I’m not quite sure how time gets away from me with these book reports but it does. My summer reads were really good and I could have had them posted awhile ago. I took the photos and set the piles aside and once again I’m late. Then again it is a new year so this could be the perfect time to post. You might just be needing a new book and the perfect book might be in my pile. This book report, because of the time factor, I will not be providing as much detail as I normally do but I will make sure you have enough to know just what book would work for you. Lately, I’ve been thinking perhaps I would do better to post each book on my Instagram stream when I finish it. It might be more time effective. We will see. First I have to catch up here though. I must admit I have some great reads this fall. So let’s get started.

The Fisherman Chigozie Obioma…Every once in a while I get a book in the mail from my son. It is usually a book that he has read and liked. It also usually a book that will push me in a new direction or it might be an author I have not ever heard of. The Fisherman was both of those. To read the cover would prompt anyone to try this book…”Man Booker prize finalist. Accolades from Oprah, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and the NPR. The list goes on. So I began. At about 50 pages it was starting to drag me down. It’s a Cain and Abel kind of story. The father is strict and there are four brothers who take advantage of their time when the Father leaves the village and goes to a distant city to work. The boys leave to go fishing…and then the story goes dark. The story takes place in Africa and I did manage to finish it, mostly because my son gave it to me. Now, I’m guessing I might have missed something along the way. As a mother though, the suffering of the boys was too much sadness for me. Fishing, what should have been a great time for boys while providing food for the family just took a bad turn. I am always thankful for the books Chris sends me because we get to talk about them and I love that we have this passion for books that we share. This one though only gets 3 stars…but if any of you have read it I would love to hear your take on this highly recommended book.

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng…Now, this one was unputdownable. From the fly cover, “Little Fires Everywhere explores the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, and the ferocious pull of motherhood, and the danger of believing that following the rules can avert disaster.” The story takes place in a progressive suburb of Clevland where everything is planned from the roads to the color of the houses. Then along come Mia Warren and her teenage daughter. They rent an apartment from the very rich Richardson, who has four children. The status quo in the neighborhood is about to erupt and no will the town be held together so tightly again. The story of two Mothers and a divided town after the story of adoption becomes a battle within a well-planned community. Riveting…5 stars.

Upstate by James Wood In the years since his daughter Vanessa moved to America to become a professor of philosophy, Alan Querry has never been to visit. He has been too busy at home in northern England, holding together his business as a successful property developer. His younger daughter, Helen―a music executive in London―hasn’t gone, either, and the two sisters, close but competitive, have never quite recovered from their parents’ bitter divorce and the early death of their mother. But when Vanessa’s new boyfriend sends word that she has fallen into a severe depression and that he’s worried about her safety, Alan and Helen fly to New York. Over the next six days, the family tries to mend a shattered family…The writing was wonderful. I give it 4 stars.

The Only Street in Paris by Elaine Sciolino If you know me, you know how much I love Paris. When I saw this book I knew I had to read it because of course, I want to know about any street in Paris that is special. I loved this book. It was a biography by a woman who has lived on this street for many years and of course, she loves it and knows all its stories. It is in the Montmartre area. If you have not been there, you must go. Very fascinating. The author says “some people see the Rue des Martyrs as a street” she sees it as stories. Life in Paris is so very different than my life here in the US…so I just devoured this book. Even if you have already been or never plan to go to Paris, this is still a rich book full of history and stories of the way it was so many years ago and how they are struggling to hang on to the neighborhood. 5 stars.

The Rainbow Comes and Goes by Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt I loved this book because I love Anderson Cooper and after reading this book that they both wrote together, I love his Mom also. Though they both are quite famous this book reads as anyone’s story would. Down to earth and a Mom and a Son just trying to find their way into each other’s lives. “It’s both a son’s love letter to his mother and an unconventional Mom’s life lessons for her grown son.” This book offers a rare window into their close relationship and their life stories…It was an easy read and so enjoyable…5 Stars for Moms and Son’s.

Writing Your Life by Patti Miller Somedays I imagine I’m a writer so I like to read lots of books about writing. I find memoir fascinating, especially if I like the writer. The word, the flow, the putting together a life on pages fascinates me. So I read about it. Patti Miller was a new author for me but I will be reading more of her. This is what caught me, “If you have dreamed by childhood creeks, had coffee with a friend, watched a sunrise after a partner has died, or lived through any of life’s twists and turns, then you have a life story to write.” I love the book. I’m taking the words seriously, even though I have no plan to ever write a book.. 5 stars for Patti.

Healing the Divide Poems of Kindness & Connection by many writers. I’m not much of a poem reader but I am interested and getting better. This one was a good one for me. It felt more like mini-stories than poems, some even felt like quotes and others were a bit longer. I must say though, that as I read I found myself checking some of these off to save and to share. That’s what a good poem should do, stir something in you that gets you thinking or remembering. This was recommended by one of my favorite authors, Elizabeth Berg. Whatever she recommends I usually read. She was right about this one.. 4 Stars for poetry.

The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood Oh how I loved this book. The story of an 11-year-old boy and his friend Ona who was 104 years old. He was hired to help her with small chores on Saturdays, such as filling the bird feeders and tidy up the garden shed. While he works Ona tells him about her long life, from her first love to second chances and everything in between. One Saturday he doesn’t show up. Ona, thinking he was such a special boy is not thinking he might not be so special at all. A wonderful, heartwarming story of how friendships can start, last and move on. 5 stars…

Dimestore A Writers Life by Lee Smith “On the edge of the riverbank sat the “little writing house” that my daddy built for me and then had to rebuild after every flood.” What caught my eye about this book was the title. When I was growing up we had a dimestore and it was my favorite store to visit. Bonus, it was about writing by an author that I like, Lee Smith. The book is 15 essays of what her life at home growing up in Virginia, moving away and then returning. The quote above is from the first essay about her town and the dimestore. I have underlined a lot of pages here because her time was also my time and it was so much fun to look back and remember…How many of you took a lunch to school wrapped in wax paper? If you did you will also love this book. There are also some lovely tips on writing. 5 Stars Johnny Cash and “Rings of Fire.

In Revere, In Those Days by Roland Merullo I grew up in Salem, Massachusetts, Revere was a stones throw anyway as the crow flies. Both are coastal areas and working towns. I think we both had a reputation for our beauty and our brass…sometimes not a good combination but mostly very good people. Merullo tells the story of his growing up in Revere in his big Italian-American family. I loved this memoir, it hit close to home, literally. I also love a memoir because I learn a lot, sometimes about my own area. As the twist and turns of his life unfold, Tonio, as he was called by family and friends, realizes that sometimes finding yourself can simply mean finding your place in your own family. The writing was wonderful. I will be reading more books by this author…5 Star.

When The Trees Say Nothing by Thomas Merton This is the kind of book that I keep on my bedside night table. When I don’t have the time or I am too tired this is what I want to relax me before lights out. Merton is a lover of nature and the spiritual life. This book is about nature and the changing of seasons. Most are just small half-page writings so it is easy and calming. If you love nature and have never read Merton, give him a try. You will be pleasantly surprised by his wisdom and vision. 5 Star.

Paris by the Book by Liam Callanan If you know me you know that I love Paris so every season I try to read a book about that beloved city, whether it’s a novel or a travel guide it’s all good to me. Looking back, knowing what I know now, I think I should have bought a little apartment over there but that never happened. The good news is I can now go wherever I want and plan to visit as often as the world stays safe. Paris by the Book is a mystery about an artist who disappears and leaves his family behind. The family moves to Paris to see if the can track him down. The book is interesting in that while they are searching they come across a book store that is for sale…and well, I guess you know what happens there…a good story. 4 stars.

Let’s go look back for a minute and spend a few minutes with the lead book, Literary Paris. It is a lovely little 8x8 hardback book full of colorful photos and quotes of all the bookshops, libraries and literary places, hidden cafe’s in Paris. There are also many little stories about the literary happenings both long ago and now and musings from great writers and intellectuals. I love this little book, it is the epitome of what Paris is all about. I never put it away. This would be my favorite book in the group above. Even if you don’t read, it’s a beautiful book to own. If you do still life photography is a masterful teacher. I bought this after buying Paris in Color and Paris in Love. Nicole Robertson, the author, also has another one New York in Color which I also need to get. If I could give this one 10 stars I would because when I can’t get across the pond, I can visit from my Paris reading room…yes, I did, just make a Paris reading room in my house. Enjoy.

So that is a wrap…Oh my, I’m seriously thinking of bringing you my best books in another way going forward into 2020. I do have my Fall books that need to come up and then I will make a switch to Instagram I think…more frequently but less reading…I hope you enjoy a few and if you have read any really good ones that you think I need to know about, please pass on the titles. I love checking books out.

I do read every comment so thank you for stopping by and Cheers to 2020. May you spend many fun days under the sun, in the snow with leaves falling and flowers popping…with a good book in your hand...

These photos were taken with the Fuji XT-2 and the 50 mm lens.