Books a Million

In all of the craziness lately I haven't been very good about keeping my reading list updated! However, I have made my way through a few pieces of literature lately! Here is your update.

The Tenderness of Wolves, by Stef Penney

We read this novel for August's Book People meeting. It was amazingly well written for a first novel. Had I not known any better I would never have guess it to be a first. This piece of historical fiction takes place in rural Canada during the 1870's. It starts with the murder of a local fur trader and the disappearance of a 17 year old boy, Francis Ross. Obviously Francis is the key suspect. The novel continues as Francis's mother goes off into the Canadian wild in search of her son in the company of another suspicious character. The Hudson Bay Trading company becomes embroiled in the scandal as they attempt to ensure that justice is served. It was an interesting book, with a fair amount of detail. There were some pieces of backstory that we were interested in knowing more about, and our character analyses found several to be quite unique. All in all, it was a rough time and place and I wouldn't have wanted to have been caught up in it

The Madonnas of Lenningrad by Donna Dean

This was a book that I picked up based on the name. It just sounded interesting. It was the haunting story of a Russian woman working as a docent at the Hermitage during the siege of Leningrad during WWII. The story is told in flashbacks as Maria is visiting with family and traveling for her granddaughter's weddding. She is falling vicitim to Altzheimers, and is often confused between the present her her life back in Leningrad. During her stay at the Hermitage her lover joins the Army and she if forced to live through horrendous conditions. Her memories of the museum are breath taking. Meanwhile, the loss of these memories as she succombs to Altzheimers is incredibly sad. This was a good read, although I think I need to re-read it since I think I missed a few detials.

Songs without Words by Ann Packer

On the way back from Houston I picked up this novel. My cousin Abby had mentioned it to me, as we had both enjoyed Packer's previous work. I give Ab kudos for the recommendation! It details the friendship and lives of two Californian women, Liz and Sarabeth. They grew up across the street from one another in Palo Alto, until Sarabeth moved in with Liz's family after mother's suicide. The book deals with their lives as adults and the intricacies of their lives. Liz has a picture perfect life as a housewife with two teenage children while Sarabeth is still a free spirit, single and living a carefree life exploring her artistic side. They carryover a friendship that is more of an unbiological sisterhood, despite San Fransisco Bay lying between their lives both physically and emotionally. They are shocked by the attempted suicide of Liz's daughter, and their friendship and their individual lives undergo a series of trials. Some reviewers did not enjoy the book, calling it boring. I still enjoyed it as I saw it exploring the friendships of women and how we lead our lives versus the view from the exterior.

Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore

This is no novel, but rather a true story. The first thing I say is, read it. Really, you should. It was a great book. It told the story of two men who grew up with distinctly different lives - and how the actions of one woman changed them and the people of the city of Fort Worth. Ron grew up in TX, in a middle class home. He worked on his grandfathers farm and made his way into college, falling in love with Deborah. After their marriage he became an investment banker, eventually moving into the world of high class art dealer! While living the high life of the upper crust crowd Deborah decided that they needed to do God's work. Volunteering at Union Gospel Misson Mr. Ron and Miss Debbie met Denver, a homeless man with a story. Denver grew up share cropping in Louisiana. It was a horrible time and a horrible place to be, but the black sharecroppers knew no better - their property owners denied them access to education that would make them aware of the current state of affairs. Eventually Denver left for TX, where he survived as a homeless man - a plight far better than his life in LA. Miss Debbie's work brought them all to God and has shined a spotlight on the homeless. I highly recommend this book, which chronicles the lives of these three individuals. It was so hard to believe it was reality and not a novel - no one can be ieve that this is the way things were. It moved me.

For more information check out their website.

http://www.samekindofdifferentasme.com/default.aspx