Connie ’s Comments (group member since Nov 11, 2013)

Connie ’s comments from the Reading with Style group.

Their Goodreads profiles lists these authors as journalists:

Anna Quindlen

John Steinbeck

Michael Herr

James McBride

20.5 London Calling

Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers

Lord Peter Wimsey is a charming, intelligent aristocrat who keeps occupied as a rare book collector and an amateur sleuth. Set in post-World War I Britain, he occasionally suffers from PTSD from his war years. Wimsey enlists the help of his valet, Mervyn Bunter, in the detective work, and the dry British wit of the duo had me laughing. Wimsey's mother, the Dowager Duchess of Denver, is another wonderful character--a socialite who often voices the feelings of the 1920s upper class.

A body--naked except for a pair of gold pince-nez-- is found in the bathtub of an acquaintance of Wimsey's mother. On the same day Reuben Levy, an important Jewish financier, is reported missing. The corpse has a mild resemblance to Levy, but is found to be an unknown person. Wimsey, Bunter, and the competent Inspector Parker from Scotland Yard work together to solve the cases. A confessional letter by the criminal at the end of the book detailed why the corpse was found in the tub.

Although the characters seem to think that the Jewish Reuben Levy is a good person, there were quite a few stereotypical comments about Jews scattered throughout the book. It is probably reflective of the lack of understanding of other religions and ethnic groups that existed in 1923.

This short detective story is the first of a series of Lord Peter Wimsey cozy mysteries. It kept my interest, and I especially enjoyed the humor.

+20 task
+10 review

Task total: 30
Grand total:825

Lots of good choices on the fall polls. I like almost all the options.

Amanda wrote: "Blood tests for whooping cough.

Silver lining? Time off work and more time to read and get this season tied up!"

Take time to rest, Amanda. I hope you're feeling better soon.

10.6 Traveling the DDC Way

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

How did two brothers without any funding or engineering education become pioneers in aviation? David McCullough answers that question in his superb book, "The Wright Brothers". Wilbur and Orville grew up in a family that loved learning. They were also very intelligent, focused, persistent, and hard working. The brothers owned a bicycle shop, possessed exceptional mechanical ability, and designed their own bicycles. They were interested in flight, and gazed at birds for hours to study how wings were tilted to catch the air before they set up their first experiments. They had caught the spirit of invention that was prevalent in America at the turn of the century.

In 1900, they flew their first glider which was funded from sales of their bicycles. In 1903, the first motorized plane carrying a pilot was flown on the sandy Outer Banks of North Carolina. The brothers not only built the plane, but also had to build a shed for storage and housing, and dig a well to obtain fresh water. They faced dark swarms of mosquitoes, sandstorms, and freezing temperatures in the Outer Banks. They risked their lives, and Orville was seriously injured in 1908. France was the first country to embrace the Wright brothers, and a good portion of the book is about their work there.

The book includes many photographs, and quotes from letters from the brothers to family and others. In addition to being a good historian, author David McCullough is also an exciting storyteller. He really brought the personalities and endeavors of the Wright brothers alive for the reader.

+10 task (listed as biography at the Brooklyn Public Library)
+10 review

Task total: 20
Grand total: 795

Amanda wrote: "Connie wrote: "I'm finding possible authors, and can make plans when I see what my other groups and book clubs are reading.

A-M female:
Jane Gardam"

Gardam won't work, J comes after G. Otherwise ..."

Thanks for catching Jane Gardam, Amanda.

I'm finding possible authors, and can make plans when I see what my other groups and book clubs are reading.

A-M female:
Annie Barrows
Doris Lessing
Emily Griffith
Eowyn Ivey
Claire Fuller
Frances Mayes
Helaine Mario
Elizabeth Gill
Andrea Barrett
A.S.A. Harrison
Janice Y. Lee
Kate Mosse
Alice Hoffman
Clare Mackintosh
Agatha Christie
Elizabeth Mc Neil
A.S. Byatt
Liane Moriarty
Candice Millard
Ann Cleeves
Clare Morrall
Anne Donovan
Liz Moore
Ann Hood
Kate Morton

A-M Male:
David McCullough
Cynan Jones
Graham Joyce
Ian McEwan
Anton Chekhov
Alan Furst
Frank McCourt
Bruce Chatwin
Ernest Hemingway
Eugene McCabe
Charles Dickens
Henry James
Howard Frank Mosher
Charles King
Bill Clegg
E.M. Forster
Arthur C. Doyle
Ben MacIntyre
Haruki Murakami
Horace McCoy
Brian Moore
Herman Koch




N-Z Female:
Robyn Scott
Rose Tremain
Winifred Watson
Thrity Umrigar
Sylvia Townsend Warner
Patti Smith
Ruta Sepetys
Natalie Serber
Rebecca West
Natasha Solomons
Sarah Ward
Susan Vreeland
Natasha Pailey

N-Z Male:
Tim Winton
Thornton Wilder
Tobias Wolff
Philip Roth
Nathanael West
Yevgeny Zamgatin
Stefan Zweig
Phillip Rock
Owen Sheers
Sunil Yapa
Paul Yoon
Stanley Weintraub
Paul Theroux
Ryan J. Stradal
Peter Rees
Nicholas Petrie
Nando Parrado
P.G. Wodehouse
Nathaniel Philbrick
Tarjei Vesaas
Orhan Pamuk
Simon Winchester
Richard Wagamese
Sandy Tolan
Richard Yates

10.4 Opposite Lists

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson Canon, 1110 Lexile

Robert Louis Stevenson's story ideas often came to him in dreams. He was awakened by his wife when he was thrashing around during a "fine bogey-tale". He developed it into this novella by writing straight through three days and nights. His wife suggested that he should add allegorical aspects to the horror story so he burned the first story, and rewrote it in another marathon writing session.

Dr Jekyll, a client and a friend of the lawyer Mr Utterson, has willed all his worldly possessions to Mr Hyde. Mr Utterson has heard terrible stories about Mr Hyde, and wants to preserve the reputation of the good doctor. The lawyer tries to obtain more information about Mr Hyde, a vile, depraved man who has been violent toward helpless, innocent people. Eventually, a letter from Dr Jekyll surfaces which explains his scientific experiments and shows the duality of human nature--a virtuous side and an evil alter ego.

Stevenson uses wonderful Gothic descriptions of the dark London streets with fog swirling around in the moonlight whenever the story is centered on Mr Hyde. Written in 1885, the story has a Victorian feeling to it because of the dark descriptions, and the emphasis on good vs evil, civilized vs primitive.

I saw the stage play "Jekyll and Hyde" years ago, but this is the first time I read Stevenson's story. I wish I hadn't waited so long because this is a great classic horror story.

+10 task (#46 on dark list)
+10 canon
+10 review

Task total: 30
Grand total: 775

20.7 US

Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan

Robert Louis Stevenson and Fanny van de Grift Osbourne had a marriage that was both supportive and stormy before they were finally laid to rest "under the wide and starry sky" in Samoa. They met in an artists' colony in France in 1876, and Louis fell hard for the exotic American woman. Fanny had come to Europe with her children to study art and leave her unfaithful husband. Louis, a decade younger, had finished a law degree but wanted a life as a writer. Louis had trouble with his lungs, but had an optimistic, adventurous personality. Fanny had a love of writing, art, and gardening. It was difficult for Fanny to manage financially since women had so few opportunities in that era, but she made the most of her limited resources.

During their years of marriage, Louis alternated between times of poor health and healthy periods of great productivity as a writer. When they found that the sea air helped Louis' lungs, they traveled to the South Seas. Fanny tolerated two years at sea even though she was constantly sea sick. She nursed him back from death's door multiple times. Louis did his part when Fanny descended into periods of madness in her older years.

I enjoyed reading about the Stevensons, and felt the book was well researched. I found the descriptions of Louis' creative process--often inspired by dreams--especially fascinating. My one quibble is that the book dragged in some parts and could have been edited down into a stronger story.

+20 task (NH-New Hampshire)
+10 review

Task total: 30
Grand total: 745

10.7 First Letter

In the Heat of the Night by John Dudley Ball

Penguin released a 50th Anniversary Edition of the police procedural "In the Heat of the Night" last year. It's a good mystery, but it's even better known for its social criticism in a time of racial unrest following the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

A police officer, Sam Woods, finds a body in the road when he's on night patrol in Wells, South Carolina. The new police chief, Bill Gillespie, sends Sam out to find the perpetrator of the crime. He arrests Virgil Tibbs at the train station because he's a black man with a wallet full of cash. Virgil tells the police that he's a police officer, a homicide investigator from Pacadena, just waiting for a train. His credentials are checked out, and the Pasadena chief offers Virgil's services to help solve the crime. The mayor and police chief accept the offer, figuring that Virgil can be the scapegoat if the crime is not solved.

Virgil is smart and educated, in contrast to the poorly trained officers in the small South Carolina town. Wells is segregated with special benches at the train station for blacks. The black restroom at the police station has no soap or towels. The police officers are racist, but they respect Virgil's intelligence. "Smartest black I ever saw," Pete concluded; then he added a remarkable tribute. "He oughta been a white man."

Virgil has amazing self-control in the racist atmosphere, and gives the white officers more credit than they deserve as he solves the crime. Virgil wins the respect of the police chief, but Bill does not offer him a handshake as he drops him off at the train station. Although Virgil is depicted as almost too flawless--intelligent, educated, organized, polite, and handsome--the chief does not want physical contact with a man with dark skin. A movie, starring Sidney Poitier, was based on this book and won an Academy Award.

+10 task
+10 review

Task total: 20
Grand total: 715

10.7 First Letter

Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland

Pierre August Renoir was struggling financially in 1880, reduced to painting portraits of upper class women but wanting to work on a more satisfying project. He decided to paint "Luncheon of the Boating Party", a large painting worthy of being hung in the prestigious Salon. Renoir gathered up his friends and acquaintances to pose on a series of Sunday afternoons on the terrace of a restaurant along the Seine. Renoir wanted to depict people enjoying life in a beautiful location. He felt committed to Impressionism, but did not want to follow some of the newer Impressionists who were depicting the miserable, seedier side of life.

French society was in transition ten years after the Franco-Prussian War with more time for leisure, and more modern ways of expression. Some war veterans and a war widow were among the models for Renoir's masterpiece. The descriptions of painting were very sensual with Renoir declaring, "I only want to paint women I love, or imagine I could love." Several of the models had a romantic interest in the artist, including the woman who would eventually become his wife.

A cross-section of society is shown in the book--from the wealthy women entertaining at their afternoon salons to the performers of the Folies-Bergere to the poor prostitutes of Montmartre. People are seen working and boating along the Seine. The only sections of the book that seemed overly long were the descriptions of two afternoons of boat races. Overall, this was an excellent work of historical fiction that transported the reader to the arts community in 1880s Paris.

+10 task
+10 review

Task total: 20
Grand total: 695

20.2 The Gods!

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Madeline Miller's "The Song of Achilles" is a retelling of "The Iliad" from the point of view of Patroclus. Patroclus is a prince who is exiled after the accidental death of another boy. He is sent to the court of Achilles' father. The lonely Patroclus becomes the close companion of the demigod Achilles who is destined to be a great warrior. Their tender affection deepens into a great passion while they spend their teenage years learning from the centaur Chiron.

When beautiful Helen is kidnapped by Paris, the Greeks wage war on the Trojans. The talented warrior Achilles leads a group of soldiers from his father's kingdom. Patroclus is not much of a fighter, but the sensitive young man becomes a healer to those injured on the battlefield. There are rivalries among the various leaders, and the gods also influence the action. I won't spoil the ending for those who have not read "The Iliad", but it involves quarrels, pride, courage, bloody battles, anguish, revenge, and heartbreaking sorrow.

I enjoyed the book because it gave a back story to the Greek heroes. Some of their actions during the Trojan War seemed to be preordained by the gods, but others were dependent on their personalities and emotions. The retelling of "The Iliad" shows it to be more than an epic adventure story. It is also a sensuous tale filled with passion and loving devotion.

+20 task
+ 5 combo ( 20.3 Orange Prize for Fiction 2012)
+10 review

Task total: 35
Grand total: 675

15.2 5YTS Time Leaper

All-Night Party: The Women of Bohemian Greenwich Village and Harlem, 1913-1930 by Andrea Barnet

+15 task (published 2004)
+ 5 nonfiction

Task total: 20
Grand total: 640

Amanda wrote: "Coralie wrote: "And here we have Team 4's last square.

N1. Earn 25 Jumbo points
Tien: Kokoda - 5 points - Completed #495
Connie: I Know This Much Is True - 15 points -..."

For Team 4:
Amanda, that last square actually completed TWO BINGOS--Row 1 and Column N. Could you check on that? Thanks.

Good haul at the book sale! You're getting all set for next season.

10.7 First Letter

Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart

This entertaining historical mystery is a sequel to "Girl Waits with Gun". Sheriff Heath appoints Constance Kopp as a deputy sheriff, but the law is a bit ambiguous about women qualifying for that position in 1915. Constance is a tall, sturdy woman who loves the challenge of her new job. When the imprisoned con man Baron von Matthesius escapes, the jobs of both Sheriff Heath and Constance are threatened. Constance can be tough when she's on von Matthesius' trail, but she also has a softer side when she encounters the less fortunate.

Constance's two sisters, Norma and Fleurette, are kept more in the background than in the previous book. The sisters worry about teenager Fleurette who loves singing, dancing, and the theater. Her creativity leads to a job designing costumes. Norma continues with her hobby of raising carrier pigeons.

Author Amy Stewart again took some New Jersey newspaper headlines from around 1915, and incorporated them into her fictional story. She wrote a mystery that's engaging and fun. Historically, that era is a pivotal time for women so I'm hoping that the author continues her series about the remarkable lady cop and her sisters.

+10 task
+10 review

Task total: 20
Grand total: 615

Thanks to everyone for working so well together as a team!

Coralie wrote: "Congratulations team. We are now all done."

Thanks for reading that last jumbo book so fast, Coralie. We should have Row 1 and Column N now!

Have a great vacation, Karen!

Amanda wrote: "I thought I was checking off a different team there, Connie, since Tien has made all of the other posts ;)

And that IS another Bingo, so 5 more points, and one square remaining. Any Jumbo points c..."

Tien is away for a few days, Amanda. She's been wonderful about keeping track of all of our points.

Thank you, Amanda. I hope you have a quick recovery.

Team 4 finished Row 2 for another Bingo. I'm just including the one square that you have not checked yet.

N2. Complete Task 20.4 by reading a book from each country
China: Connie: Women of the Silk - Completed #548
Australia: Tien: The Twisted Knot (Constable Sammi Willis #2) - Completed #536
Russia: Louise Bro: One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich – Completed #540

One last square to go!