the tree. A yellow and black butterfly flew up to me which made the
trip special.
Added 4 books to my stash. ;-)
Monday, June 29, 2020
Jesmyn Ward
Jesmyn Ward
Adult nonfiction and fiction
"...They sold dope between jobs until they could find more work
as a convenience store clerk or a janitor or a landscaper. This was
like walking into a storm surge: a cycle of futility. Maybe he looked
at those who still lived and those who'd died, and didn't see much
difference between the two; pinioned beneath poverty and history and
racism, we were all dying inside. Maybe in his low moments, when he
was coming down the coke, he saw no American dream, no fairy-tale
ending, no hope. Maybe in his high moments, he didn't either..."
I discovered Jesmyn Ward, or more accurately, her writing, at a
Friends of the Orono Public Library book sale. Her memoir, Men We
Reaped, quoted above, was in the huge stack of books I "earned" by
volunteering. It was an eye opener. In a span of four years she had
lost five men she was close to including a cousin and her only
brother. The lens through which she conveyed her life was those
deaths and the conditions that made them pretty much inevitable.
A couple of years later I stumbled across The Fire This Time, an
anthology of stories Ward had conceived of, edited, and contributed
to. She had been pregnant when Trayvon Martin had been shot, coming
back from a convenience store where he'd bought Skittles and a soft
drink, by George Zimmerman. It bothered her deeply that Trayvon, the
victim, still a teen, was crucified in the court of social media,
portrayed as an adult thug. She had reached out to other authors of
color to see how the perceived the incident and its aftermath and
brought together a collection of really amazing pieces.
I knew that Ward wrote fiction. I was intending to get my hands
on her writing in that genre some day. I knew it would be amazing.
Grad school has a way of shredding good intentions. But when the
pandemic shredded grad school at least temporarily I ordered two of
her novels from Bangor Public Library. That was when I learned just
how magical her writing is. She has the ability to transform
privileged white readers (like me) to a world most of us could never
imagine--a world in which a boy helps his grandfather kill and
eviscerate a goat to put meat on the table, teens conduct ilicit dog
fights, and people have only family and neighbors to count on in the
aftermath of a hurricane-- and make it come to life.
Sing, Unburied, Sing is told alternately through three
viewpoints--2 living and one spectral. Jojo, 13, lives with his
grandparents, mother, and little sister. His grandmother is in the
final stages of terminal cancer. His mother, Leoni, has drug problems
and a tendency to act impulsively. Kayla is still a toddler. Pop,
his grandfather, is struggling to hold the family together.
One day Leoni gets the news she's been waiting for. Michael,
the children's father, calls her from prison to tell her he's getting
out.
"Michael's been in jail three years now, three years, two
months. And ten days. They gave him five with the possibility of
early release. The possibility's real now. Present. Shaking. My
insides are shaking."
Leonie decides that she, the children, and her close friend,
Misty, will drive to Parchmam to bring Michael home. It's anything
but an ordinary road trip. There are drug dealings on the way. Kayla
becomes deathly sick, throwing up when she isn't sleeping. And
Michael isn't the only passenger they pick up.
Salvage The Bones is told from the viewpoint of Esch, a teen who
is pregnant by a boy who has no intentions of being a father. Her own
father is caught up with preparations for the big hurricane he sees as
barelling down on them. The scepticism of family and friends who
think it will peter out before it gets near them does not deter him.
Brother Skeetah's pride and joy is his pit bull China, the dog
he engages in hidden illicit dog fights. She's just had her first
litter. When one puppy dies, Skeetah has reason to believe the other
dogs are in jeopardy. He's on his own. Vetinarian care is not an
option.
Esch's father loses three fingers in an accident. It's up to
his four kids to finish the hurricane preparations.
And the hurricane en route is Katrina.
Read any of Ward's books you can get your hands on. Starting
one is like jumping into the Maine ocean in March. It sucks the
breath right out of you. But if you stick with it it will move you to
feel and think in new ways. And you won't want to put it down.
On a purrrsonal note, after a week of my foot not improving from too
much walking in inadequate sneakers I am spending time elevating and
icing it, a practice approved by my advanced EMT son. Thank goodness
for books to make staying off my feet less maddening!
And speaking of books, I am getting ready for the second peak, for if
libraries close again. Yard sales and thrift shops. I have over a
dozen volumes including some really long Stephen King novels. By the
time my birthday rolls around (September 21, same as Mr. King) I will
be stocked. So you will continue to be able to access my reviews.
(Jules)
My hooman keeps lying around. Her foot hurts. Good thing she has me
to take care of her. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to--hey Tobago, who should we honor?
(Jules)
The good hoomans who adopt cats and give them loving homes. It's
kitten season. Lots of cute little bundles of sweetness out there.
You can't buy love, but you can rescue it. (Tobago)
Sent from my iPod
Adult nonfiction and fiction
"...They sold dope between jobs until they could find more work
as a convenience store clerk or a janitor or a landscaper. This was
like walking into a storm surge: a cycle of futility. Maybe he looked
at those who still lived and those who'd died, and didn't see much
difference between the two; pinioned beneath poverty and history and
racism, we were all dying inside. Maybe in his low moments, when he
was coming down the coke, he saw no American dream, no fairy-tale
ending, no hope. Maybe in his high moments, he didn't either..."
I discovered Jesmyn Ward, or more accurately, her writing, at a
Friends of the Orono Public Library book sale. Her memoir, Men We
Reaped, quoted above, was in the huge stack of books I "earned" by
volunteering. It was an eye opener. In a span of four years she had
lost five men she was close to including a cousin and her only
brother. The lens through which she conveyed her life was those
deaths and the conditions that made them pretty much inevitable.
A couple of years later I stumbled across The Fire This Time, an
anthology of stories Ward had conceived of, edited, and contributed
to. She had been pregnant when Trayvon Martin had been shot, coming
back from a convenience store where he'd bought Skittles and a soft
drink, by George Zimmerman. It bothered her deeply that Trayvon, the
victim, still a teen, was crucified in the court of social media,
portrayed as an adult thug. She had reached out to other authors of
color to see how the perceived the incident and its aftermath and
brought together a collection of really amazing pieces.
I knew that Ward wrote fiction. I was intending to get my hands
on her writing in that genre some day. I knew it would be amazing.
Grad school has a way of shredding good intentions. But when the
pandemic shredded grad school at least temporarily I ordered two of
her novels from Bangor Public Library. That was when I learned just
how magical her writing is. She has the ability to transform
privileged white readers (like me) to a world most of us could never
imagine--a world in which a boy helps his grandfather kill and
eviscerate a goat to put meat on the table, teens conduct ilicit dog
fights, and people have only family and neighbors to count on in the
aftermath of a hurricane-- and make it come to life.
Sing, Unburied, Sing is told alternately through three
viewpoints--2 living and one spectral. Jojo, 13, lives with his
grandparents, mother, and little sister. His grandmother is in the
final stages of terminal cancer. His mother, Leoni, has drug problems
and a tendency to act impulsively. Kayla is still a toddler. Pop,
his grandfather, is struggling to hold the family together.
One day Leoni gets the news she's been waiting for. Michael,
the children's father, calls her from prison to tell her he's getting
out.
"Michael's been in jail three years now, three years, two
months. And ten days. They gave him five with the possibility of
early release. The possibility's real now. Present. Shaking. My
insides are shaking."
Leonie decides that she, the children, and her close friend,
Misty, will drive to Parchmam to bring Michael home. It's anything
but an ordinary road trip. There are drug dealings on the way. Kayla
becomes deathly sick, throwing up when she isn't sleeping. And
Michael isn't the only passenger they pick up.
Salvage The Bones is told from the viewpoint of Esch, a teen who
is pregnant by a boy who has no intentions of being a father. Her own
father is caught up with preparations for the big hurricane he sees as
barelling down on them. The scepticism of family and friends who
think it will peter out before it gets near them does not deter him.
Brother Skeetah's pride and joy is his pit bull China, the dog
he engages in hidden illicit dog fights. She's just had her first
litter. When one puppy dies, Skeetah has reason to believe the other
dogs are in jeopardy. He's on his own. Vetinarian care is not an
option.
Esch's father loses three fingers in an accident. It's up to
his four kids to finish the hurricane preparations.
And the hurricane en route is Katrina.
Read any of Ward's books you can get your hands on. Starting
one is like jumping into the Maine ocean in March. It sucks the
breath right out of you. But if you stick with it it will move you to
feel and think in new ways. And you won't want to put it down.
On a purrrsonal note, after a week of my foot not improving from too
much walking in inadequate sneakers I am spending time elevating and
icing it, a practice approved by my advanced EMT son. Thank goodness
for books to make staying off my feet less maddening!
And speaking of books, I am getting ready for the second peak, for if
libraries close again. Yard sales and thrift shops. I have over a
dozen volumes including some really long Stephen King novels. By the
time my birthday rolls around (September 21, same as Mr. King) I will
be stocked. So you will continue to be able to access my reviews.
(Jules)
My hooman keeps lying around. Her foot hurts. Good thing she has me
to take care of her. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to--hey Tobago, who should we honor?
(Jules)
The good hoomans who adopt cats and give them loving homes. It's
kitten season. Lots of cute little bundles of sweetness out there.
You can't buy love, but you can rescue it. (Tobago)
Sent from my iPod
re: I need social traffic fast
hi
beaniebabylover.fireworks
here it is, social website traffic:
http://www.mgdots.co/detail.php?id=113
Full details attached
Regards
Sam Shamburger
Unsubscribe option is available on the footer of our website
beaniebabylover.fireworks
here it is, social website traffic:
http://www.mgdots.co/detail.php?id=113
Full details attached
Regards
Sam Shamburger
Unsubscribe option is available on the footer of our website
Monday, June 22, 2020
Running Home
Running Home
Adult memoir
"I've run through winter, on steep, snow-packed peaks with metal
spikes strapped to my shoes so I won't slip. I've risen early to
sneak out at first light in late spring, the air sweet with lilacs.
I've run high above the tree line at twelve thousand feet in late
August, climbing through wildflowers and into the clouds until the
world below feels like a dream..."
Until I read I read Katie Arnold's Running Home, quoted above,
I'd thought marathons were as hard core as running races went. Boy,
was I wrong! Ultrarunners make twenty-six miles look puny. Can you
believe people like Arnold run distances like 50 miles and 100 Ks?
And they don't do it on just tame old streets. They run up mountains
and through volcanoes in places where bears, cougars, and rattlesnakes
dwell. If you're anything like me you are wondering why in the world
anyone would want to do that. For Arnold it had turned out to be her
salvation.
Arnold had had a complicated relationship with her father who
had caused his marriage to implode by committing adultery. He and her
mother had ended up in different parts of the country. Her time with
him was then limited to visits. Although she admired and adored him,
feeling that in her family he was the one most like herself, she also
often felt abandoned. She had so many questions that she couldn't
risk asking...
...even as an adult. Arnold was grown and married with two
children of her own, an infant and a toddler, when she received
horrifying news. Her previously healthy father had terminal cancer.
Suddenly there was talk of last wishes and cremation. After months in
which she shuttled between her home and his, nursing baby in carrier,
the inevitable happened.
Her father's death shattered Arnold's world. She became
depressed and angry, and convinced she was coming down with a number
of fatal illnesses. But after about a year of raising very young
children while seriously grieving she realized what she needed to
start healing--to train for and run a 50K.
I'd especially recommend this poignant and perceptive book to
anyone who has suffered a recent painful loss and learned that
grieving can take a lot more time and space than out society seems to
think it should. Even folks like me who are unable to run a 5K can
learn a lot from her observations and thoughts.
On a purrrsonal note, this was a book that I really needed to read. I
spent last summer doing my work shifts and providing hospice for my
beloved companion of sixteen years, Joey cat. He was with me for so
many of the bright and splendid years of my children's growing up. He
was there also through the lonliness of their leaving and the
frustrations of not knowing how to make my remaining years good ones
in a world that deemed me good for only retail or fast food. He was
the epitome of loyal and true. At Veazie Vet they said we were one of
the most tightly bonded human-animal pairs ever.
Needless to say, when Joey died I fell apart. I felt like I was
walking around with half a heart in me. I cried almost constantly at
home. I dreaded going home when I was at school. I talked to Joey
every night. I feared losing my memories of the feel of his fur, the
light in his gold eyes, his moves and mannerisms--all that made him
unique. Because that would be like losing him again. And I had my
own form of hypochondria. I kind of forgot that breathing is
automatic. I kept having this panicky feeling that if I didn't
concentrate on inhaling and exhaling my body would stop. It happened
everywhere. If I was in bed I'd make myself stay up for hours, sure
that if I dozed off I'd never wake up. I'd be terrified of being
called on in class if this happened (even though I'm big on class
participation) because how could I talk and breathe at the same time?
Well when I read the book and realized that Arnold had had experiences
like mine it was an amazing relief to learn that I wasn't uniquely
abnormal, rather reacting naturally to an exceptionally painful loss.
I've even started talking to my children about them. (Jules)
It is still much too hot out. (Tobago)
Handy hydration hint. Before you go to bed drink a little water out
of a bottle (it expands when it freezes) and put it in your freezer.
When you wake up it will be frozen solid. As the ice melts you will
have refreshingly cold water. ;-)
A great big shout out goes out to Joseph Jacob Hathaway, the best
little cat in the world, who will live on in my heart as long as I can
breathe.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult memoir
"I've run through winter, on steep, snow-packed peaks with metal
spikes strapped to my shoes so I won't slip. I've risen early to
sneak out at first light in late spring, the air sweet with lilacs.
I've run high above the tree line at twelve thousand feet in late
August, climbing through wildflowers and into the clouds until the
world below feels like a dream..."
Until I read I read Katie Arnold's Running Home, quoted above,
I'd thought marathons were as hard core as running races went. Boy,
was I wrong! Ultrarunners make twenty-six miles look puny. Can you
believe people like Arnold run distances like 50 miles and 100 Ks?
And they don't do it on just tame old streets. They run up mountains
and through volcanoes in places where bears, cougars, and rattlesnakes
dwell. If you're anything like me you are wondering why in the world
anyone would want to do that. For Arnold it had turned out to be her
salvation.
Arnold had had a complicated relationship with her father who
had caused his marriage to implode by committing adultery. He and her
mother had ended up in different parts of the country. Her time with
him was then limited to visits. Although she admired and adored him,
feeling that in her family he was the one most like herself, she also
often felt abandoned. She had so many questions that she couldn't
risk asking...
...even as an adult. Arnold was grown and married with two
children of her own, an infant and a toddler, when she received
horrifying news. Her previously healthy father had terminal cancer.
Suddenly there was talk of last wishes and cremation. After months in
which she shuttled between her home and his, nursing baby in carrier,
the inevitable happened.
Her father's death shattered Arnold's world. She became
depressed and angry, and convinced she was coming down with a number
of fatal illnesses. But after about a year of raising very young
children while seriously grieving she realized what she needed to
start healing--to train for and run a 50K.
I'd especially recommend this poignant and perceptive book to
anyone who has suffered a recent painful loss and learned that
grieving can take a lot more time and space than out society seems to
think it should. Even folks like me who are unable to run a 5K can
learn a lot from her observations and thoughts.
On a purrrsonal note, this was a book that I really needed to read. I
spent last summer doing my work shifts and providing hospice for my
beloved companion of sixteen years, Joey cat. He was with me for so
many of the bright and splendid years of my children's growing up. He
was there also through the lonliness of their leaving and the
frustrations of not knowing how to make my remaining years good ones
in a world that deemed me good for only retail or fast food. He was
the epitome of loyal and true. At Veazie Vet they said we were one of
the most tightly bonded human-animal pairs ever.
Needless to say, when Joey died I fell apart. I felt like I was
walking around with half a heart in me. I cried almost constantly at
home. I dreaded going home when I was at school. I talked to Joey
every night. I feared losing my memories of the feel of his fur, the
light in his gold eyes, his moves and mannerisms--all that made him
unique. Because that would be like losing him again. And I had my
own form of hypochondria. I kind of forgot that breathing is
automatic. I kept having this panicky feeling that if I didn't
concentrate on inhaling and exhaling my body would stop. It happened
everywhere. If I was in bed I'd make myself stay up for hours, sure
that if I dozed off I'd never wake up. I'd be terrified of being
called on in class if this happened (even though I'm big on class
participation) because how could I talk and breathe at the same time?
Well when I read the book and realized that Arnold had had experiences
like mine it was an amazing relief to learn that I wasn't uniquely
abnormal, rather reacting naturally to an exceptionally painful loss.
I've even started talking to my children about them. (Jules)
It is still much too hot out. (Tobago)
Handy hydration hint. Before you go to bed drink a little water out
of a bottle (it expands when it freezes) and put it in your freezer.
When you wake up it will be frozen solid. As the ice melts you will
have refreshingly cold water. ;-)
A great big shout out goes out to Joseph Jacob Hathaway, the best
little cat in the world, who will live on in my heart as long as I can
breathe.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Sexual Citizens
Sexual Citizens
Adult nonfiction
"Why do campus sexual assaults happen? And what should be done
to prevent them? Sexual Citizens offers parents, students, school
administrators, policy makers, and the public a new way to understand
sexual assault and an approach to prevention that extends far beyond
the campus gates..."
I think most of understand that sexual assaults happen on
college and university campuses. High profile cases have brought this
unfortunate reality into public discourse. According to Jennifer S.
Hirsch and Shamus Khan's Sexual Citizens, quoted above, one in three
women and nearly one in six men will experience sexual assault between
orientation and graduation or leaving without a degree.
That's a serious problem--one institutions of higher learning
are striving to solve. New student orientations cover the importance
of consent. An increasing number of campus professionals are mandated
reporters, required to bring certain narratives to the attention of
campus or local police. Conduct offices strive to balance the rights
of both parties in these sensitive cases. Students educate peers
through visible activities such as Take Back The Night and Tunnel of
Oppression.
Hirsch and Khan found that research that focuses on one aspect
of the problem (such as toxic masculinity) or ways in which to respond
to assaults after they occur to be limited in effectiveness. They
advocate for a methodology that goes beyond studying individuals and
their interactions to taking larger systems into account.
"...Instead of thinking in terms of predators or post-assault
procedures, SHIFT examined the social drivers of assault, in order to
develop new approaches to making assault a less common feature of
campus life. We deployed what public health scholars call an
'ecological model.' This approach situates individuals, along with
their problem behaviors, in the broader context of their
relationships, their pre-college histories, the organizations they are
a part of, and the cultures that influence them."
Hirsch and Khan explored students' experiences of sex, both
consensual and non-consensual, through the lens of three concepts.
*Sexual project is the idea that people engage in sex for a reason. A
project can be enjoyment, procreation, status, experience acquisition,
or identity exploration. Sexual projects are interconnected with
other life projects such as college projects.
*Sexual citizenship is a dual concept. One side involves feeling
comfort in one's body and entitlement to enact sexual projects. The
other involves acknowledging that other people are sexual citizens
rather than using them as props in one's own dramas.
*Sexual geographies acknowledges that certain locations have more
affordances for sexual outcomes than others. (Students will act
different at a fraternity house party than they would in the campus
library.) It also encompasses the idea that power differentials exist
in certain spaces. At a fraternity party a senior brother will have a
lot more power than a first year woman guest.
I really like this lens because it doesn't skim over the
complexities and intersectionalities of campus culture. It also shows
ways of working on all three aspects to create an ambiance less
conducive to sexual assault.
Hirsch and Khan believe that education needs to start well
before college. People are born as sexual beings. Many adults don't
want to see this. So kidd often see abstinance only curriculums in
preK to 12 schools and hear "not under my roof narratives at home.
Too many incoming college students aren't prepared with the sexual
knowledge and skills that are as necessary as reading and math.
So I'd recommend this excellent book to college undergraduate
and graduate students, faculty, and studebt affairs professionals;
preK-12 teachers and administrators; parents; and anyone else who
works with or cares about preK-12 and college students.
I'd like to end this review with a true story. A male student
heard a male peer lying about having had sex with a female peer and
told him to stop, explaining that it would effect how she saw herself
and was treated by other people. The second boy made a rather rude
remark. The first boy had a chat with a guidance counselor who talked
to the second boy. The lie did not spread.
Both boys were in middle school. They were already shaping the
beliefs they would bring to college.
On a purrrsonal note, I am laying off serious walking for awhile. My
feet are seriously hurting. I can think of three dumb things I did.
I way overdid it the day I walked 2 hours. I didn't stretch before or
after on any of the days. I was wearing sneakers with no shock
absorbing capacity. So no more distance walking until my symptoms
have cleared up, I've learned stretches, and I have sneakers designed
for serious walking. (Jules)
I never has that problem. I just walks and runs. (Tobago)
On a happier note, someone has been painting inspirational quotes on
rocks and leaving them around the trailer park. I have my favorites
in the studio now. One says Peace and has a peace sign. One says "Be
a VOICE not an echo." One says, "When life throws you a curve ball,
hit it out of the park." Now I am super inspired. (Jules)
A great big shout out goes out to the mystery rock painter.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult nonfiction
"Why do campus sexual assaults happen? And what should be done
to prevent them? Sexual Citizens offers parents, students, school
administrators, policy makers, and the public a new way to understand
sexual assault and an approach to prevention that extends far beyond
the campus gates..."
I think most of understand that sexual assaults happen on
college and university campuses. High profile cases have brought this
unfortunate reality into public discourse. According to Jennifer S.
Hirsch and Shamus Khan's Sexual Citizens, quoted above, one in three
women and nearly one in six men will experience sexual assault between
orientation and graduation or leaving without a degree.
That's a serious problem--one institutions of higher learning
are striving to solve. New student orientations cover the importance
of consent. An increasing number of campus professionals are mandated
reporters, required to bring certain narratives to the attention of
campus or local police. Conduct offices strive to balance the rights
of both parties in these sensitive cases. Students educate peers
through visible activities such as Take Back The Night and Tunnel of
Oppression.
Hirsch and Khan found that research that focuses on one aspect
of the problem (such as toxic masculinity) or ways in which to respond
to assaults after they occur to be limited in effectiveness. They
advocate for a methodology that goes beyond studying individuals and
their interactions to taking larger systems into account.
"...Instead of thinking in terms of predators or post-assault
procedures, SHIFT examined the social drivers of assault, in order to
develop new approaches to making assault a less common feature of
campus life. We deployed what public health scholars call an
'ecological model.' This approach situates individuals, along with
their problem behaviors, in the broader context of their
relationships, their pre-college histories, the organizations they are
a part of, and the cultures that influence them."
Hirsch and Khan explored students' experiences of sex, both
consensual and non-consensual, through the lens of three concepts.
*Sexual project is the idea that people engage in sex for a reason. A
project can be enjoyment, procreation, status, experience acquisition,
or identity exploration. Sexual projects are interconnected with
other life projects such as college projects.
*Sexual citizenship is a dual concept. One side involves feeling
comfort in one's body and entitlement to enact sexual projects. The
other involves acknowledging that other people are sexual citizens
rather than using them as props in one's own dramas.
*Sexual geographies acknowledges that certain locations have more
affordances for sexual outcomes than others. (Students will act
different at a fraternity house party than they would in the campus
library.) It also encompasses the idea that power differentials exist
in certain spaces. At a fraternity party a senior brother will have a
lot more power than a first year woman guest.
I really like this lens because it doesn't skim over the
complexities and intersectionalities of campus culture. It also shows
ways of working on all three aspects to create an ambiance less
conducive to sexual assault.
Hirsch and Khan believe that education needs to start well
before college. People are born as sexual beings. Many adults don't
want to see this. So kidd often see abstinance only curriculums in
preK to 12 schools and hear "not under my roof narratives at home.
Too many incoming college students aren't prepared with the sexual
knowledge and skills that are as necessary as reading and math.
So I'd recommend this excellent book to college undergraduate
and graduate students, faculty, and studebt affairs professionals;
preK-12 teachers and administrators; parents; and anyone else who
works with or cares about preK-12 and college students.
I'd like to end this review with a true story. A male student
heard a male peer lying about having had sex with a female peer and
told him to stop, explaining that it would effect how she saw herself
and was treated by other people. The second boy made a rather rude
remark. The first boy had a chat with a guidance counselor who talked
to the second boy. The lie did not spread.
Both boys were in middle school. They were already shaping the
beliefs they would bring to college.
On a purrrsonal note, I am laying off serious walking for awhile. My
feet are seriously hurting. I can think of three dumb things I did.
I way overdid it the day I walked 2 hours. I didn't stretch before or
after on any of the days. I was wearing sneakers with no shock
absorbing capacity. So no more distance walking until my symptoms
have cleared up, I've learned stretches, and I have sneakers designed
for serious walking. (Jules)
I never has that problem. I just walks and runs. (Tobago)
On a happier note, someone has been painting inspirational quotes on
rocks and leaving them around the trailer park. I have my favorites
in the studio now. One says Peace and has a peace sign. One says "Be
a VOICE not an echo." One says, "When life throws you a curve ball,
hit it out of the park." Now I am super inspired. (Jules)
A great big shout out goes out to the mystery rock painter.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Sunday, June 21, 2020
Betrayed
Betrayed
Adult fiction
"...She knew-but-didn't-know so many things in her life. She
knew-but-didn't-know that she wouldn't marry Frank. She knew-but-
didn't-know that she wanted to be a partner. She knew-but-didn't know
that she wanted to be closer to her mother. She knew-but-didn't-know
that Aunt Barb could die..."
Judy, protagonist of Betrayed, has a lot going on in her life.
She's a lawyer, working toward making partner in her firm. Her boss
is giving her a cluster of cases that go against her ethics and
beliefs, cases that could go on for years. Her boyfriend's immaturity
and unreliability are getting on her nerves just as her best friend is
about to get married. Her beloved Aunt Barb has cancer. Her mother
is being antagonistic.
So the last thing Judy needs is a murder mystery to complicate
her life. Only with Lisa Scottoline as the author it's inevitable.
Barb has become close friends with Iris, an undocumented immigrant, a
pillar of her church and community. When Iris suddenly dies the
coroner ascribes her death to natural causes: a heart attack. But
there's a lot of evidence indicating something far more sinister.
Before you know it Judy is in pursuit of some very ruthless
people who will do whatever it takes to keep her from learning what
they're up to. You're on a suspense roller coaster.
If spine chilling mystery is your cup of tea you're going to
love Betrayed.
On a purrrsonal note, today Eugene and I went for a drive. We checked
out several flea markets. We got lunch at Micky D's. And we went to
the Belfast Goodwill. It was the first time I'd gone to a Goodwill in
ages. I was really happy, especially when I found two awesome cat
shirts.
I told the cashier that Eugene is an awesome father to our kids and
cat so she could wish him a Happy Fathers' Day which she did. On
Mothers' Day people wish you a Happy day if you look like you could
give a mom. Some restaurants give carnations and some stores small
gifts. But you'd think Fathers' Day was a state secret. It's like
being a parent is central to moms and trifling for dads. Some fathers
like Eugene are dedicated and awesome dads. Maybe celebrating their
parenthood could legitimize their centering it more. It's the flip
side of centering men and undervaluing women in the world of work.
(Jules)
I haz an awesome hooman father. He gives me lots of attention.
(Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult fiction
"...She knew-but-didn't-know so many things in her life. She
knew-but-didn't-know that she wouldn't marry Frank. She knew-but-
didn't-know that she wanted to be a partner. She knew-but-didn't know
that she wanted to be closer to her mother. She knew-but-didn't-know
that Aunt Barb could die..."
Judy, protagonist of Betrayed, has a lot going on in her life.
She's a lawyer, working toward making partner in her firm. Her boss
is giving her a cluster of cases that go against her ethics and
beliefs, cases that could go on for years. Her boyfriend's immaturity
and unreliability are getting on her nerves just as her best friend is
about to get married. Her beloved Aunt Barb has cancer. Her mother
is being antagonistic.
So the last thing Judy needs is a murder mystery to complicate
her life. Only with Lisa Scottoline as the author it's inevitable.
Barb has become close friends with Iris, an undocumented immigrant, a
pillar of her church and community. When Iris suddenly dies the
coroner ascribes her death to natural causes: a heart attack. But
there's a lot of evidence indicating something far more sinister.
Before you know it Judy is in pursuit of some very ruthless
people who will do whatever it takes to keep her from learning what
they're up to. You're on a suspense roller coaster.
If spine chilling mystery is your cup of tea you're going to
love Betrayed.
On a purrrsonal note, today Eugene and I went for a drive. We checked
out several flea markets. We got lunch at Micky D's. And we went to
the Belfast Goodwill. It was the first time I'd gone to a Goodwill in
ages. I was really happy, especially when I found two awesome cat
shirts.
I told the cashier that Eugene is an awesome father to our kids and
cat so she could wish him a Happy Fathers' Day which she did. On
Mothers' Day people wish you a Happy day if you look like you could
give a mom. Some restaurants give carnations and some stores small
gifts. But you'd think Fathers' Day was a state secret. It's like
being a parent is central to moms and trifling for dads. Some fathers
like Eugene are dedicated and awesome dads. Maybe celebrating their
parenthood could legitimize their centering it more. It's the flip
side of centering men and undervaluing women in the world of work.
(Jules)
I haz an awesome hooman father. He gives me lots of attention.
(Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Forget "Having It All"
Forget "Having It All"
Adult nonfiction
"Our ideas of women and men have evolved over the decades,
pushed by cultural dialogue and shifting policies. We have softened
some of the rules around gender, broadened roles, relaxed rules,
gotten more intersectional in our understandings of identities and
oppression but where mothers are concerned, we have clung more
persistently to rigid ideas and expectations, which limit not just
mothers but all women irrespective of their reproductive choices.
Ideas of motherhood influence everything from gender expectations to
parental leave policies to which public bathrooms have changing tables."
Amy Westervelt, a journalist, was working in the hospital two
hours after she gave birth to her second child. In fact, just two
hours post delivery she hit a major deadline. Two weeks later,
walking to her mailbox, she had an epiphany.
"...At some point mainstream feminism became more about teaching
women to game capitalism than it was about actually replacing or
improving a system that fails both genders. Many people have
continued to suffer under this approach, and women have been
particularly screwed."
The thought became the genesis of Forget "Having It All".
Basically it's a history of mothering in America from the arrival of
the first Whites to the 21st century. The text is conversational and
readable. There is a nice balance between scholarship and narrative.
Two qualities make this book stand out within its genre.
1) It is the most intersectional book of its kind that I've ever
seen. Westervelt shows that race, class, gender, and sexual
orientation really matter. In the decades between World War II and
Roe v Wade when teenage girls became pregnant Blacks were supposed to
keep and raise their babies while Whites were supposed to give theirs
up for adoption. Generations of Indigenous children were stolen--
first by boarding schools with a mandate to save the man by killing
the savage and then by white social workers who saw a communal system
of child care as negligence. Women in prison for minor offenses often
lose their children to the foster care system. And, of course, when
eugenics reigned supreme tens of thousands of Women of Color, poor
women, and women with disabilities were forcibly steralized.
2) At the end of every chapter there are cultural and policy
suggestions for bringing us into a more just society. Scientific
Motherhood And Modern Reproduction, for example, encourages people to
look beyond the rigidities and frailties of the nuclear family to more
communal living styles. The policy fix is comprehensive modern sex
education.
If you want to look both backward at the origins of our current
messed up system and forward at ways to transform it you'll find
Forget "Having It All" to be a must read.
On a purrrsonal note, yesterday Amber and Brian threw a really nice
backyard picnic as an early Fathers' Day celebration. We had subs and
cookies and a very welcome chance to talk and be together. Adam
brought me the Mothers' Day gift he'd ordered off Amazon--the 2020
Guide To Literary Agents. Now I can start looking for an agent to
represent my work to publishers. (Jules)
It is still much too hot. I like the noisy box in the kitchen window
that makes cool air. Whoever invented that was a genius. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to our wonderful family.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult nonfiction
"Our ideas of women and men have evolved over the decades,
pushed by cultural dialogue and shifting policies. We have softened
some of the rules around gender, broadened roles, relaxed rules,
gotten more intersectional in our understandings of identities and
oppression but where mothers are concerned, we have clung more
persistently to rigid ideas and expectations, which limit not just
mothers but all women irrespective of their reproductive choices.
Ideas of motherhood influence everything from gender expectations to
parental leave policies to which public bathrooms have changing tables."
Amy Westervelt, a journalist, was working in the hospital two
hours after she gave birth to her second child. In fact, just two
hours post delivery she hit a major deadline. Two weeks later,
walking to her mailbox, she had an epiphany.
"...At some point mainstream feminism became more about teaching
women to game capitalism than it was about actually replacing or
improving a system that fails both genders. Many people have
continued to suffer under this approach, and women have been
particularly screwed."
The thought became the genesis of Forget "Having It All".
Basically it's a history of mothering in America from the arrival of
the first Whites to the 21st century. The text is conversational and
readable. There is a nice balance between scholarship and narrative.
Two qualities make this book stand out within its genre.
1) It is the most intersectional book of its kind that I've ever
seen. Westervelt shows that race, class, gender, and sexual
orientation really matter. In the decades between World War II and
Roe v Wade when teenage girls became pregnant Blacks were supposed to
keep and raise their babies while Whites were supposed to give theirs
up for adoption. Generations of Indigenous children were stolen--
first by boarding schools with a mandate to save the man by killing
the savage and then by white social workers who saw a communal system
of child care as negligence. Women in prison for minor offenses often
lose their children to the foster care system. And, of course, when
eugenics reigned supreme tens of thousands of Women of Color, poor
women, and women with disabilities were forcibly steralized.
2) At the end of every chapter there are cultural and policy
suggestions for bringing us into a more just society. Scientific
Motherhood And Modern Reproduction, for example, encourages people to
look beyond the rigidities and frailties of the nuclear family to more
communal living styles. The policy fix is comprehensive modern sex
education.
If you want to look both backward at the origins of our current
messed up system and forward at ways to transform it you'll find
Forget "Having It All" to be a must read.
On a purrrsonal note, yesterday Amber and Brian threw a really nice
backyard picnic as an early Fathers' Day celebration. We had subs and
cookies and a very welcome chance to talk and be together. Adam
brought me the Mothers' Day gift he'd ordered off Amazon--the 2020
Guide To Literary Agents. Now I can start looking for an agent to
represent my work to publishers. (Jules)
It is still much too hot. I like the noisy box in the kitchen window
that makes cool air. Whoever invented that was a genius. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to our wonderful family.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Salem Falls
Salem Falls
Adult fiction
Going to class in happier days I would always stop by a little
free library to donate books and look for acquisitions. One day I
struck gold: an older (2001) novel by one of my favorite authors, Jodi
Picoult. I put Salem Falls in my backpack for when I'd have time to
really enjoy it. I am very glad I did. Sheltering in place gave me a
lot more time for reading books. It is a book to be savored, not
skimmed. The reason it came into being adds to its richness.
"I wanted to write an update of the Crucible, because so many of
the themes in Arthur Miller's play [reviewer's note: written about the
Salem Witch Trials during the McCarthy Communist hunt frenzy] are
still so timely: the concept of a town excluding someone they don't
believe to be a fit; the way lies spread so much faster than truth,
the very idea that truth is a subjective quantity, at the mercy of
many influences..."
That would be quite a challenge. Salem Falls meets it quite
beautifully."
"He wished he had a winter coat, but you wore out of jail the
same outfit you wore in. What he did have was the forty-three dollars
that had been in his wallet on the hot afternoon he was incarcerated,
a ring of keys that opened doors to places where Jack was no longer
welcome, and a piece of gum."
Jack McBride has just been released from prison. He has nobody
waiting for him and nowhere to go. Luckily when he stumbles into a
small town diner he is able to get a job as a dish washer and a room
in the owner's father's above the restaurant apartment. Before his
conviction he had been a private school teacher and coach, taken down
by a student's false rape accusation. Now he has become unable to
trust again. When the owner mentions the room he asks why she's doing
this for him.
"Addie met his suspicion head-on. She was doing this because
she knew what it was like to hit rock bottom and to need someone to
give you a leg up. She was doing this because she understood how a
world jammed with phones and emails and faces could still leave you
feeling bitterly alone..."
Seven years previously Addie had lost the most important person
in her life, her beloved daughter, Chloe, to bacterial meningitis.
She's left Chloe's room exactly as it was when her child was alive,
prepares food for her, and gives Delilah the cook instructions on her
care. She knows the townspeople think she'd crazy. But she's
terrified of losing Chloe again by forgetting her. [Very much like me
and my beloved Joey cat who passed last summer of cancer after 16
years of love and loyalty. I still talk to him.]
Even as Jack and Addie start to experience feelings for one
another, you know it's not going to be that easy.
First a police officer who has an unrequited crush on Addie
discovers that Jack is on the registered sex offender list and decides
to spread the word around town. When Jack goes to the police station
to report threatening graffiti the detective who takes his complaint
warns him that he's watching him...if he so much as looks at a high
school girl...
There is a coven of high school girls, including the daughter of
the owner of the pharmaceutical company that is the town's primary
employer, self declared Wiccans, who get together to do spells. Their
rituals are growing in intensity. One night they're doing a lot of
stuff that could really get them in trouble...
"...but they have themselves a scapegoat. He's been convicted
once before. People are more than ready to believe he'd reoffend.
If you want a story with a spell binding plot and believable
characters, one that might have you scrutinizing anew facets of life
you might have taken for granted, you can't do better than Salem Falls
or any of Picoult's other fibre novels.
On a purrrsonal note, I had quite an adventure yesterday. It's the
weekend where Veazie residents can have yard sales without permits.
So for my walking I made the rounds of the town, checking out the yard
sales and making some good finds. If I felt tired I'd push through to
make sure I got my half hour. When I felt light headed and
disoriented, though, I decided to go home. A guy gave me an ice cold
bottle of water which I drank in three minutes. It turned out that
I'd been walking two hours in 94 degree heat. (Jules)
It is much too hot!!! (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to the people who have summer yard sales.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult fiction
Going to class in happier days I would always stop by a little
free library to donate books and look for acquisitions. One day I
struck gold: an older (2001) novel by one of my favorite authors, Jodi
Picoult. I put Salem Falls in my backpack for when I'd have time to
really enjoy it. I am very glad I did. Sheltering in place gave me a
lot more time for reading books. It is a book to be savored, not
skimmed. The reason it came into being adds to its richness.
"I wanted to write an update of the Crucible, because so many of
the themes in Arthur Miller's play [reviewer's note: written about the
Salem Witch Trials during the McCarthy Communist hunt frenzy] are
still so timely: the concept of a town excluding someone they don't
believe to be a fit; the way lies spread so much faster than truth,
the very idea that truth is a subjective quantity, at the mercy of
many influences..."
That would be quite a challenge. Salem Falls meets it quite
beautifully."
"He wished he had a winter coat, but you wore out of jail the
same outfit you wore in. What he did have was the forty-three dollars
that had been in his wallet on the hot afternoon he was incarcerated,
a ring of keys that opened doors to places where Jack was no longer
welcome, and a piece of gum."
Jack McBride has just been released from prison. He has nobody
waiting for him and nowhere to go. Luckily when he stumbles into a
small town diner he is able to get a job as a dish washer and a room
in the owner's father's above the restaurant apartment. Before his
conviction he had been a private school teacher and coach, taken down
by a student's false rape accusation. Now he has become unable to
trust again. When the owner mentions the room he asks why she's doing
this for him.
"Addie met his suspicion head-on. She was doing this because
she knew what it was like to hit rock bottom and to need someone to
give you a leg up. She was doing this because she understood how a
world jammed with phones and emails and faces could still leave you
feeling bitterly alone..."
Seven years previously Addie had lost the most important person
in her life, her beloved daughter, Chloe, to bacterial meningitis.
She's left Chloe's room exactly as it was when her child was alive,
prepares food for her, and gives Delilah the cook instructions on her
care. She knows the townspeople think she'd crazy. But she's
terrified of losing Chloe again by forgetting her. [Very much like me
and my beloved Joey cat who passed last summer of cancer after 16
years of love and loyalty. I still talk to him.]
Even as Jack and Addie start to experience feelings for one
another, you know it's not going to be that easy.
First a police officer who has an unrequited crush on Addie
discovers that Jack is on the registered sex offender list and decides
to spread the word around town. When Jack goes to the police station
to report threatening graffiti the detective who takes his complaint
warns him that he's watching him...if he so much as looks at a high
school girl...
There is a coven of high school girls, including the daughter of
the owner of the pharmaceutical company that is the town's primary
employer, self declared Wiccans, who get together to do spells. Their
rituals are growing in intensity. One night they're doing a lot of
stuff that could really get them in trouble...
"...but they have themselves a scapegoat. He's been convicted
once before. People are more than ready to believe he'd reoffend.
If you want a story with a spell binding plot and believable
characters, one that might have you scrutinizing anew facets of life
you might have taken for granted, you can't do better than Salem Falls
or any of Picoult's other fibre novels.
On a purrrsonal note, I had quite an adventure yesterday. It's the
weekend where Veazie residents can have yard sales without permits.
So for my walking I made the rounds of the town, checking out the yard
sales and making some good finds. If I felt tired I'd push through to
make sure I got my half hour. When I felt light headed and
disoriented, though, I decided to go home. A guy gave me an ice cold
bottle of water which I drank in three minutes. It turned out that
I'd been walking two hours in 94 degree heat. (Jules)
It is much too hot!!! (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to the people who have summer yard sales.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Friday, June 19, 2020
The Adjunct Underclass
The Adjunct Underclass
Adult (sadly) nonfiction
"How did we discard the idea of college faculty? That is, how
did we decide to systematically eliminate an entire class of
professionals whom we once entrusted to conduct the final distillation
of our children into capable, confident adults? How did we cone to
decide that college teachers didn't deserve job security, didn't
deserve health insurance, didn't deserve to make more than convenience
store clerks?"
At this point you're probably wondering just how much beer I'm
allowing myself and whether I'm waiting til just before bed. You may
be in or just graduated from college. You may have a child who
arrived home early due to the pandemic and finished spring semester
online. Maybe you just know that colleges and universities hire
professors who have lifetime security due to tenure and certainly earn
a lot more than the crew at the local convenience store.
In The Adjunct Underclass, quoted at the top of this review,
Herb Childress shows us all that the reality is a lot more complex.
Tenure track faculty aren't extinct. Yet. But they're quickly
becoming a minority. They're not just sharing space with the time-
honored teachers of intro classes: the PhD level graduate students.
"There are innumerable terms in use for the vast army of temp
labor within higher ed--adjunct faculty, part-time lecturer, visiting
scholar, postdoctoral fellow, professor of the practice, artist in
residence. They all mask the united underlying condition: working
course-by-course or year-by-year, with no guarantee of permanence,
often for embarassingly small stipends, and often for no benefits.
The polite language makes facts harder to see, so let's state it
simply: college teaching has become primarily a pickup job, like
driving for Uber or running chores for TaskRabbit."
Basically you have college faculty members qualifying for public
assistance programs, living in cars because they can't afford rent,
and even dying for lack of medical care.
As Childress shows us, the increasing tenuousness of college
teaching adversely effects a lot more people than adjuncts. It's
really bad for the most tenuousness of students. The Ivy League
schools and other elite institutions are bastions of tenure track
faculty. The institutions most likely to be adjunct heavy are
community colleges that tend to attract more nontraditional (first
generation, working class, or racially, ethnically or culturally
diverse) students. These are the students who are more likely to lack
not only fiscal, but cultural capital--the knowledge of how higher
education works. They're the ones most likely to enter institutions
terrified of failure and feeling like imposters.
Laura Rendon came up with a way of building nontraditional
students' confidence, sense of belonging, and, ultimately, success.
Validation theory is very straightforward. Giving these students
support and encouragement, particularly early in their educations,
inside and outside of class leads to impressive gains in all three
areas. This is so not going to happen for students who are being
taught by undercompensated adjuncts who may be commuting between three
different schools and not knowing if they'll have income next semester.
Although the current outlook is bleak, Childress hasn't entirely
given up on the Academy. His four principals, listed in the last
chapter, have the potential to powerfully and positively impact the
ability of colleges and universities to live up to their potentials
and empower their students to do the same.
I highly recommend The Adjunct Underclass to everyone involved
in higher education in one way or another.
On a purrrsonal note, I do not like this unseasonably hot, humid
weather one bit--especially at night when it makes it so hard to sleep.
But I have some really exciting news. A church friend, Emily, is
happy to bring me books from Bangor Public Library which has a huge
collection!!! Now I have access to three libraries from which to
choose books to review for this blog! How cool is that? (Jules)
I do not like this weather either. And I have a fur coat.
But I have a wonderful story to pass on. Our friend Anna has been
feeding an outside cat she named Squirrel. They have become good
friends. And now Squirrel has an adorable baby who Anna named Acorn.
(Tobago)
Great big shout outs go out to Emily, Anna, Squirrel, and Acorn.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult (sadly) nonfiction
"How did we discard the idea of college faculty? That is, how
did we decide to systematically eliminate an entire class of
professionals whom we once entrusted to conduct the final distillation
of our children into capable, confident adults? How did we cone to
decide that college teachers didn't deserve job security, didn't
deserve health insurance, didn't deserve to make more than convenience
store clerks?"
At this point you're probably wondering just how much beer I'm
allowing myself and whether I'm waiting til just before bed. You may
be in or just graduated from college. You may have a child who
arrived home early due to the pandemic and finished spring semester
online. Maybe you just know that colleges and universities hire
professors who have lifetime security due to tenure and certainly earn
a lot more than the crew at the local convenience store.
In The Adjunct Underclass, quoted at the top of this review,
Herb Childress shows us all that the reality is a lot more complex.
Tenure track faculty aren't extinct. Yet. But they're quickly
becoming a minority. They're not just sharing space with the time-
honored teachers of intro classes: the PhD level graduate students.
"There are innumerable terms in use for the vast army of temp
labor within higher ed--adjunct faculty, part-time lecturer, visiting
scholar, postdoctoral fellow, professor of the practice, artist in
residence. They all mask the united underlying condition: working
course-by-course or year-by-year, with no guarantee of permanence,
often for embarassingly small stipends, and often for no benefits.
The polite language makes facts harder to see, so let's state it
simply: college teaching has become primarily a pickup job, like
driving for Uber or running chores for TaskRabbit."
Basically you have college faculty members qualifying for public
assistance programs, living in cars because they can't afford rent,
and even dying for lack of medical care.
As Childress shows us, the increasing tenuousness of college
teaching adversely effects a lot more people than adjuncts. It's
really bad for the most tenuousness of students. The Ivy League
schools and other elite institutions are bastions of tenure track
faculty. The institutions most likely to be adjunct heavy are
community colleges that tend to attract more nontraditional (first
generation, working class, or racially, ethnically or culturally
diverse) students. These are the students who are more likely to lack
not only fiscal, but cultural capital--the knowledge of how higher
education works. They're the ones most likely to enter institutions
terrified of failure and feeling like imposters.
Laura Rendon came up with a way of building nontraditional
students' confidence, sense of belonging, and, ultimately, success.
Validation theory is very straightforward. Giving these students
support and encouragement, particularly early in their educations,
inside and outside of class leads to impressive gains in all three
areas. This is so not going to happen for students who are being
taught by undercompensated adjuncts who may be commuting between three
different schools and not knowing if they'll have income next semester.
Although the current outlook is bleak, Childress hasn't entirely
given up on the Academy. His four principals, listed in the last
chapter, have the potential to powerfully and positively impact the
ability of colleges and universities to live up to their potentials
and empower their students to do the same.
I highly recommend The Adjunct Underclass to everyone involved
in higher education in one way or another.
On a purrrsonal note, I do not like this unseasonably hot, humid
weather one bit--especially at night when it makes it so hard to sleep.
But I have some really exciting news. A church friend, Emily, is
happy to bring me books from Bangor Public Library which has a huge
collection!!! Now I have access to three libraries from which to
choose books to review for this blog! How cool is that? (Jules)
I do not like this weather either. And I have a fur coat.
But I have a wonderful story to pass on. Our friend Anna has been
feeding an outside cat she named Squirrel. They have become good
friends. And now Squirrel has an adorable baby who Anna named Acorn.
(Tobago)
Great big shout outs go out to Emily, Anna, Squirrel, and Acorn.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
Donald J. Trump
Donald J. Trump
Adult nonfiction
"Trump won the presidency not despite, but because of his
penchant for making inflamatory and divisive statements. When
confronted with a fact-check, Trump would stand his ground often by
attributing the information in question to an undisclosed 'good
source.' Although not all his statements were factually true, the
manner in which he defended his words and said what other politicians
would not say earned him the trust of voters."
If you've read this blog for any lenght of time you're probably
wondering why I read a whole book on the 45th president. It wasn't
for fun. It was because I believe that what we don't know can hurt us
big time. Also, to have any chance of replacing Trump in November we
have to understand what motivated his voters.
You need a reputable source. The New York Times is known for
its journalistic due dilligence. Donald J. Trump, quoted above, is
one of the volumes in their new biography series. It's a collection
of pieces by a diversity of writers.
The first piece, written in 1976, gives a picture of a younger
Trump as heir apparent to his father's lucrative real estate empire.
After a few more readings on his prepolitician years (including a look
at the Trump University scandal), there is comprehensive coverage of
his campaign and the first years of his presidency. Some of the
articles include:
*Donald Trump's Message Resonates With White Supremacists;
*Across the World, Shock and Uncertainty at Trump's Victory;
*Trump is Criticized for Not Calling Out White Supremacists;
and *Trump Sexual Misconduct repeated by Several Women.
If you want to understand how a reality show star became head of
one of the world's most powerful nations, especially if you don't want
to experience four more years, you'll find Donald J. Trump to be a
must read.
On a purrrsonal note, one of the problems I'm having with this
pandemic is going from very active to very not active. A couple of
times I've tried daily walks. They've gone the way of most
resolutions for lack of either intrinsic or extrinsic motivation.
This week I'm trying with the realization that I need a bribe. You
know how some stores offer punch cards that let you earn a free coffee
by buying a bunch of coffees? Well I have a cute frog hole puncher.
I'm using scrap paper for cards. Every time I've made ten punches
I'll let my next walk be to Tradewinds to buy a soda or ice cream.
Let's see how that works.
I'm really looking forward to Saturday when I'll see all my children.
(Jules)
I gets enough exercise tearing around the place. I has a fine feline
figure (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to our family.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult nonfiction
"Trump won the presidency not despite, but because of his
penchant for making inflamatory and divisive statements. When
confronted with a fact-check, Trump would stand his ground often by
attributing the information in question to an undisclosed 'good
source.' Although not all his statements were factually true, the
manner in which he defended his words and said what other politicians
would not say earned him the trust of voters."
If you've read this blog for any lenght of time you're probably
wondering why I read a whole book on the 45th president. It wasn't
for fun. It was because I believe that what we don't know can hurt us
big time. Also, to have any chance of replacing Trump in November we
have to understand what motivated his voters.
You need a reputable source. The New York Times is known for
its journalistic due dilligence. Donald J. Trump, quoted above, is
one of the volumes in their new biography series. It's a collection
of pieces by a diversity of writers.
The first piece, written in 1976, gives a picture of a younger
Trump as heir apparent to his father's lucrative real estate empire.
After a few more readings on his prepolitician years (including a look
at the Trump University scandal), there is comprehensive coverage of
his campaign and the first years of his presidency. Some of the
articles include:
*Donald Trump's Message Resonates With White Supremacists;
*Across the World, Shock and Uncertainty at Trump's Victory;
*Trump is Criticized for Not Calling Out White Supremacists;
and *Trump Sexual Misconduct repeated by Several Women.
If you want to understand how a reality show star became head of
one of the world's most powerful nations, especially if you don't want
to experience four more years, you'll find Donald J. Trump to be a
must read.
On a purrrsonal note, one of the problems I'm having with this
pandemic is going from very active to very not active. A couple of
times I've tried daily walks. They've gone the way of most
resolutions for lack of either intrinsic or extrinsic motivation.
This week I'm trying with the realization that I need a bribe. You
know how some stores offer punch cards that let you earn a free coffee
by buying a bunch of coffees? Well I have a cute frog hole puncher.
I'm using scrap paper for cards. Every time I've made ten punches
I'll let my next walk be to Tradewinds to buy a soda or ice cream.
Let's see how that works.
I'm really looking forward to Saturday when I'll see all my children.
(Jules)
I gets enough exercise tearing around the place. I has a fine feline
figure (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to our family.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Sunday, June 14, 2020
Twenty-One Truths About Love
Twenty-One Truths About Love
Adult fiction
"Ways to keep Jill from getting pregnant.
1. Refuse to have sex
2. Fake orgasms
3. Wear a condom without her knowledge
4. Get a vasectomy without her knowledge"
Normally we think of lists as fairly prosaic: what we need to
buy at the grocery store, what the kids need for back to school, whom
to (and maybe whom not to) invite to an event... We write them, check
off items, and go on to write more. Most of us would not imagine
writing a novel consisting entirely of lists.
Evidently Matthew Dicks isn't most of us. His Twenty-One Truths
About Love is a six month collection of protagonist Daniel's lists.
They give a rich and full portrait of a man trapped in circumstances
largely beyond his control and the world he inhabits.
Daniel has recently quit teaching at the school at which his
wife, Jill, still works to open a bookstore. His new vocation does
not live up to his expectations. Customers ask seriously dumb
questions and buy far more toys than books. One of his workers,
Kimberly, doesn't see the inappropriateness of using the workplace as
a site to preach the gospel. One of my favorite lists is:
"Facts about Jesus that I told Kimberly to annoy her:
1. Jesus was Jewish.
2. Jesus was a socialist.
3. Jesus was a refugee.
4. Jesus was anti-death penalty.
5. Jesus was anti-school prayer (Matthew 6:5)
6. Jesus was opposed to the accumulation of wealth.
7. Jesus was silent on the issues of the homosexuality and gay
marriage.
8. Jesus was a brown-skinned Middle Easter who wore sandals to the
dinner table.
9. Jesus was a friend to prostitutes."
Worse, the store is not turning a profit. And Jill is anxious to
become pregnant.
Family is not much help. Dad is out of the picture. Mom would
like him to be more like his brother. His brother is a bit of a jerk.
As he navigates the intricacies of work and agonizes over lying
to Jill about finances Daniel scrambles to find ways of making the
bookstore profitable or finding other income sources. One becomes
gradually more enticing. There's only one hitch. It could make him a
convicted felon.
Twenty-One Truths About Love is a great escape from pandemic
stress volume.
On a purrrsonal note, I had two reasons to be very happy today.
First, on her way to church my gardening chum Diane delivered me fresh
spinach and lettuce from Community Garden. They will be so yummy!
Second, Eugene and I went for a ride. We got shakes and subs and had
a nice picnic lunch. We also stopped at a yard sale. THERE ARE YARD
SALES THIS SUMMER!!! Eugene bought me 3 cute shirts and 3 mystery
books. I am rebuilding my personal stash so that if libraries close
again I'll be able to keep reading and creating content for this blog.
(Jules)
Another of my hooman's friends came over. She seems nice. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to Diane and all the others who are
taking care of business at the community garden.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult fiction
"Ways to keep Jill from getting pregnant.
1. Refuse to have sex
2. Fake orgasms
3. Wear a condom without her knowledge
4. Get a vasectomy without her knowledge"
Normally we think of lists as fairly prosaic: what we need to
buy at the grocery store, what the kids need for back to school, whom
to (and maybe whom not to) invite to an event... We write them, check
off items, and go on to write more. Most of us would not imagine
writing a novel consisting entirely of lists.
Evidently Matthew Dicks isn't most of us. His Twenty-One Truths
About Love is a six month collection of protagonist Daniel's lists.
They give a rich and full portrait of a man trapped in circumstances
largely beyond his control and the world he inhabits.
Daniel has recently quit teaching at the school at which his
wife, Jill, still works to open a bookstore. His new vocation does
not live up to his expectations. Customers ask seriously dumb
questions and buy far more toys than books. One of his workers,
Kimberly, doesn't see the inappropriateness of using the workplace as
a site to preach the gospel. One of my favorite lists is:
"Facts about Jesus that I told Kimberly to annoy her:
1. Jesus was Jewish.
2. Jesus was a socialist.
3. Jesus was a refugee.
4. Jesus was anti-death penalty.
5. Jesus was anti-school prayer (Matthew 6:5)
6. Jesus was opposed to the accumulation of wealth.
7. Jesus was silent on the issues of the homosexuality and gay
marriage.
8. Jesus was a brown-skinned Middle Easter who wore sandals to the
dinner table.
9. Jesus was a friend to prostitutes."
Worse, the store is not turning a profit. And Jill is anxious to
become pregnant.
Family is not much help. Dad is out of the picture. Mom would
like him to be more like his brother. His brother is a bit of a jerk.
As he navigates the intricacies of work and agonizes over lying
to Jill about finances Daniel scrambles to find ways of making the
bookstore profitable or finding other income sources. One becomes
gradually more enticing. There's only one hitch. It could make him a
convicted felon.
Twenty-One Truths About Love is a great escape from pandemic
stress volume.
On a purrrsonal note, I had two reasons to be very happy today.
First, on her way to church my gardening chum Diane delivered me fresh
spinach and lettuce from Community Garden. They will be so yummy!
Second, Eugene and I went for a ride. We got shakes and subs and had
a nice picnic lunch. We also stopped at a yard sale. THERE ARE YARD
SALES THIS SUMMER!!! Eugene bought me 3 cute shirts and 3 mystery
books. I am rebuilding my personal stash so that if libraries close
again I'll be able to keep reading and creating content for this blog.
(Jules)
Another of my hooman's friends came over. She seems nice. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to Diane and all the others who are
taking care of business at the community garden.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Friday, June 12, 2020
Driving While Black
Driving While Black
Adult nonfiction
"This is one of the first books to tell the story of the African
American experience with the automobile, and my hope is that it shows
how access to cars completely transformed black life in ways that were
both far reaching and totally unexpected. The automobile expanded the
freedom of movement and the opportunity to travel through the country
for all Americans, but this freedom meant something different--and
often, simply more--to blacks than to whites. Automobiles provided a
means of escape from the Jim
Crow South...Most important, the automobile became a tool in the
battle to end discrimination in public accomodations."
In the 1990's Gretchen Sorin learned about a pamphlet published
in Saratoga Springs, New York during the 1950's and 1960's--her
growing up years. The Green Book fascinated her. After years of
thorough research and interviewing (enough years to allow her son and
daughter to grow up) she shared the fruits of her labor in Driving
While Black, quoted above, a fascinating and comprehensive volume,
nicely illustrated with period photographs.
From their arrival in the United States as slaves, the mobility
of Blacks was very limited. Slaves were kept on their plantations and
were harshly punished for being elsewhere without passes from their
masters. Patrollers roamed the countryside at night, zealously
confronting all Blacks they encountered and sometimes even kidnapping
free ones. Emancipation didn't do nearly enough to allow Blacks to
move freely or safely around the country. All modes of public
transportation were highly segregated. Blacks using them risked
everything from humiliation to physical violence.
When cars became available and affordable they gave Blacks a way
to avoid the perils and humiliations of using racist public
transportation systems. A sturdy, roomy car could protect them and
their children from physical and psychic violence while on interstate
trips like the summer visits to relatives down South many families
made. But they came with their own set of challenges. Across the
nation communities varied in degrees of racism and segregation of
public accomodations. How could Blacks traveling for business or
leisure locate hotels, restaurants, and sometimes hospitals that would
welcome them while avoiding sundown towns and other hostile
territories when even the travel guides put out for motorists ignored
the perils of driving while Black?
"...Thus a new category that specifically designated safe spots
for people of color provided freedom of movement, safety, and
security. These guide books represented both an entrepreneurial
spirit and the mores of the black middle class--a consumer's approach
but also an approach based on the search to a gradual end to
segregation through travel. The creators of these guides all firmly
believed the mantra that Victor Green adopted from Mark Twain: 'Travel
is fatal to prejudice.'"
Victor and Alma Green produced the most well known and respected
of these yearly alternate guides over a run of decades. Victor was
inspired by the guides that helped Jewish travelors find places where
they would be welcomed and able to observe traditional dietary
practices. He combined listings of safe facilities with advice on
topics such as car maintenance to avoid breakdowns in dangerous
places. He dreamed of a day when guides such as his would be no
longer necessary in a truly integrated world.
Driving While Black is a sobering but fascinating account of the
many ways in which cars changed the lives of Blacks. Sorin starts
chapters with her family's relevant experiences, nicely adding a
personal touch to a work of comprehensive scholarship.
On a purrrsonal note, today I went on my quest. I walked from my home
in Veazie to Orono Public Library to pick up books. It's something
like four miles each way. Even though I packed water I discovered the
necessity of buying a cold Mountain Dew Voltage for an energy pick
up. I got exercise and fresh air and saw butterflies. I will sleep
well tonight. Anyway I got some awesome books to read and review and
exercised my agency. I think we can agree I am a hard core book
lover. (Jules).
She went out and came back safe. (Tobago)
A great big shout out to all the librarians keeping people supplied
with books under less than ideal conditions.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult nonfiction
"This is one of the first books to tell the story of the African
American experience with the automobile, and my hope is that it shows
how access to cars completely transformed black life in ways that were
both far reaching and totally unexpected. The automobile expanded the
freedom of movement and the opportunity to travel through the country
for all Americans, but this freedom meant something different--and
often, simply more--to blacks than to whites. Automobiles provided a
means of escape from the Jim
Crow South...Most important, the automobile became a tool in the
battle to end discrimination in public accomodations."
In the 1990's Gretchen Sorin learned about a pamphlet published
in Saratoga Springs, New York during the 1950's and 1960's--her
growing up years. The Green Book fascinated her. After years of
thorough research and interviewing (enough years to allow her son and
daughter to grow up) she shared the fruits of her labor in Driving
While Black, quoted above, a fascinating and comprehensive volume,
nicely illustrated with period photographs.
From their arrival in the United States as slaves, the mobility
of Blacks was very limited. Slaves were kept on their plantations and
were harshly punished for being elsewhere without passes from their
masters. Patrollers roamed the countryside at night, zealously
confronting all Blacks they encountered and sometimes even kidnapping
free ones. Emancipation didn't do nearly enough to allow Blacks to
move freely or safely around the country. All modes of public
transportation were highly segregated. Blacks using them risked
everything from humiliation to physical violence.
When cars became available and affordable they gave Blacks a way
to avoid the perils and humiliations of using racist public
transportation systems. A sturdy, roomy car could protect them and
their children from physical and psychic violence while on interstate
trips like the summer visits to relatives down South many families
made. But they came with their own set of challenges. Across the
nation communities varied in degrees of racism and segregation of
public accomodations. How could Blacks traveling for business or
leisure locate hotels, restaurants, and sometimes hospitals that would
welcome them while avoiding sundown towns and other hostile
territories when even the travel guides put out for motorists ignored
the perils of driving while Black?
"...Thus a new category that specifically designated safe spots
for people of color provided freedom of movement, safety, and
security. These guide books represented both an entrepreneurial
spirit and the mores of the black middle class--a consumer's approach
but also an approach based on the search to a gradual end to
segregation through travel. The creators of these guides all firmly
believed the mantra that Victor Green adopted from Mark Twain: 'Travel
is fatal to prejudice.'"
Victor and Alma Green produced the most well known and respected
of these yearly alternate guides over a run of decades. Victor was
inspired by the guides that helped Jewish travelors find places where
they would be welcomed and able to observe traditional dietary
practices. He combined listings of safe facilities with advice on
topics such as car maintenance to avoid breakdowns in dangerous
places. He dreamed of a day when guides such as his would be no
longer necessary in a truly integrated world.
Driving While Black is a sobering but fascinating account of the
many ways in which cars changed the lives of Blacks. Sorin starts
chapters with her family's relevant experiences, nicely adding a
personal touch to a work of comprehensive scholarship.
On a purrrsonal note, today I went on my quest. I walked from my home
in Veazie to Orono Public Library to pick up books. It's something
like four miles each way. Even though I packed water I discovered the
necessity of buying a cold Mountain Dew Voltage for an energy pick
up. I got exercise and fresh air and saw butterflies. I will sleep
well tonight. Anyway I got some awesome books to read and review and
exercised my agency. I think we can agree I am a hard core book
lover. (Jules).
She went out and came back safe. (Tobago)
A great big shout out to all the librarians keeping people supplied
with books under less than ideal conditions.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Thursday, June 11, 2020
Summerlings
Summerlings
Adult fiction
"For us boys, the summer of 1959 was as cataclysmic as a
meteor. Washington's historic plague, our wild neighborhood party,
and my first acquantance with death--these are the things I remember
so vividly from that bright season, along with the accompanying
feelings of fear, revelation, and wonder."
From the first paragraph of Lisa Howarth's Summerlings (quoted
above) you can tell that it is going to be a coming-of-age novel.
This subgenre bears a special burden--to transport the reader to both
a world that no longer exists and the innocent sensibility of
childhood. In the tradition of Summer of '42, it succeeds beautifully
on both counts.
The summer of '59 is drawing to a close. Narrator John (8) is
rattling around in his home, feeling like an only child. His big
sister, Liz, is away at camp. It was a time when kids spent summer
days running around with chums and buying cool treats from the ice
cream man instead of zoning out on electronics or being shepherded
from one adult run class or activity to another. John and his pals--
Max, Ivan, and tomboy Beatriz (who reminds me of myself that summer)--
have quite a bit to keep them occupied.
For one thing there's the infestation. One day John and Ivan
wake up to find their whole neighborhood festooned with huge spider
webs. Unlike the adults, who view the development with disgust and
alarm, John and his friends see major collecting opportunities. Plus
some of these spiders might be venemous. They have a score to settle
with a bully they've nicknamed Slutcheon.
Then there's their neighborhood inhabited by people with very
diverse backgrounds. The euphoria of World War II being over has
disipated in the face of the Cold War and Communist paranoia. The
Soviet Union was winning the space race. Khrushchev had threatened to
bury America. Then Castro had taken over in Cuba.
"...There was a lot of fear in America. Everyone believed that
there was a very good chance that the world would soon blow up. At
school we practiced three scary civil-defense drills for different
attack scenarios, but even we boys knew that Washington would be the
first place annihilated, and nobody would survive. So the Cold War
caused our neighbors to be nervous and suspicious of each others.
The divisiveness is getting in the way of the boys' vacation
fun. They want everyone to get along like the television characters
of the then popular Leave It To Beaver show. They want to create a
mini version of the Marshall plan. When Ivan's Aunt Elena, on whom
the boys have wicked crushes, suggests a neighborhood party the kids
are all over the idea. But can a group of children with no experience
in party planning (and no expertise in food sanitation) put together a
festival that will unite a deeply divided and nervous neighborhood?
Read the book and see.
On a purrrsonal note, I woke up to see a note from Eugene. He wanted
me to go to the town office (which just opened yesterday) to register
one of his motorcycles. It was easy peasy to go by the new rules and
super low risk. And it was good practice for my quest tomorrow. I
was glad I went early because we now have serious wind and rain now.
But they promise good weather tomorrow. :-)
Every morning Tobago gets up early and has breakfast and watches TV
with Eugene. She's given up on trying to get me out of bed when he
goes to work. Now she comes in and cuddles and goes back to sleep.
Seeing her sweet face and hearing her purr song makes getting up for
another pandemic day a lot more happier. (Jules)
See how having a cat companion starts hoomans' days off happy? Don't
forget this is kitten season. A new best buddy could be as close as
your nearest shelter. Remember--you can't buy love, but you can adopt
it. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to the municipal workers all over
America who are taking care of the people's business.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult fiction
"For us boys, the summer of 1959 was as cataclysmic as a
meteor. Washington's historic plague, our wild neighborhood party,
and my first acquantance with death--these are the things I remember
so vividly from that bright season, along with the accompanying
feelings of fear, revelation, and wonder."
From the first paragraph of Lisa Howarth's Summerlings (quoted
above) you can tell that it is going to be a coming-of-age novel.
This subgenre bears a special burden--to transport the reader to both
a world that no longer exists and the innocent sensibility of
childhood. In the tradition of Summer of '42, it succeeds beautifully
on both counts.
The summer of '59 is drawing to a close. Narrator John (8) is
rattling around in his home, feeling like an only child. His big
sister, Liz, is away at camp. It was a time when kids spent summer
days running around with chums and buying cool treats from the ice
cream man instead of zoning out on electronics or being shepherded
from one adult run class or activity to another. John and his pals--
Max, Ivan, and tomboy Beatriz (who reminds me of myself that summer)--
have quite a bit to keep them occupied.
For one thing there's the infestation. One day John and Ivan
wake up to find their whole neighborhood festooned with huge spider
webs. Unlike the adults, who view the development with disgust and
alarm, John and his friends see major collecting opportunities. Plus
some of these spiders might be venemous. They have a score to settle
with a bully they've nicknamed Slutcheon.
Then there's their neighborhood inhabited by people with very
diverse backgrounds. The euphoria of World War II being over has
disipated in the face of the Cold War and Communist paranoia. The
Soviet Union was winning the space race. Khrushchev had threatened to
bury America. Then Castro had taken over in Cuba.
"...There was a lot of fear in America. Everyone believed that
there was a very good chance that the world would soon blow up. At
school we practiced three scary civil-defense drills for different
attack scenarios, but even we boys knew that Washington would be the
first place annihilated, and nobody would survive. So the Cold War
caused our neighbors to be nervous and suspicious of each others.
The divisiveness is getting in the way of the boys' vacation
fun. They want everyone to get along like the television characters
of the then popular Leave It To Beaver show. They want to create a
mini version of the Marshall plan. When Ivan's Aunt Elena, on whom
the boys have wicked crushes, suggests a neighborhood party the kids
are all over the idea. But can a group of children with no experience
in party planning (and no expertise in food sanitation) put together a
festival that will unite a deeply divided and nervous neighborhood?
Read the book and see.
On a purrrsonal note, I woke up to see a note from Eugene. He wanted
me to go to the town office (which just opened yesterday) to register
one of his motorcycles. It was easy peasy to go by the new rules and
super low risk. And it was good practice for my quest tomorrow. I
was glad I went early because we now have serious wind and rain now.
But they promise good weather tomorrow. :-)
Every morning Tobago gets up early and has breakfast and watches TV
with Eugene. She's given up on trying to get me out of bed when he
goes to work. Now she comes in and cuddles and goes back to sleep.
Seeing her sweet face and hearing her purr song makes getting up for
another pandemic day a lot more happier. (Jules)
See how having a cat companion starts hoomans' days off happy? Don't
forget this is kitten season. A new best buddy could be as close as
your nearest shelter. Remember--you can't buy love, but you can adopt
it. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to the municipal workers all over
America who are taking care of the people's business.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Wednesday, June 10, 2020
The Truth Is
The Truth Is
YA fiction
"I have two seats saved in the back of every classroom. One for
me. One for Blanca. From both, you can clearly see the door. From
both, you could clearly duck behind the piles of textbooks if
necessary. Because it can happen anywhere. In a school, in a church,
in a mall, in--anywhere. White dudes are pissed and packing. I mean
a POC may kill you for your wallet. But at least they are not killing
you for your existence."
Of course Blanca won't be sitting in any of her reserved seats.
The theme she had planned for her quincenera was used for her
funeral. The only place Verdad, narrator of Nonieqa Ramos' The Truth
Is, can hear her beloved voice is in her head. The only place she can
visit her is the cemetary.
Verdad is in a very dark and lonely place. It seems that there
is no one who can help her find a way out or discern the need for
doing so:
*not the conservatively religious mother who works multiple shifts as
a nurse and is always after her to be a little more ambitious
"She turns, leans against the counter and folds her arms. 'Well,
after you get your college education you could rewrite all the textbooks
if you like. And if you took another class, you could get to
college faster. Today could be the day you decide to change
everything. Make a decision to move in the right direction."
*not her trying-to-be deadbeat dad
"...He left us for another life. Got himself a new house, a new
wife, a stepdaughter. But most of the time it feels like he's still
fleeing the scene of his earlier crimes. My dad's present does not
have time for his past..."
*not the classmates to whom she's only visible as a cliche
"Guy who I could peer tutor in math and who could give me tips
about how not to end up unconcious in gym class: 'Verdad's too school
for cool.'
Pink-haired girl I could be joking with in bio lab: 'She's been
like that since middle school. She's a walking calculator.'"
Then Danny, a new gender mysterious student, shows up in
Verdad's homeroom and she is assigned to show him/her/them around.
The assignment somehow morphs into a friendship. It is a friendship
her mother is dead set against. But it may hold her chance to move
on...
...how?...
...you'll have to read the book and see.
This is a very relevant book to be reading now that people are
paying a lot more attention to racism.
On a purrrsonal note, Friday I am off on a quest, a mission. I am
really looking forward to that. I'll let you know if I attain the
object of my desires. (Jules)
I am watching for Lisa. Lisa comes today. My hooman is so happy when
she sees her. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to Lisa!
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
YA fiction
"I have two seats saved in the back of every classroom. One for
me. One for Blanca. From both, you can clearly see the door. From
both, you could clearly duck behind the piles of textbooks if
necessary. Because it can happen anywhere. In a school, in a church,
in a mall, in--anywhere. White dudes are pissed and packing. I mean
a POC may kill you for your wallet. But at least they are not killing
you for your existence."
Of course Blanca won't be sitting in any of her reserved seats.
The theme she had planned for her quincenera was used for her
funeral. The only place Verdad, narrator of Nonieqa Ramos' The Truth
Is, can hear her beloved voice is in her head. The only place she can
visit her is the cemetary.
Verdad is in a very dark and lonely place. It seems that there
is no one who can help her find a way out or discern the need for
doing so:
*not the conservatively religious mother who works multiple shifts as
a nurse and is always after her to be a little more ambitious
"She turns, leans against the counter and folds her arms. 'Well,
after you get your college education you could rewrite all the textbooks
if you like. And if you took another class, you could get to
college faster. Today could be the day you decide to change
everything. Make a decision to move in the right direction."
*not her trying-to-be deadbeat dad
"...He left us for another life. Got himself a new house, a new
wife, a stepdaughter. But most of the time it feels like he's still
fleeing the scene of his earlier crimes. My dad's present does not
have time for his past..."
*not the classmates to whom she's only visible as a cliche
"Guy who I could peer tutor in math and who could give me tips
about how not to end up unconcious in gym class: 'Verdad's too school
for cool.'
Pink-haired girl I could be joking with in bio lab: 'She's been
like that since middle school. She's a walking calculator.'"
Then Danny, a new gender mysterious student, shows up in
Verdad's homeroom and she is assigned to show him/her/them around.
The assignment somehow morphs into a friendship. It is a friendship
her mother is dead set against. But it may hold her chance to move
on...
...how?...
...you'll have to read the book and see.
This is a very relevant book to be reading now that people are
paying a lot more attention to racism.
On a purrrsonal note, Friday I am off on a quest, a mission. I am
really looking forward to that. I'll let you know if I attain the
object of my desires. (Jules)
I am watching for Lisa. Lisa comes today. My hooman is so happy when
she sees her. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to Lisa!
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Dork Diaries: Tales From A NOT-SO-Best Friend Forever
Dork Diaries: Tales From A NOT-SO-Best Friend Forever
Yes, readers, when I got my hands on the latest volume in
Rachel Renee Russell's Dork Diaries series I immediately set aside my
APA citation laden professional reading to enjoy it. I felt no guilt
whatsoever. Anyone who screams "NOOOOOOO!!!" when her higher
education theories class is cancelled by snow and sees creating
annotated bibliographies as fun is a fellow dork by anyone's definition.
Nikki, Russell's protagonist, is going to have the best summer
ever. For a month she and her band are about to tour with and open
for an extremely popular (and crush worthy) band, Bad Boyz. What
could possibly go wrong? How about:
*enemy Mackenzie plotting to have her rich father put Nikki's crush,
Brandon's grandparents' animal shelter, Fuzzy Friends, out of business;
*the band's chaperone being a "crazy dragon lady";
and *worst of all, Mackenzie getting in on the tour as an intern and
becoming Nikki's roommate.
Will Nikki survive her dream summer?
Read the book and see.
On a purrrsonal note, just when I thought things couldn't get worse--
hello, allergy season! (Jules)
At least she is not allergic to cats. Now that would be tragic (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to musicians.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Yes, readers, when I got my hands on the latest volume in
Rachel Renee Russell's Dork Diaries series I immediately set aside my
APA citation laden professional reading to enjoy it. I felt no guilt
whatsoever. Anyone who screams "NOOOOOOO!!!" when her higher
education theories class is cancelled by snow and sees creating
annotated bibliographies as fun is a fellow dork by anyone's definition.
Nikki, Russell's protagonist, is going to have the best summer
ever. For a month she and her band are about to tour with and open
for an extremely popular (and crush worthy) band, Bad Boyz. What
could possibly go wrong? How about:
*enemy Mackenzie plotting to have her rich father put Nikki's crush,
Brandon's grandparents' animal shelter, Fuzzy Friends, out of business;
*the band's chaperone being a "crazy dragon lady";
and *worst of all, Mackenzie getting in on the tour as an intern and
becoming Nikki's roommate.
Will Nikki survive her dream summer?
Read the book and see.
On a purrrsonal note, just when I thought things couldn't get worse--
hello, allergy season! (Jules)
At least she is not allergic to cats. Now that would be tragic (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to musicians.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Saturday, June 6, 2020
Turning Pages
Turning Pages
Juvenile herstory
"My story is a story about books--of poems and comics, of law
and mystery, of science and science fiction--written both in Spanish
and English."
In Turning points, her autobiography for young readers, Sonya
Sotomayor, the first Latina Supreme Court justice, frames her life
story through the lens of books. In each phase and turning point of
her life they served a unique and pivotal role. For example:
*when she was diagnosed with diabetes as a young child and had to
learn to give herself shots every day books served as bravery magic
potions through which she would gain superhero strength;
*when she was nine and her father died and her house was shrouded in
silence books were escape boats and her local library a sheltering
harbor;
*just like me, she was a Nancy Drew fan who would imagine herself
becoming like her girl sleuth heroine. These books were like time
machines, encouraging her to imagine a future self...
"The written word has been all these things to me and more for
as long as I can remember. Like flagstones on a path, every book I
ever read took me the next step I needed to go in school and in life,
even if I didn't know where the trail would lead.
Piece by piece my puzzle came together.
Where will your journey lead you?
On a purrrsonal note, A day later I still don't know what happened
when Trump visited Maine or how the protests turned out.
I can share a story of how smart Tobago is. Wednesday she was showing
a little too much interest in my knitting and not letting me distract
her. Finally I told her to go watch for Lisa who was going to stop by
to deliver food. Much to my surprise, she ran to her cat patio and
started scanning the street. A good while later she called me over.
And there was Lisa getting out of her little blue car. Tobago has
learned who Lisa is and where to find her. (Jules)
See, I am as smart as I am beautiful. And lots of other smart,
beautiful cats are at shelters, just waiting got homes. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to the people who find good homes for
cats and dogs.
(Tobago and Jules Hathaway)
Sent from my iPod
Juvenile herstory
"My story is a story about books--of poems and comics, of law
and mystery, of science and science fiction--written both in Spanish
and English."
In Turning points, her autobiography for young readers, Sonya
Sotomayor, the first Latina Supreme Court justice, frames her life
story through the lens of books. In each phase and turning point of
her life they served a unique and pivotal role. For example:
*when she was diagnosed with diabetes as a young child and had to
learn to give herself shots every day books served as bravery magic
potions through which she would gain superhero strength;
*when she was nine and her father died and her house was shrouded in
silence books were escape boats and her local library a sheltering
harbor;
*just like me, she was a Nancy Drew fan who would imagine herself
becoming like her girl sleuth heroine. These books were like time
machines, encouraging her to imagine a future self...
"The written word has been all these things to me and more for
as long as I can remember. Like flagstones on a path, every book I
ever read took me the next step I needed to go in school and in life,
even if I didn't know where the trail would lead.
Piece by piece my puzzle came together.
Where will your journey lead you?
On a purrrsonal note, A day later I still don't know what happened
when Trump visited Maine or how the protests turned out.
I can share a story of how smart Tobago is. Wednesday she was showing
a little too much interest in my knitting and not letting me distract
her. Finally I told her to go watch for Lisa who was going to stop by
to deliver food. Much to my surprise, she ran to her cat patio and
started scanning the street. A good while later she called me over.
And there was Lisa getting out of her little blue car. Tobago has
learned who Lisa is and where to find her. (Jules)
See, I am as smart as I am beautiful. And lots of other smart,
beautiful cats are at shelters, just waiting got homes. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to the people who find good homes for
cats and dogs.
(Tobago and Jules Hathaway)
Sent from my iPod
Little Libraries, Big Heroes
Little Libraries, Big Heroes
Juvenile nonfiction
When I went to classes in happier days I always checked the
Little Free Library outside my academic building. Sometimes I find
something I really want to read. I just have to replace it with a
book I'm done with. Unlike a regular library book it won't come due.
So I can save it for when I have time in my graduaute school
schedule. The first week of spring semester I struck gold--three
books I really wanted including one I hadn't read by a favorite
author. (They were worth my weight in gold when shelter in place
started and I felt a real need to make my books last.)
That same week I also struck gold in the new books section of
Orono Public Library when I discovered Miranda Paul's Little
Libraries, Big Heroes. It tells the story of the Little Free Library
movement. It's a story Paul was very enthusiastic about sharing. As
a child she attended and as a teacher she worked in schools with
limited book access. She was also impressed with the wide range of
people, including children, who have become innovative members of the
movement.
As a boy, Todd wasn't a good student. He had trouble reading
and asked too many questions. His book loving mother, however, would
tell him he had "something big to offer the world."
Many years later when his mother died Todd was inspired by her
memory to create the first Little Free Library and place it on his lawn.
"There was just one problem. Very few people passed by."
Luckily Todd and his friend, Rick, didn't let the slow early
response or their lack of funds stop them. Within a year there were
four hundred libraries, each with a steward (caretaker). And that was
just the beginning. If you want to read a truly wonderful story about
ordinary people doing amazing things Little Libraries, Big Heroes is
your go to book.
But it isn't just a read and set aside book. Just think what a
wonderful project building and maintaining a Little Free Library would
be for your family or organization. They can be made of whatever
materials you have to work with. All you need is a charter sign and
number (go to littlefreelibraries.org) and a steward to keep the
library in good shape and stocked with fresh choices.
Actually these days books are not the only thing that can be
shared at a drop off location. Food is something a lot of families
have a hard time getting enough of. How about clothes and shoes
(especially children's) and gently used toys and games?
On a purrrsonal note, so far I haven't run out of books to read.
Fogler Library will mail books to students who request them. Orono
Public is about to start curbside pick up which would involve ordering
by Internet and picking up outside. And if I run out of tangible
books I can always check out the cloud. So I'll be able to keep
providing content for this blog. (Jules)
I think it will rain outside (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to all who share needed resources.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Juvenile nonfiction
When I went to classes in happier days I always checked the
Little Free Library outside my academic building. Sometimes I find
something I really want to read. I just have to replace it with a
book I'm done with. Unlike a regular library book it won't come due.
So I can save it for when I have time in my graduaute school
schedule. The first week of spring semester I struck gold--three
books I really wanted including one I hadn't read by a favorite
author. (They were worth my weight in gold when shelter in place
started and I felt a real need to make my books last.)
That same week I also struck gold in the new books section of
Orono Public Library when I discovered Miranda Paul's Little
Libraries, Big Heroes. It tells the story of the Little Free Library
movement. It's a story Paul was very enthusiastic about sharing. As
a child she attended and as a teacher she worked in schools with
limited book access. She was also impressed with the wide range of
people, including children, who have become innovative members of the
movement.
As a boy, Todd wasn't a good student. He had trouble reading
and asked too many questions. His book loving mother, however, would
tell him he had "something big to offer the world."
Many years later when his mother died Todd was inspired by her
memory to create the first Little Free Library and place it on his lawn.
"There was just one problem. Very few people passed by."
Luckily Todd and his friend, Rick, didn't let the slow early
response or their lack of funds stop them. Within a year there were
four hundred libraries, each with a steward (caretaker). And that was
just the beginning. If you want to read a truly wonderful story about
ordinary people doing amazing things Little Libraries, Big Heroes is
your go to book.
But it isn't just a read and set aside book. Just think what a
wonderful project building and maintaining a Little Free Library would
be for your family or organization. They can be made of whatever
materials you have to work with. All you need is a charter sign and
number (go to littlefreelibraries.org) and a steward to keep the
library in good shape and stocked with fresh choices.
Actually these days books are not the only thing that can be
shared at a drop off location. Food is something a lot of families
have a hard time getting enough of. How about clothes and shoes
(especially children's) and gently used toys and games?
On a purrrsonal note, so far I haven't run out of books to read.
Fogler Library will mail books to students who request them. Orono
Public is about to start curbside pick up which would involve ordering
by Internet and picking up outside. And if I run out of tangible
books I can always check out the cloud. So I'll be able to keep
providing content for this blog. (Jules)
I think it will rain outside (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to all who share needed resources.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Friday, June 5, 2020
The Good Son
The Good Son
Juvenile/YA/adult
Pierre-Jacques Ober's The Good Son is a book that should be
required reading for all the people in government who declare wars and
all in industry who profit from them. It might help bridge the huge
gap, actually abyss, between those who decide on military actions and
those who carry them out.
The book begins with a woman and girl walking through a sea of
crosses and the words "About one hundred years ago the whole world
went to war. The war was supposed to last months; it lasted years."
Pierre, the central character, signed up for the fight "like
everyone else." He was spurred by patriotic posters. There was great
national fervor to stop the Germans and their atrocities. He also
thought that by enlisting he would make his mother proud. Although he
won his first battle, he found it awful.
"About one hundred years ago the whole world went to war. They
called it the Great War, but it was fought by little soldiers."
The narrative is set within the context of Pierre's awaiting his
fate. He went home for two days. In his final letter to his mother
he wrote,
"I left to spend Christmas with you because I wanted to be a good son,
and I returned to the regiment because I wanted to be a good soldier.
I thought I was doing the right thing. Now it feels like the world
has gone mad."
Despite returning he was sentenced to death. The war had not
ended at Christmas as promised. Commanders were worried that soldiers
would start deserting. They decided to use Pierre as an example.
At the end of the book there is a last return to the litany.
"About one hundred years ago the whole world went to war.
It was supposed to last months.
It was supposed to be over by Christmas.
It was fought by little soldiers like Pierre.
It would be won by little soldiers like Pierre.
But not by Christmas. And not by Pierre."
The last picture shows a woman mourning at a grave.
The illustrations were done in a very unusual way. Scenes were
all set up with miniatures and then photographed. You will be amazed
by the details of the settings and the silent eloquence of the
figurines.
The book reminds me of Wilfred Brimley's Dulce et Decorum est, a
poem which was written in WWI by a man who was in the trenches. In
very graphic descriptions it shows why it is not sweet and fitting to
die for one's country.
On a purrrsonal note, I am quite worried today. President Trump is en
route to do a public appearance in Guilford. Of course there will be
protestors and probably armed to the teeth counter protestors.
Guilford is a small town with seriously limited infrastructure in
terms of either violent clashes or a spike in COVID-19 cases. My
thoughts and prayers are with the Guilford citizens whose safety will
be compromised. There will also be demonstrations in Bangor and
Portland. I will not be attending the Bangor one. The walk is too
long and not pedestrian friendly. I do get frustrated. I am very
much angered by police killing Black people. But the protests are
never in walking distance. And I don't have money to donate. I
realized yesterday that what I can do is knit scarves and give them to
people who donate money to organizations like Black Lives Matter. I
have bins of yarn in my shed. That way I can do what I can to help.
Even little things matter in these days. (Jules)
My hooman still won't let me help. What's up with that? (Tobago)
A great big shout out (along with thoughts and prayers) goes out to
the soon under siege residents of Guilford.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Juvenile/YA/adult
Pierre-Jacques Ober's The Good Son is a book that should be
required reading for all the people in government who declare wars and
all in industry who profit from them. It might help bridge the huge
gap, actually abyss, between those who decide on military actions and
those who carry them out.
The book begins with a woman and girl walking through a sea of
crosses and the words "About one hundred years ago the whole world
went to war. The war was supposed to last months; it lasted years."
Pierre, the central character, signed up for the fight "like
everyone else." He was spurred by patriotic posters. There was great
national fervor to stop the Germans and their atrocities. He also
thought that by enlisting he would make his mother proud. Although he
won his first battle, he found it awful.
"About one hundred years ago the whole world went to war. They
called it the Great War, but it was fought by little soldiers."
The narrative is set within the context of Pierre's awaiting his
fate. He went home for two days. In his final letter to his mother
he wrote,
"I left to spend Christmas with you because I wanted to be a good son,
and I returned to the regiment because I wanted to be a good soldier.
I thought I was doing the right thing. Now it feels like the world
has gone mad."
Despite returning he was sentenced to death. The war had not
ended at Christmas as promised. Commanders were worried that soldiers
would start deserting. They decided to use Pierre as an example.
At the end of the book there is a last return to the litany.
"About one hundred years ago the whole world went to war.
It was supposed to last months.
It was supposed to be over by Christmas.
It was fought by little soldiers like Pierre.
It would be won by little soldiers like Pierre.
But not by Christmas. And not by Pierre."
The last picture shows a woman mourning at a grave.
The illustrations were done in a very unusual way. Scenes were
all set up with miniatures and then photographed. You will be amazed
by the details of the settings and the silent eloquence of the
figurines.
The book reminds me of Wilfred Brimley's Dulce et Decorum est, a
poem which was written in WWI by a man who was in the trenches. In
very graphic descriptions it shows why it is not sweet and fitting to
die for one's country.
On a purrrsonal note, I am quite worried today. President Trump is en
route to do a public appearance in Guilford. Of course there will be
protestors and probably armed to the teeth counter protestors.
Guilford is a small town with seriously limited infrastructure in
terms of either violent clashes or a spike in COVID-19 cases. My
thoughts and prayers are with the Guilford citizens whose safety will
be compromised. There will also be demonstrations in Bangor and
Portland. I will not be attending the Bangor one. The walk is too
long and not pedestrian friendly. I do get frustrated. I am very
much angered by police killing Black people. But the protests are
never in walking distance. And I don't have money to donate. I
realized yesterday that what I can do is knit scarves and give them to
people who donate money to organizations like Black Lives Matter. I
have bins of yarn in my shed. That way I can do what I can to help.
Even little things matter in these days. (Jules)
My hooman still won't let me help. What's up with that? (Tobago)
A great big shout out (along with thoughts and prayers) goes out to
the soon under siege residents of Guilford.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Thursday, June 4, 2020
The Whole Golden World
The Whole Golden World
Adult drama
"'Morgan was discovered with one of her teachers in his car.'
Dinah said, 'So what if she was in a car? Whose car?' It had
been raining. She'd probably gotten a ride. 'Where is she anyway?'
'She's at the police station, Mrs. Monetti. She was in a state
of undress.'"
Anyone who enjoys a good courtroom drama will find Kristina
Riggles' The Whole Golden World to be the cat's pajamas. A teacher,
TJ, is on trial for sexually exploiting one of his students, Morgan.
In between scenes in which the lawyers conduct their business, you get
back story that beautifully illuminates the complex identities and
interactions of the most important players.
*TJ has just been switched to teaching higher order math classes.
He's not completely sure he's up to it. His wife is seemingly
obsessed with becoming pregnant. Everything in their marriage seems
to center around procreation. His golden boy brother, Greg, seems to
be lording it over him.
*Morgan feels that she's much more mature than she's given credit
for. She wants to be seen as a woman, not a child. In some ways,
though, she's never had a chance to be a child. She was only a
toddler when her twin brothers were born prematurely and medically
fragile. Constantly eclipsed by their crises, she now does a lot of
their caretaking.
*Dinah, Morgan's mother, doesn't have it easy. She's the founder and
proprieter of the Den, a restaurant that caters mainly to teens and
young adults. Her transient crew of mostly part timers and students
requires a lot of supervision. With a husband who is virtually
married to his job, she's in charge of home and family including
advocating for her special needs sons. They've been mainstreamed as
they begin high school. She likens that to throwing them to the
wolves. Seeing TJ as a criminal who did the unthinkable to her
daughter, she can't grasp why Morgan is taking his side.
*Rain, TJ's wife, wants nothing more than motherhood. Each time
reproductive technology fails she tries again. She began to guess
that TJ might not be as committed to achieving parenthood as she is.
When she finally has a viable pregnancy she learns about the ultimate
betrayal.
Court is in session. If you enjoy a riveting drama you'll want
to join the audience or jury.
On a purrrsonal note, today I had a wonderful discovery. Normally I
love counted cross stitch and can't fit it into my schedule. So when
shelter in place started I thought I'd get a lot done. Much to my
surprise it made me jittery. To be kind to myself I stopped.
Yesterday I remembered I'd promised to knit an afghan for a new baby.
I'd forgotten how relaxing knitting is. Whenever I start working the
yarn a lot of the stress and tension just melts off me like ice cream
off a cone in July. Such a precious discovery! In these pandemic
times we need all the stress busters we can find! (Jules)
So pretty! But why won't my hooman let me help? (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to all the people who are protesting
the senseless and cruel killing of black people by police officers.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult drama
"'Morgan was discovered with one of her teachers in his car.'
Dinah said, 'So what if she was in a car? Whose car?' It had
been raining. She'd probably gotten a ride. 'Where is she anyway?'
'She's at the police station, Mrs. Monetti. She was in a state
of undress.'"
Anyone who enjoys a good courtroom drama will find Kristina
Riggles' The Whole Golden World to be the cat's pajamas. A teacher,
TJ, is on trial for sexually exploiting one of his students, Morgan.
In between scenes in which the lawyers conduct their business, you get
back story that beautifully illuminates the complex identities and
interactions of the most important players.
*TJ has just been switched to teaching higher order math classes.
He's not completely sure he's up to it. His wife is seemingly
obsessed with becoming pregnant. Everything in their marriage seems
to center around procreation. His golden boy brother, Greg, seems to
be lording it over him.
*Morgan feels that she's much more mature than she's given credit
for. She wants to be seen as a woman, not a child. In some ways,
though, she's never had a chance to be a child. She was only a
toddler when her twin brothers were born prematurely and medically
fragile. Constantly eclipsed by their crises, she now does a lot of
their caretaking.
*Dinah, Morgan's mother, doesn't have it easy. She's the founder and
proprieter of the Den, a restaurant that caters mainly to teens and
young adults. Her transient crew of mostly part timers and students
requires a lot of supervision. With a husband who is virtually
married to his job, she's in charge of home and family including
advocating for her special needs sons. They've been mainstreamed as
they begin high school. She likens that to throwing them to the
wolves. Seeing TJ as a criminal who did the unthinkable to her
daughter, she can't grasp why Morgan is taking his side.
*Rain, TJ's wife, wants nothing more than motherhood. Each time
reproductive technology fails she tries again. She began to guess
that TJ might not be as committed to achieving parenthood as she is.
When she finally has a viable pregnancy she learns about the ultimate
betrayal.
Court is in session. If you enjoy a riveting drama you'll want
to join the audience or jury.
On a purrrsonal note, today I had a wonderful discovery. Normally I
love counted cross stitch and can't fit it into my schedule. So when
shelter in place started I thought I'd get a lot done. Much to my
surprise it made me jittery. To be kind to myself I stopped.
Yesterday I remembered I'd promised to knit an afghan for a new baby.
I'd forgotten how relaxing knitting is. Whenever I start working the
yarn a lot of the stress and tension just melts off me like ice cream
off a cone in July. Such a precious discovery! In these pandemic
times we need all the stress busters we can find! (Jules)
So pretty! But why won't my hooman let me help? (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to all the people who are protesting
the senseless and cruel killing of black people by police officers.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Wednesday, June 3, 2020
re: Cheap Facebook Traffic
hi
30-days-of-thankful.htmlnoreply
here it is, social website traffic:
http://www.mgdots.co/detail.php?id=113
Full details attached
Regards
Sam Shamburger �
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30-days-of-thankful.htmlnoreply
here it is, social website traffic:
http://www.mgdots.co/detail.php?id=113
Full details attached
Regards
Sam Shamburger �
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