These Precious Days

 

These Precious Days: Essays by Ann Patchett. New York: HarperCollins, 2021. (Large Print) 424 pages. *****

I received These Precious Days as my March read for The Colony of Readers in the Book Hive Book Club. It came in the Large Print Edition which was perfect for me to breeze through it. The Essays are well-written and from the heart. Ann Patchett has a gift for self-analysis and the ability to see her relationships through the lens of self-awareness. 

I thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of her essays and highly recommend this book for Book Clubs. I envision a lively discussion of which essay is a favorite and why. 

Three Fathers touched me and reinforced the notion if only we could take the best of people and fashion them into one. Each of her mother's three husbands fulfilled a role in Ann's life to support and love her. 

In There Are No Children Here Ann points out the idiocy of the notion she can't be a real writer until she has children. " Ann was told, "Because until you have children, you don't know what it means to love." 

I was most impressed by the fact that in The Moment Nothing Changed, Ann mentions that she turns her cell phone on about ten times a year.  What? How? Definitely makes me rethink my cell phone habits. 

If you are looking for an entertaining, pick up and put down read, this book has it all!

Ann Patchett is the author of eight novels, four works of nonfiction, and two children's books. Her work has been translated into more than thirty languages. Time magazine names her one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is the co-owner of Parnassus Books. 

For more information on Ann:  http://www.annpatchett.com/about

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#bookstagram #thesepreciousdays 

One Breath At A Time

 

One Breath At A Time: The Autobiography of an Artist by David Gerbstadt. Create Space, 2011. 222 pages.

Written in a stream of consciousness, this is the story of a man riding a bicycle who gets run over by a tractor trailer. David sees the blood and instinctively rams his left hand into his wound and over his femoral artery saving his own life until the EMTs arrive. David believes he died in the ambulance and experienced "a deep sense of peace and warm love let me know everything will be okay in the end." What follows next is a long mental, physical, and spiritual journey that would be difficult for anyone and especially someone in recovery from drugs and alcohol. His dialogue is raw and at times painful to read, however, compelling in its honesty. 

I became aware of David's art when a friend purchased "I read banned books" button that he created. Following him on Facebook, I purchased a yard sign, Be Kind Buttons and an original art work. 

His work is so inexpensive I knew that there is a to be a story to be told. (he will mail an original piece of art to anyone who sends him a stamped self-addressed envelope for 1.00) I discovered he had written books and learned a little about his story and wanted to know more. I often wonder if people who have a near death or death experience are changed by it and are more creative afterwards.

Upon further research, I found that he has written a book for children and adults, The Red Heart Book. The original book was a miniature hand drawn version given to his friends for the Christmas Holiday 2007. He sustained his injury right after his generous gift. People saw the little hand drawn book and encouraged David to publish it. His simplistic drawings express love and friendship and will make a perfect gift for everyone you love. 

His books are available through Amazon

I don't think any words of mine will do justice to his message and his need to share his art. It is breath to him and a joy to all who experiences it. 

Follow David on Facebook

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@davidgerbstader #theredheartbook #onebreathatatime 

2022 Monthly Color Challenge - March - Pink Peppercorn

2022 Monthly Color Challenge - March - Pink Peppercorn

Pink Peppercorn

What is pink peppercorn?

Benefits and Recipes

Choosing what color of pink to use wasn't easy for me, I see more red than pink. 

The Pattern and information for this month's block is available on Patterns by Jens blog. Jen's instructions are clear and easy to follow.

Which one to use? 

I decided on this shade of pink.

It’s more of a raspberry color in person than it looks like here. 

Check out the other bloggers to see their color choices:

Faith and Fabric

Patterns by Jen

Sunflower Stitcheries & Quilting

True Blue Quilts

Pink Quilt - pattern - Hope by Gudrun I made this as a baby quilt. Very easy pattern in various sizes. 

Previous Months:

January - Saffron

February - Bay Leaf

Follow me on IG at kathy_nester

#2022monthltcolorchallenge #march #pinkpeppercorn 

The War Librarian

The War Librarian by Addison Armstrong. New York: Putnam, 2022. 289 pages. *****  A Conversation with Addison Armstrong and Reading Group Guide. Publication Date August 9, 2022.

"Two women. One secret. A truth worth fighting for."  Told in the alternating voices of Emmaline Balakan and Kathleen Carre, I was immediately drawn into their lives during World War 1 and 1976. Each woman is fighting a battle to make a difference in a man's world and to find relevancy for themselves. Emmaline Balakan, modeled after a real-life war librarian, Mary Frances Isom, travels to France to bring and distribute books to injured soldiers in army hospitals. Emmaline is shocked to see the living conditions and segregation at the hospitals and the fact that the government restricts certain materials from being read. 

Kathleen Carre, against her grandmother’s wishes enrolls as one of the first women at the Naval Academy. The men make it quite clear that the women are not welcome and even go so far as to manufacture and lie about Kathleen's actions to get her kicked out. 

Both women face discrimination, less than ideal living conditions, isolation, etc. and accusations of sedition. Their stories are connected by a secret from Kathleen's Grandmother's past. 

It's frustrating that in the year 2022 many of the same issues are discussed and fought -- discrimination, censorship, hazing, etc. While the issues of book banning and censorship are different in the military during war time, who has access to books and book burning is still relevant today. Even though I have a Master of Library and Information Science, I have never heard of war librarians or the ALA's efforts in supplying books to soldiers. This historical fiction book has new insights and information to offer, Armstrong does an excellent job of weaving their stories together. Librarian books are in vogue right now and this will make an excellent book club choice. I highly recommend it. 

Additional Information: 

1917

Library War Service

Women Librarians

When America's Librarians Went to War

Women Inducted into the US Naval Academy

About Addison Armstrong "I’ve wanted to be an author since I was a five-year old writing stories about talking school supplies and ants getting their revenge on exterminators. While a junior at Vanderbilt University studying elementary education, I wrote my first historical fiction novel, The Light of Luna Park, and sold it to G.P. Putnam’s Sons in January of my senior year. Now that I’ve graduated with my Bachelor’s in Elementary Education and Language & Literacy Studies, as well as a Master’s in Reading Education with an ESL endorsement, I’m teaching third grade English language learners in Nashville and continuing to write."

For more information about Addison Armstrong, click here

#bookstagram #worldwar1fiction #warlibrarians #americanlibraryassociation #usnavalacademyfiction #historicalfiction  

The Last House on the Street

The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain. New York, St. Martin's Press, 2021. 344 pages. Author's Notes and Acknowledgements. *****

Told in the alternating voices of Kayla and Ellie during the years 1965 and 2010. Growing up in a privileged family in Round Hill, North Carolina, Ellie Hockley is awakened to the plight of blacks in the south and the extreme poverty encountered there. Kayla Carter and her husband, both architects, have built their dream home, the last house on Hockley Street. Unfortunately, her husband has an accident and dies before they can move into the house. Rumors have been spread about the house including tales of ghost and accidents. Kayla dismisses her uneasiness about moving into the house until unexplained events occur and her daughter is missing. 

Having gone to school in the tumultuous 60s, I was immediately drawn into Ellie's story. The schools I attended were not diverse and my neighborhood was white and predominantly Catholic. There were black girls in my all-girl Catholic high school, but I can't recall a name or a face. The 60s nightly news was filled with images of the inequities in the voting process and voter intimidation, it is so hard to believe that in 2022 we are still talking about these very same topics. Chamberlain tells the tale of two teenagers in a forbidden love that ends tragically. Secrets never stay hidden for long. Some of the reviews have been mixed and unless you lived through that time, it may be hard to believe the brutality that existed. Chamberlain chooses a societal issue and brings it into the light. The Last House on the Street is an excellent choice for a Book Club, filled with many relevant issues to discuss. 

Previous books 

Big Lies in a Small Town

Dream Daughter

Stolen Marriage

Diane Chamberlain is the New York Times, USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling author of 27 novels published in more than twenty languages. Influenced by her former career as a social worker and psychotherapist, she writes suspenseful stories that touch both heart and mind. Additional information: here

Follow me on IG at flamazing_books 

#bookstagram #civilrightsfiction #righttovotefiction

The Huntress

 

The Huntress by Kate Quinn. New York: William Morrow, 2019. 530 pages. About the author, About the book, Read on. *****

Told in three voices, Ian, Nina, and Jordan. British war correspondent Ian Graham abandons writing and journalism to become a Nazi hunter. One woman in particular is on his radar, die Jagerin, who killed his brother. He joins forces with Nina Markova, a former Night Witch, who was downed behind enemy lines and is the only witness to escape the Huntress alive. Their hunt leads them to Boston where seventeen-year-old Jordan McBride's father becomes engaged to Anneliese, an elegant woman who is secretive and  reserved about her past. Jordan, a budding photographer, captures her father's fiancé in an unguarded moment and becomes uneasy when she develops the film. Who is this woman, where did she get her daughter and why has she hidden an Iron Cross with a swastika on it in her bridal bouquet? 

This psychological thriller is a roller coaster from start to finish. Reading about the atrocities committed to children and what it took to survive the elements in addition to the enemy, reinforces my belief that I probably would not have survived. Because of the length of the book, it lagged in part for me, however, taken as a whole, it was relevant to the story. I read it because it is my Book Club's choice for February. I can't wait to find out what the other ladies think of this book. If you are a historical fiction reader, you will love this one. Quinn's research is extensive and shows in her attention to detail. Her next book, The Diamond Eye, is to be released in March 2022. 

die Jagerin,  the huntress, is a composite of  two women who were brutal Nazi war criminals. The Author's Notes are compelling and sent me down the rabbit hole of research,

Last known Nazi war criminal in the United States

Nazis were given safe haven in the United States

Six most wanted Nazi war criminals

Kate Quinn is a New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction. A lifelong history buff, she has written seven historical novels. Kate and her husband now live in San Diego with two black dogs named Caesar and Calpurnia. For more information, http://www.katequinnauthor.com

#naziwarcriminals #bookstagram #historicalfiction 

2022 Monthly Color Challenge - February - Bay Leaf

February - Bay Leaf - Green

 

The theme for this year’s Block of the Month is Spicy!! 

This month we are learning about Bay Leaves.

What are bay leaves and how are they used? 

The pattern and instructions for this month's block can be found on Jen’s Blog One of the best things about this BOM (Block of the Month) is that the blocks are easy to assemble and Jen's instructions are spot on. 

My original plan was to have different neutrals for the backgrounds, however, I really like this white neutrals rings by Victoria Findlay Wolfe. So I ordered another yard of it and they will all be the same backgrounds. 

 

I do use pins to make sure my pieces line up. When choosing your strips to sew together, read the instructions carefully. It's an easy block, yet, I managed to sew a narrow background strip to a wider one.

My seams or my cutting must be at tad off because it is a little skimpy on the 12.5 size. Not much trimming at all.

January - Saffron  and February - Bay Leaf

Check out the guest bloggers and see their blocks:

Quilts and Other Stuff from Frances

True Blue Quilts

From My Carolina Home

Sunflower Stitcheries and Quilting

Follow me on IG at kathy_nester

#2022monthlycolorchallenge #februarybayleaf