Another Book to Read

In November, I got to hear Susan Baker speak at a book signing for her book Passing It On: An Autobiography with Spirit.  What struck me most was her honesty.  Though she touched on the notable public life she has had, along with her husband former Secretary of State James A. Baker III, she spoke in the same breath of her personal life--made up of suffering, joy, blessings, and faith.  I was especially moved by her use of this time to glorify God.  In a room full of nicely dressed women at a country club, Susan Baker was more interested in being real and pointing towards her personal savior Jesus Christ than she was about impressing anyone with stories of Washington and rubbing shoulders with the elite.

Last week, I finally read her book. That same humility mixed with humor and faith shone through each chapter. Beginning with her life growing up on a ranch, moving through marriage, children, divorce, remarriage, blending and growing family, politics, tragic deaths, and even cancer, she writes of each event through a faith perspective.  The book is very much her spiritual journey, as anchored by different events, rather than a political story or family memoir.  The last couple of chapters even read more like a devotional or a book to be used in a women's Bible study.  I gleaned much practical wisdom from her chapter on prayer (chapter 14, "Why Pray?").

Prayer seems to undergird almost every aspect of her personal story--from the moment she truly came to know God in a personal way to the public arena of Washington to surviving her battle with cancer.  Prayer in Washington was compelling to read about, especially the non-partisan prayer group to pray for First Lady Hilary Clinton and another prayer group for Iraq. What an amazing behind-the-scenes look at life in our nation's capitol.

Originally meant to be a story of encouragement and lessons learned for her own family, Passing It On certainly offers encouragement and wisdom for me, too. I think it is critical for us to hear from older, wiser people at each step of our lives, and if we don't have a formal mentor at the moment, a good book can provide direction and food for thought.

Recent Good Reads

1. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. So sweet. Set during WWII in Seattle and follows a Chinese boy and Japanese girl from when they meet in 6th grade until they meet again when they are gray.  Deals with the Japanese internment camps in the U.S. during this time.  Many of the women in my book club did not even know about the camps, and we all agreed that none of us who did know ever heard about in school--even college.  Raises great questions, but also just sweet.



2. Nurture Shock by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman.  More food for thought with parenting and teaching. These journalists look at scientific research on learning and behavior in children and write about it in a splashy way that a lay person can understand.  Now whether the lay person can remember all the details is another story, but... I do remember sleep is super important! This would be a good book to read with someone else and discuss as you go. There is so much in it that it needs to be talked about to be remembered.  I'll write more about it eventually.



3. American Modern by Thomas O'Brien.  A gorgeous coffee table book by the designer who does high-brow decorating as well as, shall we say, accessible decorating (Target).  I especially loved that he started the book with a look at his Manhattan apartment when he first moved in, and then he ended the book with the same apartment today.  He still lives there, but he lives in it differently than he originally did. I also loved that all of his interiors were a beautiful blend of antique and contemporary pieces. The reason I splurged and got this book is because it was our anniversary (8 years), AND we put a contract on a house. The house we have under contract is contemporary (as in 1980 contemporary), which is a far cry from our previous 1960s ranches with their cottage-y feel. I was needing some inspiration to match the huge windows and sculptural trees outside. This book is lovely, and it did inspire.

Teeth-chattering, Book-reading Weather

With crazy cold weather... even snow in South Texas!... it's hard to think about being productive.  Most of the city has checked out and hunkered down.  For me, this behavior started yesterday. It was so cold that all I could think about was sweatpants, hot tea, a couch, and my book.

Because the baby took a long winter's nap yesterday, my dream came true.  Pure luxury.  And I finished my book!  I was reading The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, and I have already asked for her next book for Valentine's Day.  I had actually put off reading this book despite numerous recommendations; it seemed like a sad story, and I wasn't quite in the mood. But then my book club chose it, and my sweet neighbor and friend (who took the above photo) dropped her library copy in my mail box.  She had read it furiously and finished in a few days.  Reluctantly, I read the first paragraph, and from that moment, I looked for every excuse to read it.

My husband and I have a habit of reading first lines of our books to each other. We love really strong first sentences.  This one is a doozy:
"I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening, when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a Dumpster" (Walls, 3).

Walls' writing captivated me from that first sentence; it was gorgeous throughout. The detail was stunning so that each place where she lived was so clear, whether a trailer park, the desert of California, inner city Arizona, rural West Virginia, or New York City.  I also appreciated that, even though this story was her personal story, she didn't editorialize much; she just wrote what happened (from her point of view, of course).  She didn't try to make sense of it all, and she didn't even place square blame on anyone; she simply told the story.

I started this post on Friday morning, the snow day, when the temperatures were below freezing.  I am finishing it today, Sunday, when it's sunny and 60s.  Regardless of the outside weather, The Glass Castle has been sitting with me all weekend.  My mind keeps returning to the Walls family's wild ride, the sadness, the determination, the survival instinct, the ability to laugh, the unorthodoxy, the bravery, the hunger, the need to dream, the need for art, the tragedy, the heroism. I am excited for book club.