Book Review: The Pilot’s Wife

ThePilotsWifeAuthor Anita Shreve has added another winner to her long list of successes. The Pilot’s Wife grabbed me from the first page.

Someone knocking at your door at 3:24 in the morning is never good news. And it is bad news, unthinkable news. High School teacher Kathryn Lyon’s husband, Jack, a trans-Atlantic pilot with a plane load of passengers, crashed off the coast of Ireland. There were no survivors. The bearer of the tragic news is an airline union man, Robert Hart.

Mayhem breaks out. The media storms the house, the phone never stops ringing. Rumors start flying. But are they rumors?

Among Kathryn’s biggest worries is their daughter, Mattie, only fifteen. Jack and Mattie had a special relationship. When he was home, he made every minute with her count.

It’s Robert Hart’s job to stay with the family, help cushion the barrage of questions, answer the phone, monitor the awful, escalating situation.

Struggling through her grief and dealing with the reality of sudden widowhood, Kathryn begins pulling the threads of their life together. But something isn’t right, things don’t add up. A trip to London and eventually Ireland answers some of the questions, but then she’s left trying to deal with the truth.

The Pilot’s Wife, an Oprah’s Book Club winner, is highly suspenseful. The characters are well developed and the subject matter timely. This is a page-turner, a truly enjoyable read.

 

Book Review: A Dog’s Purpose

dogs_purpose_smYou don’t have to be a dog fancier to enjoy A Dog’s Purpose, but if you do love dogs, you won’t want to miss this amazing book by W. Bruce Cameron. The heartwarming story brings the reader into the lives of one soul reincarnated into several dogs’ lives.

The author shows real understanding of how a dog thinks and how he views the world and his sometimes strange humans. The dog’s first character, Toby, born of a feral mother, develops the skill of survival. The soul comes back as Bailey and he learns unconditional love and loyalty. As Ellie, now a female, she learns search and rescue. Finally, as Buddy, he finds himself at a loss to find his purpose until his search brings him to his ultimate destination and fulfillment.

I’ve had dogs all my life and I found this book a fascinating study. I wish I could have read A Dog’s Purpose years ago. One of our favorite dogs was Bo, a yellow Labrador Retriever. Now that I’ve read this book, I believe Bo’s soul had been around a long time. On the other hand, our current dog, Toby, a Chocolate Lab, has a newer, undeveloped soul. Even though Toby is a very immature 10 years old, he’ll never in this life achieve the enlightenment of the older, wiser soul of his predecessor.

One of the things I loved about this book was the author’s view of how a dog interprets our vocal and body language. The bottom line, what’s in it for him, is so true to life. Yet, a wise dog will perceive what his human needs and will do everything he can to make that happen.

A dog accepts us “as is,” unconditionally. Any dog needs basic training, and perhaps even more specialized training. Still, his wisdom and depth of personality likely will depend on his past experiences. After reading A Dog’s Purpose, I now know to be more accepting, to treasure and respect my dog’s current station in life.

Author Cameron not only draws believable dog characters, his humans are also realistic and well developed. A Dog’s Purpose is a memorable book.

Book Review: By Grace

By GraceBy Grace by Arletta Dawdy, the second book of The Hauchuca Trilogy, brings to the reader a fascinating chain of events.

Grace Pelham leaves Albany, New York, after her father’s death. Journeying to New York City via boat, she takes with her a small legacy and a desire to visit museums to further her art interests. She meets people on the boat who will prove to be life-long mentors and friends. An incident happens in New York that forces her to leave her new-found friends and a promising job.

Taking on another name, Grace flees west, enriching her artistic abilities and making friends along the way. Learning that the New York incident has made a turn for the worse, Grace moves further west, with yet another identity.

By Grace is a fast-pace novel. Through Grace, the author shows vast knowledge of art, design, jewelry, gems and 19th century landscape and customs. The book has a strong sense of place in the many regions Grace journeys. The author is skilled in character development and in keeping the reader engaged throughout the story.

I highly recommend Arletta Dawdy’s By Grace, available in print and ebook formats. To learn more about the author, visit www.ArlettaDawdy.com

Book Review: No Escape: The Sweetwater Tragedy

no-escape-coverWhen Susan Cameron arrives in Sweetwater Valley, Wyoming, she is full of hope for her new life. At last, she will answer to no one but herself–she is free to pursue her dream of owning her own land and making her own choices. She gets off to a rocky start, but undaunted, doggedly follows her plan to file for her own section of land. Along the way, she meets Michael O’Brien who shows a romantic interest in her. Susan, however, meets Michael’s every effort with frosty response. This is her time to prove herself and nothing, no one, will deter her.

Early on, Susan has the good fortune to meet her generous and helpful neighboring homesteaders, Ella and her husband Jim. Susan soon learns that cattlemen are actively making life miserable for homesteaders. The free grazing land cattlemen have used for years is being “ruined” by homesteaders’ houses, fences and crops, tying up precious water resources. The lawlessness and tragedy that follow is a bleak part of western history.

This excellent historical novel, No Escape: The Sweetwater Tragedy, by Jean Henry Mead, is based on an actual 1889 Wyoming incident involving the vigilante hangings of Ellen “Ella” Watson-Averell and her husband, James. The homesteaders were falsely accused of running a “brawdy” house” in exchange for rustled cattle. To carry the story, the author has drawn a fictitious character, a composite of thousands of single women who attempted to prove up on homesteads, some successfully, some not.

Versatile author Jean Henry Mead’s impeccable research is evident in this gripping fast-paced tale.

No Escape: The Sweetwater Tragedy by Jean Henry Mead is available in e-book and print formats.

Book Review: May the Road Rise Up to Meet You

May the Road Rise UpPeter Troy, author of May the Road Rise Up to Meet You writes a compelling story, weaving the lives of four main characters as they cope with turbulent times. The novel encompasses first Ireland and its Great Famine and then moves on to America just before and then during the Civil War. His description of the Civil War, seen through the eyes of these diverse characters, makes this novel a unique read. The book chronicles years 1853 through 1867.

Mary Wilkins, a slave,.is a young girl when she’s sold to a family who treats her kindly, but she is nevertheless a slave, unable to personally benefit from the beautiful garments she creates.

Ethan McOwen is only twelve when he leaves his grieving mother and aunt in Ireland to join his father and brother in America. For the first time in his life, he’s alone for the endless dangerous journey across the sea. He’s reunited with his father and brother whom he hasn’t seen for two years and his life begins again in America.

Micah, a slave, eventually gives himself the last name of Plowshare, but for much of his life, he is simply Micah. An extraordinary carpenter, he is much in demand, but has no control over his own life, and sees his skills benefit only his master. When it comes to rights, he’s on an equal par with a mule.

Marcella Arroyo, originally from Spain, is the daughter of a wealthy merchant, but becomes involved with the Abolition Movement to end slavery. In order to follow her heart, she must leave her father’s house to join others of like mind.

As the stories of these individuals unfold, I found myself embroiled in this great saga. Troy doesn’t always follow the rules of writing literature, but rather follows what captures your heart. His use of colloquial language and accents enriches the narrative. He skillfully balances the perils and joys of each life as they encounter one another. The ravages of the Civil War drive their individual stories, giving the reader insightful behind-the-scenes glimpses of America during this dark period.

I highly recommend May the Road Rise Up to Meet You. ‘Tis a book you’ll not soon forget.

Book Review: The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer

The_Emperor_of_all_MaladiesHow old is cancer? What are the roots of our battle against this disease? Where are we in the war against cancer? In this comprehensive book’s almost 600 pages, Siddhartha Mukherjee does a magnificent job in answering these questions. The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer, a Pulitzer Prize winner, is a powerful, engrossing read, beautifully expressed and understandable to a lay person.

As this scholarly book takes readers through the ages, the author sites specific cases, some through his own oncology practice, that give the book a human touch and facts that a lay person can relate to.

Cancer is possibly one of the oldest human diseases. Although we’ve come a long way in learning what it is and what can be done toward curing, or at least controlling it, cancer, in many respects, is still a mysterious disease.

We tend to lump the different forms of cancer altogether. In many respects there is a commonality among the many different kinds, but oncology, the branch of medicine concerned with the study and treatment of cancer, has learned that cancer is not a disease, but a whole family of diseases. These diseases are linked at a biological, cellular level. The particular types of cells, though different within the various types of cancer, abnormally divide and multiply, and eventually “take over” critical organs of the body.

Each type of cancer cell has its own look, its own personality, its own method or pathway it takes through the body. Interestingly, when cells break away from their origin, for instance, with breast cancer, those rapidly multiplying cells might attach themselves to another part of the body, a process called metastasis. Even though it may be in another part of the body, it is identified as metastasized breast cancer.

The study of cancer and its treatment involves a multitude of disciplines, from the many oncology sciences, to cancer screening, to specialists in surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, monoclonal antibody therapy, and even palliative care. In some cases oncologists have isolated probable causes of cancer, such as smoking and working with asbestos. Screening for early detection, such as pap smears and mammograms, have allowed treatment before cancer spreads to other parts of the body. In some cases prevention, such as a vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) have avoided incidences of cancer. However, the war on many types of cancer is still raging. New medicines are on the horizon, but testing and availability take funding and time, commodities that many cancer patients don’t always have. Sometimes the best an oncologist can do is redefine victory by focusing on prolonging life rather than eliminating death, making expectations manageable.

Thankfully, gone are the days where a single treatment is tried, then, failing that, another. Nowadays, a cancer patient can consult a team of specialists who work together to provide the best care known to date.

The Emperor of All Maladies:A Biography of Cancer, published in 2010, is an important work, full of compassion, energy and impeccable prose. At the end of the book (at least in the copy I read) an interview with Siddhartha Mukherjee sheds even more light on his passion for cancer enlightenment.

Book Review: The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox

Maggie O’Farrell’s The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox makes me thankful that I wasn’t a woman living in the thirties. When Esme Lennox failed to comply with what was considered normal behavior, her family committed her to a mental asylum.

Sixty years later, Iris Lockhart receives notice from the asylum that she needs to make arrangements for her grandmother’s sister, Esme Lennox, her great-aunt, because the institution is closing. Iris, unaware that Esme even exists, is overwhelmed, not only with worry about what to do with Esme, but with the vague memories and clues she’s always known were there, but never acknowledged.

O’Farrell’s novel skillfully toggles between the present with Iris handling the situation, to Esme, both in the past and present. The story also includes Iris’s grandmother, Kitty, the favored older sister, in her past and in her present-day Alzheimer’s ramblings, which hint of an ugly secret. The early recollections of Esme and Kitty take place in India, and later in Scotland.

The story is a tragic revelation of yesteryear’s inhumane treatment of women who didn’t comply with the strict standards of the day. Unraveling the past, Iris discovers shocking secrets, which were largely the result of a family not communicating in order to preserve its reputation. At least in the upper middle class existence of Esme and Kitty’s childhood, much emphasis and engergy was spent in keeping up appearances and what was thought of as propriety.

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox is a spellbinding novel of depth and complexity that I won’t soon forget.

Book Review: By Nightfall

For a close-up view of man’s frailties, the novel By Nightfall may be just what you’re looking for. Michael Cunningham tells a good story, digging deep into man’s inner thoughts, family dynamics, and the whims of the business of art.

Peter Harris, 43, owns an art gallery in present-day Manhattan. His wife Rebecca is editor of an arts and culture magazine. From all appearances they live well, are happily married, work hard, and are reasonably content. Their only child, Beatrice, now living on her own, plays a minor role, but recollections of her bring regret.

Their world changes forever when Rebecca’s much younger brother Ethan, nicknamed Mizzy, short for Mistake, comes to stay for an unspecified time. For years, Rebecca and her sisters have come to Ethan’s rescue in his various efforts to grow up. Although Ethan is now an adult, he seems to constantly need support from family and friends. Handsome and charming, he brings anxiety and unrest into Peter and Rebecca’s lives.

Author Michael Cunningham delves deep into Peter and Rebecca’s family backgrounds. These back-flashes bring texture to who the characters are in the present. When Ethan arrives, their routines are interrupted as they both try to cater to his needs. Rebecca takes on the role of big sister, but tries desperately to “let go.” Peter attempts to be a big brother, a friend, but surprising emotions spring to the surface.

Throughout the novel, readers learn about the inner workings of the business of contempory art. Most of the book is written from Peter’s viewpoint and his ever-present pangs of growing older, of how he appears to others, and how his work affects his bevy of artists and customers. By Nightful is an in-depth and memorable study of human nature, particularly in privileged society.

Although many readers may not relate to Peter Harris, his journey makes for an interesting glimpse into his world.

Book Review: Hauchuca Woman

Arletta Dawdy manages to pass on an amazing amount of southwest history in Hauchuca Woman. The story ranges from 1886, toggling to 1952, and ends with a satisfying 1961 epilog. The historical fiction is the first of the Huachuca (pronounced Wha-chew-ca) Trilogy, followed by novels By Grace and Rose of Sharon.

Josephine, the story teller, born in 1877, was about nine years old when she first met the famed Chiricahua Apache, Geronimo. Josephine’s family befriended the small starving band and in turn were considered the infamous chief’s friends.

Although the episode with Geronimo is a short scene, it sets the pace of a historical novel about the life of a white woman who lived through the taming of the Southwest, particularly in Arizona, in the late 1800’s. Josephine, 75, tells her story to her two young-adult grandchildren who are cousins, and offspring of Josephine’s twin sons. The young people are eager to tape record their grandmother’s fascinating history, bits and pieces of which they’ve heard all their lives. Toggling from 1952 and the telling of the story back to the events of 1880’s, makes for an interesting contrast. The three travel to the nearer story settings, allowing the reader to “see” through more modern eyes various historical events.

Through Josephine, the grandchildren are able to piece together their grandmother’s complex and enlightening story. Josephine’s Lazy L ranch, is her family’s homestead and a place the grandchildren cherish. They hope to encourage their families to help make it a place where family, friends and guests could gather and relish in an atmosphere of history carved from decades of dedicated labor.

Josephine’s colorful life takes surprising and often unconventional turns and twists. Her story demonstrates the highs and lows of a life well lived.

I found the segment about Fort Huachuca particularly fascinating. The Fort, still in active use, headquartered the famed 10th Calvary, the “Buffalo Soldiers,” one of the Army’s elite black cavalry corps.

Arletta Dawdy does a good job captivating the spirit of yesteryear. The details of time and setting, dialect, clothing and transportation, add immeasurably to the work.

Huachuca Woman is available in print and e-book formats. To learn more about the author, visit www.ArlettaDawdy.com

Book Review: Coins in the Fountain

Judith Works gives readers a fascinating Italian experience in Coins in the Fountain: The Story of an Italian Intermezzo. The book is a memoir of the author’s ten-plus years in Italy.

Equipped with her newly acquired law degree, Judith Works accepted a position with the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) headquartered in Rome. Together with her husband Glenn, they set up housekeeping, a task fraught with obstacles and lack of conveniences.

Rome, is called the Eternal City–even the ancient people thought it would go on forever. The author claims it would take an eternity to see it all. When time permits they explore it, piece by piece, street by street. Once settled at work and in what eventually would be “home,” Judith and Glenn were able to travel on weekends, holidays and vacations. The author and her husband know how to travel, to observe, and to experience a way to life. Often putting up with nightmare traffic, they attend concerts, visit churches, museums, galleries, flea markets, quaint shops, countrysides, big cities, small villages. Sometimes they travel with friends, other expatriates, sometimes on their own. The author is obviously knowledgeable in art and readers have the wonderful advantage of seeing church frescos, sculptures, paintings, ceramic tiles, fountains, etc. though her experienced and critical eye.

Food is an obsession in Italy and takes a prominent role in this memoir, as does wine. The book describes in detail cuisine in Rome and in other parts of Italy. Glenn became adept in Italian cooking, which further enriched (pun intended) their food experience.

The Works returned to the States after finishing her four-year contract with FAO, but were delighted to return to Rome a short time later, this time to work with United Nations World Food Program (WFP) on a six-year contract. Works’ job necessitated travel to other countries as well and she briefly describes these ventures.

The name of the book, Coins in the Fountain refers to the Trevi Fountain, the most famous and beautiful fountain in Rome. It is thought that if visitors throw three coins in the fountain, they will return to Rome. At least it worked for the author, to the delight of all who read this book.

Coins in the Fountain: The Story of an Italian Intermezzo could be a guidebook for tourists visiting Italy, as well as for armchair travelers who may never step on Roman soil, but have the advantage of traveling vicariously through this exceptionally well-written book. Coins in the Fountain is available in ebook format. For more information about the book and author, visit www.coinsinthefountain.com