A New Constellation - A Memoir - by Ashley Mae Hoiland

I ordered this memoir because I enjoyed her first book, One Hundred Birds Taught Me to Fly, so much. This is the unfolding story of a young mother's experience of being diagnosed and learning to live with MS. It's a wonderful, vulnerable and deep account of her thoughts and reactions to this shifting of her world. There's her lovely poetic view and appreciation for human kindness. There isn't much about her faith or calling on it at all, which surprised me. I think anyone who is suddenly faced with a life-altering crisis, especially a health one, would relate to this book. It's a quick 86-page read, but probably not one I would read a second time.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

This was sitting in the Bismarck used bookstore, and I recalled having read it before, but I couldn't remember when. I had a positive vibe about the cover, so I thought, I'll give this one another try. It seemed the perfect summer read. And it is!

I love coming of age stories, and this one is particularly poignant and painful and hopeful. It is beautifully written. I could relate to Lily (the 14-year old whose point of view this book is written from) and her fascination with the women in the house she moves to, with their worship, and with the young man who also works at the house.  The time period, 1964, against the backdrop of emerging civil rights struggles in the South, is also very appealing to me. I lived this period, but was isolated from most of the pain in California.

The characters are wonderful, real, and complex. I want to be like the patient mentor August, who gently guides Lily through her confusion and loneliness. I want to be as trusting and pure as Rosaleen and May whose hearts are good and joyful. T.Ray, Lily's abusive father is hate-worthy, but his pain is almost palpable, so I'm less inclined to judge him harshly. This story is subtle and nuanced, with wonderful analogies about bees, honey, and life. And despite the painful and tragic circumstances, the story shows that courage and goodness and humanity are abundant in this world. And of course I loved the happy ending. I would enjoy reading a sequel that lets us see Lily navigate college and the civil rights movement...

One Hundred Birds Taught Me to Fly by Ashley Mae Hoiland

This book is like poetry. Her sentences are so packed with meaning, it has to be read slowly and savored, word by word. The illustrations are simple and beautiful. I love this author's perspective. She is open, she is faithful, she is inclusive. She inspires me to be better, especially within my often narrow focus. She writes beautifully and faithfully about her spiritual experiences and chafes positively against some LDS culture. In particular, she values the spiritual journeys of others. This is so refreshing. I love that this book is published by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship at BYU. This gives me hope for our culture becoming more inclusive. Love it. I am reading it through for the second time...

Stone Cold by David Baldacci

One strong memory I have of summers growing up is seeing my mother laying on her bed, in front of the swamp cooker, enjoying a good read before enjoying the luxury of an afternoon nap. She enjoyed this author, and often exchanged these books with my cousin Stan's wife, Sharon. So when I saw this in the used bookstore in Bismarck, I thought if might be fun to pick it up and enjoy a summer read myself.

I think some of his other books are better, although it's been a long time since I've read one. This one is a real page-turner, with lots of tension and action, as the different threads of the story come together. Unfortunately, the characters are rather shallow, even though the story is good. The young father who begins the story is actually a hit man, systematically killing the CIA/FBI and other assorted spies who discredited his father and Russian-born spy mother. Lots of action, lots of interesting sites around DC and different modus operandi. It was the perfect "getaway" read this summer and totally engrossed me the hours I read it. Engrossing, but also a little disappointing that the characters weren't more interesting...

NOT worth reading again, but okay for what it is...

An Embarrassment of Mangoes by Ann Vanderhoof

This book was a list emailed to me by my sister Jane. This title intrigued me, and since it was on the list of perfect summer reads, I ordered a used copy from Amazon.

I was hoping for more story, more insights, and more depth. However, this author did gather and invent some delicious-sounding recipes as she and her husband explored the Caribbean. It was interesting to read about the couple's preparation to leave their lives in Toronto to live on their sailboat and sail for a year or two. Their struggles and adventures were mildly interesting and rather well-described. Would I bother to read it again? Probably not. But the unusual ingredients and people they met make me want to cook some of the exotic recipes. The local people were the most interesting characters, and it was also fun to get a peek into the "cruisers'" lifestyle.

Thru-Hiking Will Break Your Heart by Carrot Quinn

This author wrote in a repetitive style that reminded me of plodding along on a hike. I grew to like it. She repeats words in threes...like hike, hike, hike or hunger, hunger, hunger. She is inexperienced as a hiker, and we get to learn lessons right along with her. She's brutally open and honest and describes the culture of her group of hikers as being extremely close, dirty, and loving. It's an interesting mix! Also, the language is colorful, with an annoying amount of F bombs, but it's often quoting the conversations...

Quinn also reveals a lot about the LGBTQ culture, by describing herself as "queer" and recounts her infatuations with both a woman and later, a man. Somewhat graphic in her descriptions, it helped me learn about "trail trash" and how this group interacts with each other. Sexuality is almost a non-issue in some ways, it's treated so casually. Often the hikers are so filthy that it's hard to imagine a sexual encounter being particularly appealing--but that's just my own 68-year old perspective!

It was fascinating to read about the challenges...like getting sick on the trail, and breaking a tooth, for example. How one hitchhikes to a nearby town, how strangers help out, and how, in the end, no matter what, sometimes all you can do is put one foot in front of another. And she does... I could tell this is one tough woman. I like how she gradually gains strength along the trail and astounds herself with what she can do... 35-mile days, for example, over mountain ridges. She loves trees and the sky and describes them similarly to how I feel about them. She also describes how the trail becomes her whole world and reality. What's happening outside of the trail becomes irrelevant. And her mounting sadness as she nears the end of the hike is interesting too. Other authors are rejoicing that they've achieved their goal, while Quinn is melancholy and lost at the end. She basically wants to live on the trail, and since this book, is apparently doing just that: living on other trails. Good for her.

Bliss(ters) by Gail M. Francis

This is the story of how one woman hiked from Mexico to Canada, on the Pacific Crest Trail. I enjoyed this self-published book because it is well-written and has little pull-out sections that teach you practical things you need to know if you choose to do this thru-hike. Some examples of the pull outs:

• HYOH - Hike Your Own Hike
• Typical Contents of Traditional vs. Ultralight Packs
• Trailnames
• Typical Food
• Gear Changes at Idyllwild
• Using Toilet Paper When There's No Toilet
• Foot Care

Francis does a beautiful job describing the scenery she hikes and the interesting people she meets. It was enjoyable to travel with her during her resupply stops, during a rainstorm, or climbing a summit. It's much more upbeat and less introspective than Wild. It was interesting to learn about the culture that exists among thru-hikers and the way they enjoy Trail Magic and Trail Angels. And hitchhiking and food foraging...many common themes here from the other hiking books I've read. A good, solid read, especially when she hooks up with her Norwegian friend Knut...