Real Life Is Real Messy: Books I Read in 2024, Vol. XX

 

JESUS LAND: A Memoir
Julia Scheeres

Julia and her adopted brother, David, are 16 years old. Julia is white. David is black. It is the mid-1980's and their family has just moved to rural Indiana, a landscape of cottonwood trees, trailer parks, and an all-encompassing racism. At home are a distant mother  -  more involved with her church's missionaries than her own children  -  and a violent father. In this riveting and heartrending memoir, Scheeres takes us from the Midwest to a place beyond imagining: surrounded by natural beauty, the Escuela Caribe  -  a religious reform school in the Dominican Republic  -  is characterized by a disciplinary regime that extracts repentance from its students by any means necessary. Julia and David strive to make it through these ordeals and their tale is relayed here with startling immediacy, extreme candor, and wry humor.

I read that description on the back cover and purchased this book on the opening day of a friend's local bookstore, Niche Books, in beautiful downtown Lakeville, Minnesota. Having grown up in rural Indiana, I felt a connection. Having a deep faith in Jesus and a respect for church things, I was interested to hear about the author's experiences. What I didn't bargain for was how engrossing her story is, which reads like a novel. Did I say engrossing? Maybe I should have said heartbreaking. It's hard to believe this is a true story about her actual experience at an infuriatingly abusive-in-the-name-of-religion "school" in the DR in the 80s. So sad that what feels like a work of fiction that, stereotypically, presents all the "religious" people as cruel, egocentric monsters, is an accurate account of the author's childhood and adolescence.

First Line: It's just after three o'clock when we hit County Road 50.

Page 56 / Line 5: She looks like that whorish new singer, Madonna.

A Good Line from Somewhere in the Middle: Life may not be fair, but when you have someone to believe in, life can be managed, and sometimes, even miraculous.

Last Line: David, I love you.

A Misplaced Essential: Books I Read in 2024, Vol. XIX

 

THE LOST KEY: A Brit in the FBI Novel
Catherine Coulter and J. T. Ellison

In his first hour on the job in the New York field office, freshly minted FBI agent Nicholas Drummond and his partner, Michaela Caine, are called to investigate a stabbing on Wall Street. They must navigate their way through a labyrinth of deadly secrets dating back to an incredible theft during Word War I. They're up against a brilliant madman, Manfred Havelock, who will do anything to retrieve what's been lost for nearly a century. Only one person, a gifted hacker, knows where to look. And he's gone missing. John Pearce's cryptic dying words -- "The key is in the lock" -- set into motion an eleventh-hour race to solve the riddle of what key, and what lock, with Havelock one step ahead of Drummond and Caine, leaving mayhem and death in his wake. They must find the hacker and stop Havelock before he changes the world forever.

This book is the second in the series, but the third one I've read. (A statement which holds no importance whatsoever) I'm still liking the quick pace, short-ish chapters, and mostly-clean language. The action is well-described...so I can see it in my mind-movie, and the stakes are high...and almost believable!

First Line: Ansonia was dead.

Page 56 / Line 5: "I saw a photo in his bedroom of a boy maybe about eight years old, and the girl, she looked about fourteen or fifteen, their mother between them, hugging them close."

A Good Line from Somewhere in the Middle: He stared at her in surprise, dropped his gun, then quietly fell backward onto the beautifully appointed foyer just as Penderley's tactical team burst through the front door.

Last Line: "Both of you."

A Manly Tome Indeed: Books I Read in 2024, Vol. XVIII

 

THE POWER OF A PROMISE KEPT: Life Stories
Gregg Lewis

[In the 1990s,] in jam-packed stadiums across the country, men [were] accepting a powerful challenge  -  choosing to live by the Seven Promises of a Promise Keeper. But [did] it make a difference? [Did it change] the lives of their wives and their friends? In these pages are true stories of a few individuals  -  men just like you  -  who put their promise keeping into action every day and have found hope, encouragement, and healing. Their struggles are the same as yours. And their victories can be yours as well.

This book is almost 30 years old (hence the bracketed changes of tense in the publisher's description above), but the copy I purchased from the library ($0.25) looked like it had never been opened (which is probably why they sold it off instead of having it take up shelf space). However, I attended a couple stadium-packing Promise Keepers events back in the day, so my interest was piqued enough to invest a quarter. The stories in this book give evidence to the powerful impact Promise Keepers had...and make me wish they were still filling sports stadiums across the nation like they did back in the 90s. The good news is, I just checked and they are returning to arena-based programming this summer! (Click Here for Info)

First Line: This may be the most unusual book you've ever read.

Page 56 / Line 5: He was in and out of the hospital for months.

A Good Line from Somewhere in the Middle: Don't you see that when men lift you up, they can also let you down?

Last Line: When I decided to let Him fight my battle for me, He went a perfect three for three.

She Did It Her Way: Books I "Read" in 2024, Vol. XVII

 

MY NAME IS BARBRA
Barbra Streisand

Barbra Streisand is by any account a living legend, a woman who in a career spanning six decades has excelled in every area of entertainment. She is among the handful of EGOT winners (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) and has one of the greatest and most recognizable voices in the history of popular music. She has been nominated for a Grammy 46 times, and with Yentl she became the first woman to write, produce, direct, and star in a major motion picture. In [this book], she tells her own story about her life and extraordinary career, from growing up in Brooklyn to her first star-making appearances in New York nightclubs to her breakout performance in Funny Girl to the long string of successes in every medium in the years that followed. No entertainer's memoir has been more anticipated and this engrossing and delightful book will be eagerly welcomed by her millions of fans.

With the tremendous scope of Streisand's career, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised at how big this book is. It weighs in at 966 pages, and the audible version, which is what I experienced, is over 40 hours long! (And that takes a long time to get through when you mainly listen while driving.) A lot of that length is due to the depth of her details. I think she must remember every gown she ever wore to any premier, awards show, fundraising gala, or trip to the corner deli. I highly recommend the audio version. While you'll miss the photos included in the book, you'll get some extra material, like snippets of songs and what I swear is a running commentary on the book's contents as Ms. Streisand adds quite a few asides and "by the way"s while she's reading. That seems unusual for an author reading their book, but it's a fine example of what is made clear time and time again...Barbra Streisand does things the way they make sense to her, not necessarily the way any kind of establishment thinks they should be done.

And not necessarily the way any clear, logical person thinks, either. Streisand seems to operate with a strange mixture of faith, ego, and superstition. She talks about praying to God...and her dead father. She puts a LOT of emphasis on 24 being her favorite/lucky number. And in talking about her visit to Israel, she says her first stop was the Western Wall "a sacred place of prayer in the old city of Jerusalem. I slipped a note between the stone slabs, but I can't tell you what I wrote because then it won't come true." As if a written prayer is like making a wish while blowing out candles on a birthday cake.

One final note...I admit to fast-forwarding through some sections where Ms Streisand apparently felt we couldn't live without hearing all about her political convictions.

First Line: An "amiable anteater"?

Page 56 / Line 5: Right before I auditioned at the Bon Soir, I have a vivid memory of walking down the street thinking, This night could change my life.

A Good Line from Somewhere in the Middle: Fame is a hollow trophy.

Last Line: I think I truly am one of the luckiest people in the world.

The Creation of the Biggest Sitcom in the Whole Universe: Books I Read in 2024, Vol. XVI

 

THE BIG BANG THEORY: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series
Jessica Radloff

When The Big Bang Theory ended in 2019 after twelve seasons, it wasn't just the end of television's longest-running live-action multi-camera sitcom; it was the last great comedy with massive ratings and broad appeal. Yet, for all that's been written about the show, the most riveting and surprising stories have never been revealed. . . . [The author] was granted unprecedented access, conducting over 120 hours of new interviews. From on-set secrets and stories behind the most beloved episodes to never-before-seen photos, the oral history will intrigue everyone from the casual viewer to the most diehard fan. And yes, you'll get an answer about Penny's last name (if you think you know, you don't).

There are some who consider The Big Bang Theory a practically-perfect television sitcom. To the degree you agree, this book is a practically-perfect companion; full of behind-the-scenes stories and nostalgic anecdotes that emphasize the unique, close-knit, caring nature of the relationships of the cast members, writers, producers...even prop masters. The book reads like a transcription of a long-form documentary with short bits of narration that set up a string of quotes from the extensive interviews Radloff conducted. It really is the participants telling their own stories in their own words (a few of which are PG-13 and R-rated [Fair Warning]). Just my cup of tea...or whatever your hot beverage of choice is.

One weird thing, though...in the transcriptions of the interviews, all the cast and crew members said "all of the sudden" instead of "all of a sudden." Does anyone really say that?

First Line: Two years.

Page 56 / Line 5: He became a great, wonderful voice of the ensemble.

A Good Line from Somewhere in the Middle: But Big Bang spoke to a deeper issue, which is, on the simplest level, loneliness and feeling left out.

Last [Two] Line[s]: I always wanted to do something, to be a part of something that had the ability to withstand time. And The Big Bang Theory does.

Increasing My Cross-Cultural Consciousness: Books I Read in 2024, Vol. XV

 

LETTERS TO MY WHITE MALE FRIENDS
Dax-Devlon Ross

Millions of people are finally realizing that simply not being racist isn't enough to end racism. Now we are not only seeking deeper insight into how racism has harmed Black people but also how it has harmed us all. [This book] promises to help everyone who says they are committed to change develop the capacity to see, feel, and sustain that commitment so we can help secure racial justice for all.

I read this book because I own it. I own this book because it was available at the library for just a quarter. I bought it from the library because I am on a quest to increase my knowledge of and sensitivity to what it's like to be a non-white person in suburban America. I am on that quest because of prompting from our bridge-building deacon at Valley Christian Church. We have a bridge-building deacon because one man was so moved by the murder of George Floyd and its aftermath that he was compelled to help our congregation be part of the solution instead of perpetuating the problem.

While there were a few times when I got bogged down in buzzwords and generalizations, this book was fairly easy to read and absolutely, positively enlightening. (Not to mention challenging as I ask the necessary question: "Now what shall I DO about it?")

First Line: I will never forget one night in Cape Town when I was out at a dance club with a group of fellow law students.

Page 56 / Line 5: Given this context, when you look back on your education, how many Black students can you count in your classes?

A Good Line from Somewhere in the Middle: We have to see this endeavor as essential, not mandatory.

Last Line:  "I don't want to get ahead of myself," I said to Alana, "but I think these guys may be stepping up."

What an Amazing Start for a Book Series: Books I Read in 2024, Vol. XIV

 

ALONG CAME A SPIDER: An Alex Cross Thriller
James Patterson

It begins with the double kidnapping of the daughter of a famous Hollywood actress and the young son of the secretary of the treasury. Gary Soneji is a murderous serial kidnapper who wants to commit the crime of the century. Alex Cross is the brilliant homicide detective pitted against him. And Jezzie Flanagan is the female supervisor of the Secret Service who completes one of the most unusual suspense triangles in any thriller you have ever read. "James Patterson does everything but stick our finger in a light socket to give us a buzz." - New York Times

When I read The People vs Alex Cross, I said I wanted to back up and read all of Patterson's Alex Cross thrillers...and so here I am at the very first one. What an amazing start for a book series! Alex Cross is ALREADY a character of such depth and breadth, even in this first appearance.

I ran across something that kind of mystified me and gratified me at the same time. There I was, reading a paperback edition of this book from its 25th printing; at least 28 years after the original publication date. The publisher had 25 chances to get it right, and yet I still noticed several glaring typos like the appearance of "he" instead of "the" and from the penultimate page of the whole shebang, "If anyone served to be on death row, it was Soneji/Murphy." (Shouldn't it be "deserved"?)

Another curious thing: I know that I've seen the movie that was made from this book, but there wasn't a single scene in the book that brought to mind anything from the film. That might be a function of me having only seen the movie once...and that was several years ago. (Declaration: It has nothing to do with my age.)

First Line: The Charles Lindbergh farmhouse glowed with bright, orangish lights.

Page 56 / Line 5: Gary Soneji left the farmhouse around 11:30 P.M., right on his schedule.

A Good Line from Somewhere in the Middle: I never miss a good chance to shut up.

Last Line: Peanut Butter Man lives.