The Keeper of Lost Things

The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan

Read March 2021

The book begins with a box almost falling off a train seat but being caught by a man who takes it home and carefully catalogues it - placing it in a huge room of other 'lost things'.  We get some of his story and then the book turns to the young woman he leaves everything to - who he also entreats to return all the lost items to their owners.  It was a good story and is one of those books that I like even better now thinking back than when I first read it!  ha!  

Quote from the book - 

At the bottom of the tree, she was tiny and the tree was an invincible giant.  At the top, the tree was still huge, but tiny though she was, she had climbed it.  

The World According to Mister Rogers

The World According to Mister Rogers by Fred Rogers

Read March 2021 - Zoom Reading Circle

This book is simply a collection of quotes and stories of Mister Rogers.  Simple yet profound wisdom.  I do love Mister Rogers so much and so very much enjoyed the book.  What is not to like?  It is a lovely little pocket book or a small coffee table book and would make a very nice gift. 

The Best of Mister Rogers - Charlie Rose Interview

Fred Rogers Acceptance Speech - Emmy Awards 1997

What Unites Us

What Unites Us by Dan Rather
Read March 2021 - Zoom Reading Circle

Wonderful and timely book!  I appreciate Dan Rather's thoughtful take on patriotism and what it truly entails.  Not all the gunk that tries to pass for patriotism far too often.  He covers topics such as Service (he believes everyone should have a period of some kind of public service), Public Education, Inclusion and more.  His history - as a journalist, his upbringing, and his longevity in the midst of American history - provides him with good insight.  I wish all would read this book.  

Patriotism, he says, is loving your country and dialoguing with your fellow citizens to improve it. Nationalism is the belief that we are better than everyone else and leads to conflict and war.  Patriotism is rooted in humility.  Nationalism is rooted in arrogance.  

Good points all!

What unites Americans regardless of political belief - PBS Newshour

What unites Americans?  We took a road trip to find out - Bloomberg Quicktake

Ahead of election day, what unites Americans? - Bloomberg QuickTake

Dan Rather - What Unites Us?

Trouble I've Seen

Trouble I've Seen by Drew G.I. Hart

Read March 2021

Drew G.I. Hart is a young black pastor who shares insight about racism in our country and in the church.  He shares his own experiences - and those of others - and offers ways the white American church can and should examine ourselves in order to move forward in positive ways.  We have to be aware of systemic racism through the eyes of those who experience it - and not just through our own personal lens.  We cannot know or understand what minorities go through because our lives just are different.  It is also not the way of Jesus to continue the hierarchies that have long been established that keep others down.  We must be part of the solution - actively.  I highly recommend this book. 

Quote from the book - 

Those who violently colonized you ought not set the standard of what is proper and respectable. (p. 135) 

Systemic Racism - the Unscripted Series

From Tablet to Table

From Tablet to Table by Leonard Sweet

Read Feb/March 2021 - Books With Friends

I enjoyed many parts of this book and learned from it.  However, the author annoyed me a bit.  If you can get past that there is a lot of good info.  Basically, he states that the table should be a focus of our homes, churches, and communities and that Jesus is the table.  He references how often food is used in the gospels - including the Eucharist.  He makes the case that sharing a table with others dispels anger, lets us truly know and see others, offers conversation instead of fighting or ignoring others.  It also establishes intimacy, provides for and serves others, and builds community and relationships.  I'm on board. 

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy Reichert

Read March 2021 

This was a decent book but not nearly as good as my previous read, The Late Bloomer's Club.  Lou is trying to keep her French restaurant, Luellas, afloat.  The restaurant receives a scathing review from a man who writes under a pseudonym, which pretty much causes it to fail.  Of course the two meet and begin to date, while agreeing to never talk about work.  When the truth comes out, how will they make their relationship work?  

It sounds like a decent premise but Al, the writer, was so obnoxious and then suddenly changed course too quickly; it didn't make sense.  Lou's first boyfriend was SO stereotypically evil, even named Devlin (like the devil?)... it was a bit much.  And then Lou just wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer.  Weirdly, there was a lot of sex written into the book, which didn't seem to fit.  But I did love the recipe for coconut cake included at back of the book!  :) 

The Late Bloomers Club

The Late Bloomers Club by Louise Miller

Read March 2021

I loved this book!  I saw it on a facebook book club group page and decided to give it a try.  It was just a really good, engaging, sweet story.  No real angst - characters I liked - fun story all around.  I do plan to read more from this author.  This book is about a woman named Nora who owns and works at a diner in a small town, just as she has all her life.  She grew up in the midst of the diner and her parents left it to her after they died.  Another character dies at the very beginning of the book and leaves her home to Nora, which sparks some big decision making about whether to sell the house and land to a big box store (and solve all her financial troubles) or 'do the right thing' for others (like she has all her life).  A very enjoyable story. 

Quote from the book...

All the suffering in the world arises from wishing ourselves to be happy.  All the happiness there is in the world arises from wishing others to be happy.