Thomas Jefferson and Tripoli Pirates

 

 

Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates:

The Forgotten War that Changed American History

by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger

Pulled from the pages of history, Kilmeade and Yaeger tell the story of how a burgeoning United States was pulled into a war with the Barbary States. In the late 1700's, merchant ships from the U.S. as well as European countries, were constantly being boarded and raided by pirates from many of the North African states. Not only was the cargo looted, but the pirates would often kidnap the crews and take them back to their countries to be sold as slaves.

This is a fascinating story of how the young leaders of this new nation formulated and executed a plan to deal with the pirates once and for all. This book is well put together and tells a story from our history that goes largely unheard. People of all ages would do well to read this book and learn or relearn more of the history of this great country.

The Year of Magical Thinking

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

"You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends." Novelist and screenwriter Joan Didion writes in this memoir about her experiences after losing her husband to a major cardiac event in late December of 2003, while also caring for her daughter who is in and out of the hospital throughout the year. She describes in raw detail the feelings and thoughts that she had in the first months of her tragedy, including what she labels "magical thinking:" her expectation that her husband was coming back, that he could walk in at any minute. She explains that this idea is a reason for a lot of her possible illogical behavior; she can't throw away his clothes because then he would have nothing to wear. 

Didion repeats certain sentiments throughout the book, sentiments that would come into a person's head multiple times if they lost a loved one. Her husband passed away just as they were eating dinner, and so she repeats "you sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends." She reminisces on the times that they had together and the lives that they lived, and often ends it with "and then gone." It was very real and lent to the understanding that as a widow, these thoughts happen over and over again. She also did a lot of research and included many quotes from other writers on death and grief. A particularly interesting excerpt was from an etiquette book by Emily Post about the proper mourning tactics. There was a definite contrast in how grieving was treated almost a hundred years ago compared to now.

For those that have lost someone, this book brings up a lot of hard emotions, but it may help in feeling a sense of camaraderie. There are others who have gone through similar situations, who have felt the way that you feel. For other readers who are not familiar with these emotions, Didion does an excellent job of putting into words the feelings of grief and everybody could learn from her about what might be going on in the head of a widow. She expresses so accurately the feelings of shock, forgetfulness, and even the irrational ideas that you might have to hold on to their shoes, just in case.

The Year of Magical Thinking is a powerful book that makes you feel. It is raw and real and does not sugarcoat the challenges of losing someone you love so dear. It can put things into perspective, or open your eyes to ways of thinking you are not accustomed to. It teaches us that we are not alone in our inability to let go of the ones we love. “I know why we try to keep the dead alive: we try to keep them alive in order to keep them with us.”

Be Frank With Me

 

 

Be Frank With Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson

Much to her dismay, Alice has been sent out West by Mimi Banning's publisher to ensure that Mimi gets her new novel completed in a timely manner.

The reclusive Mimi has not written anything since her first novel, a Pulitzer prize winner, was published when she was a young college dropout. When Alice arrives at Mimi's Bel Air Mansion, she is rebuffed by the author and put in charge of her 9 year old son, Frank.

Frank is an eccentric young man that insists on dressing in 1930's clothing, is adamant on keeping his routine and does not do well in social situations. Slowly, Alice builds a bond with the boy and finds a routine in the household. Then Xander shows up,  a good-looking handyman, piano teacher, and sometime resident of the mansion, and a flaky, charming ne'er-do-well who appears and disappears often.

Between Franks frequent meltdowns, Mimi's strange writing habits and the handsome handyman, the story is a mix of crazy mishaps, unexpected twists and emotional turns. Definitely a book I enjoyed reading even though the ending was a little bit of a let down.

The Secret Language of Sisters

The Secret Language of Sisters by Luanne Rice

In this young adult novel, two sisters have to overcome physical and emotional trials without the benefit of each other. Ruth Anne (Roo) McCabe falls into what is believed to be a coma after a bad car accident while trying to respond to a text message from her sister Tilly. In reality, Roo is experiencing locked-in syndrome and is totally aware of everything going on around her, although she has no way of making it known. Tilly is dealing with an immense amount of guilt from sending the perilous text and the feelings that she has caused the accident.

This was a fantastic read. It touched on an important topic of texting and driving. While I disagree with the author - I would not hold someone responsible for texting to someone who might be driving - it made me more aware of driving dangers.

A standout aspect of this book was the relationship between the two sisters. It was clear that the two cared for one another, and still had a strong bond even when they couldn't physically speak. Both sisters struggle with feelings of guilt and responsibility for the accident, but neither one turns to blaming the other. 

I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a young adult novel more. It was a very clean read and had limited romance. Both adults and teenagers alike will be able to enjoy this book on the importance of family and persevering through the hardest of times.

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The Mapmaker's Children

The Mapmaker's Children by Sarah McCoy

Even though this is a work of fiction, it is loosely based on the story of Sarah Brown, daughter of abolitionist, John Brown. John Brown was a leader in the Underground Railroad that helped lead slaves to freedom. Sarah found that with her artistic talents, she could help her father's cause by hiding maps within her paintings and help the slaves find their way North.

Many years later, Eden Anderson, discovers a hidden porcelain doll that was used by the Underground Railroad in aiding the slaves. Even though Eden and her husband have just purchased their old home just outside of Washington DC, she is not sure she wants to be there. But as she begins to unravel the mystery of the porcelain doll, she begins to build new relationships that help her heal and rediscover what is most important.

Sarah McCoy was able to bring two stories together of women from different centuries that were able to overcome difficulties and personal tragedies and find a way to be at peace with their lives. I enjoyed reading this book and learning more about a country's history.

A Haunted Love Story

A Haunted Love Story: The Ghosts of the Allen House by Mark Spencer

A Haunted Love Story is the true story of the Allen house, one of the most haunted houses in America. It was written by Mark Spencer, who lives in the house with his family. He shares with the reader a detailed history of its residents, including Ladell Allen and her family that continue to inhabit the house even after death. The questions behind Ladell's death are answered as the author finds letters hidden under the floorboards in the attic.

Spencer also gives a history of his own time in the house, and the experiences he has had with the spirits that occupy it. They discuss the many times they have seen people that shouldn't be there, and felt things that seem impossible. He tells of their experiences with paranormal investigators, and it is fascinating to read about this relationship that the living family has formed with the ghostly one. The Spencers would discover something missing or out of place, and they eventually learned that it was the prankster Allen playing a trick on them. 

Something lacking in the story is the absence of pictures of the people discussed.  As I read through I found myself constantly saying "I wish they had a picture of Ladell Allen right here" or "What did her son look like?" It also seemed at times as though the author was taking a few too many liberties in what he "guessed" may have happened, although he would always clearly say that it was merely conjecture. But reading about all the things that have happened in the house, and discovering what he learned through the letters certainly make you more curious about the place itself, and you may end up looking information up online to find out more, as I did.

This book is a quick read, and is not particularly scary for a ghost story, but there were times I found myself getting a little spooked as some of the hauntings played out in my mind. It seems unimaginable to me that the Spencers have continued to live in this house! While it is a non-fiction story, it reads as though it is fiction. It is a thrilling tale that brings together the paranormal and a historic tragedy of love and heartbreak.

Listen to the Moon

Listen to the Moon by Michael Morpurgo

When young Alfie and his father find an injured girl, who cannot or will not speak, on a deserted island, they bring her to their home on an island off the coast of England to heal and to  try and discover who she is. Outside their secluded island, England is at war with Germany and there are many islanders that suspicious of the young girl.

The young girl, known as Lucy Lost, slowly begins to adjust and become a part of life on the island, but she still remains a mystery because of her inability to talk. This is a story of how war can bring out the best and the worst in people and make us rethink some of our priorities and help us to remember what is truly important.

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Between Shades of Gray

Between Shades of Gray

When you read about WWII, not much is mentioned about the role the Soviet Union played in the war and the devastation and cruelty of Stalin and his secret police, the NKVD. When the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia were invaded by the Soviets in 1939, there were many citizens that were unjustly accused of crimes they did not commit and were considered enemies of the Soviets. These citizens were murdered, deported and sent to work camps where they were starved and grossly abused. Their stories of inhuman treatment and are not often told and mostly forgotten. Even though this is a story of fiction, it is based on stories from survivors and their families and gives us a small glimpse of the cruelty and abuse that so many of the deportees faced.

In this story, we follow 15 year old Lina and her family, who are violently forced from their home and shipped by cattle train to the work camps in Siberia. Their father has been accused of crimes against the Soviets and sent to a prison camp. Lina, her mother and brother are forced to live in a hut and work in the beet fields with a ration of only a piece of bread each day to keep them alive.
Through Lina's eyes, we see her fellow deportees and the varied reactions to the inhumane treatment they are forced to endure. Some were defeated and give up all hope, where as others were determined to survive whatever the Soviets did to them. The circumstances brought about acts of depravity and at the same time unbelievable depths of kindness from unexpected sources. This is a heart wrenching story that should be read.