Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

hillbilly elegy

This memoir from JD Vance is an eye-opening, articulate depiction of the “hillbilly” culture of the Appalachian region.  As Vance shares with the reader about his upbringing – bouncing between Kentucky and Ohio – he opens our hearts to the plight of the poor, often uneducated, white population in this region.  As we learn about his experience with his traumatized and drug-addicted mom and his angry, foul-mouthed, sometimes violent, but unendingly loving and devoted grandparents, we see how entrenched the culture is and how difficult it is to dream in this world.  Fortunately, for him, he was able to find love and support enough to find his way to success – but his journey was complicated and chaotic and he never forgot from where he came.

The honesty and self-reflection with which this story is told brings the reader right into the author’s life.  We are right there with him when his mother takes him on a death-defying car ride.  We are right there when his older sister cares for him as a devoted mother would.  The love and appreciation that he feels for his grandparents who were his constants in a very tumultuous childhood is palpable.  And we can understand when he reflects on how to improve the lot of his fellow hillbilly peers and come up short.  The poverty, the distrust, and the violence that pervades this culture are so entrenched that it feels impossible to overcome.

I think this is an important book for people who are not from the South to read.  It really provides an understanding of a whole sub-culture of people that comprise  part of the fabric of our United States.

A very, very worthwhile read!

 

THE WHITE QUEEN BY PHILIPPA GREGORY

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white queen

Elizabeth, a stunning beauty, attracts the eye of the rising King Edward and sparks both romance and controversy.  For while Edward wages war for his kingdom, Elizabeth mounts her battles at home in order to keep her family together and financially stable.  Allegiances seem to collide like balls on a pool table as brothers turn on each other and cousins desert their family ties.  As distrust and jealousies rise, so does the danger, but Elizabeth perseveres and when pushed too far, she utilizes the magical powers that her ancestors have passed on to her in order to save who she can save and avenge those who she cannot.

I have loved many of Gregory’s books – they are historical fiction books about the kingdom of England and have taught me much about how hard-won each kingdom has been.  This book I found both beautiful and confusing; beautiful in the characters, who valued love and honor and loyalty to family, but confusing in that everyone had the same name!  So many Henry’s and Georges and Edwards that it was hard to keep track of who was who.  This of course not the fault of the author, but the fault of the royalty that the author was depicting – but confusing nonetheless.

It is still striking to me how unique democracy is and how we are fortunate to have routinely peaceful transition of power.  There is not a bloody war every time a new ruler comes to power.  And although I am horrified and mortified by our current administration – and I do doubt that our last election was won by honest means and not because of covert dealings and technological hacking by foreign powers – we do have to respect the power of the vote by the people of our country.

If you are a fan of Philippa Gregory – this book is for you!

The Hypnotist’s Love Story by Liane Moriarty

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hypnotists-love-story

I love Liane Moriarty’s books – they’re fun, smart, and usually tackle topics of some substance.  This book, unfortunately, is an exception…

Ellen is a hypnotherapist who prides herself in her work with people – she’s had many successful treatments, helping people in their relationships.  Unfortunately, she has not had many successful relationships of her own; that is, until she meets Patrick.  Patrick is handsome, kind, and fun – but complicated.  He is a widower with a young son, which would be fine, if it weren’t for his stalker…

I think if the characters here were just a little more likable, or the story were a little more believable, or the substance of the book was a little more solid, it would have come together and been ok.  But the characters were flat and strange, the story a bit outlandish, and the substance just too airy for my liking.

It wasn’t a book I gave up on, but it did feel just too long and I was glad to reach the end.  Not a rave review, this time.  Sorry!

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

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rules-of-civility

Little did Katey know that when she and her best friend, Evey, went out to ring in the new year of 1938 that she’d  be ringing in a new relationship that would introduce her to the moneyed Upper East Side social scene of New York City.  Meeting people with names like Tinker and Bitsy, Katey gets drawn into this scene, even as she continues to work her own way up the business ladder, using her wiles and wit.  But while Katey does hold onto her scruples – or her own rules of civility , if you will – she does become tangled in a web of love triangles that both highlight and transcend social class status.

There is so much to be said about this book.  Most importantly, the writing just downright beautiful.  This prose by Towles often verges on the poetic.  The phrasing and the images that are drawn with words are so vivid that I was forced to read some passages multiple times, just to really appreciate them fully.  The author has a true gift that he is generously sharing with us here.

The characters are also so gracefully drawn.  From their subtle tics to their happy or hapless (depending on the character) wit, you cannot help feeling compassion for each and every one of them.  And each and every one of them is neither all good or all bad – much like the real world.  And Katey is the kind, vulnerable, and yet steady heroine we all aspire to being.

What I appreciate most about this book is the underlying current of friction between money and honor.   As Katey mixes more with those of the upper class, she sees some who feel they should earn the money they have and others who feel they just deserve it.  And in this era of Trump and the Republican Party’s shameful and frightening abuse of both money and power, the statement of honor and kindness triumphing over greed in this story is particularly poignant.

A lyrical and delightful book – highly recommend!

 

The Baker’s Daughter by Sarah McCoy

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bakers-daugher

This is the tender story of 2 women – Reba, a journalist living in El Paso, assigned to interview a German baker for a Christmas story, and Elsie, the baker during her youth in Germany in 1944.  As Reba is battling her ghosts, trying to sort out her own difficult childhood with an alcoholic father, we learn also of Elsie’s trauma of coming of age in Hitler’s failing war and the bravery she demonstrates silently at that time.  As the two characters get to know each other, they develop a friendship that goes beyond friendship and Elsie and and her daughter Jane become Reba’s second family.

I like the unfolding of the story, as it ping pongs back and forth between the two time periods.  This technique is not uncommon, but it never fails to elevate the suspense.  The tension in the story reaches a crescendo, and then – bam! – switch to the other time period.  A sure-fire way to keep the reader turning those pages.

And as many World War II stories as I’ve read – and there have been many, even just in this blog alone! – I still learn new things.  The new and ugly detail that I had not learned of before was about the Lebensborn Program.  This program was Himmler’s attempt at genetic programming.  There were houses set up in Germany to essentially breed the idealized, blond-haired, blue-eyed Aryans.  Women were kept in these houses for chosen men – married or not – to come and “mate” with them.  The attraction was that the children were given privileges others didn’t have – food, education, other benefits.  However, when babies were born to these women with undesirable characteristics, these babies were done away with, in whatever fashion was easiest.  Evidently, there were other programs tied to this, where children (often Polish) were kidnapped to be dedicated and trained to serve the Third Reich, if they had these characteristics as well.

Evidently, when you think you’ve learned about all the cruelty that could exist, there is still more to discover.

I would not count this book among the “MUST READ’S,” however.  I think that the writing in some spots is excellent and in some spots is quite ordinary.  Somehow, the parts that describe Elsie are tender, rich, and colorful – as Elsie’s character is.  The parts that describe Reba, though, feel flat.  It may be that we don’t have as deep a window into her character as we do to Elsie’s.

I do recommend this, though, as it is still an interesting read, with suspense and feeling and important historical context.

Before the Fall by Noah Hawley

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before-the-fall

This was one of those easy reads that have a little suspense, a little drama, a little heartbreak – but that you don’t have to take too seriously.  And in this moment of political unrest with enough daily drama and anxiety in real life, it was fun to sneak away to this bit of fiction.

It begins with the crash of a private plane going from Martha’s Vineyard to New York – right up front – with a very dramatic story of 2 survivors.  The rest of the story is a combination of the aftermath – trying to untangle the mystery of the crash – as well as the personal story of each of the characters leading up to the fateful flight.  As each of the personal stories unfold, the story comes to a fulminant crescendo, with the revelation of the cause of the crash.

While there are some inconsistencies and a few loose ends, the story is entertaining and actually travels in many divergent directions because of the various characters.  Each character has his or her unique story and each intertwines somewhat with the others.  In the telling of each story, though, the author manages to build up the suspense and create many more possible explanations for the crash.

If you’re looking for a distraction in these troubled times, this is a good place to hide!

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly

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lilac-book-jacket

Wow.  I just finished this book and I’m still breathless…

Caroline is a young debutante who has given up her acting career to volunteer to help French families who have just come to resettle in NYC in the late 1930’s. Herta is an ambitious physician, one of the few women doctors, in fact, in Germany in 1939.  And Kasia is a teenager who, in 1939 decides she will join her crush, Pietrik, and deliver packages for the Polish underground, after the invasion of the Germans.  As you might expect, these very different women’s lives eventually intersect as the tragedies of the second World War drive them together.

What is most staggering is that this story is based on the lives of real people and real events.  Both Caroline and Herta were real women, individuals who exemplified the best and the worst that women could be.  And Ravensbruck, the Nazi concentration camp for women, was frighteningly real as well.  What fills in the connections between the two women is historical fiction based on years of research by the author to create a story that also illustrates the best and the worst that people can be.

The writing is excellent.  The way the plot is drawn, circling among the 3 major characters, is great not only in terms of fortifying the opposing narratives, but also in building up and then releasing tension as well.  When parts become almost too painful to read, the story switches back to a lighter mood to give the reader a much deserved break.  (What I always feel guilty about is that what I find too hard to read about – millions of people – literally, millions! – actually lived.)

What was most horrifying – and I hate to bring this up, but I feel compelled – is that sentences in this book that described Hitler were frighteningly identical to those describing our new president of the United Staes.  The ego, the destruction of anyone who disagreed with him, and the paranoia with which he reigned – it was all too familiar.  That is terrifying. But all the more reason to read books like this one:  ones that remind us how far people can really go.  It reminds us not to be complacent, because people in Germany thought that it could never happen there either.

This is a MUST READ, by any measure!

Distant Shores by Kristin Hannah

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distant-shores

After 24 years of marriage, Elizabeth has finally come to terms with the fact that her husband, Jack, and her 2 daughters have all taken center stage in her life, leaving her to cast aside her own dreams and aspirations.  When Jack was a famous football star, she cared for her young daughters mostly by herself.  When Jack later became a smaller time sports caster, moving from town to town where opportunities arose, she duly followed. But now that the girls are both out of the house, she realizes that it is time for her to attend to herself – she just has to figure out whether that plan will include Jack or not…

This is a story that will, sadly, strike a familiar chord with many readers, I believe.  When the nest empties, it is often a challenge for couples to fill the void – or it is the time when the void has to finally be acknowledged.  Hannah describes this conflict with sensitivity, honesty and warmth, presenting both Elizabeth’s and Jack’s sides to a complicated story.

I think it was not good that I knew before reading this book that the author had written The Nightingale.  That book was so outstanding that I had elevated expectations for this one.  For example, some subplots were hinted at but then left undone.  One character, Kim, who Elizabeth met in a support group, was a mysterious, moodier member of the group.  It appeared that she was going to be more of a presence in the book (and it was an interesting possibility), but she was just sort of abandoned in a more underdeveloped state.

I would still recommend this book – it was a nice read – but manage your expectations if you’ve read The Nightingale!

Be Frank with Me by Julia Claib0rne Johnson

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be-frank-with-me

When Alice was asked by her boss and mentor, Mr. Vargas, to move out to California from New York to assist the renowned M.M. Banning with the writing of her new book and the care of the author’s son,  she is eager to be of help to him.  It seemed a perfect fit – she’d been an assistant elementary school teacher – she was good with kids.  And if she had to push the author a bit, so be it.  Bring it on!

Little did Alice know that she’d be entering the world of Frank, a 9 year old eccentric genius who was known to wear top hat and tails to school, to quote lines verbatim from old Humphrey Bogart movies, and to share long lists of random facts with anyone he may meet.  As Alice was brought into the life of this extraordinary and heart-wrenching boy, she does her best to keep this little family together and oversee what she hopes will be the author’s next brilliant novel.

This heart-warming novel really brings to light the value and uniqueness of every individual.  While Frank has difficulty with fitting in with any of his peers, he does worm his way into the hearts of the adults to bother to get to know him well.  He certainly has his quirks, but he has his charms too.  In addition, his mother, Mimi has her own quirks, but when we learn where they come from, we feel a tenderness toward even her, with her hard edge.

With the currently growing awareness of bullying in schools – and with our current bully-in-chief as a frightening example to all – this book has a timely message.  We all need to appreciate the beauty in everyone and to teach our children – by example – that although others may be different, that does not mean they do not deserve respect and kindness.  Poor Frank is rejected not only by the other children, but by his teachers and eventually his principal (!) and it is only through the kindness of the grown-ups around him that he is able to survive and flourish.  We learn that everyone can be seen from many different angles and through many different lenses – and each individual can contribute something special to the world around them.

As Alice slowly falls in love with little Frank, so too does the reader – and it carries the book through all of the outlandish circumstances that befall them all.

This is a special book – entertaining and meaningful all at once…

The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty

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the-last-anniversary

In this slightly outlandish story, Sophie finds herself sucked into the circumstances of her ex-boyfriend’s family, when his Aunt Connie has died and left her house on an island to Sophie.  This is no ordinary island, however.  It is on this island, where many years prior, Connie and her sister, Rose, walked into their neighbors’ house, expecting to have tea with their neighbors, Jack and Alice Munro, when they discovered their baby girl left unattended, with Jack and Alice having mysteriously vanished.  Sophie herself remembers visiting the island, now a shrine of sorts (and the source of a healthy income for the sisters), where the rooms were left untouched, still with bloodstains and an unfinished crossword puzzle, just as if they’d just deserted the room that morning.  As the events unfold, the family and their individual struggles and conflicts come to light and Sophie finds peace with her own life as she helps them with theirs.

As usual, Moriarty tells a tale that is alternatively amusing and tragic.  While the premise is a little far-fetched, the struggles that these quirky characters are coping with – relationship issues, depression, child neglect and worse – are quite realistic.  And Moriarty’s signature humor and warmth follow each character through to the end.

If you’re looking for a fun read with some substance, this is your book!