H Is for Hawk

 

H Is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald
7/31/14; 320 pages
Grove/Atlantic 

H Is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald is highly recommended non-fiction that combines a memoir, nature writing, bereavement and an account of writer T.H. White. 

"The hawk was everything I wanted to be: solitary, self-possessed, free from grief, and numb to the hurts of human life"

Helen Macdonald always wanted to become a falconer. After her father dies, while deeply grieving, she decides to purchase and train her own goshawk. She read T.H. White's The Goshawk (1951) years ago and references his struggles to train a goshawk throughout her own personal account. This unconventional memoir follows her struggle to train her goshawk Mabel, her memories of her father, her grief, and a very extended consideration of TH White, who wrote The Once and Future King, and The Sword in the Stone, as well as The Goshawk. Following the narrative is a consideration of her research on T.H. White for the book, and chapter notes.

There is no question that the writing is poetic and at times simply exquisite. I wanted to read the book for the information about training hawks along with how she dealt with her grief, which is handled honestly and admirably. However, I could have done without the lengthy discussions about T.H. White. For me that became an annoying addition that detracted from her story and I began to skim those sections. (I read another book recently that use this same template of adding a discussion of a known individual within a novel, likely borrowing the idea from Macdonald, and disliked it just as much.) The quality of the writing is what elevated my rating. (Still working through my TBR pile)

Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls

 

Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris
4/23/13; 288 pages
Little, Brown and Company 

Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris is a humorous and glorious collection of 26 entertaining personal stories (or 25 plus a poem). I can't believe I waited so long to read this. 

Sedaris covers a wide variety of topics and different decades as he writes about the observations, struggles, absurdities, and experiences he encounters in everyday life in the selections. Topics include, in part, how much he enjoys dentists, irritating expressions, swimming as a child, his father's expectations and negative treatment of him, traveling to different countries, learning languages, gifts he gives on tours, coffee shops, collecting rubbish, recording everything in a diary, visiting a taxidermy shop, problems after his computer bag was stolen, and having a colonoscopy. As with any Sedaris story topics just sort of lead into new topics and morph into something else. He can make anything a good story

I could totally relate to his experience of what happens when you tell people you like something and then suddenly get inundated with it. A mention of liking owls can result in one to saying, "I've got to weed out some of these owls." Also, as a contemporary, I too learned 'Kookaburra' in grade school music and could probably sing it with him today.

My observations from his most recent collection also applies here when I wrote, "Reading these essays felt like a visit with an observant, insightful, and humorous long-time friend where all the filters are off and you can both laugh and share personal anecdotes expressing exactly what you think about anything and everything."  Additionally, if you have never had an opportunity to hear Sedaris tell one his stories, you are missing out. He can make an already funny story a hilarious story. In many ways it makes all of his stories even funnier if, while reading, you can hear them read by Sedaris, in his own voice and with his own timing. He is a master story-teller. 

As with any collection of stories, there were a few misses for me (some simply because they were a bit dated) but as a whole I thoroughly enjoyed these stories. Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls is an excellent choice for everyone who enjoys the musings of David Sedaris. (Continuing my short break between advanced readers copies and working my way through my TBR stacks from years past.)

Washed Away

 

Washed Away by Geoff Williams
2/5/13; 336 pages
Pegasus Books 

Washed Away by Geoff Williams is a highly recommended collection of personal stories of individuals in the areas affected by the natural disaster and flooding which began on Easter Sunday, March 23, 1913.

These storms covered a large swath of the United States and represent the second deadliest flood in history. With the ground already saturated or frozen, the flooding which started quickly, was followed by 4-5 more days of rain. The opening salvo of the devastation, started with a series of tornadoes in and near Omaha, Nebraska, where 150 people were killed and 400 injured. The rain was followed by a blizzard. A high pressure system from the Arctic Circle invaded Canada and then severe winds and storms slammed the Midwest, East, and Northeast. Rivers reach miles wide proportions. People drowned in their attics. In Columbus, Ohio, 15,000-20,000 homes washed away. Over 700 people died, millions were left homeless, and hundreds of thousands of homes and buildings were destroyed,

The destruction extended to Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Vermont. Fourteen states in all, and every major and minor river east of the Mississippi. The majority of the stories told are from the people who lived in Dayton, Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Akron, Ohio, and Forte Wayne and Indianapolis, Indiana, which were harder hit areas. There are also some stories from other cities and towns, some further down river. This is a flood that instigated the start of better flood control techniques for the region, while also shaping America's natural-disaster policies for the next century.

Without a reliable system in place to provide warnings or information, people had to react to what was happening as it happened. This resulted in the flood, although widespread, being viewed as more of a local disaster rather than a nation-wide event. Weather geeks will disappointed to not have a lot of data provided and a detailed meteorological discussion, which, yes, I missed. However, once it became clear this was going to be focused on the stories of individuals who lived through it, I settled into the author's wishes. 

This is a collection of the many stories of what real people experienced and saw during the disaster. As other's have mentioned, I do think it would have benefited from some maps. The organization is broken down into the day over a week, from March 23rd to March 29th of 1913, and then the subsequent chapters of experiences in individual cities and towns. Included after the novel is Notes and Research (a lot of newspaper stories) and an Index.

Washed Away will be appreciated by those who enjoy history from a personal viewpoint, people who are living in the affected areas or those with families who lived there, and history buffs.  (Continuing my short break between advanced readers copies and working my way through my TBR stacks from years past.)

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter

 

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin
10/5/10; 304 pages
William Morrow 

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin is an exceptional, very highly recommended character driven literary mystery. This is a must read extraordinary novel.

When Tina Rutherford, 19, goes missing, Larry Ott, 41, is the immediate and only suspect. "Scary Larry" lives an isolated, lonely existence in rural Mississippi where he is a mechanic. He enjoys reading, cares for his chickens, is ostracized by the community, goes to the garage daily waiting for some work, and visits his mother who is in a nursing home. Years ago when he was 16 he took Cindy Walker on a date. She disappeared afterward and he has always been blamed for her presumed murder. He keeps a file of the subpoenas Gerald County Chief Inspector Roy French serves him with anytime anything happens.

Years ago Larry and Silas "32" Jones were friends of a sort for several months in the 1970's. Larry was the only bookish child of a lower middle class white parents. His father was a mechanic, but Larry much preferred reading. Silas was the son of a poor, single black mother who lived in a cabin on their land. After Cindy Walker disappeared, their friendship ended and Silas went on to become a baseball star, number 32. Now Silas is back as the Constable of Chabot, MS and the sole law enforcement officer in the area. Larry has tried to contact him several times, but Silas studiously ignores all his attempts. The investigation into the disappearance of Tina Rutherford will force both men to confront the past they've buried and ignored for decades.

The writing is excellent, the plot compelling, the character development is outstanding, the final denouement is a breath-taking revelation. I can't say enough good things about Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. The plot unfolds through alternate narratives from the past and the present, which all come together to solve the mysteries and reveal something even more surprising and unpredictable. All of the descriptions are so rich that the setting, time period, and characters come to life. Your heart will break for Larry, both in the past and present.

There are clues to follow in the current mystery, but the magic is in the writing and the character development. Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter is a perfect selection for everyone who enjoys wonderful writing and excellent character development. (This novel represents another reason I'm continuing my short break between advanced readers copies and working my way through my TBR stacks from years past.)

The Whore's Child: Stories

 

The Whore's Child: Stories by Richard Russo
12/18/2007; 240 pages
Knopf Doubleday 

The Whore's Child: Stories by Richard Russo is an excellent, very highly recommended collection of seven short stories. 

Even within the constraints of an abbreviated short story, all of the selections feature Russo's masterful ability to portray characters as complicated, realistic individuals with both strengths and weaknesses, along with his keen insight into human nature. This collection serves to highlight Russo's incredible talent and ability to write. All of these stories could easily have been the beginning of a great novel.

Stories:
The Whore’s Child: Sister Ursala attends a fiction writing class and writes her memoir.
Monhegan Light: Martin travels to the island where his deceased wife vacationed every year.
The Farther You Go: A man and his wife deal with a family problem together.
Joy Ride: A mother and son leave their home and travel cross country.
Buoyancy: Retired Professor Paul Snow and his wife June stay on an island they last visited 30 years ago.
Poison: Old friends recall the poisoning of the land where they grew up.
The Mysteries of Linwood Hart: This story is broken into smaller subtitles and features the thoughts, activities, and musings of Lin as he plays baseball while experiencing family issues.

The Whore's Child is a perfect choice for everyone who enjoys well-written short stories. (Continuing my short break between advanced readers copies and working my way through my TBR stacks from years past.)

Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools

 

Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools by Victoria Twead
1/1/09; 196 pages
New Generation Publishing 

Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools by Victoria Twead is a light hearted, easy-to-read memoir of a British couple moving to a small town in Spain. Along with mildly humorous stories about their lives, it also includes recipes and some pictures. 

Joe and Vicky, in their early 50's (so not really old), decide to relocating to a tiny mountain village of El Hoyo in Andalucía. They are calling it the 5 year plan. If, after five years they have had enough, they leave. Along the way they meet ex-pat Judith, who lives in the area with her mother, Kurt, the German unofficial estate agent, and neighbors Paco and Carmen/Bethina, along with an assortment of others. While fixing up and modernizing a deteriorating old house, they meet many area cats and dogs, some mules, and decide to raise chickens. The chickens result in a new enterprise, selling eggs to their neighbors. They also have friends visiting and keeping things entertaining.

The start of each chapter includes the name of a traditional Spanish recipe. All of the recipes were donated by the village ladies and are found at the end of the book. Those who enjoy trying new recipes should appreciate that aspect of this memoir. For me. this is a good natured, light hearted amusing book, not a hilarious one. It is an enjoyable book to read but ultimately forgettable unless you love to try new recipes and chicken stories. Everyone who has chickens has chicken stories and Vicky is no exception to that rule. 

There are apparently several "Two Old Fools" books, so those who enjoy this one could follow it up with more adventures, including book #6, published in 2022, covering a move to Australia. I believe I'll stop with this one, but I'm an outlier because this series seems beloved by many. (Still on a short break between advanced readers copies and working my way through my TBR stacks from years past.)

A Land More Kind Than Home

 

A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash
4/17/12; 309 pages
William Morrow 

A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash is an excellent, very highly recommended Southern literary drama following two brothers who in 1986, face evil disguised as good.

In the small North Carolina town of Marshall, in Madison County, Adelaide Lyle, 81, a long-time midwife recognizes that Pastor Carson Chambliss and his new River Road Church of Christ in Signs and Wonders is not a safe place for children after she witnesses the death of a parishioner, so she takes and cares for the children in her own personal Sunday School during the service. Chambliss, who is relatively new to the area believes in snake handling among other things. 

The sons of Ben and Julie Hall, Jess, 9, and his brother Stump (Christopher), 13, who is mute and likely autistic, witness something they shouldn't have. Now Pastor Chambliss is making sure Stump pays a price for it, sending someone to get him for church because "it is his special day." Stump's fate ends up attracting the attention of Clem Barefield, Sheriff of Madison County since 1961, who can no longer ignore what is happening in the church. He has an old tragedy tied to the Hall family but now must face a new one.

The exceptionally well-written narrative is told through the personal stories of Adelaide, Jess, and Clem, covering events both in the present and the past. Their individual points-of-view propel the plot forward and provide all the information and background needed. They are all facing an evil trying to portray itself as good, but our narrators, including young Jess, understand and recognize the darkness. The very different perception and experience of the narrators helps set this novel above the ordinary. The plot is compelling and once you start reading it is impossible to put this novel down. 

The characters are all portrayed as unique, complex individuals with both strengths and weaknesses. Both Adelaide and Clem have a life time of experience and history to work through while dealing with the current tragedy. Young Jess is the most sympathetic character because of his immaturity. His exposure to the evil events portrayed will effect his entire life, but one can hope that it will also give him the insight to see evil when it presents itself. 

A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash is an excellent literary Southern drama and deserves all the accolades from readers it has received over the years. This is another winner as I continue to take a break between advanced readers copies and read some novels I own and have been planning to read for years.