Kate’s 2¢: “Ambler’s Warning” by Robert Ludlum

“Ambler’s Warning” by Robert Ludlum

NOTE: 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¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Michael Scherer did an excellent job of narrating this lengthy story. This is the kind of story that can really mess with your mind.

A few take-aways:

–It was no dream, which made it a nightmare.

–An English idiom he’d learned in his native tongue…a double translation.

–One must remove the snapping turtles from the pool, if one hopes to swim unmolested.

–numonic over-lay.

–Risk is quantifiable and certainty isn’t.

–It was an identity composed of 1,000 mosaic tiles.

–Conscious thought was logical and slow. Intuition was fleet and usually more accurate.

–Every reason to believe  21^st Century will be identified as the Chinese Century.

–Never doubt that a small group of citizens can change the world.

–His mouth formed a smile as involuntarily as a sneeze.

–A grotesque parody of love-making.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Robert Ludlum (May 25, 1927 – March 12, 2001) was an American author of 27 thriller novels, best known as the creator of Jason Bourne from the original The Bourne Trilogy series. The number of copies of his books in print is estimated between 300 million and 500 million.[3][4] They have been published in 33 languages and 40 countries. Ludlum also published books under the pseudonyms Jonathan Ryder and Michael Shepherd.[5]

Life and career[edit]

Early life and education[edit]

Ludlum was born in New York City, the son of Margaret (née Wadsworth) and George Hartford Ludlum. He was educated at the Rectory School then Cheshire Academy and Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, where he earned a B.A. in Drama in 1951.[6]

Career[edit]

Prior to becoming an author, he had been a United States Marine,[7] a theatrical actor and producer. In the 1950s, he produced shows at the Grant Lee theater in Fort Lee, New Jersey. From 1960 to 1970, he managed and produced shows at the Playhouse on the Mall at Bergen Mall in Paramus, New Jersey.[8] His theatrical experience may have contributed to his understanding of the energy, escapism and action that the public wanted in a novel. He once remarked: “I equate suspense and good theater in a very similar way. I think it’s all suspense and what-happens-next. From that point of view, yes, I guess, I am theatrical.”[5]

Many of Ludlum’s novels have been made into films and mini-series, including The Osterman Weekend, The Holcroft Covenant, The Apocalypse Watch, The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum. Covert One: The Hades Factor, a book co-written with Gayle Lynds, was originally conceived as a mini-series; the book evolved from a short treatment Ludlum wrote for NBC. The Bourne movies, starring Matt Damon in the title role, have been commercially and critically successful (The Bourne Ultimatum won three Academy Awards in 2008), although the story lines depart significantly from the source material.

During the 1970s, Ludlum lived in Leonia, New Jersey, where he spent hours each day writing at his home.[9]

Death[edit]

Ludlum died of a heart attack on March 12, 2001, at his home in Naples, Florida, while recovering from severe burns caused by a mysterious fire which occurred on February 10, 2001.[10][11]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The Ambler warning DB61667

Author: Ludlum, Robert

Reading Time: 16 hours, 23 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Michael Scherer

Subjects: Spy Stories, Suspense Fiction

Intelligence operative Hal Ambler has been wrongly confined to an island psychiatric facility for patients posing security risks. Hal escapes with help from nurse Laurel Holland and sets out to uncover who he is–and who he was–while eluding unknown enemies. Strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2005.

New York : St. Martin’s Press, 2005.

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Kate’s 2¢: “Found In A Bookship” by Stephanie Butland

“Found In A Bookship” by Stephanie Butland

NOTE: 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¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Anne Marie Damman did a great job of narrating this story of how people coped during the pandemic. There were a lot of characters in all types and stripes of situations. All of whom were helped by the book-seller’s suggestions of which books to read.

   As I progressed through the chapters, I wished I’d kept a list of the books Kelly and Loveday recommended. Then, to my surprise, all the books are listed at the end of the book, as well as, book discussion topics.

From the WEB:

Stephanie Butland lives with her family near the sea in the North East of England. She writes in a studio at the bottom of her garden, and when she’s not writing, she trains people to think more creatively. For fun, she reads, knits, sews, bakes, and spins. She is an occasional performance poet.

Stephanie is the author of The Lost for Words Bookshop, The Secrets We Keep, and Letters to My Husband.

I grew up in the northeast of England, where I now live, though I did spend twenty years in London, too. I always loved reading and writing, and studied it, but didn’t start to write professionally until I was in my late thirties.

My home is close to the sea, and I find walking on the beach restful and inspiring. It’s where I always go when I need some thinking time!

I always wanted to be a writer, but it wasn’t until I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 at the age of thirty-seven that I found my way to blogging.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Found in a bookshop DB124159

Author: Butland, Stephanie

Reading Time: 11 hours, 39 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Anne Marie Damman

Subjects: Human Relations, Psychological Fiction

“Loveday Cardew’s beloved Lost for Words bookshop, along with the rest of York, has fallen quiet. At the very time when people most need books to widen their horizons, or escape from their fears, or enhance their lives, the doors are closed. Then the first letter comes. Rosemary and George have been married for fifty years. Now their time is running out. They have decided to set out on their last journey together, without ever leaving the bench at the bottom of their garden in Whitby. All they need is someone who shares their love of books. Suddenly it’s clear to Loveday that she and her team can do something useful in a crisis. They can recommend books to help with the situations their customers find themselves fear, boredom, loneliness, the desire for laughter and escape. And so it begins.”– From publisher. Some strong language.

London : Headline Review, 2023.

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Kate’s 2¢: “The Confession” by Beverly Lewis

“The Confession” by Beverly Lewis

NOTE: 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¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Margaret Strom did a good job of narrating this second book in the Heritage of Lancaster County series. It is laced with old adages many of us grew-up with, even though we’re not Amish… for sure and for certain.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification.

Beverly Marie Lewis (née Jones) is an American Christian fiction novelist and adult and children’s author of over 100 books.

Lewis is a former schoolteacher and musician. She started playing the piano at age four, and began writing short stories and poetry when she was nine years old.

Much of her writing focuses on the Old Order Amish. Her maternal grandmother, Ada Ranck Buchwalter, was born into an Old Order Mennonite Church, which interested Lewis in her own “plain heritage.” Her father was a pastor in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (the heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch community), where she was born and grew up. She was raised and continues to be part of the Assemblies of God community.

She went to Evangel University, and received the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2003. She is also a member of the National League of American Pen Women.[1]

Lewis is married to David Lewis, and they have three grown children and three grandchildren. They live in Colorado.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The confession DB53519

Series: Heritage of Lancaster County

Order in Series: 2

Author: Lewis, Beverly

Reading Time: 8 hours, 16 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Margaret Strom

Subject: Religious Fiction

Downloaded: 03/16/2026

Sequel to The Shunning (DB 53518). Katie, now Katherine Mayfield, searches for her birth mother. The journey takes her to the Finger Lakes region of New York and into a world of compassion and greed, mercy and betrayal. Meanwhile Katie’s first love, Daniel wants to rekindle their relationship. 1997.

Minneapolis, MN : Bethany House, c1997.

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Kate’s 2¢: “ The Falcon and the Snowman: a true story of friendship and espionage” by Robert Lindsey

“ The Falcon and the Snowman: a true story of friendship and espionage” by Robert Lindsey

NOTE: 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¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Shawn Hertel did a good job of narrating this non-fiction story. What a shame Dalton’s “little man” complex enabled him to want money to fund his drug addiction and business. Chris was too immature and inexperienced to have been placed in such a sensitive work situation.

   They were eledgeable for parole in 1995. I wonder if it was granted.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Robert Hughes Lindsey Jr. (January 4, 1935 – December 19, 2025) was an American journalist and author of several true crime books,[2] including The Falcon and the Snowman: A True Story of Friendship and Espionage (1979) and A Gathering of Saints: A True Story of Money, Murder and Deceit (1988).

Early life and education[edit]

Lindsey was born in Glendale, California, on December 19, 1935, and raised in Inglewood. In the 1950s, Lindsey attended San Jose State College with the dream of majoring in Journalism. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in History from San Jose State College in 1956.

Career[edit]

Upon graduation from college, Lindsey began working at the San Jose Mercury-News as a reporter. In the 1970s, he relocated to Los Angeles and became the Los Angeles bureau chief for The New York Times.[3] He retired in 1988 as The Times’ chief West Coast correspondent, based in San Francisco. A former executive editor of the Times, A.M. Rosenthal, said Lindsey was “one of the best reporters the Times has had in years and years.”[4]

In the late 1980s, Lindsey began working with Marlon Brando, who had hired him to help with Brando’s autobiography, and with Ronald Reagan, at the request of an editor at Simon & Schuster, which published Reagan’s autobiography in 1990.[1][4]

Lindsey’s papers from 1950 through 1999 are stored in the Archives and Special Collections of the California State University, Monterey Bay.[5]

From NLS/BARD/LOC”

The Falcon and the Snowman: a true story of friendship and espionage DB124924

Author: Lindsey, Robert

Reading Time: 13 hours, 18 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Shawn Hertel

Subjects: Biography, U.S. History

“This fascinating account of how two young Americans turned traitor during the Cold War is an “absolutely smashing real-life spy story” (The New York Times Book Review). At the height of the Cold War, some of the nation’s most precious secrets passed through a CIA contractor in Southern California. Only a handful of employees were cleared to handle the intelligence that came through the Black Vault. One of them was Christopher John Boyce, a hard-partying genius with a sky-high IQ, a passion for falconry, and little love for his country. Security at the Vault was so lax, Boyce couldn’t help but be tempted. And when he gave in, the fate of the free world would hang in the balance. With the help of his best friend, Andrew Daulton Lee, a drug dealer with connections south of the border, Boyce began stealing classified documents and selling them to the Soviet embassy in Mexico City. It was an audacious act of treason, committed by two spoiled young men who were nearly always drunk, stoned, or both-and were about to find themselves caught in the middle of a fight between the CIA and the KGB. This Edgar Award-winning book was the inspiration for the critically acclaimed film starring Timothy Hutton and Sean Penn-a true story as thrilling as any dreamed up by Ian Fleming or John le Carre. Before Edward Snowden, there were Boyce and Lee, two of the most unlikely spies in the history of the Cold War” — Provided by publisher.

New York : Open Road Media, 2016.

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Kate’s 2¢: “The shunning Heritage of Lancaster County(01)” by Beverly Lewis  

“The shunning Heritage of Lancaster County(01)” by Beverly Lewis  

NOTE: 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¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Margaret Strom did a good job of narrating this Amish story. The author has written a gripping insight into the idyllic life of the Amish in Lancaster County.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous.

Beverly Marie Lewis (née Jones) is an American Christian fiction novelist and adult and children’s author of over 100 books.

Lewis is a former schoolteacher and musician. She started playing the piano at age four, and began writing short stories and poetry when she was nine years old.

Much of her writing focuses on the Old Order Amish. Her maternal grandmother, Ada Ranck Buchwalter, was born into an Old Order Mennonite Church, which interested Lewis in her own “plain heritage.” Her father was a pastor in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (the heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch community), where she was born and grew up. She was raised and continues to be part of the Assemblies of God community.

She went to Evangel University, and received the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2003. She is also a member of the National League of American Pen Women.[1]

Lewis is married to David Lewis, and they have three grown children and three grandchildren. They live in Colorado.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The shunning DB53518

Series: Heritage of Lancaster County

Order in Series: 1

Author: Lewis, Beverly

Reading Time: 8 hours, 19 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Margaret Strom

Subject: Religious Fiction

Downloaded: 02/20/2026

Katie Lapp has always felt she does not belong in the Amish community of Hickory Hollow, Pennsylvania. Then on the eve of her wedding to widower Bishop John, a startling announcement by her parents begins to unravel the only world Katie has ever known. Prequel to The Confession (DB 53519). 1997. 1997.

Minneapolis : Bethany House, c1997.

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Kate’s 2¢: “almost” by Elizabeth Benedict

“almost” by Elizabeth Benedict

NOTE: 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¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

Bette Lavery  read this book forPerkins School for the Blind. I thought most of the first chapter could be deleted. It was in such poor taste, I ‘almost’ stopped reading/listening.

   Chapter 3 would have been a good beginning.  The reader can imagine what went before this. The story became more interesting, but despite the increased intrigue and drama, the ending is not a satisfying one.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

elizabethbenedict.com

Elizabeth Benedict is an American author best known for her fiction, her personal essays, as the editor of three anthologies, and for The Joy of Writing Sex: A Guide for Fiction Writers. Her novels are: Slow Dancing, The Beginner’s Book of Dreams, Safe Conduct, Almost, and The Practice of Deceit. Her first memoir, Rewriting Illness: A View of My Own, was published in May 2023.[1][2] She lives in New York City and works as a college admissions consultant.[3][4][5][6][7]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Almost DBC03845

Author: Benedict, Elizabeth

Reading Time: 8 hours, 26 minutes

Production: Braille and Talking Book Library, Perkins School for the Blind

Read by: Bette Lavery

Subject: General Fiction

Forty-something Sophy Chase was starting out on an adventurous new life in New York City when the sudden death of her almost ex-husband pulls her back to the New England resort she left just months before. Both funny and poignant, this is a sharply observed and beautifully written novel. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2001.

Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 2001.

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Mosco Maisie Almonds and raisins (10)

“Raisins and Almonds” by Maisie Mosco

NOTE: 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¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Barbara Rappaport did an excellent job of narrating this family saga. This story sheds a light on how a traditional Jewish family survived immigrating to England and how the stereotype of a Jewish Mother guided all aspects of her family’s life…so, what can you do!

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article needs additional citations for verification.

Maisie Mosco (7 December 1924 – 31 October 2011) was an English writer.

She was born as Maisie Gottlieb[1] in Oldham, northeast of Manchester, England, on 7 December 1924, the eldest of three children. Her parents were of Latvian Jewish and Viennese Jewish descent. Their respective families settled in England in the late 19th century, and both her parents were born in Manchester.

A clever girl, she wanted to study medicine though because of her mother’s illness, and as the eldest child, she had to leave school at the age of 14 to help in the family business. At the age of 18, she joined the ATS and by the end of World War II, was helping to teach illiterate soldiers how to read.

She married twice: to Aubrey Liston in 1948, then to Gerald Mosco in 1957. She died in London on 31 October 2011, aged 86.

Writings[edit]

After the war, she edited a Manchester Jewish weekly newspaper, the Jewish Gazette, subsequently writing radio plays for the BBC. One of her stage plays, Happy Family, became the basis of a horror film Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly.[1]

She also wrote 16 novels between 1979 and 1998. These include the ‘Almonds and Raisins’ series (Almonds & Raisins, Scattered Seed, Children’s Children, Out of the Ashes, and New Beginnings), about a Jewish family who around 1900 fled anti-Jewish pogroms in the Russian Empire and emigrated to north Manchester in England. These books contained elements of her own family history.

In Almonds and Raisins[2] the newly arrived Sandberg family see a tram for the first time – a Manchester double-decker. Abraham (the father) exclaims, “A train with two storeys? And no roof?” [Manchester trams were open-topped in the late 19th and early 20th century.] The local rabbi explains: “In English, they call it a tram…. In Yiddish, we don’t have a word for it.” “In the wire overhead, there’s electricity, we don’t have a word for that either.”

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Almonds and raisins DB37489

Series: Almonds and raisins saga

Order in Series: 1

Author: Mosco, Maisie

Reading Time: 12 hours, 15 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Barbara Rappaport

Subjects: Family, Historical Fiction

In the early 1900s many Jewish families flee the continent for England. Among them are the Sandbergs from Russia and the Moritzes from Austria. An immediate bond is established between the two groups as the Sandberg boys spend their first weeks in England sharing a bed with the Moritz children. Over the years family members will fall in and out of favor with one another, but a stronger bond will always bring them back together.

New York : HarperPaperbacks, c1979.

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Kate’s 2¢: “Almayer’s folly” by Joseph Conrad

“Almayer’s folly” by Joseph Conrad

NOTE: 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¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Norman Barrs did an excellent job of narrating this classic. I was entranced and mesmerized by the wonderful descriptions of the jungle flora and fauna, the river  with its many moods, people  with their personalities and interactions.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Joseph Conrad (born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski, Polish: [ˈjuzɛf tɛˈɔdɔr ˈkɔnrat kɔʐɛˈɲɔfskʲi] Play audioⓘ; 3 December 1857 – 3 August 1924) was a Polish-British novelist and story writer.[2][note 1] He is regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language and – though he did not speak English fluently until his twenties (always with a strong foreign accent) – he became a master prose stylist who brought a non-English sensibility into English literature.[note 2]

He wrote novels and stories, many in nautical settings, that depicted crises of human individuality in the midst of what he saw as an indifferent, inscrutable, and amoral world.[note 3]

Conrad is considered a literary impressionist by some and an early modernist by others,[note 4] though his works also contain elements of 19th-century realism.[9] His narrative style and anti-heroic characters, as in Lord Jim,[10] have influenced numerous authors. Many dramatic films have been adapted from and inspired by his works.

Numerous writers and critics have commented that his fictional works, written mostly in the first two decades of the 20th century, seem to have anticipated later world events.[note 5]

Writing near the peak of the British Empire, Conrad drew on the national experiences of his native Poland—during nearly all his life, parcelled out among three occupying empires[16][note 6]—and on his own experiences in the French and British merchant navies, to create short stories and novels that reflect aspects of a European-dominated world—including imperialism and colonialism—and that profoundly explore the human psyche.[18]

Life

Early years

Conrad was born on 3 December 1857, in Berdychiv (Polish: Berdyczów), Ukraine, then part of the Russian Empire; the region had once been part of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland.[19] He was the only child of Apollo Korzeniowski—a writer, translator, political activist, and would-be revolutionary—and his wife Ewa Bobrowska. He was christened Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski after his maternal grandfather Józef, his paternal grandfather Teodor, and the heroes (both named “Konrad”) of two poems by Adam Mickiewicz, Dziady and Konrad Wallenrod. His family called him “Konrad”, rather than “Józef”.[note 7]

Though the vast majority of the surrounding area’s inhabitants were Ukrainians, and the great majority of Berdychiv’s residents were Jewish, almost all the countryside was owned by the Polish szlachta (nobility), to which Conrad’s family belonged as bearers of the Nałęcz coat-of-arms.[22] Polish literature, particularly patriotic literature, was held in high esteem by the area’s Polish population.[23]

Poland had been divided among Prussia, Austria and Russia in 1795. The Korzeniowski family had played a significant role in Polish attempts to regain independence. Conrad’s paternal grandfather Teodor had served under Prince Józef Poniatowski during Napoleon’s Russian campaign and had formed his own cavalry squadron during the November 1830 Uprising of Poland-Lithuania against the Russian Empire.[24] Conrad’s fiercely patriotic father Apollo belonged to the “Red” political faction, whose goal was to re-establish the pre-partition boundaries of Poland and that also advocated land reform and the abolition of serfdom. Conrad’s subsequent refusal to follow in Apollo’s footsteps, and his choice of exile over resistance, were a source of lifelong guilt for Conrad.[25][note 8]

Apollo did his best to teach Conrad at home. The boy’s early reading introduced him to the two elements that later dominated his life: in Victor Hugo’s Toilers of the Sea, he encountered the sphere of activity to which he would devote his youth; Shakespeare brought him into the orbit of English literature. Most of all, though, he read Polish Romantic poetry. Half a century later, he explained that

“The Polishness in my works comes from Mickiewicz and Słowacki. My father read [Mickiewicz’s] Pan Tadeusz aloud to me and made me read it aloud…. I used to prefer [Mickiewicz’s] Konrad Wallenrod [and] Grażyna. Later I preferred Słowacki. You know why Słowacki?… [He is the soul of all Poland]”.[31]

In the autumn of 1866, young Conrad was sent for a year-long retreat, for health reasons, to Kiev and his mother’s family estate at Novofastiv [de].[32]

In December 1867, Apollo took his son to the Austrian-held part of Poland, which for two years had been enjoying considerable internal freedom and a degree of self-government. After sojourns in Lwów and several smaller localities, on 20 February 1869, they moved to Kraków (until 1596 the capital of Poland), likewise in Austrian Poland. A few months later, on 23 May 1869, Apollo Korzeniowski died, leaving Conrad orphaned at the age of eleven.[33] Like Conrad’s mother, Apollo had been gravely ill with tuberculosis.[34]

In August 1873, Bobrowski sent fifteen-year-old Conrad to Lwów to a cousin who ran a small boarding house for boys orphaned by the 1863 Uprising; group conversation there was in French. The owner’s daughter recalled:

He stayed with us ten months… Intellectually he was extremely advanced but [he] disliked school routine, which he found tiring and dull; he used to say… he… planned to become a great writer…. He disliked all restrictions. At home, at school, or in the living room he would sprawl unceremoniously. He… suffer[ed] from severe headaches and nervous attacks…[38]

Conrad had been at the establishment for just over a year when in September 1874, for uncertain reasons, his uncle removed him from school in Lwów and took him back to Kraków.[39]

On 13 October 1874, Bobrowski sent the sixteen-year-old to Marseille, France, for Conrad’s planned merchant-marine career on French merchant ships,[36] providing him with a monthly stipend of 150 francs.[32] Though Conrad had not completed secondary school, his accomplishments included fluency in French (with a correct accent), some knowledge of Latin, German and Greek; probably a good knowledge of history, some geography, and probably already an interest in physics. He was well read, particularly in Polish Romantic literature. He belonged to the second generation in his family that had had to earn a living outside the family estates. They were born and reared partly in the milieu of the working intelligentsia, a social class that was starting to play an important role in Central and Eastern Europe.[40] He had absorbed enough of the history, culture and literature of his native land to be able eventually to develop a distinctive world view and make unique contributions to the literature of his adoptive Britain.[41]

Tensions that originated in his childhood in Poland and increasing in his adulthood abroad contributed to Conrad’s greatest literary achievements.[42] Zdzisław Najder, himself an emigrant from Poland, observed:

Living away from one’s natural environment—family, friends, social group, language—even if it results from a conscious decision, usually gives rise to… internal tensions, because it tends to make people less sure of themselves, more vulnerable, less certain of their… position and… value… The Polish szlachta and… intelligentsia were social strata in which reputation… was felt… very important… for a feeling of self-worth. Men strove… to find confirmation of their… self-regard… in the eyes of others… Such a psychological heritage forms both a spur to ambition and a source of constant stress, especially if [one has been inculcated with] the idea of [one]’s public duty…[43]

Some critics have suggested that when Conrad left Poland, he wanted to break once and for all with his Polish past.[44] In refutation of this, Najder quotes from Conrad’s 14 August 1883 letter to family friend Stefan Buszczyński, written nine years after Conrad had left Poland:

… I always remember what you said when I was leaving [Kraków]: “Remember”—you said—”wherever you may sail, you are sailing towards Poland!” That I have never forgotten, and never will forget![45]

Merchant marine

From the web:

Norman Barrs was born on November 6, 1917 in London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Yeomen of the Guard (1957), Fireside Theatre (1949) and King Richard II (1954). He died on December 14, 1991 in New York City, New York, USA.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Almayer’s folly DB12473

Author: Conrad, Joseph

Reading Time: 6 hours, 41 minutes

Production: A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Norman Barrs

Subject: Literature

Conrad’s first novel, a tragedy set in Malaya, dramatizes the clash between East and West. Almayer is a Dutch merchant, ruined and despairing after twenty-five years in the East and marriage to a hateful Malayan woman. He dreams of escaping with his beautiful daughter, Nina. But Almayer fails to consult Nina, whose plans involving Dain, a native, foil Almayer’s attempt to escape his self-delusion.

New York, Penguin Books, 1976.

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Kate’s 2¢: “The Postcard” by Beverly Lewis

“The Postcard” by Beverly Lewis

NOTE: 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¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Mitzi Friedlander did a great job narrating this story. The content of this story had more substance and drama to it than other Amish themes I’ve read.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous.

Beverly Marie Lewis (née Jones) is an American Christian fiction novelist and adult and children’s author of over 100 books.

Lewis is a former schoolteacher and musician. She started playing the piano at age four, and began writing short stories and poetry when she was nine years old.

Much of her writing focuses on the Old Order Amish. Her maternal grandmother, Ada Ranck Buchwalter, was born into an Old Order Mennonite Church, which interested Lewis in her own “plain heritage.” Her father was a pastor in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (the heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch community), where she was born and grew up. She was raised and continues to be part of the Assemblies of God community.

She went to Evangel University, and received the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2003. She is also a member of the National League of American Pen Women.[1]

Lewis is married to David Lewis, and they have three grown children and three grandchildren. They live in Colorado.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The postcard DB54201

Author: Lewis, Beverly

Reading Time: 8 hours, 50 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Mitzi Friedlander

Subjects: Disability, Religious Fiction

Downloaded: 02/20/2026

Mennonite widow Rachel Yoder, hysterically blind after witnessing her son and husband killed in a buggy accident, lives and works at her Amish parents’ bed-and-breakfast along with her young daughter. There she meets writer Philip Bradley, who uncovers family secrets when he finds a love letter in an antique desk.

Minneapolis : Bethany House Publishers, c1999.

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Kate’s 2¢: “The Drowning Kind” by Jennifer McMahon

“The Drowning Kind” by Jennifer McMahon

NOTE: 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¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Imani Jade Powers and Joy Osmanski did a great job of narrating this story that might really mess with your mind. It  will make you think twice about swimming in a pool where you can’t see the bottom. Reasearch your genealogy might turn up some fascinating quirks in your lineage.

   NLS should note when the subject matter included lgbtq.

 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This biography of a living person needs additional citations

jennifer-mcmahon.com

Jennifer McMahon (born 1968 in Hartford, Connecticut) is an American novelist who formerly resided in Barre, Vermont and now lives in Montpelier, Vermont. She has a civil union with her partner Drea, and one child, daughter Zella. She is a graduate of Goddard College, and studied poetry at Vermont College.

Her debut novel, Promise Not to Tell, was published by Harper Paperbacks (an imprint of HarperCollins) in April 2007. Promise Not to Tell was described by Publishers Weekly as “Part mystery-thriller and part ghost story”.[1] It was released in Germany by Rowohlt Verlag, under the title Das Mädchen im Wald (The Girl in the Woods), in October 2007. Orion Publishing Group published Promise Not to Tell in the United Kingdom in 2008. A French edition and Italian edition have also been released.

Her follow-up suspense novel, Island of Lost Girls was published by Harper Paperbacks in April 2008. It was a New York Times Bestseller. It was released in Germany by Rowohlt Verlag, under the title Die Insel der verlorenen Kinder (The Island of Lost Children); and in the Netherlands by De Boekerij under the title Het eiland van de verdwenen meisjes (The Island of Missing Girls). Sphere, an imprint of Little, Brown, published it in the United Kingdom in September 2009.

Her next book from HarperCollins, Dismantled, was published in hardcover in June 2009. It was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award. Dismantled has also been released in the UK (under the title Girl in the Woods), Germany, and the Netherlands.

In May 2011, McMahon’s suspense novel, Don’t Breathe a Word, was published, again by HarperCollins.

McMahon also has a book of lesbian teen fiction, entitled My Tiki Girl, which was released by Dutton Children’s (an imprint of Penguin Group) in May 2008. It was included in the American Library Association’s 2009 Rainbow List.[2]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The drowning kind DB111377

Author: McMahon, Jennifer

Reading Time: 11 hours, 53 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Imani Jade Powers, Joy Osmanski

Subjects: Occult and Horror Fiction, Mystery and Detective Stories, Psychological Fiction

Downloaded: 02/19/2026

“When Jax receives nine missed calls from her older sister, Lexie, she assumes that it’s just another one of her sister’s episodes. Manic and increasingly out of touch with reality, Lexie has pushed Jax away for over a year. But the next day, Lexie is dead: drowned in the pool at their grandmother’s estate. When Jax arrives at the house to go through her sister’s things, she learns that Lexie was researching the history of their family and the property. And as she dives deeper into the research herself, she discovers that the land holds a far darker past than she could have ever imagined. In 1929, thirty-seven-year-old newlywed Ethel Monroe hopes desperately for a baby. In an effort to distract her, her husband whisks her away on a trip to Vermont, where a natural spring is showcased by the newest and most modern hotel in the Northeast. Once there, Ethel learns that the water is rumored to grant wishes, never suspecting that the spring takes in equal measure to what it gives.” — Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

[New York] : Simon & Schuster Audio, 2021.

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