Books for Friday (BFF): The Middlesteins

I really enjoyed this book which is scheduled for release in fall 2012. As a character-driven book, it is filled with a rich cast surrounding the obese, central character, Edie: a wife, mother and grandmother.  I found myself rooting for her to gain control of her health and life. I was as frustrated with her inability to address her health as was her family in the book, yet I understood the need she was trying to fill with food. Attenberg has written Edie with great sympathy and lets us see her angry and passionate side.

There are moments of humour in the novel that illustrate the ridiculousness we might see if we could see ourselves from an exterior view. At one point, Edie's daughter-in-law lists all the lies she has told her husband; one being that she doesn't tell him that she goes to movies during the day. Then we learn that the husband thinks his wife has no sense of humour as she never laughs at the funny movies- because she has already seen them.

I loved these intimate insights into several marriages and other love relationships. Attenberg paints the complexity of these human interactions from different perspectives, reminding the reader that we only ever truly know things from our perspective.

Watch for this book. I am going to read some other books by this author.

Any recommendations?

Have you made anyone smile yet today?

Yesterday, I took my returnables to the depot. It's a job I always enjoy completing as it frees up space in the garage, but do I enjoy it? I never gave it much thought until my interaction with a stranger at the depot yesterday.

A white-haired woman, dressed in casual, light blue pants and a matching, striped shirt was ahead of me in line. She turned to chat with me, her eyes sparkling, her body vibrating with excitement. "Can you believe it, they give you money for nothing here?" she asked. Then she proceeded to tell me how she and her great grandchildren collect what others discard. " All that bending keeps me young she chuckled, quickly dropping down to touch her toes in case I did not believe it. "I'll be 89 on my next birthday," she bragged, and rightfully so.

Her joy made me smile and that feeling stayed with me all day. Oh to be so joyful, at any age, no matter what chore you are doing.

How might you share your joy today?

Books for Friday (BFF)- Books Galore at Calgary Reads

No review this week, instead a promo for the Calgary Reads Book Sale. I volunteered to sort books a couple of times this week and let me assure you, there are mountains of book. Lots of fabulous titles have me planning to purchase books for this worthwhile cause.

They are still looking for donations, volunteers for book sorting and assisting during the three-day sale event. Visit Calgary Reads for more information.

Books for Friday (BFF)

This is the first Anne Lamott book that I have read, but it will not be my last. Lamott, along with her son Sam, has written a memoir of her first grandchild. She  details her love affair with her grandson and her struggles to let her young son and his girlfriend sort out this parenting gig. Reading it made me grateful yet again for my supportive mother-in-law. If she struggled with any of Lamott's issues she has kept them well hidden- thanks Mom T.

If you are a plot driven reader you will not likely enjoy this memoir. But if you enjoy wonderfully descriptive writing and learning about someone struggling to find her way spiritually, or you want insight into the depth of grandparent love, you will enjoy this book. Just as we do not appreciate the power of parental love until we become parents; I suspect the same is true of the grandparent bond.

One of the many passages I adored in this book is about Lamott's effort to restrain from meddling. "Life is already an obstacle course, and when you're adding your own impediments (thinking they're helping), you really crazy it up. You make it harder to even just cross the room. You should not bring more items and hurdles to the obstacle course." A great lesson for us all.


This is a memoir I read for an on line book club, the Beyond Busy Global Monthly Book Club with Chrsitina Katz. I highly recommend the book club, managed by Christina who is an author and writing teacher. Her questions and discussion around our last book, Wild, were thought-provoking and insightful. Great for people who find themselves too busy to attend a regular book club. 

Or those of us in new places who have not replicated our old book club- yet.

Everyone Enjoying Hunger Games- even the puppy

Even the dog was hungry for some of the popular book.

Books for Friday (BFF)- Family Saga

Y by Marjorie Celona was another Wordfest read for me.  Scheduled for release late summer, I read an unpublished proof. I loved this book despite its at times heartbreaking nature.  At its heart this is a story about family and what that means to our sense of self.  It is about a young woman, Shannon, who was abandoned at birth at the door of the local YMCA and her search for her biological parents.

The narrative alternates between Shannon’s life as she is passed between foster families and the story of Shannon’s biological parents and the events that led to her abandonment. Shannon, the narrator, has a unique perspective on life and some physical limitations that add to the interest of her character and resulting perspective. Like Shannon, nothing in this book is neat or pat but realistic and messy.

The author captures that driving need many adopted children have to know their biological parents, to know why they were abandoned and the oftentimes disconnection they feel amidst their adopted family. At the same time, she tries to show how people can make terrible mistakes yet things can still be ok after great failure and loss.

I will read this book again when it is released.

As I was reading Y, the writing reminded me of another great Canadian writer, Anne-Marie MacDonald, especially her Fall on Your Knees book.  Hugely popular, a 2002 Oprah pick, MacDonald's book was also a multi-generational story of a family steeped in secrets.

What gems are you reading?

Books for Friday (BFF)- Immortals, Witches, Vampires

I had high expectations of book one in this hugely popular YA series, obviously spawned from the Twilight saga. The premise is interesting- a teenage girl loses her family in a car accident and gains the ability to see people's auras and feel their lives and feelings by touch. The handsome, exotic Damen enters her life and we are curious about his seemingly strange powers.  For me, the story dragged on and on- I was curious about what an immortal (who is not a vampire) might be, but when more (still not enough) details are finally divulged, I had lost interest.

I am going to pass on the next five in the series. Yet, apparently high school girls are devouring the series.

Another recent read A Discovery of Witches, featured witches and vampires. I had very mixed feelings about this book. I was captivated by the history that is woven through (according to Goodreads) "A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together." Partway through I felt I was reading an old Harlequin, yet I could NOT put the book down.

Some reviewers have complained that not much actually happens in this book, a point I will grant them. I kept reading enjoying the rich history the author was developing around the various creatures. So in this case, I will read the second book- not yet published. I feel like this book established a fascinating background in which a more interesting story might evolve.

Any recommendations?