book’s rich characters and vivid descriptions of what true poverty looks like result in a story to remember. I highly recommend The Midwife of Hope River.

Book Review: True Grit

Posted on January 10, 2022 by Mary

True Grit by Charles Portis brought me many hours of reading pleasure. The book was first published in 1968. Two movies of the same title have also been produced. The first one, staring John Wayne and Kim Darby was released in 1969, and the second in 2010 staring Jeff Bridges and Hailee Steinfield. I saw both movies, preferring the John Wayne version. The movie, particularly the John Wayne production, follows the book quite closely, so as I was reading I could picture each scene, not only by the author’s vivid descriptions, but also from my memory of seeing the scenes on the big screen. It is one of my all-time favorite stories.

The story takes place in western Arkansas and in Indian Territory, 1873. Mattie Ross, 14, who lives with her mother and siblings near Dardanelle, Arkansas, seeks justice for her father’s murder. The man who killed him, Tom Chaney, worked for her father, but killed him when they were in Fort Smith on a business trip. Mattie travels to Fort Smith in search of someone with grit, someone who could help her bring the murderer to justice. She finds Deputy Marshall Rooster Cogburn, a hard-drinking, irreverent, one-eyed man who reluctantly takes on the job. Another man, a Texas Ranger also seeks the outlaw on another matter. Much to Mattie’s dismay, the Marshall allows the Ranger to join them on their quest.

The story is told in first person by Mattie, but is recounted decades later. Mattie is an intelligent, determined girl, wise beyond her years and fearless in her quest to avenge her father’s death. The banter between the three of them is extremely entertaining; in fact, all encounters with the girl are enjoyable. She has a quick, unflinching mind, spunk, and grit. It’s winter and not a comfortable time to travel, but she takes it in stride, uncomplaining. She’s wise, fair, and outspoken. A pure joy.

I highly recommend True Grit to anyone who loves a good western. I appreciated the authenticity, the description of clothing, of guns and equipment used, of the attitudes of the people, and revisiting the lawlessness of the period. I enjoyed the banter between Mattie and those she encountered. The book held my attention, made me chuckle, and even though I knew the ending from the movies, the colorful narrative kept me riveted to Mattie’s determination to seek justice.

Book Review: Family Trees

Posted on January 3, 2022 by Mary

Family Trees: A Novel of the Northwest by Linda Crew is a multi-layered story of a large family-owned timberland company near Corvallis, Oregon. The story mostly takes place in 2009, but occasionally toggles back to different time periods.

The two main characters, Will Trask and Bridget Garland have known one another for years. Will’s deceased wife was a Garland, owners of the timber company. Will, the son of a logger, is a well-respected forestry consultant and real estate agent. He straddles two worlds: those who own the forests and those who cut them down. Will has two sons, one just starting college and the other, sixteen, still at home.

Bridget Garland, sick of her husband John’s infidelities, is ending their almost twenty-year marriage. She never has felt like one of the Garland family. Bridget is a popular physical therapist, not an occupation the Garland’s embrace. Bridget and John have one daughter who is just starting college.

The community looks to the Garlands for many leadership roles, college grants and other philanthropic endeavors. Will has always played a reluctant part in this aspect of the family business. Now that Bridget is divorcing John, she won’t be a participant either. Will and Bridget are drawn together with many common interests. Bridget has always admired Will, his strength and integrity. Will finds that he enjoys being with Bridget—she’s fun and lively. They share many common interests—but he can’t seem to let go of his wife’s memory and the guilt associated with her death.

When a surprising incident occurs, it becomes a true test of character. Will those involved be able to cope and move on?

I thoroughly enjoyed Family Trees. I appreciated learning about large family-owned businesses, their community responsibilities, and their struggles to get along with one another. I also enjoyed Will and Bridget’s individual family dynamics, particularly as the young college-age children perceived their parents in a different light, often not favorably. I also enjoyed venturing into Oregon’s forested wilderness, and learning what it takes to keep this valuable resource sustainable.

Book Review: Slanted Light

Posted on December 27, 2021 by Mary

“What’s wrong is seldom one thing; it’s one more thing.”

Slanted Light, a novel by Teddy Jones, is a compelling contemporary novel of a Texas family in crisis.

Claire Havlicek’s world is falling apart. Professionally, she seems successful. She’s a nurse practitioner and owns two clinics. The clinics are a few miles apart and she sees patients at both. But there’s never enough time and she often needs to bring work home just to keep up with the endless record keeping.

Claire’s husband, C.J. is a cattle rancher and is constantly fighting to keep the ranch profitable in a years-long drought. Their ranch, located near the small town of Jackson’s Pond in the Texas Panhandle, has been in Claire’s family for generations.

Amy, their thirteen year-old daughter, is flirting with bulimia, influenced by two trouble-making friends. Jay Frank, Amy’s sensitive younger brother, senses his family is in trouble. He’s frightened, but doesn’t know how to help.

When Claire suspects that her husband is being sought after by another woman, a fellow member of the local stockman’s association, she’s terrified that her marriage is threatened. C.J. has often said Claire doesn’t have time for them, that she seems to care more for her patients than her family.

Troubles are piling up and Claire collapses under the strain. What comes next is a tribute to extended family, to the ability to recognize human weakness, and to find the necessary resilience to make change.

I enjoyed Slanted Light and found the characters to be realistic and in tune with modern-day situations. I appreciated learning about the role of nurse practitioners and associated health care clinics, and about the unique challenges in modern-day cattle ranching in Texas.

Book Review—Before the Alamo: A Tejana’s Story

Posted on December 20, 2021 by Mary

Before the Alamo: A Tejana’s Story, a well-researched historical fiction by Florence Byham Weinberg, takes place in Béxar de San Antonio, Texas in the years 1814 – 1836.

Emilia Altamirano, half Native American, half Spanish, was a “love child,” the illegitimate daughter of a married Royalist officer and his servant, an Otomi Indian. Emilia and her loving mother were very close and although treated as slaves, treasured their time together. As she grew, Emilia sought someone who could teach her to read and write. Her teacher took great interest in her and paved the way for her to act as page for the town’s City Council. Later, during a devastating cholera epidemic, she learned nursing skills from her mother.

From early childhood, Emilia loved a boy from her village, Dámaso Jiménez. After much confusion and delay, both from a trauma suffered by Emilia, and from Dámaso being conscripted into the Mexican Army at gun-point, they finally marry.

After Mexico won its independence from Spanish rule, Anglos began pouring into Texas. Many were unruly, didn’t care to learn the country’s language, customs, or religion. The gringos appropriated land they were not entitled to, and strove for independence from Mexico. The Battle of the Alamo ensued with Emilia serving as a nurse and Dámaso fighting alongside Anglo defenders to free Texas from Mexican rule.

Before the Alamo is a rich, engaging novel. Although based on history, the story also features fictitious characters and viewpoints typical of average people. The book gave me fresh perspective of the Battle of the Alamo from a Tejana (a Texan female of Hispanic descent) point of view. Weinberg’s descriptions of period clothing, food and most importantly attitudes of the time, make this a valuable resource of Texas history.