Something Special on Belle Ile

 

"A lovely, shimmering story... 
The French House moves to a soulful, very funny rhythm all its own." -Meryl Streep (her comments as recorded on the cover of the book)

As you may recall from my last post, I ordered three special books that all have to do with France in some way or the other. The books arrived last weekend and I have finished the first one, The French House, by Don Wallace of New York City. What a gem I found in this little memoir! This is the story of how a young couple, Don and Mindy Wallace, made their dream come true, even when everyone else said they were crazy. Their desire was to buy a very old row house in a small town on an island off the coast of Brittany on an island they call Belle Ile ("Beautiful Island"). They had finished their formal education when they bought the house but they didn't have much money. They were living in a small NY City apartment at the time, and they were living on a sparse income. Mindy finished her law degree but did not "set up shop" as an attorney, and they began their trips to their beautiful island.

The house in Kerkordardoue was in shambles, and it only had two bedrooms. It basically was nothing more than a pile of rubble, but they bought it anyway. They paid their contractor a little at a time until, after eight long years, the house was livable. Eventually they spent almost every summer there in France, far away from the city living of NY or Paris. I must comment here that having an entire summer off of work is something that most Americans can't imagine, but the Europeans are accustomed to having a lot more vacation time than us each year. Every year when the Wallaces visited their house they got a little closer to their dream of having a good space to live every summer. But when they first bought the house, it didn't even have a working toilet, and going upstairs was "at your own risk." And, of course, they dealt with many setbacks as they had the house renovated, and they had to get used to the slower pace of life and the frustrations of getting workers to actually show up to do the work that was needed. There were codes about what they could and could not do to the outside of their house, and they often found the rules to be nonsensical. Even planting a rose bush was off-limits, but they did it anyway. They had no yard of their own, so planting a small garden was out of the question. One day they saw tracks leading to their dead rose and became very upset because they just knew that someone had run over their beloved plant because it didn't "meet the code." Although renovating the house was very frustrating at times, they stuck with it and made their dream come true.

One of the fun things about this book is that Wallace talks a lot about the 2,000 people who live in Kerkodardoue. He and Mindy enjoyed meeting people such as Gwened Guedel, Denis LeReveur, Suzanne, and many others who made the town colorful. Interestingly, a lot of psychiatrists lived on the island, some of which were part time residents. They found this to be amusing but soon befriended some of these psychiatrists. And why shouldn't these people be on the island anyway? Psychiatrists need a break from it all too.

Very few of us can do what the Wallaces did. When the book was published in 2014, the couple had owned the house for about 20 years. They sacrificed a lot to make their fantasy come true, but they made wonderful memories along the way with their son, Rory. The great food, the body surfing, the parties with their island friends, and the peaceful lifestyle on Belle Ile made it all worthwhile for this family.

Have you ever dreamed about having a place like this? I do dream about traveling, because that's my favorite thing to do, but if I could choose a place to have a simple vacation house it would be in Blue Ridge Mountains here in North Carolina - nothing fancy, just a simple house where we can retreat to a peaceful setting. And doing some hiking and boating would be pretty neat too.

I'm off to Kentucky tomorrow...have a great week.

-Melissa Hill
Book Blogger
www.onegoodbookblog.blogspot.com

A Tour Book Writer and a Greek Wedding

"That's the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet." -Jhumpa Lahiri

 I finished a good book a couple of days ago and I feel conflicted. Is this the ending that I really expected or hoped for? Is this how people make decisions in the real world? I listened to Anne Tyler's book, The Accidental Tourist: A Novel this week. This is the story of a married couple, Macon and Sarah Leary, who are struggling through life one year after the senseless murder of their 12-year-old son. Sarah left Macon a year after the death, and Macon was devastated. He couldn't deal with his feelings of loss for his son AND for his wife, and his depression showed in his everyday life. One day he met a dog trainer named Muriel, and she seemed to dig her heels into him as if she were aggressively looking for a husband. She did little more than confuse Macon's fragile emotions and he eventually gave in to her advances. There are other turns in the story, but I don't want to spoil it for you, so I won't give you the ending. But it will leave you realizing that life is very complicated and sometimes full of surprises, so be ready for it. 

One thing that I enjoyed reading about was Macon Leary's career as a writer of travel books. Sounds like a great job to me! I wouldn't mind it at all, but Macon absolutely hated to travel. Many times he had to return to places where he had been before because the travel books needed to be updated. Sometimes he went to places in the U.S., but he also traveled abroad, of course. At the end of the book he went to Paris and had a very detailed agenda that he had planned. But this is where one of the twists of the story occurs, because Macon didn't go anywhere while in Paris. Read the book to find out why. Oh, one disclaimer...this book was published in 2002 so you'll notice that the technology is limited and it seems like things are often done "the hard way." We sure have come a long way in the past 15 years.

Yesterday I went to see the new movie, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" with my college daughter. Since we are also planning a wedding, it was fun to watch this comedic story. While the movie is somewhat a disappointment compared to the first movie, we did enjoy it and had a few laughs. If you loved the first movie like we did, I recommend this movie. All of the original actors are back and a few new ones are on the scene, so it's like a reunion of sorts. I think everyone was surprised at the success of the first Greek wedding movie, but don't be surprised if this one doesn't quite live up to your expectations. Still, it's fun and I'm glad we saw it. What could be better than to see this movie with your amazing daughter who is engaged?

I'm so excited! Today I received a notification from Amazon saying that the three books I ordered are on the way! I can't wait to read them. I'll be reading The Little Paris Bookshop, The French House, and Hidden in Paris. Notice a theme throughout?? So, guess what I'll be writing about in the coming weeks? I can't wait to dig in, so stay tuned. I'll be reading about all things French once again, and I can't wait to get started.

Have a blessed Easter and a great final week of March.

-Melissa Hill

Book Blogger

www.onegoodbookblog.blogspot.com

What I Do

Photo on boyerwrites.wordpress.com

"It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad."

-C.S. Lewis (Brainy Quotes) 

I've been writing about things that I see and observe on a daily basis, in both my reading and in the ordinary tasks of life. It all stemmed from the book that I listened to, What the Dog Saw, by Gladwell. The book was a collection of his stories for The New Yorker in which he discussed the not-so-ordinary background of people and things in our society. I don't think I have the fervent curiosity that Gladwell has, but I do observe things that I think are unusual, interesting, or simply out of my range of experiences. 

Today I turn to "What I Do." I have my own routines and interests, as everyone does, and I'm not very good at loafing around. I teach English as a Second Language part-time, and I love working with my students, all of whom are Hispanic this year. They are the cutest, funniest, and sweetest children that I've ever known, and my desire is to help them become better readers and writers so that they can become successful adults. I listen to them when they talk about what's important to them, and I encourage them to always do the right thing. I provide hugs when they are needed, and I call their parents when necessary. In short, I'm pretty passionate about helping these children.

I'm also the member of a church, and I am the mother of two adult children. I spend some of my time in church and also in continuing to be a parent. I tell my kids that I'm their dad and I are their "Number 1 Fans," and I encourage them to reach for their dreams. And, of course, I've always taught them to do the right thing. We are blessed to be the parents of our son and our daughter, a job which will never be "finished."  As long as there is breath in me, I will be available to our children.  I see this as my most important purpose, one of the things that motivates me and gives my life meaning. 

There are other things that I do in a typical week. I swim laps three times per week at an indoor public pool, and I enjoy it very much. It's wonderful exercise and easy on the joints. I also go for a 45 minute walk when possible. I read, run errands for my daughter who is getting married, and write my blog. And when time allows, I talk to a few of my great friends who live out of state. I'm blessed to have had some of my friends for 40 years! Who keeps up with old friends like that anymore?? One thing that I've learned is that the heart and soul of my friends has never changed over the years, and all of us have been through "rough patches" on the road of life, patches that make us more resilient and compassionate toward others.

So those are some of the things that I DO, but what about books? This week I'm listening to a book on CD, The Accidental Tourist. I've really enjoyed the story line, and I look forward to listening to it all week. Today I'm going to start reading a book that is a collection of the writings of C.S. Lewis, The Beloved Works of C.S. Lewis. This book includes his works Surprised by Joy, Reflections on the Psalms, The Four Loves, and The Business of Heaven. I'm looking forward to diving into this volume and I expect to find a lot of spiritual truths to be revealed. 

Have you read The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah yet? I'm thinking about ordering this book because someone told me that it's one of those books that you just can't put down. If you've read this bestseller, what did you think? I think I'll ee if the library has it before I order it, but I'll probably be on a long waiting list to get it.

That's it for today...have a great week as you wait for spring to come in just five short days! And, Happy St. Patrick's Day to all of my pals of Irish descent.

 -Melissa Hill

Book Blogger

www.onegoodbookblog.blogspot.com

 

What I Think

"Books and movies are like apples and oranges. They both are fruit, but taste completely different." -Stephen King (www.goodreads.com)

Hmm...I do believe that I agree with Stephen King here. Sometimes I'm overjoyed to find out that one of my favorite books is going to be made into a movie. And then when I actually see the movie, I might like it or dislike it, either one. So here's what I think.

I read the book Room several years ago and it was absolutely horrifying. As a person who is claustrophobic and cannot fathom being locked in a small room for years, I was totally horrified at the suffering that a young woman and her child endured. I can say without a doubt, that no one needs to see this type of suffering. I do not plan to see this movie, and if you're thinking about it, I suggest that you read the book first. The plot doesn't need to be made any more vivid in our minds. Sadly, this book depicts an all-too-true scene that many people endure around the world as they are held as slaves for many years. I won't see the movie, for sure.

In earlier posts I've discussed some of the books that were made into movies and they are actually good dramatic representations of the plots. I like the movie versions of The Wizard of Oz, Unbroken, The Hiding Place, The Chronicles of Narnia, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Grapes of Wrath, The DaVinci Code, Murder on the Orient Express, Eat, Pray, and Love, The Book Thief, The Help and others. I enjoyed them all. Granted, sometimes we are disappointed because a movie just doesn't have enough details and we want to add something because we know how it really happened in the book. These are just some of the ones that I enjoyed very much.

There are some books that I would love to see on the big screen if they were made into movies. I'd like to see The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver as a movie. Kingsolver is a native of my own state, Kentucky, and I've read many of her fantastic books, both fiction and non-fiction. I think The Poisonwood Bible is one of the best novels that I have ever read, and I think it has enough details to make a great movie as well. But if Hollywood made it into a movie, they would probably downplay the spiritual aspects of the book which I believe are very important to the plot. Hollywood doesn't make many movies about Christianity, so they would run from this one. 

There are other books that would make great movies. How would you like to see The Boys in the Boat on the big screen? Or how about Swimming Across by Andrew S. Grove? Both of these nonfiction books tell fascinating stories of struggle, the quest for an education, and success. I think they'd both would make amazing movies. Both of these books are on my nonfiction top-ten-list. Another book in this category is The Wright Brothers by David McCullough. I think Hollywood could make a good epic film based on the lives of these two inventor brothers. For fiction I'd like to see Edgar Sawtelle and Cutting for Stone on the big screen. These are wonderful stories that are written so well that they are on my top ten-best-novels list. These novels have so many of the important elements of a great novel. They have well-developed characterization, characters who change and grow, vivid language, rising and falling action, and emotional energy. If you haven't read Edgar Sawtelle, I recommend it strongly. you will find yourself engrossed completely in the story of a boy, his dogs, his parents, and the love that holds them all together. Cutting for Stone is the story of a doctor in Asia (Dr. Stone), a nun, twin brothers, and many intriguing characters who lovingly serve the very poorest people in their community. It has more than enough plot to make an amazing movie.

Last week I finished listening to the book What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell.  I enjoyed this book and was sad to finish it. It's a collection of stories that Gladwell published in The New Yorker, and as such he discusses things such as the trends in violent dogs, inventions and their rise to popularity, and hair dye. If you are a good observer of ordinary things in our society, you will enjoy this book. Gladwell has a great curiosity about almost everything that he sees. He even ponders the question, Why are there several kinds of mustard on the market, but only one kind of ketchup? Inquiring minds sure want to know. 

I'm listening to a mystery by Janet Evanovich called Notorious Nineteen. It's definitely not my kind of novel, but when you're in a hurry you just pick up almost anything at the library. It's got some language that I don't like to hear and the characters aren't exactly "lovable," but I'll stay with it. After all, at least it's a story and I do enjoy stories.

 I hope you're having a good weekend. Sadly, basketball season will soon come to a close, and I'm not sure how my three teams are going to do, but I'm sure I'll find something else fun to do.

Have a great weekend,

Melissa Hill
Book Blogger
www.onegoodbookblog.blogspot.com
 

"I need warm weather and sunshine. When will I get to Atlantic Beach again?"

 

What I See

"What is the difference between choking and panicking? Why are there dozens of varieties of mustard but only one variety of ketchup? What do football players teach us about how to hire teachers? What does hair dye tell us about the history of the twentieth century?" -From the back of the CD case, What the Dog Saw by Malcom Gladwell



I'm listening to an interesting book these days, another one of my great library finds, What the Dog Saw.  Malcolm Gladwell, author of What the Dog Saw, also wrote the bestselling book, The Tipping Point, which I read a few years ago. In both books Gladwell exhibits his intense curiosity about many things in our society that we may consider ordinary and commonplace. He has a gift of finding a good story behind things such as condiments, the Chop-o-Matic, pasta sauce, and rotisserie chickens.  Gladwell has been a staff writer for The New Yorker for about twenty years, and all of the essays in What the Dog Saw were first published in the magazine. So, What the Dog Saw is a collection of essays by the England-born writer about a variety of things that he has observed in society. Gladwell is a very inquisitive investigator who gets to the core of such topics as the original birth control pill and what the Catholic church said about it, popular gadgets that revolutionized how things were done in the kitchen, and the success of the "dog whisperer," Cesar Millan. I was interested in the background of Cesar because I have seen him on TV. Gladwell reports that at the age of 21, Cesar left Central America for a better life in California. His first job was to clean and detail limousines, but he immediately began to train dogs out of his car as well. Today we know him as a sort of magical dog trainer who can calm even the meanest of dogs. He admitted early on in his career that he knew how to relate to animals better than he could relate to people, so he had to work on the latter. He noted that in Mexico, dogs were dogs and people were people, but in the U.S. he believed that dogs were treated more like children. That explains some of the problems that people have with their pets.

I like the title of this book. It's a simple title but it's "catchy" and can lead to a wide variety of interpretations. I'm guessing that Gladwell called his essay about the "dog whisperer," "What the Dog Saw" and thus he used it again for his collection of essays that he put together for the book. When I think of what a dog sees, I think of a very simple daily routine of eating, sleeping, requests for affection, etc. But what does life seem to be from the perspective of a dog? What gives the dog meaning and purpose? What does a dog observe each day as he silently looks at cars, people, household items, and an empty food bowl? We can only guess.

But I can talk about things that I see. I see Nilla's big brown eyes telling me that she loves me. She seems to appreciate how I take care of her. She was an abandoned puppy who found a loving home where she could be taught, loved, and cared for. I see a beagle-mix who knows my routines and knows the word "bath." So she's really quite intelligent. I also see some amazing children in my job as an E.S.L. teacher. They are loving, honest, and bright, and their humor is unending. These children basically want to have what Nilla has, but they also need to learn as much as they can to prepare them for the real world as an adult. They need an education so that people don't take advantage of them. But they cannot be forced to learn, because I they must be loved first. So let's love them, and THEN teach them, and they will do their best for us. I see so many things each day, like the lady who walks up Guess Road early in the morning, all bundled up to walk to the bus stop. I can't help but wonder where she is going, and how long it will take her to get there on Durham's public bus system. Today I saw something I'd never seen here in Durham before, a priest dressed in a long black robe with a large crucifix around his neck. No, I didn't see him near a Catholic church, I saw him coming out of "Great Clips." This 40-something man needed a hair cut just like everyone else, and he needed to be frugal like the rest of us. It was just something that I had never observed before. Next time I'll talk about other things that I have observed throughout my days.

Today I did something unlike myself, I ordered three books. So I'm going to submerge myself in books based in France once again. I ordered The Little Paris Bookshop: A Novel, The French House: A quirky and inspiring memoir about turning a ruin into a home, and Hidden in Paris. I can't wait for these books to arrive! Meanwhile I'll see what I have on my shelf.

Have a warm, restful weekend,
Melissa Hill
Book Blogger
www.onegoodbookblog.blogspot.com

Apple Turnover Murder, End-of-Life choices, and More

"Being mortal is about the struggle to cope with the constraints of our biology, with the limits set by genes and cells and flesh and bone. Medical science has given us remarkable power to push against those limits, and the potential value of this power was a central reason I became a doctor." -Dr. Atul Gawande, Being Mortal prologue

Well, it's another snow day here in Durham, a rarity for this area, but we are making the best of it. I learned a long time ago NOT to be bothered when my plans change on days like this when offices aren't opened, schools are closed, and banks have altered hours. It is what it is. But I enjoy being at Starbucks on a quiet day like this because I am given a quiet opportunity to share my thoughts about what I'm reading. I won't let a little snow and ice keep me from getting to my quiet place.

Last week I finished listening to a fun book called Apple Turnover Murder by Joanne Fluke. Once again, it was a lucky find that I got at my library just by browsing the many books-on-cd that they have. I love, love, love the North Durham Branch of the Durham Public Library system. We are regular "customers" there. My love for libraries dates back to my earliest recollection of going to one, when I was in the third grade in Louisville, Kentucky. Ever since then I've made full use of libraries and have enjoyed every minute of it. When our children were very young I went to the Endicott, NY library to enroll our son for a children's story time, and there was soon a line formed. I had no idea that there was so much "competition" to enroll preschoolers for story groups, but I was glad that I arrived early. While he was in his group I read to our 1 year old daughter in the children's section of the library. When she tired of books we did puzzles or played with the toys that they had available. But I digress.

Apple Turnover Murder takes place in Lake Eden, Minnesota. It's the story of a small town that has a community talent show for charity, and someone ends up being murdered during the show. I won't spoil it for you, but I can tell you that the victim is not shot, he's stabbed to death. And, of course, the most unlikely of people is the one who commits the murder. You may wonder what apple turnovers have to do with the murder. Apple turnovers are baked and sold at the fundraiser where the victim is killed, so that is the connection. Also, we find recipes for a variety of dishes every now and then, which makes it kind of fun. I wish I could have written down all of the recipes while I was listening to the book, but since I was in the car I couldn't really do this. Nowadays, though, you can find any recipe that you can possibly imagine right on the internet.

Another book that I read last week was Being Mortal by Dr. Atul Gawande (2014). He is also the author of three bestselling books: Complications, Better, and The Checklist Manifesto. My dad sent me this book, and although I had never heard of the author, I was interested in the subject matter, the state of health care for the aging and their end-of-life wishes. Dr. Gawande researched what was available for the elderly and chronically ill, and his findings are very insightful. Through his study of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospice, and home care provided by family members, Dr. Gawande focuses on the wishes of the person who is sick and suffering with numerous medical procedures. He learns to ask people questions such as, "What do you want to be able to do? What is your hope for after this cancer treatment is complete? What matters the most to you?" He tells the stories of people like Alice, Lou, and even his own father. Each person made different decisions based on the options available to them at the time. He emphasizes that although it's difficult to have certain conversations, they are necessary so that the patient can figure out what he/she really wants or hopes for. In the end, what matters is that the person feels that his/her wishes are being respected while at the same time, the patient retains some quality of life. I recommend this book if you are suffering with severe health issues or if you have loved ones who are facing difficult decisions about their own care. We will all need this book at some time or the other.

Are you watching "Downton Abbey"? I have to throw that in because we're in the final season and the story is always evolving so that we never know what's going to happen next. I'm not going to spoil it for those of you who recorded last night's episode, but I will share one thing: I hope Mary and Tom Branson get together. Branson is being treated like family anyway since he was once married to Sybil, so I think he and Mary could get together. Both Mary and Branson have lost spouses to untimely deaths, so they understand that kind of pain and thus would make a good couple. What do you think? Do you have any other predictions? We can tell that problems are being resolved for many of our lovable characters, but we can't be certain of anything until the very end. But I wish it would never end!

Have a wonderful week, read something you love, and let me know your thoughts on today's post.

-Melissa Hill
Book Blogger
www.onegoodbookblog.blogspot.com


 
 
 
 
 
 

Friendship Bread in Avalon

"You can never recover from losing a person you love, but you can find a way to let it be part of your life rather than letting it take over every part of you." -Darien Gee, author of Friendship Bread

Last week I finished listening to an enjoyable book while I was driving around town. Friendship Bread by Darien Gee is about a small town in Illinois that is transformed by a small bag of Amish Friendship Bread starter. A starter bag is a bag of squishy ingredients that you need to use in order to make this sweet, light bread. It comes with instructions and informs you to give two more starter bags to friends. It's sort of a chain-letter for bakers. It goes on and on, and never seems to end. I admit that I've been the recipient of a starter bag before, but I threw it away. The person who gave it to me was an acquaintance, and I don't think it mattered to her if I threw it away, so there was no harm done and she never knew what happened. I just don't have time to get involved in such a project. So, you can choose to discard the starter bag or you can bake it and continue the chain.

The book begins with Julia baking bread in her Avalon home with her young daughter, Gracie. Julia and her family have endured the loss of their son to a bee sting accident and they have never recovered. They are left with deep grief and just don't know how to be a family again.  Julia didn't speak to her sister for five years because she blamed her for the accident since Josh was in her care at the time of the tragic event. But Julia gradually begins to change her outlook when she meets Hannah and Madeline down at Madeline's tea café where baked goods, unique meals, and special teas are served. As the story unfolds we see that Madeline, an older widow who owns and operates the café by herself, also has her own struggles. Hannah, too, is hurting due to her husband's affair and sudden separation. The three women begin to form a strong friendship due to the kindness of Madeline, and they spread the friendship bread all around town. Every home has been affected by the bread and some get very tired of looking at it.

Nevertheless, the citizens of Avalon begin to see something positive in the baking of the bread as they rally together to assist their neighbors. A nearby town is devastated by a storm, and people are displaced and have many needs. The people of Avalon gather at Madeline's tearoom to bake bread all night, and they soon organize a HUGE project to bake and transport the bread to the shelter for the people in need. They bake several thousand loaves of bread for their neighbors, and in the process of working together, many relationships are healed. I found myself appreciating the characters who wanted to change their outlooks on life, and I wanted the best for them. They all worked hard on healing themselves, so the bread project was the climax of their healing. After the bread project I knew that relationships would be healed and people would take care of the unfinished business in their lives.

Friendship Bread is a story of love and hope. It's a story that reminds us that everyone has struggles, that there is always hope in difficult situations. It reminds me of The Mitford Series by Jan Karon, a series of books about a small town whose residents are colorful characters who have struggles. Love and faith always win in those books.

I'm almost finished listening to a book on CD, Apple Turnover Murder, by Joanne Fluke, so I'll discuss it next time. Also, I'm reading a book that I received as a gift, Being Mortal, by Atul Gawande. It's a nonfiction book written by a doctor who examines the aging process and death. I'm finding that it's very thought-provoking, and I agree with many of the author's suppositions.

Well, our Carolina Panthers didn't win the Super Bowl, but I'm proud of them for going so far. You haven't seen the end of the Panthers, for sure. Meanwhile, I have Downton Abbey and the Duke Blue Devils to watch, so I'll be entertained for a few more weeks when I'm not reading.

Have a good week,

Melissa Hill
Book Blogger
www.onegoodbookblog.blogspot.com