BOOK REVIEW: Life is Short...Wear Your Party Pants

Self help books are not high on my reading list. Along with Mary Poppins, I find them to be unnecessary. Saying that, I do love Loretta LaRoche. She is an internationally respected stress management consultant and I first became aware of her several years ago on PBS. She made me laugh then and I still smile when I think of some of her advice.

Her recent book, LIFE IS SHORT... WEAR YOUR PARTY PANTS is a good example of her wit and wisdom. Some of us may remember being told that certain pairs of underpants were to be saved for a “special occasion”  The same held true for the good china, glassware or table linens. ( I still have a tendency to do that with my cloth napkins). Loretta reminds us to break out and enjoy all of the good things in our life, not only underpants and china, but our friends and our stress.

She points out that stress can be a good thing. Stress tells us that we are alive and can encourage us to a fuller life. “ An amazing life requires resilience” How we handle that stress is what makes the difference. Of course, she recommends laughter to keep it under control.

For example, turn what is bothering you into a soap opera in your head. If you know that you are going to be late for work, rewrite the scene to getting fired, losing your job, your home, you and your family are living in a shelter; eventually you lose husband and children and end up eating out of public garbage cans. As you picture yourself in bag lady garments, your sense of humor should start surfacing. Could all of this happen? Maybe, but what are the odds. This is usually when I picture myself wearing a crown and sash that says “Miss Drama Queen 1957”.

The point is that so many things that we stress over are not going to happen or they are not that big of a deal.

I also like her advice on how much we are affected by the power of words. How we answer the question. “How ya doin’?”  can make a difference in how we are doing. Answer with “Terrific” or Great” and you soon are; same holds true of a negative answer.

Her books remind us how important relationships are. We owe good things to ourselves as well as to our friends and family. We never want to allow stressing over trivial details to tear a hole in our seals of friendship. I think of how many times laughing with my friends just makes me feel freer. She also reminds us that charity is an integral part of all religions. We are at our best when we are helping others.

The advice in LIFE IS SHORT... WEAR YOUR PARTY PANTS may not be overwhelmingly new to you, but sometimes we need some nudges to keep us on track. Loretta Laroche gives us that nudge and laughs with us as we live on. As Loretta says, take advice from your younger self and enter a room with a “Ta Da” or from your grandmother, “ Eat some pasta. You’ll feel better”.

BOOK REVIEW: With No One As Witness

While trying to empty a shelf of want-to-read books, I came across WITH NO ONE AS WITNESS by Elizabeth George. Because she does thrillers and is very prolific she has always been on the edge of my want-to list so I figured the time was ripe.

After the body of a fourth young boy is found in London, Scotland Yard has become aware that they not only have a serial killer to find, but that they are in the middle of a public relations disaster. The fourth victim was white, the first three had been black, or at least of mixed blood, and been overlooked by the local police.

Detective Superintendent Thomas Lynley,along with his disgraced partner Barbara Haver and hastily promoted Winston Nkata, has been assigned to find the murderer. The three are hampered by the powers at the Yard being aware that the Media will make much of the fact that the growing number of deaths have been black and the police force is mainly white. Hence the token black face of Nkata at each press conference.

Elizabeth George is not an author that I will probably read again. It may have helped if I had been more familiar with the characters of Lynley and Haver. I understand that they are recurring leads in her books and it may have helped to know more of their backgrounds. That was not my biggest problem with the book.

There is nothing overly original about the plot therefore I wanted to be captured by something else in the author’s style. Instead I was treated to way more information then I needed on the streets of London and personal situations involving lead characters that were never resolved.

The chase scenes were detailed about what streets, passing what points of interests until I wanted to scream to just get on with the chase. Instead of a hold your breath car chase, we got a scenic tour through various parts of London. This may have been of interest to Londoners, but it slowed the action too much for me. The slang was also new to me and at times confusing, though after awhile I was able to translate some of it.  ( I was surprised to learn that Ms. George is an American.)   

The little tidbits involving Barbara and her neighbors and  Winston with a young mother and her son were never fully explained nor resolved. I  assume that this is probably a hook to get the reader into the next book, but I just found it to be sloppy writing.

My apologies to George fans, I know that it is not completely fair to judge an author by one book, but I need a better understanding of characters and less fillers in a book. There are too many authors who do this type of novel to read one that does not suit my taste.

BOOK REVIEW: The Bride's House

Each book by Sandra Dallas builds my respect for the women who came before us. Her historical novels feature strong women facing life’s challenges, challenges that have not changed over the years. These tests could include everything from crossing the country by handcart to raising a family during a depression. THE BRIDE'S HOUSE introduces us to three generations of such women.

Nellie Bent is seventeen years old, dirt poor and one of the few single females in the mountain town of Georgetown. The year is 1880 and the town is just starting to see the mining boom. As she watches the ornate house that she has named “the Bride’s House” being built, she dreams of living there with the man she loves. Due to unfortunate circumstances, she does end up in the house, but married to someone else.

Nellie’s daughter Pearl grows up in the Bride’s House but under the strict rule of her father. There are times that she feels that she is a slave working in a mausoleum dedicated to her dead mother. Not allowed to go to college, Pearl learns the mining business by being her father’s right hand man. All the young men who have shown an interest in Pearl have been turned away by her dictatorial father, including the man she loves.

Pearl’s daughter Susan is the last of the strong women of the family. The time is now the early 1950’s and women have the freedom to go to college, to become more independent. It is Susan’s search for her self identity that starts to reveal the secrets of her women ancestors.

THE BRIDE'S HOUSE could have been another soap-opera type of women’s novel, but this was written by Sandra Dallas. In her hands we meet warm, sympathetic, living, breathing, people. People who are not always perfect, but will catch your interest.

Dallas is one of my favorite authors. She is an excellent storyteller. Her novels may be set in our past, but her stories and characters are universal. Her style of writing is crisp with language that never is condescending to her reader. I like that the secrets revealed at the end of her books add to the multidimension of her characters and give a twist to what the reader believed of them.

I am glad that she is also very prolific because I still have some of her works to look forward to.  

BOOK REVIEW: Life After Life

Kate Atkinson is a fantastic author. I have enjoyed her earlier works like When Will There Be Good Times and Left Early, Took My Dog,  but LIFE AFTER LIFE is brilliant. It is definitely in a class all by itself which means that I may have a difficult time telling you about it.

Chapter 1, “Snow”  11 February, 1910. The snowstorm is is one of the worst that the area has ever seen. Sylvie is about to give birth with only her maid Bridget in attendance. The roads are too bad for her husband, Hugh, or the doctor to make it. Unfortunately, baby Ursula is strangled by the umbilical cord and dies. This prepares the reader to expect a story of a married couple dealing with the death of their baby. Except…

Chapter 2, “Snow” 11 February, 1910. The snowstorm is the worst that the area has ever seen, Sylvie is about to give birth with only her maid Bridget in attendance. Only this time the doctor is able to make it through the icy storm and is able to cut the cord, saving baby Ursula’s life.

Ursula’s life goes on through multiple deaths and rebirths. Each life lasts a little longer and she begins to realize that she can make a bit of a difference in certain things.

As Ursula repeatedly goes through her life, the reader becomes aware of how a simple thing such as a doll thrown out on a roof, or leaving a room to retrieve a handkerchief, or shooting a young Adolf Hitler can change the way your life goes on.

Atkinson must have had post-it-notes all over her office to keep Ursula’s story straight. There were times that I had to depend on the author to keep me from getting too confused. An example was the scene where Ursula was living in Germany and had become good friends with a young Eva and her lover Adolf. There was a very young child who had not been mentioned before in the scene. Two pages later not only was the child explained, but we are in Berlin during the worst of the Second World War. I only had to pay attention to the build-up and trust the talent of Kate Atkinson. Incidentally, this was also the section that moved me the most.

I loved the characters around Ursula. Each member of Ursula’s family was well developed. No matter which version of her life she was living, each stayed true to his or her basic personality. I loved the little touches of humor throughout the book: her mother Sylvie's sense of irony; her Aunt Izzy’s Auntie Mame with an edge; the cook’s terrible cooking. I loved the warmth of her father Hugh and the common sense of her sister Pam.

There are so many adjectives that could be used to describe LIFE AFTER LIFE. Bittersweet, touching, witty, joyful, heartbreaking all come to mind. I would bet money on the fact that you have never read anything quite like it before.  If you decide to read it my advice is to stick with it. Let your suspension of disbelief and the author carry you through. It is a book that will make you ponder your own life’s choice for quite awhile.

THEATER REVIEW: Dorothy in Wonderland

The size of the audience at Bald Eagle Area Drama Club’s production of DOROTHY IN WONDERLAND was a good indication that word is out that those kids do a great job.

The sets were creative and the costumes were beautiful. The backdrop for Wonderland was very effective. The royal court was elegantly dressed and the individual characters were easily recognized.  For me, though, the fun of a junior high production is watching for the future “stars” and, trust me, we saw the future in DOROTHY IN WONDERLAND. Most of all, I was impressed with the fact that I could hear and understand every word spoken on stage. This is not always the case with more “experienced” actors.

A good high school director will try to get as many students involved as possible in a production. This is great for educational purposes and for ticket sales, but creates a bit of a problem for any review. Space does not always allow mention of everyone and there were so many who deserve special recognition.

As Dorothy, Katherine Haagen had to carry the weight of the show and her poise and talent was up to the job. Katerine has been seen in past shows and her experience is evident. I loved the strength that she showed. ( Natural personality or acting?)

In character contrast, Amber Graham made a sweet Alice. I thought that the role of Alice might have been larger, since it took place in Wonderland, but Amber made the part memorable.

The “stars” of the evening may have been Dorothy’s trio of friends. The Cowardly Lion has always been one of my favorite characters and Darren Huyett did not disappoint. His roar made the audience sit up and pay attention! Tim Durachko was a gentle Tin Man, just as a man with a new heart should be. Keep your eye on Xander White. Scarecrow seemed to have a large amount of stage time and lines and Xander was a delight with every appearance.

Dale Dyke was perfect as Glinda the Good Witch. Dale has a particularly strong voice and floated around the stage as only a good witch could. Cami Haines and Margaret Noll as the Mad Hatter and the March Hare played off of each other so well. I assume that their madness was acting and not basic personalities.

There were so many clever touches in the show and I am out of room. But to mention a few: Michael Geyer’s Caterpillar and his bubble blowing pipe, the terrible puns thrown at Nicholas Townsend’s Humpty Dumpty, the arrogant Queen of Hearts and her rather wimpy King of Hearts were Allison Cowan and Caleb Cain ( a person could picture what type of marriage they had!)

All in all, it was a very enjoyable evening. I am waiting to see the members of the Drama Club show off their individual talents at the Dessert Cabaret Fundraiser on the 7th of February. Their spring musical will be The Sound of Music. Look for it in April 16 - 18.. It should be equally as good.

BOOK REVIEW: The Girl Factory

For me, belonging to a book group has so many advantages. I love to hear the different interpretations that are voiced around the room as we each bring ourselves into the story. Maybe even more important for me, is that books are chosen that I would never discover on my own. THE GIRL FACTORY, a memoir by Karen Dietrich is one that I probably would have passed over,

In 1985, Karen is eight-years old and living in Connellsville, Pennsylvania. Her parents work at the local glass factory on different shifts, one going to work as the other parent returns home. Not fitting in at home or at school, Karen explains that there is a factory some place where little girls are made. Some roll off the assembly line, shiny and perfect; others are sent to the scrap heap where the broken pieces are reassembled to make the less than perfect ones. She is the latter.

Karen is a gifted student who is fascinated with learning. She is obsessed with the full meaning of words, the superstitions that help her to keep her world under control, and her own body. Watching the more popular girls as she enters junior high school, she feels that sex must be the answer to popularity. Her first encounter only makes her feel empty and more alone.

We follow Karen through high school and college. We leave her as she sets off to start a new career and a new life. At the end of the book, I was truely wishing her well.

The strength of this book is that we see the family and school friends through Karen’s eyes; we hear only hints of family secrets as she grows. Dietrich gives us enough information, but allows the reader to come to his or her own conclusion about people and events.

The author’s obsession with words as a young girl pays off beautifully in this book. The use of language is precise and poetic. Glass and factory become metaphors to explain how fragile things are and that some people come out flawed.

Karen Dietrich’s family has questioned the veracity of THE GIRL FACTORY. I can not verify their claims, but I can state that the book is an honest portrayal of a misfit teen growing up in the late 1980’s, or maybe any time in history.

I liked THE GIRL FACTORY. Now, I cannot wait until our book group meets to hear what the rest of the ladies have to say.

BOOK REVIEWS: Downsizing

Getting a house ready to sell is hard, especially after 46 years of collecting stuff. To cut down on moving van fees, I am trying to empty the wine rack and the bookshelves. The wine is disappearing very nicely, but I am making slow progress on the books. Here is a brief list of how I am spending my down time.

Donna VanLiere is best known for her warm Christmas stories. Many of them, like The Christmas Shoes, have been specials on the Hallmark channel.  THE ANGELS OF MORGAN HILL, is her typical story of faith and destiny. The year is 1947, Jane Gable is nine years old and the first black person she lays eyes on is at her abusive father’s funeral. Jane is puzzled why so many neighbors hate this new family without knowing them.

THE ANGELS OF MORGAN HILL captures the warmth, humor and pains of growing up in the South during the 1940’s. VanLiere does not shy away from some of the ugliness of racial tension in rural America, but balances the story with many good people. A VanLiere book is meant to make the reader feel good and this one certainly does.

On the other end of the reading scale is Erica Spindler. She is one of my go-to authors when I want a good psychological thriller. SHOCKING PINK did not disappoint.

Andie, Raven and Julie have been friends since early grade school. We meet the girls when they are young teenagers. Julie’s father is a minister who feels that he can beat the sin out of the young girl; Raven is being raised by a single father who wants to keep her his little girl and Andie's father leaves his family for another woman leaving emotional scars on the teenage girl. One night Andie, Raven and Julie discover an abandoned house that is being used for some very dangerous sexual games. The girls return to watch “Mr. and Mrs X” until the night that the body of “Mrs.X” is found hanging in the bedroom.  Fifteen years later the girls have been reunited in their home town and someone does not want them to forget what they had seen in that abandoned house. Spindler once again has given us believable, if somewhat twisted, characters. She stays on my go-to-list.

Most of the books that I have been devouring have been Regency Romances, or as I like to call them, “My Drug of C

hoice”. One is by long time favorite, Mary Jo Putney and the other by, new to me, Melissa Mayhue. The reason that I mention them together is because they both blend my second favorite genre, Fantasy with the Regency time period.

THE MARRIAGE SPELL by Mary Jo Putney takes us to a version of Regency England where all things magical are held in great disgust, especial by the upper “ruling” class. Still, healer,Abby Barton, takes the risk of using her powers to heal Lord Frayne after he is involved in a near fatal hunting accident. What would then become a typical romance story, Ms Putney’s talent for character development turns into a tale of good vs. evil. As can be expected, we do have a happy ending.

Actually, Melissa Mayhue's HIGHLANDER'S CURSE takes us to Medieval Scotland...well in part. HIGHLANDER'S CURSE adds another ingredient, time travel to the plot. In 1296 Colin MacAlister makes the mistake of ticking off the Queen of the Faeries and in the present time. Abigail Porter makes a wish to find her soulmate. The result is that Abby wakes up to find a strange, naked man in her bed. The usual battle between good and evil travels between the two time periods, adding all types of interesting characters, witty dialogue, and fast action sword fights...except for the one guy who happens to have a gun in Scotland in 1296. This did bother me a bit because each incident when  Abby and Colin switched times, they ended up naked. How the bad guy got to take his gun along with him is I guess under the heading of “Voluntary Suspension of Belief”. Melissa Mayhue will now be on my “Drug of Choice” list.

Stay tuned, I still have a lot of bookshelves to empty.