Kate’s 2¢: “The souvenir museum: stories” by Elizabeth McCracken

“The souvenir museum: stories” by Elizabeth McCracken

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 Irish Wedding”

   This story demonstrates the angst a young woman has when she goes to her live-in’s sister’s wedding and how she can’t hold it in any longer. Her nervousness erupts at a rather inopportune time, just as the bride and groom are about to “cut the cheese”.  .

“Proof”

  A red-headed Jew, Lewis Levine, wants to wear a kilt to his wedding, but his Scottish wife-to-be says no. Now, all of his six brothers and his wife are deceased. His son, David, takes his elderly Dad on a boat trip to an uninhibited island to see the Puffins and other birds and natural rock formations. The son is worried about his Dad’s forgetfulness, but he is the one who panics and sits down in a very precarious place. The father and son return to the origian beach where the Dad shows his son the wonderful treasures of long-forgotten items that have been warn by the sea and brought up by the tide.  As Lewis ruminates within his forgetfulness, he understands that it was really all about the kilt.

“It’s Not You”

   A woman who is good at voice recognition, ids a call-in radio psychologist’s voice as they sit at a motel breakfast room. She is depressed and he tells her to be kind to herself, to the man who was mean to her, to be kind to everyone.  I don’t think the message gets through to her.

“A Splinter”

   Sixteen  year old Lenny wants to be a ventriloquist, so he follows the ship’s performer home to her London flat. His three older sisters had been raised in British boarding schools and Lenny always felt English, even though he’d been raised in Ithica, NY public shools. When two of his sisters force him to leave Lottie’s apartment, he steals one of the ventriloquist’s dolls.

“Mistress Mickle, All At Sea”

   Rotterdam was experiencing a black-out as the new year approached, lit only by fireworks. Mistress Mickles visits her 42-year old half-brother in his garrt flat. She experiences heart palpitations and bewilderment on a voyage back to her own home.  Strange story.

“Bird Song From the Radio”

   Leonora likes to nibble her children, literally. After they leave her, she nibbles baked breads that resemble her three children.  Weird.

“The Get-Go”

   Sadie was small, plump, and short, born to tall parents. Sadie brought Jack home to meet her mother, Linda Brodie, but they only adored Sadie.

“Robinson Cruso Aat the Water Park”

   The fathers, Bruno and Ernist, took   4-year old Cody, Ernists biological son via surrpgot and Bruno’s by adoption, to an indoor water theme park in Galvinston, Texas.. Provenence: the point was not to stay in one place, but to move along spectacularly and record every stop along the way. Cody’s fathers worry about everything. The artificial wave machine on the fake river swamped Cody in his tube.  Every bathing suit was an act of bravery.

“A Walk Through Human Heart”

   If they were Magpies, she might have counted them up to know what they foretold, but Grackles were just sea gulls dressed up in widow’s weeds…No surprised that the memorabilia of her childhood were all for sale…Georgia had not just wanted ‘Baby Alive (T), But knew it would make a difference…The call of a Grackle is known as a grackle. In the glomingthe Grackles grackled.

   “Two Sad Clowns”

   Even Punch and Judy were in love once…Jack and Sadie had met at a long ago parade in Boston…She liked to imagine him (the man who might love yer like her deceased Father) like a performer…Love was a spot-light that allowed him to preform…He was gregarious and she was a misanthrope of the purest kind, who cloaked it in manners. They delivered the drunk to his home.

“The Souvenir Museum”

   Perhaps she should have known she’d find her lost love, the Viking that left so long ago in The village, a vacation spot where you could wear a costum…Axel had left for Denmark…It was studded with little museums dedicated to misery and wealth… Her son, Leo, wanted to go to every one. The watch had a back panael that, when opened, showed a naked man with his private part wagging to the tick of the seconds. It was someone else’s private jobke.  Even a cartoon wife loved her rascal husband; she did.

From the WEB:

Elizabeth McCracken (born 1966) is an American author. McCracken, a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, graduated from Newton North High School in Newton, Massachusetts, earned a B.A. and M.A. in English from Boston University, an M.F.A. from the University. Of Iowa, and an M.S. in Library Science from Drexel University.

   Elizabeth McCracken is a Virgo. People of this zodiac sign like animals, healthy food, nature, cleanliness, and dislike rudeness and asking for help. The strengths of this sign are being loyal, analytical, kind, hardworking, practical, while weaknesses can be shyness, overly critical of self and others, all work and no play.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The souvenir museum: stories DB107134

McCracken, Elizabeth. Reading time: 7 hours, 42 minutes.

Read by Kate Reading.

Short Stories

A collection of short stories in which the bonds of family are tested, transformed, fractured, and fortified. A widower and his adult son ferry to a Scottish island in search of puffins. An actress who plays a children’s game-show villainess ushers in the New Year with her deadbeat half-brother. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2021.

Downloaded: April 30, 2022

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Elizabeth McCracken

 Kate’s 2¢: “Quicksilver” by Dean Ray Koontz

“Quicksilver” by Dean Ray Koontz

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…

A few take-aways:

–you can let a loss like that destroy you or you can do the right thing and be properly grateful for all that came before the loss.

— Delayed gratification leads to greater satisfaction

–The battlefield was the human heart. The spoils of war, the human soul.

–He made a new life for himself, but he couldn’t make a new man of himself.

–Everyone within its walls were traumatized. Hearts and minds heal with time, which is the grace of the human condition.

–Everything in the world, regardless of how humble it may seem to be, is more complex and fascinating than it at first appears.

–The path to the future that I’d envisioned , had withered away in the wild woods of recent experiences.

–The world had not changed, my perception of it had.

–The Screamers observed as civilization collapsed in a sea of fire.

–Nature is a place of constant competition.

–It is a mistake to presume to know anyone’s internal emotional landscape, based on what external emotional signals they may be sending.

— you can apologize for something you have done, but only a fool apologizes for things other people have done.

–Those who are not well anchored to the beliefs that allow a civil society, can be swept away , becoming part of the storm of madness  that lays waste to everything.

–Too many crave power over others.

–How strange is the world and all life in it…How wonderful that there is a world at all.

www.deankoontz.com

I didn’t find this website helpful in learning more about the man, writer, or professional. There is some biographical information at the end of the book.

From NLS/BARD/LOC                      :

Quicksilver DB107115

Koontz, Dean R, (Dean Ray). Reading time: 10 hours, 20 minutes.

Read by James Konicek.

Suspense Fiction

Raised in an orphanage, never knowing his parents, Quinn Quicksilver had a happy if unexceptional life–until the day of “strange magnetism.” Now Quinn is on the run from government agents, and who knows what else, fleeing for his life. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2022.

Downloaded: June 24, 2022

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Kate’s 2¢: “Leave The World Behind” by   Rumaan Alam

“Leave The World Behind” by   Rumaan Alam

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 story is definitely suspenseful. Hopefully, it is definitely fictional. The author did a good job of getting the shoe on the other foot, so to speak. I’m referring to who actually owns the country home.

   This story was read for NLS by Marin Ireland. I enjoyed the story and would recommend it for those who think the unthinkable couldn’t happen.

From his website:

David A. Land

I’m the author of three novels: Rich and Pretty, That Kind of Mother, and Leave the World Behind. Other writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, Bookforum, The New York Times, New York Magazine, and the New Republic. I studied writing at Oberlin College. Now I live in New York with my family.

from NLS/ABARD/LOC:

Leave the world behind DB101085

Alam, Rumaan. Reading time: 7 hours, 28 minutes.

Read by Marin Ireland.

Suspense Fiction

General

Bestsellers

Amanda and Clay rent a house in a remote corner of Long Island with their teenage children for a quiet vacation. Late one night the couple that own the house knock on the door, bringing the news of a sudden blackout in New York City. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2020.

Downloaded: July 1, 2022

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Kate’s 2¢: “Her Last Whisper” by Jennifer Chase

“Her Last Whisper” by Jennifer Chase

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…

Katie is the gal in charge of cold cases and she has a rough row to hoe.  She and her retired military dog do a good job of watching each other’s backs.  

   This lives up to the high standards of being a good mystery and detective story.

From her website:

The love that author Jennifer Chase has for books and writing began with the weekly trips that her mom would take with her to the local library. Jennifer would load up her arms with books and spend the week pouring over them until the next visit brought the opportunity to discover even more authors and stories. Before long, she was taking pen to paper and a lifelong connection with creating characters and plotlines was made.

Jennifer has found her niche in the writing world by integrating another passion, criminology, into her work. She holds a bachelors degree in police forensics and a masters in criminology, academic pursuits that developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent sociopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. She also holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling and is a proud member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists.

This research background has assisted Jennifer in writing multiple crime thrillers, including Compulsion, Dead Game, Silent Partner, Dark Mind and Dead Burn, earning multiple readers’ choice awards and other accolades along the way, including a recent gold medal awarded by a panel of professionals in the publishing industry as part of the International Book Awards. She also has published a non-fiction book, How to Write a Screenplay, which offers a step-by-step guide to this special craft. In addition to her own writing work, Jennifer assists other authors with their own publishing efforts and does some consulting work in the criminology field.

Jennifer Chase was born and raised in California and still lives there with her husband, dogs and cats. In addition to writing and studying, Jennifer enjoys spending time outdoors, both at the beach and hiking, and engaging in some amateur photography.

From NLS/BARD/LOC          :

Her last whisper DB107298

Chase, Jennifer, (Crime fiction author). Reading time: 9 hours, 29 minutes.

Read by Jill Fox.

Mystery and Detective Stories

Detective Katie Scott is assigned to the murder case of Amanda Payton, who was a beloved local nurse–and at the center of an unsolved case Katie is investigating. Katie is certain the marks on Amanda’s body tie her to other cases of missing women turning up dead in the area. Then another woman goes missing. Violence and strong language. 2019.

Downloaded: July 1, 2022

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 “Her Last Whispter” by Jennifer Chase

Kate’s 2¢: “ The Indian world of George Washington: the first President, the first Americans, and the birth of the nation” by Colin Gordon Calloway

“ The Indian world of George Washington: the first President, the first Americans, and the birth of the nation” by Colin Gordon Calloway

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…

Take -outs From the Introduction:

— Washington never moved west himself, but the west beckoned him and the nation he led.

— His long association with the region as surveyor, speculator, soldier, land owner, and Polletian shaped his career and vision of America’ future.

— Washington’s world was one where eastern elite, as well as frontier folk, were steeped in Indian affairs.

— Establishing the sovernty of the United States, required wrestling with the soverntyof Indian nations and  their place in American society

— When Washington saw Indian space, he saw Colonial space temporarily inhabited by Indian people.

— Washington and the new government interpreted and applied the Constitution to establish nation to nation in relationships with Indians…, but Indians pre-existed the United States and its Constitution…conducted their own relationships in their own way.

—  the new government lacked the power to do otherwise.

— Washington is the Father of the Nation and he assumed the role of Great Father to Indian people as well; however, the Iroquois called him ‘town destroyer’.

— This book acknowledges these contradictions but, its goal is neither to to demonize Washington nor to debunk him as as an icon of Republican virtue.  The purpose is to show how Washington’s live was inextricably linked to Native America, a reality we have forgotten as our historical hind-sight has separated Indians and early Americans so sharply into winners and losers.   

— Washington set the bar by which all subsequent Presidents have been measured in terms of moral, character, and political wisdom.

— Ignoring the Indians from Washington’s life, is like excluding it from the history of the early nation, contributes to the erasure of Indians from America’s past and America’s memory.

— Restoring Indian people and Indian lands to the story of Washington, go a long way toward restoring them to their proper place in American’s story.

From the web:

Calloway was born on 29 June 1972 in Dearborn, Michigan. He spent his early years in West Virginia and grew up in southern California, in Los Angeles and San Diego. He has described himself as angry and drug addicted in his teenage years and is described as a ‘high-school dropout’.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The Indian world of George Washington: the first President, the first Americans, and the birth of the nation DB93699

Calloway, Colin G, (Colin Gordon) Reading time: 23 hours, 19 minutes.

Paul Heitsch A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Social Sciences

Government and Politics

Discusses the relationship between America’s first president and the Native tribes whose lands he needed to secure his country’s fate. Spans decades of interactions between Native leaders and Washington, from his early days as a surveyor of Indian lands, through his military career and his presidency. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2018.

Download The Indian world of George Washington: the first President, the first Americans, and the birth of the nation DB93699

Kate’s 2¢: “Adventure according to Humphrey”, “Summer according to Humphrey” by Betty G. Birney

“Adventure according to Humphrey”, “Summer according to Humphrey” by Betty G. Birney

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 younger children and students in grades 3 through 6 will be enthralled by Humphrey, the hamster, and all his adventures. This series of books I listened to were read by William Dufris, which made all the difference in the world. His character voices are priceless and bring the stories alive for the children.

From www.bettyGBirney:

About Me

I wrote my first “book” at age seven. It was called “Teddy Bear in the Woods” and was followed by a sequel. Luckily, my parents encouraged my writing and my sister, Janet, was a great writer and role model.

I didn’t just write, however. When I wasn’t roller-skating (my favorite pastime), I was riding my bike, playing piano, swimming, reading, playing cards and board games or just hanging out with my friends. I loved school, but I loved vacations, too!

Roller Skating

line

From kindergarten through graduation, I attended school in Affton, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. Then I graduated from Webster College (now Webster University) in Webster Groves, Missouri. Of course, I majored in English and kept on writing.

After working in advertising in St. Louis, Missouri and in Chicago, Illinois, I eventually moved to Southern California. First, I worked for Disneyland (fun job!) in the advertising department. The monorail whizzed past my window all day long. Then I worked at the Disney Studio in Burbank, where I had another fun job, writing and producing television and radio commercials and theatrical trailers (previews of coming attractions) for everything from re-releases of “Cinderella” and “Fantasia” to “Tex.”

When the Disney Channel was started, I became a writer and story editor for WELCOME TO POOH CORNER. Since then, I’ve written more than 200 episodes of animated and live-action television programs including MADELINE, DOUG, BOBBY’S WORLD, DUMBO’S CIRCUS, THE PUZZLE PLACE, CAMP CANDY, LITTLE MOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, WHERE’S WALDO, FRAGGLE ROCK and ZOOBILEE ZOO. That’s right, I write cartoons! I also wrote a number of award-winning afterschool specials and many interactive CD-ROM programs, including the award-winning “Berenstain Bears on their Own,” “Richard Scarry’s Busiest Neighborhood Ever,” and “The Crayon Factory.”

A made-for-television family movie I wrote, MARY CHRISTMAS, starring John Schneider, Cynthia Gibb and Tom Bosley, aired on the PAX network in 2002. It was the highest rated movie in PAX history and has aired each Christmas season since then.

I have been fortunate enough to win a Writer’s Guild of America Award, three Humanitas Prizes (as well as two other nominations.) I also won a Daytime Emmy Award for MADELINE, and two other Emmy nominations, a Christopher Award and many children’s choice awards for THE WORLD ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY. I’ve been inducted into the Affton (MO) School District Hall of Fame and received the Outstanding Alumna Award from the College of Arts and Sciences at Webster University.

But my first love – going back to age seven – is writing books. Over the years, I’ve written more than 35 children’s books, many of them on Disney themes.

on my desk

Some people find it strange that I’ve worked in so many mediums but to me, a story is a story and I am a story-teller. Some stories are better told in a small flap book. Others belong on the big screen. Once I get “inside the story,” it doesn’t matter whether I’m telling the story of a honey-loving bear or a confused teenager; the process of creating characters and plots is really the same and never boring.

When I was a teenager, I wanted to be an actress, as well as a writer. While I later changed my mind, I ended up marrying an actor, FRANK BIRNEY. Through the years, I have watched him play everything from a tango-dancing butler to a presidential cabinet member. Once he even played a children’s book writer! For six seasons, he played Judge Warren West on the ABC show, THE PRACTICE and he portrayed Judge William Howe in several episodes of BOSTON LEGAL. He’s also been in recent shows like Grimm, Arrested Development, The Mick, Silicon Valley, Room 104, Animal Kingdom … and on and on. He has also appeared in numerous commercials including Tostitos, VitaminWater, IBM, Adobe Systems and more!. I have two wonderful stepdaughters, Rebecca Frank and Anna Ross, who are both talented artists, graphic designers and businesswomen, and a terrific son, Walshe, who lives on the East Coast and is married to the lovely Caroline. His world revolves around cheese and charcuterie. Then there’s the youngest member of the family, now thirteen years old, Remy, daughter of Rebecca and her husband, Gary. Anna and her husband Tobias live in Minneapolis – and Anna does this website for me!

© 2003 – 2022 Betty Birney

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Adventure according to Humphrey DBC17766

Birney, Betty G. Reading time: 2 hours, 56 minutes.

Read by William Dufris.

Growing Up

School Fiction

Animals and Wildlife

Humphrey the classroom hamster has adventures going to the library, learning about the ocean, and sailing across a pond on a sailboat. Unrated. Commercial Audiobook For grades 3-6. Unrated.

Downloaded: July 14, 2022

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Summer according to Humphrey DBC17767

Birney, Betty G. Reading time: 3 hours, 56 minutes.

Read by William Dufris.

Growing Up

School Fiction

Animals and Wildlife

When summer arrives, Humphrey, the pet hamster of Longfellow School’s Room 26, is surprised and pleased to learn that he will be going to Camp Happy Hollow. Unrated. Commercial Audiobook For grades 3-6. Unrated.

Downloaded: July 14, 2022

Download Summer according to Humphrey

Kate’s 2¢: “Preacher’s inferno” by William H. Johnston and J. A. Johnston

“Preacher’s inferno” by William H. Johnston and J. A. Johnston

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 good guys, both Indian and White, call him Preacher and consider him the an up-right, honest mountain man. The bad guys, both Indian and White, call him Ghost Killer, because he is so at one with the environment.  While I don’t condone the brutal violence, done by both Indians and Whites, the scenery describe by the author(s) is of beauty, lushness, and striking  mountains, valleys, and plains.

   The narrative arc had its twists and Jack Garrett did a good job of reading the story for NLS.

From his website:

William W. Johnstone was born in Southern Missouri, the youngest of four children. Raised with strong moral and family values by his minister father, and well-tutored by his school teacher mother, Bill quit school when he was fifteen. He was kicked out of the French Foreign Legion for being under age and joined the carnival. But still valuing his education, he returned home to finish his high school education in 1957.He went on to work as a deputy sheriff, did a hitch in the army, and began a career in radio broadcasting, where he worked daily on his verbal and storytelling skills for the next sixteen years on the air. Much of his knowledge of the early frontier began from listening to family experiences told to him by his Grandparents.

His love of animals is displayed in many of his books as well as finding several Huskies and Malamutes roaming freely around his home. As an avid gun and knife collector, hours of research are devoted to the types of weapons commonly used during the eras of his writings

One little known fact, is his love for music … from “rockabilly to classical”. Bill has written and recorded several songs which may be released for his fans in the future.

He started writing in 1970, but it wasn’t until late 1979 when The Devil’s Kiss was published that William W. Johnstone became a full-time writer. Since that time he has written over two hundred books in a variety of genres including action, suspense, western, science fiction, and horror. Two of his books, Eagle Down and Dagger, were written under the pen name of William Mason.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1049310.J_A_JohnstoneActions for this site

Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers. edit data. Being the all around assistant, typist, researcher, and fact checker to one of the most popular western authors of all time, J.A. Johnstone learned from the master, Uncle William W. Johnstone. Bill, as he preferred to be called, began tutoring J.A. at an early age.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/460693.Jack_GarrettActions for this site

Narrator. edit data. Jack Garrett voice has been heard in commercials and as an announcer on several radio stations. He has appeared in The Gaveltons on Nick at Nite and The Jon Stewart Show on MTV. In addition, he has performed as the lead or as a featured character on regional and New York stages in a variety of productions.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

 Preacher’s inferno DB108275

Johnstone, William W; Johnstone, J. A; Garrett, Jack. Reading time: 9 hours, 53 minutes.

Preacher’s inferno DB108275

Johnstone, William W; Johnstone, J. A; Garrett, Jack. Reading time: 9 hours, 53 minutes.

Read by Jack Garrett.

Western Stories

“Legendary national bestselling Western authors William W. Johnstone and J. A. Johnstone return with an astounding twenty-eighth installment in the new longrunning First Mountain Man series. A village is destroyed. A vengeance is born. And one man blazes a trail to hell and back to pay the devils their due–in bullets and blood. They call him Preacher. It starts as a happy reunion between Preacher and his fellow trappers in a peaceful Indian village. But it ends swiftly in death and destruction when a rival tribe attacks the village, slaughters some of Preacher’s Crow and mountain man friends, and carries off the women and children as prisoners. Preacher was off hunting when it happened. Now he’s teaming up with old friend Lorenzo and halfbreed Tall Dog, to get the prisoners back–and get revenge. But the road to justice is paved with some very dark omens. And the trail leads to the baddest place on God’s good earth: the bubbling quicksand pits, hot springs, and geysers of the Wyoming

Downloaded: July 8, 2022

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Kate’s 2¢: “The storyteller of Casablanca” by Fiona Valpy

“The storyteller of Casablanca” by Fiona Valpy

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…

A few take-aways:

–We like to think we learned lessons from those wars, and yet, history continues to repeat itself.

–There is no need to read about it…such refugees are all around us.

–Some voices get drowned out and we have to listen harder to hear them.

   I enjoyed this story. While the reader knew there was a problem, it isn’t revealed until the end.  Well, isn’t that what good stories do? 

From her website:

Fiona is an acclaimed number 1 bestselling author, whose books have sold millions of copies and been translated into more than thirty different languages worldwide.

She draws inspiration from the stories of strong women, especially during the years of World War II. Her meticulous research enriches her writing with an evocative sense of time and place.

She spent seven years living in France, having moved there from the UK in 2007, before returning to live in Scotland. Her love for both of these countries, their people and their histories, has found its way into many of the books she’s written.

e-mail: fiona@fionavalpy.com

From NLS/BARB/LOC:

The storyteller of Casablanca DB107192

Valpy, Fiona. Reading time: 9 hours, 19 minutes.

Read by Erin Jones.

Historical Fiction

Morocco, 1941. Twelve-year-old Josie and her family fled Nazi-occupied France for Casablanca, where they awaited safe passage to America. Seventy years later, Zoe is a wife and mother living as an expat in an unfamiliar place. But when she discovers Josie’s diary from the 1940s beneath the floorboards of her daughter’s bedroom, Zoe enters the inner world of young Josie. 2021.

Downloaded: June 24, 2022

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 Kate’s 2¢: “Beloved Child: A Dakota Way of Life “ by Diane Wilson

“Beloved Child: A Dakota Way of Life “ by Diane Wilson

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…

Points to ponder from this book:

–We believe that society’s actions throughout the years, have perpetuated negative stereotypes of the Dakota people. They have been ‘soul wounded’.

–This  book is part of the way forward, for Dakota people to participate  in the healing.

–Dream Of Wild Health is a native owned farm with rare, indigenous seeds.

–To live in balance: heal our hearts, our minds, our bodies, and our spirits.

–As part of once again raising beloved children, the people in this book use their intelligence, courage, fortitude, and spiritual gifts to transform their own lives as they give back to the Native community.

–I was searching for my family history and identity as a Dakota woman, ; for a sense of the sacred that was missing in my life

–Need to restore family stories, traditions once practiced,a relationship with the land and plants that become our food.

–Indian faith taught the harmony of  man with his surroundings; white man sought dominance of surroundings.

–Lack of respect for growing things, leads to lack of respect for humans.

–How can we heal from the historic trauma of the 1862 Dakota War  and once again raise beloved children?

— Return to the Creator’s recipe:  Silence  (being the most of all to listen to His words) , Dependability, Respectfulness of self, Helpfulness, Compassion, Positiveness, Bravery

I found the stories the interviewed Dakota people shared to be sad, tragic, and examples of man’s inhumanity to man, yet, profound, hopeful, and instructive.  

These poignant stories express the wounded souls of the children of the children who were taken from the traditional families and tried to raise children, when they, themselves, did not have the firm roots to raise the next generation.

   The people high-lighted in this book are beacon of resilience and how to begin the healing.

Diane Wilson (Dakota) is a writer and speaker, most noted as the author of Spirit Car: Journey to a Dakota Past (2006).[1] and The Seed Keeper (2021) [2]. She is a Mdewakanton descendent, enrolled on the Rosebud Reservation, and lives in Shafer, Minnesota [3]

Wilson is married to Ojibwe painter Jim Denomie and has one daughter. Wilson and Denomie live in Shafer, Minnesota.

Non-Profit Work[edit]

Wilson spent nearly twenty years at Dream of Wild Health, a Native nonprofit focused on teaching Native youth about plants, seeds, and Native foodways, along with fellow Native food activist Sean Sherman (Lakota), aka The Sioux Chef, who is a board member. According to the Acknowledgements in her work The Seed Keeper, Wilson began as a volunteer and eventually served as Executive Director of Dream of Wild Health until 2019.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Beloved Child: A Dakota Way of Life DBC10040

Wilson, Diane. Reading time: 8 hours, 59 minutes.

Read by Susan Landberg.

Education

U.S. History

Nature and the Environment

Sustained by rich traditions, ceremonies, advocacy, and education, Dakota families are transforming the legacy of colonization and assimilation into a better way of life for their children. Among the Dakota, the Beloved Child ceremony marked the special, tender affection that parents felt toward a child whose life had been threatened. In this moving book, author Diane Wilson explores the work of several modern Dakota people who are continuing to raise beloved children. Adult.

Downloaded: July 8, 2022

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Kate’s 2¢: “Winter and Night” by Shira Judith Rozan

“Winter and Night” by Shira Judith Rozan

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…

   While I liked this story, I did not like the ending. I did, however, love the way William Dufris read the narrative for NLS.

From the WEB

S.J. Rozan is an American author whose real name is Shira Judith Rosan. She writes mystery novels set in New York City, mostly featuring private investigators Lydia Chin and Bill Smith. She has won several awards for Best P.I. Novel, Excellence in Mystery Genre, Best Mystery Novel and the Maltese Falcon.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Winter and night DB93630

Rozan, S. J. Reading time: 12 hours, 50 minutes.

Read by William Dufris.

Mystery and Detective Stories

Private investigator Bill Smith and his partner Lydia Chin leave Manhattan to help Smith’s fifteen-year-old runaway nephew, Gary. Gary’s family lives in the New Jersey suburbs, where he is suspected of killing his drug-dealing girlfriend. But Gary’s dad also has a secret. Violence and strong language. Commercial audiobook. 2002.

Downloaded: July 14, 2022

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