by Jeannette Walls. copyright 2005. Published by Scribner.
This is an amazing memoir, written with a lot of conversation and short chapter segments, which makes it very easy to read.
Jeannette and two of her siblings not only survive but thrive under their extremely neglectful parents – both eccentric, fanciful, highly intelligent and irresponsible.
The mother is self-centered, the father an alcoholic. The conditions they force upon their children are unbelievably harsh; they seem to have no conscience about the environment they provide for their children.
Though the mother inherits great wealth, she will have none of it. She prefers the adventures that poverty brings. The father occasionally has a tinge of conscience but is a slave to his drink.
What they do bestow on their children – especially on Jeannette – is a love of learning, intelligence, and a story no one else could tell.
My rating? 9 out of 10, which means I would recommend it to 9 out of 10 people. The 10th person might not appreciate nor see the value of the graphic details of children neglected. Writing style? Something to be imitated. You can tell Ms. Wall is a pro.
It’s a typical busy day in the office. You’re fielding calls, answering e-mails, greeting people as they come into the office.
Then someone calls who is angry before you answer the phone. They are ready – expecting – a confrontation. They have reasons to be upset and are determined you’ll hear them all.
After forty years of experience in the business world — often as the front desk person – I’ve learned how to respond.
I’ve learned how to unruffle feathers. I’ve learned when it’s important to be firm and when to give in, when to insist on what’s right and when to turn the other cheek.
If you’re the target of a complaint – whether or not it’s justified – here are my suggestions for responses to avoid, and some you might want to try. Read more…
Most people talk excitedly about the New Year as a new beginning, a fresh new start. For some reason, I haven’t been able to get into it this year.
Maybe it’s because I’m always making promises I don’t keep, and it gets old after awhile. Why make year-long resolutions when I’m not fulfilling my week-long promises?
I heard one man say he hesitated to make resolutions for things he should already be doing. I tend to agree with him.
Others advise you not to make resolutions; set goals instead. I agree with them, too. Read more…
This is a trilogy set in England spanning from after WWI to after WWII. The titles of the books, in order, are
The Bird in the Tree, published in 1940 The Herb of Grace (entitled Pilgrim’s Inn by American publishers), written in 1948 The Heart of the Family, written in 1953.
About the Author
A quick look at Wikipedia also reveals this about Elizabeth Goudge’s writings: Her favorite among her books was The Little White Horse (1946), which is also a favorite of J. K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter stories. Read more…
“It’s too hot.” “It’s too cold.” “I’m too busy.” “I don’t have anything to do.”
And the complaints go on and on. Just name it, and we’ll complain about it: our health, money, our age (no matter what it is), the government, the weather, other people, our job, our children, our parents. You get the picture.
Complaining can be such a habit we don’t even realize we’re doing it.
Sometimes it’s how we interact with a certain group of friends: we have gripe sessions. Read more…
What I like most about good books are the nuggets of philosophy found scattered throughout their pages – nuggets that cause me to think or re-consider my own attitudes.
Though expressed by fictional characters, such nuggets also offer insight into the personal philosophies of the writer.
The simply named *The Bird in the Tree by Elizabeth Goudge is full of such nuggets, most often thought or said by Lucilla, the Eliot family matriarch.
Following are some of the pearls of wisdom I gathered while reading this first book of Goudge’s Eliot Family Chronicles. The trilogy also includes The Herb of Grace and The Heart of the Family. Read more…
You have the wrong parents.One of the most powerful influences on how efficiently your body burns calories is your genes.
You’re an adult. It takes a lot of energy to grow up. Once you’re full grown, you won’t burn as many calories while you sleep or sit as you used to.
You’re 5 foot 2. A tall person, with more body surface area, typically has a more efficient basal metabolic rate (BMR) than a shorter person of equal weight. BMR accounts for 50 to 60 percent of the calories expended every day. Read more…
Sure – a brisk walk may be more advantageous than a leisurely one for physical health, but sometimes a leisurely walk is better for mental health. You might even learn things – or at least find something to wonder about.
During a recent trip to Nashville [ask about our new grandbaby!], I often took advantage of a nearby walking trail, part of the Smyrna Greenway System.
One sunny Sunday afternoon five of us decided to hit the trail, which lent itself to what I would call a conversation walk.
I love conversation walks. You’re not just sitting and talking; you feel like you’re accomplishing something. You’re going somewhere, even if when you get there you turn around and come back. It takes little physical energy and even less mental energy.
Walking in a group also give us a chance to wonder out loud.
About Horse Apples, for instance…
“What are those big green round bumpy things?”
“I think they’re called horse apples.”
“Why do they call them horse apples? Is it because horses eat them?” Read more…
Well, it looks like living to 107 is out! A recent blood test indicated that my total cholesterol level is way too high!
Needless to say, I was shocked. I thought I was taking care of myself!
Surely it’s not diet!
I think I eat well: lean beef and/or chicken breast maybe twice a week, no bacon in months, a quarter-cup or so of grated cheese on salads, occasionally indulging in desserts at potlucks, fresh fruits and vegetables always available.
Fried foods? Rare to non-existent in our house. Pasta? It’s been weeks since we’ve eaten either macaroni and cheese or spaghetti, though we’ve had some rice lately.
Maybe it’s genetic.
Diabetes, maybe, but not heart disease. My mother, who admits to being overweight, was diagnosed with high cholesterol in her 70’s, and although he was a paraplegic the last two decades of his life (the result of a high school football accident), my dad’s heart and lungs were still strong into his 80’s.
What to do now?
First thing, see a doctor for a long overdue checkup. We don’t have many choices in this little town, but from what a friend said, I thought Dr. G would not be quick to recommend medication. And I was right. Read more…
This is an amazing memoir, written with a lot of conversation and short chapter segments, which makes it very easy to read.![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=e98c39a0-fbee-4c71-9506-a4e8005abca0)
