Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Bookish Thoughts: WTF: Poems by Laura Foley

The night before his imprisonment,

after a truly Russian feast,

toasting each course with vodka,

he danced and sang all night.

~ Opening of "Tientsin, December 1941" from WTF: Poems

WTF: Poems by Laura Foley

Cw Books, 2017

Nonfiction; 34 pgs

Goodreads Summary:

Laura Foley's "WTF" refers to her father's initials and, slyly, to the abbreviated colloquial exclamation, in a pun that laughs and cuts, in this reckoning with a fraught father-daughter relationship. These spare poems communicate more like snapshots than narrative lyrics, beginning with sympathy and gratitude, moving through disappointment, anger and resentment, without ever losing compassion, as Foley examines her father's formative WWII experiences and, consequently, how he shaped her experience and character, ending with a positive recognition of her father in herself.

A couple years ago, I read Joy Street, a collection of poetry by Laura Foley, and when asked if I wanted to be a part of her WTF: Poems tour, it did not take me long to agree. Especially when I discovered what her new collection of poetry was about. My own relationship with my father was . . . complicated. Like Foley's father, mine was a war veteran, and was greatly impacted by his brief time in Vietnam. Growing up, I wanted so much to understand my dad, what he'd been through, why he was the way he was. He was a difficult and closed man, however, sometimes cruel.

Many of the poems in WTF affected me quite deeply, bringing tears to my eyes. It is a short collection of poems, poems of her father's experiences during World War II and those of her own childhood or experiences with her father. She writes of her father's experience as a prisoner of war and of his accomplishments, how demanding and hard he was on his first wife and children. I got a real sense of Laura's conflicted feelings about her father.

I do not consider myself an academic admirer of poetry. Rather, I am attracted to poetry that I am able to connect to and to how it makes me feel. As a result, Foley's style appeals to me, the simplicity and straightforwardness in each of her poems. They are full of her memories and rich in feeling. I could relate to some of what she expressed through her poetry. Feeling like I was not good enough or was found wanting in some way, for example.

One of her poems that spoke to me was "Hindsight" (pg 21):

I happen after the photo
of my emaciated father
standing on a ship's deck,
dark hair combed neatly to the right.
He's just endured four years of war,
POW for the Japanese, starved,
water-boarded.
One feature commands our attention;
my partner names it, his survivor eyes,
just like mine.

"Ghost Street" was another one, beginning with "People speak of wanting to relive a day in their youth, wishing the dead alive." It was the final line of the poem that especially resonated with me. It being my truth too. The final poem, "Family Photograph" is a good way to end, and also one I especially liked and could relate to. It captures a happy moment in her childhood life, one of pride.

Laura Foley is one of those poets whose poetry inspires me to keep writing my own.

To learn more about Laura Foley, and her book, please visit the author's website.

I hope you will check out what others have to say about WTF: Poems by Laura Foley on the Poetic Book Tours route:

March 28: The Modern Creative Life (Guest Post)
April 5: Wall-to-Wall Books (Review)
April 12: the bookworm (Review)
April 13: Diary of an Eccentric (Guest Post)
April 18: Celticlady’s Reviews (Book Spotlight)
April 25: Soapy Violinist (Review)
May 3: The Modern Creative Life (Guest Post)
May 4: The Book Connection (Interview)
May 11: Musings of a Bookish Kitty (Review)
May 15: Katherine & Books (Review)
May 19: Margie’s Must Reads (Review)
May 24: Suko’s Notebook (Review)
June 1: Readaholic Zone (Review)
June 5: Patricia’s Wisdom (Review)

Many thanks to the Poetic Book Tours and Laura Foley for the opportunity to be a part of this book tour! Thank you also for providing a copy of the book for my honest review.

© 2017, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Monday, May 08, 2017

Where Is Your Bookmark? (05/09/2017)

I am a small few pages away from finishing Louise Erdrich's LaRose and next up is Planetfall by Emma Newman, the first in a science fiction series.

Every Tuesday Diane from Bibliophile By the Sea First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where participants share the first paragraph (or a few) of a book they are reading or thinking about reading soon. It is also where I share my first impressions about the book I am sharing.

Every time I come down here I think about my mother. I don't want to; it just happens. My brain has decided it's a critical subroutine that must be executed when the correct variables are in place: (when time = predawn) + (when physical location + beneath the colony) + (when physical act = opening the door to the Masher) run "unpleasant memory of mother #345."

My hand is pushing the door open and I'm back at my old lab and she's following me in, her heels clicking on the tiled floor. I've prepped the equipment to run one hour before her arrival so there's something to show straightaway. She never was a patient woman.

Every Tuesday, Ambrosia from The Purple Booker hosts Teaser Teaser at which participants grab their current read, open to a random page, and share two or more sentences from that page while avoiding any spoilers.

Teaser from page 12% of Planetfall:

I blink and look around Mack's living room to remind myself I'm not back in that prison again.

What do you think? Would you keep reading?

I admit the opening isn't especially grabbing me, but the random teaser sure has me curious!

What are you reading at the moment? Is it anything you would recommend?

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely ladies at Broke and Bookish.

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is Ten Things On My Reading Wishlist---- things you want to see more of in books -- tropes, a time period, a specific type of character, an issue tackled, a certain plot, etc. All those things that make you think I WANT MORE OF THIS IN BOOKS!

1. There are a number of series or trilogies I really enjoy that I wish authors would continue with--or go the spin-off route. J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter world, The Others by Anne Bishop, The Fairwick Chronicles by Juliet Dark, among others. I don't think it is too much to ask.

2. I would like to see more mysteries in which the crime does not include murder. Art theft investigations can be quite fun to read about, for example.

3. More realistic and well-written heroes and heroines who are people of color who are not defined by their ethnicity or race. Especially in the genres of crime fiction, romance, and fantasy.

4. More realistic and well-written leads who are LGBTQ who are not defined by their gender identity or sexual orientation.

5. More realistic and well-written heroes and heroines who have disabilities, including mental illness, who are not defined by their disabilities or mental illnesses.

6. Women leads in comics and graphic novels who don't fit the usual stereotypes, are more realistic, ones who can save themselves, are the main characters, aren't loud or meek or meeting one extreme or another.

7. More children's books involving only children. So many of the books featuring families I read with my daughter include siblings. It'd be nice for her to read books with functional families with only children.

8. More books written in verse. This is definitely an area I want to explore more, but I also wouldn't mind seeing more of this, especially in the fantasy genre.

9. More Choose Your Own Adventures for adults. I'm not talking about "R" rated. Just ones that are aimed at an older audience. I loved reading them as a child and do not see them as often nowadays.

10. More books about witches. I know there are a lot out there. Everywhere you look, really. But there can never be enough.

What about you? Is there anything you would like to see more of in books?

Saturday, May 06, 2017

Sunday Post: It is Time For May's TBR Poll & Free Comic Book Day!

New to My Shelves: May's My Lit Box arrived in the mail this past week. May's box is lighter fare compared to the darker themes featured in past selections. I am really excited about reading No One Can Pronounce My Name by Rakesh Satyal. I may end up using the 642 Tiny Things To Write About journal for blog post ideas . . . Or maybe I will just feature a question here each Sunday. I haven't decided.

This past week was Teacher Appreciation Week at my daughter's school. I did not get notice until Monday, and so was not able to prepare something for Mouse's teacher like I would have liked. Oh well. So, although these little goodies did not stay in our house long, I thought I would share them anyway. Mouse and I "taste-read" the books before sending them on to school for her class. (Books: How Rocket Learned to Read and Rocket Writes a Story, both by Tad Hills.) We also got her a tin of See's candy because that's the teacher's favorite kind of chocolate.

We hit up my husband's favorite comic bookstore today for Free Comic Book Day:

Mouse's selection of free comic books

Anjin's selection of free comic books

Anjin's comic book purchases

Mouse's comic book purchases

What I Am Reading: I am in the middle of Louise Erdrich's LaRose. It is one of those books that is best enjoyed when I am able to devote my full attention to it--at least that's what I am finding. My heart aches for both of the main families in the book, and especially the young LaRose who is caught in the middle. It is the story of two families, one whose son is killed in an accidental hunting accident.

What I Am Watching: I was able to fit in a few more episodes of the first season Supernatural. My watching it is slow going and will turn to non-existent once summer hits with Mouse out of school. That can't be helped. It's not a show I am willing to watch in front of her. I am all caught up with Designated Survivor. It reminds me of a cross between West Wing and Scandal.

What's Going On Off the Blog: This week was a mix of good and bad. Work was hell. Things really hit the fan Wednesday, and Thursday was even worse. I was glad to have Friday off, and and am trying hard not to think about work until I have to go back Monday.

We had planned to go hiking in the mountains Saturday afternoon after soccer, but our plans fell through because of the threat of bad weather. While Mouse still was able to play soccer, we decided not to risk the hike with the high prediction of rain. We ended up going to the comic bookstore instead.

This Week In Reading Mews:

Tell me about what you have been up to! What are you reading, listening to and watching? How was your week? Do you have anything planned for this coming week?

Every Friday Coffee Addicted Writer from Coffee Addicted Writer poses a question which participants respond on their own blogs within the week (Friday through Thursday). They then share their links at the main site and visit other participants blogs.

Do you re-arrange and move books around on the shelves or move books off of your bookshelves to another area after a certain amount of time or do you just leave them the way they are?

Unless I am culling my shelves and making room for new books, my book shelves pretty much stay the same. I am not one who organizes by color or likes to experiment with new shelving systems every few months or so. My hardback and trade paperbacks are all divided by genre and shelved alphabetically by author's surname. My trade paperbacks are just shelved by alphabetically by author's surname. I also have a bookshelf near my bed that is full of random books. It started out as my immediate to be read shelf, but, well, I am not always in the mood to read even what I set aside to read next. My shelves really could use another good organizing . . .

What about you? Do you re-arrange and move your books around often?

My (and my husband's) personal library shelves:

Upstairs shelves (mass market paperbacks are double shelved):

My bedside bookshelf:

My daughter's bedroom bookshelf:

Thank you for helping me decide what book from my TBR collection I should read next:

My TBR List is a meme hosted by the awesome Michelle at Because Reading. It’s a fun way to choose a book from your TBR pile to read. The 1st Sunday of every month, I will list 3 books I am considering reading and take a poll as to which you think I should read. I will read the winner that month, and my review will follow. While I will attempt to post my review that same month, I make no promises--it may go up the following month.

For the next three or so months you might notice a theme in my poll reading choices. These three are grouped together because they are all historical fiction, featuring strong female characters. I cannot wait to see which you all vote for me to read!

White Collar Girl by Renee Rosen ~ It is 1955 in Chicago, and Jordan Walsh is a female journalist in a man's world. Trying to get ahead, she uncovers a secret that could put her in danger.

Mercer Girls by Libbie Hawker ~ It is 1864. Three East Coast women set out for Seattle as mail-order brides. Running from their pasts, their journey is a difficult one, fraught with challenges and hardship.

Radio Girls by Sarah-Jane Stratford ~ In 1926 London, Maisie Musgrave takes a job as a secretary at the British Broadcasting Corporation whose use of radio has taken the nation by storm. A novel of conspiracy and getting out the truth.

I hope you all have a great week! Happy Reading!

The Sunday Post is hosted by the wonderful Kimba, the Caffeinated Book Reviewer, and gives us all a chance to recap our week, talk about what we are reading, share any new books that have come our way, and whatever else we want to talk about.

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Team Tynga's Reviews and is a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently.

Wednesday, May 03, 2017

Bookish Thoughts: The Book Club Murders by Leslie Nagel

This day was stomping on her last nerve, and it wasn't even ten o'clock. ~ opening of The Book Club Murders

The Book Club Murders by Leslie Nagel

Alibi, 2017

Crime Fiction (Cozy); 271 pgs

Source: NetGalley

I loved The Book Club Murders from the start. It's got a good combination of mystery and romance, all in a cozy setting. Charley Carpenter is the newest member of the Agathas Book Club and a bit of an outsider. The members are the wealthy and elite of Oakwood, Ohio. Charley does love to read, but her ulterior motive in joining the group was to expand notice of her store, Old Hat Vintage Fashions. She's been doing her best to fit in, but often feels more like the square peg trying to fit into the group's round hole. Luckily, one of her best friends is a member of the group and that makes the situation much more bearable.

On her way to a book club meeting one night, Charley is made to take a detour because her usual way is blocked by the police. Someone has been murdered. When the police come knocking on the door of the house where the group is meeting, it all becomes evident that the dead person is someone they know.

Detective Marcus Trenault hasn't seen a murder like this since his days working in the big city. The murder scene is well staged and the evidence scant. The weight of the investigation is on his shoulders as his boss and the mayor demand quick results.

Charley and Marc share a shaky past, one built on animosity. Just the same, their attraction to each other is immediate, although they both make an effort to resist. I was kind of taken surprise by the strength of the romance in The Book Club Murders, but it wasn't at all unwelcome. I thought Charley and Marc were well matched, and I though their story was well played out. Past grievances, misunderstandings, and family loyalty all coming into play.

Even with the strong romance thread, it never felt like the mystery took a backseat to the personal. When another body, clearly staged, is discovered, the pieces begin to come together for Charley, who is reluctant to go to the police. Charley and her friend, Frankie, had already begun nosing around the first murder, concerned that the Oakwood elite would close ranks against the police if questioned, and knowing they would have a better chance at getting answers.

Marc is none too happy with Charley's involvement in the investigation, but he does admire her persistence. When she finally does come to him with her suspicions about how the murders are connected, the staged death scenes taken straight out of the Agatha's reading list, he listens and does not immediately dismiss her. A quality I like in any love interest of the main character.

If I had a problem with this novel, it would be that Charley, as smart as she is, really should have come forward sooner with the information she had--and not just once. She also takes matters into her own hands a few times, doing more than just asking questions. She really needs to think more carefully before she acts. Even with that though, I really enjoyed reading The Book Club Murders. Charley is down to earth and resourceful. Marc is a bit brooding at the beginning, but I appreciate that he takes Charley seriously. He's also pretty smart, even though he and the police always seem one step behind Charley. I just wish she would trust him more to do his job.

The Book Club Murders was a hard novel to put down, and I thoroughly enjoy it. I admit I figured out the whodunit before I got there, but that did not hurt my enjoyment at all. It rarely does. I was just curious to see how everything would fall into place. I look forward to reading more about Charley and Marc in future books in the series.

You can learn more about Leslie Nagel and her books on the author's website. You can also find her on Twitter.

Monday, May 01, 2017

Where Is Your Bookmark? (05/02/2017)

After much hand wringing, I finally settled into a new book this week, deciding to read LaRose by Louise Edrich. It wasn't even one I had been considering to read at that moment, but sometimes the book that calls to me isn't the one I was expecting.

Where the reservation boundary invisibly bisected a stand of deep brush--chokeberry, popple, stunted oak--Landreaux waited. He said he was not drinking, and there was no sign later. Landreaux was a devout Catholic who also followed traditional ways, a man who would kill a deer, thank one god in English, and put down tobacco for another god in Ojibwe. He was married to a woman even more devout than he, and had five children, all of whom he tried to feed and keep decent. His neighbor, Peter Ravich, had a big farm cobbled together out of what used to be Indian allotments; he tilled the corn, soy, and hay fields on the western edge. He and Landreaux and their wives, who were half sisters, traded: eggs for ammo, rides to town, kids' clothing, potatoes for flour--that sort of thing. Their children played together although they went to different schools. This was 1999 and Ravich had been talking about the millennium, how he was setting up alternate power sources, buying special software for his computer, stocking up on the basics; he had even filled an old gasoline tank buried by his utility shed. Ravich though that something would happen, but not what did happen.

Teaser from page 11 of LaRose:

No, said Emmaline. She growled and showed her teeth. I'll kill you first. No.

Teaser from page 11 of LaRose:

Then he looked at Nola and saw that her face had broken open. All softness was flowing out. And the greed, too, a desperate grasping that leaned her windingly toward the child.

What do you think? Would you keep reading?

I started reading this yesterday morning and was pulled in immediately. Events unfold fairly quickly in terms of the tragic event that changes both the Landreaux and Ravich families' lives. I really like Edrich's writing. This is my first novel by her. It promises to be an emotional one, and I am eager to read more of it.

What are you reading at the moment? Is it anything you would recommend?

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely ladies at Broke and Bookish.

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is Cover Theme Freebie. I am guilty of being drawn to a book by its cover. And honestly, I can sit and gaze upon books with beautiful covers all day long if given the chance. What better way to tackle this week's topic than to look over the books I've read over my book blogging career and share with you my favorite cover for each year? (Covers listed are from the year I read the book, not the year they were necessarily published.)

1. 2006: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield