Book Review - The Best of the West by Tony Hillerman

I've love Tony Hillerman's books for a long time and was, at first, disappointed that this one wasn't written by him, just collected by him.  Having read it though, I am NOT disappointed.  In this volume Hillerman has collected some of the best history, stories and lore of the West.  It is truly a delight to read.

You know I like bathroom books - ones that allow for a complete, stand alone, chapter for each sitting.  Well I've modified that.  Now they're my favorite bed time books.  If got to where I don't like sitting on the stool any long than it takes to do my business.  Perhaps due to a song I head recently about Three Old Ladies Stuck in the Lavatory.

I've lived in and read about the West all of my life, but this collection gave me a whole new appreciation for how the West was won.  Sometimes, hilariously!  Sometimes tragically.  Sometimes less than admirably.  Always fascinatingly.

My immediate desire upon completing each story was to get out there and see the place first hand.  I could spend a life-time just chasing down the locales of each fascinating tidbit of Americana.  I know a few Civil War buffs in the East who do just that.  I find this segment of our past to be far more fascinating and much less tragic.

Give this and all of Tony Hillerman's books a look see; they're true American treasures.

*****

Book Review - Picture This by Lynda Barry

Wonderful!  I can't believe how much I love this book!  And I kind of have a crush on Lynda Barry too!

If you, like me, are privately worried about looking good, keeping up appearances, what other people think; but longing to be authentic and to find expression for your true self - this book is for you.  

Some months ago I heard an interview with Lynda on NPR and her style and demeanor so impressed me that I bought her book, What It Is, sight unseen.  In fact, if I had seen it, I probably wouldn't even have picked it up.  

When it arrived I was shocked to say the least and thought I'd wasted my money.  It took a couple of days to even figure out how to read it!  Then, it began to click and then it began to change my life!  No kidding! That one was about writing, but it was illustrated in Lynda's unique style which intrigued me, so upon discovering she'd written one about art as well, I couldn't resist.

This go round, there was none of the reticence, no how-do-I-read-this? learning curve; just the sheer joy of watching someone be herself, celebrate her uniqueness and candidly show me how to begin to do the same.

We all start out as artists, writers, dancers, singers.  As children, self expression is a joy!  Gradually though, most of us lose that free expression and begin to hold back for fear of ridicule or out of self judgement.  Lynda has a unique gift for coaxing it back out, and with it comes the joy of uncovering who you started out to be.  I've looked in a lot of places for what I've found here and can hardly express me appreciation for the gift Lynda Barry has given me.  I so hope you'll take a look and comment on your own impressions.  

I really think I've turned a corner, and the view is so different from here I can hardly believe I'm in the same place!  Thanks Lynda!  For everything!

*****

A Good Day, A Truly Good Day.

Book Review - How The Light Get's In by Louise Penny

Finally, this long awaited book in the Chief Inspector Gamache series has arrived and been devoured!

I don't know if this is the last in the series (she left it somewhat open ended) but so much of the long and wonderful story was culminated in this volume.  While I can't imagine where she'd go from here, I've come to discover that Penny's imagination far exceeds my own.

I am always reading three books at a time and as it happens, some poor author has to have his work placed side by side with this and when compared with Louise Penny's work it seems a wonder that his got published at all.  Conspicuously absent are depth, theme, purpose, strong character development and credibility.  I only say this because, read alone, the other book is really quite acceptable, even exciting to read.  You see, I don't want to tear the other author down at all, I just want to elevate Louise's work to the pedestal it so richly deserves!

The story, lives, and circumstances of this volume were prepared and alluded to from the beginning of the series which seems utterly amazing to me.  She's obviously known where it all was going from the very beginning.  How ambitious, when considering the struggle she experienced to get the first volume even published.  How, disappointing, had she failed.  I don't generally like series.  I don't enjoy feeling entrapped into committing to more books in order to find out how it all turns out.  No so with this series.  Each book has been a gem in it's own right and the entire thread has been more than compelling!

The title of this volume is based on a verse from Leonard Cohen's Anthem:

Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There's a crack in everything,
That's how the light gets in.

I loved the concept when Louise introduced it to me years ago in a previous volume.  I love it even more now.  Back then I thought is wonderful advice for those, who like me are paralyzed by perfectionism.  Now, I think it more deeply expresses the critical need for weakness in our heroes, flaws in our plans, flies in our ointment and chinks in our armor.  The beauty of this and any story lies in the fact that life is happening to us, imperfect human beings, who were intended to have a completely mortal experience.  What would be so great about any of our stories if there was nothing to transcend?  Clearly perfection is not all it's cracked up to be. Transcendence, Penny's teaches in such subtle ways, comes from humility, more than capability, love more than ambition, honesty more than objective and loyalty more than security.  If you think she's wrong, let her persuade you herself.

...by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.                                            Alma 37:6