Tuck Everlasting

Finished Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. Although it was published in 1975, I missed this book growing up, which is too bad. I was in 5th grade that year, the perfect time to read it. Winnie Foster lives in a very strict household. One day she strays beyond the fence of her yard and explores the adjacent woods. She observes a young man drinking from a bubbling spring. Soon she meets him and his family, the Tucks. Jesse Tuck was drinking from a fountain of youth. He and his family drank from it 80 years before and have not aged a day since. Rather than being a blessing of eternal youth, their's is a curse. They work hard to make sure that no one knows their secret. When Winnie finds it out they take her away with them, not to kidnap her, but to take the time to impress the importance of their secret upon her. She learns it only too well.

This is an interesting, quiet, and with the exception of one event, a gentle book. Although I was unaware of the book when it was published, it is considered a classic today. Highly recommended.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Finished The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis. I have read this book many, many times. This time I listened to an audiobook version, read by Michael York. York's reading was spirited and fun. I didn't even realize he was the reader until I was a few chapters in and suddenly recognized his voice.

What a deep affection and respect I have for Aslan. Is that silly? I don't care. His tremendous strength and goodness pull me toward him. He is a metaphor for Christ and I am an atheist.

The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted

Finished The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted by Bridget Asher. This book has been on my TBR pile ever since Border's had their going out of business sale last summer. At the time I stocked up on lots of books that I had flagged on Shelfari. The cover and title of this book held me back for a while. It seemed so girly to me, and a few of the other books from that purchase had turned out to be way more chick than lit. However, as soon as I was a few chapters in, I knew it was going to be excellent. The characters and their situations are very real and believable. Descriptions were genuinely detailed and original, and Asher's sense of humor is unforgettable. I so enjoyed this book. The descriptions of food are tantalizing and luckily, there are recipes in the back. This book is much deeper than the cover gives it credit for. A must read for anyone who loves food, quirky characters and/or France.

The Magician's Nephew

Finished The Magician's Nephew by C. S. Lewis. Although it was the sixth to be published, it's actually the first book in chronological reading order of Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. I've read this book before, but I did not enjoy it nearly as much as I did this time. This time I listened to Kenneth Branagh read it as an audiobook. It was charming. He has a different voice for each animal in the newly created land of Narnia. You can tell that he's having a ball reading this book aloud.

The many references to Genesis are perhaps lost on younger readers, but bring more relevance to the story for me since I'm interested in Lewis as a theologian as well.

The best part however was the realization that the wardrobe in the next book was made from the wood of the apple tree planted by Diggory as a boy and that Diggory grows up to be the old professor who takes in Lucy, Peter, Susan and Edmund during World War II.

Dawn O'Hara: The Girl Who Laughed

Finished Dawn O'Hara: The Girl Who Laughed by Edna Ferber. This was Ferber's first novel, published in 1911. Dawn is a New York newspaper woman who wears herself to a frazzle, working for her own keep and to pay for the care of her husband, who is institutionalized as a result of alcoholic insanity. When her health finally fails, her sister Nora comes to care for her and to take her back to Michigan, where Nora lives with her husband and children.

Under Nora's watchful eye and the administration of many eggnogs, Dawn recovers. Through Nora and her husband, Dawn meets Dr. Ernst Von Gerhard, a German doctor who is brought in to consult on Dawn's case. Ernst helps Dawn find a place to live and a job with a Milwaukee newspaper. The slower pace of this metropolis makes it possible for Dawn to return to work and to begin writing her novel. She takes a room in a German boarding house where she meets many interesting and quirky characters. She also is befriended by Blackie, the paper's cantankerously generous sports writer. Among this cast of supportive and benevolent characters, Dawn thrives. Nora's husband Max takes over the keep of Dawn's invalid husband, Peter, and all correspondence with the institution where he resides. Nora is left free to live without that strain, except, that she is not free to love another.

Over time her friendship with Ernst grows to be so much more. This feeling is mutual. As much as Nora hopes to never see her dangerous and manipulative husband ever again, she is unwilling to divorce him while he is unable to speak for himself. Then, after ten years of treatment, Peter's doctors feel that he is ready to return to normal life. After he is released from the asylum, he tracks Nora down and demands that they pick up their marriage where they left off. Nora is terrified by this, but her two champions, Blackie and Ernst come to her rescue. In the end it becomes obvious that Peter's doctors were wrong. He is just as mad as he ever was.

I so enjoyed this book. I have always loved Ferber's writing. She has a way of inserting the reader into a cultural atmosphere that suspends all disbelief. This book hit a lot of painful chords for me. As the ex-wife of a mentally ill alcoholic, the story of her broken health and the terror at dealing with him after finding peace and happiness for herself hit very close to home. This created a strong personal connection for me with Dawn and her story. I feel sure that I will read this book again some time in the future.

Betsy and Joe

Finished Betsy and Joe, the eighth book in Maud Hart Lovelace's Betsy-Tacy series. Betsy, Tacy and Tib are now seniors in high school. Cab has left school to run his family's furniture business, Carney is off at Vassar, but Joe and Tony are both still there, both vying for Betsy's attention and heart. As always with these books, I really enjoyed this read. It's now 1910. Betsy's older sister Julia is being vocally trained in Berlin. Deep Valley continues to be a quiet, idyllic, predictible place. Betsy "goes with" both Tony and Joe. She loves Tony as a friend and worries about what he's up to when he's not spending time with the crowd, but it's really Joe that Betsy feels drawn to. She and Joe have a number of misunderstandings and Tony leaves town to become an actor. Betsy and Joe make up and they graduate, wondering what the future has in store for them all. A comfortable bedtime read.

The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt

Finished The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt by Caroline Preston. I found this on the new book table at Nicola's Books in Ann Arbor and I'm so glad I did. The interior is a marvelous and literal collage of life in the 1920s with magazine clippings, photos, ticket stubs and want ads. Along her journey from Vassar to Paris, Frankie receives advice from Edna St. Vincent Millay and helps James Joyce to edit his new book. Finally, she ends up back in her small New Hampshire town, caring for her ailing mother. There she finds everything she ever wanted in her own back yard. A truly delightful and fun read.

Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of 'Eighty

Finished Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of 'Eighty by Charles Dickens.

Finally.

I'll say from the outset that this is my least favorite Dickens novel to date. The story is ghastly and the characters are wretched. I'd almost say that this is horror literature, based on the events that take place, but really it's just historical fiction. Dickens based his story on the Gordon Riots that took place in London in 1780. His ability to portray the uncontrollable rage of a mob is so advanced that the reader is disturbed and terrified throughout the novel. There are many good natured and well meaning characters to counter those who are evil and treacherous, but the sheer horror of the tale was just too much for me. I'm glad it's finally over.

I'm Proud of You: My Friendship with Fred Rogers

Finished I'm Proud of You: My Friendship with Fred Rogers by Tim Madigan. As a journalist, Madigan interviewed Fred Rogers for an article in 1995, and the two began a strong friendship that lasted until Fred's death in 2003. In many ways Fred served as a mentor as well as a friend to Madigan, ministering to him and always signing his letters and e-mails to Madigan with "IPOY" (I'm proud of you). While the book describes their friendship, it also tells the story of Madigan's brother Steve's battle with, and death from Cancer. This book is honest, frank and so chock-full of warmth, that I found myself crying all the way through it. Especially at the very end.

I met Fred Rogers when I was about 8 years old, at his summer home, The Crooked House, on Nantucket Island. My uncle insisted that we invade Fred's privacy so that my sister and I could meet him. He was so kind and so gracious. I had always felt drawn to his quiet, reassuring voice and manner when I watched his television show. He is one of my heros. I miss him every day.

Possession: A Romance

Finished Possession: A Romance by A. S. Byatt. I listened to this novel as an audiobook. I had attempted to read in years ago but was bored to tears by the academic tone of all the current date sections of the book. It is thorny, tangled bramble of historical romance, contemporary fiction, fairy tale, poetry, correspondence, journal entries and mystery. In the end I loved it, especially the fairy tale portions. What a wordsmith she is. The version I listened to was read by Virginia Leisham, whose voice (and voices) made the 26 plus hours of audiobook go by swiftly. I highly recommend it.

The Razor's Edge

Finished The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham. It's been decades since I've read any Maugham. I've been meaning to read this novel since I enjoyed the 1946 film version, starring Ty Power, so very much. As far as I can tell that screenplay followed the novel very closely, until the end. Maugham placed himself in the book as a character and as the narrator. The juxtaposition of Larry Darrell's renunciation of conventional living bringing him peace and happiness, while the conventional, materialistic characters fall on hard times, makes the story very powerful.

The Canterville Ghost

Finished The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde. It was difficult to find a suitable book cover to display here since this is usually published in a collection of stories, so I have chosen an illustration instead.

This is the story of the old world coming up against the new. An American family moves to England and purchases Canterville Chase, which has been haunted for centuries by the ghost of Sir Simon Canterville. He has plagued his family for so long that they are no longer able to live in the great house. The American family, however, is easily up to the task. When a terrible blood stain appears on the carpet, they employ Pinkerton's Champion Stain Remover and Paragon Detergent. When the ghost rattles his chains in the night he is offered Rising Sun Lubricator so that he can oil them. The younger sons of the family erect a fake ghost which scares the daylights out of Sir Simon. After this poor Sir Simon has no rest, until aided by the daughter of the American family, Virginia, who helps the ghost to find peace and thus eternal rest.

This was a fun and amusing read.

The Nutmeg Tree

Finished The Nutmeg Tree by Margery Sharp. This is her seventh book, published in 1937. Julia Packett travels to France to see her grown daughter who wishes to be married. Julia left her daughter in the care of her inlaws after her husband died in World War I and she was unable to settle down and live a quiet life. For years Julia has lived by her wits and her charm, shacking up with whichever gentlemen was convenient.

For her trip to France she hocks what belongings she has to buy a few suitable outfits and a copy of The Forsyte Saga with which to impress her mother-in-law. She does her best to act like a lady, but gets into all sorts of scrapes nonetheless. She is especially careful of her behavior around her daughter's guardian, Sir William, but he much prefers her to just be herself.

I especially like Julia's choice of reading The Forsyte Saga. As we know, Irene Forsyte was unable to live under the strict eye of the Forsyte clan. Heh.

Because of Winn-Dixie

Finished Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. It won the Newbery Honor Medal in 2001. This is the story of Opal who has just moved to a new town in Florida. She lives with her father, a minister, who is kindly, but preoccupied with his work and the memory of his wife, who abandoned them years ago.

Opal feels a bit disconnected from the world at first. One day she goes to the Winn-Dixie for some groceries and encounters a stray dog running wild in the store. She befriends him, takes him home, cleans him up and names him Winn-Dixie. Because of Winn-Dixie and his tremendous smile, Opal is able to make friends with various quirky and sometimes lost characters around town, bring them together and formulate something like a new family. This is a charming book. There were times that it made me think of Lucky in The Higher Power of Lucky.

Kate DiCamillo also won the Newbery Medal in 2004 for The Tale of Despereaux.

The Prisoner of Zenda

Finished The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope. This book was great fun. I remember seeing a Zenda movie as a kid and really liking the story. The movie Dave is also an excellent retelling of Hope's novel.