January and February 2017

A Man Called Ove: A Novel

By Fredrik Backman

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman is a sweet, without being overly sentimental, novel.  There were sad parts and I cried at the end, but it was not a sad novel.  The characters were well developed and I felt that I knew them all.  I don’t want to see the movie because I have a very specific vision of each one in my mind.  I enjoyed the book so much that I want to keep my own vision of the characters, the place and the story.  It’s a book that I’ll remember and will probably revisit.  For me, A Man Called Ove was an emotionally moving read.

The Aviator’s Wife

By Melanie Benjamin

I think I would give The Aviator’s Wife 3½ stars, if I could.  I liked the book and enjoyed reading it.  The historical novel is based on the life of Anne Morrow Lindberg, wife of Charles Lindberg, the first person to make a solo flight from the USA to France in 1927.  The book explores their relationship, his influence and her personal growth.  The historical details of the times were interesting and engaging.  I also enjoyed reading about Anne’s life.  While much of the book was based on fact, there is also much that wasn’t.  At times, I felt that characters and relationships were portrayed as either all good or all bad.  They were presented as either the best or worst archetypes/icons of their times.  For me, that made Anne, and especially Charles, seem not quite real.  Perhaps that was their persona in public, but I can’t help but feel that there was more to them and to their relationship.  After reading some of the writing of their daughter, Reeve Lindberg, I think that is truly the case.  My conclusion is this:  The Aviator’s Wife was a good book.  It inspired me to read more about the life of Anne Morrow Lindberg and to revisit some of her writing, especially Gifts from the Sea.

After attending a book club meeting and finishing Under a Wing by Reeve Lindberg, I would still give The Aviator’s Wife 3 ½ stars.  However, I have changed my opinion about the characters slightly.  Many of the people in the discussion group presented details about Charles Lindberg that were new to me.  Perhaps he was as evil as he was presented in The Aviator’s Wife.  The consensus of opinion seemed to be that Charles Lindberg was not a nice person.  I have written about Reeve Lindberg’s portrayal of her father in a review of Under a Wing: A Memoir.  While aware of many of her father’s failings, she obviously loved him and presented a very different Charles Lindberg.  Reeve Lindberg’s writing and the book club discussion both enriched my reading of The Aviator’s Wife.  They have reinforced the concept that characters, whether real or fictional, can be seen and portrayed from many different perspectives… by authors and by readers. 

Under a Wing: A Memoir

By Reeve Lindberg

Under a Wing is a short, sweet memoir written by Reeve Lindberg, daughter of Anne Morrow Lindberg and Charles A. Lindberg.  Even though it was written when Reeve Lindberg was a much older adult with a family of her own, many of the stories seem like they are written through the eyes of a child.  Ms. Lindberg presents details and anecdotes from her childhood through the years to her father’s death and her mother’s battle with dementia.  All of her siblings are included in the stories.  They were also included in the black and white photos in the center of the book.  She writes with honesty and with her own perspective, having been a member of the family.  While some of the material is sad, it is not a sad book.  There are an equal number of happy memories of daily interactions within the Lindberg family.  The one thing that I had to remember was that this was a memoir written through the eyes of the youngest child in the family.  I totally enjoyed this very quick read.  It gave a very different perspective on the Lindbergs, particularly Charles A. Lindberg.  It was definitely a good read and contributed to my overall knowledge of the Lindberg family.

Hardwiring Happiness

By Rick Hanson

I listened to the Audible version of Hardwiring Happiness, which was narrated by the author, Rick Hanson.  The book included a lot of familiar background material that provided new insights, as well as a good review of psychology 101.  I have mixed feelings about listening to the audio version.  Hanson’s narration was excellent and it was helpful to just be able to listen and do the meditations.  His reading of the practice exercises made them very easy to follow.  However, I did miss seeing the charts that were included and may actually check the book out of the library, so I can review them.  I think the ideal way to do this book would be to have both the audio and hard copy available.  It was definitely a valuable listen and might be even more so if read.

2/17 My only book in February was the actual reading of Hardwiring Happiness.  After listening to the audio book, I thought it might be helpful to read the book and see the charts.  The reread was valuable, but the charts didn’t add much to my understanding.  Hanson does explain the charts on the audio version and that really is enough. For me, the most important idea for both versions of the book was the ‘Absorb’ concept.  Taking in and absorbing good experiences is something that I do not regularly do.  I’m going to try to be more mindful about positive experiences in my life… allowing them to settle into my body and taking time to absorb them.  I stand by my original opinion that Hardwiring Happiness is a valuable read, in any format.

Books for Living

By Will Schwalbe

I loved Books for Living!  It is one of my favorite kinds of book… books about books.  Will Schwalbe has written about some of the books that have been most meaningful in his life.  The variety of genres included children’s books, classic literature, modern fiction, non-fiction and even a cookbook.  Although each chapter was devoted to a particular book, numerous other related titles were also mentioned.  It would be difficult for me to choose a favorite chapter, as they were all meaningful.  Will Schwalbe is an avid reader and an engaging writer.  I checked Books for Living out of the library, but it is a book that I am going to put on my wish list.  It needs to be on my bookshelf for frequent rereads.