Book Review: The Whistling Season

whistling

Every once in awhile a book of pure excellence comes along and, for me, Ivan Doig’s The Whistling Season has reached that level.

In 1909 change was in store for the Milliron family. The story is told in the voice of a reminiscing Montana school supervisor when he was 13 years old, The oldest of three sons, Paul is a precocious child who takes his responsibilities seriously. His father counts on him, especially since the boys’ mother died the year before.

The family manages, but the house is usually in disarray. Besides keeping up his farm at Marias Coulee, Montana, the father works as a drayman for a diversion canal under construction, and is president of the local school board. Housework and cooking naturally aren’t at the top of chores that manage to get done. When the father sees a housekeeper’s work wanted ad in the newspaper, the family’s interest is piqued. It is puzzling though when they learn through the ad that the housekeeper, though well qualified, does not cook. Can’t all women cook?

When the new housekeeper Rose and her brother Morrie crash into the Millirons’ lives, immediate change transforms the household. Through a death, serious accident, a vengeful family and a puzzling mystery, every member of the family responds for the good of the whole. These are tough folks, people who must take life as it’s served to them. How they measure up to the challenges shows the caliber of grit it takes to survive the dryland Montana prairie.

The entire book takes place primarily between the Milliron’s modest farmhouse and the one-room schoolhouse that serves grades one through eight.

The Whistling Season unfolds with the flawless assurance of an acclaimed storyteller. The landscape and characters are vivid, as is the emotional depth of the novel. It’s a story guaranteed to pop into readers’ minds with gentle reminders of the book’s every-day situations. The Whistling Season is a masterpiece.

Book Review: Home Fires

Home FiresJudith Kirscht’s Home Fires is a noteworthy and timely novel dealing with a family gone awry.

Myra and Derek Benning and their teenage children, Peter and Susan, appear to live a privileged life. Susan has a few social issues, but there’s love and strong bonds between the parents and children, and they’re a happy family. Myra feels blessed to have a handsome, successful husband and thankful for their enduring love. A phone call shatters her serenity and plunges the marriage into chaos.

Guilt, anger, and surmounting worry consume Myra. But then, an even more serious situation surfaces with daughter Susan and immediate action must be taken. Myra does what she must do, but at a price that affects every member of the family.

The story takes place on the Santa Barbara, CA coast and the author beautifully sets the various scenes, making the reader feel as though she breathes the salty air while walking along the beach, strolls quaint streets of the water-front town, or skims along waves while sailing the Santa Barbara Channel.

Although the subject matter is serious, Home Fires is an enjoyable read. Kirscht handles the subject of a complicated dysfunctional family with finesse. The various facets of the story are believable with realistic dialog and situations. Home Fires is an excellent novel, one I enjoyed immensely. Even when I wasn’t reading it, the story was on my mind, trying to second-guess the outcome.

Home Fires is currently available in ebook format, but soon also will be available in paperback. For more information about Judith Kirscht, visit www.JudithKirscht.com

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Book Review: Think Like Your Dog

ThinkLikeYourDogDogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.
Roger Caras, as quoted in Think Like Your         Dog: and Enjoy the Rewards

Dianna M. Young (with Robert H. Mottram) has shown with undeniable expertise the value of communicating with your dog in a language canines understand. In Think Like Your Dog: and Enjoy the Rewards, Young gives readers the step by step process necessary to have a canine companion to bond with in a rewarding relationship.

The most important lesson to be learned is that in every human and dog team, there is one leader and one follower. In a dog’s eyes, there is no in-between. Young clearly reiterates this principle throughout the book and gives understandable examples of how it can be achieved.

Think Like Your Dog discusses the important steps to take when your pup is first brought home, which ideally is not before eight weeks of age. Those first eight weeks with the pup’s mother assure that the puppy will get a strong foundation in tems of behavioral characteristics it will possess for the rest of its life. The next eight weeks with the new owner are critical in providing socialization skills, exposing him to people, kids, trains, buses, other dogs, noisy places, crowded places. Further, the pup should go through these experiences on his own four feet, not to be scooped up in the protective arms of his owner.

Each chapter in this valuable book discusses how a dog views the various elements of his life. The reader learns how a dog thinks through our verbal and body language, the senses and how all that relates to his comprehension. She discusses the various breeds and how they may differ when it comes to choosing a family pet. She talks about getting a dog as a puppy, or a mature dog and, in either case, how to proceed with meaningful training.

It’s important to have the proper dog equipment and in the book various types are illustrated and explained. Methods of training are outlined, with emphasis on positive reinforcement. The importance of a structured environment, patience and compassion are directly related to a successful dog and handler relationship.

Our chocolate lab Toby is 10 years old, yet I learned techniques in this book that we can use to enhance our family’s relationship with him. Not only that, I’ve learned the mistakes we’ve made, primarily relating to getting him too young, at five weeks, before he had that essential time with his mother.

Think Like Your Dog: and Enjoy the Rewards makes an ideal all-in-one reference book. It’s an enjoyable read with interesting stories and photos emphasizing the various principles Young teaches. For more information about the author and her training and boarding facility on Camano Island, visit: www.HowtoThinkLikeYourDog.com

Review: The Heart Trilogy

In The Heart Trilogy, Carmen Peone has skillfully created three novels about a Native girl in the emerging American West. Filled with heart and compassion, the character Spupaleena grows in skill, knowledge, leadership, and in her relationship with her newly found Christian God.

Change of Heart

 

Change of Heart

When Spupaleena, 13, runs away from her Arrow Lakes pit home near Eastern Washington’s Columbia River, she escapes from more than a bossy big sister. But she doesn’t consider the difficulty of traveling by foot in the dead of winter. Change of Heart is a story of survival, compassion, love and enduring faith.

 

 

Heart of Courage

 

Heart of Courage

Spupaleena,16,dreams of breeding and racing horses. Although her father is against her pursuing this male-dominated sport, Spupaleena feels that God has put into her heart the love of horses and that she is fulfilling her destiny. She receives a gift of a four year-old Tobiano stud colt that is ready to ride and a perfect match for Spupaleena’s enthusiasm and skill. Heart of Courage is a story of a girl determined to fulfill her destiny.

 

Heart of Passion

Heart of Passion

Spupaleena, now in her late teens, has built a stable of powerful race horses. Her team of relay racers are consistent winners, much to the chagrin of a vengeful boy. Passionate about her vocation, Spupaleena overcomes many obstacles, including both human and horse injuries. She turns to God for direction in how to handle her enemy, this boy who is determined to see her fail. Heart of Passion is a story of compassion, faith and determination.

 

Carmen Peone has written an engaging trilogy steeped in Native American and religious culture. She lives on the Colville Confederated Indian Reservation and has studied the language and customs of her husband’s people, the Sinyekst. With her American Paint horses she has competed in local Extreme Trail Challenges. It’s no wonder The Heart Trilogy rings true with knowledge and authority. For more information about the author, visit www.CarmenPeone.com

Book Review: Wild

WildTP_Books-330 (1)

 

I love a title with more than one meaning. In this case. Wild can refer to the idea of hiking more than a thousand miles of the 2,663 mile Pacific Crest Trail, the wild trail itself, and even to the author, particularly in her former life. Wild by Cheryl Strayed is well named.

When Cheryl Strayed contemplated hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) she had no idea of the magnitude of her impulsive decision. She was totally unprepared for this rugged endeavor. She had researched the trail a bit, inquired and shopped for equipment at REI, and bought a trail guide. But she hadn’t done any preliminary back-packing to test her equipment, nor to build up her stamina. Indeed, she’d never backpacked at all, only day-hiked.

She starts her journey at the south end of the trail, near the Mexican border. She actually packs her backpack for the first time in the motel room the morning she is to begin her journey. She can barely lift it off the floor. She soon learns that her boots don’t fit her correctly, a mistake that plagues her during the entire trip. When she encounters snow and ice, she’s woefully unprepared and under equipped. Although she has arranged to have relief packages mailed to herself along the way, she underestimated the amount of money she’d need.

Still, over the next several weeks she strives on, overcomes fear and struggles through pain and extreme exhaustion. Her daily mileage is at first pathetic, but she eventually achieves an impressive 17 to 19 miles per day. Strayed’s appreciation of the beauty around her bolsters her morale. Her intention is to achieve this ambitious feat alone and for the most part, she is alone, though she encounters a few people along the way. She gains a reputation among other hikers and is dubbed “Queen of the PCT.”

Strayed skillfully includes flashbacks of her life, many of which directly relate to the purpose of this seemingly insurmountable quest.

Coming from a “hippy” background, Strayed’s sense of values will undoubtably differ from many readers, perhaps even to an irritating degree, but her sense of achievement and dedication to her goal will inspire and resonate with many readers. The author’s writing style sparkles with vivid descriptions and humor as this incredible journey unfolds against all odds. To learn more about the author, visit www.CherylStrayed.com

 

Book Review: A Dog Named Boo

A-Dog-Named-Boo-SmallA Dog Named Boo:The Underdog with a Heart of Gold by Lisa J. Edwards is a moving account of a dog’s achievement despite his many disabilities, or perhaps because of them.

Lisa J. Edwards, a full time professional dog trainer and behavioral consultant, meets her match when she and her husband Lawrence adopt a dog they called Boo. As a dyslectic, Lisa suffers with learning disabilities as well as physical limitations. In addition, Lisa carriies emotional scars stemming from her childhood.

On a quick errand, Lisa encounters a box of puppies for sale. The runt of the litter, Boo is picked on by his siblings and it’s unlikely he’ll ever be adopted. But somehow a chord is struck between Lisa and the pup and she can’t resist taking him home.

Boo is a challenge from the beginning–it takes an entire year to potty train him. In puppy classes, he doesn’t respond to basic commands, which prove difficult and embarrassing for Lisa: a dog trainer who can’t train her own dog.

Still Lisa persists. She puts into practice her belief in gentle and effective positive reinforcement dog training, always reinforcing the good things and looking beyond the negative. Lisa learns that Boo actually has learning disabilities, physical limitations with vision problems and awkward motor skills. Still, in working with him, she finds talents that make Boo an exceptional therapy dog. Together they achieve
heights Lisa never dreamed possible.

For a heart-warming treat, I recommend A Dog Named Boo: The Underdog with a Heart of Gold. You’ll learn about the philosophy of training a dog, about life itself, and the power of persistence and unconditional love.

 

Book Review: Forgiving Effie Beck

Forgiving Effie BeckKaren Casey Fitzjerrell has done it again, she’s written another outstanding novel. In her first book, The Dividing Season, the native Texan spins a story set in the early 1900s. In her latest work, Forgiving Effie Beck, Fitzjerrell takes us to the Great Depression years, the decade preceding World War II.

Mike Lemay had been one of those men standing in endless bread lines, hungry, without sustainable work. When he’d left the indignities and human misery in North Carolina, he felt beaten. Through President Roosevelt’s New Deal program, he managed to get a job with the Federal Writer’s Project (FWP) to work as an interviewer. The idea of FWP was to interview people from all over the country and compile the stories into a series of volumes. With the promised pay, Mike would send money home to his younger brother and his family, who were also taking care of their widowed mother.

He walks and hitches cross country to the tiny town of Cooperville, Texas. He manages to find a place to stay at Cora Mae Travis’s place in a separate little building they call the tank house. Cora’s daughter, Jodean, handles the rental business along with their home-based beauty parlor she and her mother operate.

Almost immediately upon Mike’s arrival, an old-time resident, eccentric Effie Beck disappears. Although a recluse with few friends, Effie’s disappearance is a matter of concern and the townspeople organize and begin a search. Mike is drawn into the mystery.

Effie’s disappearance isn’t the only mystery. Mike senses that Jodean carries a secret. Cora Mae’s despicable attitude toward her daughter heightens the mystery. As Mike meets the townspeople, he must sort gossip from fact. There’s always plenty to talk about, but some people are close-lipped and Mike has to skillfully ferret out the truth.

Fitzgerrell draws her characters so clearly, I felt I’d known these people all my life. Each character is fine-tuned and as real as my next door neighbor. Rancher Red and Ada and their love for each other and their children is obvious, but then they, too, have a secret. Everyone knows that the sheriff’s wife has a secret, but really, they don’t have a clue as to the real story. As Mike delves into long-held secrets, all the while trying to solve Effie Beck’s disappearance, he learns about himself and faces his own needs.

For true reading pleasure, read this Depression-era novel. I couldn’t believe how fast the pages flew by. Dinner waited, bedtime waited, my own writing was put aside until I finished this compelling novel. I recommend reading this book straight through, then return to the Prologue for an intriguing full-circle.

Forgiving Effie Beck is available in trade paperback and ebook formats. For more information about the author, visit www.karencaseyfitzjerrell.com

Book Review: Loveland

loveland_w6692_3001Andrea Downing has crafted a masterpiece with Loveland. Her fast-paced romantic western keep readers wondering how the story can ever be resolved. The novel takes place in the mid-1880s, during the West’s glory days.

When ten-year old Lady Alexandra Calthorpe is wrenched from her uncle’s ranch during the night, she’s heart-broken. She screams for her best friend, Jesse, a ranch hand. But Jesse Makepeace and the others are powerless to help. The decision has been made: Lady Alex is returning to England.

Ten years later, Alex returns to Faringdon, the family ranch run by her uncle, near Loveland, Colorado. Now seventeen, she’s still the strong-willed girl she’s always been, but now she’s ready to resume the life she’s craved–to be a part of the ranch, make it her home. But, along with her fervor to become a rancher, she brings emotional baggage and scandalous history. Even though she comes from a high-society family, below the surface lurk dark secrets.

An emotional bond resumes between Alex and Jesse, but now Jesse, several years older than Alex, is dealing with a woman. As their romance blossoms, so do complications regarding the ranch and Alex’s past.

Downing is a strong writer who has written a worthy premiere novel. She handles romantic scenes with flair while showing the nitty-gritty of ranch life in the 1880s. Loveland is packed with action and emotion, leaving the reader wanting more. Loveland is one of those books I hated to have end. A hands-down five-star novel.

 

Book Review: Journey to Sand Castle

Journey to Sand Castle

 

Leslee Breene will touch your heart with Journey to Sand Castle. The book delves into many emotions, but the greatest is the healing power of love.

As Hurricane Katrina rages in New Orleans, divorced teacher Tess Cameron does what she can to help victims as they pour into the school for protection. Utter chaos leaves people in a panic: families are separated, there is little food and water, and no electricity. Hope of returning to their normal lives dwindles with every moment. As the people leave the school for more permanent shelters, Tess is left with a little bi-racial girl, Crystal, the daughter of a fellow teacher, a single mother, whose whereabouts is unknown. A three-legged cat is also thrown into the mix, a newly acquired pet of Crystal’s.

Tess’s teaching job and apartment are destroyed, but rather than seek temporary shelter with the other victims, she attempts to take Crystal to her grandfather in Sand Castle, Colorado in the San Luis Valley. When she finds the crusty, bitter man, she’s discouraged by his apparent disinterest in his granddaughter. Left in a quandary, but wanting to do the right thing for Crystal, Tess tries to find a job to tide her over until she can get her life, and the life of her little charge, in some kind of order. She learns that Grant Wilder, a widowed rancher/outfitter, needs a cook and someone to keep house. Tess isn’t much of a cook and has never considered herself anything more than a wandering spirit, a rolling stone, but for the sake of Crystal, accepts this temporary job and, with the little girl, moves onto the ranch.

The story develops into an exciting drama as fate spins its magic in the lives of those involved.

On a personal note, I was intrigued with the theme of Hurricane Katrina. As an American Red Cross volunteer, I spent several weeks in Louisiana assisting the victims of this horrendous disaster. I could relate to the profound loss and confusion of Katrina’s aftermath as Breene describes it in this novel.

I highly recommend Journey to Sand Castle. It’s a memorable novel of depth and redemption.

Book Review: A Yellowstone Savage

Yellowstone coverIn 1973, when Joyce Burke drives her 1967 Volkswagen from Chicago to Yellowstone National Park, she is thrilled with the freedom of the open road, yet apprehensive about leaving all that is familiar, her family and a fiance. She has accepted a seasonal job at the park, knows no one and doesn’t even know for sure what her job will be, other than the vague description Food and Beverage Clerk. During the peak of the park season, Yellowstone employs 1,500 people. Would she fit in?

As she drives further west, her initial exuberance and confidence are challenged–her car isn’t running quite right, she’s weary, a little homesick, and wonders if she’s doing the right thing. But, she sticks with her plan. She arrives amidst the confusion of new arrivals getting their work and housing assignments.

Joyce meets her roommate and together they explore. In time they become friends with others in their same situation. They name themselves “Yellowstone Savages” and find joy in this great park with its abundance of wildlife and rugged scenery.

Author Lohse does an outstanding job of bringing the reader into her life as a fledgling in unfamiliar territory, developing into a woman of confidence and compassion. She’s game to try new things, but retains her basic values. She experiences true, lasting friendships, is given additional responsibilities at work, and learns first-hand about the beautiful but fragile life cycle of wildlife and the wonder of the spectacular landscape of Yellowstone.

I highly recommend A Yellowstone Savage: Life in Nature’s Wonderland. Lohse’s experience makes a fascinating read. This e-version is the 25th Anniversary Revised Edition and contains pictures the original book did not have. It took courage to do what the author did, and courage to write about her experiences with such honesty. The book offers great insight into Yellowstone, America’s first national park, and the behind-the-scenes stories of what it takes to maintain it.