South of Broad

What an amazing book. I have to say, I think Pat Conroy is one of the greatest writers of our time. He writes with emotion, wit, grace, style, and charm. In his latest book, South of Broad, he introduces us to an unlikely group of friends brought together by the narrator, Leopold Bloom King (how's that for a great literary name?). The novel covers their lives over the course of 20+ years, from high school in 1969 through Hurrican Hugo in 1990. And through it all is Charleston, obviously a city Conroy loves and knows well.

This book touched me in so many ways. I was by turns amused, enchanted, disgusted, and shocked. I often felt like I was right there with Leo, Sheba, Trevor, Ike, Betty, Niles, Starla, Molly, Fraser, and Chad, and like I knew them. I think one of Conroy's greatest gifts as a writer is his ability to write about damaged people, in some cases seriously damaged people, who survive, and even thrive. That is what I take away from South of Broad - that you can have a lot of horrible things happen in your life, but they don't have to make you into a horrible person. You CAN rise above what life does to you. And that is a pretty powerful lesson.

Snow Days...

So, in case you've missed the news, the DC area is under 2 feet of snow, with another foot or so headed our way tonight. The library has been closed since Friday. The books that I've checked out were due Sunday, but that's not a big deal, they are forgiving all fines until Feb. 16th. What's a problem is that I have NO NEW BOOKS to read!! I had two reserve books that had come in, but I was supposed to pick them up over the weekend. Will they still be there when the library reopens? Will the library ever reopen?

Luckily during this Snowmageddon I've had a cross stitch project to work on, but that's almost finished (and there is only so much time you can spend stitching before your eyes protest). I'm trying not to bake because I don't want to eat what I bake, and I can't take what I bake to work since the office isn't open.

You know what, I think I am going to visit an old friend. Will it be Hemingway or Fitzgerald? Stay tuned....

Delilah

Okay, so I admit to knowing nothing about Delilah except that she betrayed Samson by cutting off his hair. Boy, I didn't know the half of it! This fictionalized account by India Edghill takes us inside the world of ancient Canaan and makes Samson and Delilah into real, imperfect, passionate people.

I really didn't even know the Bible story of Samson - didn't know that he was a Hebrew who was chosen to lead his people against the Philistines (who are actually very well-mannered and rich people, not like today's definition). I didn't know that Delilah was a priestess in a Philistine temple (okay, the author may have made that up). Anyway, I think Edghill does a nice job of weaving the Biblical with the made-up and giving us a really interesting story of love, betrayal, power, violence -- all the best features of a story.

It's a great read, although my guess is that it strays VERY widely from what Biblical and Torah scholars have learned. But don't let that stop you from reading a really good novel.

The French Mistress

If you like historical fiction, you won’t want to pass this book up. It’s the story of Louise de Keroualle, beloved mistress of King Charles II of England. The author, Susan Holloway Scott, has written books about others of Charles’ mistresses (apparently he really loved the ladies), but this is the first of her books that I have read.

Louise and Charles are both very likeable characters, with charm and wit to spare. We meet many other interesting historical figures, too, including King Louis XIV of France, Charles’ beloved sister Henriette (wife of Louis’ nasty brother), and Charles’ one-time favorite paramour Nell Gwyn. The story is sweeping in its nature, taking us from Louise’s country home, to the court of Louis XIV of France, to the decidedly anti-French and anti-Catholic London of Charles’ reign.

I think what I like best about the novel is how Louise uses the lot she’s been given in life. She starts out as a lady-in-waiting to Henriette, and through that position catches the eye of King Charles. Once she is sent to Charles’ court, she uses her wits and her charm to create a position for herself, despite the hatred of many of the people around her. She is a strong woman, stronger than most of the men she deals with, including King Charles.

The Lovely Bones

I just finished reading The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold again, because it has been a couple of years since I read it and the movie is coming out soon. This is such a beautiful story dealing with a very difficult topic. I had forgotten a lot of it - there is some activity with Ray and Ruth near the end that I had totally blanked on.


I am looking forward to the movie. Susie is played by the girl who played the 13-year-old Briony in Atonement, who I think is a fabulous young actress. And I am looking forward to see how they create Susie's heaven.

I think that is my favorite part of the story - Sebold's idea of what heaven is like. That it's different for everyone, but that your heaven will intersect at some point with that of your loved ones. For anyone who has had a loved one die too young, it gives you a kind of hopefulness about where they are, what they're doing, and when you will see them again. At least that's what it did for me.

Homeland

I really enjoyed this novel by Barbara Hambly, which tells the stories of Cora and Susanna through their letters to each other during the American Civil War. Cora is a Northerner married to a Southerner who is fighting for the Confederacy, and Susanna is his young Southern neighbor who Cora has befriended. Cora spends the war with her family on a remote Maine island, and Susanna spends the war with her sister and other family members in various parts of the South. Their letters to each other, both send and unsent, tell how each survives the war, and the vagaries of daily life.

The characters are really well-rounded, despite existing only in letters to each other. And Hambly does not romanticize the war - her novel is a lot like Cold Mountain in that regard. It was a compelling read, with a great ending. I highly recommend it for Civil War buffs and anyone - male or female - who enjoys a good novel.

Not reading much lately...

I have been in a non-reading place the last couple of weeks. I started reading Twilight, but just couldn't get into it. It is very young, and so detailed I got bored with it. Plus Christmas is a week away, and I am crashing on a cross-stitch project for my Mom. I already finished one for Mike's Mom (well, almost finished - need to sew the edges and stuff) and I really like to give one homemade gift to each Mom. All I have left to do is the outlining and the finishing, so I am in pretty good shape.

Anyway, I probably won't be reading anything but the paper until after Christmas. So Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year to everyone!