Believe it or not I have actually been reading- just haven't felt with it enough to sit and record anything- until this week. What you ask has spurred me back to this little blog? Surely a book so wonderful I will beg you all to read it- or one so awful I couldn't not comment. No it was just a couple of compilations of Christmas books by Betty Neels (4 stories all told). That lady up there is Betty Neels. I think she looks like the mean teacher sent by the Ministry of Magic to take over Hogwarts- you know the frog lady. Anyways I LOVE Betty Neels. LOVE. She was a nurse, served on the front lines during World War II. She took up writing after she had retired and wrote four books a year until she died (practically).

Onto the book discussion-

Now your average romance novel has many of the same stereotypes- Greek shipping tycoons, punishing kisses, marriages of convenience, orphans, amnesia, miscommunication- I could go on and on. Betty used none of these. She wrote her first story and then just rewrote it 134 times- It is amazing the she just kept getting published- and that I can't read them enough. I will now give you the run down on all of Betty's books.

The heroine- a quite, yet friendly country girl- loved by the elderly, shop keepers, and animals. She has recently come across hard times and is living in the city in a dumpy flat with a few fine pieces of furniture from her past. She either lives with a loyal family retainer, her muddled and slow parents or her orphaned siblings. Rarely her family still lives in the country and she goes home to visit her large boisterous family (dad is a country doctor, a Greek scholar or a vicar) on the weekends. She works in the hospital- usually as a nurse- be it student, surgical, ward nurse, or floor supervisor- but sometimes she is just a file clerk or works at the switchboard. She is either plain with glittering eyes full of laughter- or she is especially beautiful with a large curvy frame. She either has had not a single date, or date many men as friends but no one special, or is engaged to a plodding stick in the mud who keep putting off the wedding day until they are able to save more. She usually meets the hero through a mutual acquaintance or by accident on the street only to run into him in the hospital when he is doing rounds- something she resents and makes her prickly and offensive at first.

Now on to the Hero- he is a wealthy Dutch doctor. What you say- he is always a wealthy Dutch doctor working in England? Yes- always. Apparently during the 60s and 70s there was a flood of wealthy titled Dutch doctors in the hospitals of London. He always works very hard- lectures in both Holland and England, private practice in Holland, and travels to England regularly to work on the sickest and trickiest patients. This is true in every single book that I have read (and I have read a lot.) He had a comfortable yet luxurious home in London and a large palatial home in Holland, normally on the North Sea- with well tended gardens, and the dunes and beach a short walk from the house. He is engaged to a cold, elegant, wealthy woman- who he doesn't love. (Some times on is just pursuing him). She dresses well and is so thin she is boney.

The two of them are thrown together often. There is usually an emergency where the heroine is able to show her level headedness. Usually they rescue an injured animal which the doctor then adopts and who makes fast friends with his dogs and cats. He tries to better her life with out her knowing it- and always finds an excuse to get her to his home in Holland. He has friends with lovely wives, and a large loving family- all of whom hate the evil fiance. About half way through the book the doctor decides he loves the girl and starts saying cryptic things like "I am waiting for the women I love to notice she loves me." or "All I need in life is right in this room with me." Which she will misinterpret and assume he is talking about his pets, or is just plain confused by. Usually he randomly kisses her when passing her in the hall. About 3/4 of the way into the book she realizes she loves him- knows he will never love her- the evil fiance says some snarky thing and she runs home- only to be stopped by the doctor told he loves her and they kiss. The End. It is a little amazing that this could be written 134 different times- but that is the genius of Betty Neels. Genius.

Don't hold your breath but I am actually going to post something!

I am listening to a book in the car- that is all the details you get because it is in the car and I can't remember anything except that Hollywood is written on the cover, but isn't actually part of the title. I picked it up because my kids give me 33 seconds to peruse in the library- and it was written by the author who wrote the midwives apprentice- which was okay. And I think this book is okay too but I can't get over the reader. I don't particularly like her voice- but even worse apparently everyone living in suburbs of LA has a thick Brooklyn accent. VERY ANNOYING. I think this actress only does that voice for all the character that are lower class, and uneducated, regardless of geographic location. But their smart kids don't have the accent, but the stupid ones do. UGH- I am having a hard time listening just because of this.

How far behind am I- it isn't even fathomable. So maybe someday I will sit down and catch up. But not now.

Announcements Announcements

So I don't have a great memory for names and I know that it would just take me a second to look the information up on the Internet but I am lazy. So you just have to deal with missing Authors and Sometimes incorrect titles.

Also to the lazy thing- I keep meaning to go and fix the thousands of typos but uhm this is probably just a pipe dream.

Upcoming- a review of some feminist Irish literature- that biography about CJ Walker and a Biography about the James family. I actually tried to reread some Hawthorne and need to write about that. Oh and a fascinating biography about Norah Joyce- the wife of James Joyce (see how I even approach this most famous of Irish writers from a female perspective.)

Irish History

Before I left for Ireland I read a handful of Irish history books. It was useful and nice to have this background during the trip. But my perusal was rushed (one week) and not nearly as in depth as I would have liked.

This is one I read in the past and just loved loved loved so I include it on this list. How the Irish Saved Civilization by?????. You must read this wonderful book about the Catholic monks in Ireland during the dark ages. Basically it covers how almost all knowledge we have of times before the dark ages are from copies of manuscripts made by Irish monks. Also how modern universities were founded and started all over the continent by Irish monks to return and spread this knowledge that they alone had saved. Very good. One of my favorites.

The Story of the Irish Race by Saumas McManus- I have to admit I did not finish this book. It was very dense- and I was in a rush and the author had a Irish worshipping self aggrandizement I just couldn't stomach. I rarely don't finish a book but this was one of them.

A Concise History of Ireland by Marie and Conor Cruise O'Brien. This was a little too concise. I like the ancient history section but from St Patrick on this book moves at a breakneck speed through the complex history of Ireland. Often I was reading and thought wait what uprising is this only to realize I was confused because the previous uprising was discussed just a paragraph earlier. The coverage on the Irish famine was very disappointing. But I saw a couple of good book reviews on this subject alone so maybe I will read one of those. This was good for a quick overview but so rushed and compact that it wasn't as enlightening as I had hoped for.

Malachy McCourt's History of Ireland. This is Frank McCourts brother, which I found amusing because really you know that is the only way this got published. That makes it sound not very good- not true. Malachy has his brothers gift of storytelling. He approaches the subject by telling the stories of famous Irish. I really liked his stories- that being said there is no frame work to place the characters in. So you would know about the great people but just not exactly how it all fit together but with the previous book it was an okay combination. Unlike Frank's stories I felt like these were worth telling. (Uhm I don't really like Frank McCourt and HATE Angela's Ashes- just a disclaimer.)

Do Audio Books Count?

So I have listened to a couple of books on my way to work- do those count? One was a children's book about a porcelain bunny- that is all I remember- it was okay but a little predictable. I feel like I have to like it because Kate DiCamillo wrote it ( I think- this was before Ireland a couple of months).

Across Five Aprils by ????. This was a great classic children's book about a 10 y/o boy during the civil war. A convincing and well written book from the boys perspective. With the same sense of other worldliness that a distant major event would have on an isolated farm boy- until people start to die and he is left alone with the girls to run the farm. I really enjoyed this.

PD James- Cover Her Face- this was an okay mystery set in the home of a upper class family. It was okay- definitely interesting enough to keep me awake during the drive- its sole purpose in my life. And Hugh Grant was one of the characters which I kind of liked.

Flappers Something Something

I will try to find the title and the author of this one for you later. It was about women in the jazz age as illustrated by the life of Zelda Fitzgerald. But it wasn't a very good biography or a very good history book. It was an easy read but not very cohesive and brushed over too many important events. Also Zelda wasn't exactly an every woman- and although an icon of her time using her life to talk about the lives of all American women wasn't really effective. Better off reading the Beautiful and The Damned or The Great Gatsby. Maybe they are a little less informative but the language and emotions are powerful- really Fitzgerald at his best.

America's Women: 400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines by Gail Collins

So while looking for a biography about Margret Fuller (with no luck) the librarian sent me to the Feminist/women's history shelf. I was a little surprised that I had read most of the books they had and a little disappointed they had so few. But I found this gem. It is wonderful and all of you should read it. Part way through I thought to myself this book is very good- but so far it is only a review of things I already know. And what is with the obsession with menstruation. Then I thought gee this book really needs a chapter about the Grimke sisters- what was that book I read before that had a good chapter about them? And then there was a chapter about the Grimke sisters- and then I realized this was the book I had read before. No wonder it seemed like a review of things I already knew! (This was about pg 200) I finished the book- because I really did enjoy reading it and it was just as enjoyable the second time. I know that 600 pages can seem like a lot but it is really good and just flies by. Also you can just pick it up and read the sections you find interesting- Say Andrea only wants to read about Calamity Jane's depressing real life- easy to do. I can't recommend this book highly enough. I loved it- both times I read it. I am thinking about picking it for my online book club.

Queen of the Babble by Meg Cabot

I have read two and a half books in the last 24 hours which sounds impressive until you realize this little doosy was one of them. It only took me four hours to read all 308 pages and it wasn't even nap time. I picked this up in the library because even though I hate the Princess Diaries- I did read a book by Meg Cabot I liked once ( I think it was called All American Girl- but don't quote me)- so I thought oh look she has written a book for adults and it looks light and fluffy and brainless. And it was. But fun and I look forward to checking out the sequel. I identify with the main character as she talks too much and shares more than she should. Yet in me it comes off as overbearing and turns people off- for her it leads to romance with a wealthy French/American. Hmmmm what did I do wrong?

The Rise and Fall of Alexandria Birthplace of the Modern World by Justin Pollard and Howard Reid

I loved this book. I was horrified by haw little I know about ancient history. While reading this and Justinian's Flea (which I think I already reviewed) I kept saying to Alma "did you know......" which of course he already kind of knew- stupid know it all history majors. I am still shocked at my education that this area of history was so woefully left untouched. Didn't I take a world History class in High School- how come the only thing I remember is reading All Quiet on the Western Front and my strange teacher going on and on about how in Ireland protestants wear orange and unless we were Catholic we shouldn't wear green on St Patrick's Day. How is this all I remember- and I was in the advanced class. Oh and for some inexplicable reason I left class a lot to work on some kind of poetry compilation of poetry from different historical times. I did this in place of learning anything about Greek or Roman history?!?!?!?! And why I ask you why did no one tell me about the Visigoths? Anyways the book is very informative and interesting a really worth reading and I am now a little less uninformed. I will be reading more ancient history as I hate not to be a know it all in any subject- any suggestions?

Charles Todd, Gorgette Heyer

I checked out some more Gorgette Heyer books from the library- they were great- they all kind of meld together in the mind but fun fluffy and end with the enterprising heroine kissing the rakish but deep down good bachelor no one ever thought would be caught. So predictable, so mindless, so funny, so fun. Thank you Gorgette Heyer. Also Becky and I have been debating whether she wrote in the 60's or the 20's and I did a little research and we were both right. She published her first novel in 1921 and her last in the 60s. I read her first published novel- The Black Moth and as you can tell from the title it was melodramatic and silly and involved a duke who was really a highwayman or the other way around. Just what you would expect from a 17 year old writing her first book. Thank goodness she improved with age.

I read one more Charles Todd- A Matter of Justice. Which I liked- maybe my favorite so far. I love how he is slowly slowly healing, and finding new scars over time. Just like any other shell shocked victim would. His pain and suffering are so real and compelling- for me the mystery is just the setting of his emotional story. Also Andrea and Kayli I thought you would like to know the series is written by a mother son team- interesting no?

The Mrs Pollifax books by Dorothy Gilman

I know I know- Brooke and Andrea have been telling me to read these books for years- And I meant to really. I just was not a huge mystery reader (other than books supplied by Laura- ans I read those mostly because she brought them to my house and you know I am incapable of not reading a book in my house). But the Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax was this months read for my online reading group so I decided now was a good time to read this oft recommended book. I loved it. It was so different that your average book. And it wasn't really a mystery more like a spy thriller starring a slightly depressed elderly woman in a flowered hat. I loved the idea that she just walks into the CIA because she has nothing better to do with her life and she is bored. She also assumes she is expendable since she is old and she might as well die in the service of her country. She is such a likable spy! I also loved that this was published in the sixties so it is full of evil communists- cold war phobia at its best. I feel like spy novels have greatly suffered from the end of the cold war because is there a better evil doer than the devoted communist party man- be he Albanian, Cuban, Russian, or Chinese. I guess we still have the Chinese and Cubans- but it isn't the same. Mind you this is a totally uneducated opinion as I have read maybe 3 spy novels in my life- I'm just guessing. I checked out The Amazing Mrs Pollifax as well- and liked it to. I plan on reading all of these the library has.

American Priestess by Jane Fletcher Geniesse

Well the pile of books by my bed is just growing and growing and yet I rarely sit down to log them into this little blog. And even worse if they are library books they get returned far too often with out getting reviewed at all.

American Priestess; The Extraordinary Story of Anna Spafford and the American Colony in Jerusalem. This was a fascinating- and disturbing book. A Swedish immigrant who marries a wealthy and very religious man. She is in a ship wreck coming back from Europe in which all her children are killed. She returns to a religious husband (until now a quality she seemed merely to tolerate) who has lost their fortune and many others in risky investments. She finds God- in the guidance of her husband who has visions. They then lead a group of faithful to Jerusalem to await the return of Christ as for told by her husband. While in Jerusalem her husband becomes more and more distant from the group and this world. It is up to Anna to find a way to survive. She does by turning their followers, converts, and their children into slaves to run her many business enterprises in Jerusalem. Many of these converts are immigrants from Sweden who have no way to return. The first generation stayed faithful most of their lives, but the second generation denied education while her daughters received the best, made to sleep on the floor in the halls when they could rent out rooms of the mansion, forbidden to marry and have children until her daughters desire to do so as well- are much more bitter. This is a very interesting look at the workings of what I would call a cult. It definitely started out as a religious order, but as her husband lost control of the group and Anna took over there was a noticeable shift in the work and intent of the group. The author was able to interview some of the surviving records and the journals a letters of Anna and the members. It was a very interesting read.

Norah Lofts

Well I read that book by Norah Lofts and it was awful. First of all it wasn't a romance novel. Secondly it was horribly depressing. I will try another book by her because this one seemed like a book written by a romance writer who was trying to write a serious piece of fiction. Also to all the writers in the world- if you write a character who is excessively stupid- don't have her all of a sudden become clever and solve all sorts of problems at the end of the book when the rest of the book she was stupid enough to get lost in a closet. This was also another book where you just detest all the main characters. All of them selfish, stupid, shallow, immoral. It was awful and I can only hope not predictive of her other books. I will give her one more shot. Oh I can't remember the title but it had butterfly in it.

The Secret Fan by Lise See

I think this is the title. It is the book for one of the book clubs. I did not like it. I think Harvene started to loan it to me several months ago and I said no thank you- sick of books that are so depressing you want to slit your wrists. This is one of those books. I should have stuck with my initial gut reaction. I didn't much care for the main character and her best friend is a little more sympathetic- but I just couldn't care for any of them. I am sure Ms. See is a talented writer but I gorged myself on Chinese women's history books a couple of years ago and I am afraid that I just can't enjoy any more- not even fiction. (I do still enjoy modern non-fiction books about China today.)

The Peabody Sisters

I loved this book. It was part of my transcendentalist kick. This is a about three amazing sisters. All were well educated but very poor. Two married late in life. One to Horace Mann and the other to Nathaniel Hawthorn. This book was well written and very thought provoking. My one major criticism is that it ends mainly when Sophia and Mary marry. Mann still hadn't been elected to congress, Hawthorne hadn't written any of his novels, or served as ambassador. Sophia had yet to live overseas. The book didn't cover any of their children's births or any of Elizabeth's further career. The book also fained to discuss the unusual relationship between Sophia Nathaniel and Margret Fuller. Or discuss her death and its affects on the family. So a very good book, but truncated. Some of my thoughts:
-Very sad to me that Sophia and accomplished painter and sculptor never created anything again after the birth of her first child.
-Elizabeth and to a greater extent Mary (and Horace Mann!) were great reformers of education.
The discussions of the education theories was very interesting. On good point made: "Many of the most important curricular innovations of the nineteenth century were the products of women educators who were free to "experiment" in their schools for girls."
-The idea that a bright mind and good education was a tool to marry well for men of little or no wealth in New England. Wealthy fathers wanted intelligent son-in--laws. Not so much the other way around for women.
-Want to read novels by Susan Brunton and Mary Ferrier- Mary's favorite authors.
-So sad that Elizabeth's two sisters married the two men she had ever fallen in love with.
-Mary knew she would marry Horace Mann for 10 years and waited for him that whole time.
-The Hawthorn family was very odd- very. I have a hard time liking this strange yet very attractive man. (Very handsome- who knew?). I don't think I would have liked him in real life.

I must go Coen just asked me very nicely to turn off the computer.

A New Found Gem

I promise I promise I am almost done with the Peabody Sisters and am loving it and marking lots of passages for sharing and thought provoking discussion- only this isn't really a discussion so much as a lecture.

The reason I haven't finished it is I have discovered a new favorite mid-century romance writer (does using the term mid century make sound less trashy?). Anyways- as most of you know I love love love a trashy romance novel. I love the orphans, the amnesia, the plain girl who is really beautiful, the jaded duke who secretly has a soft spot that only can be revealed by the spunky out spoken scamp who doesn't care for social standards, the faithful family retainers, the pesky and adorable younger siblings, the mistaken understandings caused by evil yet beautiful ex-mistresses or cousins. What is not to love? In two words- the porn. This is why I love the old romance novels- all the good trash and it ends with a kiss- and that is all folks. Why why can't they be written this way anymore? So on the blog A Voice of Reason she did a post about her favorite romantic books- and most of them were respectable books that a librarian would recommend (including one of my all time favorites- I Capture the Castle sadly all but one or two I had already read) but in the discussion this one Author kept being mentioned and everyone loved her books. When I did a search on the library website I know- only romance and western authors could be so prolific. So move over Betty Neels English nurses falling in love with Dutch doctors (really how can one women have written so many books with this same premise- yet I love them still every single little plain nurse who is shocked- shocked I tell you when the doctor kisses her on the last page)I have found a new 60s romance novel writer- Georgette Heyers. Ahhhhh It is wonderful. I started with what was agreed to be her best book by the discussion Frederica and it did not disappoint. All the elements required in a good romance- with enough laughs to keep it fun. Oh I loved it and will be checking out all her other books from the library. I read a second one- but as enjoyable as it was it just wasn't quite as good. Even though I do admire the gall to make a book centered around a heroine who is sadly so young to still be shallow, self centered, and excessively foolish (of course her dear Earl heals her of these faults) this is difficult to do and I still can't convince Becky that my second novel can star one of these women who are usually kept in the annoying sister category.

I also checked out a book by an author recommended by Andrea's brilliant co-writer sister name Norah Lofts- I have only read a couple pages of this book. She convinced me by quoting this line from one of her books "Well sir I am generally opposed to having my wife hanged." Now that is a classic romance hero's line- I was sold. I will let you know how I like her book. It looks like a bold writer to put her heroine in a house of ill repute. I do enjoy that.

Transcendentalisim

Well believe it or not this all started with a trashy romance novel. It was written by a literature professor and in the post script she mentioned that she was inspired by Louisa May Alcott's novel Rose in Bloom. So I had to read it. I think it worth pointing out that I have no memory of all about the book that inspired this all except the post script. Anyways I recommended it for our book club. While ordering it and the other book in the series I found a book called American Bloomsbury and that started a crazy transcendentalism festival.

Good Wives by Louise May Alcott. I found this in our library and read it while I waited for my other books to come in the mail. It is really the second half of little women. Apparently in England they are published in two different books. Why- I don't know. Why our library had the British version I also have no idea. I loved this book as a girl. Reading it as an adult I was really struck by the morals and ideas presented. Alcott had a tongue in cheek way of describing home and family life that made her lessons not seem like preaching.

Eight Cousins- is another sweet book about Rose who is orphaned and moves to live with two aunts and a bachelor uncle. In the neighborhood live eight boy cousins. This was not as good as little women. I do like the dynamic between Rose and all the wild boys. The more interesting part of the book is the ideas she is putting forward. The uncle Alec character had many of the same ideas and theories of her father who was an educator with some unusual ideas for the time. Uncle Alec shocks all the aunties with his theories about education and health. You can really hear the echos of Thoreau and Emerson in this book. These were the men Louisa was raised around. Thoreau was her teacher for a while and they lived in a home provided by Emerson. In this book I really felt the love she had for these men and her father. He also has a passage that really described what she was trying to accomplish with her books- "It does seem to me that some one might write stories that should be lively, natural, and helpful- tales in which the English should be good, the morals pure, and the characters such as we can love in spite of the faults that all may have."

Rose in Bloom- This is the sequel. It is not as good. It tells about Rose returning from Europe and starting her romantic life. I just really didn't like it. I especially disliked that the romance with the bad cousin. Hello- it is made obvious from the start that he only cares about her money and then even worse he is an alcoholic. We are expected to believe that she cares for him!? and feel sorry when he dies. Ugh I just hated it. And she ends up with who we all thought she would from the first book so why torture us in between. It made me dislike Rose.

So then I read American Bloomsbury by Susan Cheever. This was a wonderful quick look at Concord Mass in the 19th century. Not only did the Alcotts, the Emersons, Thoreau, the Hawthorne's, and Margret Fuller all live here their lives were intertwined. They were there to be near one another. They were all leaders in the transcendentalism movement. This book had a joke that made me laugh Poe said " There are three type of people in the world, Men, Women, and Margret Fuller." I laughed and laughed and told Alma to which he responded "There are four types of people in the world, Men, Women, Margret Fuller, and people who know who Margret Fuller is. " I also loved that when I called Becky to tell her the joke, she laughed and laughed because she knew who Margret Fuller was. Hello if no one knows who Margret Fuller is go and find out you non-history geeks. This was a very interesting if brief look at these fascinating people.

So reading the previous book made me want to learn more. So I am reading The Peabody Sisters which is even better. I love it and can't wait to review it for you. I love any 700 pg book with 200 pages of footnotes. Ahhh history geeks, you are my peeps. I also am reading several of Emerson's Essays and will reread Walton when Holly returns it to me. I also am thinking about reading some essays by Channing and Elizabeth Peabody. Also I am not going to read any Hawthorne, I know he is an American classic, I know- but I am afraid that I feel about him like I feel about Edith Wharton- an obligation to read but no enjoyment and some hatred at their books. Okay maybe knowing the Scarlett Letter is about Margret Fuller I may have to read it. Also knowing more about Hawthorne I may like him even less- but I really like his wife. (Sophia Peabody) Which reminds me I have found one flaw in Cheever's book- so beware her research may have some flaws. Sophia Peabody was not the illegitimate child of Royal Tyndall, rather named after her aunt who was the child of Royal Tyndall (who creepily enough went on to marry her older sister and may have molested her other sister- ick). The family always acted like Sophia was the full blooded sister but she wasn't. Also I still need to review the History of Alexandria that I have read and I am reading a biography of CJ Walker that is interesting.

The Penderwicks

If you haven't read The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy you need to read it. I just read the sequel The Penderwicks on Gardam Street. I loved it too. I read several reviews that didn't like it as much, but I thought it was just as charming and sweet. I actually cried in the prologue. I feel like these books are a perfect example of children's literature. Innocent and sweet with out being cloying. You must read these. There are fewer funnier bits in the second but I am still looking forward to the next three planned in the series.

Not good at this

So I am not good at keeping track of what I have read. I know I have read more that this, but these are the only two I can think of.

Good Wives by Louisa May Alcott- I got this at the library when they didn't have Eight Cousins or Rose in Bloom (our book club books which I then got on Amazon and am waiting patiently for.) Good Wives is actually just the second half of Little Women. I loved rereading it. Especially as the mother of boys I thought a lot about what this book says about raising good boys. It was sweet and had more depth than I remember.

I also read the Amazing Journy of Prince Jen (or somehting like that) by Lloyd Alexander. I love Lloyd Alexander and think I would love anything he wrote. I like this even though it isn't his best work. I think the first half is really good- but it peters out and gets a little predictable towards the end. Nice message.