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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review Taste My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci

    April 20, 2022
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    As you likely know, I love food. I love to cook, eat and I especially like to explore foods of the world when I travel. I find the connection of food to world cultures utterly fascinating. And I like food so much I even like reading about food. So I knew I would like this book. Here is my book review Taste My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci.

    I had heard of Stanley Tucci’s “Searching for Italy” show on CNN, but since I don’t own a TV I had never watched it. It had really good reviews, and so did this book, so I dived right in.

    It’s always fun to see another side of a celebrity, and Tucci an award winning actor has a profound foodie side. Not just from his Italian American heritage but about food from travels around the world. In this book he defines himself now as less of an actor and more of a foodie.

    The book is a collection of anecdotes from his childhood and college, first and second marriage, acting, writing and traveling. The book includes a wonderful collection of recipes too…and I intend to use these soon.

    He also is surprisingly funny. It’s been awhile since I laughed out loud while reading…what is funny about food? Well, when the author is Stanley Tucci there is a lot of funny.

    I had a fun and mouth watering read of this short and easy book. I hope you enjoyed my book review Taste My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci.

    *****Five stars for Taste My Life Through Food

    My current read The Mermaid’s Chair by Sue Monk Kidd

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    Read last week’s book review The Island of Missing Trees

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak

    April 13, 2022
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    For those of you who have been following My Fab Fifties Life for awhile, you probably remember we were trapped for two months on the island of Cyprus when the world shut down in March 2020. Although we were on lockdown and didn’t get to see any of the sites, it remains one of the most amazing experiences of our life. Since 2020 we have counted the days until we could return to this beautiful island, which we will do on June 23rd. So, in preparation for that return visit, we read this beautiful book. Here is my book review The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak.

    Cyprus

    Even if you never intend to visit Cyprus, you should read this book. Isn’t that what is so great about reading anyway…it transports you to somewhere new? The tiny island of Cyprus is one of the most remarkable places I have been…and I don’t think many people know anything about it. The supposed birthplace of Aphrodite this island has seen so much violence and Civil War. Once a British Colony, it became war torn in 1974 when the island was split between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots. Today the border conflict remains and this is the story behind The Island of Missing Trees.

    1970’s -2010

    The story spans forty years but begins in London in 2010 when we meet Ada, a 15 year old troubled young girl who has recently lost her mother. At first I’m not sure where this young lady fits in, but slowly the story unfolds of her parents love. Her father Kostas, a Greek Cypriot and her mother Defne a Turkish Cypriot are caught up in a forbidden love, just as Cyprus falls deep into Civil War. But how the story gets to London in 2010 is a sad and deep yarn.

    The Honorable Fig Tree

    Some people might find this part of the book strange, but I absolutely loved that this story is narrated by an old Fig Tree. This tree has stood for generations and has been witness to so much joy, love, grief, war and loss. And still it lives. Although it took me awhile to understand the narrator was a tree, it really added a depth to the story.

    Book Review The Island of Missing Trees

    Shafka builds a beautiful story, with so much reminiscent of today’s horrifying political unrest in Eastern Europe. The Island of Missing Trees at it’s core is about how politics (and politicians), civil unrest, war and strife cause untenable pain and damage for generations of human beings. So timely for today’s violent world. I hope you enjoyed my book review The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak.

    *****Five stars for The Island of Missing Trees

    Read last week’s review of Voices of the 21st Century

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review Voices of the 21st Century by Gail Watson and Heather Markel

    Conscious, Caring Women Who Make a Difference

    April 6, 2022
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    One of the most fun things for me about traveling all over the world and being a travel writer, is meeting so many other travelers and travel writers. One travel writer I consider a friend is Heather Markel, despite the fact we have never met in person! Heather and I will meet for the first time when I am in New York later this month. She has a wonderful story about how she became a full-time traveler, and it is one story featured in this week’s book. Here is my book review Voices of the 21st Century by Gail Watson and Heather Markel.

    Voices of the 21st Century

    This book is the fifth in a series of Voices of the 21st Century books, highlighting women who make a difference. This book focuses on a series of inspirational essays where women from all walks of life and from many countries share. From triumphs to tragedies, these brave women motivate and galvanize through their writing. They influence and encourage other women to overcome, validate and soar.

    My Favorites

    I really enjoyed reading all of these essays (a total of 50) but certainly had a few I identified with the most. Of course I enjoyed my friend Heather’s story (page 97) about leaving the corporate chaos for a life of travel. And here are a few more that really spoke to me;

    Clearing the Clutter by Sandra Ateca page 5

    Dear Younger Me by Kim Combs page 25

    Impacting the World One Child at a Time by Dr. Gloria Gonzalez page 41

    Dear Zan: A Letter to My Younger Self by Zaneta Varnado Johns page 61

    Nature is Conscious by Chiara Marrapodi page 101

    An Ever-Evolving Journey: Coal-Mine Canary to Living Legend by Dr. Michelle St. Jane page 133

    Calling All Parents: Don’t Forget to Say Thank You by Janet J. Sawyer EdD page 149

    And many more…as you can tell from the variety of titles these women discuss a wide range of experiences, challenges and achievements. There is truly something for everyone in this book. I enjoyed getting to know these remarkable women through their individual stories. I think you would too. Thank you for reading my book review Voices of the 21st Century by Gail Watson and Heather Markel.

    Four Stars for Voices of the 21st Century

    Read last week’s book review Short Night’s of the Shadow Catcher

    My current read Taste – My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review Short Nights Of The Shadow Catcher by Timothy Egan

    The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis

    March 30, 2022
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    This book is one that I read for my book club, and I likely would never have picked it up otherwise. But I am glad I did. This is unlike most of the books I read, but it was fascinating; a historical look at one of America’s least known historians. Someone who has roots right in my own back yard. Here is my book review Short Nights Of The Shadow Catcher by Timothy Egan.

    Handsome, brilliant, talented Edward Curtis could have chosen many paths. But when an accident and injury as a young man caused him to discover photography his life would change forever. And with it the lives of thousands of people in the blossoming United States.

    Leaving his family in the pioneering outback of Port Orchard and traveling by boat to the lumber boom town of Seattle, Edward Curtis became one of the best known photographers in the world. Starting with a photo of Princess Angeline, the last surviving daughter of Chief Sealth (Seattle).

    Egan follows the story of Curtis’ life for the decades that follow, where he gives up everything to pursue a dream; a dream to capture and record the disappearing Native American tribes before it was too late. For thirty years Curtis will risk his life, as well as his family and finances in an effort to produce the series of books of photos of the American Indian.

    It would take everything he had. And the real recognition of his talent and contribution to preservation of the Native American and American West would not be realized until long after his death. The book is a captivating account of his life and passion, the period in the burgeoning USA as well as in my home state of Washington as well as a factual account of the tribes and people who are the real true Americans.

    I really enjoyed this book and learned so much. Thank you for reading my book review Short Nights Of The Shadow Catcher by Timothy Egan.

    Read last week’s review The Cactus League.

    My current read Voices of the 21st Century.

    See this week’s top performing pin here – Book Review Rules of Civility.

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review Hell of a Book – A Novel by Jason Mott

    February 9, 2022
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    In it’s core this book is about being Black in America. The remarkable story is told through the eyes of a small child named Soot, an award winning author whose name we never learn and an imaginary child called The Kid. This is the story of being Black in America. Here is my book review Hell of a Book – A Novel by Jason Mott.

    Beautifully written to capture the reader from the very first page. We follow what appears to be two different story lines about two different people; a small child much loved and protected by his parents and an author on a book tour of his popular new novel.

    Both characters are black. Both are American. Where is this story going. Is it about a book? Or is it about a child?

    Mott builds the plot as these two stories converge and the reader tries to keep them separate but finds it impossible to. We never completely know if they are separate stories or one? What we do know is this book eloquently and in a very unique way is a story about family, love and success. But then we see it’s also about the reckoning in America with Black Lives Matter, police shootings and tragedy.

    Someone will die. Who?

    Thank you for reading my Book Review Hell of a Book – A Novel by Jason Mott

    ****Four Stars for Hell of a Book – A Novel by Jason Mott

    My current read The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz

    Read last week’s Book Review Stones From the River by Ursula Hegi

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue

    Reading Wednesday

    November 27, 2019
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    Mbue, an immigrant from Limbe Cameroon, weaves a fictional tale of immigrants like herself, who make their way from Cameroon in search of the American Dream in New York. My book review Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue is fiction but a near to true story of the hardship of immigrants in the USA.

    Both a love story and an American tragedy, Behold the Dreamers brings to life the incredible characters of Jenda Jonga and his wife Neni and their sweet and small children. The Jonga family has worked for years to make their way to New York City, land of dreams and opportunity.

    We are introduced to the Edward’s family. Husband Clark and wife Cindy with children Vince and Mighty. Clark is a high powered financial investor with the ill-fated Lehman Brothers. Cindy a New York socialite hiding and running from her past.

    These two families will collide in a sad but believable look at how two very different families navigate the financial collapse of 2008, the nearly impossible American immigration system as well as the challenges of race, class, substance abuse and marriage in America.

    A remarkable debut novel for Imbolo Mbue. Five stars for Behold the Dreamers.

    Read last week’s review of The Glass Castle

    Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue
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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls

    Reading Wednesday

    November 20, 2019
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    I found this true story very similar to Tara Westover’s “Educated”. A deep and disturbing look at how children survive growing up in dysfunctional, often violent, and deeply impoverished family.

    Tracing Jeannette Walls climb out of poverty and neglect to her life today as a successful writer and contributor for the likes of Esquire and MSNBC. The Glass Castle is an astonishing look at an all to common and oft ignored American tragedy of childhood neglect.

    Jeannette Walls and her three siblings are raised by a brilliant father who is also a raging alcoholic. Her free-spirited mother has little interest in domestic life, leaves her children to fend for themselves, even when she has the financial opportunity to provide and pull them out of despair and poverty.

    The Walls children are forced to learn to take care of themselves and each other, nearly starving or freezing to death in the cold winters.

    Eventually making her way to New York, getting an education and a good job, Jeannette finds it impossible to talk about her upbringing or the fact that her parents are living homeless on the streets of New York. She is ashamed of them and the way they live. Until she is encouraged by those closest to her, to tell this real life story of surviving neglect and despair, even while still loving her parents.

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Four stars for The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. Read last week’s review of My Sister’s Keeper.

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    The Glass Castle by Jodi Picoult
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