Great comedic reader, articulate, interesting and poised� just like her character, Emily Gilmore. Thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her better througGreat comedic reader, articulate, interesting and poised� just like her character, Emily Gilmore. Thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her better through her audio book. At 81+, Kelly is still going strong!...more
A very fast read, but meaningful story. Although fictional, a man encounters one of the “Magdalene Laundries� operated by the Catholic Church in IrelaA very fast read, but meaningful story. Although fictional, a man encounters one of the “Magdalene Laundries� operated by the Catholic Church in Ireland for several decades, finally closed in the mid-1990s.These buildings purportedly housed “fallen women� who became pregnant out of wedlocked. Their babies were stolen and sold, and they were forced into hard labor, in filthy conditions, with little food. This story talks about a man named Billy Furlong, who manages coal and wood supplies in a small Irish village. Although not well off himself with a wife, five growing daughters, and working 6+ days a week, Billy feels moved to help.
Highlight: “concluded that nothing ever did happen again; to each was given days and chances which wouldn’t come back around. And wasn’t it sweet to be where you were and let it remind you of the past for once, despite the upset, instead of always looking on into the mechanics of the days and the trouble ahead, which might never come.�
We all are given opportunities to help others, despite our circumstances. How many of us put self-preservation aside, and do the hard things?...more
This book gave me feelings like “A Man Called Ove� except this time it is a lonely 83 year old woman who moves back to her English town, after having This book gave me feelings like “A Man Called Ove� except this time it is a lonely 83 year old woman who moves back to her English town, after having lived her whole adult life in Australia. We learn that she was widowed, and lost her only son in a tragic accident years earlier. She knows no one and presumedly comes home to die peacefully. However, by happenstance she meets a mouse and becomes his unlikely caregiver. Through this chance meeting, she meets others in her small town and broadens her small life over the course of a week. Charming, sad, warm, funny and ultimately a tale of the power of Community....more
A great psychological thriller filled with twists and turns, romance, setting and interesting characters. At first I liked some of them, disliked and A great psychological thriller filled with twists and turns, romance, setting and interesting characters. At first I liked some of them, disliked and distrusted others, switched around my feelings based on more of the story� who killed Dr Adrienne Hale and why? Is Ethan a devoted husband or crazed killer? Back and forth between coincidence and planned events. I didn’t guess the ending....more
I really wanted to give this a higher rating, the prose was captivating(I listened in audio), however, maybe because of the numerous characters, theirI really wanted to give this a higher rating, the prose was captivating(I listened in audio), however, maybe because of the numerous characters, their difficult to remember names, and abrupt Segway to other characters, I completely lost the thread of how they were related to one another. It was just too complicated and long for me. Maybe reading it would have served me better? ...more
As an adult, I am probably Not the “target market� for this book, however, it was perfect for me! I never learned to draw as a child, and am always frAs an adult, I am probably Not the “target market� for this book, however, it was perfect for me! I never learned to draw as a child, and am always frustrated trying to draw. Mr Sutton’s book provided step-by-step instructions on how to draw many common animals. It was easy to follow and Fun! I have gifted to several friends� children....more
Really enjoyed this book about the power of friendship - especially when the friendships are formed out of necessity in a prison, or through a bookstoReally enjoyed this book about the power of friendship - especially when the friendships are formed out of necessity in a prison, or through a bookstore and a kind retired teacher. The prose, kindness, insight, laughter and sadness made you feel invested in these characters. I learned a lot about prison life, parrots, forgiveness (even when the crime seems unforgivable), and how to view people through more of an open lens....more
What appears as a lightweight, silly book ends up having a lot of meaning. Loss, loneliness, friendship, frustration, inspiration� some of the “feels�What appears as a lightweight, silly book ends up having a lot of meaning. Loss, loneliness, friendship, frustration, inspiration� some of the “feels�
Highlights: “And what no one else knew was the appalling weight of the thing they were carrying inside. The inhuman effort it took sometimes to be normal, and a part of things that appeared both easy and everyday. The loneliness of that.� “acknowledging the truth that everyone was the same, and also unique; and that this was the dilemma of being human.� “He saw that when a person becomes estranged from the things they know, and is a passerby, strange things take on a new significance. And knowing this, it seemed important to allow himself to be true to the instincts that made him Harold, as opposed to anyone else.� “It was as much of a gift to receive as it was to give, requiring as it did both courage and humility.� “miss her all the time. I know in my head that she has gone, but I still keep looking. The only difference is that I am getting used to the pain. It’s like discovering a great hole in the ground. To begin with, you forget it’s there and you keep falling in. After a while, it’s still there, but you learn to walk round it.� “The walk had been an idea inside himself for so long that when other people pledged their belief in it he was touched.� “No one knew the real truth about why he was walking to Queenie. They had made assumptions. They thought it was a love story, or a miracle, or an act of beauty, or even bravery, but it was none of those things. The discrepancy between what he knew and what other people believed frightened him.� “Anybody can do what I’m doing. But you have to let go. I didn’t know that at the beginning but now I do. You have to let go of the things you think you need like cash cards and phones and maps and things.� “I walked because she saved me, and I never said thank you.� “As I walked, I have been remembering so much. Things I didn’t know I’d forgotten.� “You got up, and you did something. And if trying to find a way when you don’t even know you can get there isn’t a small miracle; then I don’t know what is.� “If we can’t be open, Maureen thought, if we can’t accept what we don’t know, there really is no hope.� “He saw that people would make the decisions they wished to make, and some of them would hurt both themselves and those who loved them, and some would pass unnoticed, while others would bring joy.�...more
This book made me think, as “The Measure� did. But it was also a bit of a thriller. Enjoyed this, as I have many of her other novels! What would you dThis book made me think, as “The Measure� did. But it was also a bit of a thriller. Enjoyed this, as I have many of her other novels! What would you do if a stranger on a plane predicted your time/cause of death?
Highlights: “Sometimes I worry I’ve lived the last forty years on autopilot,� says Sue, “like I’m always thinking, okay, I’ll just get through this next thing, then I’ll start living: once I’m married, once the baby is born, once this kid sleeps through the night, once this one is at school, once they’ve all finished school, once Christmas is done, once Easter is done, you know how it goes. The hamster wheel.� “The belief that the probability of future events changes based on past events (assuming those events are independent) is known as the Monte Carlo fallacy, or the gambler’s fallacy� “Everyone loves a particular version of you and when that person is gone that version goes with them.� “But that’s the thing about life: both your wildest dreams and your worst nightmares can come true.� “Was I thinking of death as I boarded the plane and contemplating the fact that everyone on that plane would one day die, and wondering what their causes of death would ultimately be?� “When you live with someone you love, you share all your most trivial concerns: what time should we eat, what time should we leave, what should we watch, I thought they said that rug would be delivered by now, we’ve run out of black pepper, do I have time for a shower, on and on it goes, an endless daily stream of tiny decisions and opinions and thoughts shared, and you don’t even know it’s keeping you alive. you must have one person in your life to whom you can complain about the frustration of your local store continually changing the damned location of the damned condiments. (Why? Leave them be!)� “he decided he would try to find “one good thing� every day and write it down.�
“It is only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on Earth and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up that we begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it were the only one we had. —Elisabeth Kübler-Ros
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