Coda Colors

Every once in a while, I'll read a book that is so painfully honest it's mind boggling. Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen is one of those books.

It's about a woman on the run from her abusive husband. Fran Benedetto, nurse and mother to a son increasingly numbed by the violence in the house, is married to a police officer who beats her. She considers trying to run away or calling for help. Her husband sneers, "What are you going to do, call the cops?"

What a way to point out how helpless she actually is! I got goosebumps. Realizing that she will never get away from him the conventional way, Fran turns to an agency that helps her assume a new identity and places her in a new home 1000 miles or so away.

Every day, Fran -- now Beth -- lives with the memories of her brutal husband. She lives in fear that her husband will track them down...for she's brought their son with them. The poor kid struggles with the shame and anger he feels at keeping "the secret"--the fact that his father abuses his mother.

The thoughts and feelings are so real. My father would hit my mother whenever they drank too much and got into fights so I felt myself connecting right away. The book was awesomely powerful and didn't sugar coat anything. The other thing it didn't do was to wrap things up in a neat cliche "and they lived happily ever after." I definitely would recommend this book!

Current Mood: mellow

Since my surgery on Sept 2, I finished reading two books so once again I have more than one review.

I remembered Saint Maybe from a Hallmark Hall of Fame special several years ago. When I saw the book at the library sale I bought it. Anne Tyler has a reputation as a good writer anyway and I was sure I would enjoy it. There were some sentimental reasons as well -- I lived in Baltimore a good 20 years or so of my life and that is where the book is set.

It's an extraordinary story of how profoundly people's lives can change from one little selfish act. Ian Bedloe is a 17 year old teenager feeling much put upon by his sister-in-law and children. Lucy just seemed to come out of nowhere to marry Ian's brother. She brought with her 2 children from a previous marriage and has a 3rd child "prematurely". Because Lucy is late coming home to relieve babysitter Ian, he misses his date with his girlfriend. Ian's brother arrives home next and Ian angrily accuses Lucy of infidelity. The brother is involved in a tragic accident minutes later. It doesn't end there either. How do you cope with a guilty conscience? How do you deal with kids no one seems to want? Is there ever forgiveness for some sins?

The book went on about 50 pages too long but otherwise was totally engrossing and compelling. Once the youngest child got to be about 11, events began skipping forward a little too quickly and I began to lose "touch" with what the characters were going through. I was happy with the ending--it just could have come sooner.

The other book was called Blood Brother by Anne Bird and it was a totally self-serving, useless book about being related to Scott Peterson. Peterson is the charming man convicted of killing his pregnant wife Laci and unborn son. Apparently Anne Bird is an older half sister, reunited with that side of the family after being given up for adoption as an infant. Throughout the book, she keeps switching sides. In the beginning, she noticed all of Scott's bad behavior...until he moved in with her & her husband & kids during the investigation. Then all of a sudden, it was like Scott could do no wrong. Meanwhile, though she kept defending him it was pretty obvious that she was wondering about his guilt too.

She blew hot and cold about her biological mother too. I felt an implied criticism because Jackie (the mom) gave up 2 children for adoption who later on went on to do very well and then kept 2 children who turned out not so well. Do I detect a little resentment here? She also talks about Jackie's negative comments about Laci. Mother and son make comments that really seem out of the ball field when you consider the circumstances -- like Scott flirting with a babysitter and then mom commenting that she wishes Scott could meet someone like the babysitter.

I felt a little unclean and nasty after reading the book. It seemed to be cheaply printed, too, and I just got the impression all this dark ink was coming off on my hands. Yuck. You don't need to read this book to know what a slime Scott Peterson is.

Current Mood: bored
Current Music: Under My Thumb by The Rolling Stones

Stephen King is one of my favorite writers but he tends to be a little wordy. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I would have enjoyed this book a lot more if it had been 50 pages or so shorter.

Ray Garraty is one of 100 boys going on "the long walk". It almost seems like a Boy Scout adventure until you realize that the military are there. The boys are expected to walk at no less than 4 miles per hour. If they lag, they get a warning. They get 3 warnings and then they "buy a ticket". Once I realized what that meant, my hair stood on end a little bit.

Why would anyone want to go on this thing? It didn't seem to be at gunpoint, it was something the boys signed up for. There was a reference to "The Prize" which seems to be whatever you want the rest of your life.

Along the way, Ray gets to know savory and unsavory fellow walkers who have unique views on life and death.

It just dragged too long. Too many people I didn't know or care about bought a ticket and it got to the point where I felt, "so what?"

That walk is agonizing. They don't stop to rest or eat. They aren't even supposed to stop long enough to go to the bathroom. Yes, boys get warnings for answering nature's call. What a way to go!

I wondered just how long a person really can walk without stopping. How long did the soldiers walk on their forced march to Bataan? These kids walk for five days and it just didn't seem believeable to me. I'd like to look up the information on Bataan to see if that kind of marathon walking is possible.

I was so done with the book before I got to the last page. I'd give it a 5 of 10.

Current Mood: content
Current Music: Peace of Mind by Boston

Where the Heart Is is a sweet story by Billie Letts. There is a lot of humor in it, ironic and otherwise. It's about Novalee Nation, 17 and pregnant, who is abandoned by her no-good boyfriend at a Walmart. Once Novalee realizes he's not coming back, she's got to shift for herself. She meets some amazing people and forms enduring friendships. I liked the fact that although Novalee has some pretty bad experiences, she still ends up in a better place physically and spiritually than she started.

If there was a downside, it was that I found Novalee and her friends to be a little too "good". I would have expected more alcoholism, drug abuse, violence and all that ugly stuff. On the other hand, the characters did have their own very real personal problems. The other thing I realized is that sometimes you can come from a really horrible background but still be a well balanced and decent person.

This is the first book I've read by Billie Letts and I would definitely read others. I rate this book an 8 and would most definitely recommend it to others!

Current Mood: morose
Current Music: Someone Saved My Life Tonight by Elton John

I actually finished reading HP5 almost a week ago but just hadn't gotten around to writing any thoughts about it. The hot weather is making me feel especially sluggish. I started reading J.K. Rowling's series in 2001 and read the first three books to my kids. I enjoyed them somewhat but basically considered them kids' books because I didn't see a lot of character development and complexity. Sure, Harry did a lot of whining and angsting but after everything he's been through he deserves the opportunities. Besides, I found it hard to connect to a child hero.

I was curious about the series, though, after my kids continued to read on their own. I read the fourth and now the fifth book. Although the plot has become darker and I can certainly see how adults would become hooked on the books, I still find it hard to connect to Harry and friends. The book moves along quickly and I was not bored.

Some of it was a little hard to take. There was a thoroughly hateful teacher who sets herself up as a sort of Gestapo at first before she just takes over the school. Hmf, how could anyone let that happen? I thought with some contempt. But, then, of course, I remembered Adolf Hitler and while I wouldn't compare this woman to him, I know that adults can be easily fooled and misled.

There's one thing about many of J.K. Rowling's secondary characters -- they are either the "good" guys or the "bad" guys. Either they seem totally likeable and appealing or they are just downright evil and disgusting. However, a couple of the more important characters are more fleshed out--they are not all good nor all bad.

The most memorable part of the book for me was when Harry learned what an insufferable bully his "good" and beloved father had been to the slimy "bad" character in the book, Professor Snape. No wonder Professor Snape holds such a grudge. In a different time or place, maybe he would have brought his gun to school.

I would definitely recommend the series of books to adults as well as older kids and I'd rate this one an 8. I'm looking forward to reading HP6.

Current Mood: groggy
Current Music: Wild Horses by Neil Young

You're the color blue. You have the three c's in
life--you're cool, caring and confident.
Trustworthy and honest, people are naturally
attracted to you. You're unusually optimistic,
but that makes life all the better. You're an
imaginative person who loves sleeping and
dreaming. Hard-working and determined, you
excell in school. You're everybody's favorite,
and this is because you have this undefined
richness in your personality and attitude.
Mild-tempered and stable. Not to mention very
intelligent. Along with the fact that you're
conservative, you're worried about the
environment. So basically, you're a generous,
dependable and devoted--just the kind of person
everybody needs. Wouldn't it be great if
everybody in the world were like you?


What color are you? (Amazingly detailed & accurate--with pics!)
brought to you by Quizilla

Down Came The Rain
by Brooke Shields

I saw Brooke Shields' appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show a few months ago and was intrigued with the episode. The book had just been published and Winfrey was asking questions about Shields' terrifying experience with post partum depression (PPD). Here was an actress I'd seen over the years and she was being very open about what happened to her. I would say that is what I enjoyed about the book most of all -- it's very honest. On the down side, it does get a little repetitive -- I don't need to be told more than once or twice this was the last thing she expected after trying so hard to have a baby.

The book was easy to read -- Shields seems to write down what she thinks. I could almost hear her voice recounting what happened. I think that the title was very apt and very creative. It's from Shields' favorite nursery rhyme:

The itsy bitsy spider
climbed up the waterspout
Down came the rain
and washed the spider out
Out came the sun
and dried up all the rain
And the itsy bitsy spider
climbed up the spout again

It was almost literal. When Shields suffered from PPD, she cried almost all the time. Once she realized what was happening, got help and began to get better, her life began to improve -- all her rain dried up in the warmth of the emerging sun. I liked the image.

I'm glad that she wrote the book because I think it will benefit anyone who has a new baby in his or her life: the moms, the dads, grandparents, and all the friends and relatives. A mom hopefully won't feel stigmatized or afraid to get help after reading this book. The people around her will have a better understanding of how serious a problem PPD is.



A Child Called "It"
by Dave Pelzer

This was one of the most disturbing books I've read about child abuse. I can think of only two books that upset me more, Sybil and When Rabbit Howls. After all the awful things this poor boy went through, it's a miracle that he is not seriously disturbed. Well...maybe he is and we just don't know it! This book is the first in a series of three. As I was reading it I kept wondering, what kind of mother does this to her own child? Obviously the mother had to be seriously disturbed herself. Pelzer describes a loving mom early in his life. She seemed to be affected by alcoholism and possibly some kind of mood disorder. She had two more babies while she was doing all this drinking and I wondered if they were damaged in any way from fetal alcohol syndrome. What shocked me as much as the mother's abuse was the father's inability or unwillingness to help his son. I practically cheered when the boy was finally "rescued" and placed into the foster care system...how ironic is that? I had so many questions that possibly will be answered if and when I can bring myself to read the next in the series. It's a very difficult book to read but a very valuable one.

Wow! After I read this book, I added Barbara Kingsolver to my list of favorite authors...at least until I read her other works. I was totally engrossed with this book. In a nutshell, it's the story of a missionary family that goes to the Congo -- supposedly just for a year -- in 1959. While they are there, the Belgians leave and give the Congo independence and there's an election. Almost immediately, there's interference from around the world which culminates in a tragedy for the family...sort of.

The tragedy is actually triggered by Mother Nature and cultural beliefs. Still, it wouldn't have happened had the missionary family left after their year the way they were supposed to. When all the political trouble started, though, the father made a decision to stay instead of allowing his family to be evacuated to safety.

The mother and the daughters in the family all told part of their story. They had such unique voices and points of view! I had to smile at some of the speech-isms, part of it dialect and part of it young kiddism and part of it dumb blonde-isms...i.e. "everyone was hollowing" (hollering) and "state of monotony" (matrimony).

The dad was just a jerk but not because he was a missionary. There was other missionary characters in there with a lot more compassion and empathy.

I wondered why the book was called The Poisonwood Bible and by the end of the story, I knew the reason. I don't want to give it away and so I'll just say I'd recommend this book to others!

You are Abstract. Not everyone understands you, but
you weren't meant to be straightforward. You
try to never do the obvious, and you might be a
very nonverbal person. You're emotionally
charged and you try to avoid pretense. Some see
you as mysterious, but you don't try to be.


Art Thou? -Your Art Style Personality
brought to you by Quizilla

I'm
a Ravenclaw!

Today's Friday Fiver:

1. Are you a dog or cat person?

I am most definitely a cat person!!!

2. How many pets do you have?

Three -- 2 cats and ADD (a dumb dog)

3. What’s the best thing about your pets?

They love me unconditionally

4. What’s the weirdest thing your pet has done?

Well, this isn't weird for the cat, I guess, but she sits at the window and "chatters" to the birds

5. Plans for any more pets?

Yes but don't know when

Current Mood: hungry
Current Music: Live To Tell by Madonna

Is this treasonous?

I disliked this book intensely. On the Book Crossing message boards, I've seen note after note about how much the readers loved the story. I really wanted to like the book based on all the raves but I couldn't get past how weird and disturbing I thought it was.

It starts this way: 28 year old Henry meets 20 year old Clare for the first time--his first time. She's known him since she was 6 years old! It turns out that Henry is an involuntary time traveller--something to do with his genes. He just up and disappears, usually when he's under stress, and always leaves all his clothes behind.

The first time he appears to little Clare, he is 36 ... and naked as a jaybird. Clare gives him a beach blanket to cover up. After he appears to her a couple of times, he eventually gives her a list so that she can have a box of clothes ready for him so he can get dressed when he appears. Over the years, he appears to her over and over. I found that kind of creepy and not at all charming, especially when he reveals to her that they are going to get married some day. Of course, she has no interest in dating or anything after that although she does have one bad experience with a boy. The adult Henry goes and exacts justice on this kid at Clare's direction...and I found that creepy and disturbing too.

Henry also goes back and meets his younger self in time. He watches his mother killed in a car crash over and over and over. I guess I can understand being drawn back to a traumatic event, it's like post traumatic stress disorder. What I had trouble with is how the two Henrys can share moments simultaneously. Isn't there a physics problem with this? If nothing else, it's totally discombobulating and hard to follow.

The first part of the book was a little better than the second. The second half was dark and depressing and I would have just put the damn thing down and been done with it except I really kept hoping to find something more redeeming in it. I didn't...

Current Mood: complacent
Current Music: Danny's Song by Kenny Loggins

I'm back and have much to share about the goings-on in Troy but first I wanted to share a new blog that TB and I started:

Nana & Pop-pop's House... it's not just about grandparenting, it's also about advocating for our rights to visitation with our grandchildren.

You scored as Romanticist. Romanticism encourages society to look backwards to find our solutions. Your rationale is that things were much better a few hundred years ago so we should thus look back to those times and replace them in our modern society. You believe in a simple life and that the complexities of the modern world have turned it upside down. </td> Romanticist 81% Cultural Creative 75% Existentialist 75% Postmodernist 63% Idealist 63% Modernist 50% Fundamentalist 44% Materialist 6% What is Your World View? (updated) created with QuizFarm.com

Current Mood: content
Current Music: Rocket Man by Elton John

Uh oh...I thought I was a little more detail oriented than this. ;)

Overall, Your Observation Skills Get: C

You tend to notice the big things in life... But the details aren't exactly your forte

Current Mood: amused
Current Music: Rose on the Gray by Seal

I am so done with this book!

As I started to read it, I realized that I'd read it -- or tried to read it -- before too. I also realized that I didn't even need to read the second book in the trilogy because this one starts out by undoing everything I thought I'd learned in Mystery ... and that was a big chore in itself! I felt frustrated.

The Throat is told by tormented writer Tim Underhill. He's been through some terrible stuff in his life, including being on the body squad in Viet Nam! In the beginning, I learn that the accident I thought had happened to Tom Pasmore in Mystery actually happened to Tim, a witness to his sister's murder across the street. After that trauma, Tim goes on to talk about his years in "Pigtown" and meeting John Ransom, a wealthy young man who seems to have a lot of character. I learn that John Ransom also went to Viet Nam, married, and that his wife has become a victim of the Blue Rose Killer ... maybe. Or maybe it's a copycat. Or maybe it's someone else all together.

I think this would have been a good book if it hadn't been so long (did we really need half the stuff in that book?) and so confusing. Okay, so Tom Pasmore is a made-up character by author Tim Underhill except...wait a minute, he's not. So what is what and whose story is whose? My head was spinning half the time. The other half I felt annoyed by the antics of Underhill, Ransom and Pasmore, running around investigating people and shooting them like they are the law of the land.

Actions repeat themselves too much too. In all three books, there is some weiseheimer a-hole who really doesn't know what the heck he's doing...in two of the books, a murdered man is made to look like he committed suicide -- and this is a set-up by the so-called good guys! Yes, these murdered men were bad and evil but still...

Current Mood: frustrated
Current Music: Hotel California by the Eagles

Lucy Ricardo


What classic sitcom character are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Commander Adama


What classic sitcom character are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

What!!!

Battleship Galactica's not a sitcom! I better retake it!