Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler

 This is the second of two Anne Tyler books I picked up for next to nothing or maybe they were free. This one was worth more than I paid, for sure!

This author amazed me with her ability to describe thought patterns so familiar to me, in her main character, Rebecca. This woman had a busy, service-driven, frenetic life, and wondered what she had become. She didn't feel like herself anymore. Yet she was in her fifties...Still, how she thought and what challenged her, and her frequent negativity mirrored many of mine these past few years. 

Another intriguing aspect was her wondering about "the road not taken." She had jilted her high school boyfriend for an older man who swept her off her feet. Years after her husband died, she wondered what her first love was doing, what he was like, what her life would have been like if she had a "do-over."

And somehow she found the courage to look him up, meet him, explore a relationship with him. I loved how her ruminating and fantasizing were challenged by reality. Her obsession with her weight and wanting to look her best was familiar to me. 

This author did an amazing job of describing Rebecca's full life of service to her family that she couldn't always appreciate. When her old boyfriend meets her family, she's embarrassed by how they look and act, and yet HE obviously marvels and appreciates them. I think this is often how I am...worried about the wrong things! Her life is full and she somehow can't see it. The way she cares for Poppy, the hundred year old uncle, begins to open her eyes. She's been blind to the joy she creates all around her. 

The family that she's nurtured all these years obviously takes her for granted, and she notices it. She's the center of the family in many ways. She keeps the family business and home going. It's easy to understand how she felt unappreciated and put upon. It was good to see at the end that she realized that she really was having a wonderful time. 

It was a good reminder for me of the power of our thinking, and how our circumstances don't dictate our happiness or unhappiness, it's how we think about our circumstances. I think it was cool that she reached out for something different and gave it a fair chance. And it showed her growth that she wasn't willing to be the safety net for a lonely and stodgy man. I loved how her heart softened around Poppy, when she finally realized that she would enjoy it more if she allowed her heart to soften. Maybe that's what this whole story was about; how choosing a better lens to see one's situation literally changes the situation. 

Redhead by the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler

 This was one of two newish books that were both by Anne Tyler and were both free on a give-away table. I vaguely recalled reading this author before (I checked; I read Amateur Marriage three years ago and didn't particularly like it), so I thought it was worth another try.

This was a soft story with mild characters. I enjoyed the character of Micah, the Tech Hermit, who led a very simple life. The people around him are colorful and he doesn't understand them very well. He's caught in a quandary with the son of a former girlfriend, and he acts with solid integrity to help the family sort out their problems.

But the most interesting relationship was that with his girlfriend of three years who is a teacher. She's obviously trying to move their relationship to the "next level" but Micah doesn't get it. She finally gives up and breaks it off. It was interesting to me to watch Micah slowly become aware of how empty and unfulfilling his life is without her. I was hoping he would wake up by the end of the story, and I'm happy to report that he did!

This is a mild story with a lot of mundane details; not a real page turner, but an adequate summer read. I'm giving this author one more chance before I move on...

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

 I had seen this around bookstores and wondered about it, so when it was on a Thrift Store shelf for 50 cents, I picked it up. It's a book of essays that can be read in any order, but they do have recurring characters. The humor in this book is biting and clever. I'm not sure it's good for me! But "wickedly funny" comes to mind. I kept thinking of Arthur Mecchi as I read it...It's a similar sense of humor.

It's hard to believe that someone could write about their meth use and have it be funny. Somehow, it is! The absurdity of his thinking as he was high was both heartrending AND funny. His family stories are just unbelievable; in particular, his parents. He captures their absurdities brilliantly. I wondered throughout this book how true some of his experiences were. One, where he works as a mover in NYC, was so descriptive and cleverly funny that I read it out loud to Leonard. 

I think I'll keep this around to read again on occasion...but not sure if I'll read any more by this author. It is fun to read these vignettes and enjoy them one by one. It'll be good for my 3AM wakeups when I can't get back to sleep, but need something shorter to take my mind back towards slumberland. 

The Legacy of Luna by Julia Butterfly Hill

 I really enjoyed learning more about one of my favorite things in life: TREES!

I started this while Len and I were in Bigfork, Montana, and I was savoring every deep breath of PINE and loving being among the trees again. It was the perfect read for the flights back home!

Julia Hill recounts her journey to become involved in saving a particular old growth redwood tree, named LUNA. She's very naive, and passionate, and risks her life without very much background or knowledge of trees or the environmentalist movement. It reminded me of when I marched against the Viet Nam War knowing very little about any of it!

As Butterfly takes us along on her life in the upper reaches of Luna, we learn along with her about the various forces at work to destroy the forest. She is spurred on by her spiritual confirmation that she MUST save this tree, no matter what. As time goes on (she lives in the top of this tree for two years), she learns and grows and becomes even more committed to this particular tree. 

I enjoyed learning about her challenges--how to stay warm, how to survive in the storms, how to toilet, how to keep her mental health, and how to stay in a place of love when dealing with the loggers who were determined to oust her. Even though her view is definitely her view, and there's no redeeming words for the logging executives or the politicians involved, it's till worthwhile reading her story and her viewpoint, I think. I'm clearly on her side, but I'm cognizant that there is more to this fight than is presented here. 

Butterfly is a descriptive and good writer who was able to keep me turning the pages. I was also intrigued as she climbed around Luna barefoot, and felt the tree's strength. It was heartbreaking to read about her reaction to Luna's destruction. Since this book is twenty years old, I'm wondering what is going on with her and with Luna nowadays...

The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg

 I usually enjoy Elizabeth Berg, or at least I did when June Apaza and I were both reading her back when we both worked at TIE. We even met her when she came to Border's, and that was fun. She was very approachable and fun to visit with. So when I came across this book in reading some reviews, and realized it was the first in a series, I was excited to try it out.

I love series because it gives me a head start with each new book, to already know the characters. We get to go deeper and longer. So I thought, great, this will be the first of a few more I will enjoy. So I ordered it used, and saved it for our flight to Salt Lake City, and then continued on to Kalispell for our pickleball tournament in Bigfork, Montana. 

It was the perfect read for these flights. It was simple, sweet, and cozy. The characters were interesting and true. The lonely widower, the sweet neighbor widow, and the misunderstood teen became a great support system for each other. How it all comes together is an enjoyable and sweet story. It's enjoyable to read about characters with integrity and who have qualities I admire. And I like happy endings. This had all of that. Having said all that, though, it was also kind of bland. Like, it held my interest, didn't require a lot of analysis or entice deeper thinking, but that was it. I am not inclined to continue the series because I think there are more compelling stories out there. 

Then Again by Diane Keaton

 This book caught my eye one day while browsing at the Treasure Chest, a thrift store nearby. It was only $.50, had interesting photos, and because I enjoy and admire Diane Keaton, I believed it was worth the risk. I'm glad I did.

Keaton compares her life with her mother's. We learn a lot about her family during her growing up years, and the how the relationships develop over time. We don't get details or a chronology; we get interesting impressions and very insightful observations. These memories and insights are shared via vignettes that reveal Keaton's rich inner life. She uses her self-deprecating humor to describe her attempts to become an artist. In the end, she decides she's "artistic," but not an artist. Few Hollywood stars would be so open about their embarrassing missteps. I admire Keaton's honesty about what she learned from her less successful movies, artistic endeavors, and directorial attempts. 

Keaton describes her bullemia and how she talked her way out of it with her therapist. She is clear about her wanting an audience more than a family like her mother had. She is honest and honoring of her romances with Woody Allen, Warren Beatty, and Al Pacino. There are many fascinating anecdotes about these and other famous friends and how they navigate life. The most telling to me was about Jack Nicholson, and how two years after the filming of "As Good as it Gets" she received a check from him with a lot of zeroes; he was sharing his percentage with her. She is not a snarky gossip. She is a clear-eyed observer of her own behavior and sees others with compassion and mostly, admiration. I appreciated that. 

Her description of her family life, and how she adopted two children when she was older, was interesting. She finds purpose in nurturing her extended family as well. This book was published in 2011, and she's had a lot of commercial success since then. It would be interesting to read an update...  The book left me wanting to see some of her movies again, especially The Godfather trilogy and Annie Hall, since she revealed a lot about what was going on behind the scenes in the making of these movies. 

I have always admired her style; and I understand more of her thinking now. This was a worthwhile read. Her devotion and care for her parents are admirable traits. Her humility and taking herself lightly are also impressive to me. Would I make similar choices? No, I did not, and would not. But she has qualities worthy of consideration, for sure. 

The Whole Enchilada by Diane Mott Davidson

 While browsing at our favorite thrift store, The Treasure Chest, I came across this hardback, library edition from Arizona book for $.50. I had heard of this author and that she was light and fun and had great recipes. In fact, the woman at the checkout said, "Oh, you'll love her recipes!" They are gathered at the end of the book, all together, so they are easy to find. The directions are well done...but these recipes are not health food. And the reason is, the master sleuth in this novel is a caterer, and she's always cooking something. It shows up in the story a lot, and seems to figure prominently in building a "cozy" atmosphere. However, she probably wants to be known for great food, and that often means high fat and high sugar. Which is the case here. None of these are keepers.

And...I thought I deserved a light and fun summer read. This one was just too light and too unrealistic. Multiple times I thought, this is a waste of time. The characters were flat and uninteresting. The plot was convoluted and crazy. The caterer's husband is a sherriff and was also investigating the murder, and did so many unethical, unbelievable things that I literally rolled my eyes. One reason I enjoy mysteries is that I learn about the law and evidence and technical things like that. This one was just false on every level; nothing of value was here for me. And yet, I stuck with it. Maybe I hoped it would get better? Here's the truth: It did not. It's on its way to the D.I. pile.