Book Review

Give me a satisfying story, with characters I can relate to, throw in some tension, and keep the story line reasonably logical. I love a good story. Make it amusing, and give me surprising situations with a clever resolve at the end, and I'll hurry to buy the book. Absolutely. If it's on an e-reader, and cheaper, I'll buy that. Hey, I'm a bargain hunter.

This book, Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill, (Published 2007 by WW Norton & Company) will make you forget your own life until you put the book down. It's a powerful story that stays with you. I borrowed the book from my neighbor. Actually, she put it in my hands and said I had to read it. So I did.

However, I knew the subject, and wasn't sure I wanted to immerse myself in the evil of slavery. The slavery in the US during the seventeen hundreds.

But the author's writing, and the connection with the main characters, helped me through the brutal parts without diminishing cruelness.

I highly recommend this book. You will get lost in this story. It is gripping, and deeply inspiring.

Winner of the Commonwealth Writers' Prize. "Wonderfully written...populated by vivid characters and rendered in fascinating detail."―Nancy Kline, New York Times Book Review

The synopsis: Stolen from her village in Africa as a child, a young girl, Aminata Diallo walks with other captured people for a month, to the ocean and a slave ship. She endures the crossing on the Atlantic, and arrives in Georgia, sold at auction to a plantation owner. Later she is resold and moved to South Carolina, but escapes during the chaos of the Revolutionary War. In New york City, she works for the British, as a scribe, recording the names of blacks who have served the King. Those who served and could prove their allegiance to England, were told they could live free in Nova Scotia. Find out what happens, and enjoy the build to a brilliant ending.

This historical novel, with beautiful phrases, and characters you will love or love to hate, will capture your heart and mind. I have forgotten many of the stories I've read. This one is unforgettable. I applaud the author, Lawrence Hill, and thank my neighbor.

Two Fathers

Music moves us. We like lyrics we can relate to, and heavy rhythms that sink into our bodies, and make us move.

But every so often, a song comes along that has such a deep-seated, universal message, that it drills through our composure. Can a song challenge our choices?

What if a song was about two fathers. One who loved unconditionally, and the other who didn't. The role of a father in a child's life is beyond debate. If you don't think so, just ask any adult whose father left when they were a child. The pain never really heals. Children usually believe that they caused their father to leave, that they are worthless, and love is conditional.

Here is a song that makes us reconsider our personal values, and perhaps change the course of our lives.

“Piece by Piece” by Kelly Clarkston. If you haven't seen this episode of American Idol,

 do yourself a favor, grab a tissue and watch it. It will stir you to your core.

A Valentine Story

My husband, Ken and I were traveling home by car. It was a long uneventful trip. I was searching the internet from my phone. An idea spun around in my mind.

“Honey, would you like to travel? You know, other parts of Europe, Asia, places in South America… (we'd just come back from Europe two months earlier.)

“We've been doing that for years.”

“...Or get a puppy?”

“No puppy! If we get a dog, let's get one that's house broken, and past that puppy chewing, and yapping stage.”

I immediately called the animal shelter close to our home.

“Any small dogs?” I asked the woman who answered the phone.

“Yes, we have a Lhasa Apso.”

“We can be there in three hours to see it. Can you tell me anything about the dog?”

“Wait a minute. Hold on.”

“I think we can get this dog.” I told my husband. “Right now, I'm on hold.”

“Oh, I'm sorry.” The woman from the shelter was back. “Someone just decided to take it.”

Disappointment.

But then I remembered my niece's dog, Sasha. So cute and well-behaved. I checked with area breeders, and by the time we arrived home from our trip, we were proud owners of a mini schnauzer puppy, Max.

The next day, we drove to see the puppy and his canine parents. We weren't disappointed. However, there was one puppy left in the litter that didn't have a home. The breeder, picked him up and laid him in my lap.

“No. I'm sorry. We just can't have two.” It broke my heart.

Now we have adopted both Max Cooper into our family. Happy Valentine's!

Humor at a Writer's Expense

Delightful News

In the middle of all the anxiety-provoking news headlines comes a story that brings hope and smiles to a writer's heart. Readers' hearts too for that matter. 

A lost story by Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots written a hundred years ago, has been found. And will be published in September 2016, by Beatrix Potter's original publishers, Frederick Warne and Company. 

If you were charmed by Peter Rabbit tales as a child, you may find this little book a touchstone back to imagination and wonder of your childhood. Some of the characters in this tale are, Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, Mr. Tod who is the villian, Tabitha Twitchit and “an older, slower and portlier Peter Rabbit.” 

But Beatrix Potter isn't the only author to have a secret unpublished work. Not that long ago, Harper Lee's second book, Go Set a Watchman was published. This was the original manuscript, and a completely different story than her classic, To Kill A Mockingbird. Which makes me wonder.

Could there be a lesson here? I think there is. Hang onto your manuscripts. You never know. That story idea, might be a future bestselling classic. Of course the tongue-in-cheek question I have to ask is, “Will I live that long?”

Never mind. I plan to buy Beatrix Potter's book, The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots, and relax into the whimsy of a delightful childhood story.