“There should be a movie about your life. But no one would believe it.” - A childhood friend
For as long as I can remember, I have always had difficulty“There should be a movie about your life. But no one would believe it.” - A childhood friend
For as long as I can remember, I have always had difficulty making eye contact. If I went to the store to pick up a few things or go for a stroll through the park, I would time it for oddball hours so that I wouldn’t run into anyone. If I went to a packed movie theatre, I would pray, “Please don’t sit next to me.” My absolute nightmare occurred when a co-worker suggested that all four of us stay in one hotel room in Vegas “for like 20 bucks.” Um yeah. I would rather pay $200 for that never to happen.
And without making eye contact and essentially shunning society, it has been really difficult forming meaningful social connections. Surprise. Surprise!
Knowing something needed to change, I began therapy. After receiving a C-PTSD diagnosis, my therapist recommended this book.
Now, a lot of things make more sense. Some of the passages really resonated with me, and I shared them with loved ones.
The author is certainly not just a cuckoo with a keyboard. Not only is van der Kolk a medical doctor, but he has also worked at The Boston State Hospital, The Boston Veterans Administration, and The Trauma Center. He has decades of experience in this field, and he backs up many of his assertions with scientific studies.
In this book, van der Kolk discusses various healing techniques that have been proven effective. To be completely upfront, van der Kolk is not a big pusher of medication. He acknowledges the drawbacks to medication and openly admits that without other interventions, the patient will likely regress back to his or her starting position if medication is discontinued. Medication is not a cure.
PTSD is challenging, and certain methods in the healing process can be more or less effective based on the type of PTSD that you have. For example, in one study patients received EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) sessions. After 8 months, the cure rate was 73% for the adult-onset group while only 25% for those with histories of child abuse.
My only criticism of this book is that it is only the beginning. For example, van der Kolk mentions how neurofeedback has been particularly effective in recovery from PTSD. However, there isn’t enough information in the book about how to do it. Do you have to go see someone or can you just buy a little gizmo off the internet?
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Softcover Text – $11.51 from Amazon
My therapist recommended this book. Yep. I have a therapist now.
Didn’t I tell you thatWelcome aboard the train wreck of my life!
I’m glad you’re here.
My therapist recommended this book. Yep. I have a therapist now.
Didn’t I tell you that I’m heartbroken? I lead a quiet life, a small life, and I am frightfully alone, afraid that I will leave this world unseen.
If you want a hoot, I highly recommend checking the notes and highlights I shared (sorry only available on desktop, not GoodReads app).
When I grew up, my parents were both bottom 10 percent parents. Between my father and stepmother, there were 5 children. All of them ran away except me.
Certain emotions were not tolerated. “Go to your room, you crybaby! Get out of my sight!” In addition to the emotional abuse, I was subject to lashings and slaps. To this day, I still have nightmares because I had to practice jumping out the window to plan my escape if things got too bad!
To avoid being on the receiving end of wrath, I attempted to be invisible.
This book talks about Traits Associated with Emotional Immaturity, and it was quite enlightening.
My father used to rely on a saying, "Children are resilient." This was used to absolve him of all responsibility for the absolute horrors that were inflicted upon me. I wasn't resilient. My parents broke me so profoundly me that it has impacted my life every single day for the past 30 years.
Years after I left the house of horrors, I received an application. My father wanted to host a foster child. Would I support his grant of a foster child? I wrote a resounding no in reply, pleading on behalf of the child that he or she would never know stability.
What was my father's response? Was it a gesture of healing?
He laughed. That's right. He laughed and said, "You weren't the only one to write a negative response."
Fast forward to today. For the last two years, although I was seeking emotional intimacy, I became enmeshed with another person.
How are you supposed to feel when you discover that the person you adore doesn’t care about you? That when you reach out your hand and know no one will take it. That everything you gave, everything you said, every whispered moment, being the first and last text meant nothing.
This book helped me understand that he wants to live in the moment, forgetting the past hurts, not planning the future, only doing what feels good in the moment.
He still wonders why he would have to work on being my friend.
Let’s take a look:
He didn’t ask me if I needed anything. He didn’t offer to send money to cover our business supplies when we parted ways. He didn’t bother to ask me about my big project coming up. He didn’t say Happy Mother’s Day. He didn’t once read to me from Walden (our favorite book). He didn’t ask to call me. Hey, I know you love the sound of my voice. He didn’t say hey I am glad you are here or it is nice to hear from you or I missed you or I really appreciate all that you have done. He didn’t provide comfort to me when I reached out for help despite always dropping everything without hesitation for him. He didn’t show up when we had arranged to meet. He didn’t protect me.
He did deny my feelings, telling me I shouldn’t feel that way. He did blame me. He refused to pick up a book for me even though I had just spent weeks getting his business open. He did not keep his word. He made excuses. He sold the first book that we ever produced, the first time my design became a reality, despite pleading with him not to. He would storm out over minor things, never knowing if he was coming back. He gave me IOU’s on every holiday. He did accuse me of saying things that I never said over and over, even when I was newly released from the hospital, hunched over in pain, and begging him to stop. He made it about himself when I needed him the most.
And yet I care about this person more than any other. I am anxious when he is not around. I wonder where he is. I wonder if he thinks of me. I wonder if he has already forgotten me. Is he wearing our friendship bracelet?
Deep down, my heart cries for his validation. The one set of applause that matters. I desire for him to see me, genuinely appreciate me, and heal my soul. Compliments from the heart, not cajoled. Where he will one day, direct his full attention to me, with his eyes locked on mine, he will make me feel fully seen and understood. Ask me how I feel. Ask me what he can do for me. Even if the world is crumbling, I will finally feel safe in the world.
He has asked me several times, "But why do we have to work at being friends?" I am ready to answer that now. Because I am hurt, and I am worth the effort. Because I have endured more than any human being should endure. Because, despite the many hours that we have spent together, you may not have realized that I have PTSD, and this type of behaviour retraumatizes me.
But this book says you can’t change someone who doesn’t want to be changed. You can’t drag someone into emotional maturity. Trust me. I tried.
In my head, I know I need to let this person go. My heart doesn’t understand this. My heart has infinite hope.
So I’m going to practice a technique from the book, “Explicitly say what you feel or want and enjoy that act of self-expression, but release any need for the other person to hear you or change. You can’t force others to empathize or understand.”
If in the off chance that this message in a bottle gets to this person who has written his name on my heart, this is our book. Read it and take it to a therapist. This is a new world you can build far greater than Gatsby. ...more
When I was at Princeton (yep that sounded just as pretentious as it sounded in my head), I was searching through F. Scott Fitzgerald's things which waWhen I was at Princeton (yep that sounded just as pretentious as it sounded in my head), I was searching through F. Scott Fitzgerald's things which was quite like searching through a famous person's attic, never knowing exactly what I would uncover next.
I found one page from his will. It read, "Third, that stories which have been marked in my book of records as "Permanently Buried" should not be republished under any circumstances whatsoever. I make a special point of this because I consider it important to my reputation, if so it proves to be."
This is the book of records! And F. Scott Fitzgerald did mark certain stories as Permanently Buried! It is all here!
Actually.....it isn't all here. Because there were 4 words that were redacted, censored out, on page 176. The original is available so I will let you figure out which 4 words were so bad that they had to be censored out....more
The Last and Best of the Peter Pans is a story about Mary Moriarity, the mother in the Caulfield family, and also her son, Vincent. This story is a coThe Last and Best of the Peter Pans is a story about Mary Moriarity, the mother in the Caulfield family, and also her son, Vincent. This story is a continuation of The Ocean Full of Bowling Balls. A must read for fans of The Catcher in the Rye!
Yes, this I went to Princeton to read this story, but ahhhhhhhh it was so worth it!
A big thank you to all of the Princeton librarians!
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Free!
How to Get in: Go to this website: Essentially, the process is: 1) Create Special Collections researcher account 2) Apply for Access Card 3) Add items to your cart (You can use the Princeton Finding Aid to help you: ) 4) On the day of your visit, you show up at The Firestone Library. Right when you enter the building, there is a turnstile. On the left is The Access Office (which is really just a desk). This is where you will get your pass printed. You then use this pass to go through the turnstile. 5) Go down to the basement where the special collection room is. 6) Put your belongings in a locker (they are free and are locked with a pin code you select). You can only bring in a tablet, laptop, and phone. No books, no pencils, no pens, no handouts. 7) Go into the reading room area and check in with the front desk clerk. 8) You will be instructed to go wash your hands. They have sinks and all that jazz right there. 9) Stand outside the reading room. Wait for someone to buzz you in. When you hear a click, open the door. 10) Go to the librarian at the front of the reading room. Generally, they will ask what you would like to look at first if you have lots of requests (to be fair, you can request the original Great Gatsby, the Gutenberg Bible, a Shakespeare First Folio, a first edition of Walden, etc.). 11) You pick a spot to sit at the tables, usually on the ends. 12) After about 10-15 minutes, a cart will appear with your materials on it. 13) There is no time limit about how long you can have the material. Although the reading room does close about 4:30 pm (at least when I was there)....more
Two forms of ID are not required. Princeton has a special reading room in the basement of The Firestone LiYes, I went to Princeton to read this story!
Two forms of ID are not required. Princeton has a special reading room in the basement of The Firestone Library so there isn't an armed guard staring you down. On the contrary, a rather friendly librarian is seated at the front, and after checking you in, you will wait 10-15 minutes, for a cart to appear with the applicable box.
The Ocean Full of Bowling Balls is a story about Holden Caulfield and his family. A must read for the fans of The Catcher in the Rye!
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Free!
How to Get in: Go to this website: Essentially, the process is: 1) Create Special Collections researcher account 2) Apply for Access Card 3) Add items to your cart (You can use the Princeton Finding Aid to help you: ) 4) On the day of your visit, you show up at The Firestone Library. Right when you enter the building, there is a turnstile. On the left is The Access Office (which is really just a desk). This is where you will get your pass printed. You then use this pass to go through the turnstile. 5) Go down to the basement where the special collection room is. 6) Put your belongings in a locker (they are free and are locked with a pin code you select). You can only bring in a tablet, laptop, and phone. No books, no pencils, no pens, no handouts. 7) Go into the reading room area and check in with the front desk clerk. 8) You will be instructed to go wash your hands. They have sinks and all that jazz right there. 9) Stand outside the reading room. Wait for someone to buzz you in. When you hear a click, open the door. 10) Go to the librarian at the front of the reading room. Generally, they will ask what you would like to look at first if you have lots of requests (to be fair, you can request the original Great Gatsby, the Gutenberg Bible, a Shakespeare First Folio, a first edition of Walden, etc.). 11) You pick a spot to sit at the tables, usually on the ends. 12) After about 10-15 minutes, a cart will appear with your materials on it. 13) There is no time limit about how long you can have the material. Although the reading room does close about 4:30 pm (at least when I was there)....more
Do you remember when Facebook was just people sharing cat pictures (which I loved btw) and people bragging about their vacations (which I also loved)?Do you remember when Facebook was just people sharing cat pictures (which I loved btw) and people bragging about their vacations (which I also loved)? Facebook used to be just people living their best lives. Now, it is a toxic cesspool where you feel more depressed than when you logged on!
Careless People is a required read.
Technology is going to be the next cigarette smoking. We all started it, not really giving it a second thought. Now, we really should be questioning is this really the best for us. Sarah Wynn-Williams certainly explains how Facebook/Meta is exploiting its users, deliberating hurting people if it will turn them a buck.
Sarah Wynn-Williams is a former Facebook/Meta employee, and she has the dirt. Although I will admit some of her complaints seemed rather petty. Like who cares if all of the employees let Mark Zuckerberg win at board games? Also, she was writing about how her boss lost his cowboy boots, and she went all over trying to find them. Why? Wasn't she a director of policy or something? Why would you go crawling around for some boots? Or couldn't you just brush it off like, "Oh, I thought that you would be onto your next fashion statement by now anyways."
At times, Wynn-Williams does come across as a little naive. Corporate America lies. Every HR department worth its salt is going to say something along the lines of "oh there are plenty of career opportunities for you!" Even if they plan to fire you the next day, they aren't going to say, "You suck. There is no hope for you here." At least not publicly or in an email. But if you have spent years working at a company and they have no clear, articulated career plan for you, it is obvious that they are lying to you.
Wynn-Williams also raises an excellent point about reporting sexual harassment. If you report someone who is in senior leadership, you might as well look for a job elsewhere. Here is why: someone in upper management knows the other higher ups. They don't know you. So when a complaint is made, they know Tom The Sexual Harasser. They don't know you. You they can easily live without. But they are comfortable with Tom and don't want the hassale of having to look for a replacement. Upper management will only hear from Tom, not from you, and Tom will tell them that you are crazy and do bad work. When you work hard and do incredible tasks, Tom will take all of the credit. If you make a mistake and Tom doesn't catch it, Tom will throw you under the bus so hard.
Oh and I also have been asked to go swimming in a corporate environment. While I was in public accounting, one of the male senior managers said that he wanted the entire team to go to a water park, but he wanted everyone to actually swim. He asked me if I would go swim. To which, I said, "Sure. No problem." "You will?" "Yes. But I am not going to wear a bikini. It is going to have a skirt, and it won't be low cut. It will be pretty similar to what I wear to work every day so it won't be a big deal." "Oh." We never had a swimming party. lol
Still working from my other computer so I don't have my fancy end credits, but for those of you curious.....
I bought 5 copies of this book. Take that, Mark Zuckerberg!...more
The Fire This Time is a collection of poems, essays, short stories, and memoirs shortly after the death of Trayvon Martin.
My favorite essay, a real mThe Fire This Time is a collection of poems, essays, short stories, and memoirs shortly after the death of Trayvon Martin.
My favorite essay, a real must-read, is “White Rage” by Carol Anderson. Because although this book was initially published in 2016, all three policies are currently being proposed by the current US government in 2025.
“But the real rage smolders where officials redraw precincts to dilute African American voting strength or seek to slash the government payrolls that have long served as sources of black employment.” Pg 83
“In March 1956 101 members of Congress issued the Southern Manifesto […] They passed legislation to withhold public funding from any school that abided by Brown.” Pg 85
“Now, under the guise of protecting the sanctity of the ballot box, conservatives have devised measures – such as photo ID requirements – to block African American access to the polls. […] (Twenty-five percent of black Americans lack a government-issued photo ID, the report noted compared with only 8 percent of white Americans.)” Pg 86
Stay awake.
*Thanks, Scribner, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Hardcover Text – Free/Nada/Zilch through publisher Audiobook - $84.99 per year through Everand
At some point in high school, a usually supercilious teacher stands in front of a group of highly suggestive students and holds up a copy of The GreatAt some point in high school, a usually supercilious teacher stands in front of a group of highly suggestive students and holds up a copy of The Great Gatsby waxing poetic about how it is such a marvelous masterpiece.
And—make no mistake—it is. After the eager, young students read The Great Gatsby, the inevitable conclusion is that no piece of literature will ever come close to reaching this impossibly high standard. What isn’t always readily apparent is twofold.
One. The Great Gatsby wasn’t Fitzgerald’s first novel. It was his third after his debut novel, This Side of Paradise, and then The Beautiful and Damned. He also churned out plays and short stories. He developed his writing skills over the years.
Two. The Great Gatsby didn’t just magically flow from the tip of Fitzgerald’s pencil. There were several drafts of The Great Gatsby, and Fitzgerald wrote this book over a span of years; it took nearly three years for The Great Gatsby to go from the planning phase to ultimate publication. Three years.
As early as June 1922, Fitzgerald began planning The Great Gatsby according to Matthew Bruccoli in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby: A Literary Reference (page 53), and in October 1922, Fitzgerald moved to Great Neck, Long Island (West Egg), the primary setting for the book. In a letter dated to Willa Cather, Fitzgerald said that he was “in the middle of the first draft A Lost Lady [Willa Cather’s novel] was published.” A Lost Lady was published in 1923. Finally, The Great Gatsby was published on April 10, 1925.
Fun Fact: In the very earliest versions of The Great Gatsby, Daisy was named Ada, and Nick was named Dud.
In the manuscript of The Great Gatsby, you can see that the famous quotes weren’t quite refined yet. For example, in the manuscript, “an extraordinary aliveness to life, an alert vitality such as I have never found in any human person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again,” doesn’t quite stir the soul as much as, “an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again.”
The manuscript mentions psychic radio, garbage men, and dope. None of which found their way into the published version.
The manuscript also shows where Fitzgerald struggled—there are many drafts of the confrontation scene between Tom and Gatsby. Further, in the manuscript, Daisy was much more into Gatsby, confiding in Nick that she plans to leave Tom in a couple of months and then she shows up at Gatsby’s house with her things packed, ready to run away with him. Later, Fitzgerald wrote in a letter that he could never quite nail Daisy’s reaction. However, I would argue that the published version is ideal because it mimics the authentic feel of love where one may know his or her own feelings but is not completely sure if the other person fully reciprocates.
Instead of setting impossibly high standards, the manuscript makes writing more accessible. With perhaps enough versions and revisions, greatness is within reach. Or one can hope.
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Hardcover Text – $240 from SP Books
“Are you under psychiatric care?” “[…] I’m not a counselor; I’m a fiction writer.” -JD Salinger
When this book stuck to the facts, it was rather enjoyabl“Are you under psychiatric care?” “[…] I’m not a counselor; I’m a fiction writer.” -JD Salinger
When this book stuck to the facts, it was rather enjoyable, but it should have left the wild speculation and armchair psychology to the internet sleuths and tabloids.
One of my favorite stories involves JD Salinger’s college education. In September 1938, Salinger enrolled in Ursinus College. While Salinger was earning decent grades, he said, “I’m not satisfied. This is not what I want…Charlie, I have to be a writer. I have to. Going here is not going to help me.” He wanted to learn to write better, and Ursinus wasn’t going to take him there. Salinger found a program at Columbia that would take him to the next level, and he didn’t return for a second term at Ursinus.
In January, Salinger took 2 courses at Columbia: 1) A poetry course 2) A short story course
Salinger had to take the short story course twice. While taking the short story course the first time, Salinger was “lazy” and “shut off” because of “psychological problems.”
Fun Fact: Salinger and Ernest Hemingway met a few times with Hemingway even providing some feedback on Salinger’s writing.
But then Salinger ends up withdrawing from public life. No worries for the authors of this biography! This is where the biography left the land of reality and entered into the world of creative writing.
Two entire chapters were devoted to Joyce Maynard. Way back in 1972, Maynard is a student at Yale, and on April 23, 1972, New York Magazine featured one of her pieces as its cover story. This spurs JD Salinger to write to her, and a letter writing correspondence ensues. Maynard ends up moving in with Salinger over the summer. In her own words, “The moment I moved in, I could do very little right. He said to me the day I moved in, ‘You’re behaving like a teenager.’”
Yet, Ms. Maynard doesn’t return to Yale in the fall, forfeiting her spot and her scholarship. In 1973, Maynard also publishes a book, Looking Back, with Doubleday. She states, “Worried about Jerry, I decided not to promote the book.”
In March 1973, Salinger and Maynard break up over a disagreement about their future—Salinger doesn’t want to have more children while Maynard does.
After the break-up, Maynard returns to Salinger’s home (the house he shares with his two minor children), and she writes the name of their imagined child in the snow, and she calls Salinger over and over until he says, “Go away. Stop calling me. I have nothing to say to you.”
Almost three decades later, Ms. Maynard is writing a new book about her short relationship with Salinger. At this time, Salinger is in his late 70’s. Maynard ambushes Salinger at his home, showing up unannounced. Yes. That’s right. Maynard attacks a senior citizen at his home, the one place in the world where one should feel unconditionally safe. Sounds like someone needs to write “Boundaries” in her snow.
What is startingly missing is Salinger’s voice, his side. Painting Salinger as responsible for Maynard’s every life disappointment seems overly broad. I sincerely doubt Salinger unenrolled Maynard from Yale. What seems more likely is that Maynard knew her relationship with Salinger was on the rocks, and she wanted to do all she could to salvage it. She knowingly gave up Yale to pursue a relationship less than a year old. Big mistake.
Ms. Maynard should have harnessed her feelings into her literary work, reducing Salinger into just a fleeing memory.
Secondly, the biography mentions Salinger’s third wife, Colleen O’Neil. Readers are told next to nothing about her, and the authors present that Salinger just married her because he was getting old and needed a caregiver. Based on what evidence? Salinger certainly could have hired a nurse. Ethel Nelson, the babysitter, is quoted, “he couldn’t be alone and he couldn’t very well have a nurse or a person taking care of him in there and not be married.” Um……we just read two chapters about Joyce Maynard living with him while not married! Also, double um, when Salinger died, Colleen Salinger, his wife, along with his son became coexecutors of the JD Salinger Literary Trust. That doesn’t sound like “just a caretaker.”
The book states that unpublished Salinger materials will be released starting in 2015 through 2020. That hasn’t happened.
One last grievance—I know. I know—the citations are rubbish. A couple of times throughout the book, it is said that Salinger told Whit Burnett that he carried six chapters of The Catcher in the Rye with him while he served during World War II. However, there is no citation for this “fact.” Some of the citations would be difficult to verify. For example, “JD Salinger, letter to Whit Burnett, 1940.” Great. Where is this letter? Is it at The Firestone Library at Princeton? Tucked away at Harvard? Should a worldwide book hunt be initiated? I have planned an upcoming trip to Princeton, and I wanted to see the original source to see if it says the first six chapters or just six chapters. Personally, I believe the latter to be true as I have seen some of Salinger’s early Holden Caulfield stories that he later used in The Catcher in the Rye (and those stories don’t track with the first six chapters). Gee. It would be nice to have meaningful citations. Sigh.
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Hardcover Text – $12 from Abebooks Audiobook – Audible – 1 credit (Audible Premium Plus Annual – 24 Credits Membership Plan $229.50 or rough $9.56 per credit)
The narrative voice is extremely underwhelming in How Can I Help You. Margo (not her real name) has a secret past. However, she isn’t particularly intThe narrative voice is extremely underwhelming in How Can I Help You. Margo (not her real name) has a secret past. However, she isn’t particularly interesting, funny, or smart. These are usually the hallmark character traits for readers to root for “villains.”
Margo does take baths. Constantly. And not steamy, blushing baths. Just plain, ole boring baths. Baths baths baths.
Yet not one bath was interesting. I mean if you are going to bore us with baths at least add a little spice. Come on!
The other main character is Patricia. She has a love interest named Dan. Patricia never has anything nice to say about Dan, and we never really understand why Patricia even keeps him around. Nor does the book end with any sort of resolution about dear Dan.
Additionally, Sims is a big fan of using similes. The similes are rather overdone and rather intrusive to the overall flow of the narrative.
Most of this book felt like filler, as if the author was trying to hit her word count.
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Electronic Text – Free through Libby Audiobook – Free through Libby
Is an inventor responsible for his or her inventions?
Growing up, Joe Dunthorne believed that his family orchestrated a brave, cunning escape from the Is an inventor responsible for his or her inventions?
Growing up, Joe Dunthorne believed that his family orchestrated a brave, cunning escape from the Nazis in 1935. However, the truth is much darker.
As a Jewish chemist, Siegfried Merzbacher (Joe’s great-grandfather) was tapped to lead a chemical weapons program in Germany.
This book delves into the morality of Siegfried’s choices. If he refused, someone else would lead the programs. While he proceeded in good faith, often experimenting on himself and his family, should he be responsible for what we know now? What about the danger of his family in the event of a catastrophe? And should he refuse, would he be put in the concentration camp located just around the corner from his apartment?
The first half of this book is unique and provides a lot of food for thought. However, the last portion of the book delves into Siegfried’s sister and veers away from the main story.
Further, the ending isn’t very strong, but Children of Radium would make an excellent book club pick if one wants to discuss the ethics of invention.
*Thanks, Scribner, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Hardcover Text – Free/Nada/Zilch through publisher
This snappy, little book of poetry retells the famous Helen of Troy storyline as if she had lived as a housewife in the 1990's in Sparta, Tennessee.
ThThis snappy, little book of poetry retells the famous Helen of Troy storyline as if she had lived as a housewife in the 1990's in Sparta, Tennessee.
This collection is quite the walk down memory lane - come on - I wasn't the only one with a pair of jellies! Might as well get out those 90's hemp chocker necklaces while we are at it!
A creative take on one of the greatest myths of all time!
*Thanks, Scribner, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Softcover Text – Free/Zero/Zilch/Nada from Publisher
“Salinger told Whit Burnett his writing teacher at Columbia University and the editor of Story magazine, that on D-Day [June 6, 1944] he was carrying “Salinger told Whit Burnett his writing teacher at Columbia University and the editor of Story magazine, that on D-Day [June 6, 1944] he was carrying six chapters of The Catcher in the Rye, that he needed those pages with him not only as an amulet to help him survive but as a reason to survive.” Salinger by David Shields and Shane Salerno
Most people would assume these six chapters must be the first six chapters of The Catcher in the Rye. However, in 1945, Salinger published the short story, “I’m Crazy, “which roughly tracks with Chapters 1, 2, 21, and 22 from The Catcher in the Rye; however, there are significant differences between the short story format and the ultimate book version with the book version clearly being the superior version.
Again, in 1946, Salinger published another short story featuring Holden Caulfield, “Slight Rebellion off Madison.” This story roughly tracks with Chapters 17 and parts of Chapters 19 and 20. Although published later, Salinger wrote this story before “I’m Crazy.” The New Yorker temporarily shelved its publication after the events of Pearl Harbor. In this story, “Slight Rebellion off Madison,” Salinger experiments utilizing the third-person perspective. Ultimately, The Catcher in the Rye took a different direction, utilizing the first-person perspective.
How did Salinger transform a couple of slightly above average short stories into one of the most read books in America? This is something worthy of being studied in detail, and I am currently in the process of writing out the original short stories and their book equivalents.
This 2-volume set caused quite a commotion when it first appeared in bookstores in 1974, because Salinger didn’t authorize this collection. The Complete Uncollected Stories is a collection of stories previously published in magazines/newspapers from 1940 to 1965. Similar to F. Scott Fitzgerald, Salinger would take details or experiences from his own life and utilize them in his stories. For example, after some school issues, Salinger did travel to Vienna on behalf of his father’s company to study the German language, and this is essentially the plot in “A Girl I Knew.”
Salinger also reveals the fate of Holden Caulfield in “Last Day of the Last Furlough” and “This Sandwich Has No Mayonnaise.” For fans of The Glass Family, Seymour and Buddy reappear in Hapworth 16, 1924.
This collection is a must for any true Salinger fan!
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Softcover Text – Second Printing $300 from Third Mind Books
Tales of the Jazz Age highlights the incredible range of F. Scott Fitzgerald. It is a collection of short stories, but they vary widely as to genre.
MyTales of the Jazz Age highlights the incredible range of F. Scott Fitzgerald. It is a collection of short stories, but they vary widely as to genre.
My Last Flapper
These stories are laugh-out-loud funny. My favorite is The Camel’s Back. In this story, Perry Parkhurst has recently been heartbroken, and he goes to a costume shop for a party later in the evening. He selects a camel costume, but it requires two people. The ensuing antics to secure the camel’s behind are hilarious! Then, he ends up at the wrong party!
I also loved Porcelain and Pink. This story is in the format of a play, and there are two sisters, Julie and Lois Marvis. A Mr. Calkins comes to call on Lois, and he speaks through the window. He thinks he is talking to Lois, and Julie has a lot of fun with him.
Fantasies
This set includes The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and The Diamond As Big As The Ritz. These tales are so imaginative and creative that they have been the basis for movies. In The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a child is born as an old man and ages in reverse. While this story is fascinating, the short story format seemed to limit its brilliance. For example, Benjamin is married to Hildegarde, but we don’t really find out what happened to her, and it seems like this relationship could have been dialed up for dramatic purposes. At the same time, Fitzgerald can only do so much in 30 pages or so, and he wrote short stories to earn a living. They weren’t as lucrative as writing a book, so he constantly had to churn out short stories to make ends meet. He didn’t have three years to refine a short story.
Unclassified Masterpieces
You have to remember that one of Fitzgerald’s first jobs was at an advertising firm, and, in this instance, Fitzgerald is certainly overhyping this set of stories. The Lees of Happiness is the best of the three, and it feels like a story Claire Keegan would write, only she would write it a bit better. The last two stories are very underdeveloped and short. However, these stories give readers hope that they too can work on their writing skills and may one day be one of the most famous authors of all time.
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Hardcover Text – First Edition Library copy for $88.75 on eBay Audiobook - $84.99 per year through Everand
The Granddaughter is truly stunning and couldn’t be more timely.
When Kaspar’s wife, Birgit, dies, he discovers that she left behind an inA Masterpiece
The Granddaughter is truly stunning and couldn’t be more timely.
When Kaspar’s wife, Birgit, dies, he discovers that she left behind an infant when she fled Communist Germany to start a new life with him. Now, Kaspar wants to connect with Birgit’s long-lost child, but family relationships are never easy. And how can two so very different people form a bond?
The narrative voice deserves a chef’s kiss. Muah! While the situations are complex and emotional, Kaspar does not wax poetic for 40 pages. By doing so, he creates a space for the reader to contemplate.
Kaspar is also a mature character—bringing emotional intelligence when attempting to handle challenges, utilizing a sense of grace and patience. He tackles some extremely difficult topics with complicated feelings such as how as a German, can he be proud of a country that has committed such terrible acts?
The book is brimming with gorgeous quotes, some quite thought provoking.
A delightful book for book club, nuanced, not a cliché, and deeply moving.
You have what a harsh God has given you.
It is the great comfort of my life: that whatever in my life I am not, whatever I am not to you, I am enough that you love me to this day.
I’m not proud of Germany. Why should I be proud of something that isn’t my doing? But I can’t imagine being anything other than German. Is that enough?
Get to know foreigners and Muslims and Jews before you make judgments about them.
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Hardcover Text – $28 at Flyleaf Audiobook – Audible – 1 credit (Audible Premium Plus Annual – 24 Credits Membership Plan $229.50 or rough $9.56 per credit)
Time Magazine touted Saving Five as one of , and it certainly doesn’t disappoint.
Saving Five is a memoir by AmandTime Magazine touted Saving Five as one of , and it certainly doesn’t disappoint.
Saving Five is a memoir by Amanda Nguyen who survived a sexual assault while a student at Harvard. Because she was in the middle of applying to work at NASA and the CIA, her application could be denied if she has pending legal matters. Will Nguyen be able to seek justice or pursue her dream career?
Saving Five is a riveting story with brilliant framing. Nguyen’s story unfolds as she talks to herself at 5, 15, 22, and 30 years old. In this way, she is able to reveal the most interesting stories from her past. Readers aren’t subjected to a drawn-out David Copperfield-style retelling of, “On X, I was born in Y. I was born to A and B and attended school at C.” The framing technique utilized is much more engaging.
My only critique of the book primarily relates to the ending which felt a bit abrupt. Nguyen explains why her career is so important—how she can’t return back home. Then, she seems to be able to quit her job. There seems to be a missing puzzle piece when bringing everything together, but overall, this was a captivating and uplifting story.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Electronic Text – Free/Nada/Zilch through publisher Hardcover Text - $28 purchased at Flyleaf (to be delievered upon final publication date)
While out walking with her father, Louisa, aged 10, finds herself alone on the beach, and her father is missing. His body is neFar too long and boring
While out walking with her father, Louisa, aged 10, finds herself alone on the beach, and her father is missing. His body is never found. What happened to him?
Flashlight does have some interesting themes such as being an immigrant outside of the United States. Additionally, this book is a unique mixture of mystery and historical fiction.
In regard to the mystery, what happened to Louisa’s father, the book did a poor job sign posting—for most of the book it felt like we are no closer to discovering answers. This caused the pages to drag; it was such a chore to read this book.
The editor of this book should have suggested cutting anything that doesn’t move the plot forward. For example, there was a completely irrelevant passage about an orange cat. Not that I am against cats. I am against reading a 460+ page book that should have been half its length.
Also, there were some paragraphs and sentences just far too long.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Electronic Text – Free/Nada/Zilch through publisher
Did you know that F. Scott Fitzgerald had tuberculosis?
On July 3, 1939, F. Scott Fitzgerald wired his editor, Maxwell Perkins, “Have been writing in Did you know that F. Scott Fitzgerald had tuberculosis?
On July 3, 1939, F. Scott Fitzgerald wired his editor, Maxwell Perkins, “Have been writing in bed with tuberculosis.”1
Sadly, my literary boyfriend bestie did not make an appearance in Everything is Tuberculosis, but I am sure John Green will correct this oversight in subsequent versions. :)
Everything is Tuberculosis is a fascinating book about one of the world’s most deadly diseases.
Further, this book helps to fill a gap in the American educational system about world health. What does cutting government funding to global health organizations mean?
This book goes beyond statistics—it puts a name and a face to the disease.
For me, this book hit particularly hard. In 2021, I had over $1 million in medical expenses (I had two heart surgeries: one at Mayo Clinic and one at Cleveland Clinic). I have been incredibly lucky.
But there are people in this world who aren’t as lucky. People who die because they can’t afford a $30 test to accurately diagnose their type of tuberculosis and the $300 it would cost to provide medication.
1 1939; Archives of Charles Scribner's Sons, C0101, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Hardcover Text – $28.00 from Flyleaf in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI Audiobook – Audible for $9.45
When I watched this author give interviews about this book, whimsical music was overlaid, and it was this incredibly soul-stirA bit of a crushing blow
When I watched this author give interviews about this book, whimsical music was overlaid, and it was this incredibly soul-stirring moment.
In this book, All the Beauty in the World, Patrick Bringley loses his brother to cancer, leaves his corporate-climbing dream job, and begins a 10-year career as a guard at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met).
The idea of using a period of tranquility and stillness to retore the soul and use it as a vital part of the grieving process resonates deeply with my soul. However – and this is where the crushing part comes in – the storytelling wasn’t quite there yet. The idea was grand, but the execution was not.
When Bringley interviewed, his responses felt like they were straight from his heart, but the book fell a bit flat. For starters, the author narrates the audiobook himself, and this is a practiced skill. The best audiobooks are true performances, and that’s why even big-name authors hire professionals to narrate their audiobooks. Bringley would begin a sentence, and his voice would lower as if the passage were fading to black or transitioning to something else, but the book wasn’t.
Also – and dare I go here – Bringley needed to bring it. He should have been bravely vulnerable with listeners, allowing himself to cry or his voice to crack, really allowing the beauty of his experience to shine through. I understand why he might not have been ready to read aloud his own book, revisiting the most painful moments of his life. Britney Spears didn’t even narrate her own memoir – that’s why there are professionals.
Interspersed through the book, Bringley mentions specific works of art at the museum. At times, he would include sketches of art. As someone who is decidedly not a visual art lover, I would have appreciated 1) an actual picture and 2) captions.
Overall, this book bored me; although, I do look forward to visiting The Met this summer.
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Softcover Text – Free gift from the Baldwin Public Library Audiobook – $84.99 per year through Everand
Set in approximately 2050, San Francisco is under water. Bo, whose mother went missing two years ago, iQuiet, slow book celebrating the beauty of life
Set in approximately 2050, San Francisco is under water. Bo, whose mother went missing two years ago, is planning to move elsewhere when she receives a note from Mia, a 130-year-old woman needing some help around the house.
There isn’t one perfect character in this book or rather all of the characters are perfectly imperfect.
Also, this book begs for a book club. Because while Bo seemed to judge Beverly (Mia’s daughter) at times, Bo herself didn’t always get along with her own mother. Family relationships are often complex, and Awake in the Floating City did a spectacular job conveying that.
For those of you who read the book, what do you think is next for Bo?
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent): Electronic Text – Free/Nada/Zilch through publisher Hardcover Text – Pre-ordered through Flyleaf in Grosse Pointe Farms for $28
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