The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes
by Chanel Cleeton
A book that weaves together three heroines' stories spanning 124 years (2/22/2025)
This is a book that is best described by the author's own words in the narrative of the story. "Funny how a book could transport you so, how the art of reading could conjure such vivid memories so you could remember with such crystal clarity the first time you ever picked up a beloved read, the emotions it evoked rushing back to you at once."
This is how I believe I will remember this beautiful story. The author introduces us to three different heroines in three different time periods moving smoothly between Cuba and the United States. One pivotal event early in story is of actual historical importance, that of a Cuban-American summer cultural exchange of Cuban teachers and Harvard graduate students in the early 1900's.
I highly recommend this book written by Chanel Cleeton, born in Havana and raised in Florida after her family fled during the Cuban Revolution. She is a prolific author who has written many excellent books of historical fiction that take place in Cuba.
Jane and Dan at the End of the World
by Colleen Oakley
An easy and fast read, and pretty predictable (12/8/2024)
This book is about a struggling writer who rather unsuccessfully published a book long before this story takes place. That book, much to her surprise, is the footprint for the caper that occurs and in which she becomes a victim. The primary underlying theme of the author's story (the one I am reviewing- not the fictional book) is the characters' failing marriage. Almost a reflection of "be careful what you wish for". I actually think this book could be the book the fictional author wrote. I don't think I would recommend this for a bookclub that enjoys a book that allows for meaningful questions and deep interpretation. But if you are looking for a light read that doesn't require your undivided attention this is for you.
The Secret History of the Rape Kit: A True Crime Story
by Pagan Kennedy
"The Secret History of the Rape Kit-A True Crime Story", by Pagan Kennedy (11/11/2024)
This is a true story about Marty Goddard, birth name Martha, a victim of sexual assault in the late 1970's. She started as a volunteer at a crisis hotline for teens in Chicago, IL in the early 1970's and it was then that she learned that there were thousands of sexual assault cases not prosecuted due to lack of evidence. Further, there was a national law that marital rape was considered legal (and didn't become illegal until 1973). Marty became an advocate for these victims and was instrumental in developing the rape kit test. However, she did not receive a patent or professional credit for this invention as patent awards were still in the male domain, starting as early as the 1800's. The kit was ultimately patented as the "Vitullo Evidence Collection Kit for Sexual Assualt Examination", named for her junior collaborator in the development of the kit.
Kennedy quoted a historian Autumn Stanley to make this point."…technology is treated as a synonym for "stuff men do". A revised history of technology-taking into account women's contributions would require us to redefine technology itself…the theft of valuable ideas has been built into our intellectual property system from the beginning." She was wide known for her book titled "Mothers and Daughters of Invention published in 1993.
The reader of Kennedy's book does not learn until later in the book that she too had been twice raped in the 1960's. The author said she wanted "to find Marty and help her seek justice." Just as much as she did for herself.
She spent years investigating the history of the rape kit, and more specifically sought to learn about the true story of its creation told to her by Goddard herself. This book shares her persistent digging through thousands of pages of information, interviewing numerous people who ight ave known the history and even speaking with a small number of people who knew Marty during her lifetime. Kennedy learned late into her investigation the Marty Goddard died in 2015 at the age of 74. One of the early original rape kits invented by her is at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, DC.
The book held my attention from start to finish. It was compelling and by no means dry. Anyone interested in women's rights should read this book; it is even more timely in the political environment we find ourselves in since 2022. At the very least this book should be required reading for women's' studies curriculums, policy studies, legal studies, sociology, both at the undergraduate and post-graduate levels, as well as at law schools and medical schools in the US.
Smothermoss
by Alisa Alering
Smothermoss (6/1/2024)
This book was one of the most intriguing books I have read in a long time. The story is woven with such sublime symbolic imagery that I had to slow down when I was reading it to take it all in. While the story is about two sisters living in Appalachia the author reveals many themes that I found relatable; among them are choices to be free from the ties that bind you, how the outside world creates narratives that can be woven into how one lives, if you listen closely enough, and how being different can be a blessing and a curse. The author did an extraordinary job with such subtlety of connecting me to the two sisters well beyond the end of the book, despite the fact that I live a very different life in a very different world.
Day: A Novel
by Michael Cunningham
A family saga (10/31/2023)
This is a story of a pretty nutty family filled with characters I'm not sure I could relate to. I actually had to create a family tree of sorts to keep them all straight. The story tells of brother and sister Isabel and Robbie, Isabel's husband Dan and their two kids Violet and Nathan, and a sperm donor Garth who is Dan's brother and who is technically the father of baby Odin while the mother, Chess is confused as to whether she wants him in her child's life. No wonder I had to create a diagram. Each character has issues. Robbie is gay and lives with his sister Isabel and her husband Dan and kids Violet and Nathan, creating its own drama. Dan is a recovering addict and would be musician- again creating its own drama. Violet sees ghosts. And Isabel and Robbie have created some sort of fantasy life for a guy on Instagram and post his (their) stories on Instagram. Why, I don't know. And I don't think it adds anything to the story- it's just weird. I have to say that the author does a great job of describing scenes that are very visual so maybe I had a point of reference to put these characters in. Although the book isn't particularly long (269 pages in paper book format I got to pre-read) I had a hard time sticking with it- it was easy to put down. Although admittedly I was somewhat curious about what weird thing would happen to whom next.
The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise
by Colleen Oakley
The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise (10/18/2022)
My overall takeaway is that this is a sweet story, but not exceptional. I never became attached to the two main characters the way I would have hoped. I think there was an opportunity for more character development, which is why I chose the adjective "sweet". Their "adventure" was what kept me reading. While the ending did throw in a twist, which was fun, the wrap up of the relationship between Tanner and Louise was quite predictable. I think this story would draw an audience from the Hallmark channel. A happy ending tied up in a nice bow.
Jackie & Me
by Louis Bayard
Felt like Historical fiction- compelling read (7/7/2022)
I thoroughly enjoyed this book yet I'm still not sure how to distinguish historical fact from the author's rendition of "alternative history" in this book. That is not a criticism, in fact my curiosity was peaked such that the book became somewhat a page turner. The relationship between Jackie and Lem was heartwarming. I can imagine having a confidante such as Lem to keep a person well balanced. I was surprised to learn in the acknowledgments that there was in fact a "real" Lem. This book peeled back the curtains on "Camelot" and I do think I found the narrative of the Kennedy family political and personal aspirations intriguing.
Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey
by Florence Williams
"Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey" by Florence Williams (11/21/2021)
First, let me say I loved this book, however it may not be for everyone. I'm not a science geek but I do find it fascinating to learn about the deeper interaction of such emotion-driven behaviors as love on our brain and bodies. That being said, I learned a lot about the author's exploration of human loneliness and found it particularly relevant in the era of COVID 19.
Williams sets the tone for each chapter with a quotation, and ultimately when strung together allows us to follow her personal journey to understand the loneliness of her heartbreak from an unexpected divorce. The author specifies her purpose for exploring this topic right up front: "Our bodies want to feel safe and to feel loved. What happens to us when we lose that attachment is the central theme of the book." She follows this with an opening quotation by Marilynne Robinson's from the book of Gilead in chapter two that brings the reader closer to her intent: entitled "The Heart: It is a strange thing to feel wellness and grief in the same organ. There is no telling one from the other."
I was intrigued immediately when Williams wondered if an anti-loneliness drug, beyond the current serotonin uptake pills, could be created by studying the science of brain circuitry. I pondered this possibility and its potential impact on human interaction. Could this be life changing for the human race? Despite Williams' acknowledgment of the fact that most of us can't personally study our own bodies in the context of actual scientific methods, I was happy to hear her say that all is not lost for the average person, because we can learn to read our moods to achieve some understanding of the correlation between the brain and emotions. This kept me reading, and maybe questioning if this could be true for me.
It never occurred to me that there are any, let alone very few scientific studies on this subject that Williams was keen on learning about to concretely explain her personal heartbreak. Who knew that there was even research studying the "cellular fingerprints of heartache." This was a wow for me. While the author is not a scientist she wanted to go beyond her journey of talk therapy to see if there was more she could do to help herself cope with the devastating impact of her divorce on her daily emotional functioning. Even though I am not personally (thankfully) currently experiencing this degree of pain, I was captivated by her seemingly desperate need to "fix" herself.
Williams dug deep, subjecting herself to multiple lab studies of her blood, personality tests and traveling the world meeting with experts, both social behaviorists and scientific minds. I went along for the ride which was fascinating. At the end of her book she said "I'd been undertaking the rituals all along, albeit ones largely rooted in science, but resolution of the impact of loneliness is still not easy, even knowing science."
But I thought it was okay for me not to come away with a concrete "solution" to the human emotion of loneliness and still love the book. But back to the pill…a reality?
As if Williams' premise was being validated, I just saw that a new book was published in 2021, "Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness: The History of Loneliness".
Who knew…
Blind Man's Bluff: A Memoir
by James Tate Hill
A quick read (8/8/2021)
This is a memoir written in the first and second person by a man who loses most of his vision in both eyes by the time he turns seventeen. He reflects on his struggle to accept this fate and his decision to hide his blindness from most of the people he interacts with, as well as with those whom he forms intimate relationships. As a self-professed struggling writer he seems to share his story with the reader on multiple levels; both with the goal of actually getting the memoir published, as seen through his documented failures to get works published in the past, and his desire to tell his story.
My sense is that writing it so it was a commercial success took away from the story telling. I didn't understand the author's purpose in switching back and forth between first and second person. Second person storytelling is not a style I have come across very often, and it didn't add anything to the writing.
As a reader I wanted to experience his angst of managing his blindness while living a false narrative. I felt as though he was skimming the surface of his emotions and wrote more about the impact of this omission on his daily life activities and thus his relationships at a given point in time. This definitely left me wanting more and perhaps even manipulated by his desire for commercial success. I began to feel this way when early in the book he began documenting his many fits and starts as an unpublished author.
This book left me with an overarching sense of wanting to congratulate the author for getting the book published. In fact when I read the "blurbs" on the back cover of the book after I read it, I was very surprised by the comments. The quotation I most related to was a reference to the story as "like going out for coffee with your funniest friend". To me this implies a lighthearted casual catch up. And this is exactly how I felt when I finished the book.
I'd recommend the books with a shrug of my shoulders- a quick read but not particularly memorable.
A Million Things
by Emily Spurr
A compelling read: an homage to all of the little girls who are both courageous and compassionate. (5/22/2021)
I absolutely loved this book! Narrated by ten year old Rae, I became attached to her as well as several other characters (both human and animal) from the get go. We follow Rae's story of courage, tenacity and compassion in the wake of a terrible tragedy. The author's personal experience with mental health issues is the emotional backdrop of the story, asking us to consider the consequences for people, in particular children, left behind when a parent is unable to provide and protect their young. Rae is the ultimate protector of her mother as well as an elderly neighbor Lettie, who becomes an unusual mother figure for Rae. It is not until Rae allows herself to let her guard down, that she can face the sadness and grief, and accept help from adults in order to move forward in her life. I became even more in awe of this little girl as the story unfolded. As a mother of a grown daughter it truly cut to the core. I was so deeply touched by the story that it has stayed with me and will likely impact me for many years to come.
Of Women and Salt
by Gabriela Garcia
A stirring generational journey of strong Latina women (12/29/2020)
This book spans five generations of strong Latina women from 1866-2019, transporting the reader from Miami to Cuba, Mexico and then back to Miami. Each of the women carry a different secret that impacts the trajectory of their lives and those of their families. All of these women are in search of escape from their own oppression in favor of freedom and liberty. The connection that ties each woman's journey to the next generation is the 1839 Spanish translation of the book "Les Miserables" by Victor Hugo. From this emerges Hugo's quotation"Who are we? Weakness. No. We are force."-This becomes a mantra for each of the female characters. As the story comes to a close, the last woman to receive the book containing that handwritten quotation which now includes "We are more than we think we are", wonders if this is "a cry across time."
I found that to be a very satisfying ending and apropos of the hindsight shared with the reader throughout the novel. The chapters are organized by character name, location and date that the author uses to skip back and forth through time to propel the story forward. I found this to be confusing and often had to reference the family tree introduced at the book's beginning. As a result I found I needed to read the book twice. The second time I was better able to focus on the stories of humanity rather than trying to remember each of the characters' names and place in the family tree.
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