After The passing of both Tee's Mother and baby dies, Tee has to figure out what fits her out of the experience of living in two completely different After The passing of both Tee's Mother and baby dies, Tee has to figure out what fits her out of the experience of living in two completely different cultures without the structure of a normal childhood. Toddan and Tee go to live with Tantie their Aunt (Father) and are exposed to things that are unexceptable but is joyful even though Tantie is loud and a bit over the top. Aunt Beatrice (Mother) on the other hand is a staunch middle class Creole and is quite the snob and Norman is bored with family and Beatrice. Aunt B tries to change how she dresses and carries herself. Towards the end she treats Tee badly, "little black nincompoop" Both women just really confuse Tee and who she should be as a person and how she should behave, this is why Helen is imagined, the opposite and proper young lady. All the Schools staff are extremes. As with Aunt B so does Mrs Wattman and telling Tee she will never go far. In the end Tee does not like herself.
“Crick, Crack meaning is the oral storytelling tradition in the Caribbean which is between storyteller who states "Crick" and audience who replies "Crack". The exchange between the audience and the storyteller are aware that the story is fictional and not reality. Monkey is a racist term used in different ways depending on the color or term used with it.
I am not sure how I feel about Tee and the story itself. No real ending as she travels to Motherland. At the time teaching the lighter you are the better your life will be is a theme being taught (race, folk or middle society and identity). The dialect used throughout caused me to stop and look up words and phrases like "dou-dou" to me looks like another word for poo but turns out to be "sweetie" and added confusion, I guess....more
This is Hull's first mystery novel which you can tell by maybe his overboard possibilities of the plot. It is not at all your typical mystery.
Edward iThis is Hull's first mystery novel which you can tell by maybe his overboard possibilities of the plot. It is not at all your typical mystery.
Edward is conceited, self entitled and distrusting person who is not happy with his life in Llwll. He really is annoyed by his Aunt Mildred who is just domineering. He vocalizes this in his entries in the diary. Edward shows no desire for independence well until he decides getting rid of his Aunt might give him a means of carrying on his life with his novels and dog SoSo, once the farm is sold. The relationship between them is believable when one grows up with an Aunt that you do not like or respect.
How will Edward succeed? He studies that method with Pros and Cons. Does she know? She is prepared! Does he know? The battle of wits continue on.
I found Edward to be annoying like a child in a full rant! He tries to justify his intentions with building of a case against his Aunt. The ending a surprise. Has dark humor which I found fitting for this mystery....more
The Black Swan my book translated from German by Willard R Trask. A 1954 First American Edition with it's deckled edges and offset pages.
Rosalie a wiThe Black Swan my book translated from German by Willard R Trask. A 1954 First American Edition with it's deckled edges and offset pages.
Rosalie a widow was well liked in the social world. She had a love of Nature that kept her eyes animated with a glow of youth. Born in the Spring of Nature, she adored all the glory that nature expressed. Spring was her season that brought her senses the smells and scents that she loved. The season made her feel youthful. Her Daughter was her closest friend and confidant. They talked of things that most Mothers and Daughters barely touch on. Rosealie even talked to Anna about the spring in her step. Which I would find hard to hear from my own Mother, but talked they did. Anna showed support to her that she needed in her new found light of love with a much younger Ken who in her mind was magnificent. She flirted with him (but not overly) and enjoyed their little time together at dinner and glass of wine later. Rosalie did not feel like a valid woman with the change that comes to all women and makes them feel not complete. One day she was so astonished that Nature had bestowed a miracle for her. She lavished in it with her Daughter. After that day she seemed to change. Anna noticed she had not her youthful glow and grew tired easily. As a group they made a trip to see the Black Swans and for a moment she was in heaven.
I am surprised by Mann's ability to see this part of a woman's life enough to explain and compare it to Nature as a natural process and stage in ones evolving.
The final page: "Nature-I have always loved her, and she-has been loving to her child"...more
Death of a Bookseller. How could you not be interested in reading this one when you love books! The cover alone is enough to pick it up with all thoseDeath of a Bookseller. How could you not be interested in reading this one when you love books! The cover alone is enough to pick it up with all those books lined up like your own little wishful library.
Sergeant Wigan a honest. moral and kind police officer that does not allow his lack of knowledge asking for help. He comes across Michael who is overly celebrating a purchase of a first edition of Endymion a poem by John Keats first published in 1818. A glorious purchase that has a inscription from Keats. A very rare purchase. Wigan does decide not to arrest him but chooses to take Michael home. The end up being friends. He learns from Michael all kinds of information about being a collector. Michael is later found murdered in his study and the coveted purchase is missing. Wigan is asked to help with the investigation and the DI assigned to the case.
Fred is arrested and charged with murder. Wigan does not think he did it, he finds the lack of evidence that is forced through to make a faster arrest for the DI, Wigan does his own investigation.
What I liked about this book was everything that surrounded it. I really enjoyed the glimpses into the secondhand and antique book trades of the 1950s, While Im sure a lot of it was dramatised for a sensational plot it was still a interesting enough read but not as thrilling as I had hoped....more
Unnamed engineer fleeing from concentration camps runs into a friend while traveling and asked to deliver a letter to Transit: transient or permanent?
Unnamed engineer fleeing from concentration camps runs into a friend while traveling and asked to deliver a letter to a writer known as Weidel. Once there he finds him dead but has left a suitcase that has Weidel's writings and such in it. He goes to Marseille where his unnamed and Weidel's identity is mistaken as one person.
He searches for Weidel's wife to give her the belongings and letter and to help her to escape. He comes across old friends, other refugees and a variety of others that are trying to flee. His rival? The Doctor who is the partner of a lady that he is very attracted to. She ends of being Weidel's wife. What is with this endess amount of red tape and the maze of people that has them all trapped.
The excessive, rigid rules and the civil servants that hand out or not, the permits, tickets and visas is a total nightmare for those involved. They are in a frantic hoping for exits, transits and money which causes huge headaches of unsettling and insecurity. In the end he seems to just let it all go for pizza and wine?
The novel feels not like a well plotted story of not having a place to call safe, home, but a tale of events of crisis....more
A Haunted House is one of Virginia Woolf's short stories and I thought would be a good read for the end of October. The house is described as hearing nA Haunted House is one of Virginia Woolf's short stories and I thought would be a good read for the end of October. The house is described as hearing noises of, maybe it is a couple (ghosts?), going from one room to another.
These conversations are happening between a couple that obviously lived there before. The chatter between them is about looking for something they dearly need to find and was left behind, but where? Do they find it? Can the current occupant help find it? What is it they so despartely seek?
I loved this tale from Woolf! A friend on Goodreads said Woolf makes her feel included in her stories, that you are right there! which for me is a real talent of hers that I totally agree with....more
Mr Serle's self pride makes him feel highly of self worth, but the fakery makes it quite difficult and hard mentally. MIss Anning is very aware of whaMr Serle's self pride makes him feel highly of self worth, but the fakery makes it quite difficult and hard mentally. MIss Anning is very aware of what is going on around her. This relationship is based mostly on a conversation about Canterbury. The story is short but it implies a lot of deep observations. ...more
I am not really finished... I am done...pushing this one aside for now.
I am finding it to be complex in some areas, unreadable in others. And at momentI am not really finished... I am done...pushing this one aside for now.
I am finding it to be complex in some areas, unreadable in others. And at moments of it seems to just drag on and on. Lost at times yes! I cannot tell you how many times I have re-read a section or even a page or two and still not really grasp the meaning of Mann's words.
Is it because I know my Bible stories? that I find I'm not able to see the excitement of reading a new book in this one? It is a story gone over in our Children's Sabbath and as an adult many times.
I do not find I have the patience to read it at this time in my life. Maybe retirement time is best.
"God chooses to forgive us when we ask" Joseph had a choice. He could choose to punish his brothers for what they had done to him, or he could forgive them. Joseph chose forgiveness, and God wants us to forgive others, too...and I am hoping he will understand me pushing this one to a time later in my life....more
"In the summer, white jasmine made the dark flint walls less gloomy"
Kate a cougar of sorts, a mother of two adult children (whom she loves and wants "In the summer, white jasmine made the dark flint walls less gloomy"
Kate a cougar of sorts, a mother of two adult children (whom she loves and wants so much for but dreading that she cannot prevent the bad), and a gentleman family friend that disrupts the lives of the triangle. Kate has married for fun. For pleasure, a young, handsome man, with no ambition, out of his league, always scheming to cover up his unintentional embarrassments and clings to Kate so as not to grow up. My favorite? Ethel with her way of bending her head at closed doors, not listening, "but ascertaining.”
Written in a time of women wearing the latest, those tall bouffant hairdos and the ending? Elizabeth Taylor has a way with detail and easy rich dialogue that makes it all flow with a twist of perception coming across as believable. Packed with those stolen glances, loaded sentences and light wit. A new author for me this year and I have really enjoyed her style and I love the covers!
[image]
...more
The first chapter I was lost. The war made no sense. Modernising an island of natives cannot just happen. II think I need to give up on black satire.
The first chapter I was lost. The war made no sense. Modernising an island of natives cannot just happen. I felt sorry and appalled at the same time for Seth's father and Prudence. The Black B_t_h is just too much.
Attitudes of the time were just awful in my after thought, but Waugh exaggerates them to make them look even more out of line...ridiculous. I am sure it was funny to some and I admit at times it was (French and British), but overall I think this should not have been my first read of Waugh.
A bit shy and quiet, tending to his flowers is Mr Hoppy who is totally in love with his neighbor Mrs Silver. She adores her tortoise Alfie even thoughA bit shy and quiet, tending to his flowers is Mr Hoppy who is totally in love with his neighbor Mrs Silver. She adores her tortoise Alfie even though Alfie is well pampered does not seem to grow. Mr Hoppy takes on the challenge of being the cleverest man with his spell in hopes of love to follow. You will be surprised as what length Mr Hoppy goes to, to impress Mrs Silver. Many tortoises are involved and Alfie ranges in size from 15 0z to 27 oz.
A fun and enjoyable short read from a wonderful teller of stories. Very well written with Dahl’s dry humor and wit.
PS: Please do not over think this! It is just a delightful read for the young at heart it deserves a rousing cheer!!
In 2015 it was adapted by Richard Curtis into a BBC television film, Roald Dahl's Esio Trot, featuring Dustin Hoffman and Judi Dench as the couple, with James Corden narrating. This turned out to be a very fun movie to watch after reading the book it made for more laughter!...more
Narration from Hal the nephew of a cattle baron James Brewton who has taken on the government owned land as his own which makes this ranch and rangelaNarration from Hal the nephew of a cattle baron James Brewton who has taken on the government owned land as his own which makes this ranch and rangeland immense. New homesteaders are coming and the Judge is wanting to put James in his place. Men despising each other. James has a very lady like bride coming Lutie. Lutie is a breath of fresh air as the saying goes. Hal meets up with her at the station and instantly taken with her. Life moves on and three children are born. Lutie is escaping on the train for fear of the gossip of her affair with the lawyer. Lutie returns about ten years later, not sure where she went and how she survived or how she never wanted to be a part of her children. The once admired ranch falls into an unkept state with only Hal left to what once was.
Richter's prose is detailed it does bring a very descriptive scene to life in one's mind. His character buildings are norm making it hard to connect to them, except Hal for me. The plight of the homesteaders that are coming to settle on the open range is not that they have money, but the number of the settlers that take over, they want a chance but the rain and water are scare to provide great farm lands of crops. The sea of grassland should have been left alone and not turned into farm fields that turned into a state of dusty fields. Prairie land was gone. Bringing this novella's tragedy to light of the land that clearly was a struggle not worth the endeavor.
The novel was adapted in 1947 as a film of the same name, directed by Elia Kazan and starring Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy....more
A very heartfelt story is The Heavenly Christmas Tree. In such a short story it goes from lavish setups of Christmas dinners to some living in the SamA very heartfelt story is The Heavenly Christmas Tree. In such a short story it goes from lavish setups of Christmas dinners to some living in the Samara Famine that came about because of the War and food not being transported by rail. The little boy awoke cold and hungry and with the loss of his Mammy. He goes about looking through windows of beautiful Christmas Firs and displays of food. He tries to sneak into one home only to be shoved back out with a Kopeck given to him. He finally finds a warm place where children are playing under Christ's Christmas tree and he begs pardon.
Fyodor Dosty seems to have a good grasp of human condition and can put it into words so well....more
A short story by one of my favorites. About a man and his desire to have a child of his own. The story is filled with emotions and human struggle to lA short story by one of my favorites. About a man and his desire to have a child of his own. The story is filled with emotions and human struggle to live a meaningful life. Filled with twist and pushing to ones limit. The lie unravels leaving one to wonder if the child will be accepted and what the child really would mean to Joe....more
The Reluctant Dragon is quite humorous. My first thought was I was reading a Fairy Tale, “Long ago…”
A family of shepherds are raising a boy whose nameThe Reluctant Dragon is quite humorous. My first thought was I was reading a Fairy Tale, “Long ago…”
A family of shepherds are raising a boy whose name is not given, he is just referred to as Boy, who was treated by his parents very fondly, quite proud and almost like an equal member of the household. The boy seems to have book knowledge and an inventive mind. The book is a parody of the legendary St George and the Dragon, where the dragon is a menacing fire breathing dragon that is slain by the village champion.
The Dragon is in retirement mode, peaceable, loves poetry and not willing to put any effort into fighting. The Boy steps in to try and hide the Dragon from the Villagers but that fails and the Boy now has to take other means, as if it is his rightful duty, to save the Dragon from certain death.
The tale goes from one event to the next quite simply and the characters are sympathetic with a bit of tension in the story. Is there a moral? Not really sure but there is imagination, bonding and a bit of deceiving. What a great read as me and my Grandsons pass the book around to read every other page!
It definitely is a Fairy Tale where it ends happily ever after!
This is a tale of two spinsters in various stage of life happy or not. They meet at a conference during the coffee breaks and drinks. Dulcie, an indexThis is a tale of two spinsters in various stage of life happy or not. They meet at a conference during the coffee breaks and drinks. Dulcie, an indexer, is in the state of broken heart that carries a heavy gloom, after her much younger fiance ends the relationship. Dulcie and Viola meet up. Viola is stunned by Dulcie. They are both interested in a key speaker. Handsome and charming Alylwin, I find him selfish at best. Dulcie uses her skills of connections and placing herself in situations to help her to investigate Alylwin. With help from Laurel they plot and twist, she finds him very old. Dulcie's own inner thinking keeps you reading, the book has many endless complications that help make it funny! Beehives!
In real life during a heart break one would have turned to their girlfriends not a conference? where is Dulcie's friends? I did not care much for the ending which seemed to favor the man and it is bettered to be married than a spinster, but too me it is a better choice. Pym does write with humor but also have heard she is better the second time around....more
The Eagle's Heart has such vivid images and descriptive phrases of the surrounding countryside as Harold moves through being a sheep rancher or a cattThe Eagle's Heart has such vivid images and descriptive phrases of the surrounding countryside as Harold moves through being a sheep rancher or a cattleman. The vast descending plain upon my left. The near hills purple, the distant peaks flaming silver on the sunward side and shadowed in violet. The western sun sinking lower subdued the silver to steele-blue and the blue to purple. Each ravine was a vertical belt of blue swooping down from the foothills, each ridge between was white with snow. The clouds seemed to rise just above.
Harold grows up fast and has headstrong ideas of his future being a cattleman and a cattle King. He uses this dream for romance and marriage to Mary was his hope, (Garland just recently getting married himself) but life is rough but he struggles with his freckled face chum, Jack's help, through taking advantage of the surrounding circumstances. There is no drudgery in Harolds life and he become Mose Hardluck an indispensable cowhand.
He becomes a Marshall and Black Mose, the most famous dead-shot with that comes the offer of fame and the Wild West Shows. Mary should have never refused his offer. One she regrets, but in the end he offers her a joining of his blanket. The tale never fails. A wonderful western romance. Very well written.
Hamlin Garland, a new author for me writing about the Midwest as a Midwestern writer. He has written over 50 books. A Daughter of the Middle Border gave him his Pulitzer. and he published The Eagle's Heart two years earlier in 1900 than The Virginian which is often thought as the first Western.
(I decided to add this in to my review, about the young man: How he went from Harold a Pastor's son and turned into Mose a well known man for his skills. How he took his learning of being a man seriously. How he broke horses differently, shows you what type of person he was. How he earned his way and how his love endured all the years that went by. It actually ended totally different than I thought it would when I was about midway through)....more
Trying to understand was my demon in reading this story. I cannot tell you how many articles I read from different perspectives in trying to understanTrying to understand was my demon in reading this story. I cannot tell you how many articles I read from different perspectives in trying to understand the why of it all. Not overwhelmed by the writing style. Was hoping for more details of characters and enviroment. It is written almost as if it is an outline of the daily events.
Eliza and her sisters were remarkable people because no one could have gone through the struggles that she and her sisters endured. Their experience was horrendous, all because of their fathers choice. A man of means, 60 years old and in good standing with the community. Why would he leave a well established 240-acre farm and orchard in Illinois for a wagon train trip across the US? I would not take my family without knowing the consequences of such a hard journey. Maybe Eliza's father had more faith in who else was going than I would have. So many more women and children than men. When the Cowboys from south came up with the cattle drive they were single men on their journey to Montana on a dangerous trail full of hazards. This disturbing overland journey is more for young men, farmers, cowboys and rangers at the time. Not families. Not when you have all that and more that you leave behind like Mr Donner had. Sorry this is the part I really do not understand that you would put your family in such an enviroment of weather, shortages of food and water, and predators whether animal or human for a dream.
The journey was a mistake that could not be undone or the loss reversed. There were many dangers and difficulties that arised because of taking the Hastings Cutoff through the rugged Wasatch Mountains, the route was worse than thought, Hastings himself had never traveled it, unknown, unproven...why? They had to carve a new road through thick trees and boulder strewn ground. The snow in the Sierras was astonishing deep. Tree stumps left behind by the Party were left standing at 22 feet in height. Trapping them for months in the mountains. The snow was their end. It came early, many many feet, it did not go away. They were trapped. This because of a unscrupulous trail guide breaking trail and making promises for the Party.
If only this cut off had been successful, if only a letter left behind from Mountain Man Jim Bridger warning them how rough the Cutoff was, if only they had gone on the other trail they would of been safe. If only...
The Donner Pass now represents the most important transmontane route (rail and highway) connecting San Francisco with Reno. It lies within Tahoe National Forest, and Donner Memorial State Park is nearby.
**Honesty Lines** I gave it two stars as I cannot say the topic was an enjoyable read but I feel it needs to be understood that the pipe dream of one at the stage in his life he was, should have been content with what he had accomplished in life. I felt as if Mr Donner was selfish in regards to the concerns of his family surviving such an ordeal. Maybe he should have went on his own first....more
The letter starts out with a letter explaining he received their letters and than unfortunately Santa ran out of stock for some of the toys requested!The letter starts out with a letter explaining he received their letters and than unfortunately Santa ran out of stock for some of the toys requested! Not being able to use the chimney for a gift Santa gives instructions about him leaving footprints behind for poor George who must so it correctly or some day he will die! Not sure how loving this letter is :( from Santa....more
"Of course Santa Claus will come" All hopes were on the sale of the colt. Christmas Eve ended just fine. What was thought to be a stranger turned out t"Of course Santa Claus will come" All hopes were on the sale of the colt. Christmas Eve ended just fine. What was thought to be a stranger turned out to be a blessing. Gift o' God
A beautiful short story about things being tough and how hope and faith bring a happy ending....more
Loading...
