Rereading: The Best Cook in the World by Rick Bragg

A delectable, rollicking food memoir, cookbook, and loving tribute to a region, a vanishing history, a family, and, especially, to his mother.

Margaret Bragg measures in "dabs" and "smidgens" and "tads" and "you know, hon, just some." Her notion of farm-to-table is a flatbed truck. But she can tell you the secrets to perfect mashed potatoes, corn pudding, redeye gravy, pinto beans and hambone, stewed cabbage, short ribs, chicken and dressing, biscuits and butter rolls. The irresistible stories in this audiobook are of long memory -- many of them pre-date the Civil War, handed down skillet by skillet, from one generation of Braggs to the next.

This is much more memoir than recipe book. There are plenty old customs, living through hard times, and personalities in Rick Bragg's family tree. I am not one who likes stories of dysfunctional families and I appreciate that the dysfunctions are smoothed out or merely hinted at because the emphasis is on how the recipe came into the family or how someone learned to cook. By listening to the stories in the kitchen we can take the good with the bad, especially when it comes with a helping of Axhead Soup or Chicken and Dressing.

I recently picked up the Kindle version when my mother was in the hospital and I needed some comfort reading. It more than filled the bill, although I read only a little here and there since I discovered that what I really longed for was author Rick Bragg's narration of the book. Now she's home again and I am still very slowly reading and listening a bit here and there as I find the time to truly savor it. It is as comforting as the food and stories it describes.

And, although I have only read the recipes, I may actually choose one or two to make. Beginning with those beans cooked with ham, a dish I dearly love.

The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold

I first read this in 2013 and then reread it six years later because it was the opening episode of Season 9 for A Good Story is Hard to Find. 

Here I am, rereading it yet another six years late. That must be my sweet spot for really getting a lot from this book. It was the perfect Lenten read, though I didn't plan it that way. Time to rerun my original review from 2013 in case you missed it or haven't reread it lately!

 

Two readers I trust, Will Duquette and Amy H. Sturgis, have strongly recommended both this author and book. I certainly am glad they did, although if Goodreads allowed it I would give it 4-1/2 stars instead of the full 5, simply because I feel the ending was rushed as if the author was ready to get this situation done and the book sent out. I felt this especially in the case of the romantic resolution for the protagonist.

However, overall I really enjoyed this tale of a bedraggled, galley ship survivor who, despite his best efforts to the contrary, finds himself in the middle of royal intrigue. If that weren't enough, he is also pulled into the the affairs of the divine as a result and this complicates his life as one might imagine. This is a land of various gods and strong, dark magic. It is, however, also a land where free will matters in the outcome of events.

I must admit that about 5 or 6 chapters into it I almost put this book down, thinking it was much of a muchness with other such tales. Luckily, Amy H. Sturgis picked that moment to comment that this was one of her favorite books. I was not going to be the one who quit on her after that. I respect her too much. I'd read to the end and either be bored by it or love it for the entire thing. Just about then was actually when it got more interesting, so if you find yourself in similar straits, just keep going.

The Curse of Chalion reminded me strongly in some ways of Barbara Hambly's Sun Wolf trilogy, especially in the author's examination of a mature man humbled by events and forced to learn who he is below the surface. However, Curse is altogether more layered and interesting.

How much did I like it? I gave the book's name to both daughters yesterday with the comment that I'd be looking forward to discussing it with them. 

Will Duquette's review of the sequel, Paladin of Souls, included this comment, which works pretty well for this book also:

See, this is a fantasy series, but it's almost what you might call theological science fiction. That is to say, Bujold has invented a theology (a very interesting one, I might add) and a religion to go with it--and then, having set up the rules, she's seeing where they take her.

Rereading — Art and Prayer: The Beauty of Turning to God by Timothy Verdon

I read this long ago, in 2014, and thoroughly enjoyed rereading it recently. I highly recommend this way of combining art and prayer.

There is an “art of prayer,” when faith and prayer become creative responses by which creatures made in the image and likeness of the Creator relate to him with help of the imagination. ... Richly illustrated, Monsignor Verdon explains that images work in believers as tools that teach them how to turn to God.

They had me at "richly illustrated." Over the years I have become more and more attracted to paintings as keys to helping me connect more honestly and deeply with God.

The book has many gorgeous pieces of art which are wonderfully explained and made personal by the text of the book. For example, looking at both the inset and whole painting of Piero della Francesca's Baptism of Christ, the author takes us through what the painter hopes to show us, the importance of the original setting for the piece and it's possible impact on the monks who would have seen it daily, and the importance of interior transformation for every one of us. He then uses the painting's landscape to segue into nature, Scripture, and imagination before moving on to the next piece for inspiration. All this is by page 6, by the way.

Needless to say, it is a thought provoking, eye opening, and inspirational gem.

2023 — Best of Rereading

How long's it been since you reread these? Pardner, that's too long.

My top picks from last year. In no particular order.

A Song for Nagasaki

by Paul Glynn

The biography of Takashi Nagai, a young Catholic Japanese doctor who lived through the bombing of Nagasaki and became an inspiration for spiritual healing for his people. Paul Glynn combines vivid descriptions, character insights, and just enough Japanese history so that we have context. 
(My review here.)

War for the Oaks

by Emma Bull

Rich urban fantasy that pulls the reader into the world of Emma Bull's making. We learn about champions, love, truth, honor ... and, of course, musicians. 

(My review here.)

West of Eden

by Harry Harrison

What if the dinosaurs had survived to evolve intelligent life? This is an exciting adventure in a world where the descendants of the dinosaurs struggle with a clan of humans in a battle for survival.
(My review here.)

Aunt Dimity's Death

by Nancy Atherton

Lori thought that Aunt Dimity was a character her mother invented for charming bedtime stories. Until she found that the real Aunt Dimity just died, leaving her an inheritance. A cozy mystery that is a fairy tale, ghost story and mystery.
(My review here.)

The Blue Sword

by Robin McKinley 

This is the story of Corlath, golden-eyed king of the Free Hillfolk. And this is the story of Harry Crewe, the Homelander orphan girl who became King's Rider, and heir to the Blue Sword. And this is the song of the kelar of the Hillfolk, the magic of the blood, the weaver of destinies...

A near-perfect fantasy. Just reading the description makes me want to pick it up again.

(My review here.)

The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax

by Dorothy Gilman

When the elderly Mrs. Pollifax's doctor recommends she tries something new that she's always wanted to do, she applies at the CIA to be a spy. Thanks to a misunderstanding, she's sent on a courier mission and winds up in the middle of something dangerous where her inexperience leads to a sort of inspired mayhem that throws the bad guys off kilter.
(My review here.)

Christy

by Catherine Marshall

A fascinating story about people in the Smoky Mountains in 1912 cut off from any outside civilization except for a few people who came in to try to help their poverty stricken situation. Including the 19-year-old young woman, Christy, who comes to teach the children. She is naive and from a well-to-do background so she's completely unprepared for what she finds. Also extremely inspirational.

The Hiding Place

by Corrie ten Boom

Sheltered spinster, Corrie Ten Boom is 50 years old when the Nazis invade Holland. She and her family shelter Jews targeted by the Nazis and when they are caught, they are sent to prison and eventually concentration camps. This sounds gloomy and like a familiar story. It is not. Every Christian should read this book. Simply fantastic.
(My review here.)

Rereading: In Conversation with God by Francis Fernandez-Carvajal

The last of the commentaries I'm highlighting for anyone who wants to begin the new Church year looking deeper into Scripture. This one covers every day of the yearly liturgical calendar, not just the Sunday masses as the other series do. It has been formational in my life as a Catholic.

I first reviewed this in 2004, way back when I began my blog. When someone brought up A. Sertillanges the other day, I realized I knew the name well and had read many quotes by him — in this series. So I wanted to remind everyone of how wonderful it is.

This seven-volume set gives you brief (five to six pages) meditations for every day of the Church’s entire liturgical calendar, including feast days and each of the three cycles of Ordinary Time on Sundays. Author Francis Fernandez-Carvajal makes generous use of the writings of the great saints as he brings you focused and moving meditations on themes taken from the Mass readings for that day, the liturgical season, and more. This work is rich and extensive enough to serve as your spiritual reading for a lifetime, as it helps you relate the particulars of the message of Christ to the ordinary circumstances of your day. Each volume is small enough for you to carry it to Adoration or some other suitable place for meditation. The whole set comes with a handsome slipcase that prevents wear-and-tear on the individual volumes.

I have been reading this series most mornings for 20 years and have yet to find a devotional that is better or more complete.

I especially remember the summer that my in-laws rented a house on the Galveston beach and I eagerly awaited the time each day when I could sit on the porch. The waves beat on the beach, the wind blew sand in my hair and salt like perfume, the gulls cried, and I would dive into this devotional for the daily reflection. It formed my life, slowly and surely, into  the kind of Catholic I am today.

Following the daily Mass readings, topics range from the sacraments and virtues to family interaction and friendship. The sensible and down-to-earth writing is enhanced by quotes from saints, Church Fathers, popes, cross-references with other scripture than in the day's readings, Church documents, etc. I especially enjoy the fact that this was translated from the original Spanish, meaning that things applying to my daily life and problems are exactly the same things faced by people in Spain, or, indeed, around the world.

Even after so many years of reading these books, there often is new food for thought and for "conversation." Also, I realize how much I have been formed as a Catholic by the overall message about living daily life by sharing our small joys and sorrows with Christ. One could do much worse.

There is a boxed set but I bought these one at a time as I went through the church year. The books cover Advent and Christmas, Lent and Easter, ordinary time, and have two special volumes for special feasts and saint days.

Rereading (again) — The Time of the Dark by Barbara Hambly

I haven't reread this since the last time, which was way back in 2014. This series is the first that Hambly got published and, in my opinion, are still the best she's ever written. That was confirmed again for me this time through.

The great thing about rereading something that you know really well is that you know the big story points but have forgotten enough of the smaller twists that then surprise you with pleased recognition. The last time this happened to me is talked about below.

The first book begins with a wonderful premise. What if you've been having a series of recurring dreams, set in a strange world, where you're in the middle of a panicking crowd all running from an ineffable horror? Then, one night, you wake up and you are in the middle of the city. It's no dream. It's real.

That's what happens to scholar Gil Patterson in The Time of the Dark. Where Barbara Hambly takes the adventure from there is a great ride.

You wouldn't normally think of a comfort book as one where you are fleeing with refugees from amorphous enemies (the Dark) in a parallel universe, where it is always freezing and there is never enough food, where you may never get home again because that might let the Dark into your own world ... but there you go. This is a much loved story that I fell back into last night, thinking "why has it been so long?"

Partly this is because I love Barbara Hambly's early books. Gil, Rudy, Ingold, the Ice Falcon, are all well drawn characters. They are realistic, imperfect heroes, just as the villains are sometimes people we can understand and relate to, despite the fact that one loves to hate them.

My mind is smoothed to the contours of their world and their struggles. I am really enjoying rediscovering the bits I'd forgotten, such as seeing just how Hambly built in the the underlying story logic through tiny details that show up very early int he book.

Overall this is really a great adventure and world to visit. 

How to Defend the Faith Without Raising Your Voice by Austen Ivereigh (UPDATED)

I recently had occasion to quote one of Catholic Voices' ten principles of civil communication: "Shed light, not heat." Naturally, the principles and examples are oriented toward discussions of faith and belief. However, I have found the general principles help with any sort of contentious discussion.

Perhaps those of us who think we're always polite could benefit from a refresher course in civil conversation. I'm going to reread it and am rerunning this review in case anyone else is interested in the book.

I reviewed the original edition in 2013, but neglected to update it when I read the new edition which is equally fantastic. Both reviews are below, with the update coming first.

How to Defend the Faith Without Raising Your Voice: Civil Responses to Catholic Hot Button Issues by Austen Ivereigh

As I mentioned in my review of the first edition below, this is a book every Catholic should read.

I'll take this space to say why the revised edition is necessary. In three short years, debate in the public square has shifted in a way that has often bewildered me. How to Defend the Faith explains that whereas questioners and critics used to be those outside of Christian faith, they are now often secularized Christians. They hold to basic principles that originated with Christian teachings but are so divorced from those teachings that they can't see the connection any more. That leaves a Catholic on shifting ground if one tries to anchor explanations of hot button issues in a Christian understanding. We're having discussions with people who aren't interpreting things with a common framework.

How to Defend the Faith helps understand the shifted frame from which critiques originate and how to reframe our responses so that we are all on the same page. Your questioner may not agree with you (and winning isn't the point - explanation is), but they will at least have a better understanding of the Church's attitudes toward contentious issues in the public square.

ORIGINAL EDITION REVIEW

This is a book that every Catholic should read.

The reason I say that becomes abundantly apparent in the subhead: Civil Responses to Catholic Hot-Button Issues.

We know how it feels, finding yourself suddenly appointed the spokesman for the Catholic Church while you're standing at a photocopier, swigging a drink at the bar, or when a group of folks suddenly freezes, and all eyes fix on you.

"You're a Catholic, aren't you?" someone says.

"Um, yes," you confess, looking nervously at what now seems to resemble a lynch mob.

The pope has been reported as saying something totally outrageous. Or the issue of AIDS and condoms has come up. Or the discussion has urned to gay marriage. And here you are, called on to defend the Catholic Church by virtue of your baptism, feeling as equipped for that task as Daniel in the den of lions.

Yes, we've all been there.

Or perhaps you are a Catholic who does not feel called to defend the faith but is one of the crowd waiting, wanting, a good explanation for whatever issue has been raised.

Either way, this book is here to help.

The introduction lays out the vital need for good, civil communication that sheds light but not heat. This is followed by nine chapters that discuss challenging questions which seem to get on everyone's nerves, such as the Church speaking up about politics, assisted suicide, clerical sex abuse, or defending the unborn. Austen Ivereigh discusses the overall context for each issue, the positive intention behind challenging questions, the Church's historical and current positions, and more. This is all with the goal of helping us be more knowledgable and know how to reframe issues so that there is a chance of being a positive voice for the Church.

Why the Church Opposes Euthanasia

In common with a long-standing tradition of western civilization, the Church believes that dying naturally is a vital part of life's journey, in many ways the most meaningful part. Dying can be described as a process of healing. Important things happen on that journey, and suffering and pain are often a part of it. As Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo ... said: "Compassion isn't to say, 'Here's a pill.' It's to show people the ways we can assist you, up until the time the Lord calls you."

Dying, then, is a highly meaningful gradual process of renunciation and surrender. Although some die swifty and painlessly, very often the pattern of dying involves great suffering, because (and this is true of old age in general) it involves letting go of those thing which in our lives we believe make us worthwhile and lovable: our looks, intelligence, abilities, and capabilities. This is what the great Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung called "necessary suffering," the suffering endured by the ego, which protests at having to change and surrender. The idea that this kind of suffering is part of growth is not a uniquely "religious" view, although Christianity -- with the Cross and the Resurrection at its heart -- has perhaps a richer theological understanding than most secular outlooks.

The above excerpt is not the whole argument or rationale by any means. However, it was so well put for what I knew instinctively but had never had to articulate. It is one of the reasons I may wind up reading and rereading this book ... not only to absorb the points for the sake of discussion but for my own soul's sake.

Above all Ivereigh reminds us that where there is no trust, there can be no understanding or true conversation. To that end, he ends with ten points which should frame our mindset. These are the points that have stuck with me the most. I can't tell you the number of times in simply dealing with difficult situations daily that I have remembered to "shed light, not heat" and to "look for the positive intention behind the criticism." This doesn't mean not speaking up for the truth, but it does remind us that the goal is not always "to win."

I mentioned above that I thought every Catholic should read this book. I would go farther and venture to say that if you are curious about how the Church can justify a position you don't agree with, then this book is for you. That is how impressed I was by Ivereigh's even-handed, civil discussion of the positive motives of both sides of conversations on contentious issues. You may not wind up agreeing with the Church, but you will definitely see that there is a reasonable, logical context for her position.

Couldn't Put It Down — The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman

More of the books I've been delighted to find I still really enjoy even though I first read it decades ago.

 

Mrs. Pollifax is a widow in her 60s who is extremely bored with her life. When her doctor advises her to try something she always wanted to do, she remembers a youthful longing to be a spy. Showing up at the CIA to apply, she is mistaken for one of their regular couriers and given a simple assignment. That assignment leads to an adventure which takes her to a career in espionage.

This is a bit of a love letter to the first six novels in the Mrs. Pollifax series from 1966-1983. They are that rarest of all creations, the cozy spy novel.

My mother would bring home the latest from the grocery store and it would get passed around. We all enjoyed Mrs. Pollifax's personality and ingenuity, as well as the author's talent for weaving an enjoyable spy novel. There is suspense and mystery but also the light, personal touch that Mrs. Pollifax herself injects into every situation. Of course her lack of experience and training means that she winds up getting deeper into every assignment than her handlers expected. Her interest in the people and situations around her lead to a sort of inspired mayhem resulting from Mrs. Pollifax logically from trying to achieve her goal under circumstances that rapidly spin out of control. 

I'm finding the books also serve as time capsules for living in the days of the Cold War and other political situations that I'd almost forgotten about. It all feels familiar and yet so far away as I read. Dorothy Gilman also took a great deal of care with the geography and culture of these far away places. I didn't realize it so long ago when I was first reading, but they really are a good, if casual, look at the countries Mrs. Pollifax visits.

My favorites are the first six books but there are many more to try.

Couldn't Put It Down — The Street of the Five Moons by Elizabeth Peters

Another of the books I've been delighted to find I still really enjoy even though I first read it decades ago.

What did it all mean? The note with the hieroglyphs was found in the pocket of a man lying dead in an alley. The only other item of interest was a piece of jewelry, a reproduction of the Charlemagne talisman. It was good, so good that Vicky Bliss thought she was being shown the real jewel. The goldwork was done by a master; the jewels weren’t glass but top-quality synthetic stones. What did it mean?

Vicky didn’t know … yet. But on the sunbathed streets and in the moonlit courtyards of Rome, she was going to find out—if the dangerously exciting young Englishman didn’t get in her way…

I've read this many times since Vicky Bliss is my favorite of author Elizabeth Peters' heroines. However, I haven't read it for a long time so when I saw that the Barbara Rosenblat narration was available on Audible, I got ready for an enjoyable reacquaintance. Her narration really did make the book even better.

The Vicky Bliss series is made up of cozy adventure mysteries with a no nonsense heroine who is a curator at an art museum. When she meets up with a charming art thief the combination is quite fun. As with many favorites I've recently reread after a decade or so, I remembered the big surprises but was startled by other plot twists that I did't remember. The setting in Rome and Tivoli, the charming art thief, the eccentric household where Vicky is investigating, and the sheer adventure of the escapades that she gets embroiled in are all enhanced by a nice layer of humor that makes for lighthearted entertainment.

My favorites of the series are this one, Silhouette in Scarlet, and Trojan Gold. Any of them can be read as a standalone, though all build on the relationship between Vicky and the art thief. 

It is fluff but my kind of fluff.

Ransomware and Rereading — The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

At the beginning of May the City of Dallas suffered a citywide ransomware attack. All city services had to learn to operate again without the computer. The police and emergency services went back to the time-honored practice of using radio dispatchers and a pen and paper. The courts have been closed because legal materials for each case were online and now are gone ... or buried in whatever there is left of the system. As far as we can tell, they're having to rebuild the whole system from scratch.

As library users, this has been almost the equivalent of when the pandemic hit. There is no computer access, of course. You can go to a local branch and peruse the materials. But you must just see what that particular branch has. There's no citywide access to the catalog or, for that matter, no catalog to check at all. 

You can check out materials. They enter the info into a Word file which will be reintegrated with the whole system when it is back. I have no idea how they're going to know what everyone already had checked out. They aren't accepting materials back in because they have no way to check them back in.

Of course, we figure the library will be the last system to come back to normal once Dallas systems begin coming back online. They're a pretty low priority in the big picture.

Which is a very long introduction to why I've been rereading so many goldie oldies from our own shelves. (Well, that and the flu.) It's been kind of nice being forced to fall back on our own resources and rediscover so many books I love.

This is the story of Corlath, golden-eyed king of the Free Hillfolk, son of the sons of the Lady Aerin.

And this is the story of Harry Crewe, the Homelander orphan girl who became Harimad-sol, King's Rider, and heir to the Blue Sword, Gonturan, that no woman had wielded since the Lady Aerin herself bore it into battle.

And this is the song of the kelar of the Hillfolk, the magic of the blood, the weaver of destinies...

This another one that I loved when it came out and haven't reread for a long time. Consequently, I remembered the big beats but not a few of the twists toward the end. Likewise, I'd forgotten the many elements that made this compelling. I found it grabbed me by the throat and I couldn't put it down — what a great read!

To quote another review, this is "a near-perfect short fantasy novel" and "an original work fantasy lovers shouldn't overlook."

Couldn't Put It Down — Aunt Dimity's Death by Nancy Atherton

When you're recovering from the flu and rediscover Aunt Dimity's Death jammed behind other books - that's a lovely moment. It's perfect recovery reading. 

Lori Shepherd thought Aunt Dimity was just a character in a bedtime story...

...Until the law firm of Willis & Willis summons her to a reading of the woman's will. Down-on-her-luck Lori learns she's about to inherit a siazable estate--if she can discover the secret hidden in a treasure trove of letters in Dimity's English country cottage. What begins as a fairy tale becomes a mystery--and a ghost story--as Aunt Dimity's indomitable spirit leads Lori on a quest to discover how true love can conquer all.

I'm not a lover of "cozy" mysteries as they are churned out today. However, this 1992 book is a charming mystery from before "cozy" was a category and it is far better than most. What sets it apart is the emphasis on what Lori discovers about herself in the investigation. This review hit the nail on the head:

This book, cleverly disguised as a cosy mystery, takes us into a world of adults looking at childhood memories through grown-up eyes. There are memories sweet and difficult, dark secrets, and finally, a love story or two. There's really not so much of a mystery here, but more a righting of past wrongs.

Certainly, when I was unable to continue reading and my thoughts whirled in flu-ish chaos, musing about this story kept me from focusing on how bad I felt.

Couldn't Put It Down — War for the Oaks by Emma Bull

I picked this book up recently to reread and was riveted all over again. I remembered the broad strokes but not so many that I wasn't surprised by some big plot twists, especially toward the end. I read it at every spare moment, carried it all over the house and just loved it all over again.

So I'm reposting this review from 2008 in the hopes that you'll pick it up and have just as good a time.

Eddi reminded herself that this was not the only bass player in Minneapolis. The ads hadn't even appeared yet. "Ahhhh ... listen," she said at last. "I'm not sure you ... that this is a good idea."

And he raised his eyes from his bass just enough to look at her. His eyes were more fluent than his mouth; they blazed contempt and hostility, they pleaded for her forbearance, her indulgence.

She winced and picked up her own guitar. "Ever heard Bram Tchaikovsky's version of 'I'm a Believer'?" He shook his head, but continued to watch her, his fingers poised over his stings.

"Start it," he mumbled finally, and Eddi shrugged.

The song did kick off with only guitar. Then Carla dropped in after a few measures with a series of snare drum punches, and Dan's synthesizer yowled across it all.

Then, in precisely the right place, the bass came in. It began as if the Rocky Mountains had begun to walk. It sounded like the voice of the magma under the earth's crust, and it picked up the whole song and rolled it forward like water exploding out of a breaking dam. They were suddenly tight, all four of them, as if they were a single animal and that monster heartbeat was their own. Eddi listened wonderingly as they played the complicated stop beats in the chorus with respectable precision. She was dimly aware that she was playing some of the best guitar of her life.

When they were done, Eddi looked around and saw her own amazement on Carla's and Dan's faces. "Well," she said, and, unable to think of anything to add, said it again.

No one declared the newcomer to be the band's bass player. It would have been beside the point. Eddi only wanted to see if they could make other songs sound like that. She had no idea if he could sing; given his willingness to talk, it seemed unlikely. But for bass like that, she could sacrifice a harmony voice.

I have never read any book before that so well made me understand the synergy and energy of a band until I read this book. I would think that probably holds for any band playing any sort of music, on varying levels.

If that were all that there were to War for the Oaks it would be interesting but not worth recommending. Not since Neverwhere by Neill Gaiman have I read such wonderful urban fantasy. The book begins with Eddi who is having a very bad night. She has broken up with her boyfriend, which also means their band is now kaput, and then she finds herself in the dark city streets fleeing a truly terrifying vicious dog ... who suddenly changes into a man. 

Thus begins Eddi's coercion into being the mortal being needed by the Seelie Court of Faerie for their upcoming war with the Unseelie Court. Ostensibly the Seelie Court are the good guys but as these beings all are operating under completely foreign rules it is often difficult to tell the difference. Eddie is left with the dog/man, otherwise known as a phouka, as a bodyguard as she goes about her regular life of forming a band while waiting for the war to begin.

This is all a pale description of a rich story that pulls the reader into the world of Emma Bull's making. We learn about champions, love, truth, honor ... and , of course, musicians.

Highly recommended.

SPOILER
Reader's note for parents of YA readers:
Eddi does have an affair though details are not described. She later has another with an encounter that is a bit more descriptive but not graphic. The first is excused due to undue "faerie" influence and she refuses to resume it based on moral grounds. The second other is from true love. Both are handled well and nothing that makes an adult reader blink twice as part of this genre. This is the sort of book I would have read quite eagerly as a high school student.

Couldn't Put It Down — West of Eden by Harry Harrison

But what if history had happened differently? What if the dinosaurs had survived to evolve intelligent life?

In West of Eden, bestselling author Harry Harrison has created a rich, dramatic saga of a world where the descendants of the dinosaurs struggled with a clan of humans in a battle for survival.

Here is the story of Kerrick, a young hunter who grows to manhood among the dinosaurs, escaping at last to rejoin his own kind. His knowledge of their strange customs makes him the humans' leader ... and the dinosaurs' greatest enemy.

Ah 1984. The year I got married. The year I read West of Eden. So many good things happened that year!

I loved this book from the beginning and reread it a lot but I haven't picked it up for a long time. When it was selected for an upcoming podcast episode, I was curious if it would hold up. It is 400 pages long and I read 300 of them last night. Plus I've been sneaking a few pages here and there as I have gaps in my morning routine. I guess that means I like it as much as ever!

The worldbuilding is simply wonderful. The contrast between the two ways of innovation, adaptation, and tradition are also interesting. Kerrick as the person bridging the two worlds of intelligent dinosaur and nomadic humans brings just the whole story into focus.

Plus it's a darned good adventure.

Best of 2022 — Rereading and Rewatching

 How long's it been since you reread or rewatched these? Pardner, that's too long.

My top picks from last year. In no particular order.

Serenity

The perfect popcorn movie — a fantastic, fast moving adventure crackling with wit and set 500 years in the future.
(My review here.)

Haider

Hamlet — Indian style. Told as a statement about police action and terrorism in Kashmir in 1995.

(My review here.)

Master and Commander

Brilliantly conveys the essence of the first three of Patrick O'Brian's novels with  artistry,  realism, and wonderful acting and directing.

Hell or High Water

This heist film crossed with a modern western follows two West Texas brothers who begin robbing banks but only take loose bills and target branches of one particular bank. They are pursued by a crusty Texas Ranger (Jeff Bridges) nearing the end of his career. The opening with the deliberate framing of the three crosses begs the question throughout the film — is there a "good thief" and what does that mean beyond the easy Hollywood cliche of good intentions?

 

Lagaan

Peasants versus the Raj in an epic cricket match.
Charming and a celebration of the human spirit.

(My review here.)

Barfi

Barfi is a magical fairy tale of a romantic comedy, somewhat like an Indian-style Amelie.  We see four interwoven timelines, a rarity for Indian movies, chronicling a romance, a crime spree (of sorts), life in the big city with a childhood friend, and present day.

(My review here.)

Return to Me

As a lovely fable of romance, community, faith, companionship and humor it hits practically every mark. It shows Catholic community and life at its best without ever leaving the mainstream movie genre.

Adaptation

This is famous screenwriter Charlie Kaufman's meta-film about adapting The Orchid Thief novel into a screenplay. Above all it reminds you that Nicholas Cage is a great actor when he wants to be. Though it seems to drag as you approach the halfway point, it suddenly picks up and turns into an entirely different beast and you realize how the first half was necessary to setting up the inspired insanity of the second half. Not for everyone, but if you like an intellectual look at movies, then this is brilliant.

 

 

Bleak House

by Charles Dickens

I read this for my book club. Bleak House is a riveting blend of mystery,  horror,  romance, a look at character (or the lack thereof), and much more ... all laced with a self awareness that I find startlingly modern. O Dickens. 
(More here.)

The Man Who Was Thursday

by G.K. Chesterton

I read this along with the Pints with Chesterton podcast. This grabbed me by the throat all over again and I read it with delight at the humor, intelligence, plot twists, and adventure.

(My review here.)

The City Not Long After

by Pat Murphy

This tale of post-apocalyptic America had a dreamy, fantastic quality that I really liked. I especially liked Murphy's imaginings of how artists would shape the raw material of an abandoned city to show their vision.
(My review here.)

The Case of the Missing Servant

by Tarquin Hall

Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator, usually investigates candidates for arranged marriages. However, a serious case arises when he has to save a crusading lawyer's reputation while discovering what happened to the missing servant the lawyer is rumored to have murdered. This started me down the path of reading the rest of the series, which I highlighted in my Best of 2022 Books list.
(My review here.)

Prince of Foxes

by Samuel Shellabarger

Set in Renaissance Italy, this classic of American popular fiction is the story of Andrea Orsini, a peasant boy who rises to perform delicate political, military, and romantic missions for Cesare Borgia.

 

This description doesn't do it justice but it is a beginning. I absolutely love this author's historical fiction and this is my favorite of his books. He doesn't shy away from describing faith in attitudes proper to the time period which often leads to inspirational moments without being unbelievable to readers of any persuasion.

An Author You Might Have Missed - Elizabeth Cadell

 

Years ago, browsing the downtown library shelves I came across an incredibly large number of books by an author I'd never heard of — Elizabeth Cadell. I was soon hooked on these gentle, humorous novels. Sometimes there is also a mystery involved but they invariably have enjoyable conundrums of everyday living which must be figured out by the people in the books so that everything can come out okay in the end.

These novels are often called romances but they are much more than that. They weave everyday life, mystery, and romance with likable characters who you want to succeed. A fair number of them are set in Portugal which made me aware of that country in a new way. These are books for which you can often predict the story line but which you enjoy reading and rereading nonetheless. They fit into the whatever the category is where you'd find Cold Comfort Farm, Enchanted April, and Miss Buncle's Book.

I like the independent mindset always provided for at least one protagonist, although usually against what is generally considered to be "independent" in modern times. In the book Out of the Rain, for example, everyone keeps lamenting that the beautiful young widow is perfectly content to stay at home tending to her three children. She keeps asking these lamenters why being absorbed in her children is a bad thing. None of them can answer except to say she should be getting "more" out of life. This quote is from the widow's grandfather, who she lives with, but sums up the underlying mentality of the novel pretty well.

I can't help feeling that people ask too much [of life]. They don't keep up with the Joneses any more--they outstrip them. What people call happiness, today, isn't happiness. It's enjoyment. It's pleasure. And between happiness and pleasure there's a very large gap.

The question, I suppose, is what makes us genuinely happy. That is at the bottom of all Cadell's novels.

They are witty, well plotted, and leave you in a good mood. I return to them again and again for light reading.

The covers I've included are from some of my favorites but you can hardly go wrong. 

Many of them are now on Kindle and on Audible, some of which are narrated charmingly by Cadell's granddaughter.

John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father by Peggy Noonan - UPDATED

I'm rereading this book which has inadvertently turned into Advent reading. I'd forgotten just how good it is — inspirational, informative, and, above all, a wonderful reminder of a great pope and saint. I originally read it in 2006. My original review is below. 

(I have added an update upon my rereading which is in italics at the bottom.)

Why did so many love John Paul II? If you read this book you will know why. 

Peggy Noonan writes with conviction, force and clarity about her own love and respect for John Paul II as our spiritual father. In so doing, she gives us the essence of this great pope's life and faith as distilled through the lens of her own growing return to her Catholic faith and love of God.

I only really paid attention to him after I converted in 2000 so my own experience with JPII was of him as the old pope who showed us how to live, love, and give through suffering. In fact, I was aware of respecting him but didn't realize my own great love until I read the false report of his death (a day before the actual event) on the Drudge Report. I mystified myself by bursting into great, body-shaking sobs that wouldn't stop. When I went into Tom's office, he was alarmed and, after hearing an explanation, he shook his head at me. "You love him," he said, "You just didn't know how much until now." 

 Perhaps that is why I am finding myself pulled through this book at breakneck speed. I knew the bare bones of many of John Paul's experiences as pope but this book is something like a Weigel-lite (?) biography in some ways. I am learning much about the details of his papacy even as I am brought to tears or smiles again and again by both his experiences as well as Noonan's.

I picked up this book from the library yesterday and am about halfway through. Already, I have begun to push it on others. An email here, a strong recommendation to someone there (such as to my husband who never reads "religious" books but is interested in this one).

Part of the fascination for me is Noonan's transparent honesty. She is, in a sense, every modern person who has struggled with belief, honesty, and faith itself. As she intersperses her tale with that of John Paul II, I find myself in agreement with her along the way. Her path is not exactly mine but her sentiments and struggles echo them well enough to resonate. And the resonation already is calling me to reach further in prayer...

So I was thinking about pebbles — the pebbles on the cover of the videotape, the pebbles in the Kevin Orlin Johnson book, the pebbles I saw on Jones Beach when I went out that summer to see friends.

I thought a lot.

I just didn't say any Rosaries.

I find this to be true of my spiritual life, and maybe it applies to yours as well: I think about things more than I do them; I ponder what seems their goodness more than I perform them. As if my thought alone were enough. But a thought alone isn't quite enough; it's an impulse and not a commitment, a passing thing that doesn't take root unless you plant it and make it grow.

So I just thought about all this. And was very glad other people were saying Rosaries, and when I met them, I always asked that they pray for me.

Meanwhile, the problems I was having were growing more urgent. And I would talk to God about them. But I didn't say the Rosary.

And then I believe I was told to do it.

How was she told? Well, for that I encourage you to read the book (I'm not above dangling a tasty carrot). The problem Noonan details is a problem I have myself. It is so easy to think about something rather than to do it. However, through this passage (and the miracle that follows) John Paul II is reaching me through this book and calling me back to the rosary which I began saying again this morning on my way to work. It was once a steady habit, but fallen by the wayside somehow as things sometimes do.

Perhaps it also helps that Noonan was heavily influenced by Kevin Orlin Johnson's book Rosary, which also pulled me into the rosary soon after my conversion. I have never known anyone else who read it and so that helped get my attention. (Off topic is a question I always have meant to ask: does anyone else have this book and, if so, does their book smell of roses? I assume they somehow put the scent in the paper which is a nice touch but always wondered as I never could find any reference to it in the book credits.) [Update - it turns out no one else has had this experience except my family.]

Noonan also references others who have perspective and personal experiences such as George Wiegel, Michael Novak, Richard Neuhaus, and even actor Jim Caviezel who portrayed Jesus in The Passion of the Christ. The snippets that she quotes have made me interested in reading more indepth about John Paul II.

Go find this book and read it now!

UPDATE (part of the original review)

I have now finished the book and it holds up right through the end. To her credit, Noonan does not skirt the places where John Paul II was not perfect and which contributed to such problems in the American church as a "cardboard" Mass or the sex scandals. She examines the problems and the various degrees of blame which could be attributed to the areas where John Paul's lacked in leadership. I found especially interesting her theory of why the pope was so deficient in handling the sex scandal problem. It was a theory that I hadn't heard and one that some may say is too kind, however, I think it possibly is quite right.

However, this does not diminish his great overall achievements both for Noonan (and many, many others personally) and for the Church as a whole. The book ends on a note of JPII's legacy to Benedict XVI. I will leave it to you to see Noonan's nickname for Pope Benedict which I hadn't heard before but is so apt that I laughed with delight when I read it. Again, this book cannot be more highly recommended.

REREADING UPDATE

In the chapter "The Great Shame" where Noonan talks about John Paul's failings, in particular the sex scandal, she recounts being asked to speak at a meeting of Catholic conservatives held by Cardinal McCarrick and Bishop Gregory. Over a decade after the original meeting, with the knowledge of Cardinal McCarrick's true nature and behavior now revealed, it was chilling to read about his reassuring nods and kind smiles to some of her most heartfelt points about the victims and the Church. More than anything it reminded me of how well he masqueraded, as good predators do, as an understanding, caring person who is to be trusted.

Rereading — Lectio Divina Bible Study: Learning to Pray in Scripture - Stephen J. Binz

I'm rereading this by virtue of using it for afternoon prayer. It's so good I decided to rerun the review I wrote way back in 2013 when I first read it.

As I have mentioned before, Stephen Binz is a passionate advocate of Lectio Divina, the ancient practice of studying and praying using Scripture.

Focusing on different topics such as the Creed, the Mass, the Sacraments, or Prayer, Binz shows where they are found in the Bible, gives context for full appreciation, and helps readers learn about deeper prayer as found in the steps of lecto divina: Listening, understanding, reflecting, praying, and acting.

I have used many Bible studies, but Learning to Pray in Scripture is one of my favorites. Binz shows different sorts of prayers by moving through the Bible to show the various characters who employ them under different circumstances. I felt as if I grew to understand each particular person whose prayers were highlighted. This is only natural after considering them at length, but it is partly the result by Binz's thoughtful commentary and prompting questions.

Binz often brought up points of view that had never occurred to me, such as the comment below that prayer doesn't have to be theologically correct. I'd never thought about such a thing before and it made me wonder if I was a bit too "correct" in trying to speak to God "properly" rather than just trying to have an honest conversation, no matter where it led us.

I also really appreciated the overview of prayer which covered forms of Biblical prayer and how to use them today, the disposition to cultivate for prayer, and the characteristics of prayer as seen in the lives of Israel's heroes, ancient prophets, Jesus' life, and more. Suddenly I was thinking about prayer and how to converse with God in a whole new way.

I can't praise Binz's prayer prompts highly enough. All too often, such prompts are simple and surface level. Worse, they often don't relate to my own life or needs. His cut to the heart of our relationship with God and always leave me pondering and talking to God. That's really a rare reaction for me when reading such prompts, as I said.

The snippets below just scrape the surface in the treasures that are found within this book. All Scripture is quoted completely in the book so you need no other references, although I didn't include it below.

Abraham's Intercessory Prayer for Sodom
Genesis 18:16-33

Listening
In establishing the covenant, God had promised to make Abraham a blessing to all the peoples of the earth. This bold prayer of intercession teaches us what it means to pray humbly but confidently in the context of a covenantal relationship with God. We have the same opportunity to intercede before God for the people of the world.

Understanding
… Abraham first chooses the number fifty as his bartering figure: save the city on behalf of fifty righteous people. He purposely chose a low number, thinking that in the typical haggling style of the Middle East, God would choose a much higher number, and then they would eventually meet somewhere in the middle. But Abraham's strategy is undone by god's immediate acceptance of his offer. Lowering the offer to forty-five, forty, thirty, twenty, and finally ten, Abraham discovers that God is far more merciful than he had imagined.

=====================

The Prophet's Prayer of Lament for Israel
Isaiah 63:15-64:12

Reflecting
Since prayer is conversational and emotional, it does not have to be theologically correct. What are some of the outrageous questions and statements found in this prayer? In what ways to these kinds of utterances enrich my prayer?

=====================

The Prayers of Christian Believers
Acts 1:12-14 / Acts 4:23-31

Acting
Like the early Christians in Jerusalem, continue letting the words you pray become the life you live.

• Rather than ask God to spare them from hardship, the early Christians prayed only for the courage to face it and to keep on speaking God's word with boldness. For what purpose do I need to pray for boldness? What can I do today to claim the strength and courage God offers to me?

Rereading: Mrs. Appleyard's Year (and Mrs. Appleyard's Kitchen) by Louise Andrews Kent

My current bedtime reading - again. Gentle, funny, and perfect for nodding off. Here's my original review from years ago:

I know, I know. This looks like the lamest old book ever. Yet after enjoying the clever, gentle humor of the commentary in Mrs. Appleyard's Kitchen (see below) I was intrigued enough to find a cheap copy of this book. Truth to tell, I was thinking it might be good to read to my mother-in-law (she suffers from slight dementia and so far Cheaper By the Dozen is our favorite to share together on my visits).

At any rate, as I was looking through this I found myself continually pulled into the story and laughing. Louise Andrews Kent pays us the compliment of not underestimating our intelligence. The imagined life of the Italian family living in the hedges (prompted by a gardener's unpleasant joke) or Mrs. Appleyard's defense of her family to a British aunt allow us to enter a world long gone but to realize that people were still the same then as now.

I have been waiting for at least a month to read this on Forgotten Classics and am excited that Mrs. Appleyard's time to shine has finally come. Pull up your rocking chair on the porch, have a glass of lemonade and rock in the cool breeze as we follow Mrs. Appleyard through her year.

Note: I read Mrs. Appleyard's Year over a year at my Forgotten Classics podcast. Pull up your rocking chair on the porch, have a glass of lemonade and rock in the breeze as we follow Mrs. Appleyard through her year. Listen here.

This is the book that led me to Mrs. Appleyard's Year. It is an absolutely delightful "forgotten classic" that I discovered in my parent's basement. Hilarious and intentionally so ... Mom and I kept picking it up and reading each other snippets all day ... and laughing our heads off. It is a cookbook but each recipe deserves reading because they are larded with small stories, humorous comments, and personality ... somewhat in the same way as the recipes in The Best Cook in the World. It often winds up on my bedstand for nighttime reading.

Rereading — The Case of the Missing Servant by Tarquin Hall

Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator, does what is needful to solve his cases. They usually involve investigating prospective brides and grooms for arranged marriages, but there are also big, serious cases. Such is the main problem in this book where Puri has to save a crusading lawyer's reputation while discovering what happened to the missing servant the lawyer is rumored to have murdered.

A judiciously quirky Indian detective (meaning realistic) and his operatives are highlighted, as well as his Mummy who sets out to solve a mystery that her son does not take seriously. This was an enjoyable "cozy" sort of mystery, like a trip to India. Rereading it seven years after the last time (for A Good Story podcast #63), I am struck by just how realistically regular Indian life is portrayed. I say that after watching so many Indian films in the last couple of years that I noticed tons of authentic details that slid past me in previous readings.

Ultimately, this was a classic mystery in many ways and yet it still managed to fool me. Extremely well done and gave a bird's-eye view of India without needing tons of info-dumps. Highly recommended. (P.S. I am a big fan of his Mummy-Ji.)

Rereading: The City by Dean Koontz

I recommended this book to my mother and then I realized it had been six years since I'd read it and I didn't remember it very well at all. It's been a real pleasure to reread so I'm rerunning the review.

That’s life. Always something, more good than bad, but always interesting if you’re paying attention.

The voice in this book reminds me of another classic Dean Koontz character, Odd Thomas, in its sweetness and innocence. However, this is narrated by a 10 year old instead of a grown man.

The 10-year-old is a skinny, black, musical prodigy named Jonah Kirk. The time is the mid-1960's when chaos reigns in America. The place is a mysterious City which is never named. Unless you want to call it Pearl, after the mysterious woman who appears and disappears mysteriously in Jonah's life and who tells him that she is the soul of the City.

This story looks at how we respond when it seems that the world is an unstable, chaotic place where unexpected evil can drop on you at any moment. Sound like any other time period you know? Such as the one we're living in right now? Koontz's story has a subtle supernatural gloss and doesn't focus on horror nearly as much as other books. Instead it focuses on coming of age, the power of community, the power of kindness, and overcoming adversity. As always, there is a strong theme of good versus evil but it is mostly kept in the real world.

A lot of the charm of this book comes from Koontz's ability to remind us what it is like to interpret the world as a supernatural, magical place because of youth's sheer inexperience. The relationship between Jonah and his upstairs neighbor, Mr. Yoshioka was especially interesting to watch flowering. And if you like jazz, big band, and swing, there are enough references to send you to start up your own soundtrack while you read.

It's not what I think of as typical Dean Koontz fiction, but I greatly enjoyed it.