Book Review: The Way of Ignorance by Wendell Berry

The Way of Ignorance and Other Essays.  Wendell Berry.  Counterpoint (2005). 192 pages. Genre:  Non-fiction.

First Lines from the Preface:  "I think The Way of Ignorance is the right title for this book, but I recognize that it also is risky.  Some readers, I am afraid, will conclude from the title that I intend to recommend ignorance or praise it.  I intend to do neither."

Summary:  This is a collection of essays Wendell Berry wrote mostly in 2004. Most of them are agricultural based.  Some involve politics.  All deal in some way with how to be a good human being.  

The following essays are included:

*Secrecy vs. Rights

*Contempt for Small Places

                                                        *Rugged Individualism

                                                        *We Have Begun

                                                        *Some Notes for the Kerry Campaign, If Wanted

                                                        *Compromise, Hell!

                                                        *Charlie Fisher

                                                        *Imagination in Place

                                                        *The Way of Ignorance

                                                        *The Purpose of a Coherent Community

                                                        *Quantity vs. Form

                                                        *Renewing Husbandry

                                                        *Agriculture from the Roots Up

                                                        *Local Knowledge in the Age of Information

                                                        *The Burden of the Gospels

Also included is a letter to Daniel Kemmis, his reply and an essay by Courtney White.

My thoughts:  I choose this book to fulfill the "book of essays" category in The Literary Life Podcast 20 for 2020 Reading Challenge.  Earlier in the year I read Fidelity by Wendell Berry and really enjoyed it, so I thought I would try some of his non-fiction.  

Although I am not a farmer and don't know much about agriculture, I found most of the essays interesting and expanding.  He has a way of thinking about ordinary things that is unique and a way of writing that makes things understandable to the average person.

My two favorite essays were Charlie Fisher and Renewing Husbandry.  

Charlie Fisher is about a man who has spent many years logging with horses.  It was interesting to learn about this hardworking man's life.  About the work he does and why he has chosen to do it the way he does.  

"Charlie Fisher is a man of long experience in the woods and extensive knowledge of the timber business and of logging technology.  He has no prejudice against mechanical equipment as such, but uses it readily according to need; for a time, during his thirties, he used mechanical skidders.  That this man greatly prefers horses for use in the woods is therefore of considerable interest."

Charlie's reasons for using horses are that he likes horses, he likes the woods and horses leave the woods in better condition, he both earns and spends his money in the local community rather than with large corporate suppliers with the use of skidders, and horses cost less than skidders.  Oh, and did I mention that Charlie is sixty-six years old?

In Renewing Husbandry, Berry recalls how when he was a boy his father and grandfather farmed the land using mules.  When he was a teenager, the tractor started to become more common.  At the time he longed to be able to plow the fields with a tractor because it seemed to him that would be a more efficient way to accomplish the job.  Mules were slow and stubborn.  However, when he returned to his home in Kentucky as an adult and took up farming for himself, he saw things differently.

He defines husbandry like this:

"The word husbandry is the name of a connection.  In its original sense, it is the name of the work of a domestic man, a man who has accepted a bondage to the household.  We have no cause here, I think, to raise the issue of 'sexual roles'. We need only to say that our earthly life requires both husbandry and housewifery, and that nobody, certainly no household, is excused from a proper attendance to both.  Husbandry pertains first to the household; it connects the farm to the household.  It is an art wedded to the art of housewifery.  To husband is to use with care, to keep, to save, to make last, to conserve.  Old usage tells us that there is husbandry also of the land, of the soil, of the domestic plants and animals - obviously because of the importance of these things to the household."

This really expanded my understanding of husbandry.  I always assumed it referred to the care of animals on a farm.

I am glad to have discovered this book and would recommend it to anyone looking to understand things from farmer's perspective.

Songs of Innocence and of Experience by William Blake

Songs of Innocence and of Experience.  William Blake (1789). Oxford University Press (1970).  156 pages.  Genre:  Poetry, Classic.

William Blake was as much an artist as a poet.  This book contains full color copies of the illuminated plates created by Blake on which he etched both a design and a poem.  

"He knew that poetry and design are the same thing in different forms, and he possessed the originality and craftsmanship needed for the practice of both, separately or simultaneously.  He was not content, therefore, to see his poems only in a written form or in ordinary print as they were in his earlier Poetical Sketches."

This was my first introduction to William Blake's poetry.  Overall, I think I liked more of the poetry in Songs of Innocence.  The illuminated plates are beautiful and do add to the poetry.  I was thankful they included the text of the poem on a separate page because it is sometimes hard to read it on the plate.

Here's one of my favorites from Songs of Innocence:

Spring

Sound the Flute!

Now it's mute.

Birds delight.

Day and Night.

Nightingale.

In the dale

Lark in Sky

Merrily

Merrily Merrily to welcome in the Year

Little Boy

Full of joy.

Little Girl

Sweet and small.

Cock does crow

So do you.

Merry voice

Infant noise

Merrily Merrily to welcome in the Year

Little Lamb

Here I am, 

Come and lick

My white neck. 

Let me pull

Your soft Wool.

Let me kiss

Your soft face.

Merrily Merrily we welcome in the Year

I read this book to fulfill the "Complete volume of poetry by a single author" category in The Literary Life Podcast 20 for 2020 Reading Challenge.

Book Review: Persuasion by Jane Austen

Persuasion

Author:  Jane Austen

Publisher:  Sweet Water Press (2018) (first  published 1818)

260 pages

Genre:  Classic

First Line:  "Sir Walter Elliot, of Kellynch Hall, in Somersetshire, was a man who, for his own amusement, never took up any book but the Baronetage:  there he found occupation for an idle hour and consolation in a distressed one; there his faculties were roused into admiration and respect, by contemplating the limited remnant of the earliest patents;  there any unwelcome sensations, arising from domestic affairs, changed naturally into pity and contempt."

Anne Elliot is the daughter of Sir Walter Elliot.  She is the middle of three daughters.  Only the youngest daughter, Mary, has married and made a home away from Kellynch Hall.  

Eight years ago, Anne was betrothed to Captain Frederick Wentworth.  However, she was persuaded by Lady Russell, her friend and mother figure, that such a match was not in her best interest and broke off the engagement.  Soon afterward Captain Wentworth left the country.  Anne regretted the break up immediately.  She has never stopped loving him.  

Anne's father can no longer afford to pay for Kellynch Hall and decides to move the family to Bath.  It is decided that Kellynch Hall will be let to Admiral Croft and his wife, who happens to be the sister of Captain Wentworth.  Will Anne cross paths with Captain Wentworth?  Will he still have feelings for her?

My thoughts:  This is a short novel, but very well done.  I often find it takes several chapters before I can get into a Jane Austen novel.  The first few chapters often leave me feeling lost.  This one did as well, but once I got the hang of who all the characters were I found the chapters to be succinct and well paced.

I really like the character of Anne Elliot.  She stands in stark contrast to the other members of her family.  She is sensible, kind and often serving others. While her father and Elizabeth are quite vain and Mary is silly and excitable.  

Captain Wentworth is portrayed as a good, honest, caring man.  However, his behavior is confusing at times.  There is that tension often found in romance stories of neither party being able to tell the other how they feel.  But when he and Anne finally talk, Captain Wentworth explains his confusing behavior, which was satisfying.

Quotes:

"Captain Harville was no reader; but he had contrived excellent accommodations, and fashioned very pretty shelves, for a tolerable collection of well-bound volumes, the property of Captain Benwick."

"He was evidently a young man of considerable taste in reading, though principally in poetry; and besides the persuasion of having given him at least an evening's indulgence in the discussion of subjects, which his usual companions had probably no concern in, she had the hope of being of real use to him in some suggestions as to the duty and benefit of struggling against affliction, which had naturally grown out of their conversation."

"One man's ways may be as good as another's, but we all like our own best; and so you must judge for yourself, whether it would be better for you to go about the house or not."

"Everybody has their taste in noises as well as in other matters; and sounds are quite innoxious or most distressing, by their sort rather than their quantity."

"A submissive spirit might be patient, a strong understanding would supply resolution, but here was something more; here was that elasticity of mind, that disposition to be comforted, that power of turning readily from evil to good, and of finding employment which carried her out of herself, which was from nature alone."

"Here and there, human nature may be great in times of trial; but, generally speaking, it is its weakness and not its strength that appears in a sick-chamber:  it is selfishness and impatience, rather than generosity and fortitude, that one hears of."

"'They come on the Admiral's account.  He is thought to be gouty.'

'Gout and decrepitude!' said Sir Walter.  'Poor old gentleman!'"

"If I was wrong in yielding to persuasion once, remember that it was to persuasion exerted on the side of safety, not of risk."

Book Review: Fidelity by Wendell Berry

Fidelity:  Five Stories

Author:  Wendell Berry

Publisher:  Pantheon (1992)

208 pages

Genre:  Fiction, Short Stories

This is a collection of five short stories about members of the pillar families of Port William, Kentucky.  Wendell Berry's writing style creates an evocative picture of life in rural Kentucky.  A strong sense of family, community and love of the land comes through in each story.  This was my introduction to Wendell Berry and it left me wanting to read more of his writing.  

This collection includes the following stories:

Pray Without Ceasing:  Andy Catlett remembers his grandparents and the story of what happened to his great-grandfather.

A Jonquil for Mary Penn:  Mary Penn has a fever, but doesn't mention it to her husband.  She continues on with her daily work, remembering what a good man her husband is.

Making it Home:  Arthur Rowanberry returns home after the war.

Fidelity:  Burley Coulter is ill and dying.  His family comes together to give him the peace he would want in his last days. 

Are You All Right?:  Elton and Andy are worried about the Rowanberrys who live on the other side of the flooded river.

I loved the sense of belonging portrayed in these stories.  If I had to pick a favorite, I think it would be "A Jonquil for Mary Penn".  It was a sweet story of a husband and wife's love for one another.  Fidelity also stood out as a favorite.  It was amazing how the family pulled together without having to discuss anything.

If you love beautiful writing, stories about strong family connections and the beauty of the land I would recommend Wendell Berry's Fidelity: Five Stories.  It was a great introduction to his writing for me and I look forward to reading more in the future.

I read this for the "Collection of short stories" category in The Literary Life Podcast 20 for 2020 reading challenge.

The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis

The Great Divorce

Author:  C. S. Lewis

Publisher:  Simon & Schuster (1996) (first published 1946)

125 pages

Genre:  Classic, Fiction, Theology

"Blake wrote of the Marriage of Heaven and Hell.  If I have written of their Divorce, this is not because I think myself a fit antagonist for so great a genius, nor even because I feel at all sure that I know what he meant.  But in some sense or other the attempt to make that marriage is perennial.  The attempt is based on the belief that reality never presents us with an absolutely unavoidable 'either-or'; that, granted skill and patience and (above all) time enough, some way of embracing both alternatives can always be found; that mere development or adjustment or refinement will somehow turn evil into good without our being called on for a final and total rejection of anything we should like to retain." (from the Preface, pg. 9)

The Great Divorce is Lewis' attempt to help us better understand Heaven and Hell.  It is allegorical fiction, which C.S. Lewis does best.  The story begins with the narrator standing in line waiting for a bus.  He finally gets on the bus, but doesn't seem sure where he is going.  When he arrives, he and the others on the bus get off and begin to wander around.  The people he is with seem ghost-like.  But those who are already in this place are more solid and shining.  Along the way the narrator witnesses several conversations between ghosts and solid people.  He finally is able to engage in conversation with one of the solid people, who happens to be George MacDonald, and is able to have a conversation.  He doesn't always understand, but finally feels free to ask questions.  

I am not a big fan of fantasy and so don't always like this type of story.  But, it did help me understand better that in order to get to heaven, there are things in our lives that must die.  We can't have both.  Sometimes things that are good can become too important in our lives and leave no room for God.  Even things that seem like they can't be bad, such as love for a child.

This was a quick read, but has left me thinking about it for days afterward.  If C.S. Lewis seems intimidating, The Great Divorce might be a good place to start.

Book Review: Stillmeadow Daybook by Gladys Taber

Stillmeadow Daybook
Author:  Gladys Taber
Publisher:  J. P. Lippincott (1955)
274 pages
Genre:  Non-fiction, memoir

"Early morning is like a pink pearl now that April's here.  The first lilacs are budding over the white picket fence in the Quiet Garden; crocus, daffodils, white and purple grape hyacinths repeat the magic of spring.  Surely never was spring so wonderful, such a miracle!"

Stillmeadow Daybook takes us month by month through a year of living at Stillmeadow.  Located on forty acres in the countryside of Connecticut, it served as an escape from the city for Mrs. Taber and her family as well as the family of her good friend Jill.  Now it is home to Gladys and Jill, as they are both widows with grown children.  They spend their days keeping their home, gardening, raising and showing Cocker Spaniels, cooking, visiting with friends and family and enjoying the beauty that surrounds them. 

"And when we lost our husbands, the farm was a refuge and a haven, something to hold fast to.  And something we had to work for, which was a blessing.  By then we were raising all our vegetables, and we had thirty-six cockers.  We were raising puppies, doing a little showing, and were really very busy.  After all, I reflected, Stillmeadow isn't a house and land, it is a way of living."

Each chapter is a month which reads like a letter from an old friend.  This book begins in April and ends in March.  I began the book in September and my intention was to read a chapter per month.  I didn't do it perfectly, but stayed pretty close to the month we were in.  As I have mentioned before, I love details of daily life included in stories.  Well, this is an entire book of the details of daily life!  So, you won't be surprised to find that the Stillmeadow books are some of my favorites.  I have learned much about running my own home, gleaned ideas for meals and laughed out loud as I read about life at Stillmeadow. 

Gladys Taber lived with her husband and daughter in an apartment in New York.  Her husband was a teacher and she was working at Columbia, hoping to get a degree.  Mrs. Taber wrote stories and articles for Redbook, The Saturday Evening Post and Ladies Home Journal.  She wrote several books, many with Stillmeadow in the title.

If you enjoy the details of daily life in writing, are interested in country life or life in the 1950's in Connecticut, I recommend this book or any in the Stillmeadow series. 

Book Review: The Saturday Night Supper Club by Carla Laureano

The Saturday Night Supper Club (The Saturday Night Supper Club #1)

Author:  Carla Laureano

Publisher:  Tyndale House (2018)

416 pages

Genre:  Inspirational Contemporary Romance

"Three hours into Saturday night dinner service and she was already running on fumes."

Rachel Bishop has worked her way up to being part owner and head chef of Paisley, a casual fine dining restaurant in the heart of Denver's foodie district.  Paisley has only been in operation for a few months and has not yet turned a profit.  Competition is fierce in this market, but Rachel is determined that her restaurant will make it. When local food critic Carlton Espy turns up at the restaurant after writing a review questioning both her cooking and her professional ethics, her business partner thinks she should make a statement to the press.  The same day, an article in The New Yorker by Alexander Kanin appears that makes reference to the review without naming names.  The New Yorker article is defending Rachel, however it is drawing more attention to the review.  Her good friend and media consultant, Ana, suggests that she do an interview to get her point of view out.  Rachel disagrees.  She wants attention for her food, not her personal beliefs.  After a long shift, she is heading to her car when she is approached by a reporter.  Ana has told her to direct all media interaction to her.  However, in the heat of the moment,  Rachel says some things that end up being edited by the reporter to look as if she is saying the opposite of what she is really saying.  Things look bad.  The restaurant was just gaining momentum, will this hurt business?

Alex Kanin despises unfair treatment.  Especially unfairly harsh criticism leveled at people in creative careers.  He had been on the receiving end of plenty of that when his book came out.  However, when he wrote the online article for the The New Yorker, he never expected it to go viral.  When he checks Twitter at the urging of his literary agent, he is stunned.  There are lots of positive Tweets, but there are also Tweets guessing at who the chef he mentioned is.  Alex should be excited about all the buzz, but he has a sinking feeling that he has actually sent more readers to the negative review of Rachel and her restaurant.  

"So why did he feel like he'd done something terrible?"

"It was because he'd inadvertently given those trolls a national stage, which was exactly what they wanted.  And he was profiting from it.  The whole thing made him feel like an ambulance chaser."

He decides he has to contact Rachel and apologize and he must do it in person.  Will she see him?  Will she accept his apology?

What a great book!  It is full of deep characters, delicious food and an irresistible location.  

Rachel is a hard-working, driven woman.  Her restaurant means everything to her, but so do her employees.  They are like family.  It was so interesting to peek into the life of a chef and realize how much work they actually take home with them.  I understand more fully how being a chef is not just a job, it definitely has to be a passion.

Alex is also driven and hard-working.  However, he realizes that his career is just that.  He is passionate about writing, but has learned that it doesn't define him.  Both Rachel and Alex are growing in their faith and we get to see some glimpses of that. They both also have complicated families that have shaped who they are and the decisions they have made.

And the food!  I don't consider myself a foodie, but I enjoyed the interesting food described in the story and the process Rachel goes through to plan a menu.  There were casual food experiences as well at homes and restaurants in the area.

I feel like I visited Denver after reading this book.  The descriptions of locations were so vivid.  I especially have a picture of Alex's rooftop patio.

"As spectacular as the condo had been, the rooftop deck was even more beautiful.  Brick half-walls enclosed it and gave it some privacy from the other patios; potted plants and trees around the outside edges made it a garden wonderland.  A long metal table dominated the center of the wood-decked space, with smaller conversation areas set up among the plants.  He had even strung lights up above.

And the view: she could see all the way south to the edge of the city.  At night, there would be no better place to be."

The book contains themes of hard work, dealing with criticism, our identity, faith, family and of course, food. If you are looking for a light romance with deep characters, great food and a beautiful location I highly recommend this book.

Book Review: Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter

Pollyanna

Author:  Eleanor H. Porter

Publisher:  Puffin Classics (1994), (first published 1913)

288 pages

Pollyanna has recently lost her dad and has no one else in the world, except her aunt, Miss Polly Harrington.  Miss Polly, one of the wealthiest residents of the town,  has never been married and lives in a big old house.  When she is asked if she will take her niece, she says yes out of a sense of duty.  

Miss Polly is often shocked by Pollyanna and calls her a "most extraordinary child".  Pollyanna has learned to see the good in all things and this is most unusual.  She and her father played a game of looking for the good in every situation.  Pollyanna makes friends of most everyone she meets and often has occasion to tell them about "the game".  But one day, tragedy strikes.   Pollyanna loses her courage and can't bring herself to play the game.  Many people have been encouraged by Pollyanna's game and they in turn try to encourage her when she is down.

This was the first time I had read Pollyanna.  Many years ago, someone accused me of being a "Pollyanna".  It was not meant as a compliment.  I knew enough about the story to understand something of what they meant.  Now that I have read the story for myself, I would take that as a compliment!  I loved this story!  I loved Pollyanna and her ability to believe the best about everyone she met.  There are themes of wealth vs. poverty, friendship, love, loneliness and the difference one person can make in someone's life.

The copy of the book I read had an afterward written by author Lois Lowry.  

She said this, 

"Now, suddenly, I find something charming in the book's innocence."

"Now I read it with a consciousness that is weary of a lot of worldly, contemporary troubles.  And I find the book refreshing for their absence."

"Strangers transport the eleven-year-old from West to East and then put her alone on a train from Boston to Vermont, sending her to other strangers - and no one worries about whether she will disappear en route and end up as a photograph on a milk carton."

"The child is sent up to bed in a hot attic room of an old house, carrying a lighted candle - and I don't have to wonder whether there is a smoke detector up there."

"Aunt Polly announces that her niece will share her bed, and it never once occurs to me that Aunt Polly may be a sex-starved spinster turned to grievous vice."

"Pollyanna runs to call the doctor when Mr. Pendleton breaks his leg - and the doctor, not an answering service, answers the phone; more than that, the doctor comes, in person, and transports the injured man away  - and no one ever asks whether his malpractice insurance is up to date."

"I love it."

I agree!  This was a refreshing read.

Book Review: Delta Wedding by Eudora Welty

Delta Wedding

Author:  Eudora Welty

Publisher:  Mariner Books (1979), (first published 1946)

336 pages

Young, motherless Laura McRaven is traveling alone from Jackson, Mississippi to visit her mother's people, the Fairchilds, at their plantation in Fairchilds, Mississippi.  Her 17-year-old cousin, Dabney, is getting married.  She will be staying with Uncle Battle, Aunt Ellen and her many cousins.  The story follows the day to day happenings on the plantation as the family prepares for the wedding.  It is through the day to day happenings that we learn about the characters as they come and spend time together at the plantation and help prepare for the wedding.  

At times I found the story dragging because nothing much happens.  It is an interesting look at life in the Mississippi delta on a plantation.  Things moved slower then and this is evident in the story.  Most of their time was spent working - the men in the fields, the women with the servants, in the house, garden or kitchen.  When they weren't working, they were spending time with one another.  They ate simply and for fun would go to the river for a swim.  

I enjoyed getting to know the Fairchild family.  If you like stories of large, close-knit families, I recommend this book.

Book Review: Safe Passage by Ida Cook

Safe Passage

Author:  Ida Cook

Publisher:  Harlequin (2008, first published 1950)

287 pages

"An autobiography should, I suppose, begin at the beginning of one's life.  So - I was born in Sunderland, Durham, the second daughter in a middle-class family of two girls and two boys.  My father was an officer and later a surveyor of Customs and Excise.  As this work entailed a good deal of moving, we four children were all born in different parts of England.  In spite of this, there was always a tremendous sense of stability in our family life."

Safe Passage is, as the subtitle suggests, "The remarkable true story of two sisters who rescued Jews from the Nazis".  When Ida and her sister, Louise, were young women, they developed a love for opera.  At that time they were both working and still living at home.  They began saving money so that they could attend performances at Covent Garden.   Ida boldly sent letters to their favorite stars and was surprised to hear back from some of them.  The sisters became friends with some of the stars and began attending performances outside of England, in other parts of Europe and even the United States.  It was this travel that put them in the perfect position to be able to help refugees get out of dangerous places and into places were they could start a new life.  They never set out to do this, but just fell into it as one of their opera star friends asked them to accompany a friend of theirs to England.  Only later did they really understand what they were doing.  

The Cook family was living in London when the war broke out.  They had finally convinced their mother to stay with relatives in a safer location.  Mr. Cook volunteered with the Home Defense Service as an air-raid warden, both of the brothers were enlisted in the army.  Louise's office had been evacuated to Wales for the first year of the war.  So, Ida and her father were the only family members left in London during the war.  Ida volunteered for night duty at an East End shelter.  Her descriptions of the bombings and of the people she met are fascinating.  

After the war was over, Ida and Louise continued to help displaced people by working with refugees in camps.  I found this interesting as this was an aspect of the war that I didn't know much about.  

"Most of our work consisted of fund-raising for daily fresh milk provision for children under six, or helping to provide treatment and rehabilitation for the many tuberculosis cases.  But we did sometimes go out to visit our camp, and so we came to know some of our cases personally, as well as the wonderful personnel who worked on the spot."

Both of the sisters have such hearts for people of all kinds.  Neither of them ever married, but their family and friends played a large part in their lives.  Their love for others shines through in all of the events related in the book and makes this a heartwarming, enjoyable read.

If you like first-hand accounts of World War II or historical autobiographies, I would recommend this book.  If you are interested in the history of Opera, you will enjoy this book.  If you are just looking for a great story, I would recommend this book.

Book Review: Malice by Keigo Higashino

Malice

Author:  Keigo Higashino

Publisher:  Minotaur Books (1996)

288 pages

A category in one of the challenges I am participating in is "a foreign (non-western) book", so when  I came across this book while at the library it caught my attention.  After reading the summary on the back cover, I thought I would give it a try.  What an interesting mystery it was!

The story begins from the viewpoint of Osamu Nonoguchi.  We know this because each chapter has a title and subtitle that tells the reader whose viewpoint it is from and what it will be about.  Mr. Nonoguchi is visiting his friend, bestselling author Kunihiko Hidaka.  The two have known one another since middle school.  Mr. Hidaka and his wife are moving to Canada in a few days, so Mr. Nonguchi has come to pay a visit and discuss some things.  Later in the day, when Mr. Nonoguchi has returned home, he receives a phone call from his friend stating that they need to talk about some things and could he come back to his house.  Mr. Nonoguchi agrees and they establish a time to meet.  When Mr. Nonoguchi arrives at the specified time, he finds all the lights off in the house and the car in the driveway.  He knocks on the door and gets no answer.  He knows Mr. Hidaka's wife is staying in a nearby hotel to be joined by Mr. Hidaka after he finishes up at the house.  Mr. Nonoguchi calls the hotel to see if Mr. Hidaka is there.  When his wife learns that he is not answering, she is concerned and returns to the house.  Mr. Nonguchi and Mrs. Hidaka enter the locked house.  The door to Mr. Hidaka's office is also locked.  Once they unlock the door and enter, they find Mr. Hidaka dead on the floor, having been strangled with the telephone cord.

Detective Kaga is assigned to the case.  He discovers who the killer is and receives a written confession.  But there doesn't appear to be a motive.  In order to prosecute a case, a motive is needed.  Just when you think you know what happened, the story changes.  This keeps you turning pages!  Detective Kaga works alone and eventually solves the case after many twists and turns.  

As far as content, there is a little language.  Language content can cause me to stop reading a book, that is not the case here.  There is a rape incident mentioned, however it is not graphic.

This was first Japanese author I have read and it was a positive experience.  This is definitely not an atmospheric novel, there is some description of the surroundings, but very little unless it is directly related to the mystery.  It is a unique mystery, well told.  If you enjoy mysteries, you will enjoy this book. 

Book Review: Two Steps Forward by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Two Steps Forward (The Deacon's Family #3)

Author:  Suzanne Woods Fisher

Publisher:  Fleming H. Revell Company (2020)

320 pages

"Growing up is hard on a man.  If he'd done well for himself, coming home again should be one of his finest days.  The kind of day that kept him buoyed up with hopeful visions to survive his lowest moments:  A mother peering out the kitchen window, eager for the first sign of her returning son.  A sweet aromatic cinnamon cake baking in the oven.  A loyal dog, muzzle now gray, sitting by the mailbox.  Unfortunately for Jimmy Fisher, he hadn't done terribly well for himself since he'd left Stoney Ridge."

Two Steps Forward is the third book in The Deacon's Family Series.  I have loved them all, but this one is my favorite!  Suzanne Woods Fisher is a great storyteller and this book is no exception.

The main characters in this installment are Jimmy Fisher and Sylvie Schrock King.  Jimmy is the son of Edith Fisher Lapp.  Edith and her husband Hank are fixtures in Stoney Ridge.  Jimmy is just returning to Stoney Ridge after being away for several years chasing a dream of working with horses in Colorado.  Sylvie Schrock King is cousin to Luke Schrock, deacon of the church in Stoney Ridge.  She is the widow of Jake King and has a little boy named Joey.  Jimmy meets Sylvie almost immediately after stepping into the town of Stoney Ridge.  Her horse and buggy are parked in town and Jimmy notices her horse, an Arabian, which is unusual for an Amish buggy horse.  Sylvie is surprised that he knows it is an Arabian.  He tells her that he has been working on a ranch in Colorado and has worked with Arabians.  Sylvie asks him if he is looking for work.  Before Jimmy can answer, Hank Lapp walks up and in a loud voice lets Sylvie know that Jimmy is not available.  Hank is convinced that Sylvie is on the hunt for a new husband.  Since Jimmy really doesn't have a plan and he could use some work, he decides to pay Sylvie a visit the next day.  She lives on the property adjacent to Edith and Hank's property, which belonged to her husband.  Her husband was quite a pack rat and managed to fill two barns full of junk.  Sylvie has cleared enough room in the newer barn for her horses, but there is still much work to do.  She decides to give Jimmy the work.  When Sylvie learns that Jimmy is the second son of Edith Fisher Lapp, she wonders if she has made a mistake.  Edith has never approved of Sylvie or her son.  How will Jimmy feel about her?  Will he treat her with disdain, like his mother does?  

The secondary story involves Luke Schrock and his wife, Izzy Miller Schrock.  They were the main characters in Mending Fences.  After getting to know and love them in that story, I enjoyed catching up with them here.

Hank Lapp is one of my favorite characters in this series.  He was first introduced in the Stoney Ridge Seasons series.  Hank is not afraid to say what is on his mind and often does so in a very loud voice.  Jimmy often asks him if he has to yell.

"Last evening, he said he wanted to remind Sylvie that Jimmy was an eligible bachelor, available for courting.  'FREE AND CLEAR,' Hank had bellowed, loud enough to scare a flock of black crows right out of their roost."

One of the things I enjoyed about Sylvie's character was her love of animals.  She knows a lot about animals, whether they are her horses, her pets or wild animals, and she naturally shares this with her son.

"'Does your mom take in every stray that gets dropped off? ' 

'Yup.'

'How come?'

'She says God cares about each one, whether they got a family or not.  She says that maybe God cares even more about the ones who don't have someone to love them.  She says we should do just what God does and give them a home.  Even cats.'"

Some of the themes in this story are family, found family, adoption, the importance of fathers, a mother's influence, hard work, promises, forgiveness and faith.  There are some difficult issues dealt with in this story, but it comes to a satisfying conclusion.

This book could be read on its own, but you would lose some of the connection with the characters from previous books.  If you like stories where family and faith play a central role, but also don't shy away from difficult topics, I would recommend this series.  If you are interested in the Amish lifestyle, Suzanne Woods Fisher is one of the best authors in this genre.  

****Possible spoiler alert****

Content/Trigger warning:

Abortion is talked about.

One of the characters has a miscarriage.

Book Review: Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

Death on the Nile

Author:  Agatha Christie

Publisher:  Harper Collins (2001, first published 1937)

373 pages

"The book has a lot of characters and a very elaborately worked out plot.  I think the central situation is intriguing and has dramatic possibilities, and the three characters, Simon, Linnet, and Jacqueline, seem to me to be real and alive."  (Agatha Christie, from the Author's Forward)

I think this quote sums up Death on the Nile nicely.  The central story line is a love triangle involving Simon, Linnet, and Jacqueline.  Simon and Jacqueline were engaged to be married when Jacqueline asks her best friend, Linnet, who happens to be the one of the richest girls in England, to give Simon a job as a Land Agent.  He is out of a job and has no money and Jacqueline loves him so.  Somewhere along the way Linnet steals Simon from Jacqueline.  The next we meet them, they are on a honeymoon trip to Egypt, cruising down the Nile.  

Hercule Poirot is on holiday in Egypt and definitely not working.  Only, he can't stop his brain from noticing things.  Simon and Linnet are on their honeymoon and Jacqueline has followed them.  She has been hurt and wants to cause trouble for Simon and Linnet and her presence seems to agitate them.  Hercule Poirot notices her and has a conversation with her where he says this, 

"It is deeper than that.  Do not open your heart to evil."

"Poirot went on gravely;  'Because - if you do - evil will come... Yes, very surely evil will come... It will enter in and make its home within you, and after a little while it will no longer be possible to drive it out.'"

Before long a murder has occurred.  There are plenty of other characters on the cruise who have their own secrets, but the obvious murderer seems to be Jacqueline.  But that seems too simple...  And so begins the investigation.  

This was my first time reading Death on the Nile and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I love the meticulous way Hercule Poirot works through the case and then finally explains it to the other investigator (and the reader) who can't quite figure it out.  

Book Review: The Solace of Water by Elizabeth Byler Younts

The Solace of Water

Author:  Elizabeth Byler Younts

Publisher:  Thomas Nelson (2018)

359 pages

It's April 1956 in Montgomery, Alabama.  It has been a month since Delilah Evans buried her 4-year-old son.  She wears her grief like a cloak.  The entire family is grieving, but Delilah thinks she deserves to grieve more than the rest.  She can hardly look at her 15-year-old daughter, Sparrow.  She blames her for the death of her son.  She should have been watching him.  Malachi Evans has decided his family needs a change.  He grew up in Sinking Creek, Pennsylvania.  An old friend asks him to come and take the job as pastor of the church.  Delilah doesn't like the idea of being so far from the grave of her boy, but is looking forward to starting over somewhere new.  As they drive into the town, Malachi points out that there are no signs here saying "Whites Only" or "Colored Only".  Delilah can't imagine what it would be like to use the same door or the same bathroom as the white folks.  Maybe things will be better here.

At their new home, the Evans' closest neighbor is an Amish family,  John and Emma Mullet and their teenage son, Johnny.  The lot had fallen to John Mullet to be head deacon of their church.  However, John and Emma have their own secrets.  John is a drunk and has been using the communion wine to support his dependency.  Emma knows his secret.  In fact, she helps him by slipping some alcohol in his coffee cup when they have company so John can get through the meeting.  She knows it is wrong, but she loves her husband and wants to help him do the important work that he does.  Emma has her own secret as well.  She has been taking herbs for years to prevent her from becoming pregnant.  

Delilah and Emma come from such different worlds.  Will they be able to overcome their differences and become friends?

This novel is beautifully written.  It is not an easy read however.  The story deals with several weighty issues.  The main theme is grief and how people deal with it in different and often destructive ways.  Delilah is holding tightly to her grief.  She is no longer the person she used to be, but is cold and angry especially to those she loves the most.  She can't forgive her daughter, Sparrow.  She blames her for the death of her son because she was supposed to be watching her brothers, but had left them and gone further into the woods with a boy.  Sparrow feels her mom's unforgiveness every day.  On top of the grief of losing her brother, she feels the weight of being unwanted by her mother.  She just wants to pain to go away.  Soon she begins hurting herself as a way to relieve some of the pain.

Emma lost a daughter through still birth.  It was then that she started taking the herbs to prevent pregnancy.  She couldn't bear the thought of losing another child.  And, after John started drinking, she didn't feel he would be a good father to another child.  Emma is grieving her daughter, but also the life that she could have had.  She feels she is drowning in secrets and sin.  

The chapters alternate between Delilah and Emma and sometimes Sparrow.  It was easy to follow and gave the reader good insight into the characters.  The time in history adds another aspect to the story.  It was interesting to see how the issue of segregation was handled in two different parts of the country.  The novel ends in hope, but takes a long time to get there.  If you are looking for an uplifting read, this is not the book for you.

The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare

The Winter's Tale

Author:  William Shakespeare

A fully dramatized recording by Arkangel (2007)

On my reading list for 2020 is a play by Shakespeare.  I chose The Winter's Tale because The Literary Life Podcast will be discussing this play soon.  I decided to listen to an audio version of the play, but also use a written version along with the audio.  The audio version I chose was the dramatized recording from Arkangel.  This was very easy to listen to.  I have tried other dramatized versions that were difficult to listen to because there was too much going on at once.  The Arkangel version generally had just one person speaking at a time.  Sometimes there was background music, but it didn't distract from the dialogue.  Before beginning the audio version, I read the cast list and opening scene from the written version.  This familiarized me with the setting and the characters and the general direction of the play.  Then I would listen to the audio.  After listening to a portion I would sometimes go back to the written version and read parts or get clarification if I was confused about who was speaking or what was happening.  This worked really well for me.  I was able to follow the characters and the story without much trouble.  

Book Review: The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson

The Dating Charade
Author: Melissa  Ferguson
Publisher:  Thomas Nelson (2019)
336 pages

Cassie Everson is tired of the dating game, specifically the online dating game. She is 33 years old, so she has been at this a while. When her latest date turns out to be married, she decides to delete the dating app from her phone. Just before deleting it she notices one more message. When she begins reading it, it sounds like all the rest, so she doesn't finish it and deletes the app. She figures she will just throw herself into her work as director at Girls Haven, a center for disadvantaged girls. Cassie's best friend, Bree,  is skeptical about her spontaneous decision to give up on the online dating scene. After all, it has been sending men her way. Bree thinks Cassie is overreacting and wants to see for herself if things are really as bad as Cassie claims. So, Cassie give Bree her account ID. Bree takes it upon herself to answer that last message and sets up at date for Cassie with Jett.

Jett, a firefighter, remembers Cassie from high school. Although, he is not sure she will remember him. He can't believe his luck, Cassie Everson has agreed to go on a date with him. When Jett shows up, Cassie is waiting outside Girls Haven.   She is a little alarmed when he approaches her bearing flowers. But, then she realizes that Bree has set her up, lets Jett know this and excuses herself. Jett gets in contact with Bree and she agrees to help Jett get a real date with Cassie.

This is a feel-good story, full of hilarious moments that had me laughing out loud. However, it also deals with some weightier topics such as; abandonment, addiction and adoption. Both Jett and Cassie have such big hearts for others. They both desire to do what is right, no matter the cost. It was interesting to see inside the life of a firefighter as well as the ins and outs of working with disadvantaged girls. After secrets, misunderstandings and an accident, it all turns out in the end. This was an enjoyable read.

The Literary Life Podcast 20 for 2020 Reading Challenge

The Literary Life Podcast 20 for 2020 Reading Challenge is hosted by Angelina Stanford and Cindy Rollins at The Literary Life Podcast website.  You can listen to Episode 31: Our Year in Reading to hear them talk about the challenge and give some suggestions for the categories.  I will record my progress below.




1.  A Shakespeare Play - The Winter's Tale
2. A Classic Detective Novel - Death on the Nile
3. A Classic Children's Book - Pollyanna
4. A Contemporary Novel - The Saturday Night Supper Club
5.  A Historical Fiction Novel - The Solace of Water
6.  An Ancient Greek Play - The Trojan Women by Euripedes
7.  A Collection of Short Stories - Fidelity by Wendell Berry
8.  A Biography or Memoir - Safe Passage by Ida Cook
9. A Devotional Work - Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney
10.  A Book about Books - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
11.  A Foreign (Non-Western) Book - Malice by Keigo Higashino
12.  A "Guilty Pleasure" Book - Two Steps Forward
13.  An Intimidating Book You Have Avoided - The Great Divorce
14.  A Satire - 1984 by George Orwell
15.  A Book of Essays - The Way of Ignorance by Wendell Berry
16.  A Book by a Minor Author - Delta Wedding by Eudora Welty
17.  A Classic Book by a Female Author - Persuasion by Jane Austen
18.  A Complete Volume of Poetry by a Single Author - Songs of Innocence and Experience by Wm Blake
19.  An "Out of Your Comfort Zone" Book - Beartown by Fredrik Backman
20.  Reread a Book You Read in High School (book by an author I read in hs) - Cannery Row by Steinbeck