Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Confessions of Working Girl: a true story by Miss S.






Anyone seeking to work in a brothel should seek this book. Anyone who seeks to greater understand the sort of men who pursue prostitutes and why this career is not for the faint-hearted needs to read this book. Before I started reading hooker memoirs, I thought prostitution could be fun aside from maintaining a distance from the police. I assumed there were many happy hookers. Miss S details her work in the UK for this book. Maybe in the second book, I'll learn of her American escapades.

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

The Mother of Black Hollywood: a memoir by Jenifer Lewis


 


I read this memoir at a wonderful time! I have elected to heal and help others to deepen my healing. She's done so much living and I admire her honesty. She's aware of her grandiosity and flair for drama. She's willing to tell you that her theatrics were followed by despair for much of her life. One of my adolescent relatives is having a difficult time in her feelings about her mother. Her mother and I both have been diagnosed with a mental condition. She was aware of her mother's issue but I decided to disclose mine to draw more understanding of the perils of mental imbalance. We had that discussion last night. I had not discussed my condition with any of my cousins before last night. The cousin in question is young enough to be my child. I am surprised at myself. So that's a step.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Our healing doesn't exceed anyone else's until we have all been healed.









Tamara Drewe by Posy Simmonds


 

If the description on the lapel hadn't included "loosely inspired by Thomas Hardy's Far From the Madding Crowd", I wouldn't have known that Posy Simmonds didn't originate the plot. It feels fresh. But greatness builds upon other greatness, so it's not gravely shocking.

No spoilers but my introduction to Posy Simmonds has been swell.

Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson

 


** spoiler alert ** Piecing Me Together was released two weeks before The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. It definitely got overshadowed by the latter. I hadn't become aware of Piecing Me Together until reading multiple entries on a forum I frequent. This book is sweet and presents a protagonist who has an agreeable nature. (The rage stirred by Black Lives Matter no doubt pulled more readers towards The Hate U Give.) No one dies in this book. I think many people, at the time both books were released, wanted something heavy-hitting.

I enjoyed Piecing Me Together. I am grateful that the author presents change occurring in a peaceful manner. It's a gentle story. I need a story like that sometimes.

Saturday, October 24, 2020

On Women Turning Forty: Coming into Our Fullness by Cathleen Rountree

 



Right now, I am 35. Culturally, my next big birthday is 40. No reason to miss any wisdom. I don't esteem one woman above the others. Each woman delivered candor about her past experiences and current standing.

Women and those empathic to women ought to read this book.

Monday, October 5, 2020

A Piece of Cake: a memoir by Cupcake Brown





A Piece of Cake by Cupcake Brown

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am so relieved and delighted for Cupcake!!! I first became aware of Cupcake from an article in the Oprah Magazine in the early 2000s. I started this book knowing she would overcome. It deepens my faith knowing that God watches over people like Cupcake used to be. It lets me know that my situation is not helpless and that I can be victorious. 

All praise aside, I am grateful that I didn't meet Cupcake during her drug years. Too much!! People did love her and they were unyielding with patience. She was blessed in the midst of her turmoil.

It illuminates me to my compulsions and bad habits. No need to hit rock bottom. Preventive measures saves many lives and proves just as or even moreso valuable.


Saturday, September 19, 2020

The Solitary Vice: Against Reading by Mikita Brottman


The Solitary Vice: Against Reading by Mikita Brottman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mikita Brottman doesn't dispute the potential to receive enrichment by reading. Rather, she pushes the reader to consider that reading may have less influence over the masses than the power we give to it. I would have considered this author to be a kindred spirit until I learned that she loves the macabre. I shun those topics. Also, her love of books exceeded to the point where she didn't want to explore the gorgeous outdoors. In her adolescence, she frequented a local cemetery. Gratefully, I didn't lose my yearning to venture brightly outside. Anyone who loves to read books about books ought to read this book.


Thursday, September 17, 2020

Gig: Americans Talk About Their Jobs at the Turn of the Millennium by John Bowe, Marisa Bowe, and Sabin Streeter


Gig: Americans Talk About Their Jobs at the Turn of the Millennium by John Bowe, Marisa Bowe, and Sabin Streeter


My rating: 5 out of 5 stars



** spoiler alert ** My favorite profile: Dane Andrews, orthopedic surgeon. A black man who graduated from Yale, this brother made me laugh. I appreciate the entire book but his interview was the cream!! I would read someone read this for pleasure. Candor is pleasure.

Shifting: The Double Lives of Black Women in America by Charisse Jones and Kumea Shorter-Gooden, Ph.D.


Shifting: The Double Lives of Black Women in America by Charisse Jones and Kumea Shorter-Gooden, Ph.D.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book chose me at an appropriate time. I am preparing to propel a career. I empathize with what behaviours black women elect for survival. I prefer to behave similarly regardless of the company. If someone doesn't accept me, I don't associate with that person. Shifting leads to confusion and despair. You're not allowing yourself to live freely. 

It pays to understand the plight of my people.


Wednesday, September 16, 2020

A Love Supreme: Real-Life Stories of Black Love by TaRessa & Calvin Stovall



A Love Supreme: Real Life Stories of Black Love by TaRessa & Calvin Stovall

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A keeper!! I think several members of our community will feel included because not everyone professes Christianity. I appreciate the African principles featured in each chapter. The principle of Sankofa moved me deeply. Sankofa stands as "the symbol of the wisdom of learning from the past to build for the future. Sankofa is a constant reminder that past experience must be a guide for the future, to learn from or build on the past (Stovall 13)." 


On a somber note, I am aware that two of the couples have since divorced: Jesse Jackson, Jr. and Sandra Stevens, followed by Ayedemi Bandele and Iyanla Vanzant. If these people choose to re-enter marriage, I pray that they choose a devoted mate with clarity, respect, fidelity and the mutual bonds of love, joy, and peace.


Monday, September 14, 2020

Frida in America: The Creative Awakening of a Great Artist by Celia Stahr

                                                   


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In childhood and adulthood, Frida maintained a friendship with her sister Cristina. I think Cristina should have been mentioned far earlier in this book.(Frida painted Cristina in 1928.) Although the affair between Cristina and Diego tarnished Frida's psyche, Stahr wrote as if Matilde ( her mother and her elder sister shared the name) and Frida had a deeper relationship. 

I wish more photographs and paintings from Frida and Diego had been included. Many people will read this book who aren't overly familiar with Frida. There can never be too many photographs.


I am a Frida lover. Still delighted I read this book.



Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Frida Kahlo: the last interview










I thought this collection would exceed 100 pages. I read this in under an  hour. Furthermore, it included profiles of Frida's work, not so much interviews.

I'm still keeping it.

Mister Gumbo: Down and Dirty with Black Men on Life, Sex, and Relationships

Mister Gumbo: Down and Dirty with Black Men on Life, Sex, and Relationships by Ursula Inga Kindred & Mirranda Guerin-Williams







My rating: 5 out of 5 stars


** spoiler alert ** I loved this book but I have one issue. In the first entry for the fifth chapter called 'Marriage', a man named Terrence grants his opinion. Terrence appears again in the thirteenth chapter called 'Self-Image'. How is it that Terrence wasn't included in the first chapter? The first chapter is called 'Past'. 'Past' is where the authors introduced the men interviewed for this book. I enjoyed being able to turn back and read the primary details of each man in order to understand him better. I wish an explanation had been given as to why Terrence didn't present any early life details.

Still an awesome book!!

Monday, August 31, 2020

Who I admire the most from the Bible

Women 

From the Old Testament: Rahab. I love the fact that she was a prostitute and the Lord still granted her preferential treatment. I believe she's the reason people like to say 'a hooker with a heart of gold'.

From the New Testament: Mary of Bethany. I believe Mary of Bethany, Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the mother of Jesus were three individual women. Mary of Bethany had a gentle and quiet spirit along with being a keen listener. I cherish how she chose to learn wisdom. I want to be a sharp, nonjudgmental listener. When we judge someone, it opens the door to ourselves being hurt. Think about it. When we judge, our countenance changes. This instigates ire in the other person.

Men

I love Joseph, from the Old Testament. He was the elder son of Jacob and Rachel. He connected as a full brother to Benjamin. His father Jacob gifted him a handsome robe and this caused his brothers to get overcome with jealousy. So immense was their anger that they sold him into slavery. The slave traders shipped him to Egypt. He spent the rest of his life in Egypt. First, he served in Potiphar's house. Potiphar's wife became attracted to him. Joseph rejected her advances. Thus, Potiphar's wife falsely accused him of rape. Potiphar had Joseph imprisoned. I don't know how long exactly Joseph was locked up but he stayed behind bars FOR A WHILE. He rose from: slave>convict>second in command in Egypt.

Phenomenal story!!

Sister Gumbo: Spicy Vignettes from Black Women on Life, Sex, and Relationships









My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I identify with every woman featured in some fashion. The candor! It's phenomenal, hysterical, and at times, angering. I am grateful that these women appeared to have achieved prosperity independently. Many of them admitted that they allowed men to pamper them without guilt. (I am agreeing with that belief more as I get older.) I appreciate the recipes ahead of each chapter. I'll prepare each one.

It's a keeper!!

Saturday, August 22, 2020

With or Without You: a memoir by Domenica Ruta






My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I identify with Domenica's struggles with her mother. Except our shared drug is food. My mother has a practical nature. The only period I remember her as a spendthrift existed after the deaths' of my grandparents. Our home had plenty of items but we didn't have animal waste on our floors. ( Neither of us wants pets.) My mom and I would go to eat nearly every day. We always had disposable income to cover our meals. We weren't rich either but we had books in our home, those bought and others borrowed from the public library. Domenica's honesty has illuminated me to myself.

I am grateful I read this book.

Friday, July 31, 2020

Don't Call Us Out of Name: The Untold Lives of Women and Girls in Poor America by Lisa Dodson






A blessing to read!! Such warmth and empathy for the women and girls interviewed. I appreciate the tenderness and compassion Dodson extended to the women. She allowed women and girls to expose their vulnerabilities without depleting personal responsibility. No patronizing, either. I interpret that the subjects sensed ease and trustworthiness from Lisa Dodson.

I look forward to reading the rest of her oeuvre.

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars


Saturday, July 25, 2020

Flat Broke With Children: Women In The Age Of Welfare ReformFlat Broke With Children: Women In The Age Of Welfare Reform by Sharon Hays

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I would have loved more anecdotes. Hays devoted much of her analysis to scholarly research. It seemed that she focused less on her personal interviews with the women. This greatly disappointed me.



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Monday, July 20, 2020

The No Spend Year: How I spent less and lived moreThe No Spend Year: How I spent less and lived more by Michelle Mcgagh

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The commonsense advice applies in any country and anyone could relate to her tales of overspending and keeping up appearances. Yet, I would more likely urge people in the UK to read this book because her imparting about taxes and financial tidbits suit the UK standard.

I admire her tenacity. Definitely a quality we could all use more of.




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Saturday, July 18, 2020

Giants of JazzGiants of Jazz by Studs Terkel

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I bought this book under the impression Studs Terkel had interviewed these legends. It's a series of biographical profiles. I saved the best for last: Billie Holiday. She and Bessie Smith were the only women featured in this book. I guess Dinah Washington was considered a blues singer in her time because there's no mention of her. Bessie Smith was labeled a blues singer, too. Hmmm, why no Dinah, we may never know.




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Which translation of the Bible do you prefer? Do you read it?

When I read the Bible, I want to feel that I am having a natural, unforced lesson. When something is expressed in layman's terms, I remember it far better. I read New Living Translation, New International Version, Today's English Version, and the American Standard Version. I won't pretend that I read the Bible everyday. Ecclesiastes 7:16-18 tells us, " Don't be too good or too wise! Why destroy yourself? On the other hand, don't be too wicked either. Why die before your time? People who fear God will avoid both extremes." Reading predominantly secular books is one of the ways I fulfill this verse.

Please be respectful if you choose to express your opinion.

Thursday, July 16, 2020

How I Tried to be a Good Person by Ulli Lust

How I Tried to Be a Good PersonHow I Tried to Be a Good Person by Ulli Lust

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I hope Ulli Lust has shred her naïveté. I cringed when she returned to Kimata after he abused her. But sex is addictive and many people can attest to that. Books like this prove necessary for those who may be under a spell or someone who hasn't experienced such turmoil. (I currently belong to the latter.)It's a blessing that Ulli emerged alive.



I look forward to more graphic memoirs by Ulli Lust.




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Wednesday, July 1, 2020

WOC Read: One Year of Ugly by Carolyn Mackenzie

WOC Read: One Year of Ugly by Carolyn Mackenzie: Welcome Back Booklovers, So this time I'm back with a review of a book far from my usual read. I read very few books by white authors an...





So disappointing, lady. I wish more writers incorporated empathy into their skill.

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to SurviveMaid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive by Stephanie  Land

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I am deeply relieved that Stephanie Land moved herself and her daughter from destitution. It proves that perseverance does not cease to exist as a virtue. Stephanie's candor refreshed me. It also led me to recoil when she left her Section 8 apartment to move in with Travis. I think she may have developed a false sense of power. On page 106, she requests that he "take out the trash." This is a home she made no financial contribution towards. Growing up, I always heard that whoever had the money had the power. Stephanie either didn't receive that lesson or became dismissive of it. Nonetheless, her situation degraded into misery.

It is a blessing to know that her life has brightened.




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Frida Kahlo: 'I Paint My Reality'Frida Kahlo: 'I Paint My Reality' by Christina Burrus

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Concise and ultrashort. I learned that Diego reignited his affair with Cristina during Frida's voyage to Paris in 1939. The fact that Frida rejoined him in marriage lies beyond my comprehension. How deep a need.

I still love her art and her attractiveness. Her personality and appearance meld to create a fascinating woman. But I wouldn't have wanted her life.




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Monday, June 8, 2020

$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America by Kathryn J. Edin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book deepens empathy, motivation, and clarity. No one would want to begrudge their pleasurable circumstances when reading about the plight of the interviewees. Many of us complain about spending $2 for an inane item but we rarely consider the fact that many Americans exist on 200 cents in a day. Often, it's crucial that they go to bed hungry and live in undignified conditions. Mildew, faulty plumbing, filthy water, and a laundry list of ills haunt these individuals. There are no easy answers to this dilemma. There are solutions; just the problem-solvers don't concern themselves with this issue. Food banks and other veins of charity attempt to cover people's needs.

The wound needs to heal, not be covered with a bandage
.



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The 7 Habits of Rich, Powerful and Famous Bible WomenThe 7 Habits of Rich, Powerful and Famous Bible Women by Rhonda, Burns Lofton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I benefitted immensely from this book. The Widow of Sarepta... I had been aware of Elijah's connection to her. It amazes me that she obeyed a man she did not know and the Lord provided for her and her household. Jochebed defied Pharaoh's orders and preserved her infant son, the baby Moses. Defiance of nonsense proves crucial for people who live under divine order. If you heed foolishness, your life will be uprooted in any direction, without any influence from the Creator's sound presence.

Obedience and diligence wield potently.




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Sunday, May 17, 2020

At Home in the Street: Street Children of Northeast BrazilAt Home in the Street: Street Children of Northeast Brazil by Tobias Hecht

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I anticipated a longer book. The subject of street children in Brazil entails so much suffering and paranoia for those who live this reality, it seems even more unjust to have a slim volume. I appreciate that Hecht provided the reader with follow-ups of the children. The only solution to the issue is human empathy. It would enable the government to provide more services for the poor and people would gain more energy to sustain their families and themselves. This is not of criticism of Brazil but this faces the world at large.



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Sunday, May 3, 2020

Never Sit If You Can Dance: Lessons from My MotherNever Sit If You Can Dance: Lessons from My Mother by Jo Giese

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I read this in the bathtub all night. I feel blessed to be aware of Babe. What a remarkable woman! I wish she could've lived longer to see her Mother's Day bonanza. Nonetheless, her life overflowed with joy and love. Babe was a woman to emulate.

Cheers to feminine greatness!




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Friday, March 13, 2020

Billie Holiday: Wishing On The MoonBillie Holiday: Wishing On The Moon by Donald Clarke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I appreciated the meticulous research that Clarke presents in this biography. I think the negative reviews come from people who aren't deeply fascinated with Lady Day. Clarke proves compassionate towards her and reveals that she experienced far more joy than most of us imagine when we think of her. It disappointed me that so many of her associates didn't rate her as intelligent. To have such innate skill and not come equipped with intelligence, that's disparaging. I knew she hadn't received much formal schooling but I thought she would have been perceived as smart. One of her friends, however, did admit that she had plenty of mother wit.

I would urge anyone with a curiosity or fascination about Billie Holiday to read this biography.



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Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Baby GirlBaby Girl by Lenora Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Extremely realistic. It pains me that so many girls can identify with Sheree. Sheree's smart but petty. She admits that she competes with other girls for her no-good boyfriend, Damon. I can't relate but I have known girls who were that foolish. She learned the crucial lessons once her son was born.

I don't think this book was too graphic for teen girls. I think the author spared us much explicitness.



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Monday, March 2, 2020

More evidence of why spinsterhood is wonderful

I just read an article about a centenarian in the Bronx of New York City named Louise Signore. She reached 107 in 2019 and credited her longevity to never having been married. She was the oldest of her siblings and they had surpassed 100 as well. Miss Signore proved remarkable: she still possessed lucidity and physical agility plus she still looked attractive. 

On a saucier note, I watched and read briefly of an 83-year-old MILF. A sexy dresser with a jazzy haircut, Hattie Retroage looks her age but doesn't behave within the expectations. I am not offended by anyone choosing to explore their sexuality. Yet, at any age, I'd want to explore sexually within a loving, stable romance. Hattie ventures bravely: she finds men on dating apps and then meets them in a bar. If they attract her, the pair have a wild night in her apartment. That would quickly tire me because getting intimate with a stranger for me is a no-no. Too many criminally insane people. But perhaps she has sharp intuition. 

All power to both of these ladies.   

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Sex After . . .: Women Share How Intimacy Changes as Life ChangesSex After . . .: Women Share How Intimacy Changes as Life Changes by Iris Krasnow
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don't get the bad reviews. What dissatisfied the other readers so miserably? I found it inspiring that so many women achieved soulful sensuality no matter the circumstance. It pays to be assertive if you want anything meaningful in life. In our era, there are so many preventive measures that no one has to endure a miserable sex life. Cheers, Iris Krasnow!!


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Sunday, February 23, 2020

No Shame in My Game: the Working Poor in the Inner CityNo Shame in My Game: the Working Poor in the Inner City by Katherine S. Newman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book on my initiative. Judging from the cover, I thought it would be more recent. Still, this glance into the economics of inner-city NYC during the Clinton administration proved fascinating for me. I was a little girl during that time and I recall it as prosperous. Quite sobering now that I know scores of people were suffering mightily. It disappointed me that the author lost touch with Jamal.


It would be glorious if this book received an update.



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Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Inside OutInside Out by Demi Moore
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I've always had a fondness for Demi Moore. Nonetheless, I am surprised at what was left out. She barely mentions Passion of Mind, no discussion of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and a brief interlude about Blame It on Rio. I had hoped to read a robust chapter on her time in Brazil. Blame It on Rio "could never be made today (89)" and indeed, she's honest. In the era following #MeToo, this film definitely would anger feminists and progressives. Maybe I need to sharpen my feminist lens because I get a kick out of this movie every time I watch it. Altogether, this was a pleasant read.

I am grateful Demi Moore is still alive.



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Friday, January 24, 2020

Women in Art: 50 Fearless Creatives Who Inspired the WorldWomen in Art: 50 Fearless Creatives Who Inspired the World by Rachel Ignotofsky
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am standing in a wider threshold of knowledge due to this lovely book. Miss Ignotofsky has accomplished greatness in her own right just by celebrating the legends. Each rendering proved true to each woman's beauty but still conveyed Rachel's interpretation. A question arose for me: I wonder if Erykah Badu has been influenced by Chakaia Booker? I am disheartened that Sokari Douglas Camp has been ignored by her tribesmen but receives acknowledgment by Britain. My heart feels receptive to reading more books by Rachel Ignotofsky.


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Billie Holiday: The Musician and the MythBillie Holiday: The Musician and the Myth by John Szwed
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book renewed my intrigue in Lady Day. I loved learning about the descriptions of her personality: "sometimes rough, profane, caustic, and vengeful...witty, kind,and perceptive (107)." Szwed doesn't deny that she had a drug addiction but he doesn't penalize her for her shortcomings. It relieved me. He focused on her legend and her musicianship, for which lovers of Lady Day ought to be grateful.


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Tuesday, January 21, 2020

The Hard TomorrowThe Hard Tomorrow by Eleanor Davis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I wanted to love this book but it's too short. 167 pages for any book I enjoy is too short. It seems this one wasn't fleshed out enough. What happened with Gabby? What happened with the organization? Did their house ever get built? What did they name their child?

Too many questions that could have been answered.



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Monday, January 13, 2020

Conversate Is Not a Word: Getting Away from GhettoConversate Is Not a Word: Getting Away from Ghetto by Jam Donaldson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Written in a conversational style, Jam Donaldson targets the privileged and disadvantaged members of the black community. She doesn't claim that the black community disregard the inner city. Quite the opposite. We must remember that brilliance has emerged from the plebeian segment of society. Yet, we must discipline ourselves in every facet of our lives to heal our curses. The white man will not save us, we can only save ourselves if we plant love for ourselves and our brethren.

This book had been on my wishlist for at least five years. In the winter of 2019, I bought a copy from thriftbooks.com. I expected it to be longer. She finished the book at a respectable length. The desired audience wouldn't complete it if it exceeded 200 pages.



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Heeding Warren Buffett

In 2019, I read repeatedly about Warren Buffett urging people to read 200 books a year. I am enamored of the written word. Here's  recent history of my bibliophilia:

2017: 98 books
2018: 103 books
2019: 81 books

These feats were accomplished via hardcovers and softcovers. Ebooks and audiobooks hold no charm.

I have set the bar for 2020 at 200 books. So far, I have read 7 books.

Wish me success on this endeavor!
Sincerely, HarrietSincerely, Harriet by Sarah Winifred Searle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I related to Harriet because of her loneliness and invisible disability. Harriet's an only child who yearns for friends and eagerly writes letters to Hannah, who doesn't respond. Hannah's friend Ashley sends Harriet a letter imploring her to stop writing letters. Blessings for Harriet come with the presence of her loving and attentive parents plus a sweet-tempered neighbor

I don't intend to give the entire story away. But I will say, I wanted it to be longer and hope endures for Harriet.



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Sunday, January 12, 2020

Midlife Mavericks: Women Reinventing Their Lives in MexicoMidlife Mavericks: Women Reinventing Their Lives in Mexico by Karen Blue
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This slender book had been languishing on my shelves for more than five years. I am glad I got around to it. Nothing too probing. It's enchanting and could influence many women to move to Mexico or anywhere else in the world.

If you are a woman who feels insipid and distressed about American life, read this book and learn about women who initiated their joy by moving to Mexico.



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Saturday, January 11, 2020

3 quotes to heed from Midlife Mavericks by Karen Blue

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. 
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

If you have to support yourself, you had bloody well better find some way that is going to be interesting. And you don't do that by sitting around wondering about yourself. ~Katharine Hepburn

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.~Henry Brooks Adams  


I gleaned these quotes from Midlife Mavericks by Karen Blue. I bought this book more than five years ago and now I am reading it! Book 5 of the 200 books I intend to read this year. The 200 books in a year challenge inspired by Warren Buffett.