Sunday Salon - August 21, 2011

I didn’t get a chance to write last week as I was too busy enjoying our visitors. Our granddaughter came out from the east coast for a full week and our daughter flew up for a long weekend from Texas. We had THE BEST time!! We visited a local museum (UNL's Morrill Hall), celebrated a couple of birthdays, went fishing (Shay & Grandpa), saw The Help (me & Amy), did a little shopping, cooked some delicious meals, visited the Lincoln Children’s Zoo (one of us rode a horse), went swimming at a friend’s house, did a lot of porch sitting with Annie-Dog, and had ice cream almost every single night. Our favorite location? Ivanna Cone, located in the Haymarket. We went two nights in a row. :)

The week flew and after two very long days of travel, I’m only just now beginning to feel rested. More about that later.

I didn’t get much reading accomplished during Shay & Amy’s visits, but I did find time on all eight flights (yes, you read that correctly; two roundtrips to VA = 8 legs) to relax with a couple of books. I was in the middle of Sea Escape (Lynne Griffin) before the trip and managed to finish it on my first flight. I decided to stick with the “sea” theme and dove into Sea Glass (Anita Shreve), but couldn’t get interested. It might have had something to do with the lackluster plot or the fact that each chapter centered around one of six characters. I read about 50 pages and decided to set it aside. A part of me is tempted to give it another try since the setting involves the same location as other books by Shreve. Maybe when I’m not so distracted.

Keeping with the “sea/beach/summer” theme, I picked up another book by Shreve that has been lurking on my shelves for quite some time. Body Surfing proved to be a very enjoyable story. I was immediately drawn in and actually forced myself to set it aside for a day or two so I could fall back into it on my flight out of Omaha to Dallas. My granddaughter slept a good portion of that leg, so I was able to get thoroughly engrossed and almost finished the book on the following flight. It’s funny how one book by the same author left me bored and restless and another completely spellbound. Go figure.





I’ve just started another “beach read” and while I haven’t had much time to relax and read, I have a feeling Beachcombing for a Shipwrecked God (Joe Coomer) is going to be a winner. I’ve had this book for ages and the cover art isn’t the same as what I’m finding on the Internet. I’ll try to remember to take a picture of it for my final review.

I'm glad we had such a good visit with the girls because our weekend has been anything but stress-free. It all started on a dark and stormy night (Thursday). My flights out to VA were uneventful other than the five hour layover at DFW. However, my final flight home the following day was cancelled (mechanical issues) and I was rebooked on a later flight, which resulted in a six hour layover. It’s really not as bad as it sounds. DFW is a lovely airport and the D Concourse has some of the nicest restaurants. I’ve eaten at the Reata Grill, Cantina Laredo and Cool River Café, the latter of which is now my all-time favorite. I know where all the quiet areas are (with comfy chairs!) and I relaxed with my book and iPad, catching up on my favorite blogs with a new iPad app called Reeder (thanks for the tip, Heather!). The bad part of this trip was when I learned that the Omaha airport had been closed due to a severe storm that included softball-sized hail and torrential rain, accompanied by strong winds. So my flight was delayed even later. I actually would’ve preferred a cancellation, so I could spend the night and not have to pay the fee for changing my flight, but that didn’t happen. Omaha reopened and we were on our way. We landed close to midnight and I had a long drive ahead of me. I crawled into bed at 1:30 a.m. completely exhausted!

It wasn’t until the following morning that I discovered the hail damage to my less-than-one-year-old Subaru. At first I thought it was simply body damage with several large hail dimples, but then I discovered the cracks in my sunroof. Ka-ching! I knew this wasn’t going to be cheap. I made an appointment with a body shop and have an appointment with my insurance adjuster on Monday morning. Oh, well. It’s only a car, right?

But things went from bad to terrible. Saturday morning I went into the basement to do some laundry and noticed that the floor was soaking wet. A couple of the ceiling tiles were soaked and there was water on my treadmill! We don’t know if it’s a roof issue (we did get hit with some torrential rain on Thursday night) or if it’s a plumbing issue. Either way, I need to make some phone calls and try to get this resolved. After today's morning shower, we ruled out the roof. Sigh.

Suffice it to say, what had begun as a fantastic week with my loved ones ended on a very stressful note.

So, how about some pictures to end this post on a happier note? I took hundreds of shots, but these are a few of my favorite. I’m sure I’ll share more in the coming weeks.

Emily, Maddie and Shaylyn
at UNL's Morrill Hall

Annie and Shay cooling off
in the shade at the neighborhood park

Shay and her Aunt Amy

Fishing at Holmes Lake with Grandpa
(Shay caught 2 fish!)

Swimming at Dave & Heidi's

Riding at the Lincoln Children's Zoo

Beautiful day at the Lincoln Children's Zoo!

Sippin' sweet tea on Nanny & Grandpa's porch

Cracking up with Grandpa
(my personal favorite)

Nanny and the birthday girl

Manicure with Aunt Amy

I literally have hundreds of photos from our recent trips that I need to work on, as well as my stack of books to review. I think there's at least eight! However, it's a beautiful day and I swore I'd get on my bike this weekend. The photos and books are going anywhere, but our fickle weather can change in flash. This is Nebraska, after all.

Links to the books mentioned in this post can be found by clicking on the cover art in my sidebar.

{this moment}

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. - Amanda Soule

* * * * * * * *

Click on photo for larger view

Wordless Wednesday

Think of a Number

Think of a Number by John Verdon
Series: Dave Gurney, No. 1
Thriller
2010 Crown Publishers
Finished on 6/29/11
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)



Publisher’s Blurb:

Arriving in the mail one day is a taunting letter that ends with a simple declaration: “See how well I know your secrets—just think of a number.” Eerily, those who comply find that the letter writer has predicted their random choice exactly. For Dave Gurney, just retired as the NYPD’s top homicide investigator and forging a new life with his wife, Madeleine, in upstate New York, the letters are oddities that begin as a diverting puzzle but quickly ignite a massive serial-murder investigation. Brought in as an investigative “consultant,” Gurney soon accomplishes deductive breakthroughs that have local police in awe. Yet, with each taunting move by his seemingly clairvoyant opponent, Gurney feels his tragedy-marred past rising up to haunt him, his marriage approaching a dangerous precipice, and, finally, a dark, cold fear building that he’s met an adversary who can’t be stopped.

Summer is the best time for me to dive into a juicy thriller or mystery. I’ve always got so much going on between work, the yard, house guests, travel and entertaining, that I need something that pulls me in from the get-go, but is also something I can set down for several days and not feel like it’s lost its momentum. John Verdon’s debut novel is exactly that sort of book. I’ve had the ARC in my stacks for many months and had almost forgotten it was there until Joy mentioned the release of Verdon’s follow-up thriller, Shut Your Eyes Tight. Joy and I tend to like the same type of thrillers, so I trusted this would be a winner based on her glowing review. I wasn’t disappointed. The pacing is even and taut and I never did manage to figure out the identity of the villain until the closing chapters. I was actually so surprised with one turn of event that I gasped out loud in disbelief. In addition to creating an intensely suspenseful mystery, Verdon’s prose is at times lyrical and thoughtful, a bit reminiscent of that of Dennis Lehane:

They had moments like this from time to time, moments of easy affection and quiet closeness, that reminded him of the early years of their marriage, the years before the accident. “The Accident”—that dense, generic label with which he wrapped the event in his memory to keep its razor-wire details from slicing his heart. The accident—the death—that eclipsed the sun, turning their marriage into a shifting mixture of habit, duty, edgy companionship, and rare moments of hope—rare moments when something bright and clear as a diamond would shoot back and forth between them, reminding him of what once was and might again be possible.

It’s always nice to get in on a new series and this is definitely an author I’m anxious to read more of. I do hope the relationship between Dave and Madeleine is expanded a bit more in subsequent books, though. I felt there were a few loose ends pertaining to their marriage and would like to see how they resolve some of their issues. Nonetheless, this is definitely an author to follow.

Thanks for sending me your ARC, Joy!

Go here to read Joy's review. Think of a Number made her Best Reads of 2010 list!

My good friend Kay also enjoyed Verdon's book. You can read her wonderful review here.

Wordless Wednesday

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On the Road...Again

Actually, it's more like, "I'm leavin' on a jet plane..." I'm heading east for a very special, albeit quick turn-around trip. I'm flying out to pick up our granddaughter and bring her back to Nebraska for a week-long visit!


We've been looking forward to this visit for a long time. I'm so glad she's used to the heat and humidity, because I have a feeling Mother Nature isn't going to do us any favors. We have a lot of ideas for a fun-filled week, starting with a return trip to Eppley Field to pick up Aunt Amy, who is flying up from Texas to spend a long weekend with us. This will be our third visit with Amy in less than one year!


I have a few posts ready to go, but it may be a week or so before I get a chance to do much blog-hopping. But I'll return as soon as I can, hopefully with more photos!

Sunday Salon - August 7, 2011

I’m back! No, really. This time for sure. :)

I feel as if I’ve found my blogging mojo and have been composing posts in my head while walking on my treadmill. It’s been far too hot & humid to walk outside, so I’ve opted for the treadmill. Nothing like a lot of summer traveling (read: overindulgence) to motivate one to get back into exercising! Forget swimsuit season. I need to fit in my work clothes!






In addition to working off several quarts of the world’s best clam chowder, along with margaritas, guacamole, thirst-quenching beer, Papa Bill's delicious ebelskivers, and ice cream...lots of ice cream...I’ve managed to catch up on all my favorite blogs. I love my iPad! I prop it up on the treadmill tray and spend an hour reading all your interesting posts while walking the pounds away.




Every. Day.

After spending a full day at work.

On my feet.

See how much I love you guys? Now if only I could figure out a way to type while walking. That way I wouldn’t have to wait until later in the evening to re-visit those posts and leave my comments.

One decision I made while I was catching up on all the latest in the book world, is to join in on the Sunday Salon chatter. It seems like a good way to share what I’m reading, which books I’m looking forward to, what I’ve ditched and just say hi. Good idea, eh? Especially since I’m so far behind with my reviews (which, by the way, I do intend to write in spite of the fact that the oldest is overdue by more than a month!).

So on to the books…

I decided I wanted to read something that had been on my shelves for a few years, as well as a book with a beach or summer theme, and settled on Brian Groh’s Summer People (love the cover!). Unfortunately, after close to 50 pages I decided to call it quits. I’ll write a short synopsis later, but suffice it to say this is a case of being swayed by an attractive cover.



Wanting to keep with the summer/beach theme, I picked up Sea Escape by Lynne Griffin. I’ve had the ARC for over a year and found notations that both Bellezza and Wendy (Caribousmom) read it last July. So far, I’m completely engrossed and anxious to get back to reading more later this afternoon.



As I mentioned, I have several reviews to write. Perhaps a list would help keep me organized:

Think of a Number by John Verdon (thrilling)
Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watson (a nail-biter!)*
Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante (excellent!)
Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok (nice audio)
One Summer by David Baldacci (ugh)
Awakening by S.J. Bolton (good new series—to me)*
Summer People by Brian Groh (blech)







*What are the odds that I’d read two books in one month by authors who have the same initials, S.J.?!

Of all of those books, my favorite is Turn of Mind. What a great read! It’s definitely going on my 2011 Top Ten list.

When I’m at work (before the store opens), I use my Nano to listen to audio books. It’s a great way to get a big chunk of listening in (almost 2 hours) and the time passes quickly. Right now, I’m listening to The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear. I accidentally downloaded and started listening to this before I realized it’s #7 in the Maisie Dobbs’ series. I haven’t read #6, but I’m not going to worry about it. I’ve already discovered one spoiler, but I’ve gotten to know these characters so well that it really doesn’t bother me to learn something out of order.



I rarely read more than one book at a time, but I’ve been scheduled to man the Nook Desk at work quite a bit this past month and have started reading Zeitoun by David Eggers. This is one of the One Book, One Lincoln nominations and so far, it’s fantastic! I really should just buy a copy so I can read more than a few pages at a time. If Eggers’ What Is the What is half as good as Zeitoun, I’ll have to get a copy of that, as well.



So, that’s all the book news for now. In other news, last night I dreamt I was walking down my street and the sidewalk was covered with leaves, the tree branches bare. Yes, this past week has been a little bit cooler, relatively speaking, but it certainly hasn’t felt like autumn. A 20 degree temperature drop from 104 does not a fall make. However, we had a nice drenching rain on Friday, followed by a terrific storm last night (winds clocked at 65 mph!), so I happily crossed watering off my weekend to-do list.

Now to catch up on emails, comment on some blogs, work on my vacation photos and run a few errands. I really want to spend some time relaxing on the front porch, reading more from Sea Escape, so I'd better get moving!

I hope everyone’s having a good weekend. For those of you in Lincoln, I hope everyone survived last night’s storm!

Links to the books mentioned in this post can be found by clicking on the cover art in my sidebar.

Wordless Wednesday

Movie News

From Shelf Awareness (8/1/11):

Movies: The Hedgehog

The Hedgehog, based on The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery, opens this Friday, August 5. Garance Le Guillermic stars as a lonely little girl who befriends her apartment's seemingly irritable concierge (Josiane Balasko). Directed by Mona Achache.

I can't wait! I loved this book.

Go here for more info.

An Incomplete Revenge

An Incomplete Revenge by Jacqueline Winspear
Mystery
2008 Macmillan Audio, Unabridged edition
Reader: Orlagh Cassidy
Finished 6/23/11
Rating: 2.5/5 (Fair)



Product Description

With the country in the grip of economic malaise, and worried about her business, Maisie Dobbs is relieved to accept an apparently straightforward assignment from an old friend to investigate certain matters concerning a potential land purchase. Her inquiries take her to a picturesque village in Kent during the hop-picking season, but beneath its pastoral surface she finds evidence that something is amiss. Mysterious fires erupt in the village with alarming regularity, and a series of petty crimes suggests a darker criminal element at work. As Maisie discovers, the villagers are bitterly prejudiced against outsiders who flock to Kent at harvest-time—even more troubling, they seem possessed by the legacy of a war-time Zeppelin raid. Maisie grows increasingly suspicious of a peculiar secrecy that shrouds the village, and ultimately she must draw on all her finely honed skills of detection to solve one of her most intriguing cases.

Rich with Jacqueline Winspear’s trademark period detail, this latest installment of the bestselling series is gripping, atmospheric, and utterly enthralling.

I’ve read and enjoyed the first three novels in the Maisie Dobbs' series, but this is the second installment that has fallen flat for me. I never felt engaged in the mystery and there were very few new revelations about Maisie (or Billy Beale) that might have piqued my curiosity or added any suspense to the narrative. Unlike Winspear’s earlier books, this one lacks tension and emotion, missing its mark and making this reader wonder if it’s worth continuing with the next three books in the series.

The History of Love

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
Fiction
2005 W. W. Norton and Company
Quit on 6/14/11
Rating: DNF





Publisher’s Blurb:

Fourteen-year-old Alma Singer is trying to find a cure for her mother’s loneliness. Believing that she might discover it in an old book her mother is lovingly translating, she sets out in search of its author. Across New York an old man named Leo Gursky is trying to survive a little bit longer. He spends his days dreaming of the lost love who, sixty years ago in Poland, inspired him to write a book. And although he doesn’t know it yet, that book also survived: crossing oceans and generations, and changing lives….

I’ve had this book on my shelf for several years and decided to give it a read when it was shortlisted for the 2011 One Book, One Lincoln. After more than a hundred pages, I decided it was time to call it quits.

Marvelous? (San Francisco Chronicle) Astonishing? (Washington Post) Ingenious? (New York Times). I beg to differ. I had a hard time following the flow of the narrative, which jumped from one topic to another, and I didn't care at all for any of the characters.

Final thoughts: Dull. Convoluted. Obscure.

Cutting For Stone

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
Fiction
2009 Vintage Books
2009 Random House Audio; Unabridged edition
Reader: Sunil Malhotra
Finished 6/7/11
Rating: 4.5/5 (Terrific!)



Publisher’s Blurb

Marion and Shiva Stone are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful Indian nun and a brash British surgeon. Orphaned by their mother’s death and their father’s disappearance, bound together by a preternatural connection and a shared fascination with medicine, the twins come of age as Ethiopia hovers on the brink of revolution.

Moving from Addis Ababa to New York City and back again, Cutting for Stone is an unforgettable story of love and betrayal, medicine and ordinary miracles—and two brothers whose fates are forever intertwined.

I started off reading the printed version of this novel, but switched to audio after a few chapters. It took me a little over 50 pages to get hooked, but from there on, I was completely engrossed. At over 658 pages, this is quite a chunkster and it took me almost 2 months to listen to. But I fell in love with the reader’s voice and didn’t mind the length of the story one bit. From AudioFile:

Dr. Marion Stone, the Ethiopian-born, half-Indian protagonist and narrator of CUTTING FOR STONE, at one point refers to his adopted mother's voice as both lilting and singsong. The same can be said of Sunil Malhotra's expert reading of this audiobook, a moving story about twin brothers born of an Indian Catholic nun and an expatriate English doctor. Malhotra slips into the skin of Marion, a moody, bookish boy and later a talented surgeon, who, against a background of African poverty, war, and medical breakthroughs, is oddly detached but always compassionate. Malhotra's ease with the sometimes-complex medical terminology and the broad cast of Indian, African, English, and even some Bronx-accented characters makes for a fascinating listening experience.

On Ethiopia:

My greatest consolation, Ghosh thought, for only the hundredth time since his arrival in Ethiopia, has been the women of this land. The country had completely surprised him. Despite pictures he’d seen in National Geographic, he’d been unprepared for this mountain empire shrouded in mist. The cold, the altitude, the wild roses, the towering trees, reminded him of Coonoor, a hill station in India he’d visited as a boy. His Imperial Majesty, Emperor of Ethiopia, may have been exceptional in his bearing and dignity, but Ghosh discovered that His Majesty’s people shared his physical features. Their sharp, sculpted noses and soulful eyes set them between Persians and Africans, with the kinky hair of the latter, and the lighter skin of the former. Reserved, excessively formal, and often morose, they were quick to anger, quick to imagine insults to their pride. As for theories of conspiracy and the most terrible pessimism, surely they’d corned the world market on those. But get past all those superficial attributes, and you found people who were supremely intelligent, loving, hospitable, and generous.

The Dallas Morning News says, Grand enough for the movies and I’d have to agree. What a marvelous film this richly textured saga would make! Cutting for Stone is one of the best books I’ve read this year. The characters, both major and minor, are so well-drawn and unique, they’ll remain with me for years to come.

Caribousmom says, Cutting for Stone is one of those books which is impossible to put down. Here is a lush, emotional, intelligent and compelling novel written by an accomplished story teller. I loved that Verghese, a physician himself, wrote a novel about two generations of doctors and was able to capture the passion of medicine. By placing the story mostly in a small African village, Verghese is able to show that the physician’s greatest gift is not found in technology, but in his or her ability to provide comfort.

I loved this book and its characters (who felt like living, breathing people to me). I loved the journey. Abraham Verghese has written a gorgeous novel which deserves to be savored. Readers who love hefty family sagas in the style of John Irving, and are drawn to literary fiction will enjoy this book.

Go here to read her entire review.

My good friend, Kay, also loved this novel. She says, this was a tremendous book with a wonderfully talented author. It was epic in scope and gave me so much to think about. It was a not a fast read for me. However, I wanted to be sure that I kept up with all the characters and events that packed the narrative.

You can read her complete review here.

Final thoughts: I loved this beautiful, provocative debut novel. Don’t be put off by its size; you won’t want it to end.

Family Reunion

We're heading out to one of my favorite locations for a mini-family reunion/belated 80th birthday celebration. See you in a week.

The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels

The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels--A Love Story
by Ree Drummond
Nonfiction – Memoir
2011 HarperAudio, Unabridged
Read by Ree Drummond
Finished on 5/31/2011
Rating: 4.5/5 (Terrific!)



Product Description

"That's when I saw him—the cowboy—across the smoky room."

I'll never forget that night. It was like a romance novel, an old Broadway musical, and a John Wayne western rolled into one. Out for a quick drink with friends, I wasn't looking to meet anyone, let alone a tall, rugged cowboy who lived on a cattle ranch miles away from my cultured, corporate hometown. But before I knew it, I'd been struck with a lightning bolt . . . and I was completely powerless to stop it.

Read along as I recount the rip-roaring details of my unlikely romance with a chaps-wearing cowboy, from the early days of our courtship (complete with cows, horses, prairie fire, and passion) all the way through the first year of our marriage, which would be filled with more challenge and strife—and manure—than I ever could have expected.

This isn't just my love story; it's a universal tale of passion, romance, and all-encompassing love that sweeps us off our feet.

It's the story of a cowboy.

And Wranglers.

And chaps.

And the girl who fell in love with them.

About the Author

Ree Drummond began blogging in 2006 and has built an award-winning website, where she shares recipes, showcases her photography, and documents her hilarious transition from city life to ranch wife. She is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling cookbook The Pioneer Woman Cooks. Ree lives on a working cattle ranch near Pawhuska, Oklahoma, with her husband, Ladd; their four kids; their beloved basset hound; and lots of other animals.

I’d never heard of Ree Drummond, aka PW (The Pioneer Woman), until two years ago when her cookbook hit the shelves. We had a few copies on our holiday cookbook display and one day I overheard a woman telling her friend about Ree’s hilarious blog. My interest piqued, I came home from work and spent several hours reading some of PW’s archived posts. Drummond is not only a witty writer, but she has a great eye, capturing life on the ranch through the lens of her camera. The hilarious commentary makes for great reading. I was thoroughly entertained, laughing out loud as I read, calling my husband into my office to take a look at the wonderful photographs and listen to the comical anecdotes about Charlie, the family’s Basset hound (who now has his own memoir entitled, Charlie the Ranch Dog!).


The following day, I thumbed through The Pioneer Woman Cooks and knew it was a winner. I ordered in more copies and made it my #1 hand sell for the Christmas season. And, of course, I had to buy a copy for myself, but my husband didn’t mind one bit (in spite of the huge stack of recently purchased cookbooks already on my shelves). This cookbook rocks! I’ve tried many of the recipes and almost every single one is a winner. We especially love the Migas (scrambled egg dish with onions, tomatoes, peppers, cheese, cilantro and fried, chopped corn tortillas), Marlboro Man’s Favorite Sandwich (cube steak with onions and butter on a crusty roll), Onion Strings, and Penne Alla Betsy (shrimp in a tomato-cream pasta dish). Rod can’t wait for me to try the cinnamon rolls and fried chicken. Who am I kidding? I can’t wait, either!

But enough about food. Let’s talk about PW’s memoir, which quite honestly I was a little hesitant to read. It sounded sappy and I already knew the basic story of how she came to meet and marry her husband (aka Marlboro Man) since a large chunk of it is mentioned on her blog. But a couple of customers told me how much they enjoyed the book, so I decided to give the audio version a try. Let me tell you, I was pleasantly surprised! I’m not sure why my expectations were set for something trivial and possibly poorly written, but I was very impressed and entertained. Read by the author, the story feels like a chatty conversation with a friend, tugging at my heartstrings and making me laugh out loud.

My only complaint was the overabundant usage of “Marlboro Man” (used in lieu of her husband’s actual name). I suppose if I were reading the book, as opposed to listening to the audio, I would have skimmed over those two words and not given it a second thought. However, hearing her say them over and over began to bother me ever so slightly. But in spite of this minor annoyance, I was sorry when I reached the final chapter of the book. I hope she’ll write more about her life on the ranch with her kiddos and critters, and of course, Marlboro Man. But, if there's no written sequel to this love story, there’s always her blog. It will take me years to read through all the archives!