A story of compassion for women minimized because they are women,  in this case Albert Einstein’s first wife, Meliva, a brilliant scientist in her own right. According to this fictional tale, she may have been the Einstein who actually conceived the theory of relativity. Was she was born at the wrong time in history, or married to the wrong man, or both?

     A story of two brothers, Arthur and Jake, sons of a farmer in the 1930s, during World War II, and into the 1950s in rural Ontario, Canada. The jealousy, rivalry, passion, and compassion of the two brothers is seen through the eyes of Ian, the teenage son of the town’s doctor, who later in the story takes his father’s place.
    Very compelling story that kept me reading. A new favorite author for me. 

     This story is narrated by the bird artist, and young man in rural Nova Scotia in the early 19th century. Like the other stories I’ve read by Howard Norman, there are no heroes. All the characters we meet are flawed and yet also are kind and compassionate. Like all of us, the are doing the best they can. In the not perfect lives of all his characters, Norman offers them redemption. 

     This book is filled with brilliance and compassion. Historian Pagels weaves a lifetime of Biblical study to conclude that we can’t understand why good and the bad things happen, but we can live and learn with them as we sit in the mystery of God.
    Thirty years ago her three year old son died of a heart condition; a year later her husband died in a hiking tragedy. I took Pagels all those years to work through her beliefs about the truth of all that happened. Writing publically was a necessary part of the process for her, and in doing so we are all helped along the journey.

    A new favorite author for me. Norman weaves the variant personalities of those who find their lives intertwined with each other—those usual way that include family, geographical location, and happenstance. Nothing new here, just life happening-- the particulars vary, but the human depth and nuance  of each person is universal. This is a story of ‘every man’. Howard Norman tells it well. 

    A comforting love story between newlyweds Margaret and David, between William, Margaret’s father and David’s father-in-law, and between the love of each of them from swans. A heartening and a challenging novella. You won’t be disappointed. 

      Another Maggie Hope Mystery. I have read five and I am aware that there is at least one more in the series. I’ve enjoyed following Maggie’s development as a spy as she solves mysteries and prevents catastrophes in World War II Britain. I’ve read the books in order, and suggest you do the same. I wait a month or so before picking up the next book, but I leave that up to you.   

      This book may make my top 12 favorite’s list for the year The magical quality of this story, as told by Adam’s wife Evelyn, gives me hope in the goodness of people and in the mystery of life. As a love story, set in rural farm and horse country in Kentucky and Florida, it confirms that love lasts as situations change. You have to read it to believe it. 

One morning a husband returns after several hours of fishing and decides to take a nap. Although not familiar with the lake, the wife decides to take the boat out. She motors out a short distance, anchors, and reads her book. 
 
Along comes a Game Warden in his boat. He pulls up alongside the woman and says, " Good morning, Ma'am, what are you doing ? "Reading a book," she replies, (thinking, "Isn't that obvious ?") You're in a Restricted Fishing Area," he informs her. "I'm sorry, officer, but I'm not fishing, I'm reading. "Yes, but you have all the equipment, for all I know you could start at any moment, I'll have to take you in and write you up " For reading a book," she replies. "You're in a Restricted Fishing Area," he informs her again. "I'm sorry , officer, but I'm not fishing, I'm reading."
 
"Yes , but you have all the equipment, for all I know you could start at any moment, I'll have to take you in and write you up." "If you do that, I'll have to charge you with sexual assault," says the woman. "But I haven't even touched you ," says the Game Warden. "That's true, but you have all the equipment, for all I know you could start at any moment." "Have a nice day ma'am," and he left .
 
MORAL : Never argue with a woman who reads. It's likely she can also think 

   I loved Ford’s earlier book, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, and I love this one, a story of love, resilience, and hope set in Seattle in the early part of the twentieth century and in 1960. There are no perfect answers in life but in doing the best he could, Ernest, a Chinese-Caucasian orphan, led an honorable, happy, moral life.