Kate’s 2¢: “Sweet Water” by Christina Baker Kline

“Sweet Water” by Christina Baker Kline
Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read. I’m just saying…

The story begins with the grandmother, Clyde, telling it like is was and brings her story up-to-date. The granddaughter, Cassandra, begins her story in the present and not only goes backward in her story, but, actually goes back to Tennessee. The tension mounts as the two stories converge on each other.
The reader, Suzanne Toren, did a great job with her voice to let us know when it was Clyde’s story and when it was Cassie’s story.
I wasn’t particularly thrilled with the resolution of the story. I felt it was rather a letdown and anticlimactic.

From her website:
A #1 New York Times bestselling author of eight novels, including The Exiles, Orphan Train, and A Piece of the World, Christina Baker Kline is published in 40 countries.
The writer Christine Baker Kline USA New York Beowulf Sheehan
Her novels have received the New England Prize for Fiction, the Maine Literary Award, and a Barnes & Noble Discover Award, among other prizes, and have been chosen by hundreds of communities, universities and schools as “One Book, One Read” selections. Her essays, articles, and reviews have appeared in publications such as the New York Times and the NYT Book Review, The Boston Globe, The San Francisco Chronicle, LitHub, Psychology Today, and Salon.
Christina Baker Kline was born in England and raised in the American South and Maine. She is a graduate of Yale (B.A.), Cambridge (M.A.), and the University of Virginia (M.F.A.), where she was a Hoyns Fellow in Fiction Writing. A resident of New York City and Southwest Harbor, Maine, she is married to David Kline and has three sons: Hayden, Will, and Eli. She serves on the advisory boards of the Center for Fiction (NYC), the Jesup Library (Bar Harbor, ME), the Montclair Literary Festival (NJ), the Kauai Writers Conference (HI), and Roots & Wings (NJ); and on the gala committees of Poets & Writers and The Authors Guild (NYC) and Friends of Acadia (ME). She is an Artist-Mentor for StudioDuke at Duke University and the BookEnds program at Stony Brook University.
Kline’s latest novel, The Exiles (2020), captures the hardship, oppression, opportunity and hope of a trio of women’s lives—two English convicts and an orphaned Aboriginal girl — in nineteenth-century Australia. A Piece of the World (2017), an instant NYT bestseller, explores the real-life relationship between the artist Andrew Wyeth and the subject of his best-known painting, Christina’s World. Orphan Train (2013), about a little-known but significant piece of American history, spent more than two years on the NYT bestseller list, including five weeks at #1. Orphan Train and A Piece of the World have been optioned for film.
Kline has written six other novels — The Way Life Should Be, Bird in Hand, Desire Lines, Sweet Water, and Orphan Train Girl— and written or edited five nonfiction books: The Conversation Begins (with Christina L. Baker), Child of Mine, Room to Grow, About Face (with Anne Burt), and Always too Soon (with Allison Gilbert)

From NLS/BARD/LOC:
Sweet water DB98509
Kline, Christina Baker. Reading time: 9 hours, 24 minutes.
Read by Suzanne Toren.

Mystery and Detective Stories

Struggling NYC artist Cassie Simon learns that she has inherited sixty acres of Tennessee land from her grandfather, whom she never knew. After moving into the house where her mother died tragically when Cassie was three, Cassie delves into the mystery that surrounds that death. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 1993.
Downloaded: May 16, 2020

Kate’s 2¢: “Old Bones” by Douglas J. Preston and Lincoln Child

“Old Bones” by Douglas J. Preston and Lincoln Child

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read. I’m just saying…

In the beginning, the scenarios didn’t make much sense, but I kept reading/listening. When the book ended, I went back to listen to the beginning and then, it all made perfect sense!
I encourage you to visit his website for a fascinating synopsis of his works and life.

From Preston’s website:
…With his frequent collaborator Lincoln Child, he created the character of FBI Special Agent Pendergast, who appears in many of their novels, including Relic, The Cabinet of Curiosities, Brimstone, and White Fire. Additional novels by the Preston and Child team include Mount Dragon, Riptide, Thunderhead, and The Ice Limit. Later, the duo created the Gideon Crew series, which consists of Gideon’s Sword, Gideon’s Corpse, and The Lost Island.
For his solo career, Preston’s fictional debut was Jennie, a novel about a chimpanzee who is adopted by an American family. His next novel was The Codex, a treasure hunt novel with a style that was much closer to the thriller genre of his collaborations with Child. The Codex introduced the characters of Tom Broadbent and Sally Colorado. Tom and Sally return in Tyrannosaur Canyon, which also features the debut of Wyman Ford, an ex-CIA agent and (at the time) a monk-in-training. Following Tyrannosaur Canyon, Ford leaves the monastery where he is training, forms his own private investigation company, and replaces Broadbent as the main protagonist of
www.prestonchild.com

from NLS/BARD/LOC:
Old bones DB96342
Preston, Douglas J; Child, Lincoln. Reading time: 10 hours, 53 minutes.
Read by Cynthia Farrell.

Suspense Fiction; Bestsellers

Nora Kelly, a young Santa Fe archaeology curator, leads a team in search of the tragic Donner Party’s “Lost Camp.” When they expose the real truth–which is far more shocking than mere cannibalism–it leads to grand-scale present-day violence. Rookie FBI agent Corrie Swanson is assigned the case. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2019.

Kate’s 2¢: “The Passengers” by John Marrs

“The Passengers” by John Marrs
Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read. I’m just saying…

I’m interested in learning about an author’s earlier life, education, and how he/she got into writing. It was hard to find much information about Marrs on the WEB.
“The Passengers” is an intriguing possible expose on what could happen with AI vehicles. It should give one pause about just how much information is being gathered via the ‘fit bit’, wrist watches, tablets, computers, charge card, and vital statistics records, not to mention, your medical center’s “My Chart”.
“Three laws lethal” by David Walton is another book about AI vehicles that is worth reading. And of course, there is the movie ‘22001, A Space Odyssey’ where the computer named Hal takes over the space ship.

From the WEB:
The British journalist and writer John Marrs is well known for creating unique and engaging contemporary fiction with an element of science-fiction speculation.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:
The passengers DB98514
Marrs, John, (Freelance journalist). Reading time: 11 hours, 41 minutes.
Read by Tom Bateman.

Suspense Fiction

Eight people are riding in self-driving cars when suddenly the doors lock, the route changes and they have lost all control. Then, a mysterious voice tells them they are going to die. From cameras hidden in their cars, their panic is broadcast to millions of people around the world. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2019.
Downloaded: May 16, 2020

Previously reviewed:
Three laws lethal DB96748
Walton, David. Reading time: 11 hours, 25 minutes.

Kate’s 2¢: “The Shallows” by Matt Goldman

“The Shallows” by Matt Goldman
Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read. I’m just saying…

“The Shallows” (Nils Shapiro Series #3) has an interesting trailer. I couldn’t see the visuals, but, the spring sounds of frogs, toads, and a loon were cool. They are, of course, mentioned a few times in the story.
There were no other titles in BAARD for Goldman, which is disappointing, because this is the 3rd book in a series. “Gone To Dust” is another title, but I wasn’t able to find it in an accessible format.

https://www.mattgoldman.comActions for this site
Matt Goldman is a New York Times Bestselling author and Emmy Award winning television writer. He has been nominated for the Shamus Award and Nero Award. Matt’s television writing credits include Seinfeld, Ellen, The New Adventures of Old Christine, and Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:
The shallows DB96199
Goldman, Matt. Reading time: 8 hours, 30 minutes.
Read by MacLeod Andrews. A production of National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress.

Mystery and Detective Stories

When a prominent lawyer is found dead, tied to his own dock by a fish stringer, everyone wants PI Nils Shapiro to protect them from suspicion: the unfaithful widow, her artist boyfriend, the lawyer’s firm, a polarizing congressional candidate, a rudderless suburban police department, and even the FBI. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2019.

Kate’s 2¢: “The Penguin complete Father Brown” by Gilbert Keith Chesterton

“The Penguin complete Father Brown” by Gilbert Keith Chesterton
Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read. I’m just saying…

It took me a long time to read this lengthy book from cover to cover. Once I finished a story, I thought about it and tried to come up with how Father Brown came to his conclusion(s). I’d go back to the beginning of the story to find what I’d missed. However, more often than not, the needed clues for an informed decision, weren’t in the narrative. There was no way you could come up with the solution until Father Brown filled in the missing clues.
Still, I enjoyed matching wits with Chesterton.

From the WEB:
Gilbert Keith Chesterton, KC*SG (29 May 1874 – 14 June 1936), was an English writer, philosopher, lay theologian, and literary and art critic. He has been referred to as the “prince of paradox “.
Chesterton was born in Campden Hill in Kensington, London, the son of Marie Louise, née Grosjean, and Edward Chesterton. He was baptised at the age of one month into the Church of England, though his family themselves were irregularly practising Unitarians. According to his autobiography, as a young man he became fascinated with the occult and, along with his brother Cecil, experimented with Ouija boards.
Chesterton was educated at St Paul’s School, then attended the Slade School of Artto become an illustrator.

From NLS/BARD/LOC :
The Penguin complete Father Brown DB53695
Chesterton, G. K, (Gilbert Keith). Reading time: 37 hours, 0 minutes.
Read by Corrie James. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Mystery and Detective Stories

Omnibus edition containing five complete books, originally published between 1910 and 1935, in which forty-nine cases are investigated by the detective priest, Father Brown. 1963.

Kate’s 2¢: “No fixed line” by Dana Stabenow

“No fixed line” by Dana Stabenow
Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read. I’m just saying…

As it turned out, I started reading (listening) to this story at the point where the lovers were in the out-door hot tub in a snow storm and hear the plane crash. It was a challenge to put the pieces together and after I finished the story, I went back to the beginning…the real beginning.
The real beginning gave too much away and took away some of the detective work. I’m glad the glitch in the audio started me off with the hot tub.
It is a good story with a happy ending and lots of Alaskan scenery and culture in-between.

From https://stabenow
Dana Stabenow is an American author of mystery, suspense/thriller and sci-fi novels. Stabenow is from Alaska, where her books are often set. Her series include the Star Svensdotter sci-fi series and the mystery series Kate Shugak and Liam Campbell. She has also written standalone thriller novels. Stabenow began her literary career writing sci-fi, with the Star Svensdotter novel Second Star.

From NLS/BARD/LOG:
No fixed line DB98506
Stabenow, Dana. Reading time: 7 hours, 41 minutes.
Read by Marguerite Gavin.

Suspense Fiction
Mystery and Detective Stories

During a long blizzard, there are reports of a plane down in the Quilak mountains. Ex-trooper Jim Chopin–who is pulled out of retirement to try to identify the aircraft and collect the corpses–discovers two surviving children who don’t speak English. Meanwhile, PI Kate Shugak receives an unexpected accusation from beyond the grave. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2020.
Downloaded: May 16, 2020

Kate’s 2¢: “Dr. Susan Love’s breast book

“Dr. Susan Love’s breast book: Sixth Edition” by Susan Love; Karen Lindsey; Elizabeth Love
Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read. I’m just saying…

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer on March 2, 2020, the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester delivered a canvas tote bag full of useful things, some of which I had no idea what they were for. One of the items in the Pal’s Pack was “Dr. Susan Love’s breast book: Sixth Edition” by Susan Love; Karen Lindsey; Elizabeth Love. I am so glad they did.
Fortunately, the three-inch tome was already recorded through BARD by Mary Kane. I’m reading (listening) to it from cover to cover, then, I’m going to go back and re-read the sections that pertain to my step in this dance with cancer.
I will admit that if I hadn’t be diagnosed with the disease, I probably wouldn’t have chosen to read such a book so over-loaded with more information than I can soak up. I’m finding the information very useful in asking the right questions of my oncology team and what to expect during the next phase of treatment.
I suspect having gone through her own experience with leukemia and chemotherapy treatment influenced her approach to writing this book, not only with the statistics, medical information, and helpful resources, but, also from understanding the patient’s point of view.

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan
Susan M. Love (born February 9, 1948is an American surgeon, a prominent advocate of preventive breast cancer research, and author. She is regarded as one of the most respected women’s health specialists in the United States. In 2012 Love announced that she was diagnosed with leukemia and would take a leave of absence to pursue chemotherapy treatment. After a successful treatment, Love returned to work the following year.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:
Dr. Susan Love’s breast book: sixth edition DB82608
Love, Susan M; Lindsey, Karen; Love, Elizabeth. Reading time: 21 hours, 53 minutes.
Read by Mary Kane. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Health and Medicine

Fully updated and revised edition of this title, previously DB 52036, discusses breast anatomy and common problems, focusing on breast cancer. The surgeon author explains causes and risk reduction, as well as screening, diagnosis, and treatment options. Also discusses post-treatment issues and recurrence. Includes a resource appendix and a pathology checklist. 2015

Cornucopia: My Mom in the Foreign Legion

My Mom in the Foreign Legion
One is a series of vignettes about my mom
By Kate Chamberlin

During the early days of living in Riverwoods, Deerfield, Ill., Ed and Barb Zimmer, Doug and Connie Quirk, and my parents, Paul and Grace Holmberg hit it off and became fast friends. Their two daughters and I also became best buds.
One of the things our parents liked to do was go out to eat once a month. They called themselves “The Foreign Legion”. One couple would be the host and plan a dinner with a theme in mind, usually it would be a nationality. The cost would be split among the couples.
For example, one time they went to a Japanese restaurant in the Greater Chicago area. It was the host couple’s responsibility to make reservations at the restaurant, order the meal from first bite to last tidbit of dessert. Request the various wines and other beverages to sip on during the dinner and dessert, and otherwise come up with an authentic as possible Japanese experience. The ambiance in the restaurant included the low tables with cushions to sit on, waitresses in kimonos and fancy obis, low lights and savory food emanations. The host couple might embellish the evening by providing ethnic outfits, music, adornments, or other touches for the full treatment.
They ate their way around the world without even leaving the greater Chicago area.
If an extra couple or two were joining the Foreign Legion on a temporary adventure and needed a baby-sitter, my friends and I could get the job. Since, one friend didn’t like to baby-sit and the other one preferred to sit for one neighbor, I usually had the opportunity to make some money…$.50 an hour, going up to $1.00 after midnight.
In due time, a new dentist came to town with his wife and three daughters. I’m a bit fuzzy about who or how they all met, but, Dr. Iggelson (I’m not sure how to accurately spell his name, so that is how it sounded.) and his wife were invited to join the Foreign Legion. I was the designated baby-sitter, which was tricky. The family was from Iceland. While the parents and the 10-year old spoke English, the two younger girls only spoke Icelandic. An interesting predicament I didn’t know about before I arrived at their home
Eventually, the Icelandic couple took a turn to host an ethnic night. Unfortunately, just prior to that, my family moved to Marlboro, PA. The Icelandic family prepared an authentic Icelandic feast for the remaining Foreign Legionnaires. I don’t know all the details, however, a box arrived at our new home with a note.
They’d missed my parents and wanted them to know that they thought of them by sharing the enclosed present.
As Mom opened the box flaps a rather ripe odor emanated into our noses. The smell became stronger and stronger as she peeled away the newspaper, then, plastic wrap closer to the ‘thing’.
Apparently, one of the delicacies the Foreign Legion enjoyed was a whole roast goat, something like we’d have a pig roast. They had mailed the skull to Mom and Dad!
Mom nailed the gruesome, reeking item to a fence post that separated our way back yard from the farmer’s field, far away from our house. The birds soon picked it clean. Mom said it gave the ‘back 40’ a touch of character.
After a few years, Dad was transferred to Newburgh, NY and we went with him. As far as I know, the skull was still nailed to the fence post adding character to the neighborhood.

Kate’s 2¢: “Mercury” by Margot Livesey

“Mercury” by Margot Livesey

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

The author presents the perspectives of both husband and wife highlighting how we rarely really listen to each other. We get so wrapped up in our own small worlds, we fail to understand what the other person is saying. Of course, not telling the truth usually causes super complications (to state the obvious).

I enjoyed this book from start to finish and shall look for other books by this author, especially, the book on writing.

Since I am totally blind, I really empathized with Jack and his situation. I have often felt the same way. Been there! Done that!

From: https://www.margotlivesey.com

Margot Livesey grew up in a boys’ private school in the Scottish Highlands where her father taught, and her mother, Eva, was the school nurse. After taking a B.A. in English and philosophy at the University of York in England she spent most of her twenties working in shops and restaurants and learning to write. Her first book, a collection of stories called Learning By Heart, was published by Penguin Canada in 1986. Since then Margot has published seven novels: Homework, Criminals, The Missing World, Eva Moves the Furniture, Banishing Verona and The House on Fortune Street, and The Flight of Gemma Hardy. Her eighth novel, Mercury, was published in September 2016 by HarperCollins.

Margot has taught at Boston University, Bowdoin College, Brandeis University, Carnegie Mellon, Cleveland State, Emerson College, the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Tufts University, the University of California at Irvine, the Warren Wilson College MFA program for writers, and Williams College. She has been the recipient of fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the N.E.A., the Massachusetts Artists’ Foundation and the Canada Council for the Arts. Margot is currently teaching at the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop. She lives with her husband, a painter, in Cambridge, MA, and goes back to London and Scotland whenever she can.

Alice Sebold says, “Every novel of Margot Livesey’s is, for her readers, a joyous discovery. Her work radiates with compassion and intelligence and always, deliciously, mystery.”

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Mercury DB98504

Livesey, Margot. Reading time: 9 hours, 25 minutes.

Read by Nicol Zanzarella.

Suspense Fiction

Psychological Fiction

Donald, an optician in suburban Boston, lives quietly with his wife, Viv, who works at the local stables, and their two children. Then Mercury–a gorgeous young racehorse with a mysterious past–enters their lives and everything changes. Viv’s daydreams of competing with Mercury soon morph into an obsession. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2016.

Downloaded: May 16, 2020

Kate’s 2¢: “Cry of the Kalahari” by Mark and Delia Owens

Cry of the Kalahari” by Mark and Delia Owens

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

I enjoyed this auto-biography of Mark and Delia and their experiences in the Kalahari. It had enough study statistics to make it real and plenty of commentary on what the couple were observing, as well as, the drama of life and death.

I’m sorry their shared experiences didn’t bode well for the marriage.

I have also read “Eager: the surprising, secret life of beavers and why they matter” by Ben Goldfarb, an Environmental journalist. I couldn’t help but wonder if, in eons of yore, the Kalahari was lush and verdant due to the beavers’s ponds that are now the Kalahari pans.

From the web:

Cry of the Kalahari (1984) is an autobiographical book detailing two young American zoologists, Mark and Delia Owens, and their experience studying wildlife in the Kalahari desert in Botswana in the mid-1970s.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Cry of the Kalahari DB98564

Owens, Mark; Owens, Delia. Reading time: 13 hours, 43 minutes.

Read by Steven Carpenter.

Animals and Wildlife

Nature and the Environment

Adventurous recounting of two young American zoologists–one, the author of Where the Crawdads Sing (DB 92245)–who come to study the wildlife in Kalahari in 1974 and stay for seven years. Authors discuss observing lions, hyenas, wild dogs, and antelopes from their home in a fossil riverbed. Some violence. 1984.

Downloaded: May 16, 2020

Where the crawdads sing DB92245

Owens, Delia; Campbell, Cassandra. Reading time: 12 hours, 14 minutes.

Read by Cassandra Campbell.

Life, sure, it imitates art. Sometimes, though, art can’t help but imitate life. Best-selling novel Where the Crawdads Sing, written by 70-year-old Delia Owens, has swept book clubs for months, even earning a seal of approval from Reese Witherspoon, who added it to her book club and signed on to produce a film adaptation in 2018. It even reigns as 2019’s top-selling book. But Slate has uncovered that the author has a past that sounds strikingly similar to the murder central to the story. While living in Zambia (after being asked to leave Botswana), Owens, her husband, Mark, and her stepson, Chris, took it firmly upon themselves to protect endangered elephants. When a poacher was murdered, her stepson and husband were implicated by witnesses, prompting the Zambian government to ask them to leave the country until the case is solved. The story is familiar: Nature lover firm in their convictions is forced to reckon with a crime. Reese’s Book Club readers will realize that it’s more or less the plot to Where the Crawdads Sing. (The crawdads would very much like to be excluded from this narrative.) In the novel, Kya, a girl raised in southern marshlands, is accused of murdering a wealthy white man. For the bulk of the book, she is portrayed as gentle and naïve, a simple girl who just wants to commune with nature. The townspeople who always hated her force her into a murder trial. This girl, who denies the confines of civilization, who just wants to hang in the marsh, couldn’t have murdered anyone, except, as you find out in the end, she did. Jeffrey Goldberg, who wrote a 2010 New Yorker piece about the incident in Zambia, told Slate that readers reached out to him after recognizing the similarities between the two stories. Kya ends up being acquitted, but the investigation in Zambia is still open to this day. You can read more about the real 1996 murder through Slate or the New Yorker. (Or maybe just by picking up a copy of Where the Crawdads Sing.)

Sources SLATE