Five minute Free write

Five minute Free write on a topic called

Summer School   

The radiators were getting the place cool. "I've got to go to summer school", said Teresa.  "Why?"  "I'm missing a gym credit."  Shona, a Jehovah witness from Ecuador turned towards Teresa.  "You tapped me?"  "Oh, yeah, I was wandering if you finished the notes for this period."  "Um, yeah."  She turned around to give the notebook, and placed it on Teresa's desk.  Teresa couldn't help notice her black hair that stood up on end all over her slender arms.  Shona was pretty. If you didn't think so, you were an idiot.  She was too goody two-shoe though.  She always  passed her notes on time and raised her hand when Mr. Fitzgerald, the health teacher, called on her.  When you talked to her, she was always talking about her Jehovah witness stuff.  How she had a door meeting after school and she made it seem like something special.  Her something special was not at all like what her  friends called em', the door knockers, the preachers.  They had schemes to ignore the Jehovah's, like telling their housekeepers to answer or telling them they were out the door" and could they come back another time?"  But Shona called her ritual, the meetings and when you're only 15, listening to Shona talk about them, seeing her squeeze into tan skirts with her hair fluffed out, the meetings sounded cool, almost romantic.  She said she is engaged.  Engaged at 15!  You don't say!  Teresa looked at her and then turned her head towards Mr. Fitzgerald who said their next assignment would be a diagram on the food pyramid.

One minute Free Write

Free write, connecting to the movie Frozen   
Stealing the show

The woman on stage, the ladybug, the James and the Giant Peach character spoke perfect English.  Her big white teeth made the audience laugh.  How much confidence a fat lady bug could have amongst the four other earth worms.  The worst custume designs ever. The fat wormy heads tipping down and suggesting their top heavy heads could use some work.   Maybe some gigantic cartoon eyes, something that would make them a bit more funny.  

Three minute free write

Three Minute Free Write on a topic called Chasing books

 

What happened to the days I used to chase books?  I am reminded by this from Lisle in the Book Thief .  I used to gather books, meticulously, and collect them.  I'd show up to every gathering with a book in hand, unafraid that no one else showed up or a friend didn't invite me or that I was hungry.  I showed up.  and in Europe I showed up, and in France, and in places I thought I'd go to places beyond my imagination ,catching recipes and hurling them at chefs, at fashion designers and historical places where they ate unbelievable desserts and told stories of unimaginable circumstances. 

where I met people who greeted me in Tibetan and I sat with them in flee infested environments with strange con artists with people who were humanitarians and came to work in that country and took pictures to shock the world with what they found. Mostly governments who didn't pay the people and starved them and told them to memorize books and incarcerated them and took away family members who made me feel like i was the luckiest girl in the world.

One minute writing promt

This is why there will always be stories.   

The recommended mechanic took six hours putting on a router which the mechanic down the street two minutes.

The stylist took one hour to trim the hair like he was hedging bush which the beautician next door did in five.

The culinary chef downstairs at the pakistani restaurant spent four hours on a cow's calf but took one hour at the deli.

 

Three minute free write

 What would happen if we didn't remember.

We'd walk outside in blizzards on a mission to get our favorite candy bar at that familiar convenient store.  And instead we'd forget that we lived in that convalescent home where that convenient store is perched behind a lake, and on our trips there we'd meet near death; crossing the frozen lake.  

We'd go about the same routines looking for our brush in the early morning and the towel and the sink.  But we'd be in Bertha's room and she gets mad when you enter her room, so she chases you out puts a lock on her door so you don't ever came in, and you're now labeled as "the roamer."

We'd roam around until we managed to hit every room and they couldn't hold us down, so we'd end up tripping and falling in Louise's room, because she doesn't like people cleaning her room and we'd end up in two leg casts perched in a small room where no one comes down to visit.

  

derrick story part 5.5

 The knit stockings Derrick picked had the desired effect.  A blond stood among them, her hair and pale face, tight,  which said she was ready to dance.  She did two shuffles and started to step forward.   A blond lifted dancer in front of her and held her underneath her arms, her legs were dragging on the ground as the blond lifted and then her let her drag further to the ground with each beat of the song, lowering her, and raising her, lowing and raising her.  On the final raise, the dancer in front flipped her over the blond's back doing a half cartwheel over her.  The dancer had this twist of sadness of her face as if she had seen death. with a change of the backdrop turning from an uplifting bright pink to a dark and blue green.  
A grandfather clock suddenly clinked ", gong, gong, gong. The dancers were moving together ,stiff as day for a moment and then they came and slid to the floor, all of them in an x shape.  Then strode up with their hands pressed to the floor and slid down, their white painted faces and dark circled eyes, reminded you of a Tim Burton movie, "A night before Christmas."   A dancer emerged walking on stilts in a talk black and white tuxedo.  Walk, walk, walk, stop. His movements made the audience grimace.  The stilter picked up his legs and his cloak behind him hid the dancers, as they emerged from under his tall lifted leg. They walked over to the other dancers who began to wake up like mummies and dance with them, their legs were moving up and down, funky feet style, fast movements exchanging heel drops to the right and left. Their loose swaddling mummie clothes, held in place despite the rapid movements.  One dancer cascading past them taking a piece of their swaddling and turning it, their bodies unraveled and emerging underneath their costumes were punk rock outfits. 

Six minute writing prompt

Six minute writing prompt on a topic called

Her Diet

Her diet was extremely OCD.  She took off all the skin from her chicken, remove each pea from her fried rice.  Noodles with butter and no meat sauce.  Chocolate for days.  Sour cream and onion chips.  Where were the fruits? Where was the protein?  Where were all the things she needs?  On a good day, this same junk foodie chased and investigated the location of her boo.  The one who ran around town with a gang of his friends and a litter of girls.  The one she had loved and would fight for, if she had to.  And fight she did.  She sped down local streets at fifty miles an hour with her best friend next to her.  Her best friend braced herself for every sudden stop.  She had plans to find him and in return rip out the girl’s hair. A cat fight.  She’d like to give him a piece of her mind, but she couldn’t because the minivan served as her patrol car.  That made car chase much more humorous.

Seven minute free Write

A seven minute free write on a topic called

Her mother makes it better.

 "Her mother makes it better."  "Oh yeah, we'll see about that!" called out the snotty girl in pigtails chasing after a red dodge ball in the playground.  "My mom makes it better and I can prove it!"   "Oh yeah, she repeats, "Oh yeah", said her school mate chasing after her benevolently, her breath seizing and her legs twisting and turning to keep up.  "What's your mom call it?  Better than puke cake?"  Teased the pigtails.  "No, I'll have you know that its called better than Robert Redford?"

"Robert Redford?  Whose that your mom's boyfriend?"  "Shut up", she flinched and tossed her hand out, barely grazing the girl's cheek and the girl looked back flushed and awestruck. A backhand to her face." A backhand! Why you little"...

"Christine, Christine!" Let's go! Your brother's got soccer practice and I don't have time for this."

Christine wiped her still red flushed face tossing a look of scorn at Huffy face before she ran to her minivan.  Threw her ball in and shoved her tongue out for one last snarl at Huffy before her mother drove off at a menacing pace.

The girl picked up her own ball and thought of puke cake.  Her mother made the best cake,everyone knew that!  So did the book club and her sister and her brothers who smoothed the chocolate pudding whisks across their tongues during her mother's final cake making steps.  "Who wants to lick the cream cheese?"  Huffy was always first.  "Can I lick the back as well?"  

"Let your brother, you had your chance."  Her mother's face was shifting towards the bowls contents.  She had already pressed the walnut crust to the pan, baked it to three fifty and was adding the cream cheese with a clean spatula.  "I'll have you know that your grandma made this, the best."  She said, eyeing the Redford.

Five minute free write

 Five minute free write on how to help the poor without risking their pride.
He helped the beggar.
He left large numbers of ones on the highway ramp.
He rolled up extra newspapers at the library and built a makeshift home from boxes.
A home so uniquely built it had its own sewage drain.
The man put a small food stand at the shelter with a carry out popcorn machine.
He gave the poor extra plastic bags from his Walmart.
He built a stand next to the Cans so the bags could easily be reached.
The man helped the poor by giving them small soap bars, napkins, disposable items from the dollar store.
"Easy enough", he said.
He used all the resources he could find, observed them outside the Drake and found their favorite hang-outs.
Built a library onto their shelter so they could save money for the bus.
He bought them their own air conditioner, turned it on HIGH blast, so it kept the whole place cool, even on lonely nights when the roaches took refuge and when the crack heads ran out of crack.
Everyone needs to sleep.
And there
He would sleep
Amongst them.
His hammock tied right beside their cots.
His sandals right next to their suitcases.
And his jacket right next to their shopping carts.
Tomorrow would be a new day, for the Tired.

Five minute writing prompt

    Getting out of work...

 

I'm going to show up and tell work that my eye is infected. they seen it yesterday at work.  They'll believe me, he said.  

She needs to get a root canal, can you come in?  the boss asked?

ive  got to run some errands in the company car.  she said

The toilet seat broke, I've got to get a new one, she said. 

She told me to leave. I left to appease her.

The boss came in one the first floor, and quietly escaped so she wouldn't have to relieve her employee at the end of her shift. 

Two minute Writing prompt

I think animals exist to remind us of our own existence

quite innocently I say these words...

We had five raccoons in our attic living for free.  they'd come outside at night and cascade down our fern trees.  the five of them.  They'd walk across our deck railings mom, dad sister brother and oldest brother.  I'd count them.  make sure no one was missed.  make sure they'd return home safely by the end of them.  And it would always be the five of them, making their way up the fern.  

Two minute Writing prompt                                                                                                            You walk into your house and it’s completely different–furniture, decor, all changed. And nobody’s home.

My home has changed somehow.  
Seems bigger emptier, 
nobody's home.
Now normally I like that
 Throw on some tunes and dance across the cool, hard wood floors.
 Fifty feet dimensions all my own space.
 But today its different.  
Boxes lie here and there.  
Prices are placed among items.
 I've been wandering how someone else's organization skills have turned my own items into a masterpiece.  
Quite seriously!

For the difference between some of our most prized possessions is my association with them.  My makeshift side table isn't special because its worth five dollars.  Its special because i spilled coffee on it numerous times and decided that a plastic,clear three piece drawer is better suited in my bedroom than my living room.  Or my suitcases are better stacked on my red coca cola chairs than neatly placed in the closet.

Writing with obstacles

I Fell down yesterday and I thought about all the things I wouldn't be able to do if i was placed in a body cast once again, mind you I've broken my leg three times.

Things you can't do when your in a body cast

see above the counter

play a variety of gym sports

go to your friends' house

have easy access through a door frame

go through the woods fast with easy

navigate concerts and stairways

enjoy all the theme park rides

Five minute writing prompt

Five minute writing prompt on the topic

This is my eternal dialog

Oh no Trin, you actually do look beautiful in this dress.   Mrs. Bridget Snoozy did not wear it last Friday.  Trin, you look cute, you smiled excellent today.  Little Johnny does want your number.  Freddy is not staring at your red spot.  Johnny is waiting for you at the altar. Mrs. Campbell did not throw out my newspaper for the third time this week.  My hair is not overly charged BUT incredibly tasteful.  My car is not an old granny’s station wagon or a hump bucket.  My brain is a computer and my mouth is the queen speaking.  My dreams are parallel to the universe.  And my social etiquette doesn’t embody that of a jack ass.

One minute writing prompt

 

One minute writing prompt on the topic

Extreme

This is extreme nosey.

Hacking into someone’s blackberry just to see how many times they need to go to the podiatrist.

Extremely careful. 

Duck taping your washer to the ground so it doesn’t shake or pin pointing the exact escape route for your near and dear rodent pals. 

Extremely nice, in addition, is planning a nice vacation for them, by scattering a bread trail of healthy snack choices straight out of your home.

Extremely non compliant.

Blocking the boundaries around your house during block party day.

Two minute writing prompt

Two minute writing prompt on a topic entitled

Traded places with my bully

I traded places with the loud mouth.  The one who acts like Obama's advisor.  I paraded around the work place and acted like a know it all, got in people's faces, told them everything about my personal life.  It was fun being her.  I did some two steps around the job, shook my tail feather, wore some inappropriate jeans and a low cut blouse on casual Friday.  

One minute writing prompt

One Minute Writing prompt on the topic

She’d catch you

She’d catch you.   It was easy for her to do.  She’d come to work at  two am just to see if you were sleeping.  It would be hard for me show up like that.  But she’d show up all right.  Hairs standing up on end looking to see if I left some couch undone.  Some dust not swept up underneath.  It was late mind you.  I could see nothing but blackness though the windows of the five bedroom tumbler.  The curtains left open specifically so I could expect her arrival.  And arrive she did, almost like a mouse with a bell.  Keep the front door locked and the back screen unlocked.  “Why did you unlock the back screen door?  Why are there towels hanging up on the rack?   Why are there cups on the coffee table?  Why are there rags hanging over the sink?”  Hmmm, hmmm I’d mumble.  There was no talking back. 

One minute writing prompt

One minute free write
 No one ever told Ms. Beulah she was too old.  She rocked her 2013 Mercedes with sky blue rims and waved her shiny hand out the window.  She'd drag race those youngins'. 
Sit high up on her seat pillows to stave off any hemorrhoid outbreak.

She was cool, real cool.  

On a typical Monday, Hill billies rode into town yelling out her window, "This ain't my mama, but I'm sure proud of ah'.

She'd brake abruptly, just to catch them in their coolness.

They'd smile and she'd say,  "Relax my sons, were almost there."

  

One Minute Writing Prompt

One minute writing prompt called

My friend   

Some may call their fellow drivers any amount of names.  I call all of them my "friends" for lack of a better word. 

Its positive. 

"Hey friend, hurry up," I yell.  "Come on friend, why'd you do that?" The passerby merges in front of me on lakestreet.  We both arrive at the stoplight at the same time.  The last minute decision from my "friend" an unnecessary one. 

hey friend

turn, turn, turn

Come on, come on, I yell, almost feeeling like I'm ushering a toddler to sleep

and my all time friend is taking his time.

Look whose coming over! I yell out suspiciously, motivating my own self to merge in a twenty foot space on the free way.  My invitation to dinner an unwarranted one, as my friend passes me the bird from his window.   

One minute writing prompt

One minute writing prompt on a title called:
Chasing leaves got me in trouble
Who would have thought?
that day it was me on a street over north.  A normal fall day, while I was pounding my feet to my favorite hip hop song Uncle Kracker and a neighboring man yells out at me. I'm thinking nothing of it.  I've got more important things on my mind like my school schedule and work.  When an adolescent girl pops out of no where and I walk straight into her outstretched fist! POW!
 My god, Was that an accident? I ask myself. 
I don't have time to figure it out. I take off like a bandit walking as fast as possible.  Girl on girl fight.  Who would have thought.

Two Minute writing prompT

Two minute writing prompt

Scam Artist

That car is hella bad.  You sold it to me.  That car breaks down at every stop. I've got to gun it, just to make it around the corner.  Why'd you sell me that?  You left a love letter to your girlfriend in the glove compartment.  Bad break up, huh?  By the way, you didn't tell me the windshield wipers didn't work ad that stank!  What is that?  You left an old burrito in the back.  I smelt it on the way to grandma's.  Why'd you do that?  That's f'd up!

I bought that. You told me to meet you at the Macy's  parking lot.  Cash only.  I should of known somethin' was up. That's f'd up!  You left your girls' number in the car.  Twenty of them!  I counted.  There was a subtitle on top.  "The biggest".  What's that mean?

Five minute writing prompt

This is a five minute writing prompt on Computer.

 

Your computer won’t shut down when you are getting ready to leave work at five. Instead, it is looping a message, and then attempts to tell you something. What is your computer doing? Write this scene.

 The computer has something to tell me, its been tracking my last moves for the past ten days.  In between my hovering on amazon products, the computer has come to find a few routine habits, including my newest pedometer, my few options on Ipads, amongst other things like my slow cooker recipes, and latest desserts, double chocolate fudge and other choice findings, it tells me that

for one, I shouldn't go to Trixy's.  Trixy will want to sell my my recent best buy purchase. 

Trixy won't be able to sell your gift card.

 

The computer writes in a five second column across the screen. 

I can get you forty dollars for your gift card.

The gift card is fifty.  I think back to the other night at Trixy's.

 FITTY, Trixy repeats back to me when i first show her the card.  Fitty, fitty...lets see what \i can do with that card, she grabs it fast, spins it over her size 42DD's.  She continues and Best Buy ain't doing doin' well.  Then she scrambles over her four foot raised bed each lump on her body grazes the flowered comforter as she reaches over to open her locked box.  She tosses the card in there.  I've got my money in there she says.  Its safe.  When you get married. You always gotta to be smart.  Always keep some money for yo'self, she states matter of fact tone.

One minute Free Write

Anonymous time for a free write on a subject called

She was cheap.   

She was cheap alright, chasing resources.  She had all her ducks in a row from going to the church and asking for help on rent to going to The Center for her energy payments.  "Sliding fee scale," they said.  "Bring in your income statements."
 And she'd tell herself "okay, let me figure out which job statements I should bring in."  She'd bring in the ones from her third job, the least paying job. 
She'd crash weddings, free food, free center pieces.  She'd got Avon to pay for all her accessories.  And all the clothing she could ever want, she got from her Salvation Army which had free bin days, Yard sales had discount Sundays.  And the zoo had enough coupons for admission you'd think they were giving the animals away.  Bath and Body Works adorned her friends' home on Christmas Eve thanks to giveaways at St Francis Odilla and random salad dressings that nobody wanted like Apricot Italian and smooth-yet-creamy Catalina.  That and all the ketchup and mustard packets from her local Sandwich De La Carta.  

Writing for one minute

 One minute free write on the prompt called

Swimming Underneath

Swimming underneath the trash in the house, I found myself amidst newspaper, beer bottle and cigarette butts,that and leftover candy wrappers.  The mouse made its way into my right pant ankle and I shrieked in utter dismay.  I can make it I told myself.  The kitchen door wasn't far away but the bags and bags of kitty litter, puppy chow and pizza boxes were my enemy.  I picked, scraped and pawed my way where I hoped my feast would find me.  The aromas from the kitchen filled my nostrils and I was too happy to sink my way, for the time being ,through jelly beans that lay on top of the papers in a thin line, purple, yellow. brown. licorice, lime green. The colors all too may flooded into my mouth.

Another one minute free write

A one minute free write on a writing prompt called

 Second hand fire

Second hand fire is not the same as second hand smoke.  He puffed it straight into her face on karaoke night where Japanese men were taking the mike and singing to the song WHO LET THE DOGS OUT, WOLF, WOLF...wolf wolf..

A little pitchy screamed the blue haired smurf next to her. She died her skin the same color.  She said she was going for a PAPA smurf look but instead came out looking like a blue skinned Egyptian.

Free write one minute

This is one minute free write on a write prompt called

 The hardest thing would be...

 To go up to these ignorant people and say Why you dooo that?

Immitate them.

There words bounce off me right after I hear them but I can't muster up the courage to stand up to them.

One came and punched me, off chance. cuz I just happened to walk into their fist.  Another yelled at me at the CUBs and told me to hurry up.  Hurry up lady, get your items on the counter.  Ain't nobody got time for that.  

Free write for 3 minutes

This is a free write on a prompt called

Compusively Stealing , based on a real car theft in Minnesota
   
You hear about those people who steal.  They live above your apartment or went to your high school, they sit next to you, you glance at their current stealing method and it says they got caught, were forced to write the police a letter of apology.
But what was most amazing to me was how a man put it in his mind that he would use his own tow truck to steal broke down cars off the interstate.
Did he have car choice in mind? Were they supposed be brown cars, or pot marked ones?  Were they supposed to be hail damaged ones? 
 Yellow would cause too much attention.  Attention seeking may get him caught.  So he stayed with the damaged ones, the unfixable.  The ones that screamed unwanted or had bumper stickers like "This is my baby mamma's car" or "Honk if your happy!" Did he decide on ones that hailed a politician or ones that screamed I'm into Darwinism?
Did he pursue those cake mudded cars? The ones who couldn't make it up an embankment even if they tried. 
Did he pursue girly cars or just the ones with big fender benders?  Maybe he pursued the ones that were eye sores, the ones who tried too hard who revealed ivy on their underside or make-up collections on their hoods,pretty bobble heads on their dashboards.

Events

The writer will be writing about popular events in her area. Keep posted!

The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

After reviewing "The Dressmaker of Khair Khana" book once again in preparation for book club.  I decided to post some highlights of the book as it is terribly exciting book, if you ever thought to be a journalist.  The author of the book begins her introduction by going over her background and her are some of her accomplishments. 

When winter break approaches at Harvard business school, (Writer of "The Dressmaker of Khair Khana, Gayle Tzemach Lemmon  attends at age 30 for a masters degree), Lemmon decides to make a trip to Kabul, as she finds it intriguing that Kabul is becoming a hot spot where when have created business opportunities for themselves, at a time when their is a takeover in the country and they are barred within their homes.  (this point is up for discussion).

 Previously Lemmon, had worked for ABC news covering political campaigns, and began her research in Rwanda, where women were beginning to create businesses there as well.

I read  Stephen King's " 11/26/63".  A great novel for the beginning of the summer.  It was filled with fantastic characters, and of course a story line based on the true story of the assassination of JFK.


King knew how to bring much attention to the character of Lee Harvey Oswald, (according to the government investigations, he was the sniper who killed JFK) King introducing him in the middle of the novel and Oswald is portrayed as a working class man, nothing particularly interesting or great about him, although he was was a US marine and was defected to the Soviet Union in October 1959, where he lived until 1962, and returned to the US with his Russian wife.

I liked how the main character Jacob, (code name George) is able to build a short term career as a teacher , all the while going back to the past as prime investigator,  in search of the truth of JFK's assassination.  His modern research and clues into the case, give him an edge to preventing the assassination.  It also allows him, to delve into Oswald's inter sanctum, as readers are introduced to some of the key players of Oswald's life including: Margaret Oswald, (his wife), Marguerite Frances Claverie (his mother) and friend George de Mohrenschildt, amongst many other associations. 

"Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls

 

"Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls. The most memorable part of this book is when Billy Colman, the main character wears his father's raccoon hat and goes hunting with his  hound dogs: Old Dan and Little Ann.  He gets into fights with the Pritchard brothers, and he dreams of getting his dogs to hunt in the coon hunting contest, which will have him training his dogs around the clock, hunting raccoons and rodents alike. The book's climax is when Billy Colman sets out to get the "ghost coon".  This final hunt will intrigue readers and have them wandering if Billy's dog will reach the same demise as "Old Yeller" (a story  which most kids, born after 1990 have no recollection)

Many dog enthusiasts will conjure up sympathetic emotions in the final act of "Where the Red Fern Grows".

My second read-through of this book came when I was an assistant teacher in a middle school class, in the inner city, and this was there book of the month to read.  I enjoyed the book discussions with these middle school kids in particular , because they commented on the book so freely (that is if you,the teacher, asked the right questions.)  For example a popular discussion question was:What is your favorite part of the book?  A middle-schooler response was "I like the dog fights", this was usually punctuated with a middle school teacher asking him or her, if they ever been to a farm or been hunting? If they ever seen a dog's role on the farm? Most likely a kid in the inner city, would respond "no" they never been to a farm, and plain in simple, they thought a dog's role, is "to be a dog". The Global Dig

"Beautician of Kabul" by Deborah Rodriguiz

    

"Beautician of Kabul" by Deborah RodriguezDeborah Rodriguiz dishes up another clumsy, American introduction to the middle east.  Her initial impressions of the culture seem shallow but when she, herself, decides to marry an Afghani and become a second wife, that is when I'm bewildered.  What a way to show an obvious traditionalist an extremist life style?  (Not all wives in Afganistan participate in polygamy) Nonetheless her inside jokes and interest in the world of beauty is obnoxious.  She writes about the lengths a women will go through to make their wedding fantastic, from the making of the dress to their hair, (being groomed to perfection).  She explains the numerous bottles of hair spray necessary to make an Afghani bride as beautifully put together as a bridezilla from an American reality show. The Global Dig

"The Murder of a Century:The Gilded Age Crime That Scandalized a City & Sparked the Tabloid Wars" by Paul Collins

 

 

"The Murder of a Century:The Gilded Age Crime That Scandalized a City & Sparked the Tabloid Wars",  by Paul Collins. This novel had a slow introduction, the only event that captured the audience from the beginning had to be the fact that a body is found severed in half, the head is no where to be found and the abdomen is found laying in a river with its arms still attached.

 I could of done without the details, leading the detectives to whom the body belonged to, (we get it), there was no forensic evidence in the nineteenth century.  The only thing that could dictate how long a body had been deceased was the heat of the body, and the only thing that identified the status of the person and his or her occupation was the money in their wallet and the softness/roughness of their hands, telling whether they worked in the mine friends or they had higher status jobs that didn't have them work much with their hands. 

"The Clan of the Cave Bear" by Jean M. Auel

   

"The Clan of the Cave Bear" by Jean M. Auel.  Don't let the hardcover of this novel intimidate you, its nowhere near the length of Ann Karenina. This novel is unlike any other, here we have a beginning of civilization story which embeds cavemen with modern characteristics. 
 A cave woman struggles to show her independence, as a woman, in the stone age when modern conveniences, like houses, grocery stories and social networking are out of the picture.   

The cavemen and cave women in this story were separated according to clans and how evolved each clans physical appearance seemed to be.  Some clans would literally have more hair on their backs, seeming more cavemen like then other clans, some clans would also lack language skills. Some clans would use women as sexual objects and would exchange their women mates readily according to their desire. (discographies)
The female cave woman, Ayla, proves to be the strongest: abandoned by her original clan at a young age Ayla came to live with the clan called "the others".  Her blue-eyes and pale skin would contrast with theres, and "the others" would use her as a slave and abuse her; calling her names and pairing her up with the worst man in the tribe.  Ayla's strong demeanor gave her a willingness to never give up, in order to survive for her daughter's sake.(the global Dig)

"Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

"Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

    I read this book while working alongside Tibetans (in a hospital) whose knowledg of K2 made me appreciate the mountain more than ever. In this memoir, one man's goal in climbing K2 becomes an obsession and a dream, but there is much more to climbing the mountain than just the right gear.  According to Krakauer, one must have knowledge of the climate, one must know what time of year to climb, and lastly, one must know which Sherpas you can count on to help you track the mountain.
You may also need a plan, to determine how you'll climb, and the stamina you'll exert throughout your journey.  (assuming that weather prevails).  The writer talks throughout the trip; giving insights into whose climbed K2: bringing in to the limelight the real mountaineers, along with the multi-millionaires whose only agenda in climbing is to check off one more item from their bucket lists.
John's interaction with Sherpas on this adventure turns Tibetan mountain guides into Heros. The Global Dig

"Let the Great World Spin" by Colum McCann

"Let the Great World Spin " by Colum McCann, a combined-story novel.   I enjoyed this novel, and the way McCann spins the stories of characters who have unlikely chances of meeting one another.  One of the stories discusses two Irish brothers, Corrigan and Ciaran who are on two different wave lengths, but end up both leaving Ireland and eventually living together in the Bronx.

We are introduced to Corrigan, who as a child empathizes with the poor, and who will do absolutely anything he can for the poor. He tells his mother that their situation is not that bad in comparison to those who have absolutely nothing.  He meets the poor under bridges as they warm their hands, Corrigan listens to their stories.  When the father of the brothers walks out of their lives, Corrigan brings the poor people his father's clothing, and his brother Ciaran merely watches as he gazes onto random strangers walking on the beach with his father's suits on.

McCann also tells the story of Philippe Petit, the French acrobat who is a  tight-rope walker.

Its my belief that McCann introduces such a factual story into the plot of the book so as to raise the drama of novel and cast a story that readers can automatically visualize:The Twin Towers. 

 Petit decides to walk the lengths of the former TWIN TOWERS just to see if he can do it; adding to his collection of buildings he's walked across.  His walking between the TOWERS brings the attention of the New Yorkers who look up at him, in astonishment and see only a tiny speck in the sky, wandering who could possibly have the gall to do such a thing, admiring him, and at the same time holding great fear for this man's life.(the Global Dig)

"The Second Empress: A Novel of Napoleon's Court " by Michelle Moran

   

"The Second Empress: A Novel of Napoleon's Court," by Michelle Moran. 

 

This novel reads with a feminist point of view, of the French Revolution.  Although the second empress is characterized as being weak and without much power over her destiny and over her new Kingdom in France, Michelle Moran does an excellent job in her research of Napoleon.

 

Napoleon takes a second empress, Marie Louise.  Louise will have a task keeping France together as she is left in charge while Napolean begins one of France's worst Revolutions.The empress convinces French citizens to take refuge at the Chateau de Rambouillet.  Once its obvious that Russia is winning, Napoleon makes a retreat to France while his Army is still fighting Russia and, so as not to draw attention to his self, Napoleon dresses like an Austrian when he visits his sister Pauline.  How cowardly is that?

Marie Louise is worried about her solitary son whom she has, had with Napoleon.  Napoleon wrote a letter to Joseph, a former king of Spain telling him his hopes for his son: "Id rather see my son's throat cut than imagine him brought up as an Austrian prince in Vienna. 

 

The fact that Napoleon would rather cut his son's throat, than have him live in Austria tells the empress that she'd better make like a bandit and get her and her son out of Napoleon's line of vision.  She decides to take her son, against the father's will to live in  Austria with her family.  When Napoleon flees France, his carriage is stalked by villagers on his way out of Paris, and the people throw rocks at his carriage.  He tries to win the people over one more time, by giving the people a speech: telling them he wasn't a traitor for leaving Russia with his army still there, that he was helping the dying by returning to France. (the Global Dig)

  

Bossy Pants (A Memoir) by Tina Fey

   "Bossy Pants (A Memoir) by Tina Fey". Writing with as much confidence as the best of them, it's of no surprise that Tina Fey can come up with the best Sarah Palin impersonation ever thought possible.    

But its hard being a female comedian, Tina makes this clear, in her memoir when talks about photo shoots and just what women are trying to eliminate when it comes to their looks and photo shopping.  These are just some of the funniest women body parts she mentions: lunch lady arms, crotch biscuits, spider veins, bad nail beds, too thin lashes, saddle bags, breasts too big, breasts too small, one big breast bigger than the other, one breast smaller than the other  (how these two are different she doesn't know) nasal labia folds, calves too big, no calves, kankles, .  

When she is discussing improvisation and acting, Fey says "don't be afraid to contribute, its your responsibility, make sure your contributing something to the discussion, your interests are worthwhile."  

I'm reminded of my own improvisation classes, in high school, and I showed up to these stage practices with the other nerdy theatre kids, and how I watched a kid named Sanders try to turn a hulla-hoop into something hilarious, and it was so funny watching him stumble with this task.  (this kid is now teaching as an assistant professor at Alabama University- go figure)

I enjoyed when Tina talks about the first time she was called a CU^T by a coworker and she yells back, "Nope, I have two parents who love me, and I was not born into an alcoholic home, so you don't have a right to call me that."  This is just one of Fey's principles that helps her cope with adversity.(the Global Dig)

"The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck

"The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck.  The writer, Pearl S. Buck, writes a novel that is totally memorable, you wouldn't get this impression from the novel's front cover. Picture this year : You're a farmer working with your hands in a plantation and you want to expand your plantation and your

profit? How will you do this?

Well, start by buying out- all the nearby farmer's land; making yourself the envy of all the farmers in your village. Then have tons of kids, so they can help you harvest your land. This will ensure that you're no longer a peasant, but in fact, a successful farmer who has plenty of power. You'll have so much power, that you'll be able to buy your own wife from her servant hood. So she can in turn come back to the home of her servant days and show off her own child, richest baby in the kingdom, festooned with silk clothing and shiny fat from eating the stuff of the "Good Earth". (the Global Dig)

"The Journal of Dora Damage:A Novel" by Belinda Starling

   

"The Journal of Dora Damage:A Novel" by Belinda Starling.  Finding this book at a bookstore is difficult enough, Barnes and Noble does not carry it on their shelves, but just imagine trying to find it in a library.  I went clear across town to St. Paul library,in Minnesota borrowing it under a pseudo name, because I didn't have book barrowing privileges considering that I didn't live in Saint Paul.  (Just kidding,-a friend of mine barrowed it under her St. Paul library card).

When Dora Damages' husband becomes sick, it will be up to her to continue her husband's book binding business, at a time when women didn't commonly work, and they certainly did not run businesses.  This would prove to be a difficult task for Damage.  Nevertheless, Damage takes it upon herself to uphold the business. 

The whole process of finding and locating this book made me appreciate the novel  and its contents even more. The novel introduces the subject of book binding and its value in the nineteenth century. This seems interesting enough, but what was even more interesting is that a lot of book collectors, during that time, chose to bind books whose contents delved into erotic fantasy:bizarreeeeee. (The Global Dig)

  

"Rosa Lee:A Mother and Her Family in Urban America" by Leon Dash

   

 Rosa's Lee's story reads much like a biography going from bad to worse.  Not in the sense that it is written badly, but in the sense it's hard to imagine how humanly, bad a person could have it.  Lee's life as a mother of eight children doesn't go smooth sailing into retirement, in fact, her golden years are down right bumpy.  Lee will support her childrens' drug habit by faking illness in order to get narcotics, she will donate blood for money, sell food stamps (which I recently found out is called trafficking food stamps, a popular crime that can lead to incarceration).  Lee will work on the corner; selling drugs for local drug enthusiasts, who buy at will. 
Lee's  resolve in understanding that what she is doing is downright wrong came when Leon Dash, the writer asked her if she thought it was right to ask her granddaughter to steal clothing from a thrift store.  This had a powerful effect on Lee, for which she realizes that she is teaching her own grandkid to steal. 

Fortunately, Ms. Lee does have success at raising two of her sons who escape a life of drug abuse. The writer, himself, is stunned at the amount of information, Rosa Lee releases, she tells him about her involvement in various crimes.  He even questions whether he should hand over Lee for her various criminal acts, and he stops his interview periodically, reminding Lee that she is leaving her declarations open for public scrutiny.

  

"A Year in Provence" by Peter Mayle

"A Year in Provence" by Peter Mayle

Mayle's writes a memoir, that in my belief, reads very smartly. Mayle is a British writer and he commemorates upon his move to Provence and the struggles he undergoes; learning the language and day to day cultural norms that seem very bizarre to his own. 

Mayle's first introduction to the world of Provence comes with his decision to buy and reconstruct his first home in Provence. He hires French masons whom he believes will transform his ancient home into a functioning Parisian home that will suit his many Parisian guests.  The Masons break out with sledge hammer on their very first day working on his kitchen effortlessly for hours at a time before the sun even rises.  They up level floors and reconstruct new ones.  This sprint like effort of the French will amaze Mayle until he realizes that after a couple of days of hard work his masons are no where to be found.   Mayle's first lesson: The French have an elasticity when it comes to how they view time.

I like the way Mayle describes his introduction to his new neighbors in France.  He says that they speak with an incomprehensible French drawl, adding the "ong" sound to words in French that normally don't necessitate this suffix.  He says they spoke words in a fast, chattery way for which he could barely grasp. 

This British writer talks about the bitter cold during his stay in France during the winter season. 

And like most weather enthusiasts, I merely gaff at this notion of exaggerated cold weather in France; thinking to myself "these French people don't know anything about the cold," with my new profound pride in Minnesotan weather. 

I also think "The French know nothing of snow blizzards and negative-twenty-degree-Fahrenheit wintry days like we have in Minnesota."

  This writer, likewise, has his own objections to the "Wimpy French"; comparing the cold days in France to his days in Britain for which he battled the wind that came up from the British channel.

One of the most strategic moves the writer made, was a trick to get Parisian contractors to finish his house, by hosting a Holiday dinner (knowing full well that food would draw the contractors to his house).

 For his dinner, Mayle decides to invite the wives of his contractors so that they could admire the work of their husbands.  This plot had the desired affect.  The contractors readily showed up the following day to finish the house they started.

  Lesson number two:If you want Parisians to get things done: Always bribe them with food.

"The End of Your Life Book Club" by Will Schwalbe

 "The End of Your Life Book Club" by Will Schwalbe.  I started reading this novel after it caught my attention in the library's three day, book rental shelf.  Like most book lovers, I am part of a book club( I admit this) and my book club has been meeting once a month for the last ten years, albeit, I have only been a member for, four years. Either way, this novel was a definite hit home for me!
Author, Will Schwalbe has been working in publishing for 21 years, and it was Schwalbe's admittance to his 73-year-old mother that he had not read a book on her list which would begin this two member book club
"Crossing to Safety" was the book on his mother's list.  For which she exclaimed "I'll give you my copy" Schwalbe was getting David Halbersam's book on the Korean war ready for publication but  he found time to meet his mother while she was in the hospital dying from cancer. There we have it "The End of Your Life Book Club."

Mary Anne's, Schwalbe's mother had done many accomplishing things in her seventy three years old life span, for which Schwalbe talks about admirably.   His mom helped to establish libraries in Afghanistan.  She went there in 1995, going across the Khyber pass from Pakistan to report on the condition of refugees.  She went back to Afghanistan 9 times for the women's commission on the international rescue committee (the mothers keeps in contact with all the refugees she has met in Afghanistan).

"My mother was always introducing, scheduling, weighing in, guiding advising and counseling" says Schwalbe. He connects this with the fact that, his mother had taken a job at Harvard and Radcliffe University and was appointed associate dean of admission and Financial aide.

One funny story Schwalbe shares about his mother's career at Harvard is when she received a fortune cookie from an eager student awaiting admission in to the college and the fortune cookie read "You will admit Bella Wong"-the daughter of the local Chinese restaurant owner. 

Mary Anne would later work at Cambridge University for which Schwalbe comments that during Thanksgiving "we invited anyone we knew who lived afar away and couldn't get home, we often had Iranian and Pakistani students come...perhaps this is where my mothers interest in the region began".