The Tontine by Thomas B. Costain

When we were home in Napa at Christmas, I asked my 91-year old father for a recommendation for a new book for me. I was there longer than anticipated, and had finished everything I had brought along with me. My dad and I happen to love some of the same books (Story Like the Wind; A Far-Off Place, for example), so I was hoping he would have a good suggestion for me. He did! And not only did he recommend it, my sister Ann chimed in and said she had enjoyed it too. And, best of all, he had a copy of it I could keep awhile.

From the first page, I was taken in! Costain weaves a delightful history of life in England around the time of Napoleon's defeat. It's an ambitious undertaking as he follows the lives of several families and generations as England becomes industrialized. The main family, the Carboy's, are importers and factory owners. There's love, there's intrigue, there's peerage, and there's all manner of human frailties. Costain's tone is quite witty; he has a sometimes acid eye as he describes the foibles and interactions of the characters. Sometimes I would laugh out loud at his observations.

The story spans three or more generations and is divided into two volumes. I found the first volume much funnier than the first, but the story carried me right along in the second. It took me awhile to track down and order the second volume, so I had a few weeks in between. By the end of the story in the second volume, I couldn't remember some of the people that the story had circled back around to. So I started back at the beginning of the story in Volume 1, and realize that from the very beginning there is LOTS of subtle foreshadowing of things to come. It's very enjoyable to notice these on the second time through.

Costain's characters are fascinating and memorable. They also tend to be pretty much altruistic (Helen Groody) or stubbornly greedy (Sam Carboy). Although the good ones have their weak moments, the greedy ones seldom have any redeeming qualities; at least any that we can see. What they profess early in their lives (Isabelle Carboy, for example, wanting to marry a duke) stays consistent over the course of their lives. The English passion for their knighted and decorated heroes is fun to read about.

One thing I enjoyed was the comforting world that the author creates around the good characters. It feels reassuring to see good being rewarded with peace! Their lives are not always easy and they suffer serious setbacks, but their peace remains. That's a good thing.

The books I read were published in 1955 and the several pen and ink illustrations by Herbert Ryman in each volume are spare and charming. All in all, worthy of keeping and visiting again in a future lazy day!

July 2016
So...just coming out of a very difficult period...this pair of books (Volume 1 and 2) were a delightful retreat from reality as my brain adjusted to a new phase of life. We moved into a townhome and moved Irene in with us; she's 92 and this has dramatically changed our lives. When things were tough, I would gratefully retreat down to our cool walk-out basement and lose myself again in this wonderful story. I was so exhausted every day, that this was book was also a great reward at night before crashing. It took me over a month to read both this time around, and it was well worth it!

April 2022
I just finished it again! What a delightful story with great characters! We are now living in St. George, and it was a nice spring read when I needed something to help me sleep. I love this story and these characters. I might have to branch out and try a few more of this author's. It's amazing the detail he goes into as he describes the events of the three generations this epic novel spans. We see child labor exploited, we see heroes helping to get child-protection laws passed, we see Napoleon's family trying to gain the throne again, and we see the massive wealth built in England by Sam Carboy utterly lost in a depression.  So enjoyable! It's a keeper, for sure. And kind of bittersweet, now that Daddy is gone, that I can't revisit the story with him. 

Rise and Shine by Anna Quindlen

Still in Rochester, still have the library! So, I was delighted to find a book by Anna Quindlen that I hadn't already read. This book is a delight. While much of Quindlen's humor is cynical, all of it is smart. And the dialogue between the interesting characters is bright, witty, and carbonated! The story fizzes right along with two contrasting views of New York City represented by two sisters. The sister who works as a social worker is also the narrator, and the story evolves around her sister, a TV star. In between is a deeply contrasting way of living and of viewing the world. Quindlen's descriptions of people and NYC life are illuminating, often funny, often tragic, and insightful. I found myself alternately fascinated and appalled by the lifestyles she describes. The glamorous aspects of the rich life is contrasted perfectly with its pain. The absurdity of the welfare system is contrasted sympathetically with the poor who receive it. Interesting characters inhabiting an interesting milieu...with a lot of heart thrown in for good measure.

Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult

My friend Karen recommended this author, who is frequently up high on the best seller charts. I'm not big on best sellers, but I was curious about Karen's taste in fiction. While holed up in Rochester with a library at my disposal, I picked out this book as a way to enjoy some quiet time. Picoult's story was fascinating, and also added a little to my knowledge about some Jewish traditions. She is a competent story weaver, and she certainly held my interest. But some of the plot twists and turns were not even remotely realistic or believable. But somehow that didn't matter too much, because the story and characters were fairly interesting. The central question, whether Faith sees God and performs miracles or not, is never answered, and I knew from the beginning that it wouldn't be. I was hoping for compelling characters and perhaps some uplifting exchanges or plot twists. I would say that the characters were not particularly believable, but the plot was interesting. It was a good summer read that held my interest. Would I choose this author again? Probably not.

Home by Marilynne Robinson

This was an interesting read...Melissa lent this book to me...it is the sequel to Gilead which I read several years ago. Both books are lyrical and beautiful; almost poetic in places. The depth with which Robinson describes people and feelings and their interactions is astonishing! And yet...it's also sad and depressing. There's a very dark element to her characters, I would say. I know I didn't understand all of the Biblical and historical allusions... I felt so sad about the main character, Glory, and her brother, Jack, and their father. It was very, very sad the way they kept hurting each  other. There didn't seem to be any way out of it. Jack's lifetime of pain and never "fitting in" to his loving family was painful to read about. And it went on and on and on. I need to talk to Melissa and find out what she thinks about it. The ending was especially sad, and yet all the liner notes say it's a story of redemption. I missed that somehow! I don't think I will tackle this one again...even though there are many subtleties that I know I missed. Just don't want to go down that road again.

And now...about a month later, I think it's beginning to dawn on me what this author is trying to say. That until we truly let go of our expectations, we can't really understand or appreciate people for who they are. Yes, Jack's father loves him. But he cannot let go of his expectations for him. If he could, then maybe Jack would be free to embrace whatever. I think the author believes that others can read our intentions. When our hearts aren't "right," then our motives and interactions with others become deeply suspect. We can't let them be who they need to be. I believe this is true. When we hold the assumption that someone is deficient in some way, and that we have the answer to fill their void, we are in dangerous territory. It's that territory that I think this book is really about. Can we ever love someone unconditionally? I think this father really thought that he wanted his son to be happy. Doesn't every parent want that? But the father only understood one way to be happy. That forced his son to chafe under the relationship. This struggle mirrors my life in so many ways! I am trying to let go of expectations and of viewing others as deficient. Or of thinking that I have answers for them! How absurd! I know the Holy Spirit prompts people and then they can choose to listen or not...but it's up to them. My struggle is to trust that people deserve my respect and unconditional love, not my advice or my approval or my disapproval. When I can be the kind of person I need to be, others can be too. What is amazing about this way of being is that it gives me the greatest happiness I have ever had. Letting go of judgment and fixing and advising is like laying down a very heavy burden. I am lighter in so many ways...I am so grateful for the lessons I'm learning along the way! I have had this realization multiple times and only pray that this time, it sticks.

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

Melissa handed me this book one day and said she thought I would enjoy it. She was right! It was enjoyable, different, and sweet. Yet it didn't "call" to me when I wasn't in it. It wended its way slowly and subtly through time as a group of foreign nationals were held hostage in a Latin capital.

The characters were intriguing and beautifully described. The development of the relationships under these extraordinary circumstances was interesting. People said what was in their hearts. People bonded with people they would have never spoken to in other circumstances. The author did a delightful job of making me wonder what I would do if my world were radically altered. It seems like a whole new set of mores came into being and old ones went out the door. It also illustrated the transformative power of beauty...in this case, an opera singer's beautiful singing.

My favorite part is around page 220 where a Russian declares his love for the American opera singer through a Japanese translator. There is so much heart and truth in this scene, that it's almost embarrassing and painful to read! I read it aloud to Leonard one night, and he agreed it was a fascinating scene. It also reveals some wonderful insights about the nature of unselfish love and the purpose of declaring it. And the story of the Russian's book of art and its influence on him is a reinforcement of the message about the power of beauty in one's life. Very sweet, very different, very refreshing. Maybe that's why I'm called back to the DC art galleries again and again and again!

The ending of the story is somewhat disturbing and surprising, but when I thought about it, it felt true.
Lovely story. Often disturbing. Deep and complex characters, and rich descriptions.

The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

Sierra told me something about this book that made me immediately want to read it: "As soon as I finished the last page, I wanted to flip to the front and start reading it all over again from the beginning!" Well, the only books I feel that way about are real winners, so I asked to borrow this book, and enjoyed it very much too. I didn't want to reread it, but I understood Sierra's reasoning. There are some mysteries in this book that unfold as the story unfolds, so it would be interesting to read it again, understanding more of the mysteries.

I only like to reread books that take me to rich and wonderful places, I think. This book, while intriguing and full of interesting characters, was a much darker place than I like to dwell when I have a choice! It is set in Salem, Massachusetts, and reveals a lot about the area and its history as well as its current association with witches and witchcraft. Throw in a weird ultra-fundamentalist religious cult who are fighting the witches, and you have the mileu.

The contextual pieces that I did enjoy were the references to the homes and sailing and the island. Barry made me feel familiar with the area, and I could almost feel the salt spray and the moonlight. Another delight in this book was the dialogue between Rafferty and Towner, the main character. That sparkled, at times, and both were deep and interesting characters.

It was an interesting, intriguing read, and one that helped me understand a bit more about Sierra's tastes. We both like mysteries, and this was a mystery of a different kind. I haven't talked with her (yet) about exactly why she liked it, but I think it's because she is fascinated by people and what makes them tick. She majored in Psychology, and Towner's mental challenges were rife with possibilities for study!

One other part I enjoyed: the idea of reading lace, and some of the metaphysical ideas in the Lace Reader's Guide. Some little gems there that were food for thought. Also acquainted me with something I knew NOTHING about! Cool.

The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt

This book captivated me right from the start! It was one of those books that called to me between chapters and made me want to stay awake to read more. Holling Hoodhood is a seventh grader in 1967 and he is hilarious, sensitive, real, and smart. He imagines his teacher, Mrs. Baker,  is at war with him, and details her dirty looks, quotes her, etc. Each chapter is a new month in the school year, and as their relationship develops, you can feel the mutual admiration. It’s wonderful!

Another reason I liked it was the time…people are smoking, Viet Nam War is running in the background, and so are flower children. It’s richly and accurately done!

This is alternately tragic and funny by turns…Holling’s parents, particularly his father, are dolts. They are heartbreaking! But Holling’s ingenuity and independence are developed because of this… There aren’t many books that make me cry real tears, but this one did, in several places. The caring teacher, the heartless parents, the big sister’s problems, the POW arriving home, the love between teacher and student, all were very sweet experiences for me.

One of Mrs. Baker’s tricks is to require Holling to read Shakespeare during their Wednesday afternoons together. He is the only Presbyterian student who doesn’t have to attend either Catholic or Jewish services on Wednesday afternoons. This gives him ample time for private tutoring from Mrs. Baker, and the reader gets a fresh chance to appreciate Shakespeare’s lessons as well. Totally delightful!

I sent this book as an audio gift to Annabee for Christmas this year. I can't wait to see how she likes it! Gabe's fourth grade teacher has it in her classroom collection, but I think it's too sophisticated for him...I wonder if Ann will think it's okay for hers? I really think she'll enjoy it!

The Buccaneers by Edith Wharton and completed by Marion Mainwaring

I have long wanted to read Edith Wharton and finally took the plunge this past summer. Perhaps I shouldn't have begun with an incomplete novel, but the title intrigued me. And Wharton's biographers on Wikipidia included a description of this novel that sounded promising. The plot sounds romantic and interesting and describes life in the upper classes in America in the 1870s. I thought it would help me understand more about this time period. Unfortunately, it did not. The novel focuses almost exclusively on the characters, their conversations, and their actions. But the characters are not seen particularly closely; there's a real distance there. It felt almost like these people were strangers. Their lives were focused on status, position, and money. It was really quite depressing in many ways. I kept wondering, when will they wake up and get real? They never did, and perhaps that's one of the points Wharton was trying to get across. I'm not sure. It was not one of those books I found particularly engaging; however I was able to finish it and say, ho hum. Guess it's over. The supposed wit and irony Wharton is known for was completely lost on me. Will I try this author again? Perhaps...but not anytime soon.

Austenland by Shannon Hale

I am a big fan of Jane Austen! I lived several decades where I read Pride and Prejudice annually and loved it every single time. And each year as I grew older, I loved it and appreciated it more. I had also read some reviews of Shannon Hale's other books. I had heard she is LDS, and that piqued my interest. I ordered it used from Amazon.

The premise is rather unlikely...a young American woman is gifted with a several weeks-long reenactment of life during Austen's time on an estate in England. The lines between acting and "real life" become blurred, and several complicated romances ensue. I enjoyed the lightness of this book, and found the humor to be bright and fresh. But it somehow missed for me...too many weird plot turns, and characters that were somewhat flat. Still, it was enjoyable for the most part. I read it on the road during the Fall of 2010.