You like to think you're one of the literati, but actually you're just a snob who can read. You read mostly for the social credit you can get out of it.
“In vibrant and emotive prose, Kersh shares the sorrows and joys of growing up in the dirt-road, Jim Crow South in the 1940s and early 50s, just prior to the Civil Rights Movement. As she tends her sweet garden and fends off the Klan, her compassion shows us a way beyond the pain.”
This book started off with a bang, so to speak. The girl in the book shares her first memory of fear as her family whisks her off to another state as they run for their lives from the Klan members who have sworn to kill them.
From there, she tells the tale of her life – the prejudices she faced, the events that formed her beliefs and anecdotes about friends and family.
I’ll admit … I expected more from this book. Maybe I wanted to hear how she overcame the roadblocks to go on to become a songwriter and performer, but the book ends too soon.
What I did read, however, was fascinating. This is a person who lived through that tumultuous period in the history of our country and decided to tell about it. I’m sure it wasn’t easy to recall some pretty traumatic childhood memories – as we all have – or to put them on paper for the world to read.
The book is well written, but there were a couple spots where you could read the anger, which I found disconcerting. At those points, she began to cuss and I found it a bit out of character. She suddenly went from the young girl’s experiences to the adult’s recollections. Those, in my opinion, are two entirely different things. I enjoyed reading the child’s feelings that were apparent throughout the rest of the book.
All in all, this is a good book and provides some lessons in the history of our nation – albeit, a negative part of our history. It might not be a bad idea to make this a required reading for high school or early college students if it can get past the censors who want to ban anything that tells our children the truth!
Pick up this book if you get a chance. You should enjoy it.
The Spring Into Short Stories challenge begins in 13 days. You can join in at any time, but if you want to be eligible for the prize package, the deadline for signing up is March 19!
Head on over to the site and take a look at the rules. This is an easy challenge designed to clear some stories off your lists of "maybe I should read that."
I have lots of short stories downloaded to my computer and I hope to move many to an "already read" folder by the end of the challenge on June 20.
“Deep in the lush, tropical jungles of Sumatra there lives a very special and courageous little orangutan named Gutsy Gus. One day, when Gus is out playing, his parents are captured by a group of trappers, and Gus sets out on a daring adventure to rescue them.”
Written for ages 4 to 8, the colors in this book pop out at you and do a great job of telling the story. It’s the tale of a young girl (Maya) who is turned into an orangutan by a guardian angel so she can help Gutsy Gus free his parents from the poachers.
Oddly enough, Maya’s parents are involved in the poaching.
There are quite a few messages in this book – believing in God and angels, caring for the animals in our world, having the courage to do what’s right.
It’s a book that’s well written and illustrated.
However, a 4 year old is probably too young to sit through this story. There are a lot of words and descriptions for an impatient little one who just wants to run and play. In my experience, I’ve found children that young tend to prefer books with only a few sentences per page.
I’m sure most 8-year-old children would enjoy it, as long as they aren’t prone to taking some of the graphic descriptions to heart and find them too scary. This is, after all, about the orangutans being captured, placed in cages and not treated very well.
It’s a good book, but I’d recommend parents read it first and consider their child’s maturity level before deciding if it’s right for them.
3. If you want me to do that then it will be on my terms.
4. Take a chance and see what happens.
5. I could use a long nap.
6. I should get some work doneand then maybe I'll get that nap.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to finishing the book I've been reading, tomorrow my plans include doing some writing and Sunday, I want totake a break and go for a drive.
“Future earth has forgotten God. Science and technology reign supreme. A benevolent government banishes hunger, poverty, and disease and provides a luxurious lifestyle for an ever-increasing population. However, even science has its limits, and the world faces a crisis of diminishing resources.”
This novel is nothing but super! I really liked this book about what happens when the resources of our planet are about to run out and science must come up with a way to save the people.
Their first thought is to look for other planets where the people might live. As they haven’t found any in the immediate “area,” they decide to look outside our dimension and develop a space ship that can go through the portals to other worlds.
Interesting idea, don't you think?
However, that may be the premise of the book, but the story is more about the people themselves and their relationships, including with God. You see, 200 years from now, publicly talking about your belief in God could land you in jail and owning a Bible is a major crime.
Then, as the first astropilot breaks the dimension barrier and travels to parts unknown, what do you think he encounters? Why another Eden! All the people in the Bible live there and unlike Earth, they haven’t eaten that forbidden fruit, so they have been able to remain in Eden and haven’t been banished to the cruel outside.
I’m not going to tell you any more about the story because I really think you should read this book yourself. It was just recently published (January) and apparently, it is part of a series, which I definitely want to look into.
This book does have an ending, though, that can stand on its own, so I don’t think it’s an absolute must to read the next one. I’ve read series like that and it can be quite frustrating because unless you pick up the following book, you never find out what really happened.
I’m very glad this book isn’t like that and I hope the subsequent stories will also be individual.
Like I said, this is a great read and one very worth your time.
You wouldn't believe what I got in my mail box this past week! Leanna Hieber drew my name for a Valentine's Box of Books giveaway and I was amazed when it showed up. She was more than generous, to say the least!
This is what was in that box:
1. Dark Nest by Leanna Renee Hieber
2. Set Up in Sotto by Dee Davis
3. The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber
4. Heart of the Wolf by Terry Spear
5. Secrets by authors Jeanie Cesarini, MaryJanice Davidson, Alice Gaines and Liz Maverick
6. My Zombie Valentine by Katie MacAlister, Angie Fox, Marianne Mancusi and Lisa Cach
7. The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox
8. Sinful Surrender by Beverley Kendall
9. Dark Side of Dawn by Kathryn Smith
10. Lord of Pleasure by Delilah Marvelle
11. Crimson & Steam by Liz Maverick
12. The Elusive Bride by Stephanie Laurens
13. Drive Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan
The box also included a Harlequin notepad, two buttons, cover flat, bookmarks and a candle with heart-shaped holder.
I was truly amazed at this wonderful prize package.
I also received a copy of Deadtown by Nancy Holzner in my mailbox this past week.
And in my email box, Lillie Ammann sent me a copy of Adam’s Daughters by David Bowles, the second in the Westward Sagas series.
I certainly have lots to read. Now, I can't wait for summer so I can sneak away and do just that!
