Remarkably Bright Creatures

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Read February 2023

This month I read Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. I thoroughly enjoyed it and especially loved the ‘voice’ of the octopus. It was a pleasant read after the super heavy Tattooist of Auschwitz.

I read this for Well Read Book Club and thoroughly enjoyed it. Who wouldn’t love that octopus? He was so perfectly written - I could picture every scene with him perfectly. About the storyline - yes, I had read some critiques about how there were too many coincidences... but that was just the beauty of this particular story. It was meant to be that way! And I loved all the full circle connections and relationships. And of course I loved the redeeming qualities of the story - I’m a big fan of people getting their lives together and living happily (mostly?) ever after.


Some highlights from the book...

Humans. For the most part, you are dull and blundering. But occasionally, you can be remarkably bright creatures.

Why can humans not use their millions of words to simply tell one another what they desire?

She understands what it means to never be able to stop moving, lest you find yourself unable to breathe.

Some trees aren’t meant to sprout tender new branches, but to stand stoically on the forest floor, silently decaying.

Humans are the only species who subvert the truth for their own entertainment. They call them jokes. Sometimes puns.

The Visitors: A Novel

The Visitors: A Novel by Sally Beauman

Read February 2023 

I was in the mood for one of those long meandering books like a good Rosamunde Pilcher or Maeve Binchy.  But since I have pretty much read all of those, I pulled this one out.  It rose to the top of my selections based entirely on its (mostly) Egypt locale.  I really did enjoy this book a lot, but admit that I took my time reading it.  I even stopped halfway through to finish up my other book club books by their deadlines.  But I really enjoyed all the details surrounding the excavation of King Tut’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings.  Having visited that site (and others in Egypt) myself, I could truly picture the area and feel the heat and smell the Nile.  

This book spans the globe with action taking place in England, Egypt and even the US.  The time period of 1922 through the war years provided the ‘epic’ part of the read (that I do enjoy).  :)  And I was fascinated by the character development.  I loved Lucy’s spunk and determination in spite of all odds. 

Coming back to update 3/13/23 - I am liking this book more and more after finishing it.  I keep thinking about it and realize it was a very good book.  

Update again on 7-26-23 - Definitely giving this book a 5.  I just read The Collector’s Daughter based on the life of Eve Carnavon and was so glad I had read The Visitors - it certainly gave more depth to the current book. 

Notes and Highlights - 

bit late, you’ll say – but better late than never, don’t you agree? I always wanted to be a writer – I wrote poems as a girl, you know, and my, oh my, how I fussed over the scansion and the rhymes! Then, somehow, I lost the habit, and all my splendid ambitions went underground. Never, never let that happen to you, Lucy, dear . .

never attempt to come between two people who love one another. Anyone who does that will always and inevitably lose.’

‘How hard it is, being old, too many memories,’

Times change, of course, and what we value – the way we value, alters. How do we decide this is worthless, and that is a treasure? Unless the object concerned is of gold, of course, whose value never declines, whose glitter can never be resisted.

Hidden Figures

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly

Read February 2023 - Zoom Reading Circle

Hidden Figures was appreciated by all but was a tougher technical read than many of us had thought it might be. However, all that technical information was foundational for telling the remarkable stories of these incredible women. Their individual stories were powerful and inspiring and I truly do feel that the book and the movie go well together - each offering something to enhance the other. The book gives the depth and the movie highlights the inspirational story and heart. I am definitely going to re-watch this movie soon! And may have to add to the list The Right Stuff, as well!  

(by the way… if any of you have a chance to watch an old HBO miniseries called From the Earth to the Moon - produced by Tom Hanks - I HIGHLY recommend it! It played on HBO for 12 nights back in the late 1990’s I believe and is probably my favorite of all the ’space race’ movies/series that I have seen. Each episode is written and directed by a different team and yet they go together so well to tell the story of all the years of the space race.) Just as an aside…

Book club score - 3.8 

But the movie version received a universal 5 from each of us!  :) 

Article about Katharine Goble Johnson’s death at 101

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/24/science/katherine-johnson-dead.html

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

Read February 2023 - Zoom Reading Circle

As we probably imagined, The Tattooist of Auschwitz was a difficult read but many felt an important one. Several of us mentioned learning new aspects of the holocaust that we hadn’t considered, including the horror of drawing Jewish persons into doing jobs that were harmful to fellow Jews. The atrocities were almost more than our minds can take in. Ultimately, I appreciated the hopefulness in the good of humanity that Barbara re-directed our attention toward. I appreciate her thoughts of holding both the weight of the evil and the strength of the good & hopeful together.

Book club rated this a 4.

Here is an article I found that talks about the two main characters in this book, Lale and Gita Sokolov. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-42568390

Puzzle #16 - Bits & Pieces - Marvelous Garden - 500 pieces

Puzzle #16 of 2023
Finished February 19, 2023

Bits & Pieces Marvelous Garden - 500 pieces

Marvelous Garden - Oleg Gavrilov - Decided to try this one from Bits & Pieces.  This was actually one of the very first puzzles I ordered last year!  Then I ignored it because it was a Bits & Pieces puzzle and I wanted no part of them anymore.  :D  Pulling it out now is quite interesting.  First of all, the pieces don't seem as wonky to me as the 300 piece Bits & Pieces do. Second - this is a tough one because of the image and somewhat because of the wonky shapes but not in the way that I felt B&P puzzles were a year ago.  Slowly working my way through it - and enjoying it.  Have some pieces that I will be quite intrigued to discover where and how they fit in.  (thought they were edge pieces but maybe not?)  So far, enjoyable.

This was a bit tough, actually!  It was fun to put together, though.  Ready to be finished, but it wasn't frustrating.  All those peacock feathers were tricky!!  Pretty finished puzzle.  Enjoyable.

Puzzle #16 of 2023
Finished February 19, 2023

Bits & Pieces Marvelous Garden - 500 pieces

Puzzle #15 - Falcon - Greetings from Scotland - 1000 pieces

Puzzle #15 of 2023
Finished February 15, 2023

Falcon Greetings from Scotland - 1000 pieces 

This is a lovely Falcon puzzle but I was so sad to discover that Falcon must only put posters in the multi-sets.  There is no poster in this puzzle.  So, while the pieces are sturdy and nice, and no puzzle dust, and a fun image, it is frustrating to have no poster.  Especially when the box cover has whole sections of the puzzle covered by their name and logo.  ugh.  I hate this so much!  I literally cannot see the top left corner of the puzzle at all.  Why don't they include posters in all their puzzles?  I had decided Falcon was about my favorite and was planning to order a lot more. But for now, I will enjoy the puzzles, but won't buy any more unless I can get them in sets.  :(  This is a fun puzzle and of course I love that it is Scotland.  Have a few new places that I would like to visit now.  But it is getting a bit challenging at this point in the game... :)

Finished this one today.  Parts were quite challenging!  But the pieces were so nice - color and weight and fit. Enjoyed it a lot.  But missed that gorgeous heavy-weight poster. Alla Badsar is the artist for this puzzle.

Puzzle #15 of 2023
Finished February 15, 2023

Falcon Greetings from Scotland - 1000 pieces 

Puzzle #14 - Falcon - Corner Shops The Toy Store - 1000 pieces

Puzzle #14 of 2023
Finished on February 12, 2023

Falcon Corner Shops The Toy Store - 1000 pieces

This is another one from the set of 4 Corner Shops series from Falcon.  Just as delightful as the Hairdresser was!  Great thickness to the pieces, wonderful heavy-weight poster, bright image that is clear to see, challenging but not frustrating.  A few false fits but easily figured out.  I am a sure fire fan of Falcon from here on out.  which is great because I really love their puzzle images!  No puzzle dust, as well.

wonderful, thick poster

Puzzle #14 of 2023
Finished on February 12, 2023

Falcon Corner Shops The Toy Store - 1000 pieces

Puzzle #13 - Vermont Christmas Company - Venice Cafe - 550 pieces

Puzzle #13 of 2023
Finished on February 11, 2023

Vermont Christmas Company Venice Cafe - 550 pieces

Image by David Maclean - definitely an old favorite.  :)  

Another puzzle with almost zero puzzle dust.  The last several I have done have been like this... makes the puzzle dust from White Mountain and Ravensburger really stand out as gross!  This is a nice puzzle.  Nice sized pieces, loose fit, but okay.  Sure wish there was a poster.  At least the image on the box is good sized.  The 550 piece puzzles from VCC are simple and easy but fun.

Was a fun puzzle all around.  Glad to put it together.

Puzzle #13 of 2023
Finished on February 11, 2023

Vermont Christmas Company Venice Cafe - 550 pieces