J is for Judgment by Sue Grafton

 I saw this paperback in the Switchpoint Thrift Store for 50 cents, so I thought I'd take a trip down memory lane and revisit this most engaging series that I read years ago. It was long enough ago that this was like reading a completely new book! The only vaguely familiar part was when Kinsey discovers she has living relatives and her cousins contact her. Her reaction is so strong and so antithetical to what I think I would have done, that it stuck in my memory.

This is a good yarn, and not as graphically violent as some of Grafton's later mysteries in the series. This one deals with the disappearance of a father who developed a ponzi scheme and took the money and ran. Kinsey tracks him down in Mexico, and in the course of the story, connects with his family. It's engaging and not too hard to follow the clues along the way. There isn't a lot of Henry or her home life in this one, nor is there any romance. Still, it's an enjoyable, at times funny and at times tragic story. I really enjoyed Kinsey's analysis of Wendell and whether or not he had any redeeming qualities. The description of his sons, particularly the violent criminal one, was also fascinating. 

Now I wonder...should I start all over again with A??? These sure are fun. And I'm tempted! 

Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber

 In some of my darker days, this book brought me a little comfort. It was a nice escape this summer when I was trying to figure out how to survive the heat and how to embrace my new life in St. George as the Relief Society president. The negativity was rampant and this book was enjoyable and light.

Too light, really, and very predictable. But the scenes of small town life and people were sweet and you could tell nothing really horrible was going to happen to anyone. It was clear at the beginning that the woman (Anna Kate) was going to stay in Wicklow, that the family mystery would be solved, that everyone would life happily ever after, and even Natalie would find her way. 

What was nice to read about was Anna Kate's love of the little cafe, her garden, and the surrounding mountain woods. She talked to her zucchini plant. She baked sumptuous pies, she used mulberry syrup in the pies from her trees, she listened to the blackbirds sing at midnight, she believed in the dreams that people had when they ate her pie. It's slightly mystical and fun and slightly entertaining. It was so predictable, though, that it got a little frustrating. It's going into the give-away pile that is growing by our front door. 

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman

 This is the second book by this author, and it is every bit as good as the first, which I enjoyed a couple of months ago. I am so delighted by this author's humor and his keen eye for characters and interesting details. This plot got a little twisty, but I was able to follow 95% of it.

One thing that particularly stood out to me is the way Elizabeth treats her husband Stephen. And how she thinks about him. His dementia is increasing, and she treats him wonderfully! I found it truly inspiring and instructive. She honors him, she dotes on him, she agrees with him! 

You could almost call this a "cozy mystery" although there is plenty of blood. What makes it cozy is the four friends who live in a senior community and love and support each other. Their capers are inventive and their conversations are hilarious. Their misunderstanding of modern culture often gets them into funny situations as well. Often criminals and others underestimate their abilities and that makes for good  humor as well. I just read there's a third one coming out and I will be ordering it post haste!!!

Maria von Trapp - Beyond The Sound of Music by Candice F. Ransom

 Leonard surprised me by ordering this hardbound, school book from 2002 complete with clear black and white photographs from Maria's life. It was written as a kind of easy reader, I think. I read it a couple of hours and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I am so familiar with the movie and play versions of the story that it was fascinating to read about what REALLY went on Maria's life. She was a hard worker with an undying energy for family unity and family success. There were obstacles all along the way...

It was fun to imagine this large blended family surmounting so many trials after they emigrated to America and began touring. I imagine there must be a lot of people still alive who saw them or who went to their Vermont music camp back in the 1950's. It was also interesting to read about how Mary Martin's husband convinced Maria that letting her book become a Broadway play would earn the family much needed money. Maria attended opening night in 1959, and although the critics found it to be "too sweet," audiences loved it and it ran for four and a half years!

Next, Hollywood made a film version of her life that opened in 1965 starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. I remember seeing it not long after it came out and probably strengthened my interest in all things German. I loved the story and the music and we Kublers memorized the soundtrack. What I didn't know is that Maria herself, and her daughter Rosmarie, and her granddaughter Barbara can be seen strolling in the background during Julie Andrews's "I Have Confidence" song. 

This new interest in getting the book was spurred by Len buying us tickets to see a performance of the show LIVE in Cedar City, UT, at this summer's Shakespeare Festival. We enjoyed it but were puzzled about the casting of a black Maria. She had a beautiful voice but her "soulful" movements were awkward from a supposedly Austrian character. I'm not comfortable admitting this. But it's history and it stood out to me. True, all the white performers probably stand out to black audiences, so I am willing to say I could be small minded about this. 

Looking for Rachel Wallace by Robert B. Parker

 I recently reread one of my favorite author's books (Wasted by Sue Grafton) and noticed that Kinsey, the private eye heroine, was reading a Robert B. Parker mystery. It caught my attention because I know Grafton doesn't drop names or references without a purpose. Because I love Grafton's work, I thought it would be worthwhile to see whom she references. I found an old used copy on Amazon and dug right in.

It was easy to see, right away, why Kinsey would read Parker. She is an iconoclast, as is Spenser, the main character in this series. Smart mouth, former police officer, cynic, and a cut-to-the-chase worker are all similarities. This book centers on Spenser's relationship and then search for a gay woman writer and their different world views. Parker did a great job in portraying some of the nuances inherent in women wanting to be treated equally and yet also being vulnerable and in need of protection. It also explores issues way ahead of its time, since it was published in 1980. There was a gut wrenching portrayal of Rachel Wallace being shamed for being gay. 

Spenser is an interesting character because he's literate and somewhat of a bully. The literary allusions are rampant and fun. He's lovable despite his rough edges and is different than Kinsey in that he does have a solid long-term love interest. He's not skittish like Kinsey. Yet the humor and smart mouth are similarly enjoyable in both characters. He's also more vulnerable; we see him crying at scene of people he needed to kill. 

This book is also a bit rough and more graphic than I would choose to have in my life, so I'm not sure if I'll pursue more in this series or not. For now, I'm moving on to other writers. 

Catch Me if You Can by Frank W. Abagnale with Stan Redding

 Jane enjoyed reading this book during her flight and shuttle on her way down here to St. George. She raved about his audacity and found it intriguing what he could get away with. She was even so impressed that she read part of it out loud to us. So I was delighted when she finished it and left it here for me to read. 

I enjoyed it too, but I found it almost completely unbelievable. I mean, really? He passed himself off as a pilot, a visiting business professor, and as a supervising medical doctor. Yes, he's a really good talker and counterfitter of documents, but even so, it's a preposterous story. Teal told me that many of his claims have been debunked, and that makes sense to me. On the other hand, though, she said the movie that was based on the book is first rate. And, she was right! Len and I really enjoyed the movie, with Christopher Walken and Leonardo DeCaprio. Great acting and wonderful slices of life and fashion from the early 70's. Much, much better than the book!

Without the Mask - Coming Out and Coming Into God's Light by Charlie Bird

 I really enjoyed this book. It is the story of one of the greatest "Cosmo's" of all time, BYU's mascot. I liked how he shared his feelings about being gay, about coming out, about feeling different, and about interacting with his family. He also wrote very eloquently and movingly about how being gay is part of his identity. It is not something that can be taken on or off...which I knew, but now understand on a deeper level. An interesting insight he wrote was that, given the choice, he would NOT choose to be heterosexual. The learning and philosophy and interweaving of the Gospel is so fascinating. He has some hard truths to share about how he was treated, although there is no bitterness. He's a faithful member of the church, and he still has no long-term answers about how his gender identity will play out in the next life. We don't know! But he's very willing to live the Gospel now, not knowing, because Christ is central to his identity as well. 

He's found it challenging to find his place. Some of the LGBTQ community are promiscuous and that's not where he wants to be. It's an on-going struggle to find his place and friends, it seems. I have to admire his commitment and faith. AND, it's a very well-written book with great examples of what it feels like to struggle with same gender attraction.