Ch-ch-ch-ch changes
Between my mother's final illness & travelling around the world without a laptop, I've been negligent in writing for you. So here, at last, are some book reviews and updates.
A Death, a Birth, and an Over-the-top Wedding
It has been quite the few months, so apologies for the long time without a newsletter. I’ll start with the book reviews, for those of you who are here for the books and not my personal life. Then I’ll have a few photos and news about why the time gap.
Book Review: More or Less Maddy, by Lisa Genova
If you’ve helped loved ones with dementia, there’s a good chance you’ve read or seen the movie, Still Alice, about a university professor who gets dementia. The same author, Lisa Genova, has now written a book about a first-year university student who is diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
When I picked up More or Less Maddy, I didn’t know what it was about, so at first I was annoyed by the protagonist’s irrational behaviour. But soon it hit me what was going on. Luckily, I haven’t had to deal with bipolar disorder in my immediate family, but I have witnessed its devastating effects on the families of friends. From what I’ve seen, this book nails it. It also gives you a great window into what it feels like to live with the disorder.
I’ve started several other books over the past few months, but most were DNFs (Did Not Finish). Surprisingly, one of those was Barbara Kingsolver’s The Lacuna. I have loved all the books of hers that I’ve read (see, for example, my review of Demon Copperhead, one of my all-time favourite novels). But with The Lacuna I was listening to the audiobook, which Kingsolver narrates herself. She’s not a bad reader, but I found her reading style offputting. Maybe eventually I’ll try reading instead of listening to it. Have you read it? What did you think?
Mini-Review: Fearful Breakers, by Janice Sebring
Janice Sebring, one of the women in a writers group I belong to, recently published Fearful Breakers, an interesting story of a young Cuban who ends up a reluctant crew member on a tall ship that travels the region doing shady deals and navigating the complexities of countries warring for control of the region in the 1760s. I was so impressed by Janice’s knowledge of tall ships and the history of the time and place. If you want to be immersed in that world, I’d recommend the book. Lots of adventure, and a realistic look at life’s tradeoffs. As someone who doesn’t know her port from her starboard though, I would have preferred it to be tighter. That said, I’m looking forward to the continuing adventures of young Jose.
A cool book marketing idea: Janice put together a Fearful Breakers playlist on Spotify. And if audio is your thing, there’s an audiobook of the novel out now as well.
What I’ve Been Up To
The summer was largely taken up with helping my 94-year-old mother, Rheva Frank (aka Alpha), who died on August 31.
She was an impressive woman, who inspired many with fitness videos in her 80s and 90s (she was 92 in this one), the huge difference she made to the lives of families with autistic children in the 1970s when few people had heard of autism, and her intelligent discussions of so many topics. You can read Rheva's obituary here.
Ten days after her death we were booked to fly to our daughter’s wedding in India. Now that was an event! (Actually a week of events.) It’s impossible to pick a cornerstone photo or video (there was a team of 6 photographers and videographers, and an indoor drone!), but this gives you a little taste.
After the wedding we figured we’d keep flying east around the globe, so we continued to Sri Lanka, then Australia and, eventually, Victoria, Canada, where we finally got to hold our first grandchild, who was born the same week as the wedding.
I’ve got to say, as satisfying as travel and writing are, nothing is quite as cozy and wonderful as cuddling this little sweetie!
Odds are I won’t get another newsletter out before the holidays, so just in case, I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season. What books do you plan to read or give to others this December?