Firefly Lane, Kristin Hannah

Firefly Lane, Kristin Hannah

My daughter has been telling me that she has heard so many good things about the author Kristin Hannah and her books, so I have been picking them up in my thrifting adventures. This is the first one to resurface in my TBR pile.

This is the story of two girls the same age, in the Snowqualmie or Snohomish Washington area (outside Seattle), I can't remember now which. But they are as different as night and day, one coming from a down to earth traditional family, and the other a lone child living with her drugged out, hippie mother.

The story shows how they became friends and spans decades of their friendships and relationships. One becomes spectacular as a journalist and talk show host, while the other becomes spectacularly ordinary in the eyes of the world, choosing family and motherhood over her aspirations to be a writer. Yet despite their different lifestyles, they remain friends until that one fateful day...

It kind of reminds me of Beaches. I saw the movie but I haven't read the book.

SPOILER ALERT

If you haven't read it, then don't read any farther as this next part contains a SPOILER

The last part of this book was not easy for me to read. A character in the book, I won't say who, but they end up with cancer, and it shows the terror of finding out and receiving a death sentence, and the eventuality of their demise and how it affects their loved ones as well as their own outlook on life.

The reason why this is so hard for me is because it was like reading what happened to my sister, Cathy, who had Ewing Sarcoma, a cancer for which there is NO hope of recovery. It was terrifying the thought of losing my sister, and to try to do all I could to help her, to pray for her, and watch her life and health destruct before us, completely helpless to do anything but let her know we were there and would always love her. It's a hard thing for me to relive, which is why I still steer clear of books and movies that I know touch on this.

However, I know the author added this to the book because it's how her mother passed, and it affected her so greatly, she wanted to write about it to make people aware of the specific type of cancer she died from. It was her way of trying to make some good come out of it and I commend her for it. 

 

Historic Homes of Baker City, Volume 1: The Baker's Dozen, Crossroads and HBC

Historic Homes of Baker City, Vol 1

This is another small book produced as a collaboration between Crossroads Carnegie Art Center and Historic Baker City, and includes 12 historic homes in Baker City with some of their history, notable owners or architects/builders, and current owners at time of publication. This was printed in sometime around the mid 80's so owners are out of date. Instead of using photographs, artist Laura Hayse drew some very lovely images of the houses.

I am adding this to my research pile for a project I plan on doing for my hometown of Baker City, Oregon.

 

Historic Baker City: A Walking/Driving Tour

Historic Baker City: A Walking/Driving Tour

Historic Baker City, Inc.

This is a lovely small book from 1985 when Historic Baker City was working hard to revitalize the town of Baker City, restoring historic buildings and trying to bring tourism and growth to the town. With this book, you have information on most of the historic buildings of Baker, where they are located, and when available, some of the history of their previous owners or builders. You can walk or drive around town with this as your guide.

I will be adding this book to my research pile for a project I am planning on starting soon.

 

Peter's Family, by Paul R. Hanna and Genevieve Anderson

Peter's Family

Paul R. Hanna and Genevieve Anderson

This is another lovely vintage Dick and Jane style early reader for social studies, by Scott Foresman, printed in 1942, and illustrated by Charlotte Becker and Ellen Segner. This book is about baby Peter, from the time of his birth until his first birthday. We learn about the nuclear family unit, mother and father, siblings, grandparents, and pets. We learn about family roles, and in this case, Father works, and Mother does not bring in an income, but is very helpful at home taking care of the home and family needs. Both are essential to a well-adjusted family. We learn how children can help at home, and how Father can help at home as well, since everybody lives there and should all take responsibility. We see the family visit the grandparents' farm, and learn about animals and farm chores. We learn about as the family expands, they need to find a bigger home, and how they look until they find the right one, near to a school and market. 

As I have stated before, I just love these old readers and their gorgeous illustrations. This one will also be going into my personal collection. 

 

The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan

The Joy Luck Club

Amy Tan

Who hasn't heard of the Joy Luck Club? I first heard of it as a movie in the 90s. I still haven't seen the movie...but after reading this I will probably give in and pay to rent it on Amazon Prime. 

I believe this is Amy Tan's first novel, the story of a Mah Jong playing group of four Chinese American women, who uprooted their lives in China for different reasons and came to San Francisco to start a new life. These are stories of their lives, and also included are stories of their daughter's lives, told in each character's point of view. We get little pieces of their past and present, and each story when stitched together, creates a bigger picture

I don't know why it took me so long to pick up this book, since I love learning about Asian culture as well as Chinese-American history. The first of Amy Tan's books I read was Saving Fish from Drowning, and I enjoyed that one as well, so I had to move this one up on my TBR list, and am glad I did. 

The author, using the Chinese mothers and Americanized daughters, writes from two culturally different perspectives. The mothers have a definite traditional Chinese perspective including superstitions and just different thought processes. The daughters have more American perspectives and don't always understand or appreciate their mothers or what they experienced before they got to the point of life where they now are in the book. That's something that I appreciate. We don't all have the same perspectives or thought processes, because we don't all have the same life, or the same history or culture. But if we just try to listen and understand, we can learn to connect.

 

The PMA Method, 14 Days to a Stronger, Healthier, Happier You by Faisal Abdalla

The PMA Method, 14 Days to a Stronger, Healthier, Happier You

Faisal Abdalla

I think I must have picked this up from a thrift store. I am always looking for new workouts and recipes, so why not? This trainer bases his wellness around the idea of Positive Mental Attitude, and I can agree with that. Retraining your mind to think positively, to find the positive in negative situations and do away with negativity as a default setting can definitely make a huge impact to your emotional, mental, and physical health. 

Faisal provides 12 different workout programs, or two weeks worth, taking you step by step with photos and instructions so you know how to do each exercise. He also provides 50 recipes for healthy eating.

Unfortunately for me, his cooking style is just not my cup of tea and I won't eat the recipes he has included. 

His workouts look pretty good, but with my foot problems and also arthritis in my feet, many of these HIIT exercises just are a no go for me. If I do them, and I am not saying I can't, but I will either be unable to walk without pain, or my hands will be in excruciating pain for weeks. I have just gotten to a point where they don't hurt all the time, scaling back on certain types of exercise, and I dread that pain. So this book, I think would be great for someone without those physical issues, I just know my body and I have to do other things for my workouts.

This one is going into my Little Free Library.

 

On the Edge: The Art of High-Impact Leadership, Alison Levine

On the Edge: The Art of High-Impact Leadership

Alison Levine

One morning I was at the gym working out, listening to podcasts while I keep busy. I was listening to The School of Greatness with Lewis Howes, and his guest was Alison Levine, who has completed the Adventure Grand Slam, which includes climbing to the top of the highest peak on each of the continents, and including Mount Everest. She was sharing her stories from her adventures and how they correlate to leadership and teamwork. I think this was one of the best podcast episodes I have ever listened to. Each story was fascinating to listen to, and how she brought a lesson out of each one that can be applied in life and leadership, was amazing and eye opening. So of course I had to go home and look up her book and order it, and I am glad I did.

Whether or not you are in any kind of leadership or management, this book is a great read and can be applied to life, if you are a parent, a volunteer, or just have to work or live with other people, which is most of us. She blends storytelling and lessons so expertly, that they will stick in your mind for a long time after you read them.