How is it mid-July already??
I'm pretty much healed from my injury; the short list of things I struggle with or can't do gets shorter all the time. I've done pretty well in keeping up an exercise regimen, some weeks are better than others.
Hit a major snag in trying to sell the house. Had hoped to get in on the market more than a week ago, but now it looks like that avenue might not work. Long story, may get into more later. Ugh. So, yeah, still with my parents. My poor parents. Still hoping I'll be in my own place before the end of August. So much I want to get started on again, including my play.
Oh, and some other big news: I'm going to have an art show! In the process of cleaning out my house, I realized I'd done more painting than I thought! I don't think I would have had enough wall space even in the house for all of them, forget a small one-bedroom apartment. So, I was calling around the various local coffee places and small galleries, and one offered me April 2020 after seeing samples! Woohoo! So, that's one thing I need to do- touch up the many paintings I'd like to sell.
Ah yes, other big news: in early June I checked off a major item off my bucket list. Indeed, it was numero uno on that list. I sang with a choral group that did two Haydn pieces, including Lord Nelson Mass. Casual auditions were held for solo parts, and I was the only chorus member to audition. So I got to do a couple of the soprano solos! And I'm proud of myself- it was three professional singers, several students of two of those professionals, and me. Me, who has had considerable past training but no lessons for more than a decade. I held my own. So, while this was the first time, it won't be the last- not if I have anything to say. While a bit nerve-wracking, because I'd never done anything on this scale, it was also a fun challenge.
This is a rare day when I've been home all day and didn't go out since I've been cleared to drive. A shame too, because it's gorgeous out. Would have loved to go for a swim at the least. But there were some things I really needed to take care of. Some things related to the house, other things related to other matters I won't discuss here, and of course I'm soooo freaking far behind on my book listing. Oy! Like, I think, 10 (?!?!) books. Haven't done that in a while!
Did catch a movie earlier this week; I took off of work Tuesday since I had to work Saturday, and the local movie theater has $5 movies on Tuesdays. So I went to see Spider-Man, Far from Home. Had no pressing desire to see it, other than to kill time but ultimately, I really enjoyed it. Mind you, I felt I was coming in about 2/3rds into a story (I haven't seen a lot of the Marvel films), but I still enjoyed it as a fun, sweet and action-packed summer romp.
Now, on to the Book Mouse's Book Report... and it's going to be a pretty long one!
2. From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime: The Making of Mass Incarceration in America, by Elizabeth Hinton. This was certainly an eye-opening read. The question always comes up: why do our country's jails hold such a disproportionate percentage of people of color, particularly young black and Latino men? And why does America have the greatest percentage of its population behind bars? The answer - essentially, it was designed that way, going back decades. Unwittingly, at times, to be sure. But the history of our ill-fought wars made me ill to read this book at times. We seem to have a history of disregarding preventative measures - even when they are shown to have success - and use only the stick (or in this case, jail) to deal with problems and potential problems. Answers and solutions won't come easy, but reading this book would be a good starting point, at least to illustrate how things got to this point.
3. Zen Happiness, by Jon J. Muth. What's not to love about another book by Muth, featuring his signature panda Stillwater? The sweet and beautiful illustrations are accompanied by short words of wisdom and hope that made me smile. I may have to get my own copy.
4. That Woman: The Life of Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor, by Anne Sebba. Until I read this book, I admit I knew very little about Wallis Simpson, other than the fact that she married the popular King Edward VIII, he abdicated his throne for her, and that she owned the famous "Lobster Dress" designed by famed fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli. I found Sebba's account of the woman who upended the British monarchy quite engaging and entertaining. I had no idea what a crisis this cause Great Britain, and just how divisive the issue was then. Simpson, who was twice divorced, caught the eye of the handsome Prince of Wales; this was sound like the makings of a rags to riches Cinderella story, especially given Simpson's tough and often impoverished background. Nothing could be further from the truth. In the end, they both paid a high price for the marriage. Ironically, the country probably should be grateful to Simpson, which Sebba points out: Edward, while handsome and the idol of I'm sure many young women at the time, he really would not have made a good monarch, particularly during World War II.
I was a bit leery of one aspect of the book: Sebba speculates a good deal on whether Wallis may have had a type of Disorder of Sexual Development (DSD). It's entirely possible, of course, but she offers little in the way of proof. DSD might have explained some of Simpson's behavior- but it might not have had any impact at all.
Other than that, I thought this was a good book on "that woman" and the era she not only grew up in, but helped shape, in her own way.
5. Art & Wonder: An Illustrated Anthology of Visionary Poetry, edited by Kate Farrell. This book combines the artwork by the Metropolitan Museum of Art with poetry that fits the art. The result is a treat. Samples are taken from a variety of countries, poem and art styles, and eras. Really enjoyed this.
6. A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire, by George R.R. Martin. I've been wanting to delve into this book series for some time, and my only regret is not starting sooner. I already knew the gist of this book, having read a graphic novel version that covers about 2/3rds of the first book. I've also seen bits and pieces of the popular television series. There were still enough surprises to keep me hooked. I don't know how Martin keeps all of his characters straight; I bet his notes on the world of Westeros would fill a huge storage unit, top to bottom. For such a huge cast, many of the characters are well-rounded and complex, particularly Cersei and her nemesis Eddard Stark. Catelyn Stark and Varys are probably the most interesting so far. Catelyn is a mother wolf; she has her faults and prejudices (particularly against Jon Snow or anyone not of known bloodlines), but her love for her children cannot be denied. And Varys- he's hard to figure out, but he's fun to watch. Daenerys Targaryen is probably my favorite character so far. Already in one book she has come a long way. Even Cersei, you love to hate her but she does have her moments when you feel a little sorry for her. Just a little. We shall see if that changes as the book series goes on.
7. Black Square: Adventures in Post-Soviet Ukraine, by Sophie Pinkham. An interesting account of modern-day Ukraine, from someone who was there. Pinkham initially went to Ukraine to help combat the HIV epidemic. Her observations on conditions in the country, which span about a decade, are pointed and uncover a lot of the problems- both in the country and in the aid organizations that try to help. Through this book, you meet several people who call the country home. They are seen, unfiltered, as imperfect people with their strengths and faults. Anyone wanting a quick, engaging and relatively current read on that region should pick this book up.
8. The Last Great Strike: Little Steel, the CIO, and the Struggle for Labor Rights in New Deal America, by Ahmed White. White goes into what was then a huge story, and is now largely forgotten: the 1937 steel strikes. Much of this took place in this region, including Youngstown. White goes into how the strikes came about, the uneven success of the unions attempt at organizing the workers and, ultimately, how the corporate heads may have won the 1937 battle but in the end lost the war (at least for a time). This was the last big strike, and there were a lot of injuries, and at least 16 deaths. The Last Great Strike is a well-researched, well-paced book, worth picking up.
9. Chains of Opportunity: The University of Akron and the Emergence of the Polymer Age 1909-2007, by Mark D. Bowles. I read this book for a story I was working on. I had only a vague notion as to what polymers were - which is sad, considering one of the largest institutes for polymer studies is practically in my back yard - and I admit I didn't know a lot of the history of polymers nor of The University of Akron. I braced myself for a dull, dry and technical read, but Bowles delivers a book that kept me interested from start to finish. It was neat not only reading about what a polymer is (basically anything that can be manipulated, such as natural rubber, plastics, even human skin) and the history of polymers and polymer studies. I enjoyed getting this glimpse of an important part of Akron's history.
10. The Hamilton Affair, by Elizabeth Cobbs. I admit when I picked up this book, I thought I was getting a history, a non-fiction. However, I really enjoyed what was between the book covers: more of a narrative non-fiction that reads more like a novel. Cobbs has notes at the end which outlines what was historically accurate (most of it), and what was fictionalized (really, only one or two points). My other Hamilton-based reads were straight non-fiction (yes, I'm a big fan of the musical), so this was a nice change of pace. These historic figures come across well, as living people with their strong points and foibles. All in all, I really enjoyed it.
11. Thirteen Chairs, by Dave Shelton. This was a mixed bag. The premise is a boy goes into a creepy house, where he finds 12 other people. Each tell a ghost story. The stories are connected through the observations and reactions of the others after a story is told, particularly from the boy, Jack. The mystery as to what was ultimately going on was good. It took me a while to figure out. The first two stories would have been better if they were spaced apart more, because they were too much alike (both featured a main character who was so detestable, you were rooting for the ghost). One story was just plain bad (the one with the bells; I read the ending and my first incredulous thought was "you have GOT to be kidding!") I did like the Russian tale, and the little girl's tale, as well as the final story. Probably should mention here I got a galley copy, so it's possible some of these issues were fixed in the final printing. So my verdict: Not bad, it's short, but I've read better.
Currently reading: Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, by George R.R. Martin, Plan of Attack, by Bob Woodward, and Remedy and Reaction: The Peculiar American Struggle over Health Care Reform, by Paul Starr.