April 2020 Group Read - Spring Holidays

[Agnieszka]

We invite you to join us in April to read books about Spring holidays. In case you need some ideas here's a partial list:
- Lent, Easter, Passover (listed together since they all originate from the same source - even if they are very different)
- Purim
- several different New Year's feasts and festivals
- Holi (Indian Festival of Colors)
- several fertility feasts
- several blossom- or flower-related festivals and feasts
- Spring beginning, vernal equinox, Int. Astrology Day
- Shakrain (the symbol of unity and friendship in Bangladesh)
- May Day, Int. Worker's Day, or other national holiday on May, 1st
- Women's Day, Mother's Day
- several Memorial Days, Armed Forces Days, and other similar holidays
- Buddha's Birthday
- several big Music Festivals (the most notable I found are: Banlieues Blues Festival in France, GAIA Music Festival in Switzerland and Opus Festival in Israel)

There're many more but these may trigger your memeory, bring a book to mind or give another idea not listed here. As long as it's set in spring (and I'm aware in the Southern Hemisphere it's during the Northern fall/autumn) go for it. We'd love to know what you read and why or how it's linked to this theme.
This year due to the Coronavirus pandemic most of these which won't take place or will have to be celebrated in private in very different way than most of us are used to. So let celebrate in our minds and stay healthy.

[Montzalee]

I think I will read A Mother's Day Murder .

[Agnieszka]

Montzalee wrote: "I think I will read A Mother's Day Murder."

This one looks very interesting. I love it that most of the books in this series are centered around holidays and added it to my Amazon watch list.

[Agnieszka]

I plan to read The Soldier Who Killed a King: A True Retelling of the Passion & An Easter Ball at Pemberley: A Pride and Prejudice Variation and re-read Christ Arose: A Tomb's Tale

[Agnieszka]

I read today An Easter Ball at Pemberley: A Pride and Prejudice Variation and was very surprised it's a short story - that comes of it if I don't check the details in advance *grin* it was enjoyable and a nice distraction though historically not very acurate and had some errors. Still worth the time if you love Austen's Pride and Prejudice

[Sarah]

I will see if there is any book on my shelf that fits the theme. Our libraries here are closed and no idea when they might open..

I had some bad news just before all of this virus stuff started so that's why I was gone for awhile. Things are pretty nutty here with that virus.

[Agnieszka]

Sarah wrote: "I will see if there is any book on my shelf that fits the theme. Our libraries here are closed and no idea when they might open..

I had some bad news just before all of this virus stuff started so..."

It would be nice if you could join but I understand if it's difficult right now. I hope your situation is better now.

[Agnieszka]

I started and DNFed today The 14 stations of The Cross by Mimi L. Thompson A Christian Easter story retelling using cuss words (including the F-bomb) and partially very repulsive attitudes?!? I made it through the first two (~11 pages) of the 14 parts/chapters and gave up. It's just not bearable for me.

[Agnieszka]

I finished today The Soldier Who Killed a King: A True Retelling of the Passion by David Kitz
Great and historically acurate Easter story retelling in terms of the biblical account. There're some fictional sub-plots that are realistic and believable but were distracting for me. Still I loved this book and was even a few times to lough - despite the topic and very graphic descriptions of the events.
My favorite quote, that made me laugh:
It was empty! The stone slab lay empty. Actually, it was not entirely so. The death shroud had been rolled up, and the face covering was neatly folded and lay off to one side. It appeared as though the awakened corpse took a moment to make his bed after getting up. (p 250)

Now I'm re-reading Christ Arose: A Tomb's Tale by Faith Blum I just love this cover and the usual POV character (a tomb) and look forward to re-visiting this very short story.

[Sarah]

Oh I forgotten to say I did find a book I think that sort of fits a spring read. It's a World War 2 story and a lot of it is actually set during the spring of the year... So I'm hoping that might count as Memorial day?? It's the closest I'm going to come.



I think I'll be able to read this one pretty fast! 😁 It looks good too..

Oh it's based on a true story.

[Agnieszka]

Sarah wrote: "Oh I forgotten to say I did find a book I think that sort of fits a spring read. It's a World War 2 story and a lot of it is actually set during the spring of the year... So I'm hoping that might c..."

As long as you think it's fit it's working for me. I'm glad you found a book you'll be able to enjoy in this crazy times.

[Sarah]

I'm halfway through the book and enjoying it. I suspect I'll finish it later today. I do think it's appropriate as memorial day is about remembering those who have sacrificed so much for us (like many are doing these days with the pandemic). It's a very easy to read book and it even includes artwork. I found out I'm not very good at the French words! I'll write more about it once I'm done with it.

[Sarah]

Well I finished and it turned out to be a good book..it talks about bravery and hope during a very dark time..and how being brave does not mean you are fearless. Many people risked their lives to save others...even children. Just like many are doing these days. I find this book very appropriate to read now.

The main characters in this book are children of different ages. It explains how people lived during the war. What life was like. And it's based on a true story. The villiage of Les Lauzes really comes to life in the pages of this book..

[Agnieszka]

Sarah wrote: "Well I finished and it turned out to be a good book..it talks about bravery and hope during a very dark time..and how being brave does not mean you are fe..."

This sounds very interesting and if ever again I'm in a mood for a WWII I'll see if I can get my hands on. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and I'm gald you liked it until the very end.

[Sarah]

I often get tired of reading about WW2 and the Nazis. But this book was different. Maybe because it's aimed at preteens? It's more an adventure story. It also shows how people's viewpoints can change if they take the time to think about things and actually form their own opinions. Like one should not blindly believe something is true because someone (in this case someone in authority) says it's true. That's the path the police man in the book takes. He believed the propraganda at first but then realized it's not true. Why? Because he used his own eyes. He's one of the main characters.

I remember one of my teachers in grade school teaching us about propraganda and I never forgotten it. Advertising often tries to influence us, to buy their products. I just ignore it.

[Agnieszka]

Sarah wrote: "I often get tired of reading about WW2 and the Nazis. But this book was different. Maybe because it's aimed at preteens? It's more an adventure story. It also shows how people's viewpoints can chan..."

I grew up the first thirteen years in communistic Poland and a very catholic family so I understand what you mean about believing or not what people in authority tell. Even now several decades later I struggle somtimes to live truth in my life.

I understand you point about beeing tired of HF (historical fiction) - especially WW2 - as it was my favorite genre for many years until I experienced a deep reading blockade (mostly due to depression but also because it was just too much) about fifteen years ago. Beeing an avid reader since early childhood that were two of the longest years in my life. After a friend introduced me to a great contemporary author I was able to read again and realised only years later that huge over-saturation in this area was one of the reasons I struggled to read. I'm starting to read HF again but mostly go into different time areas and still looks it's not more than one or two books per quarter and can enjoy this genre again.

[Sarah]

I just don't understand why so many books decide to use Nazis as the villian? They were even used in the Dr Who book I read recently (which I didn't mind too much)... I guess I sometimes think that authors can think up their own villian? Unless they are telling a story that really needs that time setting of WW2. One of the best stories about WW2 was a teen novel I read back in 2018. It's about a girl who hides her younger brother in a secret little hidey hole and locks the door. But then she gets taken away and she's worried about what happens to him. The story was just very different..
I think it's called Sarah's Key.

I grew up with very strict parenting so I understand what you mean. My grandmother's parents came from Poland. I believe they kept some of the lifestyle although I was unaware of it growing up. But very strict parenting has a long lasting effect on you.

[Agnieszka]

Sarah wrote: "I just don't understand why so many books decide to use Nazis as the villian?..."

I fear it's because so many of them were really evil or at least so blinded by the government propaganda they were willing to do almost everything they were told.

Do you have an idea which part of Poland your family came from?

[Sarah]

It was somewhere by a large lake or body of water..they were fishermen...

[Sarah]

An article online says the area here in the city where my great-grandfather originally lived was settled by Kashubians. I looked it up and that's north Central Poland? I guess there must be a big body of water and lots of fish somewhere over there??

[Agnieszka]

Sarah wrote: "An article online says the area here in the city where my great-grandfather originally lived was settled by Kashubians. I looked it up and that's north Central Poland? I guess there must be a big b..."

The Kashubian Lake District has more than 500 lakes and is an area of Poland I'm not really familiar with - even if it's not that far away from the area we lived in. For weekends we went mostly to the Masurian Lake District which is further east. If we stayed longer in Poland I'm sure we'd made it there - our family spent each summer holiday in a different part of Poland so by the age of 13 I've seen many of the noteworthy cities and landscapes of Poland. If this area's half as beautiful as Masuria it's wonderful.

[Sarah]

500 lakes? Wow! That sounds like a lot! But Wisconsin is also a land of many lakes and rivers. Maybe that's why they came here. Maybe it reminded them of Poland with all the numerous bodies of water? They had settled on the shores of Lake Michigan. There was a community of Kashubians who had settled here. Maybe they all came over together. I don't know. I had never heard of Kashubians until I read the article online.

[Agnieszka]

Thank you Sarah & Montzalee for joining our theme this month!