Thank you and catch up on current reading

Thank you to all my friends and loved ones who had conversations last week about the joy and passion of reading. My dear friend, April in New Jersey had a small and enthusiastic group discuss reading. Two favorite comments were from two older women. One thought of reading as a treat which she “allowed” herself throughout the day rather than only at special times.  Another gave herself permission NOT to finish a book that didn’t interest her. I LOVE these “tips”.

I simply MUST give you the short version of what I have been reading- too many books are piling up and I must get them back to the Library.

Eva Moves the Furniture by Margot Livesey deals with the “imaginary” friends of a seven-year-old girl. Born in rural Scotland in 1920, Eva’s mother dies of the influenza soon after Eva’s birth. Loved, but a lonely child, Eva yearns for friends. Two “ghosts” join her in the garden one day and come to stay. They even follow her into adulthood. Why? Read this and find out !  

Recommended by my friend, John C., The Camel Club by David Baldacci deals with terrorism (both international and of the home-grown variety).  John said I would like the characters in this thriller and I really, really do ! A page turner with people you want to know more about- I highly recommend this book.

Garden Dreams is a graphic novel by Fumi Yoshi.  A young Arab finds himself the squire of a French Baron during the Crusades.  This book is romantic, historical, and deals with real emotions.  A good introduction to the graphic novel format. Although (I admit that reading the book from back to front was a challenge- and I enjoyed the story.

I love Janet Evanovich’s “naughty” humor and I am so glad that she does the “Between the Numbers” series of books that feature Stephanie Plum and the mysterious “Diesel”. Is he an angel, a devil, a god, a lunatic, just very, very mysterious or all of the above? Plum Lucky  features a self-proclaimed leprechaun and his missing bag of gold. Laugh out loud moments with the ususal crew of Lula, Grandma Mazur, and Connie. The scene with the rocket launcher is NOT to be missed !

 

 

 

 

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

The most thrilling thing I did while at conference was attend a talk by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. At first, I had no idea why I was so excited about the opportunity to see him . When he began to speak, I remembered.  Just a little older than me, he was just old enough, involved enough, and good enough (as a person and as an athlete) that he made an impression on my youth. He was a person to be admired; not only for his physical gifts, but how he carried himself. He stood for the things in which he believed (as he still does today).  He talked about his book On the Shoulders of Giants:My Journey Through the Harlem Renaissance and, as with any good book talk, made me anxious to read it as well as the authors who so inspired him ! I was also happy to learn that soon a new audio book, based on his research for the book will be released. It will feature music and interviews with major figures from the Harlem Renaissance.

Abdul-Jabbar was so patient and kind. He must have answered questions from the audience for at least 90 minutes- a first in my experience of any famous person who speaks ! The most interesting answer was to a question concerning changing his name. He did so, he said, for religious purposes when he became a Muslim. He said that Muhammed Ali had already “taken the heat” for doing the same thing and that, therefore,  he did not have to deal with as much as he would have had he been the first.