And, of course, this is the book.
Sent from my U.S.Cellular© Smartphone
Tuesday, June 29, 2021
When No One Is Watching
When No One Is Watching
Adult Dystopia
"'This building has recently been the center of controversy, as
it's one of the proposed sites for the next VerenTech Pharmaceuticals
campus,' Zephyr said. 'There have been many protests by community
activists who don't want the company here, despite the promise of
hundreds of new jobs and the revitalization of the area. Those
against the campus are also upset that an opiod research center is
being placed in a community that they feel was over policed during
their own drug epidemic."
Following a divorce from an abusive ex husband, Sydney,
protagonist of Alyssa Coles' When No One Is Watching, has returned to
her childhood home in the Brooklyn neighberhood she grew up in. She
finds it greatly changed, and not for the better.
Gentrification, probably due to the new corporate entity
mentioned above, is in hyper drive. Long time Black residents are
disappearing, some never to be heard from again. They're being
displaced by well off whites, the kind with an us vs them attitude,
the kind who call the police on every little, usually quite legal,
thing their darker skinned neighbors do. Remaining Black residents
are being targeted relentlessly by realtors looking to make a quick
buck buying properties cheap and selling for a whole lot more.
Sydney is doing historical research for a tour she's doing for
an upcoming neighborhood party. Between what she learns and what she
observes she's realizing that something truly sinister is afoot.
But who's she gonna call? Certainly not the police.
Once you get drawn into the chilling narrative you won't be able
to put it down.
When No One Is Watching is billed as a thriller. I categorize
it as a dystopia because I want you to see the book through a
different lens. Even when thrillers contain a lot of real information
they're purely entertainment. The well written dystopia also calls
for reflection and even action by creating a world just little bit
more sinister than the one its readers inhabit.
Gentrification. Police brutality. Corporate abuse of power in
the service of greed. The scariest thing about the narrative is how
easily it could happen in the not so distant future.
On a purrrsonal note, well I have reached a milestone today. My own
personal 1619 project has been to read and review one race related
book for every year between then and now. Today, June 29, 2021 at
11:21 in the morning I finished reviewing my 403rd book!!! (Remember
some of these reviews haven't been posted yet because they're in my
backlog for when life gets more hectic. It's one of the ways that in
nearly 10 years I've never failed to provide new content.) (Jules)
It is still much too hot. Tonight I hope they turn on the noisy cold
air box thingie. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to all the librarians across the state
of Maine who have given us access to so many fine books.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult Dystopia
"'This building has recently been the center of controversy, as
it's one of the proposed sites for the next VerenTech Pharmaceuticals
campus,' Zephyr said. 'There have been many protests by community
activists who don't want the company here, despite the promise of
hundreds of new jobs and the revitalization of the area. Those
against the campus are also upset that an opiod research center is
being placed in a community that they feel was over policed during
their own drug epidemic."
Following a divorce from an abusive ex husband, Sydney,
protagonist of Alyssa Coles' When No One Is Watching, has returned to
her childhood home in the Brooklyn neighberhood she grew up in. She
finds it greatly changed, and not for the better.
Gentrification, probably due to the new corporate entity
mentioned above, is in hyper drive. Long time Black residents are
disappearing, some never to be heard from again. They're being
displaced by well off whites, the kind with an us vs them attitude,
the kind who call the police on every little, usually quite legal,
thing their darker skinned neighbors do. Remaining Black residents
are being targeted relentlessly by realtors looking to make a quick
buck buying properties cheap and selling for a whole lot more.
Sydney is doing historical research for a tour she's doing for
an upcoming neighborhood party. Between what she learns and what she
observes she's realizing that something truly sinister is afoot.
But who's she gonna call? Certainly not the police.
Once you get drawn into the chilling narrative you won't be able
to put it down.
When No One Is Watching is billed as a thriller. I categorize
it as a dystopia because I want you to see the book through a
different lens. Even when thrillers contain a lot of real information
they're purely entertainment. The well written dystopia also calls
for reflection and even action by creating a world just little bit
more sinister than the one its readers inhabit.
Gentrification. Police brutality. Corporate abuse of power in
the service of greed. The scariest thing about the narrative is how
easily it could happen in the not so distant future.
On a purrrsonal note, well I have reached a milestone today. My own
personal 1619 project has been to read and review one race related
book for every year between then and now. Today, June 29, 2021 at
11:21 in the morning I finished reviewing my 403rd book!!! (Remember
some of these reviews haven't been posted yet because they're in my
backlog for when life gets more hectic. It's one of the ways that in
nearly 10 years I've never failed to provide new content.) (Jules)
It is still much too hot. Tonight I hope they turn on the noisy cold
air box thingie. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to all the librarians across the state
of Maine who have given us access to so many fine books.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Monday, June 28, 2021
This Is The Fire
This Is The Fire
Adult nonfiction
"We are experiencing a moment as terrifying and thrilling as any
of the tectonic shifts that have borne us forward through history. I
have to confess, even I didn't see it coming. A swift kick of
reactionary zeal caught me by surprise, so I was not surprised at all
when I saw a lot of White people react with startled knee jerk
aversity."
Don Lemon, host of CNN Tonight, is America's only Black prime
time anchor. In This Is The Fire: What I Say to My Friends About
Racism he sets systemic racism and injustice and political ineptitude
within the context of the (hopefully) waning pandemic. He senses a
"transformative energy" that has the potential to end White
Supremacy. But he's also aware of the cunning of those who are
determined to maintain the status quo and the fickleness of public
passion. He warns us that unless we bring commitment and hard work to
reform this time won't be any different that all the other times
opportunities for real change were squandered.
For prose nonfiction This Is The Fire is amazingly poetic. It
blends historical events and reflections on them, personal events, and
commentary on cultural artifacts such as movies and monuments with a
passionate call to arms. We can't go back to our pandemic normal.
Each of us has a role to play in transforming our nation.
I have a short attention span for sermons. Ask Pastors M & M.
But This Is The Fire is so engaging, so spellbinding, so insightful,
and ultimately so important that if Lemon was delivering the book in
this format I'd sit through to the end on the edge of my seat...
...even without the benefit of coffee.
Lemon believes that after this historical moment of truth each
of us will face these assessments:
"I had an opportunity to know, and this is what I chose to
believe.
I had an opportunity to speak, and this is what I chose to say.
I had an opportunity to act, and this is what I chose to do."
If you don't want to regret squandering these opportunities,
you'll find This Is The Fire to be a most excellent source of insight
and inspiration.
On a purrrsonal note, I hope you had a good weekend. I did. Saturday
while Eugene was in Winterport I spent hours weeding, thinning, and
watering in the garden. We had a good crew. John gave us farmers
market peanut butter cookies. I was able to glean more library
books. And it didn't start to get muggy until the afternoon. I
brought home local organic salad greens and beet greens. Sunday
Eugene went to Winterport. Again. I was a little disappointed
because I'd wanted to go for a ride. But it was a good thing Tobago
and I went to zoom church instead. I got to hear Pastor Malcolm talk
about Poor Peoples Campaign and tell everyone about the speech I
made. That was very satisfying. Now we're in a heat wave for at
least a couple more days. (Jules)
It iz much too hot!!! Time to find the coolest place in the house and
nap. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to all who are determined not to
squander the opportunity.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult nonfiction
"We are experiencing a moment as terrifying and thrilling as any
of the tectonic shifts that have borne us forward through history. I
have to confess, even I didn't see it coming. A swift kick of
reactionary zeal caught me by surprise, so I was not surprised at all
when I saw a lot of White people react with startled knee jerk
aversity."
Don Lemon, host of CNN Tonight, is America's only Black prime
time anchor. In This Is The Fire: What I Say to My Friends About
Racism he sets systemic racism and injustice and political ineptitude
within the context of the (hopefully) waning pandemic. He senses a
"transformative energy" that has the potential to end White
Supremacy. But he's also aware of the cunning of those who are
determined to maintain the status quo and the fickleness of public
passion. He warns us that unless we bring commitment and hard work to
reform this time won't be any different that all the other times
opportunities for real change were squandered.
For prose nonfiction This Is The Fire is amazingly poetic. It
blends historical events and reflections on them, personal events, and
commentary on cultural artifacts such as movies and monuments with a
passionate call to arms. We can't go back to our pandemic normal.
Each of us has a role to play in transforming our nation.
I have a short attention span for sermons. Ask Pastors M & M.
But This Is The Fire is so engaging, so spellbinding, so insightful,
and ultimately so important that if Lemon was delivering the book in
this format I'd sit through to the end on the edge of my seat...
...even without the benefit of coffee.
Lemon believes that after this historical moment of truth each
of us will face these assessments:
"I had an opportunity to know, and this is what I chose to
believe.
I had an opportunity to speak, and this is what I chose to say.
I had an opportunity to act, and this is what I chose to do."
If you don't want to regret squandering these opportunities,
you'll find This Is The Fire to be a most excellent source of insight
and inspiration.
On a purrrsonal note, I hope you had a good weekend. I did. Saturday
while Eugene was in Winterport I spent hours weeding, thinning, and
watering in the garden. We had a good crew. John gave us farmers
market peanut butter cookies. I was able to glean more library
books. And it didn't start to get muggy until the afternoon. I
brought home local organic salad greens and beet greens. Sunday
Eugene went to Winterport. Again. I was a little disappointed
because I'd wanted to go for a ride. But it was a good thing Tobago
and I went to zoom church instead. I got to hear Pastor Malcolm talk
about Poor Peoples Campaign and tell everyone about the speech I
made. That was very satisfying. Now we're in a heat wave for at
least a couple more days. (Jules)
It iz much too hot!!! Time to find the coolest place in the house and
nap. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to all who are determined not to
squander the opportunity.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Friday, June 25, 2021
Take Back The Block
Take Back The Block
Juvenile fiction
You know your home is more than shelter. It's a space that your
family has made their own. It combines memory and promise with the
here and now. For many of us--especially kids and teens--it's
embedded in a wider neighborhood of neighbors, friends, school, and
special places.
Now I want you to think back to your eleven-year-old self and
imagine how you'd feel if you suddenly learned that your neighborhood
was going to be broken up. Stay in that frame of mind as you read
Chrystal D. Giles' Take Back The Block to walk a mile in her
protagonist Wes' shoes.
Wes is the only child in an activist family. Sometimes he gets
tired of marching and protesting while his peers chill. He has to
spend part of his eleventh birthday out in the heat fighting the
erection of a luxury condominium.
"I wasn't sure what the big deal was--I thought it sounded
pretty cool. The apartment buildings on this street were old and beat-
up. New stores would be nice..."
It's not long, though, before gentrification gets up close and
personal for Wes. He's lived in a close knit neighborhood, Kensington
Oaks, all his life. Suddenly there's a development group that wants
to buy the land it's on and redevelop it. They are sending all the
homeowners out offers they hope they can't refuse.
The adults tell the kids not to worry. They're going to pull
the neighborhood together. Only a community meeting turns ugly. A
split between those who want to preserve the neighborhood and its
history and those who feel that they'll benefit from taking the offer
and moving is turning into an abyss.
With the adults stalemated it seems that the kids must come to
the rescue. But what can a middle schoolers do?
A whole lot it turns out. You'll want to find out.
Giles first saw gentrification at work in the historic
culturally rich Black neighborhoods of Harlem. Returning home to
Charlotte, North Carolina, she saw the same process. She wondered
what happens to the displaced families. That question was the source
of her fine debut novel.
Charlotte isn't the only place facing an affordable housing
crisis for which gentrification is partly to blame. Now that a lot of
rich people can telecommute Portland, Maine is under seige and
becoming nearly impossible for lower income workers to find a place to
live in. Anywhere where you live?
On a purrrsonal note, this book really lit a fire under me. About a
decade ago my trailer park was almost broken apart.
Veazie is mostly a bedroom community for people who work in Orono and
Bangor. It came into being when a railroad tycoon named Samuel Veazie
carved out his own little fiefdom rather than pay taxes to Bangor.
Unlike more rural areas it has bus service. And, lacking a high
school, it offers teens school choice which includes access to some
top notch institutions.
For most of its history the trailor parked was outside owned. One day
the owner decided to put in on the market. We'd just seen the
residents of a Bangor trailer park have the land sold out from under
them with dire consequences for many, especially the poorer and more
medically frail. Most people were sure we were doomed to a similar
fate. A small group of us decided to explore the prospect of becoming
an owner operated cooperative. Coastal Enterprises said they'd work
with us if a majority of residents would vote to go coop. It took a
lot of educating, but we got our vote. About eleven years later we
are here and so much better off. We wrote our own rules. We elect
our officers. And we're one of the spots of affordable housing in a
place where lower income kids can get top quality education. Every
time I look at the newer suburban sprawl stretches I think, thank God
developers didn't steal our home. (Jules)
Not only hoomans. Lots of us cats and dogs need our homes. (Tobago)
A great big shout goes out to all who raise awareness of and fight
gentrification and other forms of housing displacement.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Juvenile fiction
You know your home is more than shelter. It's a space that your
family has made their own. It combines memory and promise with the
here and now. For many of us--especially kids and teens--it's
embedded in a wider neighborhood of neighbors, friends, school, and
special places.
Now I want you to think back to your eleven-year-old self and
imagine how you'd feel if you suddenly learned that your neighborhood
was going to be broken up. Stay in that frame of mind as you read
Chrystal D. Giles' Take Back The Block to walk a mile in her
protagonist Wes' shoes.
Wes is the only child in an activist family. Sometimes he gets
tired of marching and protesting while his peers chill. He has to
spend part of his eleventh birthday out in the heat fighting the
erection of a luxury condominium.
"I wasn't sure what the big deal was--I thought it sounded
pretty cool. The apartment buildings on this street were old and beat-
up. New stores would be nice..."
It's not long, though, before gentrification gets up close and
personal for Wes. He's lived in a close knit neighborhood, Kensington
Oaks, all his life. Suddenly there's a development group that wants
to buy the land it's on and redevelop it. They are sending all the
homeowners out offers they hope they can't refuse.
The adults tell the kids not to worry. They're going to pull
the neighborhood together. Only a community meeting turns ugly. A
split between those who want to preserve the neighborhood and its
history and those who feel that they'll benefit from taking the offer
and moving is turning into an abyss.
With the adults stalemated it seems that the kids must come to
the rescue. But what can a middle schoolers do?
A whole lot it turns out. You'll want to find out.
Giles first saw gentrification at work in the historic
culturally rich Black neighborhoods of Harlem. Returning home to
Charlotte, North Carolina, she saw the same process. She wondered
what happens to the displaced families. That question was the source
of her fine debut novel.
Charlotte isn't the only place facing an affordable housing
crisis for which gentrification is partly to blame. Now that a lot of
rich people can telecommute Portland, Maine is under seige and
becoming nearly impossible for lower income workers to find a place to
live in. Anywhere where you live?
On a purrrsonal note, this book really lit a fire under me. About a
decade ago my trailer park was almost broken apart.
Veazie is mostly a bedroom community for people who work in Orono and
Bangor. It came into being when a railroad tycoon named Samuel Veazie
carved out his own little fiefdom rather than pay taxes to Bangor.
Unlike more rural areas it has bus service. And, lacking a high
school, it offers teens school choice which includes access to some
top notch institutions.
For most of its history the trailor parked was outside owned. One day
the owner decided to put in on the market. We'd just seen the
residents of a Bangor trailer park have the land sold out from under
them with dire consequences for many, especially the poorer and more
medically frail. Most people were sure we were doomed to a similar
fate. A small group of us decided to explore the prospect of becoming
an owner operated cooperative. Coastal Enterprises said they'd work
with us if a majority of residents would vote to go coop. It took a
lot of educating, but we got our vote. About eleven years later we
are here and so much better off. We wrote our own rules. We elect
our officers. And we're one of the spots of affordable housing in a
place where lower income kids can get top quality education. Every
time I look at the newer suburban sprawl stretches I think, thank God
developers didn't steal our home. (Jules)
Not only hoomans. Lots of us cats and dogs need our homes. (Tobago)
A great big shout goes out to all who raise awareness of and fight
gentrification and other forms of housing displacement.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Different: A Great Thing to Be!
Different: A Great Thing to Be!
Picture book
Here's a scenario all of us who are parents have experienced.
You're out in public. Your child asks a question about someone who is
different from your friends and family in some way. Maybe the person
uses a wheelchair or has a large birthmark or is a different color.
You know there is no malice behind the question, just plain
curiosity. Children come programmed to explore sources of difference
and sameness. It's part of the process of making sense of a big,
complex world.
But in the out in public, maybe rushed, moment all that is no
help. You don't want to embarass the person your child is asking
about. You may fear using the wrong words. You may think the people
around you are deeming you a bad parent. Talk about awkward.
You have a power you may not realize. You can discuss
difference preemptively at home.
Heather Avis' Different: A Great Thing To Be! is a priceless
resource for households for young children. Its narrator tells the
story of her friend, Macy, a lively and appealing child who can swim
underwater, loves her pet dog, is in hip-hop class, and prefers to
wear blue clothes. There are ways in which she's different. Some
kids reject her because they think she's too different. But Macy is
persistent and wins over her peers. At the end readers are encouraged
to embrace their differences and affirm those of others.
This is a book I wish had been around decades ago. When I was
eight I had to wear an eye patch for a year. It was the first time a
lot of kids had seen anything like that. When they tried to ask their
parents questions and were hushed they thought there was something
really wrong with me. It got to the point where I dreaded leaving the
house.
I would recommend this book for anyone with young children in
the family. It's a must acquire for school and public libraries.
Think of what a great story hour choice it is for diversity loving
librarians.
On A purrrsonal note, I hope you've been having a great week. I sure
have. The weather has been purrrfect. Yesterday I spent nearly all
day reading and writing reviews outside with my laundry sun drying.
I'm super excited because NPR is going to feature a piece I wrote
(along with a picture of Tobago) in one of their newsletters. Now
that is something to look forward to. (Jules)
People all over the country will see me. But don't worry. It won't go
to my head. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to you, our readers, with best wishes
for a terrific weekend.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Picture book
Here's a scenario all of us who are parents have experienced.
You're out in public. Your child asks a question about someone who is
different from your friends and family in some way. Maybe the person
uses a wheelchair or has a large birthmark or is a different color.
You know there is no malice behind the question, just plain
curiosity. Children come programmed to explore sources of difference
and sameness. It's part of the process of making sense of a big,
complex world.
But in the out in public, maybe rushed, moment all that is no
help. You don't want to embarass the person your child is asking
about. You may fear using the wrong words. You may think the people
around you are deeming you a bad parent. Talk about awkward.
You have a power you may not realize. You can discuss
difference preemptively at home.
Heather Avis' Different: A Great Thing To Be! is a priceless
resource for households for young children. Its narrator tells the
story of her friend, Macy, a lively and appealing child who can swim
underwater, loves her pet dog, is in hip-hop class, and prefers to
wear blue clothes. There are ways in which she's different. Some
kids reject her because they think she's too different. But Macy is
persistent and wins over her peers. At the end readers are encouraged
to embrace their differences and affirm those of others.
This is a book I wish had been around decades ago. When I was
eight I had to wear an eye patch for a year. It was the first time a
lot of kids had seen anything like that. When they tried to ask their
parents questions and were hushed they thought there was something
really wrong with me. It got to the point where I dreaded leaving the
house.
I would recommend this book for anyone with young children in
the family. It's a must acquire for school and public libraries.
Think of what a great story hour choice it is for diversity loving
librarians.
On A purrrsonal note, I hope you've been having a great week. I sure
have. The weather has been purrrfect. Yesterday I spent nearly all
day reading and writing reviews outside with my laundry sun drying.
I'm super excited because NPR is going to feature a piece I wrote
(along with a picture of Tobago) in one of their newsletters. Now
that is something to look forward to. (Jules)
People all over the country will see me. But don't worry. It won't go
to my head. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to you, our readers, with best wishes
for a terrific weekend.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Clean Getaway
Clean Getaway
Juvenile fiction
Because of an incident at his school "Scoob" (William) has been
grounded by his strict father. So when G'ma (his grandmother) shows
up in a brand new RV and invites him to go on "a little adventure" it
feels like a get out of jail card.
After awhile, though, Scoob is having second thoughts. G'ma
doesn't seem like her familiar, beloved self. She's treating him more
like a peer than a grandchild. She keeps calling him by the name his
father and deceased grandfather shared. She won't answer any of his
dad's frantic calls and emails. She keeps switching license plates on
the RV.
And what's up with G'ma being a possible jewel thief?
Clean Getaway combines a suspenseful narrative with a wealth of
information on the Green Book and why it was so necessary not that
long ago.
On a purrrsonal note, it was another purrrfect weather day, sunny and
breezy. I was able to volunteer at Orono Public Library for the first
time since oh, snap, pandemic! I was so happy to be back. And the
librarians were some happy to see me. The only hitch (which was a
happy one) was that with so many new books I kept finding ones I just
had to read. When I realized I had too many for one backpack I bought
a second at the thrift shop. Only I ended up with so many my friend
Emily and her daughter Stuart gave me a ride home. They visited cute
little Tobago. (Jules)
Of course they did. They love me. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to the Orono Public Library community.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Juvenile fiction
Because of an incident at his school "Scoob" (William) has been
grounded by his strict father. So when G'ma (his grandmother) shows
up in a brand new RV and invites him to go on "a little adventure" it
feels like a get out of jail card.
After awhile, though, Scoob is having second thoughts. G'ma
doesn't seem like her familiar, beloved self. She's treating him more
like a peer than a grandchild. She keeps calling him by the name his
father and deceased grandfather shared. She won't answer any of his
dad's frantic calls and emails. She keeps switching license plates on
the RV.
And what's up with G'ma being a possible jewel thief?
Clean Getaway combines a suspenseful narrative with a wealth of
information on the Green Book and why it was so necessary not that
long ago.
On a purrrsonal note, it was another purrrfect weather day, sunny and
breezy. I was able to volunteer at Orono Public Library for the first
time since oh, snap, pandemic! I was so happy to be back. And the
librarians were some happy to see me. The only hitch (which was a
happy one) was that with so many new books I kept finding ones I just
had to read. When I realized I had too many for one backpack I bought
a second at the thrift shop. Only I ended up with so many my friend
Emily and her daughter Stuart gave me a ride home. They visited cute
little Tobago. (Jules)
Of course they did. They love me. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to the Orono Public Library community.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
This is a very unique thrift shop in Orono. It started life as a school. Notice two doors. Boys and girls filed in separately. I think it was in that incarnation through the mid 60s. Now the top floor holds the thrift shop and meals for me and other community programs take place downstairs. Awhile back it was almost torched to provide training for firefighters. Luckily people who recognized its historical value were up in arms. Entirely volunteer run, it not only provides income for Orono Health Association, but donates to other worthwhile organizations.
Sent from my U.S.Cellular© Smartphone
The Conscious Closet
The Conscious Closet
Adult nonfiction
"If you want to change the world, there's no better place to start
than with the clothes on your back and the shoes on your feet. I'm
not being dramatic. I believe it to my core. A look at the facts:
Apparel is a 2.5-trillion-dollar business that holds up 3 percent of
the global economy and employs hundreds of millions of people around
the world, mostly young women.
Clothes are our most personal and universal possession. I bet
you're wearing the stuff right now."
In 2011 when Elizabeth Cline's Overdressed: The Shockingly High
Cost of Cheap Fashion came out the environmental and human cost of
what most of us wear were not on many people's radars. Since then
there has been a gradual awakening. Now many of us want to
incorporate our new awarenesses into our fashion statements. But how?
Luckily Cline has come to the rescue with The Conscious Closet:
The Revolutionary Guide to Looking Good While Doing Good. If you want
to reform your shopping habits, consider this your fashion Bible. It
takes readers from where they are to where they want to be and beyond.
The first step is a cleanout with explicit instructions on
discovering what out of all you have makes you look and feel good and
what just takes up space. There is a lot of information on the most
earth friendly ways of disposing of unwanted items and a column on
used-clothes etiquette. A chapter is dedicated to how to hold a
clothing swap. The bulk of the book is dedicated to ways of
conscientiously adding to your wardrobe. There is a very important
section on laundering and mending. The book ends with information on
how to take your newly found activism to the next level.
The book is not one size fits all. Cline takes into account
that we differ widely along body types, personal styles, and
employment and social situations. There is also no shaming and blaming.
I learned a lot by reading the book. I suspect you will too.
It's a very affordable paperback that will come in handy whether you
want to do a full wardrobe revamping or meet a more modest goal.
On a purrrsonal note, I am not and never have been (except for a short
term infatuation for Bobby Jack--yes, the monkey with attitude--
apparel) a retail shopper. In the past decade I've bought three
things (other than underwear) first hand: a pair of jeans for Eugene
before he saw the light on thrifting, my school program jacket which
was unavailable any other way, and the most adorable cat hoodie evah.
I know how to use needle and thread to extend the use of garments.
Not long after Cline's first book came out a sustainable fashion
store opened in downtown Bangor. I made a visit, willing to buy fewer
things and pay more if it would make a difference. I didn't get to
look at the price tags. The garments seemed to say, hi. I'm an
investment banker who plays golf for fun. Let's go chill in the
clubhouse.
No cats! No unicorns! No glitter! No sequins! Only the most
bland and innocuous of colors and styles!
Basically no me!
So I'm sticking to shopping thrifts, yard sales and clothing
swaps, dumpster diving, laundering in clothes friendly ways, and
weilding needle and thread when necessary. I have awesome cat pajamas
I'll mend when I find the right sized zipper.
My friends and I are going to have a really super clothes swap
this autumn. Those are the most awesome clothes recycling events
because they're so social. Since it will be close to my birthday I
think I'll do some baking and let them all eat cake. (Jules)
I refuse to wear clothes. I am not one of those cats who lets herself
get dressed for Halloween or Christmas. No need to. I have my own
purrrfect fur coat. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to all who buy and sell cool used
clothes and keep them out of ladnfills.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult nonfiction
"If you want to change the world, there's no better place to start
than with the clothes on your back and the shoes on your feet. I'm
not being dramatic. I believe it to my core. A look at the facts:
Apparel is a 2.5-trillion-dollar business that holds up 3 percent of
the global economy and employs hundreds of millions of people around
the world, mostly young women.
Clothes are our most personal and universal possession. I bet
you're wearing the stuff right now."
In 2011 when Elizabeth Cline's Overdressed: The Shockingly High
Cost of Cheap Fashion came out the environmental and human cost of
what most of us wear were not on many people's radars. Since then
there has been a gradual awakening. Now many of us want to
incorporate our new awarenesses into our fashion statements. But how?
Luckily Cline has come to the rescue with The Conscious Closet:
The Revolutionary Guide to Looking Good While Doing Good. If you want
to reform your shopping habits, consider this your fashion Bible. It
takes readers from where they are to where they want to be and beyond.
The first step is a cleanout with explicit instructions on
discovering what out of all you have makes you look and feel good and
what just takes up space. There is a lot of information on the most
earth friendly ways of disposing of unwanted items and a column on
used-clothes etiquette. A chapter is dedicated to how to hold a
clothing swap. The bulk of the book is dedicated to ways of
conscientiously adding to your wardrobe. There is a very important
section on laundering and mending. The book ends with information on
how to take your newly found activism to the next level.
The book is not one size fits all. Cline takes into account
that we differ widely along body types, personal styles, and
employment and social situations. There is also no shaming and blaming.
I learned a lot by reading the book. I suspect you will too.
It's a very affordable paperback that will come in handy whether you
want to do a full wardrobe revamping or meet a more modest goal.
On a purrrsonal note, I am not and never have been (except for a short
term infatuation for Bobby Jack--yes, the monkey with attitude--
apparel) a retail shopper. In the past decade I've bought three
things (other than underwear) first hand: a pair of jeans for Eugene
before he saw the light on thrifting, my school program jacket which
was unavailable any other way, and the most adorable cat hoodie evah.
I know how to use needle and thread to extend the use of garments.
Not long after Cline's first book came out a sustainable fashion
store opened in downtown Bangor. I made a visit, willing to buy fewer
things and pay more if it would make a difference. I didn't get to
look at the price tags. The garments seemed to say, hi. I'm an
investment banker who plays golf for fun. Let's go chill in the
clubhouse.
No cats! No unicorns! No glitter! No sequins! Only the most
bland and innocuous of colors and styles!
Basically no me!
So I'm sticking to shopping thrifts, yard sales and clothing
swaps, dumpster diving, laundering in clothes friendly ways, and
weilding needle and thread when necessary. I have awesome cat pajamas
I'll mend when I find the right sized zipper.
My friends and I are going to have a really super clothes swap
this autumn. Those are the most awesome clothes recycling events
because they're so social. Since it will be close to my birthday I
think I'll do some baking and let them all eat cake. (Jules)
I refuse to wear clothes. I am not one of those cats who lets herself
get dressed for Halloween or Christmas. No need to. I have my own
purrrfect fur coat. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to all who buy and sell cool used
clothes and keep them out of ladnfills.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Monday, June 21, 2021
OK Boomer, Let's Talk
OK Boomer, Let's Talk
Adult nonfiction
Odds are very high that, where you're reading this blog, you're
either a boomer (born between 1946 and 1964) or a millenial (born
between 1980 and 1996). If you're a member of either generation or
the one in between (X) OK Boomer, Let's Talk: How My Generation Got
Left Behind is worth reading.
Jill Filipovic wants older people to ditch any of the hurtful
millenial stereotypes too many of us bandy around: snowflakes,
America haters, Peter Pans refusing to grow up, and needers of instant
gratification and social media likes.
"...The Millenial stereotype of an indulged, hypersensitive
narcisist is a convenient mask for the emotionally and economically
precarious realities set in motion by Baby Boomers..."
Filipovic has blended interviews of fellow Millenials with
background information to create an in depth portrait of a generation
for the most part mired in poverty and precarity, beautifully blending
graphics and text to let readers know that:
*Although a quarter of the American population, Millenials have 3% of
the wealth; Boomers at the same life stage had 21%;
*With dollars adjusted for equivalence, Boomers left college with an
average debt of $2,300. For Millenials it's a formidable $33,000;
and *Beyween 1970 and 2019 median rent (adjusted) has soared from $600
to $1300.
That's just a sampling of the data.
OK Boomer, Let's Talk is very intersectional. Much attention is
paid to all the ways in which Millenials of color are massively
disadvantaged in comparison to their white peers.
In the not so distant past we saw racism as an individual
aberation. If whites didn't run around in robes and hoods we were
good. Now we're beginning to realize that being born into a world of
systemic racism and unfairly benefitting from it makes us complicit.
We need to do we can to surrender our unearned privilege.
Similarly, those of us who were born Boomers can't pat ourselves
on the backs if we're not demeaning Millenials. Just by being born in
a time of decent wages; attainable college; affordable mortgages,
health care, and child raising--not to mention electing people who did
a lot to burn the bridges behind us--we are implicit in the plight of
our children's generation.
This is actually a hopeful realization. Those of us who aren't
millionaires or senators can do a lot to change things. We can follow
key issues via reliable news sources and educate our peers. We can
sign petitions and write to legislators. We can use our numbers to
influence elections in progressive directions. He'll, now that it's
getting COVID safer we can hit the streets and protest. I'm going all
in with Poor People's Campaign.
That is what Filipovic is asking Boomers for. At the end of the
book she says:
"For that, we need you to make decisions with everyone's
interests in mind, not just your own. We need you to realize that we
are rational adults with a different perspective, not indulged
children in need of reprimanding. We need you to vote with all of our
futures in mind. We need you to lean into optimism for what could
be. We need you to see that we will make this country, this world,
better if you'll let us. Mostly, we need you to hand over, or at
least share, the reins of power.
Give us a hand, Boomer--okay?"
On a purrrsonal note, it was an incredible weekend. Eugene went to
camp. But I stayed home because it was the annual town wide yard
sales. Even with intermittent showers on Saturday morning there were
a lot of sales. I scored some bargains. Sunday after Eugene got home
we went on a road trip, stopping at Goodwill. With a coupon I was
able to get 50% off my purchases which included a really cute cat
shirt. The big event was the Fathers Day cookout at Amber and
Brian's. It was so wonderful to spend precious time with my amazing
children. I live for time with them. The food was really good too.
Brian has a grill now. He can work magic on it. Katie got to meet
Tobago for the first time. Adam was glad to see her again. The
family loves our precious cat. (Jules)
And I loves them too. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to our amazing family and to all who
had yard and garage sales.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult nonfiction
Odds are very high that, where you're reading this blog, you're
either a boomer (born between 1946 and 1964) or a millenial (born
between 1980 and 1996). If you're a member of either generation or
the one in between (X) OK Boomer, Let's Talk: How My Generation Got
Left Behind is worth reading.
Jill Filipovic wants older people to ditch any of the hurtful
millenial stereotypes too many of us bandy around: snowflakes,
America haters, Peter Pans refusing to grow up, and needers of instant
gratification and social media likes.
"...The Millenial stereotype of an indulged, hypersensitive
narcisist is a convenient mask for the emotionally and economically
precarious realities set in motion by Baby Boomers..."
Filipovic has blended interviews of fellow Millenials with
background information to create an in depth portrait of a generation
for the most part mired in poverty and precarity, beautifully blending
graphics and text to let readers know that:
*Although a quarter of the American population, Millenials have 3% of
the wealth; Boomers at the same life stage had 21%;
*With dollars adjusted for equivalence, Boomers left college with an
average debt of $2,300. For Millenials it's a formidable $33,000;
and *Beyween 1970 and 2019 median rent (adjusted) has soared from $600
to $1300.
That's just a sampling of the data.
OK Boomer, Let's Talk is very intersectional. Much attention is
paid to all the ways in which Millenials of color are massively
disadvantaged in comparison to their white peers.
In the not so distant past we saw racism as an individual
aberation. If whites didn't run around in robes and hoods we were
good. Now we're beginning to realize that being born into a world of
systemic racism and unfairly benefitting from it makes us complicit.
We need to do we can to surrender our unearned privilege.
Similarly, those of us who were born Boomers can't pat ourselves
on the backs if we're not demeaning Millenials. Just by being born in
a time of decent wages; attainable college; affordable mortgages,
health care, and child raising--not to mention electing people who did
a lot to burn the bridges behind us--we are implicit in the plight of
our children's generation.
This is actually a hopeful realization. Those of us who aren't
millionaires or senators can do a lot to change things. We can follow
key issues via reliable news sources and educate our peers. We can
sign petitions and write to legislators. We can use our numbers to
influence elections in progressive directions. He'll, now that it's
getting COVID safer we can hit the streets and protest. I'm going all
in with Poor People's Campaign.
That is what Filipovic is asking Boomers for. At the end of the
book she says:
"For that, we need you to make decisions with everyone's
interests in mind, not just your own. We need you to realize that we
are rational adults with a different perspective, not indulged
children in need of reprimanding. We need you to vote with all of our
futures in mind. We need you to lean into optimism for what could
be. We need you to see that we will make this country, this world,
better if you'll let us. Mostly, we need you to hand over, or at
least share, the reins of power.
Give us a hand, Boomer--okay?"
On a purrrsonal note, it was an incredible weekend. Eugene went to
camp. But I stayed home because it was the annual town wide yard
sales. Even with intermittent showers on Saturday morning there were
a lot of sales. I scored some bargains. Sunday after Eugene got home
we went on a road trip, stopping at Goodwill. With a coupon I was
able to get 50% off my purchases which included a really cute cat
shirt. The big event was the Fathers Day cookout at Amber and
Brian's. It was so wonderful to spend precious time with my amazing
children. I live for time with them. The food was really good too.
Brian has a grill now. He can work magic on it. Katie got to meet
Tobago for the first time. Adam was glad to see her again. The
family loves our precious cat. (Jules)
And I loves them too. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to our amazing family and to all who
had yard and garage sales.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Friday, June 18, 2021
Where The Crawdads Sing
Where The Crawdads Sing
Adult fiction
"On the morning of October 30, 1969, the body of Chase Andrews
lay in the swamp, which would have absorbed it silently, routinely.
Hiding it for good. A swamp knows all about death, and doesn't
necessarily define it as tragedy, certainly not as sin. But this
morning two boys from the village rode their bikes out to the old fire
tower and, from the third switchback, spotted his denim jacket."
Chase was the only child of one of his small town's wealthiest,
most influential families. He was also a big time high school
football star. So when the word of his untimely death and the
possibility of it being a homicide spreads people are up in arms,
demanding that the sheriff bring the killer to justice. That won't be
easy. Many clues like foot and fingerprints are basically missing.
But before his demise Chase had been seen with the local pariah, a
lone woman known as the Marsh Girl. So they had their suspect.
Kya was born into a marsh dwelling family brutalized by paternal
alcoholism and child abuse. When she was six her mother reached her
breaking point and left, never to return. Her older siblings also
abandoned her. After awhile even her dad was gone.
So we have a 10-year-old child, one who quit school after a day
because the other kids tormented her, alone in a shack lacking running
water and electricity with nobody to provide for even her most basic
needs. She lives painfully alone, shunned by townspeople who consider
her filthy, nasty, and dangerous.
Alternating chapters spin the narratives of Kya's life and the
crime investigation. In addition to creating a truly engaging tale,
Delia Owens poses a question we would do well to ponder: are some
people shunned because they are different; or do they become different
because they are shunned?
On a purrrsonal note, my week continues to be awesome. I spent
Wednesday evening with some of my new Poor People's Campaign friends
at a river side park making signs, talking, singing, and eating yummy
snacks. Thursday we had a highly inspiring zoom.
I hope your weekend looks promising. Mine surely does. Between a
possible trip to camp, the Veazie townwide yard sale, and the family
Fathers' Day cookout I should have a fine time. (Jules)
After seeing the zoom I approve. They seem like good people who like
cats. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to all nationwide involved in Poor
People's Campaign. We are family. Also to those of our readers who
are fathers.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Adult fiction
"On the morning of October 30, 1969, the body of Chase Andrews
lay in the swamp, which would have absorbed it silently, routinely.
Hiding it for good. A swamp knows all about death, and doesn't
necessarily define it as tragedy, certainly not as sin. But this
morning two boys from the village rode their bikes out to the old fire
tower and, from the third switchback, spotted his denim jacket."
Chase was the only child of one of his small town's wealthiest,
most influential families. He was also a big time high school
football star. So when the word of his untimely death and the
possibility of it being a homicide spreads people are up in arms,
demanding that the sheriff bring the killer to justice. That won't be
easy. Many clues like foot and fingerprints are basically missing.
But before his demise Chase had been seen with the local pariah, a
lone woman known as the Marsh Girl. So they had their suspect.
Kya was born into a marsh dwelling family brutalized by paternal
alcoholism and child abuse. When she was six her mother reached her
breaking point and left, never to return. Her older siblings also
abandoned her. After awhile even her dad was gone.
So we have a 10-year-old child, one who quit school after a day
because the other kids tormented her, alone in a shack lacking running
water and electricity with nobody to provide for even her most basic
needs. She lives painfully alone, shunned by townspeople who consider
her filthy, nasty, and dangerous.
Alternating chapters spin the narratives of Kya's life and the
crime investigation. In addition to creating a truly engaging tale,
Delia Owens poses a question we would do well to ponder: are some
people shunned because they are different; or do they become different
because they are shunned?
On a purrrsonal note, my week continues to be awesome. I spent
Wednesday evening with some of my new Poor People's Campaign friends
at a river side park making signs, talking, singing, and eating yummy
snacks. Thursday we had a highly inspiring zoom.
I hope your weekend looks promising. Mine surely does. Between a
possible trip to camp, the Veazie townwide yard sale, and the family
Fathers' Day cookout I should have a fine time. (Jules)
After seeing the zoom I approve. They seem like good people who like
cats. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to all nationwide involved in Poor
People's Campaign. We are family. Also to those of our readers who
are fathers.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
Steal this Country
Steal this Country
YA nonfiction
"Just as in the '60s, it feels like the people in control of
things are operating outside our best interests. They don't
understand us and they don't care about the things that matter to us.
Has all that stuff made you angry?Good. It ought to.
But don't let that anger make you helpless--because you're not."
Our kids and teens have just ended a most unusual school year.
Many have transitioned between in person and online learning while
others have been all remote. Athletics have been iffy at best. Many
of the other amenities for engaging them, say activities, have been
unavailable.
Many have seen how the pandemic has exacerbated preexisting
inequities: the disproportionate rate of illness and death in the
Black community; the extreme vulnerability of people in congregate
settings like jail; the financial insecurity of the poor and working
place; and the exhausting strain on women having to work from home
while unexpectedly teaching their children. And, of course, there are
still issues like immigrant abuse and global climate change to deal
with.
Going into summer vaca, I bet a lot of kids and teens would like
do something to effect change. But knowing how to can be tricky.
That's where Alexandra Styron's Steal this Country: a Handbook for
Resistance, Persistence, and Fixing almost Everything comes in. Its
three sections convey a portfolio of inspiring younger people who
wouldn't settle for the status quo; the basics of six key issues--
climate change, immigration, LGBTQIA rights; racial justice, religious
understanding, and women's rights--that include conversations with
activists engaged with their challenges; and a how to that is
basically a hands on manual on everything from being an ally through
doing marches and sit-ins to financial activism and social
enterprise. There's something for just about everyone.
Our kids have been going through a time of great insecurity and
uncertainty. Social justice work can help them gain the sense of
agency they need to face the still uncertain future with hope and
courage. If enough of them pitch in things can change for the better.
And here's an idea. How about deciding on a family cause and
working together to make a difference while bonding and creating
incredible memories? This was a big part of my kids' growing up
years. Activism gets to be part of your individual and collective
identities.
This Mothers' Day my son and his fiancée gave $50 to the animal s
helter where Tobago and I first met in our honor. Nothing purchased
could have touched my heart as deeply or made me so proud and happy.
With this world enmeshed in so many crises we need all hands on
deck more than ever before. So if there are kids or teens in your
life check out Steal this Country. You and they may find it highly
inspiring.
On a purrrsonal note, I'm having an amazing day. I visited Orono
Public Library to return books and take out more. I learned that I
can start volunteering again!!! I'm going to start next Wednesday--
bring my shelf reading magic back to the juvenile wing which I've been
told is badly in need of it. YASSS!!! I also went to Pastor M&M's
open porch which was really good. I found more returnables to cash in
for Tobago. (Jules)
All those librarians been missing her. Now they will be happy. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to the librarians and Pastors M & M.
We hazn't forgotten we promised you a surprise. The Orono Pride Zoo
menagerie is back in town and we haz the pictures to prove it.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
YA nonfiction
"Just as in the '60s, it feels like the people in control of
things are operating outside our best interests. They don't
understand us and they don't care about the things that matter to us.
Has all that stuff made you angry?Good. It ought to.
But don't let that anger make you helpless--because you're not."
Our kids and teens have just ended a most unusual school year.
Many have transitioned between in person and online learning while
others have been all remote. Athletics have been iffy at best. Many
of the other amenities for engaging them, say activities, have been
unavailable.
Many have seen how the pandemic has exacerbated preexisting
inequities: the disproportionate rate of illness and death in the
Black community; the extreme vulnerability of people in congregate
settings like jail; the financial insecurity of the poor and working
place; and the exhausting strain on women having to work from home
while unexpectedly teaching their children. And, of course, there are
still issues like immigrant abuse and global climate change to deal
with.
Going into summer vaca, I bet a lot of kids and teens would like
do something to effect change. But knowing how to can be tricky.
That's where Alexandra Styron's Steal this Country: a Handbook for
Resistance, Persistence, and Fixing almost Everything comes in. Its
three sections convey a portfolio of inspiring younger people who
wouldn't settle for the status quo; the basics of six key issues--
climate change, immigration, LGBTQIA rights; racial justice, religious
understanding, and women's rights--that include conversations with
activists engaged with their challenges; and a how to that is
basically a hands on manual on everything from being an ally through
doing marches and sit-ins to financial activism and social
enterprise. There's something for just about everyone.
Our kids have been going through a time of great insecurity and
uncertainty. Social justice work can help them gain the sense of
agency they need to face the still uncertain future with hope and
courage. If enough of them pitch in things can change for the better.
And here's an idea. How about deciding on a family cause and
working together to make a difference while bonding and creating
incredible memories? This was a big part of my kids' growing up
years. Activism gets to be part of your individual and collective
identities.
This Mothers' Day my son and his fiancée gave $50 to the animal s
helter where Tobago and I first met in our honor. Nothing purchased
could have touched my heart as deeply or made me so proud and happy.
With this world enmeshed in so many crises we need all hands on
deck more than ever before. So if there are kids or teens in your
life check out Steal this Country. You and they may find it highly
inspiring.
On a purrrsonal note, I'm having an amazing day. I visited Orono
Public Library to return books and take out more. I learned that I
can start volunteering again!!! I'm going to start next Wednesday--
bring my shelf reading magic back to the juvenile wing which I've been
told is badly in need of it. YASSS!!! I also went to Pastor M&M's
open porch which was really good. I found more returnables to cash in
for Tobago. (Jules)
All those librarians been missing her. Now they will be happy. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to the librarians and Pastors M & M.
We hazn't forgotten we promised you a surprise. The Orono Pride Zoo
menagerie is back in town and we haz the pictures to prove it.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Monday, June 14, 2021
Echo Mountain
Echo Mountain
Juvenile Fiction
"We spent our first spring on Echo Mountain damp and dirty and
tired, as hungry as the animals that crept from their burrows after
months of winter fasting.
Building a cabin was our work, our play, our church and school.
The other families helped us with the hardest parts, just as we helped
them, but most of it we did ourselves, and so slowly that at times I
thought we never again would have a roof over our heads."
Lauren Wolf sure does have a talent for bringing readers not
only back in time, but towards the rurality that was much more
prevalent then than now. Recall in Wolf Hollow she took us to a small
town in the middle of World War II? Her characters in Echo Mountain
have gone even further from civilization.
Before the Depression Ellie, her music teacher mother, her
tailor father, and her sister and brother had lived in a small town.
When both parents lost their jobs the family was unable to keep their
home. While other destitute people have doubled up with kin or ridden
the rails seeking any kind of job, they have moved to a nearby
mountain to rebuild their lives literally from scratch.
It's a very challenging existence. Basic homes are built from
what's on hand, lacking amenities we take for granted like electricity
and indoor plumbing. Wood is used for heat and cooking. Food is
grown, obtained from animals, or bartered for with neighbors.
Medicine is concocted from natural ingredients, some of which aren't
easy to obtain. Doctors are only summoned in the direst of
emergencies. Preditors prowl the mountain at night.
Ellie and her family have an additional challenge to cope with.
Months ago her dad had been chopping down trees to clear land to
expand their vegetable garden. A tree had fallen on him, knocking him
unconscious. A neighbor had been sent to fetch a doctor.
"'Then 'Coma,' he said. Which wasn't a word we knew. 'He might
wake up tomorrow or never again. Can't tell if he'll be all right.
Can't tell much of anything except he's hurt and his body has decided
that rest is what he needs most. So rest is what he'll have, until he
either gets better or doesn't."
Ellie makes efforts to revive her father even though she gets in
trouble each time. She's sure there is some way to reach him. Maybe
the Hag, an older woman reputed to have healing powers who lives alone
at the top of the mountain, will have some ideas.
Ellie's been strictly forbidden to go any higher on the mountain
than her family's homestead. There are very real perils in those
untamed forests.
But this is her beloved father. She can't just let him die.
On a purrrsonal note, I had a really awesome weekend. The weather was
purrrfect, sunny and breezy. Eugene and I took our road trip on
Saturday. We found a lot of yard sales and got some bargains. I
finally have a carrier for Tobago that isn't cardboard. I won't have
to worry about it breaking when I'm walking down Route 2. I got some
almost new sneakers for a quarter. And lots of other good stuff. We
got Subway and had a picnic lunch beside a lake. There were some
ducks strutting around. It was clear that they owned the place. When
we got back there was time for me to take the bus to Orono to drop off
books and pick up new ones. Sunday Tobago and I went to zoom church.
I just got back from a trip to Orono and you won't believe what I just
saw. I took pictures that I'll share...next post. (Jules)
We heard the bell choir. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene and to the Orono librarians.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
Juvenile Fiction
"We spent our first spring on Echo Mountain damp and dirty and
tired, as hungry as the animals that crept from their burrows after
months of winter fasting.
Building a cabin was our work, our play, our church and school.
The other families helped us with the hardest parts, just as we helped
them, but most of it we did ourselves, and so slowly that at times I
thought we never again would have a roof over our heads."
Lauren Wolf sure does have a talent for bringing readers not
only back in time, but towards the rurality that was much more
prevalent then than now. Recall in Wolf Hollow she took us to a small
town in the middle of World War II? Her characters in Echo Mountain
have gone even further from civilization.
Before the Depression Ellie, her music teacher mother, her
tailor father, and her sister and brother had lived in a small town.
When both parents lost their jobs the family was unable to keep their
home. While other destitute people have doubled up with kin or ridden
the rails seeking any kind of job, they have moved to a nearby
mountain to rebuild their lives literally from scratch.
It's a very challenging existence. Basic homes are built from
what's on hand, lacking amenities we take for granted like electricity
and indoor plumbing. Wood is used for heat and cooking. Food is
grown, obtained from animals, or bartered for with neighbors.
Medicine is concocted from natural ingredients, some of which aren't
easy to obtain. Doctors are only summoned in the direst of
emergencies. Preditors prowl the mountain at night.
Ellie and her family have an additional challenge to cope with.
Months ago her dad had been chopping down trees to clear land to
expand their vegetable garden. A tree had fallen on him, knocking him
unconscious. A neighbor had been sent to fetch a doctor.
"'Then 'Coma,' he said. Which wasn't a word we knew. 'He might
wake up tomorrow or never again. Can't tell if he'll be all right.
Can't tell much of anything except he's hurt and his body has decided
that rest is what he needs most. So rest is what he'll have, until he
either gets better or doesn't."
Ellie makes efforts to revive her father even though she gets in
trouble each time. She's sure there is some way to reach him. Maybe
the Hag, an older woman reputed to have healing powers who lives alone
at the top of the mountain, will have some ideas.
Ellie's been strictly forbidden to go any higher on the mountain
than her family's homestead. There are very real perils in those
untamed forests.
But this is her beloved father. She can't just let him die.
On a purrrsonal note, I had a really awesome weekend. The weather was
purrrfect, sunny and breezy. Eugene and I took our road trip on
Saturday. We found a lot of yard sales and got some bargains. I
finally have a carrier for Tobago that isn't cardboard. I won't have
to worry about it breaking when I'm walking down Route 2. I got some
almost new sneakers for a quarter. And lots of other good stuff. We
got Subway and had a picnic lunch beside a lake. There were some
ducks strutting around. It was clear that they owned the place. When
we got back there was time for me to take the bus to Orono to drop off
books and pick up new ones. Sunday Tobago and I went to zoom church.
I just got back from a trip to Orono and you won't believe what I just
saw. I took pictures that I'll share...next post. (Jules)
We heard the bell choir. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene and to the Orono librarians.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my iPod
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