It took me a VERY LONG time to get through this book. Now, granted, I don't read all that often anymore, but this book is just a stinker. And it's a little harder for me to say that since the author's bio says that Christina Adam died in 2003 - the same year that "Love and Country" was published. So I don't want to speak ill of the dead. First, I was never really sure if this book was about the teenage boy or about his mom. Then it tried to have some rodeo action, but there was nothing redeeming in any of that side story. The over-done descriptions of EV-RE-THING were just plain distracting. And I almost quit altogether when the mom started crying when her no-good ex-husband died. Why would she do that?!?

Am I just spoiled for books in this age of streaming videos and instant gratification? I hope not. Although I certainly have been streaming a lot of stuff lately! I dropped Netflix a couple of months ago and have been getting all of my "television" from YouTube's free options. One old movie has led to another, and I have been immersed in old Shirley Temple movies, war movies that I never knew existed, and episodes of shows like The Flying Nun, I Dream of Jeannie, and of course SNL and Mad TV. I mean, did you know that one of the woman actors in Shirley Temple's "Poor Little Rich Girl" (1936) is the woman who played Old Rose in "Titanic" (1997)?? That kind of stuff just fascinates me. Maybe it's time to turn this into a movie review blog, LOL. We went to the movies last week to see "Lost on a Mountain in Maine". It was a little slower than I was expecting. Only one or two scenes had any real action. The rest was mostly angst-y, of course. I wouldn't have to see it again, but it was good enough once.

Welp, hopefully I can read my next book in less than a year. We'll see!
 

 

Well, I wasn't really a fan of the movie "The Notebook" (2004), but I did recognize the author's name immediately from the days when that movie was so big.  Hmm...  I see that this one was made into a movie, too: "The Longest Ride" (2015).  With Alan Alda!  Well, I missed that completely.  The Longest Ride is Nicholas Sparks' 17th romance novel, released in 2013.  They certainly didn't wait very long to make a movie version!  Well, the book was okay, even though I could see where it was going before I got to the half-way point.  The ending was still pretty clever, I guess.  It's just not really my style, is all.  Not that bull riding isn't relevant to my life.  I remember when momma used to say that I could marry anyone besides a bull rider.  Ha.  I don't have many guy friends, but one who comes to mind is Michael Dale, and he used to ride bulls in his younger days.  It seems like he turned out alright.  But also, I'm sort of involved in putting on Bullfest in Saint Jo on May 6.  I guess I'll be helping in the concessions stand?  I dunno, usually my job at these things is to make sure that there's enough toilet paper in the bathrooms.  And then usually I'm the last person there at 2:00 AM to make sure the lights get turned off and the gate gets locked.  Yup.  That's what bull riding is for me.  Very romantic, no? 

Eeesh - it has been over a year since I last posted.  You know, life and stuff...  I show up where I need to be, do my job, and go home.  That’s why I have gotten so behind on these book reviews.  Computer work isn't as fun as it used to be.

You Dropped A Blonde On Me, Dakota Cassidy, 2010

This one was mildly entertaining.  It told a pretty good story, but sometimes the foul language was distracting.  If I remember correctly, the main character was right around age 40, which was my age at the time when I was reading the story, so that is quite à propos.  But most of it I couldn't identify with too much.  Being a trophy wife.  Finding love.  Yeah, all of that good stuff.  Also, I'm pretty sure that the author is a red-head, and I can't say that she totally gets the essence of being blonde.  Ha.

Touched With Fire, John Tebbel, 1952

I do enjoy older books.  My copy didn't have the dust jacket shown here.  This book tells the fictional story of René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle (a/k/a LaSalle) and his voyage down the Mississippi River.  It's based on the real LaSalle's 1682 trip down the river, but it focuses on LaSalle's right-hand-man's perspective.  Can you imagine - 340 years ago on this continent??  It's not a romanticized version of how it might have been.  The constant struggles are what make this book.  Sometimes it was a little slow-paced, but I liked it alright.

Rebel With A Cause: Finally Comfortable Being Graham, Franklin Graham, 1995

So, a little backstory...  I think it was just last Summer (feels like ages ago) when my desk was so full of CRAP that I ended up paying some bills late because they disappeared in to the fray.  After that, I started answering every single begging letter that I'd been getting with "Please remove me from your mailing list!!!"  One of those was Samaritan’s Purse.  I have no problems with the work they do, and I have given to them in the past, but I had reached my limit in the junk mail department.  Franklin Graham answered my request for removal with a letter and this book.  It is worth noting that Mr. Graham's organization was the only one that acknowledged my request.  Pretty much all I knew about Franklin Graham was that he got kicked out of my alma mater, LeTourneau University.  I had heard stories about why he was expelled, so I was really looking forward to that part of the book.  Well, surprise, surprise...  The reason was NOT what the rumors had claimed.  I had heard something about how he had given the Flooders their name by being part of the flooding incident that gave them their name.  NOPE!  But I'm not going to tell you the real story.  You'll have to read the book!

I Could Pee on This Too: And More Poems By More Cats, Francesco Marciuliano, 2016

My co-worker Kim gave me this book.  I dunno if cats can write poems.  Speaking of cats, I currently have 8 of them:  Mattie Ross, Mrs. Brown, Punkin Head, Clifford, Frosty, Sparkles, Nikki, and Special Favorite (a/k/a Rosie).  It's kind of a lot.  I also found out that Chester, my original cat, is living at someone else's house a block away.  He'd rather be an only-cat-child, so I can't really blame him for abandoning me.  He never peed on my stuff the way Mrs. Brown does.

Can I Play Too? by Mo Willems, 2010

Co-worker Kim also found this book.  She picked it up at the Whaley UMC garage sale when I was looking for kids' books for Kylie's baby shower.  I have since passed the book on to my Uncle Doug for his grandchildren.  I thought that the story was really clever, and it didn't go the way I thought it was going to go.  The sarcasm really made me L.O.L.  And the baby shower in Tuttle, Oklahoma, was nice.  I picked a different book to give to the mother-to-be.  Kylie was our rodeo queen a few years back.

Hello again so soon!  I guess I'm getting tired of Netflix because I've been choosing to read more often than usual on these long winter days.  "Lament for a Father" (2021) by Marvin Olasky was a freebie that came in the mail since I'm a subscriber to WORLD magazine.  It seems that I identify more with Eli Olasky (Marvin's father) than I do with the author, specifically in the religious department.  Eli has grown cold and lost his motivation after his service in World War II.  As a Jew, he had to live with what he had seen at the concentration camps in Germany.  I've had no such life-changing experience, but somehow I seem to have ended up at the same place - unmotivated and short on faith in a loving God.  This book does not seek to condemn any of the characters, but I can't help but feel like I'm part of the wrong side - the German people, the Catholic people - all were hugely anti-Semitic.  I see it in myself sometimes.  But isn't it hard to accept an entire race that declares themselves to be declared special by the Creator of us all??  The Chosen People.  Why would God do such a thing?  Sure, it seems that later in New Testament times He decides to go with "there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28, NIV)  Maybe he could have led with that idea??  Ehh, we're still not really ready to hear it.  My only problem with this book was how the author tried to use the present tense for things that happened in the past.  It worked in some places, but not throughout.  And I guess with a book like this, I should probably recognize my own father.  But I have no complaints about Bob Hess, so that is that.  Sometimes when he comes up with witty, barbed retorts, I can see where I got my dry humor.  Like with Marvin and his father, I suppose the appreciation tends to grow with time.  When I was little, I used to imagine a time when my parents would be gone.  I wasn't so much afraid of it, but I thought I was preparing my emotions to handle it.  I don't suppose that's possible at all.  I'll be lost, but it doesn't really feel like I can be more lost than I am now.  We shall see.
 

Yeow... It has certainly been awhile since I've checked in here. I won't ask if you've missed me... So this first book, Perfectly Yourself: Discovering God's Dream for You, by Matthew Kelly, wasn't really my cup of tea. I'm definitely no closer to determining His dream for me. I guess I got the book free from church, so that had to be several years ago. I'm not sure when I last went to church (other than a funeral or two). I do remember what happened that day. I went to Friendship Church in Saint Jo, and I didn't want to park across the street and have to say "good morning" to five crossing guards before I even got in the door, so I parked in the back. I thought I was being clever and parking out of everyone's way, but I ended up getting my car stuck in the mud. A couple of men-folk had to rescue me. It makes for a good story, I guess, but I didn't appreciate it so much. Post-COVID, I had been going to the cemetery on Sunday mornings to read my Bible and try to pray, but after one of those sessions I ran over Thomas the cat. Yeah, I know, it could have happened on any day surrounded by any activity, but since it came after my feeble attempt to seek the Lord, it really leaves a bitter taste, ya know? 

Both of these next two books sure like to dwell on RACE. The Woman at the Light (Joanna Brady) tells the story of forbidden love with a runaway slave. It's entertaining enough. I don't remember much else about it except that it took a long time for me to get through it.

And this last book, Picture Perfect (Jodi Picoult), is partially about a half-breed Indian trying to find his place in the world amid racial strife and partially about a woman who marries a movie star who turns out to be abusive. The end is way too neat and tidy, but most of the middle of the book isn't all that bad - if you can get past the slightly-confusing beginning when the main character has amnesia. And it also starts out with so much racial "blah-blah-blah" that I wasn't sure it was worth my time. But it was alright. Judging by the White Oak High School sticker, the book must've come from Momma G in Longview. Now there's a blast from the past.

Despite being 98% predictable, "The Jane Austen Marriage Manual" by Kim Izzo (2012) is not a bad book. I guess that I got it from Nancy. I can't remember. It's been a long time since I've seen her or her dogs. You know, usually I am on dog feeding duty every month or so when she goes on her trips, but the COVID-19 has left her home-bound since March. I really can't take much more of this 'Rona... But back to the book... I have to admit, I've never read a Jane Austen novel. Back in college, my friend Lynn would watch and re-watch the Jane Austen movies - Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility... I never knew what was going on other than some guy wants some girl but the girl wants a different guy... I dunno. Always about guys and girls and angst. Isn't there enough of that in real life? I guess that's what makes it relevant.

It's always fun to read a book by someone that you know. "Hepatitis C - Never Give Up Hope" (2016) was written by Cindy Bowles from Era, Texas. When I was a youngster in 4-H, we used to have playdays at her arena. The book tells the story of her husband Harold's battle with Hepatitis C including two liver transplants. The last time I talked to her in the Fall, they were waiting on a kidney. That is a lot for one family to deal with, but the book explains how their faith in God has carried them through the hard times. Harold and Cindy run Precious Memories Carriage Service, and they have helped out the Saint Jo Riding Club for several years by transporting our rodeo queens and grand marshals in our annual rodeo parade. They are a class act. I'm glad she wrote this book to share their story. I'd recommend it to anyone who is going through hard times.