Men We Reaped
Adult biography
"We who still live do what we must. Life is a hurricane, and we
board up to save what we can and bow low to the earth to crouch in the
small space of dirt where the wind will not reach. We honor
anniversaries of deaths by cleaning graves and sitting next to them
before fires, sharing food with those who will not eat again...We love
each other fiercely while we live and after we die..."
One of the books that should be up near the top of any Black
Lives Matter reading list is Jesmyn Ward's memoir, Men We Reaped.
Ward grew up poor and black in Mississippi. She was in a world where
racial hostility still created danger, where mothers had to raise
their children and support them from the low pay, hard work jobs they
were allowed to hold, where boys were raised with fewer restrictions
than girls but all too often died young.
Ward lost too many of the guys who mattered most to her. In Men
We Reaped she shares the stories of five of them: three childhood
friends, a cousin, and her only brother. She makes us see clearly and
in poignant detail their lives and personalities. She also points to
factors, such as indifferent schools that shuffled them through
instead of making the most of their talents, that ultimately doomed
them.
In between these chapters she shares her growing up life. She
tells us about the on and off relationship between her parents that
left her mother worn out from cleaning house for rich whites and
having total responsibility for four children, the responsibilities
she herself had to take on early, the self loathing she came to feel
as many in her community did, and the lonliness she experienced as a
scholarship student at a school where she was the only poor black.
She invites us into the world she escaped for college and graduate
school only to be drawn back to.
At the beginning of the book Ward shares several quotes. One by
Harriet Tubman:
"We saw the lightning and that was the guns; and then we heard the
thunder and that was the big guns; and then we heard the rain falling
and that was the blood falling; and when we came to get in the crops,
it was dead men that we reaped."
And Tupac Shakur:
"Young adolescents in our prime live a life of crime,
Though it ain't logical, we hobble through these trying times.
Living blind: Lord help me with my troubled soul.
Why all my homies had to die before they got to grow?"
There is a gap of a century and a half between those times. Why
the Hell hasn't more changed? Why are too many young black men still
being reaped, still dying before they get to grow? These are
questions that should motivate us all to work toward solutions.
Whatever you do, read the book and let it take you way out of
the comfort zone many of us (whites) don't deserve to be in.
On a personal note, the UMaine students are back. After lonely weeks
shambling around a childless, silent house I am more than ready for
their laughter and spontanaity.
A great big shout out goes out to the UMaine students with wishes for
an awesome school year.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Monday, August 29, 2016
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Trouble the Water
Trouble the Water
Juvenile historical fiction
"There was an uneasy peace between white and colored in
Celeste, and Mr. Renfrew understood how fragile it was, and how
scared colored folks were about breaking it. He himself had a cousin
in Breckinridge County who'd been lynched twenty years before, dragged
from the county jail after he'd been accused of attacking a white
woman. Violence was never far from the surface of any human
relations. Folks were right to fear it."
Trouble the Water is a rather unusual story about a girl, a boy,
an aged dog, and a couple of stranded ghosts. The girl, Callie, is
thrilled to be released from fifth grade by summer vacation. She
writes occasional pieces for a local weekly paper, yearns for
mysteries to solve, and finds just about any other activity preferable
to weeding her mother's garden. The boy, Wendell, is intrigued by his
father's childhood recollection of a run down cabin in the woods.
Perhaps he can find it and turn it into a club house. The old yellow
dog knows his time on earth is nearly up. He has a mission he must
achieve before he departs this mortal coil.
The old dog brings the girl and the boy together. After
achieving an uneasy truce, they begin looking for the old cabin.
There are people who don't approve of them being friends. She is
black; he's white. The year is 1953; the state is Kentucky. An
editorial has just come out in the black paper claiming that the
taxpayer funded swimming pool should be desegregated.
As for the two ghosts--read the book and discover their
identities.
This compelling coming of age story is another gem from an award
winning author...very end of summer read worthy.
On a personal note, my thrift shop research has helped me find some
cool stuff. My favorites have been a musical snow globe with
multicultural angels and a grab bag of cross stitch stuff including
two lovely already done pieces I aim to frame and hang in my studio.
A great big shout out goes out to the people, many of volunteers, who
keep thrift shops open.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Juvenile historical fiction
"There was an uneasy peace between white and colored in
Celeste, and Mr. Renfrew understood how fragile it was, and how
scared colored folks were about breaking it. He himself had a cousin
in Breckinridge County who'd been lynched twenty years before, dragged
from the county jail after he'd been accused of attacking a white
woman. Violence was never far from the surface of any human
relations. Folks were right to fear it."
Trouble the Water is a rather unusual story about a girl, a boy,
an aged dog, and a couple of stranded ghosts. The girl, Callie, is
thrilled to be released from fifth grade by summer vacation. She
writes occasional pieces for a local weekly paper, yearns for
mysteries to solve, and finds just about any other activity preferable
to weeding her mother's garden. The boy, Wendell, is intrigued by his
father's childhood recollection of a run down cabin in the woods.
Perhaps he can find it and turn it into a club house. The old yellow
dog knows his time on earth is nearly up. He has a mission he must
achieve before he departs this mortal coil.
The old dog brings the girl and the boy together. After
achieving an uneasy truce, they begin looking for the old cabin.
There are people who don't approve of them being friends. She is
black; he's white. The year is 1953; the state is Kentucky. An
editorial has just come out in the black paper claiming that the
taxpayer funded swimming pool should be desegregated.
As for the two ghosts--read the book and discover their
identities.
This compelling coming of age story is another gem from an award
winning author...very end of summer read worthy.
On a personal note, my thrift shop research has helped me find some
cool stuff. My favorites have been a musical snow globe with
multicultural angels and a grab bag of cross stitch stuff including
two lovely already done pieces I aim to frame and hang in my studio.
A great big shout out goes out to the people, many of volunteers, who
keep thrift shops open.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Friday, August 26, 2016
Beyond Prisons
Beyond Prisons
Adult nonfiction
"Too often the social policies of the United States government
benefit the rich at the expense of the poor. Law protects power and
prosperity; it safeguards wealth; and, by the same token, it
perpetuates the subordinate status of the people on the bottom
(Friedman 1993, 13).
This is particularly the case with the penal system. This
system has penetrated all aspects of the lives of the poor. While
wealth and material success are valued by our culture, the poor are
feared..."
There's a lot going terrifyingly wrong with the American penal
system. The Supreme Court (they that bestowed personhood on
corporations) has declared potential proof of not guiltiness not
sufficient to stand in the way of the death penalty. We lead
industrial nations in percent of population doing time. Policies like
three strikes mean people can serve felony sentences for
misdemeanors. The school to jail pipeline has kids in juvie for
normal teen behaviors that my generation would have been given
detention for. And now we have for profit prisons that, like hotels,
need full houses to make money.
Why is no one putting the brakes on this out of control
devastation of lives, families, and communities? Probably because the
people who can do something are mostly well off whites. Most of the
people destroyed by the system are poor people and people of color.
They're pawns in a system in which people compete for our votes by
giving us law and order based security. The kicker: it's only an
illusory safety. Laura Magnani and Harmon L. Wray present a thoughtful
analysis of the whole sorry mess in Beyond Prisons: A New Interfaith
Paradigm For Our Failed Prison System.
Magnini and Wray contend that prison reform can never be
enough. It's sort of like trying to cure cancer with a bandage. Our
current punishment based system enshrines and perpetuates racism,
sexism, xenophobia, and every other prejudice known to human kind. It
maintains the widening division between haves and have nots. Even
though laws are broken at all levels of society and white collar crime
(say a ponzi scheme that impoverishes thousands of retirees) can cause
much more harm that blue collar crime (say shoplifting), it is the
latter that will be zealously prosecuted. Also, by focussing on
jailing the (presumably unreformable) "bad guys" to keep the "good
guys" safe, those at the top of the system absolve themselves of the
need to ask the hard questions.
"We reject the concept of criminality that supports the myth of
a criminal type--a concept that grows in part out of ignorance and
fears based in biases and prejudices. This concept of criminality
represents a gross distortion of the nature of those caught up in the
criminal justice system and provides a simplistic explanation of
highly complex social problems..."
After showing all the dangers and evils of the current system,
Magnini and Wray advocate replacing it with a restorative/peace
building justice system. Rather than putting the "bad guy" away,
there is a focus on healing victim, perpetrator, and community. A
twelve point plan helps to show interim steps between where we are and
where we need to be.
I strongly recommend this book to all leaders in religious and
secular positions and all people in all walks of life who hunger and
thirst for justice. Although it speaks of a strongly entrenched
system of evil, it points strongly to a means of hope and redemption
for all Americans. It is a book to read slowly and thoughtfully and a
great choice for adult Sunday school classes.
On a personal note, this week my major project is visiting local
thrift shops. This is not just for shopping (though I'm doing a
little of that). I'm creating a guide to thrift shops for
international students, most of whom will need cold weather clothes
and apartment furnishings, so they won't have to spend too much
shopping retail. It's a good thing I'm doing the leg work. One has
shut down and several have made major changes.
A great big shout out goes out to all who advocate for a more just
system of justice.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult nonfiction
"Too often the social policies of the United States government
benefit the rich at the expense of the poor. Law protects power and
prosperity; it safeguards wealth; and, by the same token, it
perpetuates the subordinate status of the people on the bottom
(Friedman 1993, 13).
This is particularly the case with the penal system. This
system has penetrated all aspects of the lives of the poor. While
wealth and material success are valued by our culture, the poor are
feared..."
There's a lot going terrifyingly wrong with the American penal
system. The Supreme Court (they that bestowed personhood on
corporations) has declared potential proof of not guiltiness not
sufficient to stand in the way of the death penalty. We lead
industrial nations in percent of population doing time. Policies like
three strikes mean people can serve felony sentences for
misdemeanors. The school to jail pipeline has kids in juvie for
normal teen behaviors that my generation would have been given
detention for. And now we have for profit prisons that, like hotels,
need full houses to make money.
Why is no one putting the brakes on this out of control
devastation of lives, families, and communities? Probably because the
people who can do something are mostly well off whites. Most of the
people destroyed by the system are poor people and people of color.
They're pawns in a system in which people compete for our votes by
giving us law and order based security. The kicker: it's only an
illusory safety. Laura Magnani and Harmon L. Wray present a thoughtful
analysis of the whole sorry mess in Beyond Prisons: A New Interfaith
Paradigm For Our Failed Prison System.
Magnini and Wray contend that prison reform can never be
enough. It's sort of like trying to cure cancer with a bandage. Our
current punishment based system enshrines and perpetuates racism,
sexism, xenophobia, and every other prejudice known to human kind. It
maintains the widening division between haves and have nots. Even
though laws are broken at all levels of society and white collar crime
(say a ponzi scheme that impoverishes thousands of retirees) can cause
much more harm that blue collar crime (say shoplifting), it is the
latter that will be zealously prosecuted. Also, by focussing on
jailing the (presumably unreformable) "bad guys" to keep the "good
guys" safe, those at the top of the system absolve themselves of the
need to ask the hard questions.
"We reject the concept of criminality that supports the myth of
a criminal type--a concept that grows in part out of ignorance and
fears based in biases and prejudices. This concept of criminality
represents a gross distortion of the nature of those caught up in the
criminal justice system and provides a simplistic explanation of
highly complex social problems..."
After showing all the dangers and evils of the current system,
Magnini and Wray advocate replacing it with a restorative/peace
building justice system. Rather than putting the "bad guy" away,
there is a focus on healing victim, perpetrator, and community. A
twelve point plan helps to show interim steps between where we are and
where we need to be.
I strongly recommend this book to all leaders in religious and
secular positions and all people in all walks of life who hunger and
thirst for justice. Although it speaks of a strongly entrenched
system of evil, it points strongly to a means of hope and redemption
for all Americans. It is a book to read slowly and thoughtfully and a
great choice for adult Sunday school classes.
On a personal note, this week my major project is visiting local
thrift shops. This is not just for shopping (though I'm doing a
little of that). I'm creating a guide to thrift shops for
international students, most of whom will need cold weather clothes
and apartment furnishings, so they won't have to spend too much
shopping retail. It's a good thing I'm doing the leg work. One has
shut down and several have made major changes.
A great big shout out goes out to all who advocate for a more just
system of justice.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Masters Of Disguise
Masters Of Disguise
Picture book
In a couple of months my husband will don his camo garb to try
to bag a buck. In his world November is deer hunting season. Around
the world soldiers do their tours of duty in garb designed to blend in
with their environments. But when it comes to camoflauge, Cabellos
and the US military have nothing on Mother Nature. That's the message
you get in Rebecca L. Johnson's Masters of Disguise: Amazing Animal
Tricksters.
As the book opens an ant stops to rest in the wrong place. What
seems to be a pebble (I think it looks more like a blackberry) turns
out to be an assassin bug that has built its disguise out of ant
corpses. In the eat and avoid being eaten world of nature a clever
disguise can be the winning edge. Other fascinating creatures you
will read about include:
*a baby bird that mimics a venomous caterpiller;
*a caterpillar that gets itself adopted by ants who favor it over
their offspring; and
*a small spider that actually uses natural materials to create a large
spider puppet that frightens off would be predators.
My favorite is a moth that can avoid being eaten by bats by producing
a noise that messes up its radar.
Masters of Disguise is a good way to interest children in
science. For each creature the science behind the story describes the
research that teased out its secret. This fine book is a great
addition to public and school libraries.
On a personal note, autumn is on its way to Penobscot County. I've
seen some yellow and red leaves. And the nights are getting downright
sleepable.
A great big shout out goes out to the scientists who uncover nature's
fascinating stories.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
In a couple of months my husband will don his camo garb to try
to bag a buck. In his world November is deer hunting season. Around
the world soldiers do their tours of duty in garb designed to blend in
with their environments. But when it comes to camoflauge, Cabellos
and the US military have nothing on Mother Nature. That's the message
you get in Rebecca L. Johnson's Masters of Disguise: Amazing Animal
Tricksters.
As the book opens an ant stops to rest in the wrong place. What
seems to be a pebble (I think it looks more like a blackberry) turns
out to be an assassin bug that has built its disguise out of ant
corpses. In the eat and avoid being eaten world of nature a clever
disguise can be the winning edge. Other fascinating creatures you
will read about include:
*a baby bird that mimics a venomous caterpiller;
*a caterpillar that gets itself adopted by ants who favor it over
their offspring; and
*a small spider that actually uses natural materials to create a large
spider puppet that frightens off would be predators.
My favorite is a moth that can avoid being eaten by bats by producing
a noise that messes up its radar.
Masters of Disguise is a good way to interest children in
science. For each creature the science behind the story describes the
research that teased out its secret. This fine book is a great
addition to public and school libraries.
On a personal note, autumn is on its way to Penobscot County. I've
seen some yellow and red leaves. And the nights are getting downright
sleepable.
A great big shout out goes out to the scientists who uncover nature's
fascinating stories.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Prairie Dog Song
Prairie Dog Song
Picture book
There are times when the visual aspect of a picture book grabs
me. I can spend scads of time gazing on the pictures. If I'm lucky
the narrative will also be unforgettable. This is truly the case with
Susan Roth and Cindy Trumbore's Prairie Dog Song.
The song is one of natural beauty, its devastation, and a
gradual redemption and restoration. The first part describes a
vibrant ecosystem in which prarie dogs dig burrows that are also
inhabited by owls, bison graze, and golden eagles soar. Then ranchers
and farmers mess things up...all but one place. Fortunately
scientists became aware of this place and stepped in to restore it to
its original glory.
Each page carries text on two levels. There are of, course, the
verses to the song. Below in gold you will find natural and historic
information for older readers. At the end there are several pages of
background.
But the collages steal the show. They are done in exquisite
detail. Roth guesses she cut about fifty billion blades of grass.
Probably pretty close. The bison look shaggy. The sky is shown in
many conditions from blue with puffy clouds to moonlit night. The
gold eyed feathery owls are my favorites.
What more can you ask for?
On a personal note, I had a wonderful weekend. I took the bus to
Portland. I spent the night with Katie, Jacob, and creamsicle cat
Archie. The next day Katie and Jacob took me to Santa's Village and
we did it up right. One of my very favorite places with two of the
most precious people in my life. Who could ask for more?
A great big shout out goes out to Katie, Jacob, and good cat Archie
who loves to play with yarn.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
There are times when the visual aspect of a picture book grabs
me. I can spend scads of time gazing on the pictures. If I'm lucky
the narrative will also be unforgettable. This is truly the case with
Susan Roth and Cindy Trumbore's Prairie Dog Song.
The song is one of natural beauty, its devastation, and a
gradual redemption and restoration. The first part describes a
vibrant ecosystem in which prarie dogs dig burrows that are also
inhabited by owls, bison graze, and golden eagles soar. Then ranchers
and farmers mess things up...all but one place. Fortunately
scientists became aware of this place and stepped in to restore it to
its original glory.
Each page carries text on two levels. There are of, course, the
verses to the song. Below in gold you will find natural and historic
information for older readers. At the end there are several pages of
background.
But the collages steal the show. They are done in exquisite
detail. Roth guesses she cut about fifty billion blades of grass.
Probably pretty close. The bison look shaggy. The sky is shown in
many conditions from blue with puffy clouds to moonlit night. The
gold eyed feathery owls are my favorites.
What more can you ask for?
On a personal note, I had a wonderful weekend. I took the bus to
Portland. I spent the night with Katie, Jacob, and creamsicle cat
Archie. The next day Katie and Jacob took me to Santa's Village and
we did it up right. One of my very favorite places with two of the
most precious people in my life. Who could ask for more?
A great big shout out goes out to Katie, Jacob, and good cat Archie
who loves to play with yarn.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Meet Me at the Moon
Meet Me at the Moon
Picture book
Books that celebrate (or attempt to celebrate) the unconditional
love of mother and child range from the beautiful to the banal, the
timeless to the very forgettable. Gianna Marino's Meet Me At The Moon
is one of the great ones.
The land is dangerously dry. Mama (elephant) must climb a
mountain to ask for life saving rain. Little One, fearing their
separation, asks for signs of her continued love and eventual return.
The language is poetic. The pictures are richly beautiful, evoking an
African landscape.
Toddlers go through a stage that baffles many parents. A
formerly outgoing child will suddenly turn "shy" in the presence of
strangers or even family acquaintances. This happens at a stage where
the child is making rapid advances (that are exciting and scary at the
same time) and needs extra reassurance and security. Meet Me at the
Moon is a perfect bedtime read aloud at this transition point.
On a personal note, my niece, Maggie, is college bound. The family
recently had a lovely send off barbecue for her.
A great big shout goes out to Maggie at this exciting transition in
her life.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
Books that celebrate (or attempt to celebrate) the unconditional
love of mother and child range from the beautiful to the banal, the
timeless to the very forgettable. Gianna Marino's Meet Me At The Moon
is one of the great ones.
The land is dangerously dry. Mama (elephant) must climb a
mountain to ask for life saving rain. Little One, fearing their
separation, asks for signs of her continued love and eventual return.
The language is poetic. The pictures are richly beautiful, evoking an
African landscape.
Toddlers go through a stage that baffles many parents. A
formerly outgoing child will suddenly turn "shy" in the presence of
strangers or even family acquaintances. This happens at a stage where
the child is making rapid advances (that are exciting and scary at the
same time) and needs extra reassurance and security. Meet Me at the
Moon is a perfect bedtime read aloud at this transition point.
On a personal note, my niece, Maggie, is college bound. The family
recently had a lovely send off barbecue for her.
A great big shout goes out to Maggie at this exciting transition in
her life.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Suryia & Roscoe
Suryia & Roscoe
Picture book
Animals never cease to amaze. They provide us with some of the
most memorable stories in the library. Suryia & Roscoe: The True
Story of an Unlikely Friendship by Bhagavan "Doc" Antle with Thea
Feldman is a gem in this genre.
It was a hot day. Suryia, an orangutan was en route to the
river when confronted by a member of a novel species, a dog named
Roger. They hit it off right away. Roger followed Suryia home.
Lucky for both, no humans claimed Suryia's new canine companion.
Barry Bland's photographs are truly aaw worthy.
This lovely volume will be treasured by parent and child alike.
It can also provide a gentle introduction to the world of animal rescue.
On a personal note, I have a new friend. Her name is Crissi. She's
the graduate assistant who will be running rainbow resource room at
UMaine. She is totally the cat's pajamas.
A great big shout out goes out to Crissi of course.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
Animals never cease to amaze. They provide us with some of the
most memorable stories in the library. Suryia & Roscoe: The True
Story of an Unlikely Friendship by Bhagavan "Doc" Antle with Thea
Feldman is a gem in this genre.
It was a hot day. Suryia, an orangutan was en route to the
river when confronted by a member of a novel species, a dog named
Roger. They hit it off right away. Roger followed Suryia home.
Lucky for both, no humans claimed Suryia's new canine companion.
Barry Bland's photographs are truly aaw worthy.
This lovely volume will be treasured by parent and child alike.
It can also provide a gentle introduction to the world of animal rescue.
On a personal note, I have a new friend. Her name is Crissi. She's
the graduate assistant who will be running rainbow resource room at
UMaine. She is totally the cat's pajamas.
A great big shout out goes out to Crissi of course.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary
The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary
Juvenile
I am admittedly a fan of Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid
series. The books are truth based comedy. They appeal to kids who
might not be motivated to try more traditional (as in teacher
recommended) literature. They appeal to parents who have not lost
their sense of humor.
The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary takes everyboy Greg Heffly from doodle
in a sketch pad to the bright lights of Hollywood. It gives readers
an insider look into the gazzilion challenges of film making. Did you
know that people behind the scenes even created stuff like a yearbook
and trophies for the fictitious Westmore Middle School? I sure
didn't. The plethora of illustrations--both cartoon and photograph--
will appeal to fans of both movie and series.
Yes, it's a light, fun read. But the descriptions of behind the
scenes jobs might be inspiring to art and tech minded kids.
On a personal note, Joey Cat showed me he has hero cat potential. He
woke me up in the middle of the night because he smelled smoke blowing
in the window. He was really agitated which is so not him. When the
window was shut and the smoke smell died out he was content to go to
sleep. The little guy is on the job. I can sleep a lot more secure.
A great big shout out goes out to hero animals large and small.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Juvenile
I am admittedly a fan of Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid
series. The books are truth based comedy. They appeal to kids who
might not be motivated to try more traditional (as in teacher
recommended) literature. They appeal to parents who have not lost
their sense of humor.
The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary takes everyboy Greg Heffly from doodle
in a sketch pad to the bright lights of Hollywood. It gives readers
an insider look into the gazzilion challenges of film making. Did you
know that people behind the scenes even created stuff like a yearbook
and trophies for the fictitious Westmore Middle School? I sure
didn't. The plethora of illustrations--both cartoon and photograph--
will appeal to fans of both movie and series.
Yes, it's a light, fun read. But the descriptions of behind the
scenes jobs might be inspiring to art and tech minded kids.
On a personal note, Joey Cat showed me he has hero cat potential. He
woke me up in the middle of the night because he smelled smoke blowing
in the window. He was really agitated which is so not him. When the
window was shut and the smoke smell died out he was content to go to
sleep. The little guy is on the job. I can sleep a lot more secure.
A great big shout out goes out to hero animals large and small.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Monday, August 22, 2016
My Best Friend's Exorcism
My Best Friend's Exorcism
Adult Fiction
"It was a pretty uneventful shift until around four thirty, when
the phone rang.
'TCBY, how may I help you?' Abby said.
'Blood,' Gretchen said. 'Everything's covered in blood.'"
There's something about a well written horror story: one richly
evocative of time and place, one that relies more on the darker
aspects of human nature than on gratuitous gore, one that you probably
shouldn't read in the middle of a stormy night if you're home alone.
Grady Hendrix's My Best Friend's Exorcism is a masterpiece in this
genre.
Abby and Gretchen have been best friends ever since Abby's
skating rink birthday party when Gretchen was the only kid who showed
up. Somehow Gretchen took Abby from deep disappointment to a keen
appreciation of the fun the two of them could have. Since then their
lives have revolved around each other.
Their sophomore year in high school all that's about to change.
That's the year they and two friends try acid for the first time.
It's the summer Gretchen runs off, naked, into the dark woods. Abby
finds her the next morning in a scary falling down blockhouse.
Something's wrong with Gretchen. At first she constantly claims
that an unseen entity is touching her. After awhile she shambles
around sleep deprived, unmade up, stinky, in the same grimy clothes
every day. Her behavior has become so bizarre her friends except for
Abby ditch her.
Just as abruptly Gretchen seems to snap back to herself,
regaining her popularity. Abby, who has desperately been seeking a
solution to her best chum's crisis, is seen as the villain, ostracized
by peers and adults alike.
Abby is the only one who can see that things are getting much
much worse for everyone.
The body of the story is embedded in short sections of what
seems to be a yearbook, complete with classmate signatures. This
format really adds to the feeling of retro, of looking back at past
events. Its banal normalcy makes what goes on in the plot seem all
the more evil.
On a personal note, after saving up for five months I was finally able
to get myself a new camera to replace the one that broke after years
of heavy use. It was like regaining a limb or one of my senses. My
paparazzi services are again in high demand.
A great big shout out goes to skilled horror story writers.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult Fiction
"It was a pretty uneventful shift until around four thirty, when
the phone rang.
'TCBY, how may I help you?' Abby said.
'Blood,' Gretchen said. 'Everything's covered in blood.'"
There's something about a well written horror story: one richly
evocative of time and place, one that relies more on the darker
aspects of human nature than on gratuitous gore, one that you probably
shouldn't read in the middle of a stormy night if you're home alone.
Grady Hendrix's My Best Friend's Exorcism is a masterpiece in this
genre.
Abby and Gretchen have been best friends ever since Abby's
skating rink birthday party when Gretchen was the only kid who showed
up. Somehow Gretchen took Abby from deep disappointment to a keen
appreciation of the fun the two of them could have. Since then their
lives have revolved around each other.
Their sophomore year in high school all that's about to change.
That's the year they and two friends try acid for the first time.
It's the summer Gretchen runs off, naked, into the dark woods. Abby
finds her the next morning in a scary falling down blockhouse.
Something's wrong with Gretchen. At first she constantly claims
that an unseen entity is touching her. After awhile she shambles
around sleep deprived, unmade up, stinky, in the same grimy clothes
every day. Her behavior has become so bizarre her friends except for
Abby ditch her.
Just as abruptly Gretchen seems to snap back to herself,
regaining her popularity. Abby, who has desperately been seeking a
solution to her best chum's crisis, is seen as the villain, ostracized
by peers and adults alike.
Abby is the only one who can see that things are getting much
much worse for everyone.
The body of the story is embedded in short sections of what
seems to be a yearbook, complete with classmate signatures. This
format really adds to the feeling of retro, of looking back at past
events. Its banal normalcy makes what goes on in the plot seem all
the more evil.
On a personal note, after saving up for five months I was finally able
to get myself a new camera to replace the one that broke after years
of heavy use. It was like regaining a limb or one of my senses. My
paparazzi services are again in high demand.
A great big shout out goes to skilled horror story writers.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Thursday, August 18, 2016
Brave Girls
Brave Girls
Parenting
"The premise of Unleashed--social justice via animal rights--
acts as a catalyst for broader issues such as female empowerment, self-
esteem, leadership, and social change. Of course, the girls do not
attend meetings and rescues thinking, 'Today I'm going to learn what
it means to be powerful' or 'Today I'm going to figure out how to work
well with other women in a group'; rather, the discussions and
activities as they pertain to animal welfare and its impact on our
society, and the leadership roles they adapt as a result, are designed
to subconsciously rev their mental engines in those specific
directions."
Stacey Radin became concerned about middle school girls. At the
peak age of identity formation, they are all too often treated in ways
that reinforce dysfunctional gender stereotypes. They are silenced
and taught to devalue themselves and their very real strengths. They
are also at an age where (as compared to primary and high schoolers)
they have very few after school programs in a world where many
potentially supportive institutions are weakened or missing in
action. Radin decided to do something to fill this void. The fruit
of her labor is the subject of her Brave Girls: Raising Young Women
with Passion and Purpose to Become Powerful leaders.
Radin hypothesized that if preadolescent girls had the chance to
cultivate their leadership potential through a passion they could
wield authentic power for the rest of their lives. Her first mission
was to discover what girls that age were most passionate about.
Through focus groups she discovered that they care very deeply about
animal welfare. This epiphany became the seed for Unleashed, a three
month leadership and community service program.
"...Encountering the injustice of animal mistreatment and
learning how to create change would ignite the girls to experiment
with power and thoughtfully reflect on being a strong female. For
most females, discovering power comes much later in life, if at all.
Knowing that social activism requires strength, determination,
passion, and action, middle school seemed like the ideal opportunity
to introduce the importance of power and pave the way for girls to see
what they can do with it."
Radin's very reader friendly narrative neatly blends research
and theory with practice and observation. Her stories about
individual girls are especially touching. I recommend Brave Girls to
all who raise and work with middle school age girls.
On a personal note, I am happy to announce that some special friends
who sadly lost beloved canine companions are hearing or anticipating
the patter of little paws. Pat and Doug Bears have a totally adorable
cream colored puppy with seemingly endless energy. Shelley and John
Jemmison are expecting a labradoodle in November.
A great big shout out goes out to the pups and proud parents.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Parenting
"The premise of Unleashed--social justice via animal rights--
acts as a catalyst for broader issues such as female empowerment, self-
esteem, leadership, and social change. Of course, the girls do not
attend meetings and rescues thinking, 'Today I'm going to learn what
it means to be powerful' or 'Today I'm going to figure out how to work
well with other women in a group'; rather, the discussions and
activities as they pertain to animal welfare and its impact on our
society, and the leadership roles they adapt as a result, are designed
to subconsciously rev their mental engines in those specific
directions."
Stacey Radin became concerned about middle school girls. At the
peak age of identity formation, they are all too often treated in ways
that reinforce dysfunctional gender stereotypes. They are silenced
and taught to devalue themselves and their very real strengths. They
are also at an age where (as compared to primary and high schoolers)
they have very few after school programs in a world where many
potentially supportive institutions are weakened or missing in
action. Radin decided to do something to fill this void. The fruit
of her labor is the subject of her Brave Girls: Raising Young Women
with Passion and Purpose to Become Powerful leaders.
Radin hypothesized that if preadolescent girls had the chance to
cultivate their leadership potential through a passion they could
wield authentic power for the rest of their lives. Her first mission
was to discover what girls that age were most passionate about.
Through focus groups she discovered that they care very deeply about
animal welfare. This epiphany became the seed for Unleashed, a three
month leadership and community service program.
"...Encountering the injustice of animal mistreatment and
learning how to create change would ignite the girls to experiment
with power and thoughtfully reflect on being a strong female. For
most females, discovering power comes much later in life, if at all.
Knowing that social activism requires strength, determination,
passion, and action, middle school seemed like the ideal opportunity
to introduce the importance of power and pave the way for girls to see
what they can do with it."
Radin's very reader friendly narrative neatly blends research
and theory with practice and observation. Her stories about
individual girls are especially touching. I recommend Brave Girls to
all who raise and work with middle school age girls.
On a personal note, I am happy to announce that some special friends
who sadly lost beloved canine companions are hearing or anticipating
the patter of little paws. Pat and Doug Bears have a totally adorable
cream colored puppy with seemingly endless energy. Shelley and John
Jemmison are expecting a labradoodle in November.
A great big shout out goes out to the pups and proud parents.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Raising Readers
Raising Readers
Picture book
Maine picture books are something special. Whether you're
talking about classics like Blueberries For Sal that was around when I
was a read to youngster or Lynn Plourde and Angeli Perrow's offerings
which my children requested again and again, they make for quality
parent child or emergent reader time. Raising Readers: a medley of
Maine children's stories brings together five of the best.
Susan Ramsay Hoguet's Maine ABC depicts the alphabet the
Vacationland way from the alewives in Damariscotta Mills to the
zillions of snowflakes we'll be seeing in the not too distant future.
Karel Hayes' The Winter Visitors weaves a charming fantasy about
a bear family occupying a summer cottage while its humans are away.
Lynn Plourde's classic Pigs in the Mud in the Middle of the Rud
(one of my favorite all time read alouds) portrays the plight of a
family whose Model T Ford is blocked by the presence of a variety of
stubborn farm animals.
Frances Bloxom's Antlers Forever shares the anxiety of a young
bull moose who is sure he is about to lose his crowning glory.
Angeli Perrow's Many Hands: A Penobscot Indian Story follows a
young basket weaver as she gains spiritual insight.
From laugh out loud funny to sweet and endearing there is truly
a story for every child.
On a personal note, after years of heavy usage, my old camera had
broken. I saved for five months. My anniversary money gift gave me
enough to finally be able to buy a new camera. It felt like regaining
a limb or one of my senses.
A great big shout out goes out to the fine Maine authors whose ranks I
aspire to join someday.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
Maine picture books are something special. Whether you're
talking about classics like Blueberries For Sal that was around when I
was a read to youngster or Lynn Plourde and Angeli Perrow's offerings
which my children requested again and again, they make for quality
parent child or emergent reader time. Raising Readers: a medley of
Maine children's stories brings together five of the best.
Susan Ramsay Hoguet's Maine ABC depicts the alphabet the
Vacationland way from the alewives in Damariscotta Mills to the
zillions of snowflakes we'll be seeing in the not too distant future.
Karel Hayes' The Winter Visitors weaves a charming fantasy about
a bear family occupying a summer cottage while its humans are away.
Lynn Plourde's classic Pigs in the Mud in the Middle of the Rud
(one of my favorite all time read alouds) portrays the plight of a
family whose Model T Ford is blocked by the presence of a variety of
stubborn farm animals.
Frances Bloxom's Antlers Forever shares the anxiety of a young
bull moose who is sure he is about to lose his crowning glory.
Angeli Perrow's Many Hands: A Penobscot Indian Story follows a
young basket weaver as she gains spiritual insight.
From laugh out loud funny to sweet and endearing there is truly
a story for every child.
On a personal note, after years of heavy usage, my old camera had
broken. I saved for five months. My anniversary money gift gave me
enough to finally be able to buy a new camera. It felt like regaining
a limb or one of my senses.
A great big shout out goes out to the fine Maine authors whose ranks I
aspire to join someday.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Sex, Drugs 'n' Facebook
Sex, Drugs 'n' Facebook
Parenting
In addition to the time honored trinity (sex, alcohol, drugs) of
difficult subjects parents must discuss with their kids, there is a
new kid on the block: the Internet. This can be a scary and
intimidating mandate. Kids who were weaned on social media can seem
frighteningly more sophisticated and knowledgeable than their digital
nonnative parents. The traditional news media doesn't do us any
favors. Ratings seeking stories that focus on cyberbullying, sexting,
and other problematic behaviors can be quite alarming. What's a mom
or dad to do?
Obtaining a copy of Megan A. Moreno's Sex, Drugs 'n' Facebook
can be a very good way for the anxious parent to gain basic knowledge
and the assurance that he or she is up to the task. Her work was
funded by National Institutes of Health and is researched based. It
is also, however, told in a narrative most parents and other
professionals will find accessible and useful.
The book starts out with an overview of on line trends (basic
enough for even the technological left behind such as your humble
reviewer) and a description of the stages of tween and teen
development. Section one ends with three issues that are at the heart
of any Internet use: balance (a healthy equilibrium between off and
online presence), boundaries (healthy and safe usage), and open parent-
child communication. I strongly advise parents not to skip this
section. It makes the rest of the book much more comprehensible.
Chapters four through ten cover problems that can happen such as
cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate content, problematic Internet
use, and special health issues. Each chapter ends in a parent
toolkit. There is encouragement to involve other professionals such
as pediatricians.
Chapters eleven through thirteen look ahead toward the future.
I'd recommend Sex, Drugs 'n' Facebook as a starting point for
parents, older kids with younger siblings and cousins, and
professionals who work with the middle school to college crowd.
Bookstores and libraries have plenty of volumes to continue the
discourse. A handy resources section is included in the appendix.
On a personal note, Eugene and I recently went on a road trip. We
drove up around the Lincoln area, stopping a every yard sale we saw.
I got some really cool stuff. My favorite find was close to home: a
thrift shop just outside of Orono with a sizeable crafts section.
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Parenting
In addition to the time honored trinity (sex, alcohol, drugs) of
difficult subjects parents must discuss with their kids, there is a
new kid on the block: the Internet. This can be a scary and
intimidating mandate. Kids who were weaned on social media can seem
frighteningly more sophisticated and knowledgeable than their digital
nonnative parents. The traditional news media doesn't do us any
favors. Ratings seeking stories that focus on cyberbullying, sexting,
and other problematic behaviors can be quite alarming. What's a mom
or dad to do?
Obtaining a copy of Megan A. Moreno's Sex, Drugs 'n' Facebook
can be a very good way for the anxious parent to gain basic knowledge
and the assurance that he or she is up to the task. Her work was
funded by National Institutes of Health and is researched based. It
is also, however, told in a narrative most parents and other
professionals will find accessible and useful.
The book starts out with an overview of on line trends (basic
enough for even the technological left behind such as your humble
reviewer) and a description of the stages of tween and teen
development. Section one ends with three issues that are at the heart
of any Internet use: balance (a healthy equilibrium between off and
online presence), boundaries (healthy and safe usage), and open parent-
child communication. I strongly advise parents not to skip this
section. It makes the rest of the book much more comprehensible.
Chapters four through ten cover problems that can happen such as
cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate content, problematic Internet
use, and special health issues. Each chapter ends in a parent
toolkit. There is encouragement to involve other professionals such
as pediatricians.
Chapters eleven through thirteen look ahead toward the future.
I'd recommend Sex, Drugs 'n' Facebook as a starting point for
parents, older kids with younger siblings and cousins, and
professionals who work with the middle school to college crowd.
Bookstores and libraries have plenty of volumes to continue the
discourse. A handy resources section is included in the appendix.
On a personal note, Eugene and I recently went on a road trip. We
drove up around the Lincoln area, stopping a every yard sale we saw.
I got some really cool stuff. My favorite find was close to home: a
thrift shop just outside of Orono with a sizeable crafts section.
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Monday, August 15, 2016
American Girls
American Girls
Parenting
"I asked what happened to the guy in the picture, the one who
had gotten the blow job.
'Nothing happened to him,' Julie said.
'He's a player,' Cassy said with a frown.
'A guy will ask you to do it,' or give oral sex, Maggie said,
'and if you say no, then you're a prude, but then when you actually do
it you're a slut.
I think it's pretty much agreed that teenage girls inhabit a
world that is drastically different from those their parents and
grandparents grew up in. I think it's also conventional wisdom that
social media has an important role to play in this transformation.
Nancy Jo Sales' American Girls: Social Media and the Secret Lives of
Teenagers examines this phenomenon.
Sales traveled across the country interviewing girls age
thirteen to nineteen from varying races and social classes about their
experiences with the medium in which they seem to live, move, and have
their being. She shares with readers a number of these conversations
along with background research. From the push toward hypersexuality
at increasingly early ages to the seeing self as a brand to be
marketed, some of these revelations can be startling, if not downright
scary.
Fortunately Sales does not see these changes as set in stone.
We need to be aware of disturbing trends and make them a matter of
public conversation. We need to hold those who create and profit from
social media accountable. We also need to help our daughters (snd
sometimes ourselves) achieve a healthier balance between their life
domains. "...Because no matter how much we may feel that this world
of social media is real, as Riley, the girl in Montclair, said, it's a
'second world.' The real world we inhabit together is the one that
matters; we need to find a way of navigating ourselves and our
children back there, to the world of true and lasting connection."
I think American Girls is a very useful book for parents and
middle school through college educators and admin. I also think it
would be a discussion stimulating book club selection.
On a personal note, we are once more into the flea battling time of
the year. I've cleaned and sprayed the house. And I still keep
finding the damn insects. If I ever have enough money I will
outsource that task to someone who actually knows what she or he is
doing.
A great big shout out goes out to my fellow fighters in the battle
against ectoparisites.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Parenting
"I asked what happened to the guy in the picture, the one who
had gotten the blow job.
'Nothing happened to him,' Julie said.
'He's a player,' Cassy said with a frown.
'A guy will ask you to do it,' or give oral sex, Maggie said,
'and if you say no, then you're a prude, but then when you actually do
it you're a slut.
I think it's pretty much agreed that teenage girls inhabit a
world that is drastically different from those their parents and
grandparents grew up in. I think it's also conventional wisdom that
social media has an important role to play in this transformation.
Nancy Jo Sales' American Girls: Social Media and the Secret Lives of
Teenagers examines this phenomenon.
Sales traveled across the country interviewing girls age
thirteen to nineteen from varying races and social classes about their
experiences with the medium in which they seem to live, move, and have
their being. She shares with readers a number of these conversations
along with background research. From the push toward hypersexuality
at increasingly early ages to the seeing self as a brand to be
marketed, some of these revelations can be startling, if not downright
scary.
Fortunately Sales does not see these changes as set in stone.
We need to be aware of disturbing trends and make them a matter of
public conversation. We need to hold those who create and profit from
social media accountable. We also need to help our daughters (snd
sometimes ourselves) achieve a healthier balance between their life
domains. "...Because no matter how much we may feel that this world
of social media is real, as Riley, the girl in Montclair, said, it's a
'second world.' The real world we inhabit together is the one that
matters; we need to find a way of navigating ourselves and our
children back there, to the world of true and lasting connection."
I think American Girls is a very useful book for parents and
middle school through college educators and admin. I also think it
would be a discussion stimulating book club selection.
On a personal note, we are once more into the flea battling time of
the year. I've cleaned and sprayed the house. And I still keep
finding the damn insects. If I ever have enough money I will
outsource that task to someone who actually knows what she or he is
doing.
A great big shout out goes out to my fellow fighters in the battle
against ectoparisites.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Saturday, August 13, 2016
The Personal History Of Rachel DuPree
The Personal History Of Rachel DuPree
Adult fiction
"She looked up at me, her coppery face frozen up with fear. The
wind gusted, and Liz flinched, her eyes slits. Isaac and our oldest
girl, Mary, stood side by side as they gripped the well handle. They
dug in their legs and pushed the handle up.
The rope jerked. Liz dropped a handful of inches. She sucked
in some air and then let out a sharp, piercing cry."
Rachel, narrator of Ann Weisgarber's The Personal History of
Rachel DuPree, is describing lowering her terrified six-year-old
daughter into the family well on a makeshift sling. Liz is the only
one in the family old enough for the task and light enough for the
sling. Her job is to use a cup to fill as many buckets as possible
with water from the nearly dry well. The year is 1917; drought is
rampant. Family members and livestock depend on what she can deliver.
Even after the rain returns the family's life is precarious.
There is very little to eat and no money left in the bank. Winter
approaches with nothing to can and set by. Yet another baby is on the
way. But husband Isaac, who prides himself on being the lone black
rancher around, will not stop buying up the land of people who give
up. He also will not give up the face-saving pretences that keep
others from learning how dire his family's situation is.
Isaac assumes their children will follow in their hardscrabble
footsteps. The girls, he takes for granted, will be given over to
other ranchers needing helpmates, probably at very young ages.
"Isaac was talking about our children like they were cattle.
Their marriages would be bargains for land. Just like ours had
been...Grown up and married off that way, they wouldn't know the first
thing about courting, about sharing ice cream sodas or about going to
dances. They wouldn't know anything about falling hard in love and
how that made everything easier to bear."
Rachel wants more for her beloved children. But how can she
change their future?
On a personal note, one facet of this novel reminds me a lot of
today's world. You know how politicians scapegoat welfare recipients
and the other "undeserving" poor, even as they promote an economy that
dooms a lot of people to precarious existences. In the book you see
Native Americans who had had their land stolen demonized.
"...Agency Indians were worthless drunks; agency Indians were
bloodthirsty. They stood in line, their palms up, all too willing to
take government handouts. Agency Indians were the worst kind of
Indians, and I had two of them sitting on my porch."
A great big shout out goes out to all in perilous situations who
struggle to give their children better lives.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult fiction
"She looked up at me, her coppery face frozen up with fear. The
wind gusted, and Liz flinched, her eyes slits. Isaac and our oldest
girl, Mary, stood side by side as they gripped the well handle. They
dug in their legs and pushed the handle up.
The rope jerked. Liz dropped a handful of inches. She sucked
in some air and then let out a sharp, piercing cry."
Rachel, narrator of Ann Weisgarber's The Personal History of
Rachel DuPree, is describing lowering her terrified six-year-old
daughter into the family well on a makeshift sling. Liz is the only
one in the family old enough for the task and light enough for the
sling. Her job is to use a cup to fill as many buckets as possible
with water from the nearly dry well. The year is 1917; drought is
rampant. Family members and livestock depend on what she can deliver.
Even after the rain returns the family's life is precarious.
There is very little to eat and no money left in the bank. Winter
approaches with nothing to can and set by. Yet another baby is on the
way. But husband Isaac, who prides himself on being the lone black
rancher around, will not stop buying up the land of people who give
up. He also will not give up the face-saving pretences that keep
others from learning how dire his family's situation is.
Isaac assumes their children will follow in their hardscrabble
footsteps. The girls, he takes for granted, will be given over to
other ranchers needing helpmates, probably at very young ages.
"Isaac was talking about our children like they were cattle.
Their marriages would be bargains for land. Just like ours had
been...Grown up and married off that way, they wouldn't know the first
thing about courting, about sharing ice cream sodas or about going to
dances. They wouldn't know anything about falling hard in love and
how that made everything easier to bear."
Rachel wants more for her beloved children. But how can she
change their future?
On a personal note, one facet of this novel reminds me a lot of
today's world. You know how politicians scapegoat welfare recipients
and the other "undeserving" poor, even as they promote an economy that
dooms a lot of people to precarious existences. In the book you see
Native Americans who had had their land stolen demonized.
"...Agency Indians were worthless drunks; agency Indians were
bloodthirsty. They stood in line, their palms up, all too willing to
take government handouts. Agency Indians were the worst kind of
Indians, and I had two of them sitting on my porch."
A great big shout out goes out to all in perilous situations who
struggle to give their children better lives.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
The Isabel Factor
The Isabel Factor
YA fiction
"Zoe and I had been friends since the first grade. We were a
pair...We were the flip side of the same coin. Yin and yang. (That's
Chinese for something I don't remember.) Peanut butter and jelly. You
get the picture."
Anna and Zoey are going to have the "summer of a lifetime." They
are going to be CITs at the camp where they've gone for seven years.
On the cusp of adulthood, they want to make what they see as their
last childhood summer something special and memorable.
You know what they say about the best laid plans? At the last
minute Zoey breaks her arm, grounding her. Anna ends up alone at a
camp that is a lot more complicated without her chum. There's the
need to get to know cabin mates she and Zoey have has the luxury of
considering extras. There's the cutthroat competition between the two
CIT cabins. There's the pressure on her to get a new nonconforming
cabin mate to get with the program...
Them mid summer Zoey arrives unexpectedly. Now things will go
the way Anna wants them too.
Or will they?
Preteens and young teens, for whom peers are a crucial and
sometimes confusing part of life, will devour this coming of age story.
On a personal note, it's not just kids. I'm having a hard time
figuring out who I am now that my youngest child has moved out.
A great big shout out goes out to my children and their significant
others and cats.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
YA fiction
"Zoe and I had been friends since the first grade. We were a
pair...We were the flip side of the same coin. Yin and yang. (That's
Chinese for something I don't remember.) Peanut butter and jelly. You
get the picture."
Anna and Zoey are going to have the "summer of a lifetime." They
are going to be CITs at the camp where they've gone for seven years.
On the cusp of adulthood, they want to make what they see as their
last childhood summer something special and memorable.
You know what they say about the best laid plans? At the last
minute Zoey breaks her arm, grounding her. Anna ends up alone at a
camp that is a lot more complicated without her chum. There's the
need to get to know cabin mates she and Zoey have has the luxury of
considering extras. There's the cutthroat competition between the two
CIT cabins. There's the pressure on her to get a new nonconforming
cabin mate to get with the program...
Them mid summer Zoey arrives unexpectedly. Now things will go
the way Anna wants them too.
Or will they?
Preteens and young teens, for whom peers are a crucial and
sometimes confusing part of life, will devour this coming of age story.
On a personal note, it's not just kids. I'm having a hard time
figuring out who I am now that my youngest child has moved out.
A great big shout out goes out to my children and their significant
others and cats.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Friday, August 12, 2016
Big Trouble
Big Trouble
Adult Fiction
"'I'm sorry,' said Greer, 'but we gotta go.'
'BUT I'M A POLICE OFFICER,' said Walter.
'I know that,' said Greer. I know you're an excellent police
officer, because I can't think of any other explanation for the fact
that you're handcuffed to an entertainment unit that's handcuffed to a
man who thinks a dog is Elizabeth Dole. But we really gotta go.'"
After reading a couple of meaningful, thought provoking, and
heart breaking books, I was ready for a little light bawdy humor.
Luckily the next volume on my stack was by Dave Barry. Barry is to
light, bawdy humor what Stephen King is to horror.
Barry's tour de farce, Big Trouble, is set in Miami. Much of
the action takes place in the far-from-happy Herk household. Father,
Arthur, is in hot pursuit of the maid, Nina, who vehemently rejects
his advances. Mother, Anna, has a bad case of marrier's remorse.
Daughter, Jenny, is being pursued by a classmate, Matt, who wants to
kill her as in squirting her with a water pistol in the context of a
popular school game. Inept freelance murderers want to kill Arthur as
in ending his life forever in the context of his angering the wrong
people.
Rounding out the cast are a pair of bartenders who sell more
AK47s than beer, Matt's advertising executive dad who is basing a beer
campaign around big bazongas, some small time criminals with ambitions
to become crime kingpins, a pair of badly mismatched police officers,
a dog with a brain the size of a raisin, and, the canine's nemesis, a
venemous toad with a taste for dog food.
Did I mention there is a bomb with the capacity to do major
league damage drifting through sets of the wrong hands?
Big Trouble is a great find for anyone in search of light summer
reading. The plot is so outré you have to keep reading to see what
happens next. There is plenty of humor. And entities most people
have no fondness for are delightfully inept. What's not to like?
On a personal note, my husband and I had a wonderful 27th
anniversary. We exchanged gifts and cards and went out to Texas
Roadhouse for a lovely supper.
A great big shout out goes out to my husband, Eugene.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult Fiction
"'I'm sorry,' said Greer, 'but we gotta go.'
'BUT I'M A POLICE OFFICER,' said Walter.
'I know that,' said Greer. I know you're an excellent police
officer, because I can't think of any other explanation for the fact
that you're handcuffed to an entertainment unit that's handcuffed to a
man who thinks a dog is Elizabeth Dole. But we really gotta go.'"
After reading a couple of meaningful, thought provoking, and
heart breaking books, I was ready for a little light bawdy humor.
Luckily the next volume on my stack was by Dave Barry. Barry is to
light, bawdy humor what Stephen King is to horror.
Barry's tour de farce, Big Trouble, is set in Miami. Much of
the action takes place in the far-from-happy Herk household. Father,
Arthur, is in hot pursuit of the maid, Nina, who vehemently rejects
his advances. Mother, Anna, has a bad case of marrier's remorse.
Daughter, Jenny, is being pursued by a classmate, Matt, who wants to
kill her as in squirting her with a water pistol in the context of a
popular school game. Inept freelance murderers want to kill Arthur as
in ending his life forever in the context of his angering the wrong
people.
Rounding out the cast are a pair of bartenders who sell more
AK47s than beer, Matt's advertising executive dad who is basing a beer
campaign around big bazongas, some small time criminals with ambitions
to become crime kingpins, a pair of badly mismatched police officers,
a dog with a brain the size of a raisin, and, the canine's nemesis, a
venemous toad with a taste for dog food.
Did I mention there is a bomb with the capacity to do major
league damage drifting through sets of the wrong hands?
Big Trouble is a great find for anyone in search of light summer
reading. The plot is so outré you have to keep reading to see what
happens next. There is plenty of humor. And entities most people
have no fondness for are delightfully inept. What's not to like?
On a personal note, my husband and I had a wonderful 27th
anniversary. We exchanged gifts and cards and went out to Texas
Roadhouse for a lovely supper.
A great big shout out goes out to my husband, Eugene.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Monday, August 8, 2016
The Shepherd's Grand-daughter
The Shepherd's Grand-daughter
Juvenile fiction
"Over the last months and hours her heart had grown harder with
each new loss--a highway through their vineyards, a settlement on
Seedo's Peak, Ammo [Uncle] Hani imprisoned, her sheep poisoned, Baba
[Father] taken, their homes demolished, the olive grove destroyed.
Now her heart was as heavy and full as a powder keg. The sight of
Sahem [her dead sheepdog] struck a match. Anger exploded in Amani,
driving out fear."
Even as a child, Amani, protagonist of Anne Laurel Carter's The
Shepherd's Grand-daughter, longed to be a shepherd. Never mind that
in a millenium the family shepherd has always been a son. Never mind
that her mother thinks it's much too dangerous for a girl. Never mind
that the family has decided that she will go to school with her
cousins. Fortunately the most influential member of her family is her
ally. Her shepherd grandfather, Seedo, decrees that she will be his
apprentice and carry on the work when he is no longer able to.
Amani has chosen a perfect vocation for herself. She learns all
aspects of her work, even the most challenging ones. She researches
new ideas to keep her flock healthy and their grazing more
sustainable. She even contacts a vetinarian who makes a visit to
vaccinate all the animals in her immediate vicinity.
As the years elapse, however, ominous signs appear and
multiply. Israeli settlers encroach relentlessly on their land,
water, and traditional way of life. Settlers with guns. Settlers who
see Amani and her family as potential assassins. Settlers with whom
the soldiers always side.
For those of us who are half way across the world from the Bible
lands the Israeli/Palestinian conflict can seem abstract and
confusing. The Shepherd's Grand-daughter makes it up close and
personal.
On a personal note, we are in the hottest part of the year. My
favorite parts of the day are now early morning when I read the
newspaper in my studio and after supper when I take my books outside
to catch the evening breeze.
A great big shout out goes out to peacemakers.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Juvenile fiction
"Over the last months and hours her heart had grown harder with
each new loss--a highway through their vineyards, a settlement on
Seedo's Peak, Ammo [Uncle] Hani imprisoned, her sheep poisoned, Baba
[Father] taken, their homes demolished, the olive grove destroyed.
Now her heart was as heavy and full as a powder keg. The sight of
Sahem [her dead sheepdog] struck a match. Anger exploded in Amani,
driving out fear."
Even as a child, Amani, protagonist of Anne Laurel Carter's The
Shepherd's Grand-daughter, longed to be a shepherd. Never mind that
in a millenium the family shepherd has always been a son. Never mind
that her mother thinks it's much too dangerous for a girl. Never mind
that the family has decided that she will go to school with her
cousins. Fortunately the most influential member of her family is her
ally. Her shepherd grandfather, Seedo, decrees that she will be his
apprentice and carry on the work when he is no longer able to.
Amani has chosen a perfect vocation for herself. She learns all
aspects of her work, even the most challenging ones. She researches
new ideas to keep her flock healthy and their grazing more
sustainable. She even contacts a vetinarian who makes a visit to
vaccinate all the animals in her immediate vicinity.
As the years elapse, however, ominous signs appear and
multiply. Israeli settlers encroach relentlessly on their land,
water, and traditional way of life. Settlers with guns. Settlers who
see Amani and her family as potential assassins. Settlers with whom
the soldiers always side.
For those of us who are half way across the world from the Bible
lands the Israeli/Palestinian conflict can seem abstract and
confusing. The Shepherd's Grand-daughter makes it up close and
personal.
On a personal note, we are in the hottest part of the year. My
favorite parts of the day are now early morning when I read the
newspaper in my studio and after supper when I take my books outside
to catch the evening breeze.
A great big shout out goes out to peacemakers.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
The Sound Of Gravel
The Sound Of Gravel
Adult Biography
"Weeks earlier, Sally and Cynthia had told me that they'd
discovered that Lane had abused another of their sisters. Rumors of
his abuse--of several of us--had slowly spread throughout the colony.
I didn't know how that had happened, as Mom had been determined to
keep our problems within the family, and I was never approached or
questioned by a soul. Then again, given that Lane had molested at
least four of us, it was a wonder that the news hadn't spread sooner."
When Ruth Wariner, author of The Sound of Gravel, was born, she
was her mother's fourth and her father's thirty-ninth child. Her dad
was the prophet of a separatist colony in Mexico. That great Babylon
to the North, the United States, was considered to be in a terminal
state of moral decay. Believers had to abandon their practices to not
go under. In this polygamist sect the role of men was to be fruitful
and multiply, seeding wives with numerous children. Women could
attain salvation by obeying their husbands and bearing and raising the
children. (Ruth's mom gave birth ten times before her untimely and
tragically preventable death.)
Of course there is a big difference in seeding the multitude and
feeding the multitude--a difference the church did not take into
account. There impoverished children were no cause for concern. Of
course doing the Lord's will would involve suffering and deprivation.
As she gets older, Ruth learns that extreme poverty,
disorganization, and squalor are not the worst parts of the life she
was born into. Not by a long shot.
The Sound of Gravel is not for the faint of heart. The
narrative is all the more sinister for being told from a child's point
of view. It's a vivid reminder that when extreme sects isolate
themselves from the rest of the world sometimes the most innocent
members pay the highest price.
On a personal note, Saturday afternoon we had a big old thunderstorm
that just tore through much of Penobscot County. After it departed
the puddles left behind were the only sign of inclement weather.
Later I learned that a bunch of people lost power. Eugene really
surprised me by taking me to Family Dog for supper. It's one of my
absolute favorite restaurants.
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult Biography
"Weeks earlier, Sally and Cynthia had told me that they'd
discovered that Lane had abused another of their sisters. Rumors of
his abuse--of several of us--had slowly spread throughout the colony.
I didn't know how that had happened, as Mom had been determined to
keep our problems within the family, and I was never approached or
questioned by a soul. Then again, given that Lane had molested at
least four of us, it was a wonder that the news hadn't spread sooner."
When Ruth Wariner, author of The Sound of Gravel, was born, she
was her mother's fourth and her father's thirty-ninth child. Her dad
was the prophet of a separatist colony in Mexico. That great Babylon
to the North, the United States, was considered to be in a terminal
state of moral decay. Believers had to abandon their practices to not
go under. In this polygamist sect the role of men was to be fruitful
and multiply, seeding wives with numerous children. Women could
attain salvation by obeying their husbands and bearing and raising the
children. (Ruth's mom gave birth ten times before her untimely and
tragically preventable death.)
Of course there is a big difference in seeding the multitude and
feeding the multitude--a difference the church did not take into
account. There impoverished children were no cause for concern. Of
course doing the Lord's will would involve suffering and deprivation.
As she gets older, Ruth learns that extreme poverty,
disorganization, and squalor are not the worst parts of the life she
was born into. Not by a long shot.
The Sound of Gravel is not for the faint of heart. The
narrative is all the more sinister for being told from a child's point
of view. It's a vivid reminder that when extreme sects isolate
themselves from the rest of the world sometimes the most innocent
members pay the highest price.
On a personal note, Saturday afternoon we had a big old thunderstorm
that just tore through much of Penobscot County. After it departed
the puddles left behind were the only sign of inclement weather.
Later I learned that a bunch of people lost power. Eugene really
surprised me by taking me to Family Dog for supper. It's one of my
absolute favorite restaurants.
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Saturday, August 6, 2016
Ruby on the Outside
Ruby on the Outside
Juvenile fiction
"Do they put people in prison so they don't hurt other people?
Or do they put people in prison to punish them?
Or do they put people in prison so they have time to figure out
what they did wrong so they can change? And if that's the case, how
does it help to take a mother away from her child?A child away from
his mother?"
There were three years when I was a live in mother's helper.
The paterfamilias was doing time for unauthorized use of his police
service revolver. The mother had her children convinced that their
dad was sick and in a hospital. These days, with the Internet making
privacy of any sort just about a thing of the past, I doubt she would
have been able to maintain the fiction. What is life like for
children who know a parent is in prison for breaking laws? Nora
Raleigh Baskin's Ruby on the Outside gives readers one girl's
experience.
Because her mother is serving a long prison sentence, Ruby is
living with her aunt, Barbara, whom she calls Matoo, and her dog,
Loulou, in a condo complex close enough to allow for weekly
visitation. She's given up on her mom coming home any time soon. She
has her life separated into her outside regular life and her inside
Saturdays and holidays spent at an institution with its own strict set
of rules.
Ruby is very careful to keep people from learning that her
mother is doing time. Of course this vigilence entails sacrifices.
Probably the hardest is the chance to have a real best friend. The
familiarity of visiting back and forth could lead to the revelation of
her secret.
One summer things change. A new complex resident has perfect
best friend qualities. Starting middle school in the fall makes
having a best friend seem all the more imortant. But what will happen
if the person she lets into her home and heart learns the truth?
Ruby on the Outside is a poignant coming of age narrative.
Sadly it's all too relevant at a time when adherance to policies like
zero tolerance and three strikes leaves too many kids, particularly
black children, with loved ones on the inside.
On a personal note, I finally learned that Joey is fine. He was just
being displeased with having his fur trimmed. The vet assistants gave
him a rest every time he got upset. That's why it took awhile. Now
he is shaved except for his head, front legs, and chest. He looks
like a lion/dragon with gold owl eyes, a being ancient Egyptians would
have worshipped. He feels like velvet. He cuddles with me purring,
overjoyed to be home.
A great big shout out goes out to Veazie Vet people who know to tend
to animals' emotional as well as physical needs.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Juvenile fiction
"Do they put people in prison so they don't hurt other people?
Or do they put people in prison to punish them?
Or do they put people in prison so they have time to figure out
what they did wrong so they can change? And if that's the case, how
does it help to take a mother away from her child?A child away from
his mother?"
There were three years when I was a live in mother's helper.
The paterfamilias was doing time for unauthorized use of his police
service revolver. The mother had her children convinced that their
dad was sick and in a hospital. These days, with the Internet making
privacy of any sort just about a thing of the past, I doubt she would
have been able to maintain the fiction. What is life like for
children who know a parent is in prison for breaking laws? Nora
Raleigh Baskin's Ruby on the Outside gives readers one girl's
experience.
Because her mother is serving a long prison sentence, Ruby is
living with her aunt, Barbara, whom she calls Matoo, and her dog,
Loulou, in a condo complex close enough to allow for weekly
visitation. She's given up on her mom coming home any time soon. She
has her life separated into her outside regular life and her inside
Saturdays and holidays spent at an institution with its own strict set
of rules.
Ruby is very careful to keep people from learning that her
mother is doing time. Of course this vigilence entails sacrifices.
Probably the hardest is the chance to have a real best friend. The
familiarity of visiting back and forth could lead to the revelation of
her secret.
One summer things change. A new complex resident has perfect
best friend qualities. Starting middle school in the fall makes
having a best friend seem all the more imortant. But what will happen
if the person she lets into her home and heart learns the truth?
Ruby on the Outside is a poignant coming of age narrative.
Sadly it's all too relevant at a time when adherance to policies like
zero tolerance and three strikes leaves too many kids, particularly
black children, with loved ones on the inside.
On a personal note, I finally learned that Joey is fine. He was just
being displeased with having his fur trimmed. The vet assistants gave
him a rest every time he got upset. That's why it took awhile. Now
he is shaved except for his head, front legs, and chest. He looks
like a lion/dragon with gold owl eyes, a being ancient Egyptians would
have worshipped. He feels like velvet. He cuddles with me purring,
overjoyed to be home.
A great big shout out goes out to Veazie Vet people who know to tend
to animals' emotional as well as physical needs.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Friday, August 5, 2016
The Dreadful Fate of Jonathan York
The Dreadful Fate of Jonathan York
Juvenile graphic novel
"Beware those of the spotless yard
who never dare venture
Beyond the dyed grass and trimmed hedges
to the Lost Side of Suburbia,
where tree roots dance the twist
and lichen glimmers and brooks burble bad poetry."
Poor Mr. Jonathan York! He's a mild mannered general store
clerk who was "splendidly behaved" during his childhood and
"pleasantly well-mannered" as a college student. One day he decides
to take a short cut through a swamp. As darkness falls he finds
himself in a domain that is truly the stuff nightmares are made of.
Will he be able to escape with his life and return to his
nondescript existence?
Kory Merritt's The Dreadful Fate of Jonathan York is a shade
long for telling around a campfire. I'd say it's perfect for reading
by lantern or flashlight at camp or a similar boonies vacation spot.
The blend of neatly crafted narrative and off the wall illustration is
truly spine tingling but fanciful enough to not hit nightmare territory.
On a personal note, maybe this was not the book to read while waiting
for the call to pick up Joey from the vet's. He's been there four
hours. The last time I left him there for a significant amount of
time I found out he was desperately sick and they didn't know if even
an operation would save his life. Ring, phone, ring! Please!
A great big shout out goes put to clever weavers of scary stories.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Juvenile graphic novel
"Beware those of the spotless yard
who never dare venture
Beyond the dyed grass and trimmed hedges
to the Lost Side of Suburbia,
where tree roots dance the twist
and lichen glimmers and brooks burble bad poetry."
Poor Mr. Jonathan York! He's a mild mannered general store
clerk who was "splendidly behaved" during his childhood and
"pleasantly well-mannered" as a college student. One day he decides
to take a short cut through a swamp. As darkness falls he finds
himself in a domain that is truly the stuff nightmares are made of.
Will he be able to escape with his life and return to his
nondescript existence?
Kory Merritt's The Dreadful Fate of Jonathan York is a shade
long for telling around a campfire. I'd say it's perfect for reading
by lantern or flashlight at camp or a similar boonies vacation spot.
The blend of neatly crafted narrative and off the wall illustration is
truly spine tingling but fanciful enough to not hit nightmare territory.
On a personal note, maybe this was not the book to read while waiting
for the call to pick up Joey from the vet's. He's been there four
hours. The last time I left him there for a significant amount of
time I found out he was desperately sick and they didn't know if even
an operation would save his life. Ring, phone, ring! Please!
A great big shout out goes put to clever weavers of scary stories.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
March Book Two
March Book Two
YA graphic novel
In the early sixties I was a little kid living near the
Massachusetts coast with my parents and sibling, enduring school,
living for summer camp, and playing with the neighborhood kids. We
were not a typical TV viewing family. But my parents did watch the
news. I remember my first terrifying images of the Civil Rights
Movement: armed police beating up, turning fire hoses on, and siccing
fierce dogs on peaceful protesters...including children my age and
younger.
John Lewis was a pivotal figure in that revolution. March, a
three part series, brings his story to a new generation of readers who
see the events leading up to and culminating in the 1963 March On
Washington.
The black and white graphic novel is perfect in conveying the
message. The white resistance to civil rights comes across as ugly
and brutal. In one of the scariest sequences a huge mob of armed
angry whites attacks a group of freedom bus riders with averything
they can get their hands on. A gap toothed boy joining in the fray is
encouraged by his beaming mother to hit harder and go for the eyes.
At the end pictures of a bombed church with the face of a
stained glass Jesus blown away segues into the next atrocity and the
third volume (I'll keep me eyes out for that and also snag the first).
In a time when, chillingly, a hate monger playing to the deepest
fears of poor whites left behind in a post industrial society has a
chance to become president, this fine book is a must read for anyone
who cares about peace and justice--both in and well above the targeted
demographics.
On a personal note, as I write this review Joey cat is up to Veazie
Vet for his annual fur trim. Even though I know he's in the best
possible hands I'll be pretty antsy (nervous as a long tailed cat in
the proverbial room of rocking chairs) until he's safely home.
A great big shout out goes out to John Lewis who is still fighting the
good fight.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
YA graphic novel
In the early sixties I was a little kid living near the
Massachusetts coast with my parents and sibling, enduring school,
living for summer camp, and playing with the neighborhood kids. We
were not a typical TV viewing family. But my parents did watch the
news. I remember my first terrifying images of the Civil Rights
Movement: armed police beating up, turning fire hoses on, and siccing
fierce dogs on peaceful protesters...including children my age and
younger.
John Lewis was a pivotal figure in that revolution. March, a
three part series, brings his story to a new generation of readers who
see the events leading up to and culminating in the 1963 March On
Washington.
The black and white graphic novel is perfect in conveying the
message. The white resistance to civil rights comes across as ugly
and brutal. In one of the scariest sequences a huge mob of armed
angry whites attacks a group of freedom bus riders with averything
they can get their hands on. A gap toothed boy joining in the fray is
encouraged by his beaming mother to hit harder and go for the eyes.
At the end pictures of a bombed church with the face of a
stained glass Jesus blown away segues into the next atrocity and the
third volume (I'll keep me eyes out for that and also snag the first).
In a time when, chillingly, a hate monger playing to the deepest
fears of poor whites left behind in a post industrial society has a
chance to become president, this fine book is a must read for anyone
who cares about peace and justice--both in and well above the targeted
demographics.
On a personal note, as I write this review Joey cat is up to Veazie
Vet for his annual fur trim. Even though I know he's in the best
possible hands I'll be pretty antsy (nervous as a long tailed cat in
the proverbial room of rocking chairs) until he's safely home.
A great big shout out goes out to John Lewis who is still fighting the
good fight.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Omaha Beach On D-Day
Omaha Beach On D-Day
YA graphic novel
"Dawn on Tuesday, June 6, 1944, found no fewer than thirteen war
correspondents in the ranks of the US Army soldiers assigned to
Normandy's Omaha sector. And they weren't just any correspondents--
the cream of the journalistic crop had started reporting for duty at
0630 hours...There would be words--written and spoken--but no
pictures. At least, not from the beach."
If there had been no pictures from the beach it would have been
understandable. We're talking D-Day toward the end of World War II.
Legions of young soldiers swam and walked into basically Hell on earth
staged on the coast of France. One can scarcely blame newspeople who
chose to shoot pictures from the relative safety of shipboard.
However, one photographer walked into the inferno with the
soldiers, darting from cover to cover and dodging bullets as he shot
pictures. Most of his film was ruined in a developing room in
England. However, ten photos survived, the only close up pictures of
the first wave of the Omaha Beach landing. A very famous one shows a
then anonymous soldier struggling through the surf.
Omaha Beach On D-Day uses a captivating and unique format to
convey its story. Starting with graphic novel format, it uses the
original photographs to segue to the photo journalistic second half.
It tells the narratives of the invasion, the later search for the
unnamed soldier in the surf, and the intriguing life of the
photographer, Robert Capa, a premier war correspondant who hated war
so much his mother refused to let him be buried in Arlington Cemetary--
a man who once said, "It's not always easy to stand aside and be
unable to do anything except record the sufferings around you."
This is a great read for its target audience--teens who will be
heavily targeted by military recruiters. It gives a sense of the
brutal reality of combat--the one thing that doesn't change as weapons
and strategies evolve. It's also a must read for my generation, the
parents, who were born safely after World War II drew to its bloody
conclusion. It's a needed reminder of who in war pays the ultimate
price.
On a personal note, I have finally catelogued the books I've reviewed
for easy reference: 838 cards filed in recycled chamomile tea boxes.
That's my reading for five years. When I get into grad school I'm
gonna have to cut down.
A great big shout out goes out to war correspondants who risk their
lives to convey to those of us safely stateside the grim reality of
combat.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
YA graphic novel
"Dawn on Tuesday, June 6, 1944, found no fewer than thirteen war
correspondents in the ranks of the US Army soldiers assigned to
Normandy's Omaha sector. And they weren't just any correspondents--
the cream of the journalistic crop had started reporting for duty at
0630 hours...There would be words--written and spoken--but no
pictures. At least, not from the beach."
If there had been no pictures from the beach it would have been
understandable. We're talking D-Day toward the end of World War II.
Legions of young soldiers swam and walked into basically Hell on earth
staged on the coast of France. One can scarcely blame newspeople who
chose to shoot pictures from the relative safety of shipboard.
However, one photographer walked into the inferno with the
soldiers, darting from cover to cover and dodging bullets as he shot
pictures. Most of his film was ruined in a developing room in
England. However, ten photos survived, the only close up pictures of
the first wave of the Omaha Beach landing. A very famous one shows a
then anonymous soldier struggling through the surf.
Omaha Beach On D-Day uses a captivating and unique format to
convey its story. Starting with graphic novel format, it uses the
original photographs to segue to the photo journalistic second half.
It tells the narratives of the invasion, the later search for the
unnamed soldier in the surf, and the intriguing life of the
photographer, Robert Capa, a premier war correspondant who hated war
so much his mother refused to let him be buried in Arlington Cemetary--
a man who once said, "It's not always easy to stand aside and be
unable to do anything except record the sufferings around you."
This is a great read for its target audience--teens who will be
heavily targeted by military recruiters. It gives a sense of the
brutal reality of combat--the one thing that doesn't change as weapons
and strategies evolve. It's also a must read for my generation, the
parents, who were born safely after World War II drew to its bloody
conclusion. It's a needed reminder of who in war pays the ultimate
price.
On a personal note, I have finally catelogued the books I've reviewed
for easy reference: 838 cards filed in recycled chamomile tea boxes.
That's my reading for five years. When I get into grad school I'm
gonna have to cut down.
A great big shout out goes out to war correspondants who risk their
lives to convey to those of us safely stateside the grim reality of
combat.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Dude Making A Difference
Dude Making A Difference
Adult Nonfiction
"Cycling 4,700 miles across the USA, that's the easy part. So what's
the hard part? How about doing it off the grid?
That means:
Traveling via my own human power, without the assistance of
fossil fuels
Eating locally produced, organic, and unpackaged foods, and
forgoing long-distance-shipped, conventional, packaged food unless it
is being wasted
Using water from natural sources and forgoing water from
municipal systems unless it is being wasted
Using electricity generated by portable alternative-energy
devices and forgoing electricity generated by fossil fuels
Creating near-zero trash or recycling and composting all of my
food waste."
One of the book genres I usually avoid like the plague is
travel. Well off people going on expensive trips. Blah, blah, blah.
Nothing to do with me. In fact when the other book club members start
comparing notes on their pricey travels I tend to seek out the family
dog or cat for quality time. But when I saw Rob Greenfield's Dude
Making A Difference: Bamboo Bikes, Dumpster Dives, AND Other Extreme
Adventures Across America on a new books shelf in Orono Public Library
I had to at least leaf through it. When I saw how he started off the
volume with the above quote I was hooked, especially where he'd
promised dumpster diving.
Basically Greenfield did what very few of us would have the
stamina, directionality, desire, and/or freedom to do: he bicycled
across America from California to Vermont, living by a set of very
strict criteria he imposed on himself. Food was scavenged from
dumpsters (Actually that yielded him a far better diet than most
modest income people buy) when what was for sale didn't fit in with
his rules. Bathing and clothes washing often involved swimming in
natural bodies of water. Sometimes he crashed with friends. Other
times he pitched his tent in fairly unusual places.
Dude Making A Difference is Greenfield's shared travel journal.
He is very good at describing places and incidents. But he goes way
beyond that. He's a human on a mission: seeking ways to live more
sustainably and encourage and enable others to do the same. He openly
shares his reflections and emotions. This all makes for intensely
interesting reading.
Greenfield knows that most of us will not be able to follow his
example. He encourages us to mindfully examine our life styles and
their implications for the emvironment and take whatever steps we can
even if they seem small. He assures us that, in doing good, we will
find more happiness.
So I recommend this book to anyone with a human heart beating in
her/his/their chest.
On a personal note, before I became married (to a husband who would,
understandably, not want me to disappear for months) and a mother (to
kids who have gone from needing protection to protective and a
medically fragile cat) I would have gone for a journey like that in a
heartbeat. I remember one night when a friend and I were driving back
from a road trip we ended up at the Hudson River at midnight. He was
too tired to safely drive. (I've flunked the drivers eye exam in two
states). We just spread out our sleeping bags beside the river and
crashed under the stars. I woke up the next morning to find that a
couple of dozen people had joined us and someone had gone off to buy
doughnuts and coffee for the whole crowd.
I guess I can keep doing what I've been doing for ages: making
as small a carbon footprint as I can, continually learning new ways,
and teaching by example and writing the many people in my life and
those who read my opinion pieces in the Bangor Daily News.
I bet Greenfield would be pleased to know that one of the days I
was reading the book I was also volunteering at Orono Community garden
where we grow organic veggies and deliver them free to low income
senior citizens who also become our friends. As we went about our
harvesting and washing (using wash water to then hydrate crops) we
were visited by a goldfinch.
A great big shout out goes out to the dude.
Dude, there is a lot you would like to see in Penobscot County.
UMaine has a thriving sustainable ag department. We have farmers'
markets, CSAs, Food And Medicine, Cooperative Extension, MOFGA, Plant
A Row For The Hungry, and a whole lot more. I can offer a two star
fold out sleep sofa, home cooking, and the connections for all the
field trips you want to make. There is a section of the Bangor Daily
News that would interview you. I got them to visit community garden
last year. Probably you could speak at UMaine. And if you come in
the growing season you can see a spread like the Garden of Eden minus
the serpant.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult Nonfiction
"Cycling 4,700 miles across the USA, that's the easy part. So what's
the hard part? How about doing it off the grid?
That means:
Traveling via my own human power, without the assistance of
fossil fuels
Eating locally produced, organic, and unpackaged foods, and
forgoing long-distance-shipped, conventional, packaged food unless it
is being wasted
Using water from natural sources and forgoing water from
municipal systems unless it is being wasted
Using electricity generated by portable alternative-energy
devices and forgoing electricity generated by fossil fuels
Creating near-zero trash or recycling and composting all of my
food waste."
One of the book genres I usually avoid like the plague is
travel. Well off people going on expensive trips. Blah, blah, blah.
Nothing to do with me. In fact when the other book club members start
comparing notes on their pricey travels I tend to seek out the family
dog or cat for quality time. But when I saw Rob Greenfield's Dude
Making A Difference: Bamboo Bikes, Dumpster Dives, AND Other Extreme
Adventures Across America on a new books shelf in Orono Public Library
I had to at least leaf through it. When I saw how he started off the
volume with the above quote I was hooked, especially where he'd
promised dumpster diving.
Basically Greenfield did what very few of us would have the
stamina, directionality, desire, and/or freedom to do: he bicycled
across America from California to Vermont, living by a set of very
strict criteria he imposed on himself. Food was scavenged from
dumpsters (Actually that yielded him a far better diet than most
modest income people buy) when what was for sale didn't fit in with
his rules. Bathing and clothes washing often involved swimming in
natural bodies of water. Sometimes he crashed with friends. Other
times he pitched his tent in fairly unusual places.
Dude Making A Difference is Greenfield's shared travel journal.
He is very good at describing places and incidents. But he goes way
beyond that. He's a human on a mission: seeking ways to live more
sustainably and encourage and enable others to do the same. He openly
shares his reflections and emotions. This all makes for intensely
interesting reading.
Greenfield knows that most of us will not be able to follow his
example. He encourages us to mindfully examine our life styles and
their implications for the emvironment and take whatever steps we can
even if they seem small. He assures us that, in doing good, we will
find more happiness.
So I recommend this book to anyone with a human heart beating in
her/his/their chest.
On a personal note, before I became married (to a husband who would,
understandably, not want me to disappear for months) and a mother (to
kids who have gone from needing protection to protective and a
medically fragile cat) I would have gone for a journey like that in a
heartbeat. I remember one night when a friend and I were driving back
from a road trip we ended up at the Hudson River at midnight. He was
too tired to safely drive. (I've flunked the drivers eye exam in two
states). We just spread out our sleeping bags beside the river and
crashed under the stars. I woke up the next morning to find that a
couple of dozen people had joined us and someone had gone off to buy
doughnuts and coffee for the whole crowd.
I guess I can keep doing what I've been doing for ages: making
as small a carbon footprint as I can, continually learning new ways,
and teaching by example and writing the many people in my life and
those who read my opinion pieces in the Bangor Daily News.
I bet Greenfield would be pleased to know that one of the days I
was reading the book I was also volunteering at Orono Community garden
where we grow organic veggies and deliver them free to low income
senior citizens who also become our friends. As we went about our
harvesting and washing (using wash water to then hydrate crops) we
were visited by a goldfinch.
A great big shout out goes out to the dude.
Dude, there is a lot you would like to see in Penobscot County.
UMaine has a thriving sustainable ag department. We have farmers'
markets, CSAs, Food And Medicine, Cooperative Extension, MOFGA, Plant
A Row For The Hungry, and a whole lot more. I can offer a two star
fold out sleep sofa, home cooking, and the connections for all the
field trips you want to make. There is a section of the Bangor Daily
News that would interview you. I got them to visit community garden
last year. Probably you could speak at UMaine. And if you come in
the growing season you can see a spread like the Garden of Eden minus
the serpant.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Hidden History of Bangor
Hidden History of Bangor
Adult nonfiction
"When celebrity aviator Harry Atwood made the first airplane
flight over Bangor on June 17, 1912, local observers were
ecstatic...Flight would shorten the distance between the city, which
seemed increasingly isolated far up on the Penobscot River near the
very northeastern tip of the United States, and the major population
centers along the East Coast and 'Out West,' where so many had moved
in the past few decades. Optimists predicted Bangor would one day
live up to its regal nickname, the Queen City of the East."
One of the things I can look forward to when I get up on Monday
mornings is Wayne Reilly's Bangor Daily News column. Whether
commenting on the Great Fire and its aftermath, the growing popularity
of motorcars, or a thriving business Veazie saw fit to not boast of
during the town's 150th anniversary, he always gives a vivid picture
of the way things were 100 years ago in the Queen City and environs.
So when I finally was able to get my hands on his Hidden History of
Bangor: From Lumbering Days to the Progressive Era I knew I was in for
a real treat.
Reading Hidden History of Bangor is like time travelling without
violating the laws of physics. Wayne's tales, amply illustrated by
photographs courtesy of Richard Shaw, really bring the past to life.
Grouped into chapters by subject, the representative columns cover a
great deal of ground.
Of course there are the disasters that probably made major
headlines. Six young men died in a summer sailing expedition.
Misjudgement on the part of a conductor caused a two train collision.
A heat wave at a time when most Bangoreans could only dream of
electric fans had breeze craving people riding the open trolleys.
(Looking at a picture of the riders in their proper clothes makes me
amazed they all didn't perish of heat stroke!). Of course the great
fire of 1911 has a chapter of its own.
There were also some pretty funny incidents. The great
porcupine war, like so many government initiatives then and now, ended
up costing far more than had been budgeted for it. The mayor's pig
took men and boys on quite a chase when he escaped and visited the
business district. But my favorite story was one in which the
superintendent of the Christian Civic League (I am no fan of the CCL),
trying to prove the immorality of a fair midway act, did the hoochee-
coochee dance for a group of his peers.
I think Hidden History of Bangor, a compact volume that will
easily fit in a backpack, is a great read for beach sunbathing (Please
remember the sunscreen!) or airplane layover. What's not to love
about a vision of a not-so-long-ago world in which electricity seemed
like a miracle and airplanes were thought to hold the power to help a
city fulfill its destiny?
Oh, yeah, that business staid, proper Veazie was not bragging
about in 2003? Let's say it involved the world's oldest profession.
On a personal note, a picture of Hersey Retreat really brought back
precious memories. Back when my kids were little it was owned by the
UU church. As members, we spent wonderful times there with other
members of the congregation for week and weekend long stays: picking
blueberries, walking on the beach, telling scary stories around a
campfire, falling asleep and waking up in a beautiful place... When
it was sold I felt like a member of the family had died.
A great big shout out goes out to Wayne (who is a really nice guy) for
all the serious research he puts into his columns.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult nonfiction
"When celebrity aviator Harry Atwood made the first airplane
flight over Bangor on June 17, 1912, local observers were
ecstatic...Flight would shorten the distance between the city, which
seemed increasingly isolated far up on the Penobscot River near the
very northeastern tip of the United States, and the major population
centers along the East Coast and 'Out West,' where so many had moved
in the past few decades. Optimists predicted Bangor would one day
live up to its regal nickname, the Queen City of the East."
One of the things I can look forward to when I get up on Monday
mornings is Wayne Reilly's Bangor Daily News column. Whether
commenting on the Great Fire and its aftermath, the growing popularity
of motorcars, or a thriving business Veazie saw fit to not boast of
during the town's 150th anniversary, he always gives a vivid picture
of the way things were 100 years ago in the Queen City and environs.
So when I finally was able to get my hands on his Hidden History of
Bangor: From Lumbering Days to the Progressive Era I knew I was in for
a real treat.
Reading Hidden History of Bangor is like time travelling without
violating the laws of physics. Wayne's tales, amply illustrated by
photographs courtesy of Richard Shaw, really bring the past to life.
Grouped into chapters by subject, the representative columns cover a
great deal of ground.
Of course there are the disasters that probably made major
headlines. Six young men died in a summer sailing expedition.
Misjudgement on the part of a conductor caused a two train collision.
A heat wave at a time when most Bangoreans could only dream of
electric fans had breeze craving people riding the open trolleys.
(Looking at a picture of the riders in their proper clothes makes me
amazed they all didn't perish of heat stroke!). Of course the great
fire of 1911 has a chapter of its own.
There were also some pretty funny incidents. The great
porcupine war, like so many government initiatives then and now, ended
up costing far more than had been budgeted for it. The mayor's pig
took men and boys on quite a chase when he escaped and visited the
business district. But my favorite story was one in which the
superintendent of the Christian Civic League (I am no fan of the CCL),
trying to prove the immorality of a fair midway act, did the hoochee-
coochee dance for a group of his peers.
I think Hidden History of Bangor, a compact volume that will
easily fit in a backpack, is a great read for beach sunbathing (Please
remember the sunscreen!) or airplane layover. What's not to love
about a vision of a not-so-long-ago world in which electricity seemed
like a miracle and airplanes were thought to hold the power to help a
city fulfill its destiny?
Oh, yeah, that business staid, proper Veazie was not bragging
about in 2003? Let's say it involved the world's oldest profession.
On a personal note, a picture of Hersey Retreat really brought back
precious memories. Back when my kids were little it was owned by the
UU church. As members, we spent wonderful times there with other
members of the congregation for week and weekend long stays: picking
blueberries, walking on the beach, telling scary stories around a
campfire, falling asleep and waking up in a beautiful place... When
it was sold I felt like a member of the family had died.
A great big shout out goes out to Wayne (who is a really nice guy) for
all the serious research he puts into his columns.
jules hathaway
Sent from my iPod
The Girls Of Murder City
The Girls Of Murder City
Adult nonfiction
"The prospect of women attorneys before all-male juries was
almost as terrifying as interracial coupling. One Virginia newspaper,
commenting on the situation in Chicago after the state Supreme Court's
ruling on Sabella's case, wrote that 'now that fair women attorneys,
full of feminine wiles, have been added to the equation, conviction of
pretty lady killers is hardly even hoped for.'"
Contrary to popular opinion, I do not review every book I read.
About once a year there's one, usually quite technical and information
dense, that eludes my ability to summerize and describe. Every few
months I read a book I have no intention to review just for the fun of
it. When I found Douglas Perry's The Girls of Murder City I was sure
it would fall into that category--a guilty pleasure to skim and
return. Boy, was I wrong!
Perry takes readers back to 1924 Chicago, a city with a wild and
wicked reputation. Alcohol flowed (prohibition, remember?), gangs
ruled, and beautiful women got away with murder. Literally. There
had been a streak of thirty-five women acquitted of husband killing.
Some folks wondered if a white, reasonably attractive woman could be
convicted of homicide in Cook County.
That year women accused of shooting in crimes of passion took up
much of the newspapers' (Can you imagine that concept--multiple rival
dailies--in today's media merging world?) prime space. Reporters were
in stiff competition to get the hottest reader captivating insider
stories. Trial stories often focused as much on defendents' outfits
as on their testimonies.
The story line of these sensational trials is riveting--well
worth the price of the book. But the feminist with an interest in
history will glean a whole lot more. All male juries (the only kind
then) could be swayed to acquit by lawyers and defendents who played
on their biases. Not all women were created equal. While well off
white women could get off, older, poorer, and unattractive women,
especially black women, could not reap benefit of gender.
Basically I think The Girls of Murder City makes a grand summer
read whether one is interested in gripping real life drama or social
issues or feminist history. I know I was caught--hook, line, and
sinker--before I'd finished the first page.
On a personal note, for three weeks UMaine was lucky to have Young
African Leaders around. It was so much fun spending time with
them...especially dancing with them. They are so intelligent and
charming and motivated and gracious, really great citizen ambassadors.
A great big shout out goes out to the Young African Leaders whom I
hope really enjoyed their stay in Maine.
Sent from my iPod
Adult nonfiction
"The prospect of women attorneys before all-male juries was
almost as terrifying as interracial coupling. One Virginia newspaper,
commenting on the situation in Chicago after the state Supreme Court's
ruling on Sabella's case, wrote that 'now that fair women attorneys,
full of feminine wiles, have been added to the equation, conviction of
pretty lady killers is hardly even hoped for.'"
Contrary to popular opinion, I do not review every book I read.
About once a year there's one, usually quite technical and information
dense, that eludes my ability to summerize and describe. Every few
months I read a book I have no intention to review just for the fun of
it. When I found Douglas Perry's The Girls of Murder City I was sure
it would fall into that category--a guilty pleasure to skim and
return. Boy, was I wrong!
Perry takes readers back to 1924 Chicago, a city with a wild and
wicked reputation. Alcohol flowed (prohibition, remember?), gangs
ruled, and beautiful women got away with murder. Literally. There
had been a streak of thirty-five women acquitted of husband killing.
Some folks wondered if a white, reasonably attractive woman could be
convicted of homicide in Cook County.
That year women accused of shooting in crimes of passion took up
much of the newspapers' (Can you imagine that concept--multiple rival
dailies--in today's media merging world?) prime space. Reporters were
in stiff competition to get the hottest reader captivating insider
stories. Trial stories often focused as much on defendents' outfits
as on their testimonies.
The story line of these sensational trials is riveting--well
worth the price of the book. But the feminist with an interest in
history will glean a whole lot more. All male juries (the only kind
then) could be swayed to acquit by lawyers and defendents who played
on their biases. Not all women were created equal. While well off
white women could get off, older, poorer, and unattractive women,
especially black women, could not reap benefit of gender.
Basically I think The Girls of Murder City makes a grand summer
read whether one is interested in gripping real life drama or social
issues or feminist history. I know I was caught--hook, line, and
sinker--before I'd finished the first page.
On a personal note, for three weeks UMaine was lucky to have Young
African Leaders around. It was so much fun spending time with
them...especially dancing with them. They are so intelligent and
charming and motivated and gracious, really great citizen ambassadors.
A great big shout out goes out to the Young African Leaders whom I
hope really enjoyed their stay in Maine.
Sent from my iPod
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