Book Reviews

The last 9 weeks have been a blur of go, go going filled with most of my time spent at the following places: my car, at work, at school, at trainings for the fost/adopt process or at trainings for school and lastly the gas station (a topic that makes me immediately CRANKY, let's not discuss).


There are places that used to be part of my weekly route that are now a distant memory and bring giddy excitement because now they are pure luxury, those places include the following: Trader Joe's, my bank, Target, Nordstroms and places where you get food on a plate instead of handed to you through a window, while your car is running, polluting & destroying what is left of the ozone layer.


Once I do arrive home, the list of things to do starts beckoning but I can only worry about the basics. Do I have clean underwear? ( Thank. God. D. does. his. own. laundry) Do we have food to eat? Did I mail the mortgage payment? Do my dogs remember me? Thank God for the invention of the cell phone because that is my connection to D and other people I love.


The hard work has paid off and I can now post an original thought not just a poem or picture of a conversation. In between knocking off the things I have to do list and things I want to do list include reading - because really they fall on both lists. I have to read for school and usually the material is interesting but reading for pleasure is a whole different thing. Wouldn't you agree? Thought so....




So - Here it goes, I have read two books recently though one can be considered a beautiful coffee table book because the pictures and presentation are really quite beautiful. The first in my book review is "The Secret Thoughts of an Adoptive Mother" by Jana Wolff. I have to link back to Barb at FCIF for this recommendation and she did a much better book review than I so check out her review. I must echo Barb's sentiment that Jana reached into her brain and but Barb's thoughts and feelings about Adoption right into this exact book - I FELT THE SAME EXACT WAY. This is a really great look at the emotional process a woman goes through covering all aspects of inter-racial adoption with both grace and humor and at 160 pages an easy and quick read. A must read for anyone who is adopting. Jana discusses her thought process about adoption and I could really identify. Adopting always seemed like something I would do- eventually. Now adoption is really our only choice we have have to become parents and the hurt that is associated with the loss of choice in having a child naturally.

On a lighter note.... I was the lucky winner of "The Last Supper Book" from Kate's Last supper quiz and I have been drooling over the pictures. Let me clarify there are few pictures of food but one tasty delight in the photo of a almost naked Anthony Bourdain. The book captures a game that chefs have played for years - What would your last meal consist of? Most of the chefs interviewed had put forth great thought and effort down to the location of the meal and others in attendance. Yet some of the chefs interviewed either have no word imagery, lack in vocabulary or are just lazy. The foreword by Monsieur Bourdain is C'est manifique.

Kate posed a really good question - What is your favorite piece of art? That has me really puzzled because I have several but I can say this piece is in the top 10

Untitled (skull), 1981- Jean Michel Basquiat

I love this piece because the colors remind me of the roaring and outlandish 1980's (which brings back many great memories). It is striking, moving and speaks to me about someone who was experiencing pain in their life yet also had hope for the future. Many of his works incorporate drawings and use of words that are presented in a unique fashion. In fact, words were such a significant aspect of his art that he started as a graffiti artist. D and I had a chance to catch the Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibit in 2005 at MOCA and were even more impressed and captured by seeing his art in person. Feeling more connected to someone who is so identified with a time period that brings us great memories and feelings brought us euphoria. Click here and then click on Interactive under the tab- Multimedia to learn and see more of Basquiat - make sure the music button is on as it adds to the experience

Now, I need to figure what the hell to get D for his birthday, get dog licenses, get the car washed and try to move my ass out of our really comfortable overstuffed chair.