Monday Moments - Written in the Waters by Tara Roberts

 Written in the Waters by Tara Roberts was a fun find in the library. I meandered over to the biography/memoir area and this one caught my eye. What a reading journey!

cover blurb - This lush memoir is the epic story of one woman's life changing journey across three continents to confront the reality of the global slave trade - and find her place in the world. 

Tara Roberts is a National Geographic Explorer in Residence. She documents shipwrecks that once carried captive Africans during the Transatlantic Slave Trade. She leads a podcast series Into the Depths, and was the first Black woman explorer to grace the National Geographic magazine. 

It was a fortuitous day when she discovered a scuba group, Diving With a Purpose, which helps  document the wrecks of ships. Her life became one of discovery for history itself, and for own self history - the stories of her ancestors. 

cover blurb - Tara Roberts joins a cadre of new writers who draw on personal and cultural records to open readers' eyes and hearts. She weaves together the voices of past and present to tell a deeper story of Black identity. 

A complete eye  opener  for me.  I learned  a lot from her travels to Africa, the Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, and home in Atlanta, and the deep South.

p. 248 a friend gives her a quote that is  true to her feelings:  To be African American is to be African without any memory and American without any privilege        

Whoa - think  about it and reflect on that. 

Finally Friday - The Master Butchers Singing Club

 Louise Erdrich is a sublime writer. This older work (2003), The Master Butchers Singing Club, is another fine example. 

cover blurb - What happens  when a trained killer discovers, in the aftermath of war (WWI) that his true vocation is love? Fidelis Waldvogel returns home to his quiet German village and marries the pregnant widow of his best friend who was killed in action. 

As a master butcher he heads to North America with his knives and sausage skills. He sets up a successful business in North  Dakota. Eva and  four sons thrive and we learn about the community, the lives, and deaths. A stranger, Delphine, proves to be a formidable friend and lover in this small town. Erdrich brings everyday encounters to life and weaves quite a tale. 

Whatever Wednesday - The Testament by John Grisham

 Here's an oldie (1999) John Grisham book - The Testament that proved  to be a darn good  read. 

Troy Phelan is a self -made billionaire - eccentric, reclusive, confined to a wheelchair, and looking  for a  way to  die. His heirs are circling. He has written many wills. But it's his final, final testament that proves startling, shocking, and alters lives. 

 Nate O'Riley, a hard charging, hard living, Washington litigator is in for a remarkable adventure because of Troy Phelan. 

I won't say more.  I can't  say more.   I was very surprised. 

Monday Moments - the ultimate outlaw

 Another Monday Moments LOVE post.   All of these Love pics arose from Philly's Super Bowl victory, and celebrations around town.  Yes, Philly is the City of  Brotherly Love...or Shove (yea for  the tush push)

Love is  the ultimate  outlaw.   It  just  won't  adhere to any rules.  The most any of can do is sign on as its accomplice.  - Tom Robbins

I wish you a week of love. 

Finally Friday - Camino Ghosts by John Grisham

John Grisham is a reliable author with an extensive list of published  books. Camino Ghosts is on the new shelf at the library and I snapped it up.  It was a quick  patio  read and entertaining enough.  It's a  sequel to Camino Island. 

Mercer Mann is  a popular  writer from Camino  Island, Florida. She's  now newly married, a published author, and in search  of  a new novel idea.  The  local bookstore  owner, Bruce, introduces  her to Lovely Jackson. She's  the last known descendant of Dark Isle, a small island settled  by freed slaves three hundred years ago. She left Dark Isle at age fifteen, but claims ownership. 

However, Tidal Breeze, a huge corporate developer has plans to build a resort and casino there.  Mercer investigates Lovely's  family story and asks to write the full  non-fiction story.  A non-profit lawyer gets involved to  fight  for  Lovely's rights to her island - it's curse,  her ancestors are buried there, and no white folks have ever landed on that land and lived to tale the tale.    

cover  blurb - The deep  secrets of the past are about to collide with the enormous ambitions of the present, and the  fate of Dark  Isle - and Camino Island, too - hangs in the  balance. 

 I found the  story fairly predictable. Usually, Grisham surprises me with some fresh  twists. Didn't happen with this book.  I could skim and  I was amused, but not afraid of these ghosts. 

Whatever Wednesday - Ruth Ware does it again

 Ruth Ware does it again with a high tension thriller.  Five couples on a storm swept island. A killer stalks them. Who "wins"?

One  Perfect Couple is  the name  of a new reality show being filmed.  Lyla, in post doctoral research mode, is  burnt out. Her boyfriend, Nico, is an aspiring actor trying for  a big break. He's sure this reality show is the one. What the  heck - soon they are boating in the Indian Ocean to a tropical paradise. Four  other gorgeous couples will compete for a cash prize. 

But  things just  aren't quite  right.  The "resort" is  half done. The  first challenge proves quite surprising. A  storm wipes  out  electricity, phones, crew,  and more. Santana is limited with her insulin.  Fresh  water runs low. Soon three are dead, then four.  Who  can trust whom? 

I can't write more.  This is  a page turner. Fast paced. Plenty of  intrigue.  Whew! 

Happy St. Patrick's Day

 Happy St.  Patrick's  Day!  Tough  to start the  week drinking  green beer. 

Wear  some green, unless you wish to get pinched.  Chase some snakes out of your garden. 

We're all a bit silly  Irish - ye wee lassies and laddies. 

Erin Go  Bragh! 

Finally Friday - Book Club Discussion on The Beautiful Ones

 Tonight if you hear the echo of laughter, it's my PA  ladies and book club time on  a zoom meeting.  

The Beautiful  Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia was chosen by Joan.  She  asked her adult ESL class what they  were reading and now we explore a "fantasy of  manners set in a world inspired by the belle epoque". 

cover blurb - In a world of etiquette and polite  masks, no one is who they seem to be. 

Antonina (Nina) is in Loisail for the Grand Season. Valerie Beaulieu is her reluctant mentor. Alas, Nina's telekinetic powers prove to be fodder for  the gossip  season.  Yet, Hector Auvray (telekinetic performer himself) is intrigued by Nina. Time spent together proves difficult for Nina. She's falling  in love, but the elder Hector has a  past history (oops). 

This is a  fancy fantasy romance set against  a glittering  backdrop. The writing and characters are amusing, and there is some unpredictability in the story line.  Unlike  many of our book club  choices, this was a lighter read and entertaining. 

Cheers to your weekend ahead - hope  filled with laughter and old  friends. 

Whatever Wednesday - Arboretum Sculpture Fun

A  lovely day at the Dallas Arboretum.  It featured some fun sculptures sprinkled throughout.  Here's my new fun friend reading garden poetry. 

And gorgeous blooms

From a distance, he looked real

Licking an ice cream cone.  Fun!

Embrace the glory

This sculpture was huge.  You could see it from various spots in the garden.  I see my future on a park bench!

Cheers all!
 

Monday Moments

 Love is an exploding cigar which we willingly smoke - Lynda Barry

Love is like an hourglass, with the heart filling up as the brain  empties - Jules  Renard

Finally Friday - Tulip Time

Every year, every spring, I MUST post tulips pictures and more from the Dallas Arboretum.

so glorious.  My friend, Linda  T., and I strolled the grounds, viewed the beauty, enjoyed lunch in the cafe, and embraced nature.  It's a tad early, but still wonderful. 

Pretty planters

Don't look too closely.  We had some CRAZY winds roll through the area, and I could tell that some of the garden areas had been blasted. 

But those striped tulips popped!!

Eye candy,  my friends.  Now, enjoy your weekend.  You,  too, shall have some spring flowers soon

Cheers
 

Whatever Wednesday - & Juliet

Treated myself to another excellent  Broadway touring production - & Juliet at Dallas' Fair Park Music Hall.  I had an orchestra seat with a grand view of the stage. 

Big twist on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet with current pop tunes to  help the tale.  Basically Anne is not happy with the ending to her husband Will's  latest play. Options  and rewrites are explored. 

Rachel Simone Webb (Juliet) was  stunning - gorgeous young  lady with a fabulous voice.  The whole cast was tremendous.  The  songs (example - Larger Than Life, Show Me  the  Meaning of  Being  Lonely,  Oops...I  Did It  Again, and so many more) applied well to the situations that Juliet  explored.

Just a clever take on an old love tragedy.  The audience left the theater smiling.  Sunday matinees are THE best. 
 

Monday Moments - Love

 Sending some Love on a Monday.    We all need it. 

Hope  that March wind doesn't  blow  us away.