An American Beauty by Shane Abé

 This is the October selection for the Monterey book group, and it's very similar to some of the other fluff we've read lately, although slightly more interesting and slightly better written. We have a struggling family in the south, the mother encourages her beautiful daughter to work in a gambling (and later we learn house of prostitution), meets a wealthy railroad scion, becomes his mistress, and ultimately lives a life of captivity and frustration. A very sad story, really, but interesting to me to read about the wealthy in this post-Civil War time period.

The back cover advertises that Belle (the mistress) lives life on her own terms, but really, she does not. And she gives up her son for five years only because her man's wife demands it? Really odd and hard to believe... And this story is about the Huntington family, and the author claims to have reliable historical sources for much of the story. True or not, it does illustrate the pitfalls of seeking wealth and security through immoral deeds... It was hard to tell where the author stands on some of the thorny issues...Belle ultimately finds "true love" and marries again, but we wonder about that, too. They don't really know each other but feel this electric connection every time they meet? Hmmmm.

The stepdaughter and son turn out to be interesting characters, but we don't learn a lot about them. I felt sorry for Clara, who was obviously sucked in to what would surely be an unhappy marriage. And the unlikely meetings of Belle and "the wife" and all the secrecy surrounding their son...all of it dishonest and weird, really. Yet, it was an interesting story that was mildly entertaining and good fodder for my "read to sleep" habit. I'm definitely ready for something better. Something uplifting, something where the women make better choices!

Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster - 4 hours, 18 minutes via Libby Audio Books

 This was a pure delight! The Ridgeview Ward book club is discussing this book tomorrow night, so I listened to it yesterday and today to get it done. Every minute was enjoyable, witty, and fun. And it reminded me about how the structures of the early 20th century, like women's colleges, were really good in lots of ways. It also reminded me of the excitement of being in college, of learning new things, and the fun and closeness of roommates. Just delightful. I have read this before, but somehow I lost the book. I think Sally Palmer gave me a copy, with sweet illustrations, but I must have lent it to someone because I haven't seen it in years. And I would have never parted with it again. What a treat it was to listen to it as I cleaned our new Monterey home, and sat and listened as I watched the golf course. Just a sweet and fun experience. 

Good, clean story with clever humor and solid character development. Jerusha definitely matures over the four years of the span of the story. Even her writing and vocabulary grow over time. Just love it. 

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

 I first heard about this book from June Apaza, but when I read the reviews on Amazon, it sounded kind of dark. Then at our Ridgeview Ward book club, Geri Aldrich mentioned she loved this book. I was between authors, and enough time had passed that it was now in the library downtown, so I decided to give it a try.

I am so glad I did! It is somewhat dark, because the parents in this family saga are so difficult, cruel, and even negligent. What glows, though, is the story of the two siblings, Danny and Maeve, and the way they navigate their difficult family situation. Maeve is so unselfish; Danny doesn't even realize it until he's older; he's a typical teenager, although much better than most! I really enjoyed their conversations; filled with love and humor. Patchett is brilliant at writing captivating conversations with interesting characters. 

The return of their runaway mother is interesting to read about. What makes it interesting is Danny's battle to forgive and welcome her. Patchett plays this out so realistically and beautifully. It was a fascinating and satisfying story with llots of twists and turns. 

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

 This book was a wonderful read, and creative and brilliant! I loved it so much, and thought, this author is amazing. One of my favorites, especially since "A Gentleman in Moscow," which was equally brilliant and rich. I felt this way all the way through, until the end! Oh, my, what a disappointing conclusion to it all! I'm not even sure what happened at the end; it's a little obscure. But, given time, maybe I will understand that death was the only way that Duchess could have ended? And Woolly too? These two characters were fascinating and troubled...maybe that was the point? I loved Emmett and Billy, and especially how their goodness contrasted with the troubled Duchess and Woolly. Still, I was hoping for redemption for them!

There were other great characters too--Ulysses and the professor were intriguing to learn about. The way the story lasted ten days and yet we learn so much about their lives and thinking. And Sally, the indefatigable Sally who was so capable and so focused and so taken for granted. Such good writing and character development are always appreciated by me, and the way the story came together was brilliant. So many times I was in awe of Towles's ability to make each character's voice and metaphors and analogies unique. Just brilliant. Still, I was hoping for a happier end for them all. 

It's been a week or so since I finished reading it, and I'm still not sure if I want to keep this book and try it again or not. I was so let down by the ending! But maybe taking it on again in awhile will help me understand what Towles is getting at. Yet do I want to believe people can't change? I'm all for reality and not arguing with it, but sheesh... Still undecided. 

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

This book was on the classics shelf at Bismarck's used bookstore. I had heard of it, and the cover accolades confirmed that it was a classic. A hefty paperback at close to 500 pages, I let it sit around awhile before I took it on.

And the beginning was rough. While well-written, I enjoy books that take me away to a pleasant place. This book's beginning did not. Set in pre-World War I Brooklyn, Francie is a young girl making her way through poverty and deprivation with her family. The vignettes of taking scraps to the junkyard for a penny and saving it in a bank nailed down in the closet were vivid and real. I'm pretty sure the author grew up living much of these conditions. They are sobering. For a bright young girl to be hungry and cold yet be brave and forceful was inspiring.

There were many lessons here... Unconditional love for her alcoholic father who understood her in a way her mother did not... Listening to her own inner voice when her teacher told her her stories were sordid...Her growing understanding and respect for her mother...Her mother's honesty...and refusal to take charity. I wondered about this family in today's social setting. Would they be on welfare? Are there mothers like this anymore? Great that she didn't want to accept help, but would having her children be fed not be better? And maybe it was the struggle that made her children ultimately successful and resilient. I wondered about the illiteracy in the family...and how Francie overcame it. How her mother relied on her mother's wisdom to read a page of the Bible and a page of Shakespeare every day so her children would be educated. So much here that was wise and so much that was heart-breaking.

I also liked how the author didn't hit us over the head with her own answers. She just relates her story with amazing clarity and vividness and lets the reader draw my own conclusions. I like the openness of that approach. It was also a peek into a world I know little about, in a time and place in America that I know little about. I feel like there were hardships there and then that forged courageous people who had to rely on each other to survive. Not all were admirable. Some gave up, some turned to crime. But this family survived and I grew in my respect for each member of the family as the story went on in time.

A truly inspiring and wonderful book, if you like real characters (I do!) with real problems. I liked understanding Francie's thinking, too, and could relate to each stage of her life. Though our worlds are very different, the author caught authentic female angst and pluck that was true.

Another note...this was a white family. Race didn't seem to enter into this narrative at all. I wonder why... Was Brooklyn all white? Immigration from "the old country" ie, Ireland, Germany, Austria was a thread throughout, but race was never an issue. Perhaps in that time the racial world was very separate. Although it's interesting to me that this never came up on the streets or in public transportation or in school...maybe it was a white world there then...???

One final note...it's books like these that are so meaty and inspiring that make me NOT want to waste my time on more vapid reading like I've been doing lately. I need a good source of good lit! Maybe I need to browse the classics more often!