Diana Gabaldon update

Those who read my last missive on Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series will know that I made some reference to being disgruntled if Lord John Grey showed up suddenly on their remote farm in the Carolinas.

Well... he did, as I know those of you in the know, know. Could you feel me grind my teeth then plunge bravely onward 1000 miles away in Maine as I read it in front of a fire with the ocean crashing outside?

I got over it.

Better, I hope, late than never

Here, at last, is the summary of last month's short story extravaganza. Let me know of any errors or deletions you might notice. I probably won't do anything about it, but what the heck, let me know anyway.

"Dark Riders," submitted by Dena
This was a popular entry, and much excitement was generated by the disclosure that this selection was written by Dena's sister, Tiffani. We can't wait to get our hands on her upcoming novel!

"The Lottery," by Shirley Jackson, submitted by Michelle
Well written and creepy.

"A&P," by John Updike, submitted, surprisingly, by Emilia
Able to set aside her disdain for the work of Updike, Emilia shared this story of adolescent angst and bravado. Evocative and nostalgic.

"Pretending the Bed is a Raft," by Nanci Kincaid, submitted by Joan
As this is my submission I can't really be impartial, but it did seem to be well received. This is simply my favorite short story ever.

"Marigolds," by Eugenia W. Collier, submitted by Beth
Sad and sweetly moving.

"Birth of a Superhero," submitted by Toni
Funny.

"The Private Life of Genghis Khan," by Douglas Adams, submitted by Heather
Beyond funny.

"The Rose of Tralee," by Will Crider, submitted by Lynnette

"The Wildcat," by Catherine Boyd, submitted by Katey
I was not the only one to love this story. There is definitely something here that spoke to the readers.

"Hair," by Jesse Stuart, submitted by Dee
Another story with a personal connection to one of the Broads, the author is from Dee's neck of the woods. She reports that Stuart borrows freely from the stories of local families, and not in an entirely complimentary way. The sort of stories that are entertaining as long as you're not the subject.

Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier

Most famous for her novel Girl with a Pearl Earring, Tracy Chevalier writes about women and their role in societies that keep them in pretty--and sometimes not so pretty--boxes. In Falling Angels, Chevalier gives us the story of the wives and daughters in two families in turn-of-the-20th-century London as Queen Victoria dies and the Victorian era dies with her. The story is told from several points of view as the daughters, Maude Coleman and Lavinia Waterhouse, grow up in an age when the old status quo of rigid etiquette for everything from "at homes" to dealing with servants to mourning clothes was all laid out in a book so that everyone knew the rules. The graying area between social classes, changing gender roles, conflicts of sexual and gender politics, questions of education, the fight for votes for women--all of these are played out between the two households, often near their adjoining plots in the nearby cemetery. This was the most recent book club pick for the South Park Book Club and encouraged hours of intense discussion, as well as the emptying of a few bottles of wine! The best thing about the book is the look it gives us--those of us who have grown up with certain rights and privileges and take them for granted--of how women from a not-so-distant generation lived.
Tiffani (honorary member from Dayton)

Diana Gabaldon

Let us all prostrate ourselves at the feet of this wonderful woman. I have just finished the first 3 books of the Outlander series. The library is currently holding out on me for the next 2. They were, "Outlander", "Dragonfly In Amber" and "Voyager". They are gigantic. I loved every second of the approximately 2500 pages read so far. My only complaint, and it is a small one as it will deter me not one bit from voraciously reading all the remaining books in the series, is that I thought it stretched the imagination some that they keep meeting the same characters everywhere they go. Let's face it, the world was a lot bigger in the 1700's and Clair and Jamie get around more than most people. So it is a leeeetle silly that they keep bumping into folks in Jamaica and France and Scotland. (If Lord Grey shows up in America I am going to be put out.) But other than that I am caught hook, line and sinker. I can hardly wait to go on vacation and gorge on more.

The Thin Man

I enjoyed this book. It was recommended to me by a librarian. Not a large book, very easy read. It's about a rich, sophisticated couple who solve mysteries between drinks and parties. It's an older book and takes place during Prohibitation. (seems like there is always alcohol available though) I enjoyed it enough that I am planning on getting the movie to watch. I think it is an older black and white film.

The Sweet Potato Queens' Book of Love

You will either hate it or love it. I laugh out loud over it. These are real women down south. They even have a website. www.sweetpotatoqueens.com. The women have interesting ideas about love, marriage, and children. They have a huge following. There is a St. Paddy's Day Parade down south and they march every year. They wear around a size 28 and stuff the top and bottom and take in the waist. They say that satisfies everyone. The men who like big chests and the men who like big behinds.

There are only so many Queens allowed, then there are the Wannabes, (the women who are waiting in line, in case a Queen dies or moves away) then there are the Wannabe Wannabe's, (the Wannabes have their own following) the men in their lives are called Spud Studs, and their children are called Tater Tots. There are several different books, they even have a cookbook. I do highly reccomend the ladies. I just finished reading it for the 2nd time and still laughed outloud. (Kevin says he is afraid of them)

Blood Noir

I have read all of the books in the Anita Blake series. This one is the latest. Not her best. The only thing that kept me reading was the tiny bit of story line mixed in with all the sex. The first books in the series are really good. A story line that is not the norm. About a woman who when she was a child raised her pet from the dead. (It wasn't pleasant) It's about a time when vampires are citizens with rights, there are werepeople, (wereswans, wererats, werebears, etc..) and she becomes a Federal Marshal who has to keep them all in line. She is also a Necromancer. She raises people from the dead so their family, lawyers, etc. can ask them questions that need answering and then she puts them back to death. Really fun books. BUT.... the last couple have been more about sex than good story line. I would recommend the first ones, but I can't say I would recommend the last 2.