Sometimes being in the right place at the right time is magical. Here I thought my time in Florida would be limited to traveling from ballpark to ballpark with an occasional meal to cap off the days. Was I wrong! Continue reading Serendipity, a rocket and poetry
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Getting a chance to read an upcoming title before the critics have weighed in is a real treat. I was fortunate to snag a copy of Alice Hoffman’s The Dovekeepers the summer before its publication in 2011. 
Hoffman imagines the final days of the 900 person Jewish community on the mountain top of Masada in 70 CE as the Romans came to destroy them. Told through the eyes of four strong women, it is a novel of personal challenges, love and magic – all traits that run through much of Hoffman’s work. The only contemporaneous account of the tragic destruction of the community was by Josephus, and that has been called into question by many scholars.
I loved the pacing of the book and its ties to the changing seasons and natural elements. I could feel the dry heat of the mountain and the dust on my feet as I read. Each of the women had a distinctive voice and look that stayed with me throughout the novel. Magical realism doesn’t usually carry me away but I was prepared to stay on the journey to follow the story to its end. A long read, it is worth the effort. It is nice to have an earthbound story completely different in time and setting with very strong female characters.
On March 31 and April 1 (right before Passover and Easter) CBS will show a version of the The Dovekeepers. 
Having watched the trailer it’s clear it will differ quite a bit from the book. So what’s a reader to do? Well, if you’ve had The Dovekeepers on your to-be-read (TBR) pile, I’d get cracking. Once you’ve seen a director’s take on a book it can be difficult to create your own mental imagery, even if the plot lines and characters don’t match up. Roma Downey of Touched by An Angel and The Bible fame brings a very definite perspective to her work, one very different from that of the author.
So, will I watch The Dovekeepers on TV? Well, my guess is it will be on in the background as I prepare my kitchen for the upcoming holiday. Having watched the trailer, I’m glad the actors aren’t all speaking upper crust Victorian English. Imagination can only take me so far.
Interested in Part 1 – The Book of Negroes/Someone Knows My Name? Find it here!
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It’s been some kind of winter when Alaska has had less snow than many of the northeastern states and only Florida and Hawaii haven’t really experienced the brutality of the winter. In our house, the first sign of spring is a trip to Viera, FL to see the Washington Nationals in spring training. There is something about ratcheting back the daily grind a few notches, sitting in the stands looking at a wide expanse of green, watching first-timers and veterans alike getting ready for a season full of promise. It’s the big leagues in very neighborly parks where the players are just inches from the fans and the wise cracks shouted from the stands can be heard on the pitcher’s mound.
The laid-back attitude carries over to the entire trip. When I travel to new places there is always somewhere else I want to go – another museum, a walking tour, a historic district to explore. Not during spring training. I’ll take the short walk to the local Starbucks or, if I am energetic, walk the 3 miles to Space Coast Stadium. Maybe I’ll spend some time with my face pressed up against the fence watching a pitching prospect or see batting practice and warm ups from the stands. There’s a camaraderie at the park with most people either playing hooky from their regular routine or enjoying their retirement. Traffic jams in and out of the park last about 5 minutes and many rain showers are not much longer.
By the end of the day, I’ll have had my fill of sunshine. All that time relaxing at the park is tiring. An early dinner, some reading or TV and I’m usually ready to call it a night. We are very fortunate to have friends to spend time with during spring training. And each year more fans from the DC area head down, drawn by good weather and good baseball – certainly a winning combination. So if you are at the park next weekend, please look for me. I’ll be in the stands and I may be wearing my gnome hat. Go Nats!
by It used to be so simple. Hardback or paperback. Own or borrow or library copy. Not so easy anymore. Next week a book group I coordinate will be discussing The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure (Sourcebooks Landmark). A friend asked to borrow a paper copy, which I used to have. It had long since been loaned out and then replaced with an ebook before another discussion in January (see post) since my “real” copy had never made it back home and the library continues to have a substantial waiting list .
I take great pleasure in matching up readers with books. Continue reading Oh, so what are you reading?
by Several months ago I got a phone call asking me to be part of a two plus day event of informal learning, relaxation and camaraderie bringing together a group of women at a retreat center just over an hour away. While I was welcome to come as a participant, the organizers asked that I consider sharing my love of books with the group. While I am far from shy, the idea of going away with a group of people without having a particular buddy along was a bit of a stretch. Continue reading Sometimes an ESCAPE can help you find yourself
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