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#176 ~ 84, Charing Cross Road

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

84, Charing Cross Road has to be one of the most charming books I’ve read in a long time.  It also showed me how I assume almost everything I read is fiction.  It took me about a quarter of the book to think: “The American has the same name as the author.”  This book is a compilation of actual letters written between Helene, a starving American writer who loves high quality (read not American) used books, and the staff of the Marks & Co., Booksellers at 84, Charing Cross Road in London, England.  While a majority of the correspondence is between Helene and Frank Doel, a couple of his co-workers write to her on the sly.  Eventually, even his wife end up writing to Helene.  This relationship spans 40 years and is a testament to the friendships that can be made through the love of books.

This book, at just a scant 97 pages, was a quick read.  I bought it around lunch time on a Saturday afternoon and had it finished before dinner -  including time out for the family.  I loved the life and humor in the letters.  I loved the distinction between American ways of communicating and the more traditional and formal British.  Helene’s constant good-natured ribbing of Frank was so delightful.  Clearly Helene takes after my Dad’s family – they only tease the people they like.  The best example occurs after Frank inquires as to whether Helene would like him to send her a particular volume.  He was inclined to ask because she is on a tight budget, doesn’t much care for first editions, and she hadn’t previously requested it.  Here is Helene’s response:

he has a first edition of Newman’s University for six bucks, do i want it, he asks innocently.

Dear Frank:

Yes, I want it.  I won’t be fit to live with myself. I’ve never cared about first editions per se, but a first edition of THAT book –!

oh my.

i can just see it.

As with The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, this book highlighted the lost art of letters.  Just because we can now almost instantaneously communicate with nearly everyone around the world whenever we want to, it doesn’t mean that we haven’t lost something.  Today, I can email, text, or leave a comment on Facebook 24/7.  Because it takes so little effort, there is something lacking.  When all communication took days and weeks to arrive, I think people were more attentive to what they wrote.  They put more of themselves into the process.  I don’t need to take the time to be sure I’ve included everything anymore because following up is just another click away.  Don’t get me wrong, I love to receive emails, etc.  I always will.  They will never, however, replace a hand written or even typed letter.

I cannot say enough about 84, Charing Cross Road.  I so appreciate that Helene and the staff at Marks & Co. consented to publishing the letters.  As with The Uncommon Reader, this book is a tribute to readers everywhere. Although these letters began shortly after the end of World War II, the love of books and the kinship between book lovers is universal and timeless. This book is a treasure worthy of owning and reading repeatedly.

+++++

Slightly off topic: I attempted to buy this book the last time I was at a large, chain bookseller.  I couldn’t remember the author’s name, but I remembered the title.  After waiting 10-ish minutes at the Customer Service desk, they were unable to find the book in their database.  I had them try “84 Charing Cross Road” and “82 Charing Cross Road” (they made me second guess myself).  By the time we were both ready to give up, it was too late for me to wait again in line to purchase a book anyway.  After the kids went to bed that evening, I typed “Charing Cross Road” in to the same bookseller’s website.  First item returned? The movie.  The second item returned? The book.  Why in the world would a company make the in-store database so picky (only reason I can figure that they wouldn’t have found the book) while the website is so robust?  If I worked there I would be on the website.  Even then, how could a person working in a bookstore not know about this book????  Snarky, I know.  The proprietor at Printer’s Ink, my new favorite independent bookstore, didn’t know what I was talking about either.  Tsk. Tsk.

******

To buy this book, click here
.

#175 ~ Baggage Claim

Baggage Claim by Tanya Michna

Beth Overton comes up with a brilliant idea after learning that her only daughter Joy is expecting her first baby – she flies from Atlanta to Houston to surprise her husband with the news.  Beth is not at all confident in herself or her marriage, so she is hoping to  rekindle the romance along the way.  What she discovers in Houston is not at all what she had been expecting.  After the shock that her husband has a secret and severe gambling problem, she finds that she’d actually gotten to the hotel with someone else’s luggage.  The mix-up in the baggage claim and her encounter with stoic and self-assured Carly Frazier would leave just as much impact on Beth’s life as her husband’s betrayal.

I was intrigued with this novel when I first heard about it.  I found the concept of having an accidental baggage switch alter the lives of both women very interesting.  Over the course of the upcoming months, they get to know each other.  As different as they both think they are from each other, it proves to be superficial.  Beth’s go-to notion that maintaining a home and family is what provides meaning and salvation to her life is something that grew within her from her father and his teachings.  Carly’s compulsive desire to constantly do more and be more is directly related to her overbearing and emotionally abusive father.  They both tended to go to the extremes and all it did was make them second guess themselves.  As they continued to observe each other, they learned how to see the other sides of themselves.  As a result, they were better able to live and love in piece.

Baggage Claim was a well written and satisfying novel.  It explores the way in which the major male influences in a woman’s life – her father and husband – can impact her choices and self-confidence.  Ultimately, it’s when women learn to appreciate our innate talents and take control of our lives that we can be happy with ourselves and in our relationships.  This novel would make a great read on vacation.  Then again, you might want to read this first.  It just might prompt you to be more careful when packing your luggage.  You never know who might be picking it up at the airport.

*******

To read this novel, click here.

Sunday Salon ~ To D.C. and Back

I finally got my pictures back from my trip to D.C. earlier this month. I wish that I could say they were worth the wait, but they were most definitely not. I forgot to bring the digital camera with me, but was “lucky” enough to have an unused, cheap disposable camera I got at a conference last year. Well, you get what you prepare for it seems.

The Wednesday of the week I was in Alexandria I met Swapna and Deborah at Chadwicks, a restaurant with great food and a nice atmosphere. We started off with a wonderful appetizer and chatted throughout the entire meal.  I just realized that Miss Deborah is now Mrs. Deborah.  Congratulations!  I hope that your big day was beautiful!  At the end of the evening, Nicole, my co-worker, took some pictures of us. This camera, even with the flash activated, did not do well inside. Here is the picture of the three of us:

We’re all actually quite beautiful when you remove all of the graininess.

The next evening we ventured into D.C. proper.  The last time I was there was eons ago.  I can’t remember if my siblings and I went to the Mall when we were there in ‘96, but we did during the summer of ‘88, which was the first time I was there.  Needless to say, when my husband and I were on the Mall in September for the National Book Festival, my eyes were on the tents, books, and authors, not on the Capitol.

Here is a picture of me expressing my love of Michigan.  I can’t remember what this monument was, but each state and territory was represented.

We also saw the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.

All of my pictures from inside the Lincoln Memorial did not turn out.  One awesome thing that happened as we walked down the steps was hearing a boy’s choir from Illinois sign the National Anthem, America, the Beautiful and a medley of Lincoln’s speeches.  It was an awesome experience, especially the National Anthem.  They were incredible.  I’d never heard a boy’s choir in person before.

After leaving the Lincoln Memorial, we went to the Vietnam Memorial.  I remember visiting there in ‘88.  I thought it was neat then.  Now I found it very touching and sad.  I realize now that those soldiers were really just babies (and I mean that in the most respectful way).  There were so many of them, too.  God bless them all.  I called my Aunt Lucy while I was there.  Here brother, Kenneth R. Endsley, was killed in action on June 2, 1967.  He was a Marine.  Despite the 42 years that have passed, Aunt Lucy remembers his death like it was yesterday.  I hadn’t fully realized until that moment that he saved my father’s life.  Dad had decided to enlist in the Marines instead of being drafted.  Kenneth was killed within weeks of when my dad was supposed to enlist.  His death made my dad decide to wait to be drafted.  Had he been a Marine, there is little doubt that he would have been sent to Vietnam.  In the Army, he was one of only three members of his basic training unit who were sent to Germany instead of Vietnam.  I found his name on E21.  It was the first name in row 33.  I made the best tracing I could with thick journal paper and a pen.  I traced each letter of his name with my finger and said a prayer for him.  There might not have been a Literate Housewife without the sacrifice that Kenneth R. Endsley made.  I cannot thank him enough.

Have you recently traveled to an interesting place?  If so, I sure hope your pictures turned out better than mine. LOL!

My aha moment ~ Passionate about Reading

While I was in Washington D.C. last week I was contacted by a firm working with Mutual of Omaha’s aha moment tour.  They found my blog, read my About page, and asked me to share my aha moment with them over the weekend while the aha moment team was in Roanoke.  I was flabbergasted to say the very least.  I have no idea how I was found amidst the millions of blogs and websites out there, but I was honored that they did.  After checking with Danny to make sure that we had time Saturday morning, I agreed and scheduled my time.

The aha moment team travels with an Airstream camper decked out with all the sound and video equipment they need.  Let me tell you, for those 15 minutes I felt like a star.  Glenn is from Michigan and we had a nice conversation about how wonderful our home state is.  He will be sharing his aha moment when they reach Grand Rapids (my beloved hometown) in July.  Brett took the wonderful pictures of me that you see below and Katie led me through the video.  It was an experience to remember and it reminded me of why I blog and of all the blessings I have in my life.  If you were ever curious about the hows and whys surrounding The Literate Housewife Review, this is it.  I hope it conveys my enthusiasm for reading, blogging, and community.  You, my readers, are very much a part of my aha moment.

Click on the graphic to watch the video itself.  I should be getting a widget from the team soon to put in my sidebar, but I haven’t figured out a way to embed the video itself.

My aha moment is, of course, special to me, but there are so many brilliant people on the website.  I was especially impressed by my fellow Roanokers.  Here is a link to the article written by the Roanoke Times.  Check out the aha moment website and their tour dates and locations.  If you have an aha moment you’d like to share, the team is only a tweet away.

Thanks for the Thrills

I cannot express how much I loved Michael Jackson’s Thriller. I loved every song and played the heck out of the album. I had posters of Michael Jackson in my junior high locker, and Billie Jean is my favorite pop song ever.  I remember the night the video to Thriller premiered on television so well that I can almost smell and taste the popcorn. 

R.I.P., Michael.  You will be missed, but thanks for leaving us with the thrills.

We Have Our Winners!

I’ve finally drawn for my two open contests and I’m pleased to announce the following winners!

Admission ~ Laura from I’m Booking It

Please send me your mailing address and I’ll get it to Miriam at Hatchette ASAP.  Please let me know if sometime in July still works for you.  For the rest of you who have read the book and would like to participate, I’ll be posting the dates as the time gets closer.

4Rs Reading Challenge ~ Sandy from You Gotta Read This

Please send me your address.  I’ll mail off your summery window clings and a summer read that I’ll pick out for you as a surprise.

Congratulations to both winners!

Color Me Tired…

I’m sorry I haven’t been a very active blogger for the past week.  Normally I can get a lot done while I’m away from home, but I was just beat the entire time I was in DC.  I didn’t even get that much read while I was gone.  Maybe 150 pages total.  That’s a big MAYBE.  That hasn’t changed since I’ve gotten back home, either.  Saturday I spent pretty much the whole day with my family.  Sunday I was tired – much more so than I should have been.  I was able to finish Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos, though (really enjoyed it!).  Yesterday I went to sleep with the girls and didn’t get up until 7:30 this morning.  As a result, I’m behind on my reviews and my reading.

I think my body and mind are going on strike.  I can’t expect to get 5 hours of sleep a night forever.  I’m hoping to find some sense of equilibrium again this week.  I thought having the girls at the same facility would make life easier, but it hasn’t.  They do so much there that it’s hard to keep up with everything they need.  Also, the location closes at 6 instead of 6:30 and I’m no longer 1.5 minutes from them.  I have to do a better job planning my exit from work.  The girls and I got their outfits ready last night and organized their shoes and flip-flops before bed.  I think that will help out tremendously if we keep that up.  Emma is so picky about what she wears, but I think having her pick it out the night before gives her a sense of ownership (okay, that sounds so much like my project management class from last week…) and she’s happy to get dressed because it was her choice.

Looking forward…

Reviews ~
Hopefully I’ll post the following reviews before Sunday: Baggage Claim, 84, Charing Cross Road, and Belong to Me.  I also have two giveaways I need to post about – Admission (which both Swapna and Deborah enjoyed), and the 4Rs Reading Challenge winner.  I’m planning on List Randomizing for those tonight and posting those together.  Please keep in mind that my body is most definitely on strike so that may be postponed if I can’t stay awake any longer than my children.

Other Posts ~
I’m also hoping to post about my Tweet up with Swapna and Deborah (fun!) and my excursion into DC as soon as my film comes back.  I also have two other posts brewing: my experience taping my aha moment courtesy of Mutual of Omaha (can’t wait until it’s ready later this week) and my girls’ first book signing.  CeCe Bell is a local children’s author and illustrator.  She celebrated the publication of her latest book, Itty Bitty, at the Meadowbrook Public Library in Shawsville, VA.  I have a ton of pictures on my digital camera as well as a signed copy to give away.  If you have young children and haven’t read any of CeCe’s books, you’re missing out!  My favorite Sock Monkey book is Sock Monkey Goes to Hollywood.

Continued Reading ~
After finishing Belong To Me, I started First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria by Eve Brown-Waite.  I’ve only read the first two chapters, but it has a great sense of humor about it.  I can’t imagine what the author is going to say about her time in Africa.  I’m also looking forward to reading The Moonflower Vine, Hedge-Fund Wives, and The Angel’s Game.

#174 ~ Palace Circle

Palace Circle by Rebecca Dean

Palace Circle, which I found to be pleasant but not striking or enduring, is hard for me to summarize. It starts by telling the story of Delia, a spirited 18-year-old American girl who quickly falls in love with and marries a much older, widowed English gentleman. About the only thing she gets out of the marriage is her title.  Her husband begins their marriage in love with another woman and he has no plans of ending his affair. All he wanted from her was an heir. Despite her initial devestation, Delia blossoms socially in London and eventually finds the love she’s looking for when her husband’s connection to the Crown sends the family to Eygpt. This is a straight forward story line except it is then that the narration then shifts from Delia’s daughter Petra, to her daughter Davina, and then a man in each of their lives. This serves to tell much more about the politics of the years leading up to the second World War, but it felt disjointed to me.  I also found the central secret to be unbelievable in that Delia had no clue how it was resolved. Overall, had the story been told by an omniscient narrator I would have enjoyed it more.

******
To buy this novel, click here.

Back in the Noke

After a business trip to the DC area, I’m finally back home in the Noke (that’s twice just for you, Kathy!).  I will be posting more later today.  Thanks to everyone who has supplied ideas for the third Dog Days of Summer Week.  I will be posting my selection and the winner of the contest later this weekend.  I also have two other contests that I need to draw for.  I’ll do those today, too.  It will feel good to get back in the saddle again.

For those of you participating in Blogiesta, good luck!  I’m waving my pompoms for you!  I can’t wait to see your progress.

The Dog Days of Summer

I don’t know about where you live, but Southwestern Virginia has been hot and muggy (when it’s not raining) for the past week or so.  Summer has arrived and I’m sure that the heat and humidity will only intensify.  During this time, I’ve walked through the stickiness to the mailbox and found two books that in one way or the other deal with dogs:

The Art of Racing the Rain by Garth Stein, sent to me by HarperCollins
Secrets of Happiness by Sarah Dunn, which I won from Beth Fish Reads (whoo hoo!!!)

These things together reminded me of the phrase the “dog days of summer.”  This in turn got me thinking of hosting a fun theme week here by that name.  When inspiration hits me this fast, I tend to go with it.  So, the week of August 24th will officially be The Dog Days of Summer week at The Literate Housewife Review!  There will be prizes like books, rub-ons, and limited edition bookmarks!  Since this just occurred to me this evening, I don’t have the entire thing sketched out yet, but I think you’re getting the idea.

Preliminary Contest

There is one thing I know is missing –  a third book for the week.  I want to highlight three books about dogs that week, but I only have two.  I need a third book.  This is where you, my beloved and loyal readers come in.  I need your suggestions.  The only requirement is that it not be a recent release (last five years).  I’d like to read something that’s offf the radar so to speak.  Any ideas?

+  + 

To sweeten the deal, there will be a prize leading up to Literate Housewife’s Dog Days of Summer.  I’m going to pick the one that interests me the most, but every person who leaves a comment with a suggestion will be entered.  The prize?  You will be guaranteed one of the limited edition bookmarks and I will send you three books from my pile.  What are you waiting for?  Leave me a suggestion!

This preliminary Dog Days of Summer contest is open until Friday, July 3rd at 11:59 pm EST.  I’ll announce the winner on July 4th.

Would you Like to Participate?

If you would also like to celebrate the dog days of summer by reading these books or reading your own canine selections, feel free!  I’m going to scare up a cool graphic to go along with the event.  I’ll post it when I announce the winner.  If there is sufficient interest, I’ll add Mr. Linky to that post as well.  By the end of August, we’re going to need something fun to get us through until Labor Day.

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