Want to give YOURSELF a Christmas present? Noelophile™ could suggest curling up on a window seat with a mug of hot chocolate, and whiling away a December afternoon with one of these.
But–we can just hear you laughing! So, if your favorite reading material is currently your to-do list, here are some great Christmas reads to cram in as you wait for your flight or stand in line at the cash register. (And some to wrap up and give some special people!)
- A Sense of Enchantment December 1, 2023
(Royalty-free image by Radoslaw Salaga from Pixabay.)
“The entire season is just so magical,” says author and artist Ellie Lieberman, proprietor of small handmade business Acorn Tops.
Ellie captures that magic in her books and handmade fairy creations.
Most recently, she’s presented it in her enchanting new children’s book, The Way the Cookie Crumbles.
The Way the Cookie Crumbles is the third in Ellie’s “Basil Basset” children’s series, starring Brigid and her lovable pet, Basil, who tends to get into trouble and is partly inspired by Ellie’s first basset hound.
Ellie, who both writes and illustrates her books, is also the author of a number of books and short stories for adults–including her just-released new novel, An Impossible Dream.
(And of course, Ellie is no stranger to Christmas stories! As you check out her author page, be sure to get a look at her short story, The Memory Tree.)
Ellie talked about her Basil Basset series, offered a preview of An Impossible Dream and shared some of her favorite elements of wonder and magic for the Christmas season.
Continue reading → - Two Great Reads March 2, 2023
by Noella Noelophile®
Great news! Lisa See has a new book coming out, according to her website.
She’s one of my favorite authors, with a gift for immersing readers in another time while giving them a firsthand look at Chinese culture through her likable, yet true-to-life, characters. She also speaks so believably in the first person that we can almost hear the women’s voices.
June 6th is the published release date for her new book, Lady Tan’s Circle of Women. You can bet I’m going to get a copy as soon as I can!
Meanwhile, I’m reading Dreams of Joy. And wholeheartedly recommend it.
Let me take a step back. If you haven’t read Shanghai Girls, you may want to read that first. Dreams of Joy is the sequel.
(Royalty-free image by cplz99atcsnilyk from Pixabay.)
Shanghai Girls explores a vanished world: glamorous Shanghai in the 1930s. Main characters Pearl and May are sisters–and models for “beautiful-girl” artist Z.G.
As the book begins, responsible, determined Pearl and reckless, kindhearted May seem to have had a charmed life. Young, beautiful, and with wealthy parents, their main concerns are whether the outfits they’re wearing are appropriate, as they pose for Z.G.’s poster and calendar renderings. Pearl, meanwhile, fancies herself in love with Z.G.–who seems to have eyes mainly for May.
But an undercurrent of change pervades their home–and China itself. Some of the luxurious furnishings have disappeared. Most of the servants have been dismissed. And their father anxiously announces, “I need to talk to you”. The sisters disregard him, preparing for their evening of work with Z.G.
And nationally, there’s talk of a revolution…
Change comes more immediately to May and Pearl. Upon their return home from the local cafe, they find their father waiting up for them. And he delivers a bombshell announcement that leaves the sisters shaken–and which will change their lives forever.
The story of May and Pearl as they navigate a world they never imagined makes for can’t-put-it-down reading. I don’t want to give too much away. However, I found the depiction of Los Angeles’ Chinatown of the 1930s and 1940s fascinating, and the skillful interweaving of Chinese culture in May and Pearl’s daily lives made me feel as though I’d just taken an international trip with friends.
Dreams of Joy continues the story–taking the reader into a new time period with the next generation.
I won’t spoil anything by telling you the relationship of the title character to the two sisters from Shanghai. However, at the start of Dreams of Joy, idealistic college student Joy is on her way to Mao Tse-Tung’s People’s Republic of China.
She’s on a dual mission.
Beyond her personal reason for the trip (again, no spoilers here!), Joy has been thoroughly indoctrinated with the Communist propaganda. So much so, that she’s highly enthusiastic about “helping to build the New China”.
(Royalty-free image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay.)
People she encounters at her first commune, Green Dragon Village, include Yong, an older woman whose bound feet prevent her from working sturdily in the fields; Kumei, a young mother; and Tao, a young man with a gift for art.
At first delighted to be a part of the “New Society”, Joy goes through her initial shock at the living conditions, through the brigade leader’s exhortations to work harder, to a gradual awakening to the reality of day-to-day life under Communism. Censorship, broken promises and hunger are all elements of her world in the “New China”. So is the biting cold as she and her fellow commune members spend the winter in a structure made of cornstalks, with paper over the windows.
Lisa See has done considerable research, and her details of daily life under the communist regime can make the reader almost see the stubby, over-planted fields or the murals painted on the walls of the commune’s leadership hall.
Shanghai Girls and Dreams of Joy are two of my favorites so far, from this favorite author. But when Lady Tan’s Circle of Women is published, this June, it may very well wind up on the same bookshelf.
Continue reading → - A (Romantic) Read to Give or Get December 6, 2022
by Noella Noelophile®
Normally, I don’t review Christmas books that could be considered “romances”.
But The Christmas Bookshop, by Jenny Colgan, merits an exception–for several reasons.
First, it’s about so much more than simply a romance. Like discovering your innate creative gifts, and the ways they can bloom, given the right opportunity.
There are also some believable family dynamics. As well as some completely unpredictable developments (no, I won’t tell you here!).
But most of all–it’s simply fun.
Jenny Colgan writes with a sense of humor and an eye for detail which evokes the “feel” of Scotland at Christmastime. And her protagonist, Carmen, isn’t the standard-edition lissome, resourceful romance heroine. Instead she has some very-human foibles.
A journey to herself
(Royalty-free image by Mariya Muschard from Pixabay.)
At the start of the story, Carmen becomes the family “project”.
Her “golden girl” sister Sofia appears to have everything: a high-powered career as an Edinburgh attorney; a new, “perfectly symmetrical” home straight out of a magazine; three children and a soon-expected baby with her husband.
(Royalty-free image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay.)
Meanwhile, Carmen is working below her capabilities at a department store in her rapidly-deteriorating hometown. Almost thirty, she has yet to find a lasting relationship. Her education ended after high school. And the once-vibrant store, at which she began working part-time while still in school, is failing.
And then, things get worse.
Finding herself suddenly unemployed, Carmen has no options but to move back home and live with her parents.
With jobs scarce in their town, their mother prevails on a reluctant Sofia to “sort out Carmen”.
Warning that Carmen must not “mess it up”, Sofia recruits her to come to Edinburgh and work with one of her clients in his bookshop, while helping with her three children.
The ensuing action is both hilarious, and believable.
Carmen’s missteps along the way make for entertaining reading. So does her gradual self-discovery. And Colgan’s characters are a delight.
The players in her world
(Royalty-free image by Дарья Яковлева from Pixabay.)
One of the first people Carmen meets in Edinburgh is Sofia’s nanny, Skylar. Intimidatingly beautiful and annoyingly overconfident, Skylar is a hilarious caricature of a New Age authoritarian.
We also meet bookshop proprietor Mr. McCredie, a lovable bibliophile with a reverence for antique books and no head for business, whatsoever! As well as Carmen’s three children: intellectual Phoebe, know-it-all Pippa and cheerful Jack. And then there’s Blair Pfenning, an all-too-true-to-life renowned author character who will alternately make you howl with laughter, and cringe when he makes an appearance.
There are also some surprises–too good for me to ruin here!
Within minutes of meeting Carmen, Skylar delivers the unwelcome news that they will be “working together” to care for the children. This is a fact that Sofia has somehow neglected to mention!
However, as Carmen will discover on her first day at the bookshop, it isn’t the only one. “You’re here to save the day,” Mr. McCredie informs her, after telling her that the bank will close him down if the shop fails to turn a profit by Christmas.
(Royalty-free image by bluartpapelaria from Pixabay.)
As this is a Christmas story, we know the expected conclusion. But the “getting there” is all the fun.
Unlike many romances, The Christmas Bookshop manages not to be predictable. Expect some surprises. And had you ever heard of “thundersnow” before? I had not–so this was a fun way to learn something!
I found myself almost angry on Carmen’s behalf, at her family’s intervention. Jenny Colgan appears to know a lot about well-meaning families and how they operate–as well as the feelings such actions elicit in their intended “beneficiaries”.
“So, Sofia knows best again?” demands a furious Carmen when her mother delivers her “solution” to Carmen’s current situation. (Who hasn’t had a family “expert” who delivers all-knowing pronouncements on a situation they don’t understand in the least?)
(Royalty-free image by Ylanite Koppens from Pixabay.)
More than one nonconformist will find an all-too-familiar ring in the conversations between Carmen, her mother and Sofia. As well as the conversations about her, as the family “problem” and “project”.
Carmen’s gradual growth, as her creative gifts blossom, is my favorite aspect of The Christmas Bookshop. But another magical element is the way Jenny Colgan immerses you in her environments. I could almost see the sparkling silver stars and twinkling lights decorating the main street of shops, and pick up a faint scent of leather from the collectors-edition Hans Christian Andersen volumes.
Warm, funny, true-to-life–and oh yes, the romance is fun. All of the above make The Christmas Bookshop a book I’ll want to read again–and you probably will, too.
Continue reading → - Another Great Read for Summer July 12, 2022
by Noella Noelophile®
Preface this by saying, I don’t usually review nonfiction.
And the book I’m about to recommend isn’t new, and may take awhile to become available at the library. Particularly if you’re requesting it in e-book format.
But with that said, if you haven’t yet had the chance to read Michelle Obama’s Becoming, it’s more than worth the wait.
Naturally, it’s going to be good. A Harvard-educated former First Lady author with a passion for education? There’s no way her biography would not have been compelling.
But I was unprepared for the way Michelle seamlessly weaves life lessons into her story. Matter-of-factly, she shares the details of her growing-up journey, as Michelle Robinson, from the South Side of Chicago. And in doing so, she introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters.
Early influences
(Royalty-free image by David Mark from Pixabay.)
We meet Michelle’s loving, yet exacting, mother. My favorite quote of hers is something both Michelle and her brother hear repeatedly during their growing-up years: “I’m not raising babies. I’m raising adults.”
Consequently, both Michelle and her brother learn the power of responsibility, early in life. Both set forth with confidence, to achieve their goals.
And there’s Robbie. Michelle’s demanding and exacting great-aunt is also her piano teacher. Again Michelle doesn’t sugarcoat her differences of opinion with strong-willed Robbie. But in a recital story she shares (which I won’t ruin here), we see Robbie’s empathy and warmth.
A third memorable character is Suzanne, whom Michelle affectionately nicknames “Screwzy”. Michelle’s friend and college roommate, her fun-centered approach to life stands out in stark contrast with Michelle’s taking-care-of-business mindset. But her outlook ultimately gives Michelle a new perspective.
Role models shine through Becoming, illustrating the power of love, family and friendship. Michelle’s South Side experiences are rooted in a community that expects her to succeed and consistently sends the message that that success is possible.
What I especially liked, though, was Michelle’s honest assessment of her professional journey.
Changing course
(Royalty-free image by Jörg Möller from Pixabay.)
I’d always thought of her as a lawyer. However, as she shares in Becoming, after graduation she finds herself on the fast track towards becoming a partner at a well-known law firm…
…and doesn’t like it.
What does a professional woman do when her gifts and talents are leading her to a destination at which she no longer wants to arrive? Michelle’s journey to finding more fulfilling work is both a fascinating read and a guide for anyone who may find themselves in that situation.
And, of course…
And then, there’s the love story which starts with a certain law intern–whom Michelle at first considers “just a friend”. She even tries to engineer a date between Barack Obama and one of her female colleagues!
Again, I won’t ruin the story. Nor the details of their courtship, the couple’s life together and, ultimately, the campaigns and their results.
Though I will tell you that, at one point in the book, Michelle expresses her reluctance for her husband to become a politician, stating, “Politics is no place for good people.”
I won’t even spoil this by telling you some of the “fun facts” about living in the White House and working in the capacity of First Lady.
Suffice it to say, Michelle Obama’s Becoming is a book I’ll want to read again—and one I’d give to any of the professional women on my Christmas gift list.
Continue reading → - Summertime Great Reads June 27, 2022
by Noella Noelophile®
A few years ago, I was on a long-haul flight. A stewardess approached me purposefully.
“What are you reading?”
In the ensuing pleasant conversation, she mentioned that during lulls in long flights, she and her colleagues were always looking for great books.
(And what I was reading was Jacqueline Briskin’s Dreams Are Not Enough. Both a compelling novel with believable characters and an excellent escape into another time.)
With summer here and lots of people traveling, here are just a few great books to check out, take to the beach, or just curl into for an afternoon. These are not new but they are favorites. All of them fall into the “I want to read it again” category.
(And, just in case you Christmas-shop year-round for special people on your list, any fellow readers that don’t have these already, will probably curl up in a comfortable chair and start them on the spot!)
The Mistress of Spices, by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.
A truly magical novel.
To the casual observer, Tilo is just an old woman, operating a spice store in a run-down section of Oakland.
In actuality, though, she is an immortal being from a distant island. Her arthritic, old-woman body is a form she has taken. And she has trained to become the Mistress of Spices, with the gift of using those spices to magically change lives.
As Tilo observes her customers, she receives visions. Seeing into their day-to-day lives, she instinctively knows which spices will solve their problems.
Cardamom, clove and cinnamon, for a bullied schoolboy. Turmeric, for an unfulfilled young wife longing for a child. Dashmul tea for a man in a stressful job.
And in return for her powers, Tilo has dedicated herself to the spices. They, and they alone, are to be her life, and her love.
But then, she finds herself restless…and temptation creeps into her store, and her mind, in an all-too-human way…
…and the magical forces that gave her her gifts, are not amused.
Written in an almost-poetic style, the beauty of the language and the compelling story will keep you “hooked”.
I first came across Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s work through her novel Sister of My Heart and the sequel, The Vine of Desire. The Mistress of Spices is a very different type of novel, but every bit as firmly in the “can’t-put-it-down” category.
Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven, by Fannie Flagg.
Since Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, I’ve loved everything Fannie Flagg has ever written.
But Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven, the third book of her Elmwood Springs series, is especially fun.
I’ll never get enough of the cast of characters from Welcome to the World, Baby Girl and Standing in the Rainbow.
Appearance-conscious and anxiety-ridden Norma, down-to-earth Macky, hard-luck hairdresser Tot Whooten and life-loving Aunt Ellner are all familiar figures. Who hasn’t known one or more of these people in real life? And Fannie Flagg appears to know them inside out–bringing them to life yet never letting them become “stale” or overly predictable.
(Royalty-free image by Gretta Blankenship from Pixabay.)
In the opening pages, Aunt Ellner takes a tumble from a ladder, after being stung by wasps while gathering figs. She then embarks on an odyssey–a near-death experience, as seen from her down-home perspective.
Believing her dead, all the people whose lives she’s touched react to her tragic “passing”.
Their reactions are moving, funny and believable.
“She was one of the oldies but goodies”, remarks neighbor Tot Whooten–just before she wonders, “What’s going to happen to the Sunset Club now…and who’s going to do the Easter egg hunt this year?”
After hearing the news great-niece Linda remembers the good times from her growing-up years with Ellner, and the guidance her great-aunt offered, for her adult life.
“Why didn’t I find more time to go and visit her, and let my daughter get to know her better?” she thinks.
And rough-hewn trucker Luther Griggs recalls the “terrible fudge” Ellner gave him when he was eight. Along with the mentorship that began, shortly thereafter, and changed his life. (Ellner, who actually gave the boy a chocolate laxative, in retribution for throwing rocks at her cat, repented shortly afterwards with a gift he does like–and life guidance.)
As her friends remember her, Ellner is on the ride of her life–or death. Which proves to be a funny and engaging romp through what may be the afterlife.
The first person she meets is her sister Ida. Ida wastes no time in taking her to task for letting the less-than-competent Tot style her hair for the final time, years ago.
But Ida is Ellner’s escort, on the way to meet her Maker. Ultimately loving despite the sibling quirks, she throws open the double doors to the inner sanctum…
Funny, beautiful and inspiring would all be words to describe what comes next. I won’t ruin it with “spoilers”. Except to say, if the afterlife really is the way Fannie Flagg has envisioned it, I’ll feel no fear whatsoever when my time comes.
)Royalty-free image by Ylanite Koppens from Pixabay.)
Evening Class, by Maeve Binchy.
Another author whose work falls into the “can’t-get-enough” category.
Like so many of her fans, I was shocked and sorry to hear of Maeve Binchy’s sudden passing in 2012. She certainly has a legacy of great storytelling.
And Evening Class is my go-to novel, of hers, to give friends who are navigating rough times. It’s both the perfect “escape” book–transporting the reader to Dublin in the 1990s–and a great read that involves you in the characters’ lives immediately.
Evening Class starts with Aidan Dunn, who is very much at odds with his own life.
His wife and daughters are increasingly distant. Pouring his heart and soul into his work as a Latin teacher at the local school, he believes he is next in line to become principal. But then, the position goes to a younger colleague whom Aidan detests.
And Aidan is given a “consolation prize” of sorts.
(Royalty-free image by Michelle Raponi from Pixabay.)
The new principal wants him to spearhead the school’s new pilot program: adult evening classes.
And unexpectedly, Aidan finds himself engaged in the new project.
The first evening class, on Italian language and culture, is taught by Nora O’Donoghue–a woman with a past. Her ailing parents and self-centered siblings alternately shame her and take her for granted.
But Nora, or “Signora” as everyone calls her, finds an outlet for her talents, as she shares her love of Italy with her students and learns about their lives.
Those students include practical, reliable Bill–hopelessly in love with childlike Lizzie. Sisters Kathy and Fran enroll; with the goal of ultimately preparing sixteen-year-old Kathy, for whom learning doesn’t come easily, to college. And streetwise Lou, whose rough life has led him to inside jobs for a local gangster, is a student as well.
Together, the evening class explores Italy. Signora, Aidan and the evening students form a bond. And their studies will take them further than anyone initially imagined…
Warm, engaging and memorable, Evening Class may well have you reading “just one more chapter” on your next trip or “staycation”–even if you’ve read it before.
Have a great summer, a great read, and don’t forget to tell me which books have captured your summer imagination.
Continue reading → - Another Great, Christmasy Read December 6, 2021
by Noella Noelophile®
Royalty-free image by Ylanite Koppens from Pixabay Hooray! I found one!
While there’s no shortage of newer Christmas books, it seems lately that most are romances. And while that’s fun, I often find myself wishing for the more traditional Christmas stories of traditions, giving, and Chrismas spirit.
Chicken Soup for the Soul to the rescue! I love this series anyway, but the recent Christmas edition has just a little extra sparkle.
Published by Amy Newmark in October of 2020, Christmas is in the Air features 101 Christmas stories. These explore Christmas from multiple perspectives.
Military life at Christmastime, surviving the first Christmas after a major life change, and the birth of new traditions are all circumstances into which the storytellers take you.
Royalty-free image by silkkat813 from Pixabay You’ll almost feel the biting cold of a Christmas Eve on a New York street, or find yourself sitting up straighter as a roomful of Marines file past for a Christmas treat.
There are also unique perspectives such as one of my personal favorites: “A Second Chance at Childhood’, written by Kristen Mai Pham, who fled Communist Vietnam with her family at the age of four. And the addition of Hanukkah selections such as “Menorah Memories” by Maxwell Bauman offer a glance into traditions with which you may not be as familiar, but all of which celebrate family, tradition and creativity. (And if you are a parent especially, try hard not to smile when you read Rob Goldberg’s The Hanukkah Story. That may prove impossible!)
Christmas is in the Air also includes a number of traditions, often on-the-spot ones unique to the storyteller’s family, that you may just want to adopt.
Royalty-free image by Reijo Telaranta from Pixabay All in all, reading this recent Chicken Soup for the Soul offering felt very much like having tried to eat just one of my grandmother’s incredible Christmastime chocolate cookies. (You can probably guess how that turned out!)
Continue reading → - A Great Read to Give or Get December 22, 2020
by Noella Noelophile®
Dorothy Lane, familiarly known as Dolly, is a dreamer–and a doer.
A chambermaid, living in post-World War I London, Dolly is a woman with a past heartbreak. She eats, sleeps and breathes musical theatre, attending West End chorus auditions at every opportunity. In the face of less-than-stellar results and the assurances of those around her that she’ll “never amount to anything”, she doggedly pursues her dream of a stage career.
So begins Hazel Gaynor’s The Girl from the Savoy, with a first-person look inside the life of Dolly Lane as she sloshes through a downpour. On her way to her first day at work at The Savoy, London’s emblematic luxury hotel, Dolly believes her fortunes are about to change.
Then Dolly barrels into a stranger–who turns out to be musical composer Peregrine Clements. But beyond leaving her with a mild crush and a discarded score, and making her late for her first day of work, the encounter changes nothing .
Next, we meet West End musical-theatre star Loretta May. On the surface, she appears to have everything.
(Royalty-free image by PublicDomainArchive from Pixabay
A daughter of a high-society family, “Etta”, as she is called, has made her mark on the stage. Her onstage work, as well as a hiatus serving as a nurse to troops, has won her the adulation of audiences. Her social circle includes luminaries of the literary and theatrical world. As we meet her, Etta is preparing for her opening night as the star of a new musical.
Weekly, Etta meets her brother, musical composer Peregrine Clements, for tea at Claridge’s.
But Etta is harboring an ominous secret…and Perry has smacked up hard against a creative block…
And nothing is predictable–nor completely as it seems–which is the beauty of The Girl From the Savoy.
Hazel Gaynor takes us inside the head of each of her main characters, letting us experience their worlds in first-person. Rich in detail, The Girl From the Savoy creates the world in which each character lives. We can almost hear the giggles of Dolly’s best friend Clover and feel the overbearing heat as the “gallery girls” stampede to the balcony on their day off to see their idol, Loretta May, perform in her latest hit show.
This particular author has several other books which I especially like. A Memory of Violets, which parallels stories of a Victorian flower-seller and a young, early-twentieth-century London assistant housemother with a secret in her past, runs a close second. I also loved Meet Me in Monaco, which Hazel Gaynor co-wrote with Heather Webb and which gives us a look past the “glamour” surrounding a young Grace Kelly at the time of her marriage to Prince Rainier.
And as of October 2020, according to her website, she’s also published a new historical novel: When We Were Young & Brave, which I’m now looking forward to reading!
However, if I had to choose a top favorite–with a lot of humor, heart and a completely vicarious triumphant glow at one point in the story (no, no “spoilers”–not sorry!), The Girl From the Savoy walks offstage with five Christmas stars.
Continue reading → - Long Beach’s New Book Space September 14, 2019
by Noella Noelophile®
Remember Saturdays at the library?
Coming home with a stack of books? Spending the day, in a sense, with Rumer Godden, E.B. White, Ruth Sawyer…or, later, Betty Smith, J.K. Rowling or Fannie Flagg?
On Saturday, September 21st, a brand-new library gets added to those memories. And that’ll be for kids of the next generation and “big kids” like us.
That morning, Long Beach’s new Billie Jean King Main Library hosts its grand opening.
At 9:30, the general public are invited to come see the new space. The official program starts around 10:15, with speakers including professional tennis champion Billie Jean King and Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia.
Food trucks, face painting and other activities will be part of the day’s festivities. And visitors are encouraged to come in, get a library card, check out books and see what the new facility has to offer.
The new library, according to a City of Long Beach press release, is a 92,500-square-foot building. It will have room for 300,000 books. A Veteran’s Resource Center and a Center for Adaptive Technology Center will be included.
So will an art studio and children’s storytelling space, meeting rooms and a Family Learning Center.
Among the library’s future plans are literacy services, financial services and job training.
In other words, the Billie Jean King Main Library will be doing exactly what libraries were designed to do.
Teaching people to dream–and providing the means to get there.
The Billie Jean King Main Library, 200 West Broadway at Pacific in Long Beach, celebrates its Grand Opening on Saturday, September 21st from 9:30 am to noon. The library will be open till 5 pm for regular business, following the festivities. Admission is free.
Continue reading → - A Historical Read–and Good News! November 14, 2017
by Noella Noelophile®
(Photograph courtesy of Michael Chiaverini, and used with permission.)
Historically, inspired family man Henry Wadsworth Longfellow appears to have nothing in common with notorious assassin John Wilkes Booth.
But their common denominator: each intrigued gifted author Jennifer Chiaverini
For Christmas season 2016, I had the privilege of talking with Jennifer about her book Christmas Bells. Jennifer, who published Christmas Bells in 2015, tells a fantastic Christmas story that takes her readers back and forth in time. Paralleling Longfellow’s happy family life, and the inspiration for his beloved Christmas verse after tragedy struck, with a story set in modern-day Boston just before Christmas, she explores the frustrations, sorrow and joy that are part of loving someone–and life.
And at the time of our interview, Jennifer had just published Fates and Traitors: A Novel of John Wilkes Booth and the Women Who Loved Him.
Today, Fates and Traitors comes out in paperback–and will make a great stocking stuffer for any history buff.
In a departure from her stories of more illustrious figures, Jennifer explores the life of one of the most hated men in history. She takes readers through the circumstances of Booth’s life, through the influence of four women in his life: his mother, Mary Ann Holmes; his fiancee, Lucy Lambert Hale; his sister, Asia Booth Clarke; and his landlady and co-conspirator, Mary Surratt. The story will rivet readers, due to Jennifer’s gift for getting inside the heads of her multidimensional characters. Readers will be wondering, along with Lucy, if John cares; with Asia, if her marriage has been a mistake; and with Mary Surratt, if amnesty will be granted.
Fates and Traitors brings up facts that our history classes somehow missed. (Who knew that the original plan wasn’t to assassinate Lincoln at all?) In doing so, it captures the sense of crossroads in life. Random chance plays a role: if seemingly-minor circumstances had occurred differently, history would have told some different stories.
Meanwhile, John emerges as an articulate charmer, with a gift for silver-tongued romance and a passion for his cause. While John Wilkes Booth never becomes a sympathetic figure, Fates and Traitors offers some perspective on his world, and his actions.
Meanwhile,, here’s some more good news. Jennifer has a new novel, Enchantress of Numbers, a Novel of Ada Lovelace, coming out on December 5th! This brand-new book tells the story of Ada Byron King, Lord Byron’s daughter, who was the world’s first computer programmer. Promotional material for the book mentions Ada’s “exceptional contributions to science and technology”–of which, I admit, I have been completely unaware!
I can’t wait to read this.
Continue reading → - Up and Running–and Signing Books May 13, 2017
“What time is it?” asked author, artist and soon-to-be-bookstore-owner Barbara Lieberman.Pacific Daylight Time was 10:38 a.m., Saturday, May 6th.
And Lomita’s brand-new, all-independent-author bookstore, Pipe and Thimble, was twenty-two minutes away from its Grand Opening.
On hand was Lomita Mayor Pro-Tem Michael G. Savidan, to officiate at the ribbon-cutting.
A few authors and a number of enthusiastic readers stood waiting.
Standing before the door were Barb and Ellie Lieberman, the talented mother-daughter duo who were just about to become active bookstore proprietors. Both Barb and Ellie are published indie authors (between them, they’ve either published, or contributed to, seventeen books–so far) who created Pipe and Thimble on the principle of treating authors, and artists, with respect and kindness.
It’s also based on the idea that reading is magical. And that magic was in full force on Saturday.
Even this hummingbird, who showed up for breakfast just prior to the ribbon-cutting, appeared to sense it.
In his opening remarks, the Mayor Pro-Tem (who’d casually introduced himself as “Mike”) referenced Lomita’s recent blossoming, with the opening of a number of small businesses.
Mike presented Barb and Ellie with a welcoming certificate, from the City of Lomita, congratulating them on their new bookstore.
In a brief speech, Barb thanked the gathered group who had supported both her and Ellie in making their dream a reality.
“I feel like the Velveteen Rabbit,” she said, referencing the beloved children’s classic in which love brings the title character’s dream into existence.Then, Ellie handed Mike the scissors…
SNIP. And applause!
“Come on in!” Barb invited.Music, catered refreshments, hugs, congratulations and lots of visitors finding handcrafted treasures and their next great read, were the next items on the agenda.
And today, things are likely to be even better. 
This morning, starting at 11:00, Pipe and Thimble Publishing and Bookstore celebrates its one-week anniversary with its first book signing and reading! 
Featured authors Mark Fine and Jack Kregas will be onsite until 2 pm. Mark’s The Zebra Affaire made Pipe and Thimble’s top-ten bestseller list during the Grand Opening. (And while I’m not that far into it yet, it’s already fantastic–and is enough to make any reader realize just how much we take for granted, when reading about the circumstances of the poorest of the poor in South Africa during apartheid.)
Haven’t yet had the opportunity to pick up Jack Kregas’ Mystical Glasses, but I’m hoping to rectify that problem in very short order.
The magic continues…Pipe and Thimble Bookstore and Publishing, “the small press with a big heart”, hosts its first book signing and reading by authors Mark Fine and Jack Kregas today, from 11 am to 2 pm. Pipe and Thimble is located at24830 Narbonne Avenue, near 250th Street, in Lomiita.
Continue reading → - Today’s the Day May 6, 2017
by Noella Noelophile®
This morning, at 11 am, is it.
The grand opening of Southern California’s first all-independent-author bookstore: Pipe and Thimble Publishing and Bookstore.
Mother-daughter creative team/proprietors Barbara and Ellie Lieberman would love to invite you to join them.Barb says the Mayor will be there to cut the ribbon at 11:00 am sharp. They’ll have music all day, refreshments, courtesy of RSVPea Catering…
…and lots of cool creations from local artists.
Best of all–though–there are a minimum of 250 titles on their shelves, from authors who are either self-published or published through a small press!
You may want to get out your summer calendar and start marking some dates, too. 
Pipe and Thimble has a full schedule of cool events. Just a few of them are their “Victory Garden Party”, happening July 9th as a benefit for San Pedro Packages for Patriots; their natural-health speaker series; and, of course, their very first book signing event, one week from today, featuring Jack Kregas and Mark Fine.
Here’s a short feature/interview about their new store. But please don’t take my word for it– come see for yourself if Pipe and Thimble Bookstore is a magical space!Pipe and Thimble Bookstore and Publishing Company celebrates its store’s Grand Opening this morning, Saturday, May 6th, at 11, at 24830 Narbonne Avenue, near 250th Street, in Lomiita. Hope to see you there!
Continue reading → - Two Renaissance Women, One Magical Space May 4, 2017
by Noella Noelophile®
Pipe and Thimble Bookstore and Publishing Company is standing ready.
Their grand opening happens this Saturday, May 6th. Lomita Mayor Mark Waronek will be on hand at 11:00 am sharp, for the ribbon cutting that will officially open Southern California’s first all-independent-author bookstore and creative space.
They’ll have live music all day, from a number of talented local musicians. Oh, and of course there’ll be food, courtesy of RSVPea Catering.
And proprietors/authors/”artrepreneurs” Barb and Ellie Lieberman appear to have waved several magic wands since we spoke, in early March.At that time…
… they were painting walls and planning some unconventional shelving for their new store. A Christmas tree, wire racks, a wire boat and various trunks and tables waited to be put to use as displays.Barb and Ellie, a mother-daughter creative team, had envisioned Pipe and Thimble while publishing a number of their own books, as independent authors.“It’s an opportunity for indie authors to see their books on a shelf,” Barb explained. “It’s really hard to be an indie author, and it’s made more difficult by stores not carrying indie authors’ books.”
Consequently, she said, Pipe and Thimble will offer book signings and author events, promoting their authors in a way they normally wouldn’t be promoted. However, they are not a vanity press.Currently, Pipe and Thimble stocks more than 250 titles by independent authors.
“And we’re going to build unique displays that attract you to (our books) by genre, by age group,” Barb said. “Everything is going to be movable, so every time you come, it’s going to be different.”Now, why the name–“Pipe and Thimble”? Barb says it’s in honor of her late parents, who crafted dollhouses and miniatures in the 1970s. The pipe represents her father, the thimble, her mom.“Everything we do at Pipe and Thimble Publishing is inspired by the way my parents would do business, (the way they) would interact with people,” Barb said.
Meanwhile, Ellie was getting into doing the painting. “I’ve…started on a ‘wall of waves’,” she said, explaining that this section would use a boat as a wall shelf unit for books with an ocean or pirate theme.On Friday evening, April 28, visitors had the opportunity to see how all this creativity turned out, in a sneak preview.Several authors were on hand, including Nyasia Maire, author of The Heretic’s Child, a fantasy novel that is all but certain to catch you up in protagonist Emma’s world from Page One…And Mark Fine, author of the historical romance The Zebra Affaire. Mark will be one of two featured authors at Pipe and Thimble’s first book signing event on May 13th.
Several artists whose work is on display had come by to celebrate. (When you come into the store, be sure to look up–or you might miss Jessica Silagy’s graphics! Gifted Jessica is the proprietor of Jessie J Inspirations. And be sure to check for the latest cool metal-chain jewelry Gale Rugnetta, of Angel Art Dreams, has been knitting.No–that’s not a typo. Gale creates striking Viking-knit bracelets, necklaces and earrings!)
The whole community’s invited to Pipe and Thimble’s upcoming events–which include a lecture series and a special July 9th “Victory Garden Party” to benefit San Pedro nonprofit Packages for Patriots.
“We’re like kids in a candy store in here,” Barb commented, mid-evening. “It’s just so much fun.”Now, how in the world did she and Ellie pull all of this together in just seven weeks? Ellie gave some insights into their magic formula.
“Lots of caffeine, sugar and chocolate,” she offered. “And it definitely helps, having a partner like my mom.”Pipe and Thimble Bookstore and Publishng Company has its grand opening on Saturday, May 6th, 11 am at 24830 Narbonne Avenue, near 250th Street, in Lomiita. Come enjoy the music, art, and food and discover some of your new favorite authors!
Continue reading → - Mitzvahs, Miracles and Inspiration December 23, 2016
by Noella Noelophile®
Author and speaker Dawn Wynne is celebrating Hanukkah with her family.
She’s also celebrating Christmas.
And her latest book, The Miracle Mitzvah Moose, celebrates the principles of love and giving at the core of both holidays.
As a mom, Dawn has taught her daughter the true spirit of the season. With a blended family that observes both Jewish and Christian customs every year, she has started a tradition from which grew the idea for The Miracle Mitzvah Moose. An inspiring children’s book that may very well get the whole family into the Hanukkah (or Christmas) spirit, The Miracle Mitzvah Moose comes with a toy, “Moosey”, which Dawn designed to go with the story.
With a background in education, Dawn has been honored as with both the “Teacher of the Year” and “Superintendents’ Award” for teaching excellence. Meanwhile, she is an Amazon Children’s bestselling author, with honors including Indie Excellence Finalist and the Readers’ Favorite Silver Award for her previous books
Meanwhile, if you’re looking for activities for young household members home for winter vacation, Dawn has coloring, baking and craft activities on the “Kid’s Corner” of her website. And she’s available as a speaker–not just for Hanukkah topics but to offer a “fun” history lesson from her second book, I Remember When..., or a message of sustainability from her first one, Earth Remembers When.
Dawn talked about her background, the experience of writing and publishing The Miracle Mitzvah Moose and her family’s traditions for Christmas and Hanukkah.
Continue reading → - From Her Heart, at Christmas December 3, 2016
“Life isn’t always what we think it is,” says author Evangeline Duran Fuentes. “Sometimes there’s a change.”That change, and dealing with it at Christmastime, are at the core of her fourth published book (and her first published Christmas story!), A Tumbleweed Christmas.
In addition to being a storyteller, Evangeline is an artist/entrepreneur, as well as a mom and grandmother. And A Tumbleweed Christmas is based on a true story.
Some years ago, Evangeline and her family moved from Southern California to Texas, to help her ailing father-in-law run his small farm. Her two young children had to make some major adjustments–and their first Christmas in their new home, is the foundation of A Tumbleweed Christmas.
As the story progresses, ten-year-old Matty and her older brother Mark learn to thrive in their new setting. In the process, Matty leans a lot about love and growing up, as two strangers offer an unexpected gift.
With a poignant twist towards the end, A Tumbleweed Christmas is a bittersweet story of family, love and giving. While written as a children’s story, it shares a quality with Evangeline’s three previous books: “big kids” will find themselves captivated–and won’t forget Matty, Mark, Pedro or Esperanza.
Evangeline talked about the story behind A Tumbleweed Christmas, some of the creative choices she made while writing it, and some of her family’s Christmas traditions. (She also read a short selection from A Tumbleweed Christmas, in the course of our interview!)
(And congratulations to Evangeline on publishing her fifth children’s book, Waggles, earlier this year! You’ll find all of her books on her website. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for some sparkly and unique Swarovski crystal jewelry, check out her small business, Alluring By Design!)
Continue reading → - A Great Christmas Read–Plus! October 17, 2016
by Noella Noelophile®
“I heard the bells, on Christmas Day, their old familiar carols play…”
You’ve probably heard this traditional carol–and maybe sung it–all your life.
But–did you know the story behind this carol, “Christmas Bells”? And that one of America’s most beloved poets became inspired with these verses at a time of great personal turmoil?
Bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini tells that story, in her 2015 novel Christmas Bells. And while this is a work of historic fiction, based on documented facts, she also tells a parallel Christmas story–set in modern times.
And here’s some great news–and some more great news, along with some dates you may want to keep in mind. As of October, 2016, Christmas Bells is available in paperback! (Can we say “fantastic stocking stuffer or Christmas-trip read” here?)
Also–Jennifer is planning some upcoming author appearances, and has a brand-new novel! Her central character, this time, may surprise you. She’ll be doing a reading at the Wisconsin Book Festival on Saturday, October 22nd, with a Q and A session and book signing afterwards. Additional dates will be forthcoming on her website.
(Photograph courtesy of Michael Chiaverini, and used with permission.)
You may very well already be familiar with Jennifer Chiaverini’s gift for bringing history to life through storytelling. Some of her previous twenty-four novels include Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker, Mrs. Grant and Madam Julie, and Mrs. Lincoln’s Rival. Needleworkers among us have also been delighted by her Elm Creek Quilts series, which includes The Christmas Quilt, The New Year’s Quilt, and The Quilter’s Apprentice.
In Christmas Bells, she gives us the best of both worlds, as she takes us back in time to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s Craigie House in the mid-nineteenth century–then to the present day, as his beautiful carol resonates with an engaging and believable cast of characters.
Additional good news? Her brand-new novel, Fates and Traitors, is now available for Christmas giving–and any history buffs on your gift list will be captivated!
In a departure from her previous historical fiction, Fates and Traitors explores the life of one of history’s most notorious villains: John Wilkes Booth. Without excusing or glossing over the facts, the book presents Booth as a flawed individual whose misguided beliefs ultimately lead him, inexorably, to the tragic events of April 14, 1865. The story is told from the perspectives of four women in Booth’s life: his mother, Mary Ann Holmes Booth; his sister, Asia Booth Clarke; his fiancee, Lucy Hale; and his landlady and co-conspirator, Mary Surratt.
Jennifer talked about Christmas Bells, some of the historical facts behind her new novel Fates and Traitors, and her advice to aspiring writers.
Continue reading → - A Saturday Debut July 8, 2016
by Noella Noelophile®
Saturday, local authors and butterflies. Summertime doesn’t get a lot better than that..
Unless, of course, you throw in all kinds of activities for the whole family. That includes eighteen local authors exhibiting their work, crafts for the kids, two brand-new authors debuting their first books, handmade vendors AND a chance to help an excellent cause.
All this happens this Saturday, July 9th, at the Torrance Library, as gifted authors/creative entrepreneurs Barbara Austin Lieberman and Evangeline Duran Fuentes introduce their new books! Their “Wag At the Moon Book Release Celebration” starts at 11 am, and goes on till 4 pm. Additional authors and handmade crafts vendors will be on hand to help them celebrate Barb’s new book Why Does the Moon Follow Me?, and Evangeline’s new one, Waggles.
(Also worth a mention are gifted artists Jessica Johnson, of Jessie J Inspirations…
…and Ellie Lieberman, an excellent author in her own right. Jessica and Ellie did the illustrations.)
And…here’s one more special feature. You’ll get to meet new first-time authors Robin Nieto and Elaine MacInnes as they introduce their brand-new book, Tales From Mema’s Garden: Monarch Butterflies! Rumor has it they’ll have handmade butterfly “book swag” and seeds for growing a butterfly garden, available for purchase with their books.Want more? Okay.
There’s going to be a kids’ make-and-take crafts activity area, as well. Authors on hand to showcase their books include Lucien F.A. Van Oosten (be sure to check out his art as well as his latest book, The Rescue!) and Stacie Turk, author of Macaroni and Cheese – Anthology. In all, eighteen authors will be exhibiting their books, according to the Macaroni and Cheese Facebook page.
Plus some very cool items from “artrepreneurs” including Mary Anne St. John of Mer’s Obsessions (I love her handmade earrings especially!), Krys Kyle of Fun With Pretend and Jacqui Demyers of Crafts By Jacqui!And remember how you first discovered books and reading? You’ll get a chance to give that same gift to another child. You can purchase one or more of these authors’ books and donate them onsite to Reading Is Fundamental–and help some other kids find their wings!
The “Wag at the Moon Book Release Celebration” happens Saturday, July 9th at Torrance Public Library, 3301 Torrance Boulevard, east of Madrona, from 11 am to 4 pm. Admission is free, and you’re invited to bring the family and come have a great time finding new favorite books!
Continue reading → - Great Reads to Give or Get – Pt. 3 December 14, 2015
by Noella Noelophile®
Ever plan to read “just for ten minutes” before turning out the light? And an hour later, well…
For our 2015 Christmas gift list of books, here’s one more I’d recommend, of that variety (i.e., addictive!).
The Painted Girls, by Cathy Marie BuchananLife behind the scenes of the Paris Opera Ballet, in the late 1870s, is anything but a fairy tale.
Hunger, poverty and squalor are everyday elements for sisters Antoinette, Marie and Charlotte van Goethem. Living in a lodging house with their widowed mother, each of the girls nevertheless has a dream–with the Paris Opera Ballet at its core.
With their mother more interested in alcohol than responsibility, seventeen-year-old Antoinette finds herself parenting her younger siblings. Antoinette’s former aspirations of becoming a principal dancer at Paris Opera Ballet have failed, and she now focuses on caring for thirteen-year-old Marie and seven-year-old Charlotte.
With the rent due, their mother forces Antoinette to take her sisters to the Paris Opera Ballet school. After Antoinette reluctantly complies, both girls are accepted onto the payroll. But while cosseted Charlotte is convinced of her future as a star, Marie has no such illusions.
Possessing keen intelligence and a “monkey face”, Marie nevertheless finds herself desperately wanting to become a principal dancer. In the course of her classes, she catches the eye of painter Edgar Degas, who asks her to model for him. Degas’ drawings of Marie attract the attention of Monsieur Lefebvre, a wealthy member of the Legion of Honor, who becomes the young dancer’s patron, or “abonne”.
Meanwhile, Antoinette gets drawn into a web of obsession and self-delusion with a dangerous and charming boy. Even with evidence mounting, she refuses to believe others’ warnings about her new love. As Antoinette becomes more and more convinced of her happy future with mysterious and profligate Emile Abadie, Degas begins sculpting a statuette of Marie for an upcoming exposition. Marie believes that, once unveiled, this work will establish her as a dancer and enable her to achieve her dream…
Cathy Marie Buchanan offers a gritty look at the underside of Parisian society, in this novel based on historic fact. Alternately telling her story from the viewpoints of Antoinette and Marie, she evokes the gritty realities of life for women on their own in 1890s Paris. Readers will almost see the steam from the wash house, or hear the rasp of the Mazas prison gate.
Buchanan also adds a fascinating author’s note,. about the known facts of the van Goethem sisters’ lives and Degas’ work. You may never look at a Degas painting again without thinking of Antoinette, Charlotte and Marie.
Now, as of summer, 2015, I am also an Amazon affiliate. If you would like to order this book through my Amazon link, that would be great–I do need you to know I receive a small commission on any sales made this way.Whether you do that or not, though, please consider supporting the author–and the others I’ve recommended. I’ve linked to each one’s personal webpage first (and no, I DON’T get commission for that. Getting to read their books is a nice gift).
Continue reading → - Great Reads to Give or Get – Pt. 2 December 12, 2015
by Noella Noelophile®
For everyone on my gift list who “has everything”, there’s one gift that always seems to work well anyway.
You guessed it–a great book.
Here’s another one you might like to consider–to give someone special on your list, or to curl up with on a December evening…
I Gave My Heart to Know This, by Ellen BakerWhile not a “mystery” per se, this is a great story to “unravel” as you read.
Ellen Baker skillfully transports her readers through various time periods, including the 1920’s,1940’s, and the 1990’s, to tell a multigenerational tale of the hopes and dreams of some unforgettable women.
In the first pages, we meet Violet Maki, matriarch of a Wisconsin farm family, in the 1920s–and her great-granddaughter Julia, a talented photographer, as she tries to pick up the pieces of her life after a tragedy, in 1999. When Julia agrees to house-sit for her Aunt Alice, she winds up learning long-held family secrets that shake her world. And the story gets set in motion by a mysterious elderly woman who turns up at the house, claiming she lives there…
At the heart of the book is Grace Anderson, one of the first “Rosie the Riveter” working women of the 1940s. Grace has put aside her dreams of becoming a Hollywood costume designer to care for her younger siblings after her father’s stroke. Working as a welder in the local shipyard, Grace tells herself that her current circumstances are just a temporary diversion from her dream. She’s carefully avoiding a commitment to boyfriend Alex, serving overseas, even as her friend and co-worker, Lena Maki, begins campaigning for Grace to become her twin brother, Derrick’s, pen pal. But when wartime tragedy strikes, Lena’s sweet naivete takes on a darker, more obsessive tone.
You won’t forget Baker’s characters: practical Violet; her husband, the dreamy and apologetic Jago, with his love of Shakespeare and gambling; rough-and-tumble Boots; Grace, dealing with her wartime dilemma of loyalty versus reality; Lena, with an agenda that may or may not signal mental illness; and, of course, Julia, learning to survive as she uncovers the past.
Now, as of summer, 2015, I am an Amazon affiliate. If you would like to order this book through my Amazon link, that would be great–I do need you to know I receive a small commission on any sales made this way.
Whether you do that or not, though, please consider supporting the author–and the others I’ve recommended. I’ve linked to each one’s personal webpage first (and no, I DON’T get commission for that. Getting to read their books is a nice gift).
Continue reading → - Great Reads to Give or Get – Pt. 1 December 9, 2015
by Noella Noelophile®
Books are a lifelong love for me.
If that’s you, as well, you and/or some of your 2015 gift recipients might enjoy these.
Invisible Ellen, by Shari Shattuck.Maybe one of the best inspirational stories I’ve ever read. And–Shari Shattuck just published a sequel, “Becoming Ellen”, this past August! Can’t wait to read it.
Protagonist Ellen Homes is a life observer with some serious scars–both literally and figuratively. Morbidly-obese Ellen lives in a small Chelsea apartment, works nights as a cleaner at a big-box store and watches life from her back windows. She considers her neighbors, with whom she does not interact, to be her “pets”. Painstakingly, she observes the minute details of their lives, recording them in a notebook.
Then an incident on Ellen’s commute to work leads to an unlikely friendship with Temerity–a spunky and resourceful young musician who is also completely blind. As the two become closer, Ellen’s life changes in ways she could never have imagined.
Shari Shattuck has a compassionate perspective on Ellen’s past and the experiences that shaped the person we meet in the opening pages. She relates Ellen’s story with warmth and humor, and creates a delightful character in Temerity. Shattuck seems very familiar with commonly-held misconceptions about disabilities, and has a good time exploding them through funny, irrepressible Temerity and the journey on which she guides Ellen.
Now, as of summer, 2015, I am also an Amazon affiliate. If you would like to order this book through my Amazon link, that would be great–I do need you to know I receive a small commission on any sales made this way.Whether you do that or not, though, please consider supporting the author–and the others I’ll be recommending. I’ve linked to each one’s personal webpage first (and no, I DON’T get commission for that. Getting to read their books is a nice gift).
Continue reading → - A Great, Christmasy Read December 15, 2014
Looking for a book that’ll put you in the Christmas spirit?
Here’s my absolute favorite of a great Christmas trilogy: How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas.
Author Jeff Guinn combines extensive knowledge of Christmas history, customs and folklore with an enchanting Christmas fantasy adventure. This is the second book of his “Santa Claus” series, but like any good sequel, it catches the reader up on the action–even if you haven’t yet read his first book, The Autobiography of St. Nicholas.
At the start of the book, St. Nicholas and his wife, Layla, are enjoying a movie and some candy-cane pie with their North Pole colleagues. The movie is Cromwell, and when quiet Layla unexpectedly comments on the film’s inaccuracies, the family-like group of associates (which includes King Arthur, Leonardo da Vinci and Attila the Hun) ask her if she knew Cromwell. Layla then recounts a story they’ve never heard before, holding them all spellbound…
Layla begins her story with her experiences as an intelligent and unconventional woman born in Niobrara–now known asTurkey–in 377 A.D. As a girl, Layla obtains scant education: the “wisdom” of her time holds that schooling is for boys, Still, she proves to have an aptitude for sums, has a generous heart, and dreams of traveling. Once she reaches marriageable age, she refuses all her suitors, wanting more than the life of a farmer’s wife. Then, on a trip to Myra with her Aunt Lodi and Uncle Silas, who are her guardians, she discovers the tomb of St. Nicholas, which casts a strange spell on her.
Inspired by the stories of the mysterious saint who gives gifts anonymously to the poor, Layla spends her inheritance on small gifts for local poor families. That effort culminates in a chance meeting with the saint, who is miraculously alive and immortal…and leads to Layla’s ultimately becoming Mrs. Claus. Like her husband, Layla gains the gift of immortality, and of being able to travel the world in compressed time, to deliver Christmas gifts. But they’re in for a challenge, as they live through the centuries together–in the 1600s, the Puritans, led by Oliver Cromwell, are determined to abolish Christmas.
As her husband travels to the New World to bring Christmas to the settlers, Layla stays in a turbulent England. Desperate poverty, a weak king and a volatile religious climate all add fuel to a growing movement to ban Christmas in the kingdom. As the Puritans’ charismatic leader. Oliver Cromwell, grows In popularity, Layla fights the anti-Christmas furor as best she can, anonymously giving gifts and trying to have a rational discussion of the merits of Christmas with Cromwell as a guest in his home. But Layla’s efforts come to the attention of humorless “Blue” Richard Culmer, one of Cromwell’s henchmen, who issues orders for her arrest. Meanwhile, Layla and others who love Christmas unite to take a stand…
A completely engrossing and intriguing story, weaving together historic facts about Christmas (who knew that Christmas was banned in Scotland in the sixteenth century–and that the ban would last until the 1950s?) with some great characters. “Blue” Richard Culmer is a villain you’ll love to hate, and Layla’s adoptive niece, Sara, will leave you wanting to hug her–and maybe give her some Christmas books. And the climactic scene is too good to ruin–let’s just say that it may very well give you chills, as well as reminding you how blessed we are to live at a time when we may celebrate Christmas–or not–as our beliefs, not someone else’s, dictate.
How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas also has both historical AND gastronomical “bonuses”. Jeff Guinn provides a bibliography, at the end, with more information about the historically-accurate events depicted in his book, including the Canterbury Christmas March. And just prior to that is a recipe for candy-cane pie–a sweet “dessert” to a great read.
Continue reading → - Great Reads to Give Or Get – 2014 Edition November 3, 2014
by Noella Noelophile®
Starting to think about books for the special people on your gift list? You might like to consider these:
Veil of Roses, by Laura Fitzgerald – One of the best books I’ve discovered all year.
Tamila Saroush receives a special twenty-fifth birthday gift from her parents: a one-way ticket from the Islamic Republic of Iran to Phoenix, Arizona. In effect, they’ve just given Tami the freedom to escape an oppressive regime and pursue her dreams. But the clock is ticking. Tami is on a tourist visa and has three months to become an American citizen through marriage, or she has to leave the U.S.
Living with her sister Maryam and kindly brother-in-law Ardishir, Tami begins attending ESL classes at the University of Arizona. She also begins meeting eligible Persian men. I won’t spoil this by telling you the details–but the characterizations of her suitors are unpredictable and sometimes hilarious. Meanwhile, Tami meets Ike, an American student who’s working in a local Starbucks. There’s a definite attraction–but she must marry a Persian man with citizenship…
Skillful characterization, subplots and insights into Persian culture and history make this a multifaceted story, rather than just a romance. Maryam is by turns loving and overwhelming, Ardishir has a wryness and humor that brings him to life, and Tami’s discovery of the new aspects of her own personality, as she “wakes up her luck”, make this a page-turner.
And, there’s a bonus–Fitzgerald’s sequel to this first story, entitled Dreaming In English. I won’t ruin it by giving away anything here. Suffice it to say, all the characters we care about are back, and it’s very true-to-life in that nothing and no one is predictable. If you begin reading this, you may well wind up giving yourself the early Christmas gift of an hour in a local coffee shop, as you sip a latte and follow Tami on her journey.
The Last Original Wife, by Dorothea Benton FrankIntelligent, loving Lesley Carter is reassessing her life, and doesn’t like what she sees.
At the age of fifty-eight, she has two grown children who are less than successful in life. Her daughter, Charlotte, a single mother, “has a real estate license but rarely closes a deal”. Her son, Bertie, is traveling the world and taking pictures. And Lesley has a permanent babysitting job with her beloved three-year-old granddaughter Holly–every time Charlotte decides she’d rather be drinking than mothering.
But the real problem is Leslie’s husband Wes–who’s self-centered, miserly, homophobic and tends to look with envy and admiration at his best friends’ sleek new second wives. Lesley, as the only first wife still standing in their social circle, has nothing in common with the trophy spouses she dubs “the Barbies”. As Wesley makes his golf game his number-one priority, Lesley is desperately lonely–both for the first wives who were her close friends, and her adored, gay older brother Harlan, whom Wesley detests.
Then, an unexpected discovery shakes Lesley’s world–galvanizing her into action and pointing her life in some new directions…
Skillfully shifting perspectives, Dorothea Benton Frank tells the story from the viewpoints of both Lesley and Wes. Devoting alternate chapters to each, she manages to get inside their heads with both authenticity and compassion. You can easily imagine Wes practicing his golf swing or Lesley timing his breakfast eggs as each assesses the status of their relationship.
Multidimensional characters make this a very enjoyable ride, adding elements of both suspense and humor. Even Wes, whom Lesley calls a “Neanderthal” (given his attitude, she’s being kind!), isn’t predictable–except in one hilarious scene, where he’s called on as a last-minute babysitter for granddaughter Holly. The denouement of the story may just surprise you, as might some of the twists and turns along the way.
And I wish I had a big brother like Harlan! He’s kind, imaginative and down-to-earth, and enjoys his interactions with his home’s resident poltergeist. “I mean my dog, not you!” he says, without missing a beat, after some paranormal events follow an admonition to his pampered poodle, Miss J.P.
Admittedly,Dorothea Benton Frank’s books are highly addictive anyway–and among her past selections, she’s created one of my all-time favorite Christmas stories, The Christmas Pearl.
Even so, she’s outdone herself this time.
Continue reading → - Noelophile™’s Top 2013 Christmas Reads! December 22, 2013
Looking for a book that’ll put you in a Christmasy mood? You might like to consider these:
Christmas At Eagle Pond, by Donald HallA snowy 1940 Christmas finds twelve-year-old Donnie headed for his grandparents’ farm in central New Hampshire. Donnie’s mother is recuperating from an operation–but Christmas At Eagle Pond involves no further drama. There are no heart-stopping climactic moments, no personality clashes, no life-changing character epiphanies.
All of the above make this story uniquely beautiful.
Hall takes the time to fill us in on the details of his favorite family members’ personalities, and the ways of life at Eagle Pond. We experience, along with Donnie, the way his grandparents seamlessly welcome guests into their day-to-day routines (“everything on the farm was ‘we’ and ‘our’,” Hall writes); the bustle of preparations for the church Christmas party, and a feeling of family that’s warm and familiar as a Christmas quilt.
Donald Hall was U.S. poet laureate in 2006, and his gift shines through his observations. The engine of a train on which Donnie rides reminds him of a “bullet wearing skirts”, trees turn “bright with snow as the rising sun caught the mountain”, and family stories, told after Christmas dinner, have the authentic ring of loved ones relaxing with their favorite people on a special day.
A particular favorite section of mine, is the grandmother’s writing of postcards. I won’t ruin it for you here–you’ll just have to read it, and may wind up smiling at the paradoxes of love and family.
Definitely a book to read aloud to those you love, in the glow of the Christmas lights.
The Christmas Train, by David Baldacci
OK–this is a romance. And I don’t usually review those here.
I’ve made an exception, because there is so much more to this one than just a couple getting together at Christmastime.
When cynical journalist Tom Langdon boards an Amtrak train, for a three-thousand-mile cross-country trip, his life is not exactly the stuff of which Christmas magic is made. Tom is disillusioned with his career, filled with regrets about his past and involved in a relationship that’s much more convenient than romantic. Current girlfriend Lelia is waiting for him to join her in L.A. for a holiday skiing trip with a number of her closest entertainment-industry associates. So, Tom steps aboard the venerable Capitol Limited, for the first leg of the journey from Washington, D.C. to Chicago.
But as the “Cap” pulls out of Washington’s Union Station, Tom begins encountering a vibrant and festive community: Christmastime travelers, headed all over the nation, for varying reasons. There’s warmhearted conductor Regina, who can handle any situation–from a rambunctious boys’ choir to an escaped boa constrictor–with compassion and aplomb. And feisty train regular Agnes Jo, pompous attorney Gordon Merryweather, shy couple Steve and Julie, who are eloping against their parents’ wishes…
Then, the unexpected strikes, in several different ways. Things aren’t as they seem, the colorful cast of “train people” helps move the action along–and Tom realizes he’s on the most important Christmas journey of his life.
What makes this one special, is the way Baldacci uses subplots to show readers that, indeed, “everybody is a story”–and a cross-country train journey has a way of bringing those stories together. Using humor and a keen eye for detail, Baldacci captures the adventure of cross-country Christmas rail travel. He also expertly weaves in cultural, historic and factual details about trains (who knew that Amtrak doesn’t actually own most of the rails on which their trains run?), without getting “off track” (sorry) from the story.
I have now made the East-to-West-Coast train trip three times at Christmas, and The Christmas Train makes me want to book my tickets today for a Version Four!
The Tavern on Mulberry Street, by Sharon Owens
Not a “Christmas book” per se, but so much of the action occurs at Christmastime–and this one’s such a great read–that I considered it fair game for inclusion here!.
Happily married couple Jack and Lily Beaumont are deeply, enchantingly in love–with each other and with their lives. As proprietors of Beaumont’s, a quaint Victorian pub in the heart of Belfast, Lily and Jack enjoy their customers and the warm atmosphere of their more than two-hundred-year-old establishment.
But their independent lifestyle is threatened when developers begin buying out surrounding businesses to construct a new mall. Jack and Lily vow to fight to keep their beloved tavern. With a plan of action that includes offering new special events, catering and creating new jobs, they set forth to put Beaumont’s on the map.
The Tavern on Maple Street is warm, funny, and depends on real-life situations to evoke the humor. I thoroughly enjoyed supporting characters like waiflike barmaid Bridget O’Malley–who manages to turn almost everything she touches into a calamity–and self-absorbed hack writer “Limo” Bradley, whose talent and ego are inversely related. Interactions between the four servers Lily hires are so true-to-life that readers can almost hear the glasses rattle, and the dialogue between Lily and Jack has the feel of a longtime couple’s complete comfort and joy in being together.
Owens makes readers care about her characters, champion their efforts and wonder at the outcome of the Beaumonts’ David-and-Goliath struggle–which I certainly won’t spoil by divulging here!
Continue reading → - Great Reads to Give–OR Get November 21, 2013
Starting to think about great books to give someone special? Looking for a total page-turner to download for your Christmas flights–or just relax into after a long day? Here are three you might want to consider!
Brooklyn, by Colm Toibin. I could say that this one transports you into another time and place, and effortlessly moves you back and forth, between the protagonist’s two worlds.
But, that statement wouldn’t come close to doing this novel justice.
Toibin immerses his readers, immediately, in the life of Eilis Lacey, a vocational-school student studying bookkeeping in an economically-depressed Irish small town in the 1950s.
Living with her widowed mother and glamorous older sister, Eilis is not so much hired as drafted, by the owner of the local upscale grocery shop. Eilis’ romantic life is similarly bleak: as her best friend, Nancy, receives signs of interest from a well-to-do boy, his best friend humiliatingly snubs Eilis at a dance.
Then, an American priest offers to arrange a job and lodgings for Eilis in his parish in Brooklyn…and her unexpected adventure begins…
Continue reading → - Noelophile’s™ Top Three Christmas Novels! December 3, 2012
Here are synopses of three Christmas favorites for this year (and a synopsis will not do them justice! You’ll just have to read them. Which is a little like saying, “Sorry, you’ll just have to eat this piece of chocolate divinity fudge…”).
“A Redbird Christmas” by Fannie Flagg
Oswald T. Campbell’s life really isn’t working–on any level. And then–just to up the stakes–a doctor tells him there isn’t going to be that more of it!
So, after getting his affairs in order, Oswald leaves wintry Chicago to spend his final days–so he believes–in the town of Lost River, Alabama. He isn’t prepared for what ensues, as the warmly eccentric community welcomes him into their daily life.
Finding himself belonging in a way he never has before, Oswald begins to blossom…and to join his new “family” in reaching out to an unwanted and abused child…with the help of a local celebrity, who happens to be a bird!
In the style of her previous books, including Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, Fannie Flagg again creates warmhearted, funny and believably human characters. A Redbird Christmas will make you feel like you’ve just spent an afternoon on the docks of Lost River, catching up with all of them over a glass of sweet tea as several small Christmas miracles take place.
“The Christmas Pearl” by Dorothea Benton Frank
I wish I had written THIS one! Ninety-three-year-old family matriarch Ms. Theadora is dreading her upcoming family Christmas. And with family members who might politely be described as “bratty”, she has good reason to want at least one strong mint julep, just to get through their “celebration!”
Squabbling as they set up the Christmas tree are Barbara, Theadora’s “doormat” grown daughter; her philandering son-in-law, her selfish, materialistic grandchildren, and dyslexic great-grandson Alex and bratty great-granddaughter Teddie. They’re obviously present only for the presents–and for whatever inheritance Ms. Theadora might leave them, in the future.
As she removes herself from the hubbub, Ms. Theadora yearns for the Christmases of her youth–when family servant/member Pearl kept the family on track to keep Christmases special.
Then, an unexpected turn of events changes everything–and ushers in the one person who can take everybody in hand…
This is a very enjoyable Christmas parable, with a surprise twist at the end–which I wouldn’t dare spoil. Who knows, Pearl could have a real-life counterpart–who’d come by and give me a stern talking-to!
“Wishin’ and Hoping” by Wally Lamb
Remember whipped-wax candles. dime-store Nativity figures and honeycomb Christmas bells over the local lunch counter at the bus depot? Wally Lamb captures them all, in his hilarious look at Christmas 1964 with the Funicello family. And yes, they’re that Funicello family–with a famous cousin, Annette.
But Annette gets only a walk-on here, as everyone has other, more important matters on their minds. Ten-year-old protagonist Felix is looking forward to his upcoming appearance on a popular kids’ television show. His mother’s counting down to her chance to showcase her prize recipe on national television, as a contestant in the Pillsbury Bake-Off. And the arrival of a new student…and a new teacher…puts a different spin on Felix’s school days, as his class prepares for their big Christmas pageant.
In all of the above, nothing goes exactly as planned–and the results are mildly irreverent, definitely unsentimental, and a lot of fun! A not-too-nostalgic look at the way we were, complete with a know-it-all classmate you’ll love to hate–and a reminder that, even at Christmas, “the good old days” weren’t always Christmas-card perfect.
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