See How Much I Love You by Luis Leante

See How Much I Love You  by Luis Leante (Translation by Martin Schifino ) is an enticing tale of love between two Barcelona teenagers, Montse and Santiago,  that spans thirty years.

I would not dare call this book a romance novel; definitely, the wrong genre, but it is a love story. And the backdrop of the Western Sahara leads the reader into a world that few of us truly understand.

The plot has the impact of a thriller novel. (So much so,  that I have passed my copy on to my husband.)

Santiago escapes to the Spanish military in 1975 and is stationed in Spain's only African colony. Unlike his fellow soldiers, Santiago is befriended by the native Sahawari people. When General Franco dies, Spain pulls out of the colony and Santiago chooses to stay to help his Sahawari friends as Morocco invades their land.

Montse discovers a photo of Santiago thirty years after the conflict and goes on a life threatening quest to find him.

This book has been compared to Michael Ondaatje's   The English Patient by the INternational Literature Festival of Berlin 2010. ( 1 )

The translation is flawless, the story is gripping and the author's cause behind the writing of this story is enlightening.



(4 out of 5 stars)

See How Much I Love You available at You Are What You Read Book Store


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Luis Leante teaches classic in a high school in Alicante. He holds a degree in Classical Philology from the University of Murcia. He has written six novels and two novels for children. See How Much I Love You was inspired by a 2005 humanitarian trip to the Western Sahara. In 2007 it won the Alfaguawa priza for fiction.

The Whispers of the Tribe (Author's Blog via Google translator)



LEARN MORE:

Sahawari Women of the Western Sahara

National Union of Sahawari Women

ZEINA - Blog by two Sahawari women

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The Lost Child by John Hart

The Last Child by John Hart is the story of a thirteen year old child's quest to find his missing twin sister.



Being that I am a parent... I usually do not seek out tales involving child abduction; just way too scary a subject to contemplate. Now that being said, Hart's page turning suspenseful plot touches at the deepest core of human emotions: profound grief and how one comes to terms with catastrophic loss. I am glad I took the time to read this book.


John Hart accurately portrays subjects such as domestic violence, drug abuse, and child neglect. Hart's characters struggle with the limitations encountered in law enforcement and child protection agencies.


If you are a fan of murder mysteries and well polished suspense novels, this book will keep you on your toes with unexpected twists and surprising turns from the first to the final page.


 
(3 out of 5 stars)


The Last Child available at You Are What You Read Book Store

LEARN MORE:

JOHN HART: Author's Official Web Site

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Scars and Stilettos: The Transformation of an Exotic Dancer by Harmony Dust

The story of Harmony Dust is frankly honest and compelling.



I could not put the book down.


She truly describes the life altering trauma of sexual abuse and how a person can succumb to life in the sex industry.


She found her way out through a spiritual conversion.


The telling of her conversion is never preachy, just simple and real.


She turns her suffering into a labor of love by establishing an outreach ministry to other sex workers.






I highly recommend this book, and would (if I could) make this mandated reading for professionals in the field of treating people who have experienced the trauma of sexual abuse.




(4 out of 5 stars)

Scars and Stillettos available at You Are What You Read Book Store

Learn more about the author's outreach program here: TREASURES

The Good Plain Cook by Bethan Roberts

   The Good Plain Cook by Bethan Roberts 

AVAILABLE: November 2009

Life is lived through the simple small tasks of daily life...


the making of a cup of tea,


peeling potatoes,


going for a walk...


The Good Plain Cook  demonstrates author, Bethan Roberts',  talent for telling a story simply and in eloquent detail through the experiences of a young "plain cook" named Kitty. Roberts creates mood and scene with just the perfect balance of words that set cinematic views for the reader without burdening the text. She has crafted a convincing quietude that magnifies the eccentric lifestyle of "champagne socialist" Ellen Steinberg, her Marxist poet lover, Mr. Crane, and Steinberg's lonely daughter, Geenie. This little group of "bohemians" reside in a  cottage out in the English countryside during the summer of 1936.


This story is loosely based on the life of art collector Peggy Guggenheim.


I found the book to be an enjoyable read... just like a good home cooked meal.

(4 out of 5 stars)

The Good Plain Cook available at You Are What You Read Book Store

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Bethan Roberts

The Angelic Way by Rami Shapiro

There are times when I am so grateful to receive advanced reading copies of soon to be published books.

This is one of those times.

The Angelic Way: Angels through the Ages and Their Meaning for Us by Rami Shapiro is a scholarly work that is highly readable and quite thought provoking.

How fascinating was this work?

Let's put it this way... I wrote 18 pages of notes to myself about topics from Shapiro's text. I am not parting with my copy of this book, no way.

Rabbi Rami Shapiro defines angels as a metaphor (or symbol) used to describe the human ability to transecend our "ego-centered mind" into a "God centered conciousness".

Being that I am a Catholic reader I could not accept Shapiro's stance that angels exist only as myth.
Yet, not once, did I take issue with his thesis. In the end the emphasis is placed upon each individual's ability to let go of the self (ego) and embrace joining with the Divine.

Shapiro's approach is ecumenical or what you maycall interfaith. He opens the doors for addressing the history of angels from a wealth of knowledge from many religious perspectives. His work is firmly rooted in the study of mythology with reference to the powerful work of Joseph Campbell.

Unlike the overflowing miasma on book store shelves of pop culture angels compartmentalized into simplistic explanations used to serve  authors '  needs to appease a reading population that wants quick fix spirituality...

Shapiro's text is a fine work of scholarship that appeals to the reader's intellect.  The Angelic Way: Angels through the Ages and Their Meaning for Us  is written with such clarity that it encompasses complex concepts that are accessible to the unitiated theological reader.

And with that being said, I am going to hit my notes and start exploring the new worlds that author, Shapiro< has introduced to this avid reader.

ENJOY!

(4 out of 5 stars)

The Angelic Way available at You Are What You Read Book Store

Publication Date: 10/30/09



Learn More:

AUTHOR'S BLOG:   Rabbi Rami

Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell

Last of my 2009 summer reads.
(boohoo... back to more serious reading now)

I really liked this one. Lots of loose ends tied up from the last Scarpetta story, but...

an editor! An editor! This story needs someone to chop away at least 25% of this book. Annoying nuisances pop up like repetitious sentences, the criminal deluge of adverbs... and rehashing the plot progress too much.

What happens to editors when they have to deal with best selling authors? Actors need their directors and authors need their editors to pull in the reins and do all that fancy schmancy editorial stuff.

Sigh.

Of course, who am I to critique when I have never written a book?

Well...

I've read a ton of them including Patricia Cornwell's novels.

I'll be eagerly awaiting the next in the Scarpetta series.

Please, please make this avid reader want to give Dr. Kay a four star review.

(3 out of 5 stars)

Scarpetta available at You Are What You Read Book Store

LEARN MORE:

Official Patricia Cornwell Site http://www.patriciacornwell.com/

From the Dust Returned: A Novel by Ray Bradbury

You have to read From the Dust Returned: A Novel by Ray Bradbury with the Charles Addams cover artwork.

Bradbury had planned to do collaborative work with the Addams family artist, but the plan never came completely to fruition. You have here the author who has inspired countless science fiction authors, and the artist whose work has obviously influenced artists like Timothy Burton.

Bradbury shares in his Afterword that the characters from this book, the Elliot family, started as imaginary characters when he was 7 years old. Character portraits are based on loving memories of his own family and special Halloween celebrations devised by his Aunt Neva. The love for these happy memories and family shine through the writing.


I found that reading this book made me reminiscent of the days in my youth where I could curl up with a book on an endless summer day without any interruptions or responsibilities hanging over my head. The language is beautiful, and the plot is simple.

The only criticism I can offer is that the chapters are obviously "taped together" works of short stories ranging from 1946 to 2000. The throughline chapters are not always satisfying.

(4 out of 5 stars)

Five stars for the poetry of Bradbury's eloquence, and two stars for the continuity.

From the Dust Returned available at You Are What You Read Book Store

LEARN MORE:

Ray Bradbury Official Site ( http://www.raybradbury.com/ )

Mayo Clinic Guide to Living with a Spinal Cord Injury

Patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI) are now having shortened hospital stays. The result of this circumstance is less time in hospital for patient education. The Mayo Clinic Guide to Living with a Spinal Cord Injury: Moving Ahead with Your Life is an outstanding educational resource for patient and family use that offers the extensive information needed to help a SCI patient on the path to recovery.

Anyone who has had a major health crisis with permanently life altering effects can attest to the mind numbing shock that occurs immediately after the doctor shares the news. Patients are deluged with information in an effort to start the healing process promptly.

Speaking from my personal experience from the day I was newly diagonsed with systemic lupus... I can vividly recall all the overwhelming changes occurring with no time for my mind to catch up. I was seeing numerous specialists, being prescribed medications, having to make abrupt lifestyle changes and being recommended books to purchase, websites to visit, handouts to read... everything getting lost in a clutters of papers because I was too confused by the immediate situation.

I wish I had had a manual like Mayo Clinic Guide to Living with a Spinal Cord Injury: Moving Ahead with Your Life . This manual takes all those informational handouts and gathers them together in a highly readable and organized manner. The emphasis for SCI treatment is patient AND family involvement for a successful rehabilitation. The handbook is written to include the patient's caregivers (who usually are family). The writing is concise and addresses topics that I would think many patients would either be too embarrassed to discuss... or wouldn't even had thought to ask questions about.

Beyond the educational value for patient and family, this book would definitely be beneficial as an instruction manual medical social workers. The book outlines a multitude of social and emotional challenges that a SCI patient and family will face. As a social worker I would definitely use this book in counseling sessions as a springboard for discussion.

(4 out of 5 stars)

Mayo Clinic Guide to Living with a Spinal Cord Injury is available at LBL Book Store

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

Mayo Clinic

http://www.mayoclinic.org/spinal-cord-injury-rehabilitation/

Paralyzed Veterans of America http://www.pva.org/site/PageServer

A GENTLE RAIN by Deborah Smith

I am not prone to reading love stories. I like surprises and unconventional characters and the such that I usually find lacking in the "romance" formulas of pop fiction.

But, now I must jump off of my reading snob soap box and admit that GENTLE RAIN by Deborah Smith was a pleasant literary visit. I found the story to be predictable, but comforting in its predictability.

I think what captured my attention was the author's inclusion of two major adult characters who have developmental disabilities. The characters were treated with dignity and the book successfully addressed the rights of adults who have intellectual challenges.

Will I read more love popular fiction love stories?

Probably not, but if I see Deborah Smith's name on the cover...

I think I will pick up the book and take a leisurely time out from the world.




( 3 out of 5 stars)


A Gentle Rain available at You Are What You Read Book Store

GILEAD: A Novel by Marilynne Robinson

GILEAD by Marilynne Robinson is a Pulitzer Prize (2005) winning work of fiction. The story is told through a collection of letters written by an elderly dying minister for the benefit of his young child.

I think I need to read this book again.

Why?

Because I had several false starts which caused me to lose track of the characters and the story line. This problem was due to my own inattentiveness...

I like to read before dozing off.

This book deserves the reader's total undivided attention, therefore I will will pay GILEAD its due.

GILEAD is brief, but contains so many jewels that to nod off mid-sentence is to break the thread that binds the jewels together.

The language is resplendent in its simplicity... and through this simplicity much wisdom is shared. My copy is dogeared willy nilly... take your time reading this one, because there is so much in here that you are going to want to recall.

I wish I had the true gifts of a literary critic, but I do not...

so I'd like to share my favorite segments from GILEAD:

4The narrator, Revernd John Ames, speaks of his father's and grandfather's legacies as ministers. The grandfather returns home from war with an eye missing. The grandfather's response to the family's surprise:

"I am confident that I will find great blessing in it..." (p. 36)

A response that the grandfather chose to continue to use throughout his life in response to disagreeable events.

4 As the elderly Reverend John Ames reflects on his life, he writes to his seven year old son:

"How I wish you could have known me in my strength." (p. 94)

How many of us older parents wish for the same thing?

4 "That is how life goes - we send our children into the wilderness. Some of them on the day they are born, it seems, for all the help we can give them. Some of them seem to be a kind of wilderness unto themselves. But, there must be angels there, too, and springs of water. Even that wilderness, the very habitation of jackals, is the Lord's." (p. 119)

4 Reflecting on sorrow and human suffering:

"I heard a man say once that Christians worship sorrow. That is by no means true.But, we do believe there is a sacred mystery in it, it's fair to say that... I believe there is dignity in sorrow simply because it is God's good pleasure that there should be. He is forever raising up those who are brought low. This does not mean that it is ever right to cause suffering or to seek it out when it can be avoided, and serves no good in practical purpose. To value suffering in itself can be dangerous and strange, so I want to be very clear about this. It simply means that God takes the side of sufferers against those who afflict them." (p. 137)

4 I think the world would be in a lot better shape if we could heed the following words:

"I have heard any number of fine sermons in my life, and I have known any number of deep souls. I am well aware that people find fault, but it seems to be presumptuous to judge the authenticity of anyone's religion, except one's own. And that is also presumptuous." (pp. 172-173)


(4 out of 5 stars)


Gilead available at You Are What You Read Book Store

LINKS:

Author Interview:

TITLE: INTERVIEW . Marilynne Robinson . March 18, 2005 PBS
LINK: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week829/interview.html
NOTE: This has got to be one of the best author interviews I have read in ages. Absolutely outstanding and you need not have read GILEAD in order to understand the interview.

Author Audio Interview:

TITLE: Writer Marilynne Robinson on 'Gilead' by Terry Gross (NPR)

LINK: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4490635

Reading Group Guide:

LINK: http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides3/gilead1.asp

Pulitzer Prizes: Fiction:

LINK: http://www.pulitzer.org/bycat/Fiction