April 2022 Books

 Nine books this month. If you count the two children's books that I read. They were picture books, so not very many words, but I read them purposefully, so maybe they count? I don't know. I will give them their own section. 

I read these two picture books because of Anna Kijas and her crew of many librarians who were saving Ukrainian cultural history. On my FB post about it, Kristin Anderson Wilde commented that she and her daughter had just read The Librarian of Basra, so that made me want to read it, too. So my two picture books read were:

1. The Librarian of Basra by Jeanette Winter. This is another war rescue effort, but in this book, for actual books instead of saving websites. Alia Baker, a librarian in Iraq really did save about 70% of the books in her library which was threatened and then destroyed by war. (If it had only been threatened, and not destroyed, she could have saved more books!) Shockingly to me: This book has been challenged in 3 different school systems for being un-American, for promoting the Koran and praying to Muhammad and for violent illustrations and storyline. What? Like, it is just a librarian saving books. And nobody prays to Muhammad. They pray to Allah. Like, honestly, people.

2. When I searched for this book in our library catalog, another book came up: The Librarian on the Roof by M.G. King. This was another "librarian saves the day!" book, so I wanted to read it, too. This is the true story of a librarian in Texas, RoseAleta Laurell, and her library was not attractive to children because both the books and the furnishings did not promote children coming there. But she did not have the necessary funds to make the changes, so she decided to stay on the roof until the money was raised. She had a tent up there, and I am not really sure how she took care of certain human needs...a child in the book raises that question, but no answer was given, and I was pretty concerned about that, too. 

I also read seven books intended for YA or adult audiences. I like YA books, so I count them the same as adult books--they are the same in that they have lots of pages and few to no illustrations. Same same.

1. Facing the Mountain: a true story of Japanese American heroes in WWII by Daniel James Brown was the selection for book group this month. I really liked it, except for the actual fighting in the war, but I would skim-read those sections, because they were full of very grim stuff, and my mind is like a movie so it was too graphic for me. I do not like blood and guts and gore. However, the story of the way various Japanese-Americans were treated was interesting. The author followed particular men from the 442nd regiment--from Hawaii, from California, from Washington--and their families and what happened to them. Like, the men were moved from Hawaii, but the women were not. Entire families were moved to camps from coastal California and Washington, but families from Spokane, for example, were not relocated--they just had to endure bad treatment from people around them. In the regiment, there was a division between the Hawaiians and the mainlanders. Or, the Buddhaheads and the Kotonks. They learned how to be unified. Anyway, really good book. People in my book group were shocked to learn that Canada did this too. They somehow thought we were less terrible than they were. Well, maybe we were marginally less terrible, but we were still pretty terrible, too. One of the questions we were asked to consider was "If this happened today, would we put these people in camps?" They were all "Oh no! We would not." And I was all like "In a heartbeat." Like--we are AWFUL with racial discrimination! I can't imagine that we would honestly do better! I wish we would; but evidence abounds that we would not be very kind. I mean, I hope that I personally would be kind. But would we, the people, be kind? I am skeptical.

2. Rules for Visiting by Jessica Francis Kane was a lovely, gentle read. Also, it is the book our reading group will be reading for May, and it was my suggestion! (Miracle! that I suggested it and they liked it.) The San Francisco Chronicle reviewer wrote: “At 40, May Attaway, the protagonist, finds herself alone and feeling profoundly disconnected from her life and from herself. When she receives an unexpected gift of time off, she seizes the opportunity to visit four old friends. May is smart, funny and more than a little prickly." There is also the dynamics of life with her aging father, memories of her deceased mother, her relationship with her brother, the chance for romance, learning to know and love her neighbors--it is an elegant book of growth. 

3. An elderly lady is up to no good by Helen Tursten. Oh my! Maude is 88 years old, the only surviving member of her family, and she has not made the effort to make friends. Understandable, because she is rather a psychopath! This is a collection of five stories of this woman who is a masterful actress--she plays the old lady cart to advantage when canes and hearing aids are needed, but can also climb the scaffolding when necessary. I would like to read the second book in this series by a Swedish author.

4. The lantern men by Elly Griffiths. What can I say? The adventures of Dr. Ruth Galloway call out to me! This book is based on the myths of Norfolk about mysterious lights that may lead people to their deaths--marsh gas, so if people follow the light they may get literally bogged down. In this book, a convicted murderer tells the police where more bodies are buried, with the caveat that he wants Dr. Galloway to do the digging.

5. Greenglass House by Kate Milford is about a young boy named Milo and his friend Meddy who are trying to solve a mystery. Usually, at Christmas time, no visitors come to the Bed and Breakfast that Milo's parents run, and they enjoy a family holiday. But this time, there are five visitors, and weird things start to happen. Why? Who is behind it? Winner of the Edgar Award for best juvenile mystery. (I will be honest: this book was intense for me. I could not read it fast because of that. But beautifully told.)

6. The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is the second and last novel of The Inheritance Games duo. I read the first book last year, and had to wait for the second one to be published and acquired by my library. The first book ends when they think they have everything figured out, until Xander's note says "Find Tobias II" or words to that effect. So Avery and the four Hawthornes are trying to find Tobias II in this book--only he doesn't want to be found! I liked the first book better, but this book was still good. Fun fact about the author: she has advanced degrees in psychology, psychiatry and cognitive science, teaches at the University of Oklahoma. Her first book was published in 2012, when she was still in graduate school, and somehow she has managed to write dozens of books AND finish all those degrees!

7. The overdue life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms--I can't remember how I found this book. I guess I was on a librarian kick, and I asked for this to come through ILL. Amy is a teacher-librarian at a private school. When her husband, who left three years ago for a conference in Hong Kong and never came back, reappears and wants to spend time with the children, Amy takes off to attend and present at a library conference in NYC. Amy is from Amish country, Pennsylvania, where the rumspringa is a thing: an opportunity for Amish youth to take off and do whatever they want to do, a little vacation from the Amish life, before they come home and settle down to being Amish. Amy's friend Talia, a beauty magazine editor, follows Amy on a momspringa, as she takes a little holiday from mothering. I was especially interested in the book program Amy presented on at her conference: flexthology (like anthology only flexible) which is apparently not a real thing, but an interesting idea. Instead of dividing students into reading groups by reading level, which no matter what you name the groups, the kids always figure out which is the smart group and which is the dumb group--instead, the kids read excerpts and choose what book to read themselves, dividing into groups by interest instead of reading level. So the groups have various reading levels of books on various themes, so the kids get mixed up so they can read and discuss according to interest, not reading vocabulary. Interesting concept.

Josie in Alberta part two

 When I posted about Josie's quick trip to Alberta, I did not remember to post that she was able to visit with some of her nieces and nephews (besides Millie.)

Millie liked Josie a lot. And now, when she sees Josie on a call, she gets very bouncy. (She likes bouncing a lot, too. Especially she likes people she likes to bounce her!)

Josie and David were able to enjoy a visit with Amy and her children. L-R  Amy holding Rowan, Arthur peaking through, Scarlet at the top, Josie and David.

Notice that little Rowan is completely hiding. He loves his coat and boots SO MUCH that he was wearing them all the time, and in this pictures is completely hidden by his coat. One day in the future, when he wonders about his favorite clothing as a two-year-old, remember this picture! 

Here we have just three: Arthur, Amy and Josie.

Josie did not get to see Piper, who was sick with COVID, or Malachi, who was in the Pass without a vehicle. But she did get to see Deklan, Holly and Iah. Although it was not the best visit, because Holly and Iah were a little bit sick, and Josie had just got the memo that she got her COVID test too early, so would need to find another place and time to do it. That was stressful! But still, they managed to play some games and have some fun. (Who is into the game more? The child or the men? It is for you to decide!) Here we see starting with Iah (the small one) and going clockwise: Iah, Holly, David, Deklan and Josie's knees. (I am so silly. I was not sure if that was Holly or Josie, because sometimes Josie wears glasses, too. And Josie reminded me that SHE was taking the picture. Of course! Since she sent me the photos!)

                                                        Happy Bouncy Baby! 

Commencement 2022

For BYU's first live commencement ceremony since 2019, I decided to volunteer as a commencement usher instead of having to wear my faculty robes and worry about keeping my robe closed, my hood in place, and my hat on my head.

A couple of days before, I did a dry run of parking at the Marriott Center, walking to Portal N (my portal for recessional) to time how long it took, and then walking to the library for part of my 20 minute daily walk that day.

I was so ready for Thursday, I thought.

I parked at 7:45 AM, walked to the Hinckley Center where the volunteers were slated to meet for all the last minute instructions, badges, etc. I ate the provided breakfast and walked to my position. I was under the tunnel to the Marriott Center (where kids do tunnel singing) where I was assigned to be a human pylon, occasionally having to use my arms to point people to where they needed to go.

At one point, somehow there were two rows of graduates together--they were supposed to have one of us human pylons between them. When the walking slowed down, I asked the pylon to my right "Should we move so that we are back on track?" Some nice graduates said, "Yes! Use us to fix it." So we did. It was perfect.

Then I proceeded to Portal N, once my pylon duties were at an end. I helped to seat graduates there, and then after it was over, (including President Worthen's talk about "propinquity," during which he said that word so many times that I marveled how he could say it right while repeating it over and over. The word all by itself is a tongue-twister to me!) I helped the graduates to leave in an orderly fashion, row by row.

I then scurried out to my car---and I COULD NOT find it.  I was sure that I knew where it was. After all, I had done a dry run, so I had parked it there and found it hours later once already this week, successfully. After looking all over, where it should be, where it could be, where it wasn't, I finally called Josie, who I was meant to be picking up to take to work, and said, "My car is gone!"

She could not imagine that anyone would steal my car. I could not imagine that either! She was about to look up the number for BYU Security so I could call them and report my car stolen when...I saw it.

The trouble was, when I parked my car there on Tuesday, and when I parked it Thursday itself at 7:45 AM, the parking lot was virtually empty. Now it was full, and all my landmarks were...different!! I thought I had parked in the closest aisle of A parking, when really I was in the second row of A parking. And the A parking in the two aisles are not aligned. So I was looking too far north on the second row. I didn't realize that difference in alignment, and with cars and trucks filling all the spots, and even cars where they shouldn't be...it completely disoriented me.

I am just very glad I found it before I embarrassed myself by reporting it stolen. (Then they would have come and helped me find it and when they saw my old clunker would be all "Whyever did she think anyone would want to steal THAT?")

Small World After All

 Here is my “it’s a small world” story for you tonight:

My husband and I went to an event in honor of Janice Kapp Perry. We sat at a table with another librarian, Tom Wells, and his wife. (And of course, David and Nancy both worked with Tom, and Patrick knows him, too.) I saw that the other nameplates were for Michael Moody and his wife. And also that my neighbor Mary Beth Christensen and her daughter were at that table as well. I know Michael Moody (composer of Faith, He Sent His Son, etc.) because I am friends with Vanja Watkins and Marv Gardner, and they were on the Church Music Committee with Michael for years, particularly for the 1985 hymnal.

Mary Beth leaned over and said, "Did you know that the Moodys are my parents?" I had no idea that Mary Beth is Michael Moody’s daughter!!

Tom Wells is the current head of Special Collections; when that came up, Beth Christensen (Michael Moody’s granddaughter) spoke up to say that she is working on a Special Collections project with Jeff Lyon and…Brent Yorgason. Vanja Watkins' nephew! (This is the Max Steiner project that Brent and Jeff are doing which is totally awesome.)

So…there we all were. I know Michael Moody because of Vanja and Marv. I know Mary Beth because she is my neighbor. She is Michael’s daughter. Her daughter is working with Brent Yorgason, who is Vanja's nephew. Full circle!

This has made me smile! :o)

Librarians, Strong and Dedicated

 I am not one of these wonderful, heroic librarians who are doing this great thing, but Anna Kijas, who started this initiative, is a music librarian colleague, and I am just so proud of her and the librarians who answered her twitter call to arms! (I am not a person who twitters, so did not answer that call!) 

I have known about this effort from my MLA listserv, but here is the Washington Post article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/04/08/ukraine-digital-history/ 

And in case you can't get to the article-- the headline reads "Meet the 1,300 librarians racing to back up Ukaine's digital archives

"Using open source tools and Slack, these volunteers have backed up everything from the country's historical records and census data to children's poems and basket weaving techniques. 

The article is by Pranshu Verma. I am so proud of my colleagues around the world.

April 7

 Yesterday (which is barely over) was Josie's birthday. She was flying to Calgary early in the morning, so on Wednesday evening, she surprised me, a day early, with her traditional flowers for me for her birthday. It is a very sweet tradition. Here is this year's bouquet:

For her birthday, Josie wanted to visit one of her siblings. No offense to the others, but preferably one with a baby. She really wants to meet those babies while they are still babies.

David was the only affordable choice, given the price of plane tickets around her birthday. A direct flight was not an option at the price (though it will be a direct flight back) so she spent a bit of time in airports, but not a terrible amount of time in airports. She arrived in Calgary sooner than she would have by car, so I call that a win. And she got to meet baby Millie in person!

Meanwhile, I get to babysit cats. When I went downstairs after work yesterday--not a cat in sight. Not a sound from a cat. I even spoke, but no cats responded. They had food. But they were out of sight. 

But, then I fell asleep too early (because I got up too early) and then checked on them when I woke up, and they were all very much present. Only Cinnamon was hyper and running around me, and hoping for attention, though. She seemed to be missing Josie like crazy!

March 2022 Books

 I am late writing because I have been busy having my first cold in two years, and it has been reminding me why I don't like colds! I think masks protected us in many ways, and I had allowed myself to be a less vigilant mask-wearer, and I think I am going back to constantly masking.

However, I still went on my twenty minute walk! I figure the fresh air is good for me, and when I am in the fresh air, my nose doesn't run like a faucet for some reason. Nice break from that.

This cold started as just sneezes. I am a sneezy person anyway, but these sneezes seemed to mean business, and they did! Thursday night sneezes bring Friday morning drizzles. From my nose. I tried to go to work--I should have just stayed home. I felt pretty terrible. But this afternoon is better. How lucky am I not to be even sicker. I am truly grateful for good health. 

I managed to read eight books this month. It was just a month in which it was hard to read; I am not really sure why.

1. I started off with another of Nicola Yoon's books, Instructions for Dancing. Like Yoon's other books, this is realistic fiction--about a girl and her dancing partner--but with a fantasy twist. Evie is given this "gift"--when she sees a couple's first kiss, she "sees" their entire relationship, beginning to end. She sees enough bad endings that it really puts her off. But she learns that sometimes, even bad endings are okay, because of the good experiences along the way. 

2. Love Lies and Hocus Pocus 5: Betrayal by Lydia Sherrer continues to follow the adventures of Lily, Sir Kipling, and Sebastian. In this book, Sebastian has to make a choice between Lily and Thiriel, the queen of the Fae. He chooses Lily. That is where the book ends--will have to read book 6 to see what transpires because of the choice.

3. Cinder & Ella by Kelly Oram. I liked this YA retelling of the Cinderella story. Ella was in a car accident in which her mother was killed, and Ella was badly injured. She was texting with her virtual friend Cinder at the time of the accident--her mother was driving--and she finally reaches out to him about nine months later, now out of the hospital and living in LA with her father and his family. There are two selfish step-sisters, and a step-mother who really tries to be nice. Cinder is the handsome prince of this story!

4. The surprising power of a good dumpling by Wai Chim was a surprisingly good book. I started it probably in February, didn't like it, and set it aside. I did have to work a bit to get into it, but then it started teaching me things and I grew to like it. The family are immigrants to Australia from Hong Kong. Their father owns a diner. Their mother is mentally ill. Finally the children have to realize the truth of that and accept help--something they have been avoiding, thinking they were protecting their family. But help was a good thing to get.

5. The unlikely pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce is a highly rated novel, which we were reading in our Literary Ladies book group. I just had to struggle to get into it, and wasn't finished by the time we were discussing it. I promised to finish it, however, and so I did. I actually learned to like this book! It has powerful things to say about death, and grief, and dealing with the terrible sadness that is often a part of life. There are, in my opinion, some beautiful quotes on p.198 and p.288-289. 

6. The best two years of our lives by Cam Clark is a little, short, cartoon book for adults, written in 1979, some time after Cam's missionary service. I read it after reading an article in an old Daily Universe about it, while I was looking for some articles about the King Family, of which Cam is a part. In 1963, the King Family put on a show at the Smith Fieldhouse as a fundraiser for the stadium fund, and I dunno, I just find it so hilarious that this famous family of entertainers would raise money for sports. I try, but fail, to imagine the football team launching a benefit for the performing arts! But it is a bit of trivia that we want to include in an exhibit we are working on. So Cam Clark is a voice actor--he did the voices of both Leonardo and Rocksteady in TMNT. He is the son of actor Robert Clark and King Sister Alyce, younger brother to Lex de Azevedo.

7. Since I enjoyed the book by Kelly Oram, I put a hold on another one by her, If We Were a Movie. I liked it less well than the other one. Nathan is a triplet who needs a little space. He meets Jordan after Pearl, an older woman who is apparently a matchmaker, sends him to her to see about a room in her apartment. Nathan has a girlfriend, Sophie, who is way too clingy and controlling. So happy to see him break free from that.

8. I returned to the book by Reverend Dr. William Barber II, which I had started much time ago, maybe in January? It had gotten somehow to the bottom of my pile, and I forgot about it. The title: The Third Reconstruction: How a Moral Movement is Overcoming the Politics of Division and Fear. I got this book after Dr. Barber spoke at BYU. Read the book! It is very compelling. Or listen to him speak! Also very compelling. We need to love our enemies, turn them into friends. We need to listen to the experiences of others, and believe them.