Poet Warrior by Joy Harjo

This is book 22 of Book a Day January.

I read Harjo's 2012 memoir Crazy Brave some years ago, and we have the updated edition in our collection.  This is her new memoir, published in 2021.  Harjo is the first Indigenous Poet Laureate of the United States and is a member of the Muscogee Nation.  She is a poet, musician, activist, and professor.

What I like about this style of memoir, similar to Ordinary Hazards and My Name is Jason, is the intermingling of poetry (both lyrical and free), prose, and art.  There is never boring "and on this day I did this" that sometimes occurs in autobiographical works.  

Poet Warrior details the oral stories Harjo learned as a child, many passed down for generations, and laments the loss of such created by our technology-driven society.  She discusses her influences in the realm of poetry (and they are an eclectic mix of authors) and in life as a wife, mother, woman, and Native American Indian.  And how all of that intersects with our current political climate. 

You can read Harjo's factual background here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joy_Harjo

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

Ridgeline by Michael Punke

I have failed miserably at Book a Day January.  This is book 21.  It took me 2.5 days to get through, and I forgot to take my two weekend books home, leaving them on the Circ Desk. It looks like it'll be 23 books in 31 days. Eh.

You may know Punke's famous first novel by its movie adaptation: The Revenant starring Leo.  As we look to improve our holdings by and about the Indigenous peoples of the United States, this was recommended by our book vendor Follett.  Punke grew up in Wyoming near Fort Laramie and currently lives in Montana.   

This is a fictionalized account of the 1866 conflict in Powder Valley, Wyoming between westward expanding Americans and the tribes who have always called these lands home.  Red Cloud, revered leader of the Lakota, seeks a resolution while Crazy Horse, a fierce warrior, wants to drive the settlers back by any means necessary.  The white soldiers deal with internal strife, as the Civil War has left the army fractured.  There are many desertions as men fight the temptation to search for gold instead.  

This was not an easy read.  Besides the bloodshed, there are a LOT of characters.  Punke does his readers a favor with a brief chart at the beginning and more in-depth explanations at the end.  He also explains where and when he took creative license and gives more history to some.  The style is a cross between Conductor on the Underground Railroad, Petry's narrative biography of Harriet Tubman, and Dances With Wolves.  

I'll be adding this to our Indigenous subcollection momentarily.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy

We are feeling much better!  That was a NASTY bug!

I know I totally failed at Book a Day January, but this is book 20 for the month.

AND I HATED IT.

This was recommended as an independent reading book for an advanced science course and requested to be put on my most recent district order.  I don't want call my colleague out, but my goodness this was awful.

I think the premise is great, and that's why I wanted to read this.  A young woman studying the nearly extinct Artic tern (bird) wants to follow their migration pattern.  Franny finagles her way onto a fishing vessel and heads south, finding herself on the way.  Sounds good. A little nature, a little conservation, a little female in a male-dominated science. 

Nowhere in the description does this say it's somewhere in the future.  ALL animals are nearly extinct in this dystopian world.  Those who fish and hunt are vilified.  Franny's descriptions of men and those of other skin colors are disparaging.  We learn Franny is a liar who thinks only about herself with little care whom she hurts on her "quest".  

I seriously wanted to throw this by 30 pages in.  

I look forward to proofreading the written examination by the student who chose this as her reading book, but if I know anything about her, she will be brutally honest about this character, novel, and author!

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

Just an update...

The awful stomach bug going around hit the Eagles-Woychowski household hard.  Hoping to get back to reading a book a day starting today through the end of the month!

JW

Within These Lines by Stephanie Morrill

This was on our Wish List, but Mr. Weber sent us a copy from his daughter's bookcase cleanout. 

NOT an easy read.  At all.  

Evalina is an Italian American in California.  She is in love with Taichi Hamasaki, who is Japanese.  It is 1941, and Japan has just attacked Pearl Harbor.  Their relationship is completely illegal, as interracial marriage is banned. Taichi and his family are sent to an internment camp.  

The treatment of Taichi and his family is awful.  I know that my education glossed right over the interment camps our country set up on American soil to hold American citizens who were of Japanese descent.  Only recently has this truth begun to be included in our curricula.  George Takei and Kyle Larson have been instrumental in using their fame to help remind us what transpired.  

Taichi and Evalina communicate through letters. There is of course the chance their writings will be intercepted.  In addition, Evalina becomes a vocal protester of the camps, putting her own Italian family in danger.  

This would be great book to add to our freshman independent reading list for WWII and Romeo & Juliet. I did cry at the end, but they were happy tears.  

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes

I did it again.  Left my Chromebook on my desk at school on charge.  Oops.

This is the first of 2 reviews I'll do today as time allows (I did not read a book Saturday as it was my belated birthday/early Valentine's Day dinner and Six the Musical).

My son has taken to skiing in the Berkshires, at Catamount and Mohawk.  This came across my suggestions on Amazon.  I know SkyNet has become self-aware, but kinda creepy.

I'm glad I purchased it though!

Maya is living in Boston, but she grew up in the Berkshires.  Just before leaving for college, her best friend Aubrey dropped dead in front of Maya and the young man they were recently quarreling over, Frank.  Frank is a librarian and says he's returned to the area to care for his ailing father after living on the West Coast.

Years later, Maya sees a viral video called "girl drops dead", in which a young woman dies suddenly in a diner.  Across from her in the booth is Frank.  Maya is sure Frank killed the young woman, same as he did Aubrey.  However, no one believes Maya now, just as no one believed her then.  

I don't want to spoil too much, but this is a definite thriller that keeps you guessing.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

 

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict

Book 17 of Book a Day January.

Agatha Christie was a famous English murder-mystery author.  She was born upper middle class and was required to follow the customs of such in the 1910s-20s.  In 1926, her marriage broke down, with her husband having an affair with a long time friend, and Christie disappeared for 11 days.  Upon her return, she claimed amnesia.

It has long been speculated she faked her own disappearance in order to drum up literary fame and sympathy as the scorned wife.  

This is a fictionalized account of Christie's disappearance, following that theory.

I have to be honest, I had no idea about Christie's disappearance.  My Grandma Fran was a huge fan and had all of her novels and plays.  I read quite a few in late elementary school and middle school when I'd spend afternoons and the summer there with her and my Nana.

Definitely held my interest!  I could see our Criminal Justice cohort using this one!

A reminder all opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.