That Lonely Section of Hell: The Bothched Investigation of a Serial Who Almost Got Away by Lori Shenher

from goodreads

4 stars

Well, school is in full swing and that means illness. First my husband, then Miss P and then Mr S. And now it finally got to me. Lucky! What is with school time and illness. All our kids were healthy before school and then they get sick after the first week. Are illness causing germs on summer vacay too and then they think to themselves "schools on, let's get back to work boys". Or maybe their thinking "that mom looks like she is getting her life a little too organized, better bring her down a notch, ha ha ha."

Whatever the reason whenever the kids are sick I just keep my book close at hand for when I need to snuggle with a sick child and then when I get sick I hope I feel good enough to read. Might as well enjoy the downtime.

Synopsis
Lori Shenher was working on the case of missing women in Vancouver. This is her story about the pains of trying to solve the mystery and the tolls it took on her life both personally and professionally. We learn how easy it was for serial killer Robert Pickton to get away with murder.

My Thoughts

To sum this book up in one word I would use heartbreaking. This was such a heartbreaking read. Here you have a police officer trying to do her best by these women who don't have a lot of advocates and getting stonewalled by so many factors.

This is a tale that shows a broken policing system that still operates in a chauvinistic "atta boy" type culture. The disturbing apathy towards the addicts and prostitutes and other street people that was shown was so sad. The assumption that these people weren't worth the effort to look into their disappearances was sad and rather disgusting. We all have problems, some are more apparent than others. But no matter what our problems are we should be treated with dignity and respect. We should be helped not shoved aside.

The lack of co-operation between police forces was also disturbing. Who cares who gets credit. Why can't people just work together. It also is frustrating how a lot of this investigation came down to no money available, and because of that a murderer was going free.

It was rather ridiculous how long it took to get onto Robert Pickton's farm, especially after he had stabbed a woman and she got away. What did he have on government officials or cops that made them not want to go forward into looking into him. This book really shows how some people are more interested in keeping the status quo of their own life than to do the right thing even if it might affect them.

I really liked how she showed how this affected her. She was stressed and traumatised She showed how hard cases, like this, can lead to burn out and paranoia. It shows the need of mental support for these police officers. Mental illness is not a sign of weakness. Sometimes we don't see the personal sacrifices police officers go through because of their jobs. This gives us an appreciation for some of the hard things they do. To a lot of cops it is not just a job. It is personal.

As with any memoir or autobiography you need to take it with a grain of salt. This is one person's thoughts on what happened. But, even if there are some biases, this book is excellent at showing flaws in the legal system and allows us to question what ineptness we think is acceptable.

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe

from goodreads

4 stars

It can be hard seeing your parents age. You still remember them vividly as strong people capable of anything and then one day they are more frail, slow and dependant on others. They look similar to who they once were but they aren't the same and won't be.

That is what happened to me this year. At Christmas I was almost sure that my mom was not long for this earth. Thankfully I was proven wrong but she will never be back to what she was health-wise. My dad, his mind has been going for awhile but his body still seems to be in tip top shape. Being the youngest and since my parents had me so late in life I knew growing up that this would be my reality. It is still crazy to see my once strong willed mother feeling anxious and scared, but I know we are doing the best for them and she knows that too. Seeing them age just means we need to make and share memories while we still can, something I am excited to do.

Synopsis

The author's mother is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. They decide to spend the chemo time talking about life and books.

My Thoughts

This was a thoughtful and beautiful homage to Schwalbe's mother and the power of reading. What an interesting lady. The books that they read sound interesting too. Some I had read myself others I had never heard of but they sound really cool. I liked how the books they read seemed to really add texture to their life and to the situations they found themselves in. Isn't that the same for us?

At times when I was reading this I asked myself, would it have been as interesting if she hadn't been so dynamic in her own life? She had been a world traveller working tirelessly to help refugees around the world. She new lots of people and was constantly trying to make a difference. This added another dimension to this book. I don't think this book could be written about any other familial book club and have the same result. It was definitely person specific to make it work.

I liked how this book made you think about what you were doing in life to make the world better. You don't have to do a lot to make the world even a little teeny bit better, but that is what we should be striving for. You don't know where these acts of making the world better will lead.

I liked how this book basically said that we are all in an end of your life book club. We know our time on earth is finite and that we will go the way of the dodo at some point. We just need to read, glean what we can from it and become the best us we can.

This is a great book, it has given me a ton more books I want to read. It is sad to know I will never read all the books I want to in this life, but I am excited for the challenge.

A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhout

3 stars

Man, life is different. This little boy of mine eats and eats all the time. Between dealing with him and his ferocious appetite and then paying attention to the girls, my reading time has definitely shrunk. When I am not holding Mr. S or helping one of the kids I just want to lie down and sleep. Or if I do start reading, I end up waking up half an hour later. I know that this is life with a new born and I know it will get better, but man... it is rough. Oh well, at least I have a nice chunky baby to show for all the feedings I am doing.

I will try to do weekly posts, but no promises. I find that I will plan to do a post on one day, and then forget or get distracted by other things, or I forget what day of the week it is. So I will do my best to do Thursday posts. But, please be patient with me... sleep trumps everything!

Synopsis

Amanda was held captive in Somalia. This is the story of her experience as well as events leading up to it.

My Thoughts

This book is Waterloo Regions One Book One Community selection for this year.

While this is a book full of interesting insights and scary situations, on the whole, it did not hold my attention. I did read all the way through but I had to force myself to keep reading at times.

Her mental fortitude during her ordeal was amazing. I really did feel for her as she was trying to figure out how to keep things from getting worse and trying to navigate a crazy system of captives where you were never sure if you were on the right path to your goal or not. It really must have been terrifying knowing that your value as a woman was zilch and you don't know what they could do to you at any moment.

I did try hard not to feel to judgemental while reading this, but a few judgy thoughts did creep into my head. She was warned multiple times about how dangerous Somalia was for foreigners. She did not have any protection or insurance from a network. She was freelancing and going about this on her own. And then she roped her friend in to join her on this crazy venture. What!? While I understand that life is about taking risks, we are also able to manage them. So the fact that she went against all these warnings from people who were more experienced and knowledgeable in the field (she was new to all this) just seems crazy to me. Like did she have an inferiority complex. What was she trying to prove? While what happened to her was horrible and should not happen to people period, in her case if she had heeded the warnings it could have been avoided. End of judginess.

In her narrative I liked how she showed that she felt vulnerable that she did feel despair. She wasn't always happy go-lucky everything will turn out. Yet, through her vulnerability she was still able to maintain a strength about her and with that a quiet inner dignity. That came through well. I also liked how she showed us how this ordeal still affects her today. How she gets nervous around certain people and situations. I think sometimes as onlookers we think "well their out now, back to normal". But no! They are still trying to process and come to terms with a traumatic experience and we need to be aware of that. While it still affects her she also doesn't let this situation define her.

Her narrative is not horribly graphic but it doesn't sugar coat things either. She was abused, tortured and to some, just a plaything. We get to understand a little of what it might have been like.

After reading her story, I am not sure what the takeaway is. Was the point just to share her story? If so, she does that well. But if she wanted us to learn something from it I'm not sure what that would be. Don't go to dangerous countries on a whim? Some people are very clear on their takeaways such as Corrie ten Boom, this one not so much. I think it is because the takeaway was not clear the narrative on the whole loses it's impact and perhaps that is what made this book not the attention grabber it could have been. While I am glad to have her story and have her experience filed away in my brain, it is not one that will stay with me in the forefront. This could have been more than just a narrative of one experience of her life but unfortunately it feel short.

I am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb

from goodreads

3 stars

Today at our library there was a great children's entertainer, Erick Traplin. He really is awesome.

I decided to get there early so I could pick up a book that I had not put on hold but I knew was on the shelf. When I got there, 5 minutes after the library opened, the parking lot was almost full, and the tiny branch was filled to the gills. Totally not what I was expecting, but then it was Erick Traplin and so people wanted to get there early. Luckily the book I wanted to get hadn't been snatched up by the horde and then we were able to watch and listen and dance  to a great show.

If you ever have a chance to see Erick Traplin, he tours around Ontario, you totally should. Or download some of his songs. They are so much fun to dance to.

Synopsis

This book gives a brief history of Pakistan and the Swat Valley region. It also tells of a girl and her family who believe that education is the right of every person. The only way for positive changes in society is through educating ourselves. Ignorance breeds intolerance.

My Thoughts

I know I am probably the last person to finally read this book. Better late than never, right?

So what to say about it. Well...I loved her story. I loved finding out about her and her life. I liked seeing her thoughts and the support she had from her father and mother to really be an advocate and to follow her dreams. The things she has gone through, the dreams that she has, it is quite inspirational. If I was basing the book just on her and her family's story it would probably be a 5.

If I was judging the book as a whole, it was fine. Nothing too extraordinary. While it is helpful to get a historical background to why things are happening and how the taliban came to be in the Swat, it wasn't why I wanted to read the book. And, don't get me wrong. I love history. I majored in history. I think it is important to understand history so you can fully understand the present. But, I think there was too much of the history and less about Malala and what happened to her specifically. I could have read the last 100 pages and gotten what I wanted. I think people who pick this book up want to know about Malala and less about the history of Pakistan. Because of this the book dragged a bit and it was hard to know if it was Malala's voice I was getting or that of her co-author. Perhaps it was published too soon after the incident, as it does not include the work that she is now doing, and that would be interesting to read about.

I do think it is an important book to read. I do think that after reading it you get a better understanding about why Pakistan is the way it is and why foreign powers need to be really careful when they go in and try to enforce their views or prop up one regime. I also think that after reading this you will understand the importance of education for all, not just boys or girls but for everyone.

Malala's story is definitely one of inspiration and strength and how we can't give up our fundamental beliefs even when we are threatened. And that can be hard to do.

Open Heart, Open Mind by Clara Hughes

from goodreads

4 stars

Well yesterday there was a minor Christmas miracle. I actually started feeling a tiny bit Christmassy and got out some of our decorations. So we finally have a nativity scene out (it is a Veggie Tales one, I feel sort of sacrilegious) and our stockings.

The kids kept wanting to put more and more out but I squashed those ambitions. Usually we have decorations in our bay window. But our tree is in front of the window and is so big that you really can't get to the shelf part or see it. We'll save those for next year, when hopefully, we will get a smaller tree!

Synopsis

One of Canada's best known athletes, most decorated olympian in both summer and winter olympics, opens up about the demons of her past, the demons she still faces, how sport helped her but also hindered her as well.

My Thoughts

This was a great, fast read about a Canadian celebrity.

It is amazing, the success she has found, considering she didn't find sport until late, by most standards. As well, it is amazing the early success she had considering the booze and drugged filled life she had as a teenager.

I think she did a great job of balancing her life stories and her sport stories. The balance helped maintain interest. For me nothing is worse than a book purely about just sports things, the games they played and training they did. While an important element, I like learning about the actual person, how they think, and feel. I felt that I actually got to know Clara the person, instead of learning about all her stats and awards.

I like how she doesn't always try to show herself in a positive light. She shows us times when she didn't act well, when things didn't go the way she planned. It was interesting how she had her on stigma against mental illness (she refused to believe she had depression when first asked about it) and now she is the spokeswoman for mental illness awareness and is working hard to remove the stigma.

I appreciated how she showed her relationship with her husband in a real light. She shows their highs and their lows. They seem really cool and suit each other and that is awesome. By the way, their wedding, totally awesome. It should be an inspiration to all those getting married.

While not a deep memoir, it still shed light on her life, dark times, good times, self-discovery and how sport literally saved her life. This memoir definitely helped make Clara a whole person and not just a memorable smile.

Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

from goodreads

4 stars

I got distracted and forgot to post yesterday! Gak. My husband's company Christmas party is tomorrow and I had to find an outfit. We usually don't go to the Christmas party, but Matt reached a milestone year with the company so its our time to go. I am definitely more a relaxed, comfortable clothes wearing type. Having to find something that was a bit more formal was a bit daunting.

I think I picked an outfit that stayed true to me though so that's good. Thank you Reitman's! What would I do with out you.

Synopsis

The next installment of Mindy Kaling's musings on her life in Hollywood and Show Business.

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed this book. Sometimes you need a little light hearted fluff to get you through more serious literary pursuits. This was the perfect blend of dishing about Hollywood, self-deprecating humour and sage advice.

She has a great writing style. While reading it I felt like I was getting letters from a great friend, or at least a long distance pen pal you just can't give up.

I like how she keeps it real. We see the long hours and sacrifice it takes to be successful. It is not all frilly dresses and parties. I think sometimes we might want fame, or at least the money that can go along with it. But what we don't usually see in the tabloids or entertainment shows are the hard work, sacrifices, and ungodly waking hours that are involved. Seriously 6 a.m. does not exist in my world let alone 5. How do they do it?

I also liked her essay to the girl who asked her where she got her confidence. Sometimes the best answers are ones that take a while to figure out and can't be said right on the spot. I hope that girl is able to read her answer.

There were some essays that I have to admit I glossed over. The alter-ego email essay... it just wasn't for me. Kudos to you who did read it.

Overall this was a light, fun, informative and just nice read.

They Left Us Everything by Plum Johnson

from goodreads

4 stars

While I am fairly youngish, 32, my parents are rather elderly. I was born late in their life as the youngest of six children. While my parents probably have quite a while to live, as some of my grandparents lived to be quite old, their mortality is still present in my mind.

While they are still doing well for their age they are definitely starting to slow down, be more cautious and need more help. Their memory is slowly going and they just aren't as with it as they once were, which I am not as patient about as I should be.

When they finally move from their house, or when they pass on, I am not looking forward to going through their stuff. My mom, more than my dad, is a collector of things. They aren't even particularly nice things or collectible things. It is just stuff. Walking into her house is sort of like walking into a community yard sale. And you know what, if that makes her happy I'm all for it. Unfortunately going through the stuff will be quite another thing. While most things will be donated or discarded we will still need to sift through everything as it is all sort of jumbled together. Really, who knows what kind of treasures we will find.

At least I have the comfort in knowing that when that time comes I won't be tackling it myself. I have other siblings who are as capable of moving stuff around as I am. It can be a team effort and not a solo expedition.

Synopsis

Plum Johnson has been looking after her parents for years. When her mother passes away she is filled with a sense of relief and yet has guilt as well. She decides to tackle clearing out her parents house and while doing so confronts her own conflicted feelings.

My Thoughts

This is a book that everyone caught in the sandwich generation should read. It is a mix of family history meets antiques meets therapy. She is fairly candid about her feelings, about her struggles with her parents, especially her mother, and her desires for her children. She shows the process of going through what parents leave behind and dealing with the estate.

I like how she touches on the subject of not really knowing someone, in this case a parent, until they are gone. As she read her mothers diaries she discovered her mothers fears, hopes and ambitions. I think it is this late discovery of how her mother truly felt about her that made the author long for more time with her parents, even though when her mother was still living it was hard too. The only people we really know are ourselves. When we see the outward shell of those around us it is hard to know if it is an act or them. We don't know what they are thinking or what makes them tick. Her mothers diaries and letters helped this author know more about her parents and in turn her own life.

It was also interesting to see how the actual things were dealt with. Somethings were heirlooms, or antiques or something not intrinsically valuable, yet it seems those less valuable items were what held the most sentimentality.

There were times when the story line of her time emptying her parents house got a bit lost and a bit overshadowed. She would often start talking about the life her parents lived, which, while interesting, isn't why I wanted to read the book. I was more interested in what Plum was going through than the history of her parents.

Over all it was an enjoyable read, one that I can definitely identify with.

I'm Proud of You: My Friendship with Fred Rogers by Tim Madigan

from goodreads

3.5 stars

I have been really blessed in this life. I have parents who supported anything I wanted to do. They weren't in my face and all up in my life, but if I wanted to do something, like spend a month in Quebec doing a program, they would drive me out there and let me do that. Even though it might not have been said often I knew my parents loved me and I knew that I had support and a soft place to land if I needed it. While I didn't do anything too world altering I knew that my possibilities really were endless.

Not everyone is that lucky. It wasn't until reading this book that I fully understood the roles of shows like Mr. Rogers or Mr. Dressup. These were where children could go and have a friend who thought they were pretty special for 20 minutes in their life. They really were like surrogate parents for children whose home life and school life might not have been the best. I'm not sure if there is anything like it on t.v. now and t.v. is the poorer for it if there isn't. We need more kids feeling they are great and can do anything and shows like Mr. Rogers helped accomplish that.

Synopsis

Tim Madigan, a journalist from Texas, has a chance interview with Fred Rogers, known better as Mr. Rogers, and that interview changed both of their lives. Tim gained a friend he could lean on and share things with when he felt he had no where else to go. Fred also gained that type of friendship. This is a book where you learn there are truly love filled people in this world with no cynicism attached.

My Thoughts

Growing up in Canada, and having only three channels, I did not grow up watching PBS or Mr. Rogers. I knew of him from spoofs and I finally watched a show when I was like 17 and it was kind of crazy. But there was something about this book that intrigued me, so I read it. After reading it, oh how I wish I could have watched his shows. Knowing what I know now, I think I will have to watch them on youtube or something. He seems really great.

What comes across in this memoir more than anything is Fred's unconditional love. He did not judge he just loved. He was so genuine. He was a rare commodity in this world where people are afraid of real emotions. They are almost afraid to love and truly open themselves up.

It helped me think about friendships I have. Am I as loving and genuine with my friendships?

In the beginning of this book I kept thinking, man all this guy does is take and take. how can Fred truly value this friendship? But then later you saw a more give and take relationship emerge and that was great.

I am glad that the author touched on what he called the furies and how now he is so happy with his life, a life he almost destroyed. It shows how important it is to surround yourself with great people and hope when you go through times like that.

While the authors trials, heartaches, and breakthroughs are worth reading, they are not what held my interest. I liked learning about how Fred was kind, compassionate and loving, and learning how I can incorporate that better in my life.

Don't read this is you are looking for a biography on Fred Rogers. This is not it. Instead read it if you would like one more role model in your life, one more person who would be proud of you.

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes and Joe Layden

from goodreads

4 stars

I love The Princess Bride. I first saw the movie when I was 6 or 7. I have seen it many times since. For the longest time I would hide my face when the part of the old woman who booed Buttercup would come on because let's face it, that lady was scary! Now, my kids love watching it. They will even choose it over Frozen (and for any of you who have young daughters you will know what a feat that is).


I'm not sure what it is about The Princess Bride that makes it so memorable and lovable. It has an almost magical quality about it that makes you fall in love with it all over again every time you watch it. There is something for everyone in that movie. Whether you love beautiful princesses, pirates, giants, feats of athleticism, revenge or quirky secondary characters, this movie has it all. So I invite you, if you haven't seen this movie or if you haven't watched it in a while, to watch it. It is the best. Also, if you haven't read the book by William Goldman you should. I found it helped me understand the characters that much better and thus helped me appreciate the movie on a whole new level.

Synopsis

Cary Elwes, who played Westley in The Princess Bride reminisces about his time on set. Interspersed throughout the book are memories from the rest of the cast as well as some of the crew.

My Thoughts

I probably rated this book higher than what others might have. It isn't the best memoir I have ever read. The writing isn't out of this world. I just love Cary Elwes and I love The Princess Bride so I had to give it a high rating.


I love learning about behind the scenes things of movies. I am probably the only person who actually watches those features on every single dvd. I love watching interviews where you get little tidbits. I'm not sure when all this information will come in handy, but you never know. Thus, this book was right up my ally. Not only did you get Elwes' view on things, but you also got Rob Reiner's (the director), Billy Crystal's, Mandy Patinkin's, William Goldman's (screenwriter, also author of the book), Robin Wright's and more.

It was awesome to see how much training and work went into everything. I loved the stories about Andre the Giant. What a gentle soul he seemed. I loved learning about Elwes' injury, not because I am happy he was injured, but more I wondered why he sat so weirdly during one of the scenes, and now I know why.

Some of the stories told weren't new, as I have watched documentaries etc., but it was neat getting a new perspective on them.

The book is somewhat repetative. I'm not sure how many times we had to be told how nice Rob Reiner was or how much everyone just got along... but it was a lot. I'm glad they had such a nice time shooting and things were always so great, but seriously... we get it. Also, Elwes would always mention how happy he was to work with someone because he loved their work. Well I am not a movie buff so for a lot of people I didn't know of their work. I am interested to learn more, but reading it I was like they were in something other than Princess Bride?! Who knew. So, ya. The name dropping and comments on their work felt weird, because I wasn't sure if he was being serious or making it up.

Other than that, any fan of the movie is going to love this book. Seriously, read this book. You will be laughing and thrilled at the same time. You also might never watch the movie in quite the same way again (but you will still love it.)