Book Review: The

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less
Terry Ryan

I always have these grand reading plans - listen to four audio books a month, read at least six books a month, etc. Honestly, I can tell you a read probably 100+ board books and picture books a month but I'm slacking in the adult reading department. By the time I have time to read now, I fall asleep. I've been reading the same book since the beginning of the month! But I did finish an audio book!! Listening to books in the car makes the commute so much better.

Last week, I finished The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio. Many of you might remember the movie that starred Julianne Moore. I remember watching the movie and not really thinking much of it. It's been awhile so listening to the book wasn't completely ruined by seeing the movie. The book is a memoir of the author's life growing up with nine siblings, a sometimes absent and alcoholic father and a mother who applied for every contest possible just to make ends meet.

The book was definitely interesting. Not one does Evelyn Ryan raise 10 kids but she also finds the time and energy to enter contests to make a living. She won everything from sports equipment and trips to cash and cars. A few of her children even went to college on scholarships that Evelyn won for them. The book was both humorous and serious. Every time the family hit a road bump she managed to save them, including bankruptcy and losing the house. 

This is an easy and enjoyable read! I would recommend this to anyone looking for a a good memoir. You'll laugh, you might cry, maybe you'll even learn something - like how to survive with little. Head to the library and check it out for a great weekend read!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Julie and Julia

Reading hasn't really been on the top of my list lately. I was trying while Carter napped but that didn't go so well because I was tired and falling asleep. Then I remembered how much I enjoyed listening to books when I worked at Western Allegheny and North Versailles. Granted those were longer drives, however now I'm going to more meetings and am probably in the car just as much. The first book I listened to was Julie and Julia. Right now I'm listening to Modern Lovers and The Boston Girl. A different car every day (the joys of a car seat) means two different books!

I chose Julie and Julia because Julia Child fascinates me and I loved the movie; however, I'm not normally one that watches the movie and then reads the book but it just worked out that way this time. I have to admit. I wasn't that impressed and I liked the movie more.

As I said, Julia Child fascinates me. This book focuses very little actually on her except for the cookbook. The movie did such a great job of blending the two character's lives, which makes me think that the movie was actually based on not only this book but one of Julia Child's biographies, like Dearie for example. I'd say that was my favorite part about the movie was the Julia Child sections and not just because the great Meryl Streep played her but because she is so interesting.

Julie in the book was even more annoying to read about then she was to watch. I'm surprised I kept listening. She drove me nuts at first and they definitely added more to the movie because you could never make a book from just this memoir.

It's such an interesting concept though and I give her so much credit because it's people like her that I envy with her blogging ability. I think it was because of that movie that I originally started a blog. She has so much dedication. The idea of blogging about one thing intrigued me as well. She definitely inspired me to cook. I'm an awful cook but hey if Julia Child could learn to cook at 40, I can learn to cook at 25. Don't you think?

So this book has prompted me to want to cook more and now I'm making an effort to actually make something when Dennis and I are both home, which is rare so it's not too often and a good start. And I decided to get my cookbooks out (very few) and use them instead of Pinterest and getting food all over my phone or tablet.

I guess it wasn't a terrible book and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who watched the movie. It might have even been better to see the movie first but I'm not sorry I listened to it. Go the library and check it out or borrow the book from me (I have the print edition) and get inspired to blog, cook or read better books. Ha ha!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: What Remains

What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship and Love
Carole Radziwell

I was so excited when this book ended up on our schedule for book club and I wanted to love it so much. I didn't hate it but I'm not going to run out and buy it for my collection or read it again. No disclaimers are needed for this book because everyone knows what happens or will remember once they start reading. Ironically, we read it the week of the anniversary of JFK, Jr's death as well.

The book is not solely about JFK, Jr. though. It is about his cousin, Anthony Radziwell and his wife Carole, who remains his loyal spouse throughout five years of cancer. The couple really never has a life without the awful disease. Carole writes from the heart about the struggles of marriage to not only a man dying of cancer far before his time but also a Polish prince and the nephew of one of the most iconic American presidents, John F. Kennedy. It's hard to fathom how she survived that summer, a summer that was supposed to be spent treasuring her final days with her husband on Martha's Vineyard. Those days were cut short not by his death (which would come eventually - only weeks later) but the untimely death of his cousin, John and his wife, Carolyn, Carole's best friend.

The parts of Carole's memoir I found most interesting were her detailed accounts of her childhood and teenage years and her life at ABC. After reading this book, I realized that neither Carole or Carolyn really fit the mold for a Kennedy-Radziwell wife. They were definitely no Lee or Jackie with childhoods complete with trips to Europe, summers on the Rhode Island coast or elaborate dinner parties. Yet the men loved them and overlooked these faults and ignored the comments made by their famous mothers and sisters. These stories of her past were much easier to read than the detailed accounts of hospital stays and grief. Some of those sections seemed to almost be written in a different voice but I can understand it being hard to relive those days and then write about them.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in history. These couples were more than historical figures though, often appearing in the tabloids, so they were part of pop culture. It was a much different glimpse of the famous family than what I've read in the past in JFK, Jr.'s biographies and The Day John Died. I don't want to say she was on the outside but she was some of the time, so it's a different perspective.

Happy Reading!

Summer Reading List

Of course this is my favorite blog post when I release my summer reading list! It's late this year because of my blog hiatus but hey, better late than never, which is why some of the books I've already read. This is what I plan to/planned to read this summer not counting my book club books.

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Here's my blog post about this book.

1 Dead in the Attic by Chris Rose

Here's my blog post about this book.

Me Before You by Jo Jo Moyes

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

The Vacationers by Emma Bloom

Here's my blog post about this book.

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand

I finished this one Memorial Day weekend but I didn't write a post about it. Of course I loved it!

A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams

Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon

Here's my blog post about this book.

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfield

Unfortunately, I didn't write  a post for this one but would definitely recommend. I love all of her books as well.

I went to a great book sale this week, so I got new titles and I'm debating switch these ones out for some of my new ones:

Lucky Us by Amy Bloom

Summer of Firefly Memories by Joan Gable

Bittersweet by Miranda Beverly Whittemore

Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

What's on your summer reading list? I can't wait to get started on some of my new book sale books! Happy Reading!

Wednesday Reads: Bloom

A few years ago, I wrote a book title down on one of my many to-read lists and did not really think more of it. That book was Bloom: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected, a memoir by Kelle Hampton. Last week I downloaded it on my tablet and from the moment I started reading, I couldn't put it down. Two days later I was finished and so happy that I read this touching story.

Bloom is the the unforgettable story of the author's daughter, Nella and her first year of life. Through a combination of poignant words and stunning photographs, Hampton shares with readers the surprise at realizing that after seeing your newborn daughter for the first time that she has Down syndrome; the range of emotions experienced when coming to terms with the diagnosis; and most importantly how beautiful life is even with extra chromosomes.

This book is a must read! I loved the beautiful pictures of Nella and her family. The reviews on GoodReads are relatively split and people seem to either love or hate this book. I can only imagine what it must be like to experience having a child with Down syndrome but I thought this memoir was brutally honest about what the author felt during that first year.

Next Week's Review: 41

Book Review: Wild

Wild by Cheryl Strayed is the author's journey to find herself by hiking the Pacific Coast Trail. After her mother's death and her recent divorce, Cheryl hikes from southern California to the Oregon/Washington border. Along the way she challenges herself both mentally and physically, encountering wild animals, losing her shoes, going without water, getting lost and meeting unforgettable people who make her journey even more special.

As I read this book, I wished I could hike the PCT. I doubt I will ever have the time or stamina to do what Cheryl did but I was in complete awe of her bravery and drive. The breast cancer walk is probably the closest thing I have done to her journey. Walking 40 miles through DC also challenged me physically and mentally, presented unbelievable views, introduced me to amazing people and made me a stronger person through the challenges of training and walking (and blisters).

This book has the potential to be dry. It's a memoir about a woman's solo journey on a famous trail yet it is so entertaining, motivating and inspiring. An adventure novel, travel piece, self help guide and memoir all rolled into one and written so well that you really can imagine yourself ripping your toenails off, drinking muddy lake water or losing the trail. Interested in reading Wild, check out my GoodReads review and stop by the Library to get a copy today and start the adventure!