Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, by Beth Hoffman - book review

CeeCee Honeycutt spent the first twelve years of her life taking care of her mentally-ill, has-been beauty queen mother, who spent her rollercoaster days in their small town, Ohio, streets adorned in goodwill prom dresses, red shoes and tiara with a face of smudged make-up.  Ostracized by her classmates because of her notorious mother, CeeCee found solace and friendship amongst her books and studies.

One fateful day, CeeCee's life made an abrupt change.  Her mother was knocked right out of her red shoes by an ice cream truck and killed.  Great-Aunt Tootie got wind of this tragic event and drove her vintage convertible from her lucious, historic home in Savannah, Georgia, taking CeeCee under her wing.

Thus begins CeeCee's journey to the healing warmth of a Savannah summer, surrounded by a gaggle of nurturing, wise, no-excuses women.  CeeCee's life soon becomes filled with the fragrance of lush floral gardens and hilariously real moments in what seemingly appears to be a town run by strong women. 

The author, Beth Hoffman, does such an excellent job with her character development, you can literally smell the wine on neighbor, Thelma Rae Goodpepper's breath, hear the cackle of Miz Hobb's nosey questions and feel the warmth and love of a big bosom hug from Oletta.

Southern hospitality reins in Saving CeeCee Honeycutt as you will feel welcome and charmed to enjoy every last morsel.

Committed, by Elizabeth Gilbert - a book review

As a wife, mother and previous lover of anything Elizabeth Gilbert, I am sad to  say that I am having tremendous difficulty getting through Gilbert's latest bestseller, Committed.

I too, was very scared to enter my marriage, especially after having survived two previous divorces, so I thought I might gather some inspiration from Ms. Gilbert as she "makes peace with marriage" (as the sub-title proclaims.  After all, I found tremendous inspiration in Eat, Pray, Love.

Eat, Pray, Love is listed as one of my all-time favorite non-fiction  books.  There was courage, inspiration, tears, heartbreak, laughter, humility and love in those pages.  I read the book and carried it around for days, as I didn't want to lose the flavor.

Committed has not hit me the same.  I hear Ms. Gilbert whining and complaining about a very real situation many people are facing in our country.  Loving someone who can't enter the country because of Homeland Security.  Only problem is, most of them are unable to financial accommodate themselves with a year of traveling TOGETHER.  Ms. Gilbert loses scope of that very quickly and sinks into crybaby mode... briniging to mind, she spent many of the first pages in Eat, Pray, Love in the same vein.

I must declare, that not all was annoying about Committed.  I adored Gilbert's stories from some of the families and women in the villages she visited and interviewed about marriage in her travels with Felipe (her now husband).  The wisdom and clarity they shared in the most matter-of-fact and uncomplicated of terms, typically made me feel light from the beauty in their simplicity and wisdom.

I do wish she talked about Felipe more.  He seems hilarious and when she quoted him, I could almost see his attitude and twinkle - even though I have never met or seen him.  The tiny morsels she feeds us of him, made me hunger for more.  He has a totally different zest for life than she does.  While she's the gypsy, he's the comfortable bed you miss when you're away.

Committed is a very real and raw account of Gilbert's internal trials about getting married, I do think that there are a lot of people who will get a lot out of her imparted lessons and the journey she shares.

 

Push - a book review

Push, by Sapphire

Made into the movie, Precious

"I big, I talk, I eats, I cooks, I laugh, watch TV, do what my muver say. But I can see when the picture comes back I don't exist."  This is the voice of Precious, a 16 year old girl from Harlem, who's illiterate, sexually and physically abused by both of her parents and a mother of two.  Both children were fathered by her own father.

Her statement goes on to say she feels invisible to society - just like when you take a photo of a vampire.  They are there, but when the picture is developed, the truth is, they don't actually exist.

Precious longs to learn.  To be heard. "I wanna say I am somebody.  I wanna say it on the subway, TV, movie, LOUD."   And through her pen and paper - she does.

During Precious' second pregnancy, at 16 (first one at 12 years old), She is sent to an alternative school where it is discovered she is illiterate.  She finds comfort and strength through her teacher, Ms. Rain, and through the small class of only girls - all with horrific life stories and all illiterate.

They start from scratch - learning their ABC's, and doing their best to write in their journals.  The pen gives Precious the strength to remove herself from her mother's home and get herself and her infant to a half-way house.

Some may say that Precious' story is depressing, but I found it inspiring.  If you can remove the layers of pain and unjust from her and see HER, I think that you will also see Somebody special.

Here's a piece of Precious to take with you today:

everi mornin

by Precious j.

everi mornin

i write

a poem

before i go to

school

marY Had a little lamb

but I got a kid

an HIV

that folow me

to school

one day.

An Echo in the Bone

by Diana Gabaldon

The seventh book in the Outlander series, An Echo in the Bone, continues the 18th century story of Claire and Jamie.

Claire Randall is a modern-day time traveler, who in previous volumes has traveled back and forth between the 20th and 18th centuries.  In this latest installment, she remains in the 18th century, in order to be close to her Scotsman husband, Jamie Fraser.

This story was enriched by the strength and longevity of their relationship.  Their bond and knowledge of each other is tighter than ever. We see a depth in their relationship that is closer to real life.  The sex was not as frequent or adventurous (which I
 missed), but they are getting older and this is a reality for many of us.  Their lives have more layers - children, grandchildren and many more people who rely on their wisdom and authority.

Clair is still seen as a "white witch", due to her ablity to heal and know the future. While Jamie, has softened a bit - more contemplative and less fiery.  No worries, he's still the sexy, kilt-wearing hunk of a man that we have come to love.

We see much more of the family - Brianna, William and Iam play big parts in this story.  And, we can't forget the lovelorn, Lord John Grey - he has still got it bad for Jamie - and that's always a good thing.

Diana Gabaldon, has once again hopped back and forth between the two hundred years in a smooth and seamless manner.  This time she tells the story through letters written from Claire and Jamie to Brianna.  Brianna and Roger are now living in the family home, Lollybrach, in Scotland and they have painstakingly preserved the letters and kept them in order through the centuries.

William, Jamie's unknowing illegitimate son, is a duplicate of his father.  He is serving and quickly rises in the British Army and has grown to be a courageous and respected leader.  He is very close to his adopted father, Lord John Grey, who continues to hob-nob with the rich and famous.  I enjoyed the cameo appearance of a nude Benjamin Franklin. His intelligence and eccentric beliefs we quite entertaining.

Ian Murray, Jamie's nephew, who in past volumes lived and married among the Native Americans, was extremely valuable when it came to getting out of a bind - which Jamie and Claire notoriously find themselves in at irregular frequency.

I would highly recommend this latest volume of the Outlander series. Less smut, more history, always entertaining.