Families

 

I have almost finished reading this book which is riveting. I am actually listening to it as a talking book and have found it keeping me awake as I avidly hear the story of Adeline's life as a Chinese girl. While we all know that girls have not been valued in China, her story is one of the few well written accounts of life as a female I have ever read. Despite obviously being an unwanted daughter, her father did deign to spend his copious amounts of money on sending her away to boarding school and university. I think the outcome was unexpected to him as she developed a career of which even he seemed proud. The behaviour of her step mother makes me hope she came to an untimely end, the last couple of hours of reading should answer this question for me. 

This is a well written book which explores family, rejection, jealousy, and the power wielded by wealthy Chinese families in Hong Kong, particularly over family still in China. Definitely a book worth reading for the knowledge gained. I have to say her father reminded me of someone, it seems that male behaviour is often similar the world over.

I have two other books on the go, one on Alexa and one on my kindle. I also subscribe to and read digital magazines so I must catch up and read some of those over the weekend. 

Happy reading everyone!     

Starting Again

 This is the only blog I have ever received any feedback on or interest in. I love blogging but never have much success with it. I have decided to re-start this blog as my main interests in life are books, music and my guide dogs, one working, one retired. I always have 3 books on the go at once; one on my kindle app, one on Alexa from the Blind Foundation library, and one on my Victor Reader Stream which is a special privately owned talking book machine. I am reading constantly on my ipad, but only listen to talking books at night when trying to descend into the world of slumber. 

I hope to continue posting about the interesting books I have read, ones I might wish to read, and any associated book or similar topics. I can say as a starter I have spent much of this year working my way through The Seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley, one every so often. I am now on the 5th book and avidly await the revealing of who Pa Salt is in the final book to be released next year. I think there are many clues to his identity, and the possibility he is actually still alive and knew he had to let the girls go and find their roots and destiny.

More to come! Susan, the Myopic Bookworm

 

 

Penfriends

 When I was young I had penfriends in various places around the world. Diane in Australia and I have been writing for over 50 years. I also had friends I wrote to regularly in Germany, the Virgin Islands, the US and other interesting places. It was a great way to learn about other countries. It is unfortunate that as we age or move on with our lives these intimate friendships dissolve. I have just read a book by Geraldine Brooks, one of my favourite authors, called Foreign Correspondence.

Geraldine Brooks writes of her childhood penfriends, an attempt to leave the confines of what she saw as a very isolated Australian childhood. Her first such friend also lived in Australia, but she soon gathered up a variety of other letter writers from the US and Israel. After many years she decided to contact these penfriends and this book describes how these relationships evolved, how their lives had taken very divergent paths, and the new level of unanticipated relationships she developed. 

This is not a long book like her wonderful novels, it is an easy read and also a prizewinning book. Enjoy.    

     

 

This has been my reading all weekend. It is a very detailed description of the author's growing up poor in Australia, his dead beat father, and the sometime adventures he and his siblings got up too. It has many detailed chapters of his sexual exploits as a young teen, then when he joined the Australian Army, with his mates out at night in Brisbane and Sydney. Some of this was almost lascivious, I certainly learnt things I did not know! Eventually he joins the army and is sent to fight in Vietnam. While I am only half way through this very long but interesting book I wanted to give readers of this blog the opportunity to download a copy too. The book continues with his adventures in Vietnam, his impressions of the war and his service, and the impact on his psyche when he returned home. The opening chapters are set in a mental hospital where he is recovering from the impact of PTSD. It is riveting reading, the chapters are short, and the story rolls along like a good Australian yarn. Well worth purchasing.        

Starting Again

 I have decided to reprise this blog which I really enjoyed writing. My life became very busy since 2016, I have had two major concussions which were eventually traced to sick sinus syndrome, a heart condition, and I now have a pacemaker which regulates any change in the timing of my heart rhythm. This has meant a lot of reading has been done in the last five years. One year I read 106 books. I record all the books I read and have now joined two book clubs where I discuss what has appealed to me the most of the books I have read in the previous four weeks.

So to begin the revitalised blog here is my first offering.

 

This is the story of a follower of the Hasidic faith, a very Orthodox Jewish sect who slowly loses his faith, moves into the secular community and eventually loses his whole family. It is an insight into both this unusual belief and its treatment of members. The subterfuge Shulem has to undertake to leave a sect which has been his whole life is both sad and stunning in its description. Well worth reading if only to give you an understanding of the damage such religions can do to kind decent human beings.

Temperatures

It is far too hot to write, blog or work. I worked all morning but have spent the afternoon dozing in the heat and trying to clear out my inbox. Having made very firm decisions to write, paint, read and lots of other things including meditation to relax I am adhering to it reasonably well. These very high temperatures combined with high humidity make it almost impossible to do much in the afternoons.

So I have been reading. I finished 'All the Light We Cannot See', the best novel I have read in years and was then faced with the difficult decision of what to read next. Deciding something shorter and more memoir related would be a good choice I started:



The brave, inspiring story of one woman's recovery from a debilitating eating disorder, and the remarkable shelter dogs who unexpectedly loved her back to life.

“The dogs don’t judge me or give me a motivational speech. They don’t rush me to heal or grow. They sit in my lap and lick my face and make me feel chosen. And sometimes, it hits me hard that I'm doing the exact thing I say I cannot do. Changing.”

Pound for Pound is an inspirational tale about one woman’s journey back to herself, and a heartfelt homage to the four-legged heroes who unexpectedly saved her life.

Due to having such a large amount of time to read I finished this book in just over a day. I felt it was a little focused on her interactions with various dogs and nothing will make me change my mind about pit bulls but it shows how a passion can change a life for the better.

My next choice, given the hundreds of books I have on my Kindle app, was "Golden Eclipse: Heart Dog'.



Once in your life you may have a pet that is so much more. This animal will become one with you. Their heart and soul, and yours, will somehow join. Without words you both instinctively know what the other’s needs are, and you will live to take care of them. This is the true story of my "Heart" dog, Eclipse. Originally written as a way of expressing my grief over her loss, it was meant to be read only by myself. She was such an amazing girl, that I felt her story needed to be shared. All proceeds from this book will be donated to animal rescue. 

Please do not feel that this book is one that will make you cry throughout. Yes, tears may be shed. (Nothing wrong with that. It saves you money on eye drops) Eclipse's story will also bring many smiles to readers of her story. It's hard for one to hear of the joy she brought to the world and not be touched by it. This amazing rescued golden retriever came into my life at seven years of age, with cancer. She was used for breeding, and then went to a second owner. I had the honor of being her third, and “Forever Home!” She was to become a registered therapy dog, who worked in Hospice and nursing home settings. This book gives concrete examples of her amazing nature, what I consider to be her philosophy of life, and the absolutely tremendous difference she made in the lives of those she met, including myself. 
You will read of such heart touching moments, as when she attended wakes, memorial services, and even a funeral mass. 
You will even get to meet Mozart. Yes, he lived with Eclipse! 
After reading this book my hope is that you will start to live your life like a Golden Retriever.....Minus the shedding of course, which could make you a bit unpopular. 
{At the end of January 2014 I edited the book slightly by gettng rid of the typos. Now there are no messtakes.....Well, maybe some....

Yes, this book is full of lots of mistakes, both spelling and grammar, but it does not detract from the story of the author's journey with his wonderful golden retriever, Eclipse. I read this in less than 24 hours as I was so enthralled with his minute descriptions of hid dog's behaviour and its wonderful temperament.
A book I would highly recommend.

I am now reading: 

 This book looks to be both healing and informative. I need to sit quietly and absorb its wisdom in the hope I can learn how to relax through its pages.

 

 

 

Blogging

I love blogging but have never been able to find a way to insert a follow me button into my blog. I read and search for blogs for both work and pleasure. I love book and writing blogs and often save them on Facebook for fear of losing them. This world of sharing is amazing, gone are the days when people kept all their secrets about successful writing and good books to themselves. Reviews of new and interesting books encourage me to search for the books and decide whether or not to purchase them for my kindle. 

Reading 'All the Light We Cannot See' encouraged me to purchase another of Anthony Doerr's books:

  
I seldom purchase another of an author's books until I have finished the one I am reading but his writing style in infectious. A non-fiction book, I am really looking forward to this book.

On the recommendation of WLM members I have also recently purchased:


This looks to be an interesting book, I hope it lives up to the recommendations of WLM members.

I have started writing again, just for short periods such as an hour, but my story of Chocolat is growing and growing. I am remembering so much about my love for her when she was ill, as was I. I depended on her for all my feelings and am sure she loved me completely in return. I am glad I kept a diary when my marriage first broke up, it is helping me to track both Chocolat's journey and mine. She is most unwell, seems to sleep all the time but is always there when either of us need a cuddle. Her lack of sight and hearing make it difficult to communicate either through voice commands or just calling her to say I am home. She is still eating well, is responsive to life and enjoys my company so hopefully will be able to see the summer out. Jay is virtually ignoring her, not sure if he senses her impending demise or is just afraid of losing someone else who loves him to bits. Chocolat can still get jealous and bossy and complains bitterly when cuddles and pats in the morning are competed for. The memories are wonderful, she is wonderful, I am sure she will remain happy for a while longer.

I have also started to journal most days and write my thoughts and feelings on a variety of issues. I am enjoying using a fountain pen again, but could not purchase a calligraphy pen yesterday, even though I had seen one for sale before Christmas. New ideas, new hobbies, life is wonderful.