Naomi: a story of grief, bitterness and God's faithfulness

When the image of a mother-in-law is brought up, many think of the wicked woman who makes her daughter-in-law’s life miserable for daring to marry her precious son. Naomi was not that mother-in-law. In the book of Ruth, Naomi is a woman who knew loss and suffering. She suffered famine in Judah that she and her husband went to Moab. There their two sons married Moabite women. Soon, she would suffer again as she would lose her husband and her two sons. After suffering this threefold tragedy, she refused to hide her sorrow or bitterness. She even changed her name to Mara, meaning “bitterness.” She fixated on her circumstances, past and present, which led to hopelessness. She blamed God for taking away her husband and sons and punishing her for her sins. Despite her bitterness, God was working in her life, to restore her faith and joy. It is only through her daughter-in-law, Ruth, does she find happiness and hope again. What is her story? How does famine play into her story? What is the lesson can we learn about God? 

Naomi’s story begins with a little history. Moab was a country to the east of Judah. The Moabites were said to be descendants of Abraham’s nephew, Lot. Famine had spread across Judah. Naomi and her husband, Elimelech, had left the famine in Judah for the abundance in Moab, along with their two sons, Mahlon and Kilion. Their sons would each marry a Moabite woman, Ruth and Orpah. In time, Elimelech and his sons would die, leaving Naomi and her daughters-in-law without much hope for their survival. When word reached Moab that abundance had returned to Judah, Naomi and her daughters-in-law prepared to leave. Eventually, Naomi would urge each woman to return to her own people. Orpah would return; however, Ruth refused to leave Naomi. In Ruth 1:16-18, Ruth vowed to never leave Naomi, stating “where you go, I will go.” When they entered Bethlehem, many people asked if it really could be Naomi? She answered, “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara because the Almighty Lord has made my life very bitter” (Ruth 1:20). Naomi couldn’t see past her suffering as she felt her tragedies were punishment for her sins. Little did she know that a new life and a new hope was in store, but more about that next month as I will examine the story of Ruth. 

Famine is a common occurrence in the Bible. There are three types of famine. First, natural occurring famines. Palestine has two rainy seasons: October through November and March through April. If rain doesn’t fall during these periods, droughts are common and famine often results. Famine occurs when hail or insects destroys the food supply or invading armies devastate crops. Second, judgement. God also uses famine for his purpose. In Deuteronomy 28:21-24, famine was the result of disobedience. In the New Testament, famine will be a part of God's coming judgment (Matthew 24:7, Revelation 6:8). Third, spiritual famine. Amos 8:11 states that days are coming when a famine will spread through the land, not one of food or water but of words of the Lord. Famines of the heart are much deeper than just a bad day. Where we have lost sight of joy and peace in our lives. We search in vain for God’s presence and guidance. How do we break a famine of the heart? Be willing to confess our failures through honest confession. Am I withholding forgiveness? Am I holding on to bitterness or pride? Coming to God and confessing our sins reconnects us with the power of Christ. 1 John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” When we face a personal famine, we need to turn to the One who can take the famine away. 

God is faithful to restore fullness to an empty life. Naomi, like many of us, had trouble recognizing God’s goodness and his faithfulness. Through the anguish of losing her beloved husband and sons, she received the loving care and devotion of Ruth. Psalm 71:20 says God will restore our lives. Numbers 23:19 says “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” God is faithful to the promises to those who love him. In her grief, Naomi, like many of us, loses sight of this promise. Despite her bitterness, God was working in Naomi’s life, just as he works in our lives. We may not see it for different reasons but he is still there. When God promises something, we know it will come to pass. He is not one to change his mind or forget. Romans 8:28 says “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” God is wholly to you and other believers who love and follow him. His faithfulness is not dependent on your works. All that is required is a willing and open heart. 

In conclusion, the story of Naomi is about grief, bitterness and God’s faithfulness. Naomi lost her faith in God and lost sight to his faithfulness. She faced physical famine and a famine of the heart. We often lose sight of God in our lives when circumstances seem the darkest. Times may be dark, but God is always faithful. God didn’t walk away from Naomi because she blamed him for her woes, but continued to work to restore fullness to her life. One of my favorite quotes is from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000) in which Albus Dumbledore tells Harry, “Dark times lie ahead of us and there will be a time when we must choose between what is east and what is right.” As we face dark and difficult times, we must choose to either focus on God and his faithfulness or focus on our desperation. It isn’t easy to focus on God when the world seems to fall apart but knowing that God is with me as I live through the difficult times helps lift the spirit. 

Best friends and spouses: one in the same or not?

A couple months ago, I came across a tweet in which the individual definitely stated that your spouse cannot be and should be your spouse. I laughed because I consider my husband my best friend. And judging based on the responses this tweet got, many people agree and disagree with the statement. I had a few people I consider a best friend, people who have known me for years, who have seen me through the best and worst of my life. However, it got me thinking: what is a best friend? And can a spouse be considered a best friend? So I set out to find out what other people thought and what I discovered is that how you answer the best friend question is how you define what a best friend is and the problem is many people define a best friend in different ways. 

According to Merriam-Webster, a best friend is “a person's closest and dearest friend.” Urban dictionary describes a best friend as someone who is there for you through thick and thin, someone who listens and understands, a person you can call anytime about anything and someone who will stand up for you in times of struggle. Both definitions do not exclude spouses. Nowhere does it say, “a woman’s closest female friend” or “a man’s closest male friend.” It says a person’s closest and dearest friend, someone who supports, listens, and understands. So why can’t it be a spouse? Some people still say no. In the no category, non-romantic friendships can be an escape from the pressures of adulting (Health Essentials, 2019). Does that mean my romantic friendship with my husband always reminds me or him of our adulting responsibilities and pressures? I don’t think so. My husband and I can have relaxing fun together without thinking about our responsibilities. According to Amanda FitzSimons, calling your spouse your best friend is “eye rollingly cliche” with too many expectations on one person to be both best friend and spouse (2019). 

According to my research, overwhelmingly many people are saying yes, spouses can be, and actually should be, your best friend. According to Skye Cleary, a philosopher and lecturer from Columbia University, if aspects of friendships are brought into romantic relationships, the foundation of the relationship is stronger (Yu, 2017). To some, it is even a Biblical example of a husband and wife becoming one flesh. “Two of the closest and dearest friends who have a profound trust of one another. Husband and wife of one human nature, glued together in Christ'' (Wobscall, 2020). Friendship is one aspect of a marriage, just like sexual intimacy is one aspect. Both are important to the longevity of a relationship. If you don’t have a friendship with your spouse and what is important to you is separate from your spouse, then you aren’t married. You are roommates with benefits. There are no hard and fast rules, what matters is what works for your and your relationship (William, no date). David William has a great list of reasons why your spouse can be your best friend, which leads me to my thoughts on the topic. 

My husband is my best friend. He is one I can be myself. I can reveal all the bad stuff about me: the weaknesses, the insecurities and the dark moods. And he is the same with me. A couple years ago, I made a statement about my husband’s grumpy moods and someone commented with “such a wife thing to say.” To which I replied back, “Well, I see him day in and day out. I’ve seen him at his best and I’ve seen him at his worst.” We do fun, childlike things together. Recently, we had a water balloon/water gun fight in the backyard. We laughed until we were breathless. We do things together like watch certain tv shows and movies, but we also have our own activities apart. I have my reading and blog and my favorite tv shows and movies that I don’t force him to watch. He has his own favorite movies to watch without me and he has his toy hunting activities apart from me.. When I need a female perspective and companionship, I have female friends to call upon and my husband has his male friends for male perspectives and companionship. 

In conclusion, you can be best friends with your spouse. And being best friends doesn’t mean that 100% of your time and activities is spent together. That is unhealthy in any relationship. What it boils down to is how you would define a best friend. If your idea of a best friend is drinking wine and bitching about your spouse and kids, then your spouse isn’t your best friend. But if your idea of a best friend is someone who supports you, who knows you inside and out, who you love to spend time with, then your spouse can be your best friend. Another important note, no one gets to dictate who you decide is your best friend. The important thing is to have that person who is all things that a best friend should be, whether or not it's your spouse. 

P.S. I think the best way to illustrate the idea of a spouse being your best friend is this scene from The Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) from season 4, episode 20, It’s Luke Can See Her Face

Guy on tape: "Whose phone calls or visits are never unwanted or too long? Do you see her face? Who would you most like to have in your life to ward off moments of loneliness? Do you see her face? When you travel, who would make your travels more enjoyable? Do you see her face? When you're in pain, who would you most like to comfort you? Do you see her face? When something wonderful happens in your life, a promotion at work, a successful refinancing, who do you want to share the news with? Do you see her face? Whose face appears to you, my friend? Whose face?"

References

FitzSimons, Amanda (September 3, 2019). Please Don’t Call Your Spouse Your Best Friend. Shondaland. https://www.shondaland.com/live/family/a28724108/please-dont-call-your-spouse-your-best-friend/. Retrieved April 25, 2021. 

Health Essentials (October 1, 2019). Should Your Spouse Be Your Best Friend? Cleveland Clinic https://health.clevelandclinic.org/should-your-spouse-be-your-best-friend/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CHaving%20a%20partner%20who%20is,template%20for%20a%20successful%20marriage.%E2%80%9D. Retrieved April 25, 2021. 

William, David K. (no date). 15 Reasons Why Your Partner Should Be Your Best Friend. Life Hack. https://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/15-reasons-why-your-partner-should-your-best-friend.html. Retrieved April 25, 2021. 

Wobschall, Dan (September 7, 2020). Can Your Spouse Be Your Best Friend? BeBroken. https://2.bebroken.com/be-broken-blog/can-your-spouse-be-your-best-friend. Retrieved April 25, 2021. 

Yu, Christine (August 8, 2017). Should your spouse be your best friend? Headspace. https://www.headspace.com/blog/2017/08/08/should-spouse-be-best-friend/. Retrieved Apriln 25, 2021. 

The Bend in Redwood Road: a search for answers and confronting the pain of the past

The Bend in Redwood Road by Danielle Stewart is the first book in the Missing Pieces series. Gwen Fox was adopted by two loving people and had the idyllic childhood that most people only dream of and yet there’s a deep ache and soul longing she tried to ignore. Some days were manageable but the wondering of what became of the baby she left behind hangs on the edges of her mind. Smiling through her pain and suffered in silence, Leslie Laudon marched forward, living the life so skillfully designed by her husband, Paul. She was the life as a dutiful wife and mother, she did everything for her husband and her children. But as her youngest daughter gets ready to head off to college and Leslie faces an empty nest, thoughts of her other child become more and more prominent. Riddled with doubt and waves of unanswered questions, Gwen and Leslie start a complex journey for answers, redemption and an identity. Gwen seeks the truth about the day she was born and Leslie seeks an identity, the woman she was before she was a wife and mother. As they begin down the road of no return, can they navigate the blame, the guilt? Are they prepared for the answers to their questions? 

The Bend in Redwood Road is a story about family: the one of genetics and the one of memories and love. Gwen is a great character caught between two worlds: the family she has grown up with and loved and the family she doesn’t know. She feels guilty seeking answers about her birth family. She feels she’s betraying the parents who lovingly raised her and possibly regretting the answers she finds when she seeks answers through her genetics. Leslie is a woman who made an impossible choice, one she questioned every day since she left her baby behind at the hospital. These two women are surrounded by great supporting characters and one not-so-great husband. My only complaint is that it seemed to drag out the climax and then rush to a resolution. The resolution is emotional and the answers to Gwen’s questions are gasp worthy revelations. I teared up at the end as these women realize they need to confront the past in order to move forward. There were moments of humor and heartfelt words of wisdom. A couple quotes I liked that I highlighted to write down when I finished. I highly recommend The Bend in Redwood Road. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. 

The Bend in Redwood Road is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook. 

Blood and Treasure: a well-researched and enjoyable history book

Blood and Treasure by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin focuses on Daniel Boone and his role in the fight for America’s first frontier. In the mid-18th century, the drive to conquer and settle the area beyond the Appalachian Mountains, North America’s “first frontier.” That drive would commence a series of bloody battles against the Native American tribes, the French and lastly British as the fight for independence intensifies. Drury and Clavin provide an epic narrative of Daniel Boone, as America’s first and great pathfinder, whose explorations would become legend, while tearing down the coonskin cap-wearing caricature that many Americans are familiar with. Blood and Treasure is more than just Daniel Boone’s story. It is the story of the ordinary and the extraordinary men and women, colonists and Native, who witnessed the road that led to the birth of the United States. The reader is placed in the middle of America's first frontier and the tales of courage and sacrifice that occurred there. 

I have been interested in Daniel Boone’s story ever since I discovered that his older sister, Sarah Boone Wilcoxson (1724-1815) is my 14th great grandmother on my paternal grandfather’s side. I dived into Blood and Treasure as I was eager to learn more about the man and how he became a legend. It is evident that Drury and Clavin painstakingly researched the story of Daniel Boone and the events surrounding his life. Boone was a man born with wanderlust and the perfect individual to explore the unexplored. While the information seemed overwhelming, and it took me a few days as I carefully read, Drury and Clavin are able to take a complicated history and provide a fast-paced, fiery narrative and honest depiction of the frontier. What I liked about the book is, while the main focus is on Daniel Boone, his contemporaries were allowed to have a voice and help provide a bigger picture of the events than just through Boone’s own recollections. Blood and Treasure provides a clearer picture of who these men and women really were, the good, the bad and the ugly, and not the just pedestal heroes that we have been led to know.  I highly recommend Blood and Treasure. 

Blood and Treasure is available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook. 

Margreete's Harbor: not the family story I was expecting

Margreete’s Harbor by Eleanor Morse is a story set on the coast of Maine during the 1950s and 1960s, following the life of a family and its matriarch as they share a home during the changing times. Margreete Bright is a fiercely-independent, thrice-widowed woman who is determined to live on her own in her home near the Maine coast. Until one day, she forgets a hot pan on the stove and nearly burns her house down. Her daughter, Liddie, realizes that her mother can no longer live alone. She and her husband, Harry, and their children Eva and Bernie, pack up their lives in Michigan and move across the country to Margreete’s coastal home and begin a new life. Liddie is a professional cellist who struggles with her marriage as she feels increasingly confined. Harry is a high school history teacher whose political views threatened his job. Bernie and Eva begin to come into their own identities as young adults. 

Margreete’s Harbor is the story of life in America as it leaves the idyllic 1950s to the turbulent 1960s. I was excited to read this book and the opening chapter sounded promising for the rest of the book. Enter Liddie and her family and the book goes downhill from there. None of the characters were likable or sympathetic. I found Liddie to be grating and whining. Harry was a stereotypical man with a wandering eye. Although he barely puts up a fight when Liddie wants to uproot their family to “take care” of her mother, who becomes a secondary character. The book describes itself as perfect for fans of Elizabeth Strout, Alice Munro, and Anne Tyler. If you are fans of these authors, you may enjoy Margreete’s Harbor. Unfortunately, for me, it was a difficult book to finish. It dragged on and on that it was hard to remain focused and care about the characters and the events. I do not recommend it. 

Margreete’s Harbor is available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook

The Perfect Daughter: is she truly mentally ill or is she playing them all?

The Perfect Daughter by DJ Palmer is a thriller that explores the truth or lies behind a teenage girl’s Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Penny Francone is 16 years old and suffers from DID. She has three alters or personalities: Ruby, the one with the British accent, Chloe, the perfectionist who strives for straight A’s in school and then Eve, a spiteful, vicious and vindictive one. They all live in Penny or do they? Grace Francone’s world falls apart when her daughter, Penny, had been accused of murder. To some, her guilt is beyond any doubt as she was found alone in the victim’s apartment, covered in blood and holding the murder weapon. The victim’s identity and her secret relationship to Penny provides the perfect motive. With everything so cut and dry, All the jury needs to decide is where Penny will serve her sentence: a secure mental institution or a maximum-security prison. As Penny awaits trial in a state mental hospital, she is treated by Dr. Mitch McHugh, a psychiatrist who is battling his own demons. Fueled by Grace’s determination to understand the why behind her daughter’s terrible crime, they set out in search of the truth. Is Penny truly mental ill or is she playing them all? 

Last year, I read and reviewed DJ Palmer’s The New Husband and loved it. When the opportunity came to review his new release, I couldn’t wait. It was so worth it. The Perfect Daughter is another great book by DJ Palmer. Many in the psychiatric community don't believe that Dissociative Identity Disorder even exists and that the “alters” or split personalities is just the clever ploy of a highly manipulative mind of a psychopath. Mr. Palmer doesn’t shy away from the ins and outs of this horrifying crime and takes an honest look at DID and the possible reasons why the mind may split the way it does. He also delves into the stigma of mental illness and the snap judgment of those who do not understand the mentally ill. It is a haunting and terrifying story with twists and turns that no one will see coming. The story will keep you guessing and on your toes. You will be hooked from the opening chapter until the very end when the shocking truth is revealed. After reading The New Husband, I would expect nothing less from DJ Palmer. I highly recommend The Perfect Daughter. 

The Perfect Daughter will be available April 20, 2021 in hardcover, eBook and audiobook. 

The Tide Between Us: a story of the Irish-Caribbean slavery and emancipation

The Tide Between Us by Olive Collins is an epic story of Irish-Caribbean slavery and emancipation. The story opens in Ireland, 1991 and a skeleton has been found when a violent storm uprooted a tree. The story goes back in time to 1821 when 10-year-old Irish body, Art O’Neil, is deported to the British Caribbean colony of Jamaica as an indentured servant. He is among the thousands of Irish were sent from their homeland to the colony. Art gradually acclimates to the exotic country, the customs of the African slaves as he builds a life there. When the new heirs arrive at the plantation, old ghosts are resurrected for Art of the brutal injustices he and his family suffered back in Ireland, he plots his revenge. He bides his time and hides his loathing from his new master. As he works, he prospers and buys land and he works with the promise of a gold coin for every decade of service. One day he sets out to claim his coins, he has a feeling that he may not return home alive. Then the story fast forwards to Ireland, 1991, as Yseult, the owner of Lugdale Estate, must deal with the skeleton discovery as well as the news that a gold coin, minted in 1870, was found with it. As she watches the events unfold, she must face the long-buried secrets of her family’s past. How long can she hide before the past forces her to face it? 

The Tide Between Us is truly an epic story of a little known history of the Irish indentured servants in Jamaica. Ms. Collins was inspired by the real events of 2,000 Irish children deported to Jamaica and the statistic that 25% of Jamaican citizens claim Irish ancestry. Separated in two parts, the story takes the reader deep into the slave trade and the day to day life on a plantation and two families who are connected through history, blood and circumstances. It is a very powerful story which brings to life historical events that have been hidden. It is also about the resilience of the human spirit as one fights against his or her circumstances to build a better life for their descendants. For me, Part 1 was far more engaging and interesting than Part 2. While heartbreaking to read the appalling treatment and conditions the slaves had to endure, I was glad that Ms. Collins didn’t shy away from the very real facts. Unfortunately, Part 2 introduced Yseult who is 81 and as cranky and grumpy as an older woman can get. She was a hard character to like and sympathize with. By the end, the reader discovers the reasons for her attitude, it didn’t make her likeable or sympathetic. Overall, I enjoyed The Tide Between Us and highly recommend it. One piece of advice, it is a thick book, about 560 pages, it will take time to read it and you will have to take your time to truly appreciate the depth of the story. 

The Tide Between Us is available in paperback and eBook. 

Whisper of the Moon Moth: the story of the woman who became Merle Oberon

Whisper of the Moon Moth by Lindsay Jayne Ashford is the mysterious story behind one of Hollywood’s legend, actress Merle Oberon, and the secrets she fought desperately to hide. The story opens at nineteen-year-old Estelle Thompson is an Anglo-Indian, a half-breed that is shunned by both English and Indian society. Her only escape is through going to the cinema, the silver screen offers her brief moments to forget who she is and the world around her. When Estelle catches the eye of Ben Finney, a dashing American heir with connections to a major motion picture studio, he also captures her heart. Soon, Estelle has a one-way ticket to London and a recommendation for a screen test. As her career takes off, she must keep her Indian heritage a secret. She is no longer Estelle Thompson and becomes Merle Oberon. She will soon learn that her family is keeping an even greater secret from her, one that changes everything she believes about her own past. 

When Whisper of the Moon Moth came up as a suggested reading for me, I went back and forth whether or not to read it. I was vaguely familiar with Merle Oberon’s work as she played Cathy opposite Laurence Olivier’s Heathcliff in 1939’s Wuthering Heights. But I wasn’t aware of her story, so I took a chance and I am so glad I did. Her story is one of courage and perseverance against unbelievable odds. Her striking beauty won her adoring fans but despite her fame, she was plagued with loneliness and fear as she knew if her secret ever came out, she would never work in Hollywood again. It was also thrilling to see the big names of the day, and the names that would become bigger, interact with Merle. Actors like Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford as well as David Niven, Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh. Overall, Whisper of the Moon Moth is a great story about the woman who would become Merle Oberon. I enjoyed it so much that I am going back and watching her movies again. I recommend Whisper of the Moon Moth. 

Whisper of the Moon Moth is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook. 

 

 

 

 

Shoes on the Stairs: a great idea but failed in its execution

Shoes on the Stairs by Jan Steele is described as inspiration from the many frustrations of parenthood and the ever-present fear of failure. Claire Blackwell was the mom who did it all. She sacrificed everything to make sure her husband and kids had all they needed or wanted. When she suddenly dies after a car accident, she is left with the feeling of unfinished business. She watches in horror as her husband and kids try to navigate a world without her. She expects a brilliant white light to take her to the afterlife but it never comes. As she struggles with her limbo state, her family begins to see and hear her. Starting with her youngest daughter, she works to help mend her broken family and discovers a situation which puts them in danger. Her son, Edward, had rising tensions with his long-time bully and as the situation escalates, Claire must find a way to help her family before it's too late. Can she help them? Will she ever see that bright, white light?

I chose Shoes on the Stairs as it “centers around a mother’s struggle to accept what she has left behind.” I expected a journey of “laughter and tears.” What I got was a cringey story of a woman who thought she could control everything, even after death. I supposed Claire was written to be the stereotypical housewife who took care of everything for her family that when she was gone, they were lost without her. And it was true, her husband and kids are unsure where things are and how to do even the basic tasks. But Claire was a hard character to care for. I couldn’t relate to her at all. The language she uses was eye rolling horrible and not funny at all. At one point, to describe her own parents, Claire tells readers that “They bicker more often than a vegetarian farts”?!?!?! Seriously!?!?!? Overall, the book was not enjoyable. I didn’t laugh once, no heartstrings tugged. I do not recommend Shoes on the Stairs. I expected so much more than what I got. 

Shoes on the Stairs is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook. 

Blue Midnight: when learning to follow your heart opens one to love and life again

Blue Midnight by Tess Thompson is the first book in the Blue Mountain series. Blythe Heywood, 45, mother of two,  is recently divorced, as she packs up her house, she discovers the phone number of the man she walked away from 13 years before, choosing a life of safety and security over true love. As she faces three weeks ago without her children, she reluctantly takes a trip to Peregrine, Idaho, a small town at the base of the Blue Mountains to look for the man who got away. Little did she know that she would be walking into a family tragedy and a small town drama that threatens the safety of everyone involved. The Lanigan family is holding on by threads over the tragedy three years ago that shattered their happy family image. Will they let Blythe in and start to heal the pain of the past and learn to live and love again?

Blue Midnight is a sweet romance about the road not taken and learning to follow your heart. The book is slow at times as it drags out the information discovery about the tragedy at the center of the story. As the main character, Blythe was hit and miss. There were times when Blythe was annoying and I would scream at the book, “My god woman, you are 45 years old!!!!” But toward the end, when called to be the voice of reason and strength for the Lanigan family, she steps up and redeems herself. It was obvious from the beginning that the events surrounding the family tragedy wasn’t exactly what the official word said it was, it had a nice twist that I didn’t see coming. Overall, I enjoyed Blue Midnight and look forward to reading the rest of the series. If you enjoy romance about redemption and learning to love and live again, I recommend Blue Midnight. 

Blue Midnight is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook.

Valcour: an excellent book about a little known but important event in American History

Valcour: The 1776 Campaign That Saved the Cause of Liberty by Jack Kelly is a look into the little known battle which helped continue the Revolution. At the front, Benedict Arnold, a man who fought with valor and courage, before he became known as the traitor to the American cause. During the summer of 1776, a British incursion in the north from Canada loomed. In response, a heroic defense was mounted. Under the direction of Philip Schuyler, underrated general and Alexander Hamilton’s future father-in-law, Horatio Gates, an ambitious former British officer, and the notorious Benedict Arnold, the Patriots constructed a small fleet of gunboats on Lake Champlain in northern New York. As an experienced sea captain, Arnold was able to devise a strategy that confounded their overconfident opponents. They would confront the full might of the British Royal Navy in a three-day battle near Valcour Island. Their effort surprised the arrogant British, who were forced to call off their invasion. At the core of Valcour is the story of people. In the early days of the Revolutionary War, the Patriots endured one defeat after another, with America’s Independence hanging in the balance. Two events would help turn the tide: Washington’s bold attack on Trenton on December 26, 1776 and the Battle of Valcour Island on October 11, 1776.  

I love history, especially American history. So when I got the opportunity to read about the Battle of Valcour Island, a battle I knew nothing about, I jumped at the chance. Jack Kelly weaves a history account that is as wild and suspenseful as the American wilderness that flowed and captivates as you read about the crucial and least known campaign when the scrappy navy of the young nation took on the British and their mighty sea power. I loved learning more about Benedict Arnold before he became the infamous traitor we all know him as. Mr Kelly describes him as a paradox of history as the reasons for his decision to betray his nation have been left up to debate and conjecture. Although Mr Kelly does present situations and attitudes that would certainly have contributed to Arnold’s turn. I also enjoyed hearing about the place names which memorialize the battle’s events and keep the memory alive of this important event. I also enjoyed and was humbled by the stories of the men who fought the battle, whose names don’t appear in the history books. Without their sacrifice and courage under almost certain failure, the fight for American Independence would have ended before it truly began. I highly recommend Valcour, an excellent account of the crucial battle. 

Valcour: the 1776 Campaign that Saved the Cause of Liberty is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook. 

Reparations: a Christian Call for Repentance and Repair between white and black communities

Reparations: A Christian Call for Repentance and Repair by Duke L Kwon and Gregory Thompson is a call to the Church, in particular white Christians to be awakening to the legacy of racism in America. The public cry and conversations regarding the issues of racial division and inequalities have been in the forefront recently. The authors feel it is an overdue response. As Christianity has the view of reconciliation has its sole purpose but are at a loss as to offer a solution for their black neighbors, the authors offer a new perspective on the Church’s responsibility for the deep racism at the heart of American culture and what it can do to repair that brokenness. The book’s main goal is to make a compelling historical and theological case for the Church’s obligation to provide reparations for the oppression of blacks. The authors focus on the church’s responsibility for its promotion and preservation of white supremacy throughout history, the Bible’s call for repair, and offer a vision for the work that needs to be done at the local level. Are they successful? 

For most of the book, the authors focus on how white supremacy was created in our system and the why it still persists. It wasn’t until about 57% into the book, do they talk about reparations. They focus more on community repair than just cutting a check and handing it over. They use the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37 as the Samaritan chose to help the injured Jew in love with his eyes, his heart, his hands and his resources. The authors do their best to make a compelling case for reparations; however, at times I felt like they were talking in circles. And while they make a case that white churches need to share the wealth to help repair balck churches and communities and add black voices to the conversation, they don’t really offer how with specifics. They talk about the obstacles that white supremacy has created for the black community, again without saying specifically what the obstacles are, just ways they can be overcome. Overall, I recommend Reparations is a place to start the conversation. 

Reparations: A Christian Call for Repentance and Repair is available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook. 

The Bohemians: the people and the city that help shape the famous Dorothea Lange

The Bohemians by Jasmin Darznik is the story of a young Dorothea “Dorrie” Lange as she steps off the train in 1918 San Francisco. There she meets Caroline Lee, a vivacious, straight-talking Chinese American with a complicated past. Their friendship gives Dorrie entry to Monkey Block, an artists’ colony and the bohemian heart of the city. Dorrie is launched into a new world of freedom, art and politics. There she meets the people who helped shape the art culture of the 1920s as well as meets and falls in love with the brilliant, yet troubled, artist Maynard Dixon. Eventually Dorrie and Caroline form a partnership and create a successful portrait studio. Unfortunately, the anti-Chinese and anti-immigration sentiment in the city will push their friendship to a breaking point and alter the course of their partnership and their lives. How will the experience in San Francisco help mold Dorrie into the Dorotha Lange we all know, the photographer who documented the Great Depression and gave the suffering a human face? 

I have known Dorothea Lange for her famous photograph titled “Migrant Mother” but I knew very little of her origins. Ms. Darznik brings the past to life as vivid and vibrant as those who lived it. The events, the attitudes and the corruption feels eerily familiar to today’s contemporary themes. The story also reminds us that the gift of friendship and the possibility of self-invention are still possible even in the most turbulent times. From the opening chapters to the closing epilogue, Ms Darznik weaves a story of Dorothea Lange that many are not familiar with. As we know her as the famous photographer, she began at a time when female photographers were unheard of and not taken seriously. I enjoyed seeing the famous names of the day pop in, like Ansel Adams as well as the events that helped push Dorothea to document the Great Depression as she did. The Bohemians is an awesome story and I highly recommended it. 

The Bohemians will be available April 6, 2021 in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook. 

Astrid Sees All: a story about the gritty 1980s New York underground

Astrid Sees All by Natalie Standiford is a story of a young woman’s search for purpose, for meaning and an identity in New York City It’s New Year’s Eve 1983, Phoebe Hayes returns to the city after her father’s funeral, despite her mother’s protests. Phoebe wants to chase the glamorous life that only New York City can provide as well as confront the older man who wronged her. With her best friend, Carmen Dietz, she finds her niche as Astrid the Star Girl, the fortune teller in an East Village nightclub. Her friends and neighbors are the artists, It Girls and lost souls trying to party their pain away in the underworld of the East Village. Everything seems to go her way until a mix of sex and drugs leads Phoebe to betray Carmen, who wants nothing to do with Phoebe and disappears. Phoebe is left to descend into the darkness surrounding her. Can Phoebe find Carmen and make it right? Will she be able to stop the seemingly downward spiral she’s on?

Astrid Sees All is described as “a love letter to the gritty 1980s New New York City” and the story is gritty. It is brutally honest in its description of the lives of those who filled the underworld. I read with interest as I wonder where the underworld life would lead Phoebe. When I finished, I was in a daze. I wasn’t sure how I felt. There is no real hero or heroine. It certainly wasn’t a happy, feel-good book with a satisfying ending. It was an realistic look at life in New York City and an honest ending as a young woman must come to terms with her actions and must decide where to go from there. It was a book that held my interest. I was able to finish it in one day. The book was filled with an eccentric cast of characters. Some you hate, some you sympathize with and some will shock you. Overall, it is a book worth reading. I recommend Astrid Sees All. 

Astrid Sees All will be available April 6, 2021 in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook. 

Life on Hold: a story on the power of friendship

Life On Hold by Karen McQuestion is a gripping novel about the power of friendship and following your heart. Rae Maddox’s life has been anything but normal. Her mom, Gina, thinks nothing of packing up and moving. New apartment, new town, new job, all of it a new adventure to Gina. But to Rae, each move was just one more friend lost, one more chance to be the outsider. When they arrive in Wisconsin, Gina promises to stay put until Rae graduates high school. Feeling cautiously optimistic, Rae begins to adjust to the social world at Whitman High School, making new friends and making plans for college. Everything is going smoothly until one day when the vice principal asks her to show a new student around school. Allison Daly has been bounced around between relatives since her parents died in a house fire. Things begin to go bad as Rae begins to learn more and more about Allison’s troubling past. Will Allison’s past continue to haunt her? Will Rae finally find the home she has always wanted? 

Life On Hold is a powerful story about regret, friendship and dealing with the past. While it is marketed as a Young Adult novel, it is a great read for all ages as it deals with suicide and the misunderstands that even adults run into. All the characters were relatable and believable. It had sweet moments between friends, dramatic moments and touching moments that serve as a reminder that we can make a difference in someone’s life by simply being a friend. One of my favorite quotes from the book is “You never really know what a difference you can make in someone’s life, if you’re to let them in.” Rae was usually on the outside looking in, not allowing herself to get too attached as Gina could decide to pack and leave at any moment. But there is something about Allison that is familiar and draws them together. While she doesn’t fully understand why but when Allison needs her the most, Rae must answer the call. I highly recommend Life On Hold for all ages.  

Life On Hold is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook.