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Thru My Looking Glass

9/29/2017

"One can't paint New York as it is, but rather as it is felt."
  ---Georgia O'Keeffe

Arthur and I left all thoughts of hurricanes and politics behind us last weekend as we flew off to visit Michael in New York.  The excitement of the city can make all of your worries disappear, and we definitely needed a break from the stress.  The country might be in turmoil, but New York never changes.  We stayed in a great hotel, ate amazing food, visited with friends and family, and we even made time to visit my favorite museum, The Whitney.

If you are an art buff, and going to New York, you have probably scheduled time for "The Met" and MOMA, but have you ever been to this gem of a museum in lower Manhattan?  Founded in 1931, it focuses on American art of the 20th and 21st century, and a visit there years ago inspired me to design a humanities curriculum that was one of the most successful courses I ever taught.

After a New York day of running, a peaceful hotel is my first necessity, the the Hyatt Union Square was the perfect place to stay.  We asked for a quite room and were located in what is probably the last quiet place in all of Manhattan. It was spotlessly clean (I love a hotel with wood floors instead of bacteria filled carpet) and surprisingly well appointed. The staff was friendly and efficient, lead off by a bellman who refused a tip for getting us a cab. "No, Mr. Marshall, you took care of me well enough when you checked in."

Of course the food was the highlight of the trip.  If you have never been to Eataly in the FlatIron District, you are missing a great few hours of wandering around sampling amazing food and finding interesting cooking novelties.  We ate at Le Verdure, the vegetable-centric restaurant in the middle of this amazing space. The house made  gnudi (gnocchi-like ricotta dumplings) were so light that they practically floated in their brown-butter and sage sauce.  We shared five different offerings and had difficulty limiting our choices to just five.

Dinner at Narcissa in The Strand hotel was another treat.  They serve a sea bass dish, with French curry, lentils, watermelon radish and toasted almonds that was as beautiful as it was delicious.  Art and I shared that and an artistically done Carrot Wellington with bluefoot mushrooms, sunchokes and gremolata that actually made us forget that the original of this  dish usually is meat based.  The outside garden seating was so comfortable that our party of five sat for four hours and never felt rushed.

Our last night's dinner was at Flex, a muscles restaurant on 13th Street, with more variations of muscles than you could ever want.  The nice size portions were tasty enough to make us forget that the frites were an extra charge.  I also had some of the best fish tacos I've ever consumed.  The perfectly fried haddock was placed upon a seemingly homemade corn tortilla and surrounded by what we have taken to referring to as "crack" slaw.  I admit...I am addicted.

Speaking of addictions, any visit to the Big Apple that doesn't include a stop at Donut Plant is a missed opportunity.  I am a donut fan, and these are the best I ever ate.  The blackberry, vanilla bean one brought tears to my eyes. We already put in an order for Mike's trip home this Thanksgiving.  That donut will be his ticket in the door.

I know that this week was more a travel column than my typical writing (a little blast from my past) but I just needed to write from my "happy place" this week.  I did find time to read a book though, and it was a light mystery by Joanne Pence. One O'Clock Hustle: An Inspector Rebecca Mayfield Mystery (Rebecca Mayfield Mysteries Book 1) was the perfect little book to suspend reality with, and I enjoyed it in-between running around the streets of New York.

As always, a complete review follows this blog.

Happy reading,

-Beverly

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One O'Clock Hustle: An Inspector Rebecca Mayfield Mystery (Rebecca Mayfield Mysteries Book 1) by Joanne Pence

9/28/2017

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Genre: Mystery

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Rebecca Mayfield is a by-the-book homicide inspector who never fails to dot her i's and cross her t's, so when she is called to a murder scene and finds out that the suspect is an acquaintance of hers, she goes right into inspector mode.  She asks the right questions, does what needs to be done and agrees to let her partner take Richard Amalfi down to booking.

Things take an odd turn when she arrives home and finds Amalfi waiting at her door. Somehow the two policeman who were taking him in landed on the ground, and he somehow found himself running.  What happens from then on is as confusing to Rebecca is it is to the reader.  Suddenly this "never break a rule" inspector is helping a murder suspect prove his innocence.

I enjoyed Joanne Pence's book, One O'Clock Hustle: An Inspector Rebecca Mayfield Mystery, once I got involved in it, and I think that was due to her ability to keep the story's pace as she built her characterizations.  I found myself nervous in some parts but smiling through the bulk of it.  It is definitely a book that asks the reader to suspend reality (what strict homicide inspector would suddenly become an accomplice?), but my favorite books are always the ones that make me forget the real world for a bit.

Pence did a good job in this first in a series mystery, and I recommend it as a fun summer read.

- Beverly

Publisher - Quail Hill Publishing; 1 edition
Date of Publication - April 15, 2014

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Thru My Looking Glass

9/21/2017

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“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse, and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”
  ---Desmond Tutu

I am a patriot.  I proudly salute the flag, and my eyes still get teary when Lee Greenwood sings "God Bless the USA." I remember becoming emotional many years ago, when my tenth grade class ignored the pledge of allegiance at the beginning of the day.  They weren't particularly making a statement, they just didn't care enough to stand up.

I told them that it was their right not to pledge, but in my class they would stand to show respect.  I had taught them for several weeks, and as a whole they seemed to respect nothing.  I cared for these kids and feared that if they didn't learn to connect with the important things and people in their lives, they would end up alone.  I remember tearfully saying, "If you don't respect your country, what will you respect?"

My emotions connected with them, and like an episode of Welcome Back Kotter, my "Sweathogs" stood and pledged every day thereafter.  The wonderful thing about this country that I so intensely wanted these sophomores to respect though, is that the flag they saluted stands for their right to refuse to salute.  Many men and women have sacrificed their lives so we can make that choice without repercussions.

Unfortunately, there are people today who, in the guise of patriotism,  are attempting to take away these rights that others died for through the years.  When Colin Kaepernik refused to stand for the national anthem, he was exercising his freedom to peacefully protest.  Whether one believes in his cause or not, we should all believe in his right to peacefully make his feelings known.  Rather than blackballing him from the sport he excelled  in, we should hold him up as a role model to young people who need to find a non-violent way to express their frustrations.

I disagree with some of what Kaepernik says, and find his socks displaying pigs with police hats disrespectful. If he were my son, I would praise him for choosing a non-violent way to display his anger, then I would explain that while some police officers are bigoted, violent and should be suspended, the majority of them put their lives on the line every day to protect and defend all of us.  I would try to show him how hurtful his actions are to those that do deserve our respect and ask him to be very sure of who he is hurting with his words and actions, but I would stand up for his right to peacefully protest. James Baldwin said it best when he stated, “I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.”

My real distaste would be saved for those who are staining our country's flag and image around the world by violently trying to quiet those who peacefully protest without trying to incite anger.  Those who believe that they are "real Americans" and must protect their country from immigrants and protesters, definitely need a tutorial on what it means to be an American.

J.D. Trafford introduces us to his latest character, African-American attorney Justin Glass, in his latest offer, Little Boy Lost.  Glass is an example of an American to look up to, as he takes the case brought to him by an eight year old searching for her brother.  The book is a mixture of detective work, family life, politics and the legal world, and I highly recommend it.

Another book I read this week, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson, was written by a young man with a lot to say.  His belief in making the best of what we have (enjoy lemons rather than making lemonade out of them) makes for some very interesting "self-help" reading.

As always, complete reviews on both books follow this blog.

Happy reading,

- Beverly

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Little Lost Boy by J. D. Trafford

9/21/2017

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Genre: Legal Thriller

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Trafford's legal thriller, Little Boy Lost, is about more than one lost boy.  When eight year old Tanisha Walker enters struggling attorney Justin Glass's office, he has no idea how his next few weeks will change.  He can't afford to work for free, but he can't turn away this young girl looking for her teenage brother.

Hoping to quickly re-unite brother and sister, Justin starts the search that will ultimately lead him to Devon Walker's murdered body, and the bodies of a dozen more murdered African-American teens.  When he finds that they all had been reported missing, but none had been properly investigated, he begins to wonder if there is an inside connection.

Justin, African-American himself, comes from a prominent St. Louis family.  His father is a well liked U.S. Congressman who is planning to retire. He wants Justin to run for his seat, and this investigation might hamper his chances.  Justin, attempting to get over the death of his wife while raising their daughter, does not particularly want to replace his father, and certainly won't halt his investigation to better his political chances.

Trafford does a good job building his characters in his latest novel, and by the time I finished the book I was anxiously searching for news of a possible sequel.  Justin Glass is a strong protagonist who could definitely keep my interest in several more sequels to this book.  I also enjoyed the glimpses into life in St. Louis, and the in-fighting of family politics.

Justin's family, particularly his obviously intelligent daughter, offered a welcomed break in the search for answers to these heinous crimes, and the possibility of vigilante  justice gave me something to think about long after I finished reading the book.

-Beverly

Publisher - Thomas & Mercer
Date of Publication - August 1, 2017

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The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson

9/21/2017

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Genre: Non-Fiction

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Mark Manson is a thirty-three year old blogger who travels the world and blogs exactly what is on his mind at any given time.  He is both irreverent and seemingly honest in his shared blogs, and The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life is an extension of those blogs.

Manson begins with a story about an alcoholic writer who is wildly unsuccessful during most of his life.  When offered a break at fifty years of age, he finds a bit of success but never feels like a winner.  The author goes on to criticize the constant barrage of life lessons that we receive stressing the importance of positive thinking.

He believes that some people get things and some don't, and it is rarely "fair."  He says that the old adage about making lemonade out of the lemons we are handed is useless, and instead he feels we should learn to like lemons.  We need to accept that we all have limitations, sort of the "Peter Principle" of life, and make the best of what we can do.

When you think about it, this (very) young man might need a few more life experiences to gain a true perspective, but a great deal of what he says holds merit.  We all chase that elusive butterfly and sometimes miss the pretty one that is circling our flower garden every day.  Vulgar language aside, this author does share some pearls of wisdom we all might want to heed.  He writes with humor and intelligence, and I ended up agreeing with him much more than I believed I ever could.

- Beverly

Publisher - HarperOne
Date of Publication - September 13, 2016

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Thru My Looking Glass

9/15/2017

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"We tend to think of heroes only in terms of violent combat, whether it's against enemies or a natural disaster.  But human beings also perform radical acts of compassion; we just don't talk about them, or we don't talk about them as much."
  ---Diane Ackerman (American poet)

Well here we are, on the other side of the "storm of the century," and most of us are still feeling a little shell shocked. As we Floridians prepared for Hurricane Irma, many in the media predicated a catastrophic land fall of a storm that at times registered Category 6 on a 1-5 scale.  People were being evacuated in record numbers, and many said goodbye to their belongings for what they believed could be the last time.

We contemplated evacuating, but the traffic made it nearly impossible.  The road trip that usually took six hours was taking twenty-four, and service stations were running out of gas before many people could complete that drive. Hotels were booked throughout the state of Florida, and exhausted evacuees forged on in their quest for safety.  We were not in an evacuation zone, we have hurricane glass throughout and a soundly structured house.  Daughter Beth and family came to us, and we weathered it together.

Having experienced hurricanes through the years, I would not have wanted to stay if we were in an evacuation zone.  Winds are fierce and rising water is deadly, so my ultimate goal would be the safety of those I love.  I respect other's rights to make that decision for themselves though, and must say that unless you are faced with the possible lose of all you own, judging other people's decisions seems arrogant at best, and cruel to those who are faced with that choice.

Irma came through Florida a little tamer than expected, but she was by no means a light storm.  Over twenty-five percent of the homes in the Florida Keys were destroyed, and a whopping 60+ percent sustained significant damage.  Up and down the state winds turned homes into rumble, and water poured into many homes from swelling waterways.  A majority of Floridians lost their power, and some have yet to have it returned.  We lost ours for a dreadful 27 hours (remember...September is the hottest month of the year in Florida) and poor Beth is still waiting for her's to return.
It is difficult to describe the vulnerability one feels at midnight, when the storm ravishes outside, and suddenly all  light and air conditioning disappear from your house.  On the other hand, we never forgot how fortunate we were to be in a solid home together.

Another thing that these natural disasters help us to remember is just how compassionate and heroic our fellow man can be.  From the minute this storm became a reality, people in my immediate neighborhood offered help to those who needed it, while people throughout the country offered support in a variety of ways.  Stores stayed open late to help people stock up, and when water ran low some store owners had bottles shipped in and offered them for free.  Restaurants that lost their electricity partnered with neighbors who had grills, and cooked lobsters, steaks, chops and other goodies that they handed out to people who were tired of eating Vienna Sausages out of cans.

People risked life and limb to save those who were in trouble, and workman came from all over the country to contribute to the workforce needed to restore and rebuild.  Scores of utility trucks poured into the state filled with needed equipment and people who left their families to give us back our lights.  These are true heroes, and I thank them all.

Even in the dark, my trusty iPad allowed me to read, and who better to turn to in stormy weather than thriller writer, Harlan Coben?  In his latest novel, Don't Let Go, Coben introduces us to Detective Napoleon “Nap” Dumas, a man on a mission to find out what really happened to his twin brother fifteen years ago.  The howling winds and torrential rain of Hurricane Irma made a perfect backdrop for this book by one of my favorite authors.

As always, a complete review of this book follows my blog.

Happy reading,

- Beverly

Click on the book cover to order the title mentioned in today's blog

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Don't Let Go by Harlan Coben

9/15/2017

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Genre: Thriller

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Detective Napoleon “Nap” Dumas grew up near an abandoned military base in New Jersey.  He and his twin brother, Leo, explored there, took girls there and fantasized about what was really going on there.  When Leo and his girlfriend, Diana, were run over by a train one night during their senior year, people believed it was a horrible accident, but Nap was always suspicious about that night. His girlfriend, Maura, disappeared that night, and Nap always feared a connection.

Fifteen years later, when several of Leo's friends are murdered, Nap decides to finally find out the truth.  When Maura's involvement in the most recent murder becomes evident, Nap seeks the help of Augie, his mentor and Diana's father.  Things become more complicated when the government gets involved, and suddenly Nap isn't sure who he can trust.

Harlan Coben has written some of the best thrillers around, and Don't Let Go is no exception.  His characters are all multi-faceted, never all bad or all good, leaving the reader to decide who the "good guys" really are.  He introduces a bit of vigilante justice in this book, and this is a topic that always has me questioning whether our justice system is broken.

There are quite a few twists and turns in Coben's latest thriller, and he certainly shows us just how deadly some secrets can be.  Although his plots are usually complex, there is also a comfortable flow that keeps the reader from getting too bogged down in the details.  This is most surely another best selling winner for an author who only gets better as time passes.

- Beverly

Publisher - Dutton
Date of Publication - September 26, 2017

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Thru My Looking Glass

9/1/2017

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"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds"
     ---Herodotus (Greek historian)

With apologies to Herodotus and the U.S. Post Office, I say that "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night" has stopped me from writing my blogs and adding reviews of books I read each week.  Unfortunately, I found my Waterloo in Hurricane Irma.  As we sit here in South Florida, preparing for this monster, I haven't had the time to pontificate on events that surround me or the patience to really delve into a book.

So I ask your forgiveness for skipping this week and really hope that I will have a working computer for next week's blog/reviews. Also, for anyone who is writing me a note in blog comments, or emailing me, please realize that it might take me longer than usual to answer.  The internet gets finicky in storms, and electricity is never a certainty.  Rest assured, if I have the ability to connect, I will respond to you.

For now I am back to prepping.

Happy reading,

- Beverly

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Thru My Looking Glass

9/1/2017

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"Don't cry because it's over.
  Smile because it happened."
  Dr. Seuss

Today I went to a memorial service for another friend who died too young.  The chapel was filled with family, friends and colleagues who had memories to share of a woman whose intelligence, strength and warmth allowed her to make a difference in the lives of thousands of people.

For better or worse, teachers touch scores of children each year, and with Phyllis that touch was for better.  I first met her when she was Michael's teacher in his elementary gifted studies class, and I saw her work first hand.  I watched as she captured the interest of her students and related to each of them on an individual basis.  Years later, when I began teaching my high school students (gifted and...not so gifted) I borrowed her ideas and became a better teacher because of them.

Phyllis continued to spread her ideas, and today I will take one last lesson from her.  I will appreciate people and events as they happen, and find things to laugh about each day.  It is so easy for us to put off something for a more convenient time or make that phone call next week instead of today.  My friends are always on my mind, but my phone phobia tends to make postponing that phone call too tempting.  I convince myself that they will understand, and they are probably too busy to speak to me anyway, so I text a few words, or worse, I do nothing and wait until I "have time."

Unfortunately, life happens, and we don't always get a second chance to appreciate a beautiful flower, a sunny day, a child's laughter or the time spent with a friend or relative.  I have done a good job of taking the time to appreciate things over these last few years.  Arthur and I often walk around our neighborhood and check out the beautiful landscape.  I look out of my window each day and watch the lizards as they bask in the sun or do calisthenics on our screens.  I have tasted foods I never tried before, and some have been added to my permanent pantry.

Yes, I have done a good job, but not a great job.  I have not gotten over my discomfort of picking up the telephone and initiating that phone call...but I will.  Phyllis's last lesson to me is the realization that life is fleeting and quite often not fair.  I put off that phone call to her, and that opportunity will never present itself again.  I will take my many other opportunities however, and I will re-connect with those friendships I have let slip away.  I will nurture those relationships that are important to me now, and I will always remember the futility of waiting for a better time, because right NOW will always be best of times.

Diane Chamberlain was an author I let slip away, and I thought her book,   The Silent Sister, was a good way to re-connect with her.  Although this was not my favorite of her books, it tempted me to browse through past books that she has written.  Looking through those books reminded me why I always looked forward to her latest novels.  She is definitely an author for those who enjoy a good story a la Jodi Picoult.

As always a complete review of this book will follow this blog.

Happy reading,

- Beverly

Click on the book cover to order the title mentioned in today's blog

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