Immigration and Emigration

Yesterday, while working on the MassCat catalog, I encountered a skimpy record with the title The Potato Famine and the Irish Immigrants. When I find incomplete records, I search the title (and publisher, date, or whatever other information I have) in some other data bases to find a good record that I can import into my catalog. (I've put a lot of time and energy into this catalog and I feel rather proprietary about it.)

I used several different search strategies, double checked the spelling, tried a some other catalogs, but I wasn't finding anything that resembled this record.

Until I stumbled upon the title The potato famine and the Irish emigrants by P.F. Speed. The little information I had matched this record - except for Immigrants/Emigrants. Whoever keyed this title into the catalog was not paying attention.

We don't often use the word Emigrants. Living in the U.S. we read and hear news stories about Immigrants since it appears many people want to come here. And while they are Immigrants to the U.S., they are Emigrants from their home countries.

Working on this one bib record stimulated a lot of thoughts and feelings. One, of course, is language. Another (my pet peeve) is carelessness in recording information. As a cataloger, this is the bane of my existence.

And then there is the whole issue of Immigration and all of the animosity towards immigrants. That's too big a topic for me to tackle right now. However, I do want to say that where one was born is a matter of pure chance. I don't understand condemning people for wanting to live somewhere else.

Harry Truman Deserves Better

Harry S. Truman was U.S. President when I was born. I have no recollection of his being president, but I have read a lot about him. I've been interested in Presidential history since junior high school when I completed a major research project on assassinations and attempted assassinations of our commanders in chief.

Truman was mentioned in Robert Caro's biography of Lyndon Johnson; Truman was president during most of Johnson's years in the Senate. Truman was covered in the book Bland Ambition by Steve Tally about Vice-Presidents and had an entire chapter in Accidental Presidents by Jared Cohen. 

I also read Hidden White House by Robert Klara. When the Trumans moved into the White House, the place was literally falling down. It was HST who was instrumental in its restoration.

When I saw the title Saving Freedom: Truman, the Cold War, and the fight for western civilization by Joe Scarborough I borrowed it from my local public library. After the first couple of chapters, I was tempted to return the book without finishing it. I found it hard to read.

The research seems solid enough and most of the information is in the public domain, available to anyone willing to search. My major complaint is with the writing style. Joe Scarborough may be a published author, but he needs a good high school course in coherent writing. He's an amateur.

Scarborough uses too many pronouns. It was difficult to follow who was doing what to whom after a series of "he ..."

His sentences are sometime very long and when I re-read them, they weren't always complete sentences as a word had been left out.

Phrasing was sometimes awkward and occasionally a sentence contained a different preposition from one I would have used, as if a non-native English speaker had written it. I also found some misspellings that should have been caught by spell checker.

What annoyed me the most is that neither Scarborough nor his editor understand the difference between a possessive noun and a plural noun. MANY, MANY times I saw Truman's meaning the entire family and Trumans meaning something Harry owned. 

If you can overlook the errors in grammar, misspelling and poor writing, this is actually an interesting book about Harry Truman (both the man and the President) and the change in the United States' (note the apostrophe at the end because the noun is both plural and possessive) attitude toward the rest of the world. 

Despite Woodrow Wilson's plea for the U.S. to join the League of Nations after the first World War, the country chose to remain isolationist. After the second World War, that was no longer possible and the U.S. joined the United Nations and helped organize NATO.

Even though Henry Ford said "History is bunk" I think History is important and downright fascinating.

So Many Books!

There is a tall pile of books on my bedside table. There is usually a pile, but this one is taller than normal.

The reason is that I've spent the last two or so weeks reading just one LONG book. In the meantime, most of the other books I had on hold arrived.

The long book (which I just finished this morning) is Ahab's Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund. It was recommended to me by a friend and so I ordered it through my local public library. I didn't realize it was nearly 700 pages long. It's sort of ironic that I didn't notice the number of pages as I'm the person who fills in that part of the description when it is missing in the MassCat catalog.

This book is different from most of my reading. It's not a mystery, it's an historical novel. Despite the intriguing first line (Ahab was neither my first husband nor my last), it took several pages for me to get involved in the story. Once I did, however, I was hooked.

Before she becomes Ahab's wife, Una spends several years on an island as part of a lighthouse family. Then she dresses like a boy and goes to sea on a whaling ship. She has many other adventures and the names of some of the people she meets will be familiar.

This book sort or reminded me of Elizabeth Gilbert's The Signature of All Things. There is a strong female protagonist who is not limited by the expectations of others due to her gender. While there is an  emphasis on science in The Signature of All Things, philosophy is more of the guiding force in Ahab's Wife. 

Given Naslund's beautiful, melodious prose, I'm finding it difficult to describe her book - as if I'm trying to compete with her talent and finding myself woefully inadequate.

Now I'm looking forward to the much shorter mystery books waiting for me in that taller than normal pile on my bedside table.

Old Favorites

 I've been reading a lot of new authors and I've enjoyed their books. 

But sometimes, I just want to read books by my old favorites: Marcia Muller (the Sharon McCone series), Carolyn Hart (the Death on Demand series with Annie Laurence Darling), Donna Leon (the Commisario Guido Brunetti series), J.A. Jance (currently reading the J.P. Beaumont series), Rhys Bowen (the Royal Spyness series), Faye Kellerman (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus series). Janet Evanovich's latest book was just published and I'm now on the wait list. There are 297 holds on 122 copies, so it may be a while.

Actually, I'm getting less thrilled with Janet and her character Stephanie Plum with each book. It's as if she's trying too hard to be funny. But I keep reading them because there's a certain level of comfort with these old favorites. 

I'm seriously considering beginning the alphabet with Sue Grafton's books. I read A is for Alibi within the last couple of years; I'll probably start with B is for Burglar. I'm up-to-date on Sara Paretsky's V.I. Warshawski series, though I may start back at the beginning with Indemnity Only. It's been a long time since I read that.

I have a list of my favorite authors and I'm dependent on the site Fantastic Fiction to keep abreast of their works (and to read them in order on my retrospective jaunts).

I've also borrowed about a zillion old movies on DVD that I've been watching: Birdcage, as well as the original La Cage aux Folles; Hannah and Her Sisters; 9 to 5; Cinema Paradiso; Amadeus. 

M. and I are spending more time at home because it's too cold to be outside in the evenings. That means less (maybe no) inviting a couple of friends over for dinner. Or being invited to others' homes. I'm mentally preparing myself for 6 months of "down-time".

One bright spot is being able to go into the MLS office one day each week. I get to talk with another person who is across the room. We don't spend much time talking, but at least she's there. And I get to see different walls and a different view out of the window. The computer is better, the monitor is bigger than the ones at home.

Today is a work at home day. Guess I'd better get to it. I'm now up to "The flight ..."

Disappointed in Carl Hiaasen

About fifteen years ago, a friend recommended author Carl Hiaasen. I've been hooked ever since I read that first book, chuckling aloud through subsequent volumes. His satires on developers in Florida are witty and almost believable. This is fiction that educates.

I was eagerly anticipating his latest book Squeeze Me, but it's not his best work. I almost think a Carl Hiaasen clone or wannabe wrote it in his style. I found the prose blunt and heavy handed, devoid of subtlety and nuance.

Hiaasen pokes fun at our current POTUS and his followers. I'm certainly not a fan of 45 and am baffled by anyone who could support a narcissistic, vindictive bully. Perhaps Hiaasen is just too angry to camouflage his feelings. After the first couple of chapters, I actually considered not finishing the book; just returning it to the library where, I know, there is a waiting list.

But being the somewhat OCD person I am, I did read to the end. I found myself chuckling aloud despite my criticisms. Perhaps I became accustomed to the revised style.

One very bright spot was the return of the character Skink. He made a brief appearance toward the end with his typical shenanigans.

On the home front, not much has changed. I continue down the alphabetical list of potential duplicates. I've arrived at "The eighth ..." I'm enjoying being able to go into the office once a week. Perhaps I'll increase it to two days. 

As the weather gets cooler, all of the things I've been able to do outside will slowly come to an end: exercise class of Fridays, inviting friends here for dinner on the screened-in porch, eating outdoors at local restaurants, events on the Town Hall lawn. I'm trying to stay positive, though I've never been a winter person. Snow is okay as long as I don't have to shovel it or drive in it. 

It's still October and I'm already waiting for April.

Health, Wellness, and Nostalgia Television

 Breathe through your nose, not your mouth.

In my journey to learn more about my body and how I can improve it, I read Breath: the new science of a lost art by James Nestor. I learned a lot of things about one's breath, some of it quite unbelievable. According to Nestor, a few people have discovered how to cure their scoliosis; improve the performance of elite athletes; and spend time naked in sub-zero weather, yet melt the snow around them just by using different breathing techniques.

Nestor traveled to lots of different places, talked with lots of different people, read extensively and participated in multiple experiments concerning breathing. 

While this was somewhat interesting, much of what he describes is pretty extreme (he admits that), and limited as to the number of people it affects. Somehow, this book didn't excite me and I was not sure how useful it might be to me or the average person, though I wouldn't mind using my breath to keep warm instead of oil or electricity - much cheaper.

However, the Epilogue (which summarized his findings for the general public) and the Appendix (which summarized the different types of breathing and the purpose of each) were the best and most useful parts of the book. Here are his recommendations: Shut your mouth; Breathe through your nose; Exhale; Chew; Breathe more, on occasion; Hold your breath; How we breathe matters.

Very quickly: the nose filters and warms the air we breathe. Breathing through your mouth lets nasal passages deteriorate, helps raise blood pressure and promotes snoring. Exhaling completely helps clean out the lungs and allows more air in. Chewing helps strengthen the jaws. The other recommendations are more complicated to explain. You'll have to read the book.

Nestor also explains that acute problems often need the attention of a doctor or other medical professional, but good breathing techniques can alleviate the chronic problems from which so many people suffer.

Life has its lighter moments, as well. One of my favorite television shows was the Odd Couple with Jack Klugman and Tony Randall. I've just finished watching the fifth and final season. It ran from 1970 to 1975. Perhaps the best part of the show is seeing the fashions from the early 1970s. Egad! Wide ties, garish colors, short skirts. 

Sometimes it's hard to believe people actually dressed like that.

New Books, New Authors, Lots of Reading

Because of Wowbrary and the emails I receive every Wednesday from my local library, I've learned about a lot of new authors. I see what's just arrived and with a click of the mouse I can request the book. Hatfield Public Library has been doing curbside pick-up for a while. It's quick and easy. I don't really mind not being able to browse in person, because I can browse the Wowbrary list.

In the last week, I've finished two new books in record time. They were both gripping thrillers that I had trouble putting down. Both were British, which is not my usually my favorite due to my unfamiliarity with the culture and the slang. However, that was not a problem at all with these books.

The first was The Safe Place by Anna Downes. The second, The Dilemma by B.A. Paris. I recommend both.

Obviously, I've been reading a lot. I've also had a spurt of energy/motivation and have been doing other things as well. In the last couple of weeks, nearly the entire house has been thoroughly dusted and vacuumed, both bathrooms thoroughly cleaned, kitchen sinks (I have two: one for food prep, one for dishes) scoured, plants watered, and a bunch of other things. I realize if I just clean house for an hour or two a day, that's a lot of cleaning, but it's not overwhelming.

As the weather cools down, I'm wondering what's going to happen, how everyone is going to cope with not being able to spend most of the time outside. I guess we'll all find out.

I Want to Live in Three Pines

Three Pines is a fictional town in Québec province just north of the Vermont border. It's not on any map, but is featured in Louise Penny's mystery series starring Armand Gamache and an interesting array of characters.

I'm now reading The Long Way Home, the tenth book in this series. M. Gamache has just retired from the Sûreté du Québec. He and his wife Reine-Marie have moved from Montréal to Three Pines.

There is a town green surrounded by quaint businesses: a bookstore, a bistro, a bakery, and a market. There is also a funky B&B as well as a more upscale spa a little way off, but still basically in town. Small houses and cottages are also around the green, each has its own back yard. People meander around the green, kids play games on the green, others sit on benches to the side of the green.

I'd love to stay at the B&B, have breakfast there among the antiques. Then I'd take a walk. I'd probably go beyond the green. It would be nice to go just far enough to see the whole town all at once and get an overall feeling.

By then, it would be lunchtime. I'd go to the bistro for that. If the weather was chilly, there'd be fires in the two fireplaces and I'd sit near one of them. If it was summertime, I'd be out on the terrace so that I could enjoy the fresh air.

Everyone in Three Pines knows everyone else. It's not unusual to have several people gather in someone's home for dinner. Perhaps they'd invite me. Afterwards, we could all go to the bistro for a nightcap. There would be stimulating conversation, lots of witty repartee, and many laughs.

Given the last 6 weeks of social distancing, I'm longing to spend time face-to-face with people. I'm already planning some parties and deciding the best combinations of friends who would enjoy each other's company. I've even started planning the dinner menu. It's been cooler than usual lately, and it's difficult to work outside. I'd prefer to have a tidy yard before inviting people to share time there.

In the meantime, I've been sending long emails or writing letters to some friends, calling others I haven't seen in a long time, and generally keeping in touch as much as I can.

And I'm already looking forward to the next installment of life in Three Pines.

I'm in Love with Bennett Cerf

For the last several months I've been on a nostalgia trip - ever since I discovered episodes of What's My Line on You Tube.

I remember watching the show on television when I was a kid. I also watched it when it went into syndication late in the 60s, but the original version - which ran from 1950-1967 is the best.

The regular moderator was John Daly. Regular panelists were Arlene Francis, Dorothy Kilgallen and Bennett Cerf. There was a rotating guest panelist every week: often Steve Allen, Ernie Kovacs, or Tony Randall.

While everyone on the show was articulate, urbane and witty, by far the most adorable was Bennett Cerf. I love his impish grin.

Bennett Cerf was the founder of Random House. He was also an author. Know for his puns, he had a great sense of humor. There was constant teasing between Bennett and host John Daly.

Publisher, wit, theater goer, avid reader - what librarian wouldn't love him? Every few days I sit down at my computer and watch an episode (or two or three) of What's My Line.

An update on other aspects of my life: I just finished reading The Shape of Night by Tess Gerritsen. My stack of reading was getting low and this was on the New Book shelf at the library. While I'm generally not interested in books with a supernatural or paranormal theme, this one was gripping. I couldn't put it down! Not all of the "loose ends" were completely tied together, but I don't care. It was a totally absorbing read.

Writing down my intention of practicing Yoga regularly has worked - at least so far. I think maintaining the habit will be easier as I continue. I took the time twice last week and again today (it's only Tuesday) to listen to and work along with my favorite Yoga CD.

And at work, I'm still plugging away on the letter S. There are lots of words that begin with that letter, so this may take me a while. Yesterday I worked on merging duplicate records of items with titles that began with "Sigmund Freud", books and other media by and about Sigmund Freud, and any other record I happened to spot along the way. Then I began on the word "sign". MassCat has lots of books in its catalog on American Sign Language and baby signing.

I think the best part of my job is serendipitously learning about so many different things and being about to follow up by borrowing a book and learning more. I keep saying that this is the perfect job for me.

Soaring Through the Letter S - and Life

It's been a busy few months - part of the reason for the lack of posts.

There have been 3 short trips to NYC and a week in Provincetown. Of course there is work, exercise class, a sad visit with family (my 37-year-old nephew died of a heart attack), fun visits with friends and all of the other things life has to offer.

I've been reading a lot. Louise Penny is my current new favorite author. Her series about Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is riveting. While one can pick up any of the books and become immersed in a complete story, each volume also flows into the next and often the story line spans 2 or more books. She includes a lot of subtle humor. One of the characters has a pet duck and the duck's facial expressions are slipped in to the narrative. Do ducks have facial expressions?

As an undergraduate, I was a history major. I didn't know why I wanted to be a history major, or what I would do once I graduated, but I that's what I wanted. I think it was because I used to watch a television show called The Twentieth Century, a documentary hosted by Walter Cronkite. I was fascinated by that show. Later, once I started classes in history, I realized I was most interested in current, social history - not ancient history, though there are aspects of that I find interesting.

I'm also interested in the American presidency - hence being able to plow through all four of Robert Caro's volumes on Lyndon Johnson. Recently, I read Accidental Presidents: eight men who changed America by Jared Cohen. While the information in the book was very well researched, it would take someone like me - a committed Presidential geek - to read the entire book. I found Cohen's writing style a little confusing. I sometimes had to re-read paragraphs to figure out who did what to whom. Cohen uses too many pronouns when describing multiple people.

Another thing that drove me crazy was the front and back covers. There are partial portraits of the 8 Vice-Presidents who became President on the death (natural or otherwise) of the President. I could easily pick out Lyndon Johnson and Teddy Roosevelt since both have distinctive eyes. Some of the others I could glean from their pictures within the book. But there are a couple about whom I'm not sure. They're not placed in chronological order or alphabetical order. Why not list the names on the jacket flap?

Included within the narrative is a lot of information about the U.S. Constitution and what it says about Presidential succession. Since the way the President and Vice-President were elected 240 years ago was different than today, I found this part both confusing and fascinating. Not a lot of thought went into the subject originally (too much else going on, maybe), but the process has evolved over the years.

One issue had to do with Franklin Roosevelt when he ran for his 4th term. FDR was very ill. What if he died before being inaugurated? Henry Wallace was the Vice-President during the 3rd term; Harry Truman was Roosevelt's running mate for the 4th term. Technically, if FDR died before inauguration, Wallace would become President because Truman was not yet VP.

I'm glad I'm not the person responsible for making decisions like that. I'm perfectly happy sitting at my desk at the MLS office merging duplicates whose titles begin with the letter S.

Two New Favorite Authors

I've been reading books by Mary Higgins Clark for many years even though I find her writing style stilted and awkward. I keep reading her books (some more than once) because the plots are gripping and once I get started, it's hard to stop. Plus I read so many books, I can rarely remember "who done it." Clark's most recent books, the ones that are part of the Under Suspicion series written with Alafair Burke, are better in terms of writing and the plots are just as good.

When I saw that my local public library had recently purchased The Better Sister, I requested it. Now Alafair Burke is on my list of "must read" authors. The twists and turns in this story rival any by Lisa Scottoline (though Lisa's last book, Someone Knows, had a few twists too many making the ending feel contrived).

Another author (actually two writing as one) I really like is Liv Constantine. Her first book, The Last Mrs. Parrish, was a fascinating thriller. When I saw The Last Time I Saw You was available at the library, I immediately requested it and was not disappointed. While I suspected one particular person might be the stalker responsible for "gaslighting" the main character, I had many doubts about his/her guilt (no spoiler alert here) and was vacillating till the end. My only criticism is that some issues (e.g. the husband's financial situation) were left unresolved while over explaining the stalker's background. Both are minor points.

As I get to the end of the series of a specific author and wonder what I'll read next, it's good to know there are always new authors to discover. After all, how many times can I re-read Mary Higgins Clark?

Eat Your Leafy Greens

As a fitness instructor and an aspiring personal trainer and wellness coach, I read many of the new books on health, fitness, diet and nutrition. Here are three recent ones. I did not read these one after another; I read mystery books in between. I'll do a post soon on my new favorite author.

The premise of What to Eat When by Michael F. Roizen and Michael Crupain is one that appeals to me. I've always been a daytime eater and tend not to nibble late at night. When I go out to dinner and/or have a big evening meal, I often have trouble sleeping. Roizen and Crupain's theory is that your body best uses the food you eat when your body is active. Their recommendation is that you eat a big breakfast and lunch and then a minimal dinner. In fact, at least 2/3 (or maybe 3/4) of your daily calories should be consumed before 2 p.m.

The authors present a lot of information about the body's physiology to support their advice. Unfortunately, much of this advice is presented in a manor that I'm sure they found humorous, but I found too cute and rather annoying. Regardless, this book is a worthwhile read. And certainly brings to mind the old adage  "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper."

Next up is Eat to Beat Disease by William Li. Li looks at 5 physiological functions of the body - angiogenesis, regeneration, microbiome, DNA protection, and immunity - and looks at different foods that can support these. His theory is that the body can heal itself if we give it the right foods to do so. He lists several foods for each of the 5 functions and recommends eating 5 of the foods each day to support each function. There are menu plans for guidance.

The Longevity Paradox by Steven R. Gundry is somewhat of a combination of the above two books. Gundry proposes certain foods feed what he calls our "gut buddies" - the good bacteria in our gut - and when those "gut buddies" are well fed, they keep our body young, strong and free of disease. He also claims that good bacteria need some (but not too much) stress in order to remain strong themselves and recommends an occasional fast. He also recommends eating at least 4 hours before going to bed to let our bodies process the food we ate.

This is the most restrictive book in terms of what to eat: minimal animal protein (certain seafood is okay), no cow dairy (sheep and goat are okay), no legumes, no grains, fruits only when local and in season. He's also very much opposed to strenuous exercise such as marathon running. He feels it depletes the body and weakens the immune system.

Of course there is a lot of conflicting information among these three books. William Li says stone fruits are good, especially plums while Steven Gundry says our bodies evolved when fruits were only available at a certain time of the year (summer/fall) and we should respect that.

What they do agree on is that eating green leafy vegetables is good and eating processed sugar is bad.

Otherwise, I guess we're on our own.

Reading about the South

When I read books by Miranda James I can't help thinking about the movie Victor/Victoria. In an early scene, Julie Andrew's character exclaims to Robert Preston's character "A woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman?"

Male librarian Dean James writes the Cat in the Stacks mysteries as female author Miranda James whose main character is male librarian Charlie Harris. These books fit into the "cozy" genre as they take place in a little town in Mississippi called Athena. They're fun, easy reading with no graphic sex and violence - a nice break from some of the grittier mysteries I read. I recently finished Arsenic and  Old Books, the sixth book of the series.

And I just started reading Rita Mae Brown's Crazy Like a Fox. This is part of the Sister Jane Arnold series about foxhunting. This is another fun, light read.

I really like reading Rita Mae Brown's books. While I found her Mrs. Murphy series sort of silly, I don't mind the animals talking to each other in the foxhunting series. To me, it feels as if their conversations add depth and insight to the story and also adds to the information about the history and ecology of foxhunting that is woven into the plot.

Best of all, I like Rita Mae Brown's stand-alone titles. While Rubyfruit Jungle feels a little dated now, it was a real shocker when it was first published. Other favorite titles are High Hopes (about the Civil War) and Alma Mater.

What ties these two author (Miranda James and Rita Mae Brown) together is their detailed descriptions of life in the South, especially manners. Both authors are perpetually referring to "proper" behavior.

As much of a rebel as Rita Mae Brown is, Sister Jane Arnold, Master of the Jefferson Foxhunt, is always properly attired on the hunts and expects others to be too. There is a lot of description of the traditions of foxhunting and of the refined and cultivated south.

Charlie Harris sometimes gets angry or upset and would like to do or say something but doesn't because of his Southern upbringing. He also dislikes it when others ignore traditions.

Having lived in Massachusetts all of my life, and despite the state's Puritan history, Southern traditions and manners seem a little extreme to me. After all, I became an adult during the 60's when we "let it all hang out".  Since then I've found a comfortable behavior pattern for myself somewhere between being a Hippie and a Southern Belle.

Ultimately it all boils down to the Golden Rule.

Two New (to me) Authors

Mary Roberts Rinehart is a name I've seen in other mystery books. Wanting to expand my repertoire, I checked Fantastic Fiction and learned that The Man in Lower Ten was her first mystery novel published in 1906.

Checking through C/W MARS, that title was only available as one of a set of 3, so I requested it.

I'm afraid my first impression was disappointment. The book, while newer than 1906, was still old and had been rebound in a less-than-appealing plain red cover. Because it had been rebound, the inner margins were minimal, making the book hard to keep open and I had to work to read the ends of the lines on the left-hand page and the beginnings of the lines on the right. And the print was small. I considered returning the book and forgetting about this excursion.

It is a testament to Mary Roberts Rinehart that I finished all three stories.

Her writing style reminds me of Agatha Christie, Dashiell Hammett and Arthur Conan Doyle. The stories are somewhat convoluted and not always easy to follow. But I found myself enjoying them.

Typical of her times, she tends to make sweeping generalizations such as this sentence from The Case of Jennie Brice written in 1913. "There was something big about her, something which is often found in large women, a lack of spite." While that's a nice thing to say about someone (in this case Jennie Brice), I'm not sure that all "large women" can be described that way. Another comment about another character was that if he left his light on at night he must be a murderer.

My preference, however, is to read contemporary mysteries and I recently read my first book by Louise Penny Kingdom of the Blind. It had just arrived at my local public library and was listed in the
Wednesday morning email Wowbrary.

This series takes place in the Canadian province of Quebec and features Chief Inspector Gamache. Like Donna Leon and Faye Kellerman, there is a lot of character development and description of family life. It makes the characters more real and gives me a real appreciation of a different culture.

Since this series started in 2005, I'm adding Louis Penny to my list of authors to read from the beginning.

Serious Reading

Interspersed among LOTS and LOTS of mysteries, I read other stuff, too. As an exercise instructor, I'm always interested in health and nutrition. I guess this might be called my "professional reading".

When I saw the title Food: What the Heck Should I Eat by Mark Hyman, I requested it. It is an eye-opening book in many ways. Dr. Hyman considers his program "Pegan". That's a cross between the

Paleo and Vegan diets. Very briefly (because his book includes a lot of detail), he says our bodies need the nutrients that can only be found in meat, fish and eggs (this is qualified in the next paragraph) and we should eat primarily fresh vegetables and some fresh fruit. He also says our bodies do not need grains, and that some people cannot eat them (e.g. celiac disease and gluten sensitivity).

The meat that is best for us comes from pastured beef. The way cattle are raised in this country, the massive operations, are cruel to the animals and result in meat that may be tender, but lacks much nutrition because of the way they are fed. Same for poultry, and therefore eggs.

He strongly recommends locally raised, organic foods whether meat, vegetables or fruit. He also says that our bodies cannot absorb much of the benefits of vegetables without fat and he's very much against low-fat diets. He makes a good case for high-carbohydrate diets being the cause of much of today's obesity. In his opinion, the culprits are sugar and starch.

What makes this book so compelling (and depressing at times) is his very broad view of our diets: not only the food itself, but how it's raised and the toll that raising has on our environment.

I know the name Barbara Ehrenreich from Ms Magazine. I also saw the play Nickel and Dimed - On (Not) Getting by in America which was based on her book of the same name. I always thought she was a sociologist. Turns out she has a Ph.D. in cellular immunology. The book I read was Natural causes: an epidemic of wellness, the certainty of dying, and killing ourselves to live longer. In it, she talks about the high cost of medical care and blames some of it on all of the testing that's done. She questions if annual physicals are really necessary for healthy people, feels that some testing (x-
rays, for example) create problems, and when a problem is found and a person goes through treatment, the treatment is often painful and the person dies anyway. What greater good is served by someone going through chemotherapy to lengthen their life by a few months?

There is a lot of anger in this book, some of which sounds justified. Ms Ehrenreich resents all of the medical intervention that happened while she was pregnant and delivering her children, most of which was unnecessary. Of course, it all cost money.

She has some chapters on human physiology, mostly at the cellular level, to describe how our bodies work. In many cases, those cells do what they want to do regardless of what we do. And therefore, despite our paying minute attention to diet and exercise, our longevity is somewhat predetermined by our genes and those cells doing what they want. We have a lot less control over our lives than we think.

There is a quality of life issue, though. Even if my age of death has to do with my DNA, I want to feel as strong and energetic as I can until then. So I watch what I eat (most of the time) and go to exercise class regularly.

And I'll keep reading books like this to try to learn as much as I can so that I can form my own educated opinion.

What Bennie Rosato and I have in Common

Bennie Rosato (real name Benedetta) is a character in Lisa Scottoline's legal thrillers. Bennie lives in Philadelphia, is a Civil Liberties lawyer, stands six feet tall, has curly blonde hair and blue eyes. None of that describes me, though I identify with her in other ways.

I just finished (for the second time, I think) Dead Ringer, the 10th book in the "Rosato and Associates" series.  As usual, Bennie and her associates face myriad problems, some of which could be fatal. This all-woman law firm is pretty resourceful, though, and is willing to take risks when needed. I always enjoy Lisa Scottoline's books.

As I was reading this one, a particular paragraph stood out. Bennie is preparing a class action suit and has filed a motion that brings the judge, other attorneys, and the clients to court for a preliminary hearing. She arrives early.

"The flag, the dais, the seal, and the jury box - all of these fixtures reassured and thrilled Bennie. They were the stuff of the law, the emblems, accoutrements, and tools used every day to hammer out justice, case by case, verdict after verdict. Bennie wasn't so naive that she thought justice was always perfect, blind, or evenly administered; she knew from bitter experience that judges and juries made mistakes, were bamboozled, or simply went the wrong way, every day. But she also believed that in the main, judges, juries, and lawyers strove together for justice, and that the courthouse remained a citzen's best hope for a truly level playing field."

Wow! That's just how I feel about libraries. The catalog, the databases, the reference desk are all emblems, accoutrements used by librarians to provide information every day. The instruments are not always perfect. I certainly know the MassCat catalog could be better, but it is useful even in its not-quite-perfect state.

And talk about "level playing field". What could be more level than the public library? Anyone can use it regardless of how much money they have or don't have. Anyone can find the information they need. Yes, librarians might make mistakes, but every one I've ever known works hard and does their best.

Thank you, Lisa Scottoline, for that paragraph and for reminding me how much libraries reassure and thrill me.

Spring?

The calendar says it's spring, but there's still a little snow on the ground and more is predicted for this afternoon. Well, it is New England.

A couple of days ago, I looked outside and even though there was ice on the pond, there were fish swimming around underneath the ice. And there are daffodil sprouts in the garden. Clearly the fish and the flowers are ready for spring and so am I. I even heard the song Spring Can Really Hang You up the Most last night during Jazz à la Mode.

I'm getting tired of my winter clothes; I want to switch to shorter sleeves and fewer layers. I want to paint my toenails and wear sandals. I want to pack away those warm scarves and gloves till next year.

I know it will all happen soon, but waiting can be hard.

On the work front, I've reached the title Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I've pretty much cleared out those duplicates and problems already because I dealt with  Little Men a couple of weeks ago. Little Women is a wonderful book that every girl should read. About ten years ago, I read it again and was surprised to realize I was reading at that level when I was in elementary school. It is a great read, but not an easy one. The vocabulary is quite sophisticated.

I've never seen any of the movies that have been made. One fan of the book told me the 1994 movie with Winona Ryder was terrible.

I tried reading Little Men, but didn't get very far. I'm not certain why. I had planned to read the entire series that Louisa May wrote. I guess I got distracted by murder mysteries. I know I read Eight Cousins when I was younger.

I was a voracious reader as a child. Come to think of it, I read a lot of mysteries then, too.

Book Review: The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning

Even though the subtitle of this book by Margareta Magnusson is How to free yourself and your family from a lifetime of clutter, I would not call it a guide book to de-cluttering.

It is really a 117 page essay on one woman's experiences, thoughts and reflections on cleaning out the home of someone who has recently died. It is very personal and somewhat self-indulgent, but then, so is this blog.

Ms Magnusson who describes herself as someone "aged between eighty and one hundred" was responsible for cleaning out the home of her deceased mother-in-law. After her husband died, she was faced with the same situation. Now, she is in the process of what might be called "pre-death cleaning" so that her children are not burdened with the task. She does specify that "death cleaning" also happens in anticipation as well as after the fact.

I guess I would describe this book as a pleasant pep talk for shedding unnecessary belongings and living a simpler life, not only for oneself, but for those who follow.

An update on work: For the last few days I've been eliminating duplicates of books that begin with the word "little". There are Lots of Littles. I originally thought of using that phrase as this title of the post, and there were other variations (e.g. A Little Can Be A Lot).

Finally, after 5 1/2 years of merging duplicates, I'm beginning to see the results of my searching methods. Since I usually pull up many records with a general search and hunt for anything that may need fixing, I've already merged some records in the last half of the alphabet.

While there are lots of books beginning with the word "little" I'm going through the list pretty quickly. Who knows? I may actually finish the list - all the way to the letter Z - before I die! Then I'll have more time to death clean at home.

I always feed sophisticated ...

... while reading a book by Donna Leon.

Commisario Guido Brunetti and his wife Paola are elegant. Their family sits down to lunch every day. They even have wine at lunch

Donna Leon's prose is elegant. Her detailed description of Venice, Italy; traveling along the canals; looking at the architecture are all elegant.

While I read the books (the one I just finished is Quietly in their sleep), the ambiance begins to permeate my body and I feel elegant, too. I want to sit at a cafe and sip wine; I want to cook and serve elegant meals; I want to have stimulating intellectual conversations; I relish life.

Despite the fact that there are crimes being committee - usually murder, but lots of other things, too - this series is just plain elegant.

Leon's  descriptions of Venice are so thorough that, before visiting the city, friends of mine read several of her books and took copious notes. They felt they could actually find their way around by following in Guido Brunetti's footsteps.

Italy is a country about which I've heard many good things. Everyone I know who has been there loved it. Perhaps one day I'll have the chance to visit Italy and, specifically, Venice. I'll be sure to read (or maybe re-read) Donna Leon's books so that I know the best places to sit and sip wine and be elegant.

Book: Bland Ambition

If you think that the happenings in Washington D.C. today are anything new and different, reading Bland Ambition by Steve Tally will likely change your mind. It seems that not much has changed in our nation's Capitol since 1789.

This political satire includes brief biographies of the men who held the position of Vice President of the United States of America. The subtitle reads: From Adams to Quayle - the cranks, criminals, tax cheats, and golfers who made it to Vice President.

Dan Quayle (remember him? He's the one who said he wished he had taken Latin in school so that he could communicate better with the people in Latin America.) is the person who inspired this book. Unfortunately, it was written during the Bush/Quayle administration, so that we don't know Tally's opinion of Al Gore, Dick Cheney, or Joe Biden.

Tally sometimes sacrifices clarity for humor (I wasn't always sure, without doing further research, exactly when an event occurred), but the facts themselves are all accurate. I've read lots of political biographies and Tally's descriptions square with what I know - even if his interpretation is somewhat unique.

I found this book most useful in gaining perspective on Washington politics today. I sometimes worry about our country and it's current atmosphere of anger and vindictiveness. I keep reminding myself and other that we survived the administration of Richard Nixon. It's a relief to know we've survived a whole lot more, too.