The House of Dudley by Joanne Paul

 

The Dudley family's successes and misfortunes seemed to depend on the whims of the Tudor Kings and Queen during tumultuous times. Both Queen Elizabeth and the last male member of the Dudley family died without descendants. Robert Dudley is best known for his romance with Queen Elizabeth which never resulted in the marriage he had hoped for. 

Robert's younger brother, Guildford Dudley, came to a dramatic end after marrying Lady Jane Grey who became queen of England for a mere nine days following a rebellion by her father to crown his daughter.  She was consequently unthroned by Henry VIII 's daughter, Mary. Both Guildford and Lady Jane were beheaded at the Tower of London.

Joanne Paul has many interesting historical videos on You Tube.

One Summer by David Baldacci

 I usually like David Baldacci's novels but I found the beginning of One Summer to not be realistic regarding the medical diagnosis and miraculous recovery.

From the cover:

There is no joy in the house of terminally ill Jack and his family. With only a short time left to live, he spends his last days preparing to say goodbye to his devoted wife, Lizzie . . .

He reunites everyone at Lizzie's childhood home on the oceanfront of South Carolina. And there, over one unforgettable summer, Jack and his children learn to become a family once more.

Sooley by John Grisham

 

Sooley is a little different from the novels John Grisham usually writes and is based on U.S. college basketball. In particular, recruiting from other countries. 

At 17 Sooley, who has been playing basketball for as long as he can remember, is plucked from the dusty and uneven "basketball courts" of South Sudan and given an opportunity to play for a U.S. college team. After he leaves his home village with the civil war raging around them, he lands in North Carolina and with the help of his coaches tries to concentrate on his game. But shortly after he leaves, rebels descend on the village,  killing the men, taking young women and leaving mothers and children to wander until they find a refugee camp.

Sooley has more than one reason to become an outstanding player, his quest for citizenship could be the only hope his family has to move from their destitute situation. 

My thoughts:

Thomas Sowell has written about the African problems for many years. Rivers that were difficult to navigate (restricting trade), civil wars and bad/power driven leadership have plagued African countries long after colonialism.

In Sooley, it shows the devastation on one family from rebel groups. Families that are hardly managing on a daily basis are dealing with their meager belongings and shelter destroyed and travelling miles on dusty roads to find help. Juxtaposed is the wealth and comfort of American families. The book also shows the kindness of those in Sooley's life trying to help him to be successful in a sport he loves and provide a path for his family to leave their squalor.

One thing I have found in immigrants who are genuinely wanting to assimilate and become part of the U.S., they work hard and are often more patriotic than those born here. Unfortunately, like the rebels in the story, there are others who bring with them violence and their desire to force their will on others, while taking advantage of benefits the U.S. has to offer. 

This would make a great book club read.

Well meaning foreign aid doesn't always help those in need. Including money to fund a Chinese opera house!

British taxpayers’ money has been directed to regions of upper-middle-income countries that are wealthier than parts of the United Kingdom, according to a new briefing paper from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).

The report, Robin Hood in Reverse, authored by IEA Research Fellow Mark Tovey, reveals that UK foreign aid has been spent in affluent areas of China, Mexico, and Malaysia over the past five years. This includes Ordos in China, with a GDP per capita of £27,500 – on par with Swansea and richer than 69 other regions of the UK.

The U.S. sent funds to United Nations (UNRWA) which has been supporting terror groups.

The Price of Inheritance by Karin Tanabe

 

The Price of Inheritance by Karin Tanabe is focused on the auction industry, specifically Christie's and Sotheby's. Carolyn Everett is Christie's antique furniture specialist but, despite being a rising star, she is fired from the New York office after a scandal involving stolen furniture. She returns to her home town of Newport, Rhode Island and takes a part time position at a local antique store. While out scouting for acquisitions she comes across an artifact which she is puzzled about. Her search for the provenance leads her to a Marine Captain stationed nearby and uncovers more than she bargained for.

My thoughts:

I was intrigued with the story because I once worked for Christie's rival, Sotheby's, in London. Auctions can be exciting and Carolyn had certainly become caught up in the chase of valuable objects. However, I found the story of the bowl that might or might not be an antique and the reasons why it's antiquity was covered up by (spoiler alert) a teacher at a local university and how Carolyn discovered where the bowl was headed to based on her dealings with a furniture collector. And I'm still puzzling over why Caroline gave the pottery teacher the phone number of the teacher's ex boyfriend when Carolyn asked her to call her. That was actually one of the book club questions in the back. None of the story made sense to  me but I did enjoy the descriptions of Newport.

America the Beautiful by Ben Carson

 I'm still  going through the stack of books I purchased at the Friends of the Library book sale a few months ago and America the Beautiful is one of them. There is no doubt that Ben Carson is a patriot. He is grateful for the opportunities afforded to him and a path he was able to follow from poverty to being one of the most renowned neurosurgeons. The book was written at the end of the first Obama term and tackles many subjects such as the pros and cons of capitalism, morality, and health care to name a few. He also talks about how the country is divided which is sadly more so twelve years after the publication of the book. With an election coming up, it is a great book to read and to remind us that voting for or against personalities rather than policies and what the candidate stands for has had grave consequences in the past.

p.194-195

Many recent polls have shown that most Americans believe that we are on the wrong path as a nation. They are discouraged about our future and the future of our children. I say, be  not discouraged, for God is on our side if we really trust him, as is indicated on every coin in your pocket and every bill in your wallet. We must stop being political and start being logical. . .

It is time to set aside political correctness and replace it with the bold values and principles that founded our nation in history. It is time to stop apologizing and to start leading, because the world is desperately in need of fair and ethical leadership.

The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry

 

The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry is set in 1940 England when children were sent, during WWII, from London and major cities to rural areas for safety. Unfortunately, the name given for this exercise was Pied Piper. The Pied Piper is a poem/fairy tale where he led the town's children to the river and they all perished.

Fourteen year old Hazel and her five year old sister Flora were evacuees, sent to a small hamlet in Oxford. When Flora vanishes it is thought she has fallen into the river and drowned. Hazel and her mother continue to look for Flora. When Hazel comes across a children's book 20 years later she realizes only her sister could have passed on to the author the mystical village of Whisperwood that Hazel had told Flora many times. In 1960 Hazel begins her search again for her missing sister.

My thoughts:

Although the novel is fiction it drives me crazy when authors do not research English history. There are many things that someone who didn't grow up in London might not notice but I found it took me away from the story over and over again. One name that constantly comes up in English novels written by an American author is Brighton Beach. Brighton Beach is in Brooklyn. Brighton in England does have a beach but the name of the town is simply Brighton.

England did not have pre-schools in 1960 - they were primary schools.

The zebra crossings are not called crosswalks.

Red and white British Union Jack flags? The English flag is white with the red Saint George's Cross. The British Union Jack is red white and blue.

The London to Paris Night Train left from London Victoria Station platform 2 not Charing Cross platform 7. I used to work near Victoria Station in the 1960s and saw the train many times. And the door would not hiss open. They were opened by hand.

The Women by Kristin Hannah

 

Kristin Hannah delves deeply into the Vietnam War in The Women. I was living in a different country during this era and although some of the news covered the war, we were somewhat sheltered and I didn't realize the full impact until I visited the Vietnam War Memorial with nearly 60,000 names of the fallen etched into black granite. Wars are never a good solution, but this one seemed so senseless. And sadly the women who were nurses, worked for the Red Cross and many other services were not recognized. The Women is definitely going on my list of favorite books for this year.

Twenty year old nursing student Frances McGrath was raised in the idyllic world of Southern California but when her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam she imagines a different future for herself.

Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war when she arrives in Vietnam. But when she returns home the real battle begins with protestors, people spitting and shouting at those returning home and the nightmares that follow. The novel  is about deep friendships and shines a light on women who put themselves in harm's way and whose sacrifice is often forgotten.