Kate’s 2¢: “I Never Promised You A Rose Garden” by Joanne Greenberg

“I Never Promised You A Rose Garden” by Joanne Greenberg

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 became interested in this story when Richard Peck mentioned it in his book about writing for Young Adults. Its impact on teens and adults when it was written in 1964 must have been phenomenal.  It is such a deep, poignant exploration of a 16-year old girl’s fantasy world that rules her life. Descriptions of the mental ward are disturbing, to say the least. However, the therapist earns Deborah’s trust, so Deborah shares the descriptions of her alternat universe, the people, the language, and the consequences of speaking to humans.  

   It was interesting to read how the alternate universe dissembled into the various experiences from Deborah’s childhood.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

m

Joanne Greenberg (born September 24, 1932 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American author who published some of her work under the pen name of Hannah Green. She was a professor of anthropology at the Colorado School of Mines[1][2] and a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician.[3]

Greenberg is best known for the semi-autobiographical bestselling novel I Never Promised You a Rose Garden (1964). It was adapted into a 1977 movie and a 2004 play of the same name.

She received the Harry and Ethel Daroff Memorial Fiction Award as well as the National Jewish Book Award for Fiction[4] in 1963 for her debut novel The King’s Persons (1963), about the massacre of the Jewish population of York at York Castle in 1190.

Greenberg appears in the Daniel Mackler documentary Take These Broken Wings (2004) about recovering from schizophrenia without the use of psychiatric medication.[5]

Her book In This Sign (1970) was made into a Hallmark Hall of Fame television movie titled Love Is Never Silent, aired on NBC in December 1985.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

I never promised you a rose garden DB12303

Greenberg, Joanne. Reading time: 9 hours, 15 minutes.

Read by Esther Benson. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Psychological Fiction

Sixteen-year-old schizophrenic Deborah retreats into a fantasy world of her own invention. Only after her parents reluctantly commit her to a mental hospital does she begin to face reality. Some strong language.

Downloaded: August 21, 2021

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Kate’s 2¢:” Don’t look and it won’t hurt” by Richard Peck

”Don’t look and it won’t hurt” by Richard Peck

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…

   This was the first YA book I read by Richard Peck. He discusses several difficult issues seen through Carol’s eyes and how she deals with each issue.

   I found the scene at the bus stop, where the Mother is a waitress in the near-by restaurant,as she watches her eldest, pregnant daughter board a bus to go to a home for unwed mothers quite poignant. So often, teens may think that their parents don’t care what happens to them, when, in reality, the parent(s) love their child, but don’t know what to do with them.

   I started reading YA books by Peck after I read his “Love and death at the mall: teaching and writing for the literate young” and I liked what I read. He has managed to tackle teen issues, bringing them to the forefront so they can be discussed or, at least, read about and privately thought about.  

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Richard Wayne Peck was born on April 5, 1934, in Illinois (died May 24, 2018) to Virginia Grey Peck and Wayne Peck. His mother was a Wesleyan University graduate, and his father owned a service station. A sister, Cheryl, would later become an administrator at a college. He attended elementary and high schools in Decatur, Illinois.

   Peck was an American novelist known for his prolific contributions to modern young adult literature.

   Peck earned a bachelor’s degree in English at DePauw University in 1956. He spent his junior year abroad at the University of Exeter.

After college, he was drafted into the US Army as a chaplain’s assistant and spent two years serving in Stuttgart, Germany. In a 2003 interview he commented, “I think your view of the world goes on—for the rest of your life—as the world you saw as you emerged into it as an adult.”[5]

After his military service ended, he completed a master’s degree at Southern Illinois University in 1959.

Career[edit]

Peck worked as a high school teacher, but much to his dismay, was transferred to a junior high school to teach English. After a while, he decided to cut his career short and write. However, these observations about junior high school students proved excellent material for his books. He said, “Ironically, it was my students who taught me to be a writer, though I was hired to teach them.”[6]

He left teaching in 1971 to write his first novel, Don’t Look and It Won’t Hurt, published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston in 1972, in which “A teenage girl struggles to understand her place within her family and in the world.” He wrote a book each year since then — 41 books in 41 years.

Peck was an adjunct professor with Louisiana State University’s School of Library and Information Sciences.[6]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Love and death at the mall: teaching and writing for the literate young DB41989

Peck, Richard. Reading time: 4 hours, 19 minutes.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Don’t look and it won’t hurt DB50004

Peck, Richard. Reading time: 3 hours, 41 minutes.

Read by Michele Schaeffer. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Family

Young Adult

Carol Peterson, middle daughter of a single mother, gets the responsibilities while her older sister enjoys freedom and popularity. But Carol’s difficulties also mature her so she is better able to help and understand her family. Basis for the movie Gas Food Lodging. For junior and senior high readers. 1972. For junior and senior high readers. 1972.

Downloaded: August 22, 2021

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Kate’s 2¢: “Are You In The House Alone?“ by Richard Peck

“Are You In The House Alone?“ by Richard Peck

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…

   Peck has tackled several issues that bother a lot of people, especially teens,  such as,

Being home alone, rape, birth control, whether or not to have sexual intercourse and with whom, and who to tell what.

   I think the story accurately portrays the way things used to be, but, now there is much more awareness of what to do and where to go for counseling, medical attention, and self-protection techniques. The problem comes when one tries to hide what has happened, so it happens to someone else. It might have been avoided if the victims speak up and shout out very loudly. A case in point is the disgrace and down-fall of the New York State governor. His victims spoke out together and he had to resign August 23, 2021.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Richard Wayne Peck was born on April 5, 1934, in Illinois (died May 24, 2018) to Virginia Grey Peck and Wayne Peck. His mother was a Wesleyan University graduate, and his father owned a service station. A sister, Cheryl, would later become an administrator at a college. He attended elementary and high schools in Decatur, Illinois.

   Peck was an American novelist known for his prolific contributions to modern young adult literature.

   Peck earned a bachelor’s degree in English at DePauw University in 1956. He spent his junior year abroad at the University of Exeter.

After college, he was drafted into the US Army as a chaplain’s assistant and spent two years serving in Stuttgart, Germany. In a 2003 interview he commented, “I think your view of the world goes on—for the rest of your life—as the world you saw as you emerged into it as an adult.”[5]

After his military service ended, he completed a master’s degree at Southern Illinois University in 1959.

Career[edit]

Peck worked as a high school teacher, but much to his dismay, was transferred to a junior high school to teach English. After a while, he decided to cut his career short and write. However, these observations about junior high school students proved excellent material for his books. He said, “Ironically, it was my students who taught me to be a writer, though I was hired to teach them.”[6]

He left teaching in 1971 to write his first novel, Don’t Look and It Won’t Hurt, published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston in 1972, in which “A teenage girl struggles to understand her place within her family and in the world.” He wrote a book each year since then — 41 books in 41 years.

Peck was an adjunct professor with Louisiana State University’s School of Library and Information Sciences.[6]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Are you in the house alone? DB10446

Peck, Richard. Reading time: 4 hours, 40 minutes.

Read by Laura Stuart. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress,.

Suspense Fiction

Young Adult

Novel about the terror of rape. Gail Osburne receives threatening notes and calls before she is raped by the son of the most prominent family in town. The greatest tragedy for Gail is learning that the legal system punishes her, not her attacker. Some strong language. For junior and senior high readers.

Downloaded: August 22, 2021

Download Are you in the house alone?

Kate’s 2¢: “Love and death at the mall: teaching and writing for the literate young” by Richard Peck

“Love and death at the mall: teaching and writing for the literate young” by Richard Peck

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…

   Reading this book was a wonderful way to spend a rainy afternoon. Here are a few of the take-aways I found interesting: 

–Students don’t want to read your auto-biography. They want to read about someone they want to become.

–“If I’d known how brief childhood would be, I’d have looked closer.”

–Real life people don’t fit into fiction, until they’ve been edited out of all semblance of themselves.

–Older people provide the grandparents the young people have lost to divorce, mis-blended families, and society.

–Schools have become psychiatric, social welfare clinics with students as out-patients.

–Schools neither lead nor follow; they reflect.

–The protagonist is the young person who acts, not on behalf of the story, but on the behalf of the reader.

–Teaching is the craft of communicating with strangers in a language you can find; of meeting deadlines; and trying to give time a shape.

–Reading is a discipline before it is a pleasure.

–Pay attention to what people do, not to what they say.

–Teaching is a job you never really quit. You just go on and on, trying to turn life into lesson plans.   

–A novel is like making a quilt. We gather bright scraps from other people’s lives and then stitch them together in a pattern of our own.

–Writing is communication, not self-expression

   Peck refers to many of his books as he explains how he writes numerous YA novels. I appreciate his listing the other stories he mentions in his book.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Richard Wayne Peck was born on April 5, 1934, in Illinois (died May 24, 2018) to Virginia Grey Peck and Wayne Peck. His mother was a Wesleyan University graduate, and his father owned a service station. A sister, Cheryl, would later become an administrator at a college. He attended elementary and high schools in Decatur, Illinois.

   Peck was an American novelist known for his prolific contributions to modern young adult literature.

   Peck earned a bachelor’s degree in English at DePauw University in 1956. He spent his junior year abroad at the University of Exeter.

After college, he was drafted into the US Army as a chaplain’s assistant and spent two years serving in Stuttgart, Germany. In a 2003 interview he commented, “I think your view of the world goes on—for the rest of your life—as the world you saw as you emerged into it as an adult.”[5]

After his military service ended, he completed a master’s degree at Southern Illinois University in 1959.

Career[edit]

Peck worked as a high school teacher, but much to his dismay, was transferred to a junior high school to teach English. After a while, he decided to cut his career short and write. However, these observations about junior high school students proved excellent material for his books. He said, “Ironically, it was my students who taught me to be a writer, though I was hired to teach them.”[6]

He left teaching in 1971 to write his first novel, Don’t Look and It Won’t Hurt, published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston in 1972, in which “A teenage girl struggles to understand her place within her family and in the world.” He wrote a book each year since then — 41 books in 41 years.

Peck was an adjunct professor with Louisiana State University’s School of Library and Information Sciences.[6]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Love and death at the mall: teaching and writing for the literate young DB41989

Peck, Richard. Reading time: 4 hours, 19 minutes.

Read by Bob Askey. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Young Adult

The award-winning author of books for young adults reflects on how and why he writes. He is often asked, “But how did you get your start?” and “Where did you get your ideas?” In broad answers, he makes wry observations on writing for and teaching teenagers and includes excerpts from his books. By the author of Bel-Air Bambi and the Mall Rats (DB 39020). For senior high and older readers.

Download Love and death at the mall: teaching and writing for the literate young

Kate’s 2¢: “Amanda Miranda” by Richard Peck

“Amanda Miranda” by Richard Peck

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…

   After I read “Love and death at the mall: teaching and writing for the literate young” by Richard Peck, I wondered about his adult novels. I found and read “Amanda, Miranda” and enjoyed it very much.

   It was obvious, from the beginning, that the look alikes were going to pull a swith-aroo, but, the suspense was delightful.

   The character of the narcissistic Amanda reminded me of Amber in Winslow’s “Forever Amber”.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Richard Wayne Peck was born on April 5, 1934, in Illinois (died May 24, 2018) to Virginia Grey Peck and Wayne Peck. His mother was a Wesleyan University graduate, and his father owned a service station. A sister, Cheryl, would later become an administrator at a college. He attended elementary and high schools in Decatur, Illinois.

   Peck was an American novelist known for his prolific contributions to modern young adult literature.

   Peck earned a bachelor’s degree in English at DePauw University in 1956. He spent his junior year abroad at the University of Exeter.

After college, he was drafted into the US Army as a chaplain’s assistant and spent two years serving in Stuttgart, Germany. In a 2003 interview he commented, “I think your view of the world goes on—for the rest of your life—as the world you saw as you emerged into it as an adult.”[5]

After his military service ended, he completed a master’s degree at Southern Illinois University in 1959.

Career[edit]

Peck worked as a high school teacher, but much to his dismay, was transferred to a junior high school to teach English. After a while, he decided to cut his career short and write. However, these observations about junior high school students proved excellent material for his books. He said, “Ironically, it was my students who taught me to be a writer, though I was hired to teach them.”[6]

He left teaching in 1971 to write his first novel, Don’t Look and It Won’t Hurt, published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston in 1972, in which “A teenage girl struggles to understand her place within her family and in the world.” He wrote a book each year since then — 41 books in 41 years.

Peck was an adjunct professor with Louisiana State University’s School of Library and Information Sciences.[6]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Love and death at the mall: teaching and writing for the literate young DB41989

Peck, Richard. Reading time: 4 hours, 19 minutes.

Read by Bob Askey. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Young Adult

The award-winning author of books for young adults reflects on how and why he writes. He is often asked, “But how did you get your start?” and “Where did you get your ideas?” In broad answers, he makes wry observations on writing for and teaching teenagers and includes excerpts from his books. By the author of Bel-Air Bambi and the Mall Rats (DB 39020). For senior high and older readers.

Download Love and death at the mall: teaching and writing for the literate young

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Amanda/Miranda DB15088

Peck, Richard. Reading time: 18 hours, 5 minutes.

Read by Jill Ferris. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Romance

Story set in the Edwardian period of 1911 moves among the Isle of Wight, London, and New York. It features two women: the wily, beautiful daughter of Lady Eleanor and Sir Timothy Whitwell, who was born to command, and her personal maid and look-alike, hard-working Miranda. Mistress and maid become locked in love and intrigue over chauffeur John Thorne. Some explicit descriptions of sex.

Downloaded: August 22, 2021

Download Amanda/Miranda

Kate’s 2¢: “Falsely accused” by Robert Tanenbaum

“Falsely accused” by Robert Tanenbaum

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…

   This was a very interesting and intricate narrative arc. I really enjoyed it and couldn’t stop listening until the conclusion.

From the WEB:

   Born in Brooklyn, New York, Robert Tanenbaum attended the University of California at Berkeley on a basketball scholarship where he earned a B.A.  He received his law degree (J.D.) from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley.

   Robert K. Tanenbaum is the author of 32 books – 29 novels and 3 non-fiction books. He is one of the most successful prosecuting attorneys, having never lost a felony trial and convicting hundreds of violent criminals. He was a special prosecution consultant on the Hillside strangler case in Los Angeles and defended Amy Grossberg in her sensationalized baby death case.

   Tanenbaum is a nationally known attorney and legal expert.  He is a much sought after media guest and is regularly seen on television shows as a legal expert and commentator.  He has worked as a successful prosecuting attorney and high profile defender. 

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Falsely accused DB81942

Tanenbaum, Robert. Reading time: 11 hours, 13 minutes.

Read by Gabriella Cavallero. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Mystery and Detective Stories

Legal Fiction

Butch Karp leaves the district attorney’s office and is suing his old employer on behalf of New York’s chief medical examiner, who was fired without cause. Meanwhile, Karp’s wife, Marlene Ciampi, is also in private practice as a PI specializing in domestic violence cases. Strong language and some violence. 1996.

Download Falsely accused

Kate’s 2¢: “Forward Together: an inside look at guide dog training” by Christie Bane

“Forward Together: an inside look at guide dog training” by Christie Bane

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’ve been a guide dog handler since 1989. I found “Forward Together” a really good refresher course for me. There were somethings I didn’t know about the puppy raisers and other things I’d forgotten about the actual training. I agree that training techniques have changed over the years and within the guide dog training centers. And, as she mentioned, the handlers who retrain with a new dog from a different school, usually revert to what they were first taught. The dogs are very accommodating and all becomes well in the long run.

christiebane.com

When I was in 10th grade, I had a cool English teacher named Ms. Urbani. She rode a motorcycle and was the first woman I ever met who went by “Ms.” She gave us an assignment: write about your dream job. This was an Honors English class, so most people wrote about becoming lawyers, doctors, engineers, things like that. Ms. Urbani commented approvingly as she handed papers back a few days later. Then she came to me and said, “Here we have one of the brightest people in the class. She could do anything she wants to, but she wants to train guide dogs.” Everyone laughed but probably no one was surprised. They all knew I raised guide dog puppies and brought them to school with me sometimes. I didn’t feel embarrassed at all; I felt proud of my chosen job and more determined than ever to pursue it.

All these years later, I train guide dogs for blind people and am more sure than ever that it is the best job in the world and was absolutely the right thing for me to do with my life. I work at Southeastern Guide Dogs in Palmetto, Florida. I knew I wanted to train guide dogs ever since I was 12 years old, and while I have flirted with the idea of other careers along the way (lawyer, dog groomer, writer), my heart has been with this job my whole life. I always say that “It’s not just my job; it’s also my hobby.” I set up this website so that I could have a place to blog about things I think about while I’m on the job. (And I am pretty much always on the job, whether I’m on the clock or not.) 

I really only do a few things in life. Working at Southeastern is obviously the most important thing I do. But I am also passionate about endurance sports, and am planning to do Ironman Florida in November 2018. I have two pet dogs, Frieda and Duncan, and train them when I have time and motivation. I also puppy raise sometimes, although I will be puppyless for the foreseeable future due to Ironman training Finally, I like to write about all of those things. Besides the blog on this website, I also have a triathlon blog, The Uninspired Triathlete. I guess you could say that writing is the longest-enduring passion of my whole life. Pretty much as soon as I was able to write, I was folding pieces of paper in quarters and drawing a picture on the cover and writing a story on the inside and calling those my books. I have actually written a very long and rambling book on guide dog training, and I plan to self-publish it once I get around to finding a professional editor and figure out how to afford their services. I only have three things in life that I have always said I really want to accomplish: write a book, finish an Ironman, and get an OTCh title on a dog. I’m reasonably close to the first two of these things, and will start on the third once I finish the first two.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Forward together: an inside look at guide dog training DB100008

Bane, Christie. Reading time: 20 hours, 4 minutes.

Read by Kristin Allison.

Disability

The author, who has raised and trained guide dogs for three decades, reveals the professional methods behind teaching guide dog skills. Includes explanations of a wide range of guide dog skills, how to match dogs to handlers, and teaching handlers how to work with their new guide dogs. 2020.

Download Forward together: an inside look at guide dog training

Kate’s 2¢: “The Hunting Wives” by May K. Cobb

“The Hunting Wives” by May K. Cobb

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…

   Very interesting and a good example of what heavy drinking can do for you.

   Apparently, May K. Cobb has a number of books published, but, I couldn’t find much on her background and training  as a author.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The hunting wives DB103324

Cobb, May K. Reading time: 10 hours, 25 minutes.

Read by Erin Bennett.

Suspense Fiction

Sophie O’Neill and her family have relocated from Chicago to a small Texas town. No longer having a full-time career, Sophie soon finds herself bored. Then she meets local socialite Margot Banks, who introduces her to a mysterious world of late-night and dangerous partying. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2021.