How Beautiful We Were

 

Imbolo Mbue is one of my favorite voices in the literary world today. Thus far, her literary work consists of  just one novel, Behold The Dreamers. But what a novel it is. Perfectly written, impeccably crafted, with characters so authentically real, you'd swear they stood next to you in a crowded grocery store, or they are the parents of your son's classmates, and like so many other undocumented parents struggling to go unnoticed, but still make a living and raise their children in society, they remain quiet, still, causing no ripple, making no noise. But they are so there, and they are so real.

In Behold The Dreamers, Mbue gave them a voice, made them alive, and relatable. They are more like as than not, with dreams as wide as the sky. In Behold the Dreamers, we see clearly the one percent of society and the working class and how both live, good and bad. Behold the Dreamers is a compelling and relatable story, and, well, she did it again. Imbolo Mbue has created another fine novel in, How Beautiful We Were. I picked my copy up this afternoon from Barnes & Noble, the mothership. I am about 100 pages in and, wow, just, wow. Imolo Mbue is currently one of the world's best women writers and her follow-up novel only solidifies her among the great writers of our time.

Happy Reading

#ImboloMbue #howbeautifulwewere #newrelease #books #smartpeopleread #maderareads

 

Books to Read Before You Die. 

25 Books to Read Before You Die

In 2014, I began reading Powell's 25 Books to Read Before You Die. Some of the books listed I had read while either in college or in my leisure time. Many of the authors and novels  on Powell's 25 Books to Read Before You Die, were unknown to me. But, an unknown  writer has never stopped me before and it wasn't about to now.

I have made it a mission to read all the books on the list. But, in doing so, I made myself a rules list to follow.

Rule One: No New Books. The 25 will all be used books. No mothership purchases, more like thrift store finds.

Rule Two: No E-books. The 25 will be kept as part of my personal book collection, whether I like the book or not.  

Rule Three, No Rush. As I am in no rush to die, so will I be in no rush to read through all the 25 books.

Over the past few years, I kinda put Powell's "25 Books to Read Before You Die" list on the back-burner. At the end of last year, I purchased David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest which was reasonably priced, like, three dollars reasonable. Can you believe that; three dollars for that mammoth of a book, and according to many a literary masterpiece? I have not read Infinite Jest so I will not call it a masterpiece.

Anyhow, that purchase, along with realizing I had collected many of the books listed. I have decided to once again to read my way through this collection. Anyone, interested in reading along with me? I welcome the company. Let me know what book you will begin with.

 

Powell's Books also has other cool little 25 book reading lists. So, if 25 Books to Read Before You Die is a little too morbid for you, try one of these delightful reading lists and get to reading.

• 25 Women to Read Before You Die
• 25 Books to Read Before You Die: World Edition
• 25 Memoirs to Read Before You Die
• 25 Books to Read Before You Die: 21st Century
• 25 Books to Read Before You Die: Pacific Northwest Edition

Let me end this by saying that I have been pleasantly delighted by some of these books that had it not been for Powell's recommendation, I would have never ventured out and cracked open the first page.

For instance, Geek Love by Katherine Dunn is a beautiful, odd, weird as hell, lovely story on family, love, sex, evil rulers, disabilities, personality traits, circus freaks, life and motherhood. I absolutely loved Geek Love. I never would have read it. I would have walked right past in a bookstore, had it not been for Powell's 25 Books to Read Before You Die. I am thankful for having committed myself to reading this list of books. Should every other book on this list be mush, (although, I doubt it), the knowledge of Geek Love and Katherine Dunn would have been worth it alone. Geek Love is astounding. A beautiful and odd novel. Worth every second of my life I spent reading it.

This should be fun. Join me in reading from this wonderful literary list.

Happy Reading!

 

-Francine

 

 Check out the title of books here: https://www.powells.com/25-books-to-read-before-you-die

Local Authors' & Artists' Day 2019

Literary events in the heart of California

On Saturday, October 19, the Friends of the Madera County Library hosted their 7th Annual Authors' and Artists' Day. Local Authors from across the valley came out and met with book-loving members of the community. 

If you were unable to attend the event but are interested in reading works from local writers, fret not, I have attached below names and websites from some of the authors.

Check it out, order a book or two and support local writers.

Thanks to everyone that came out. And to those that did not, I hope to see you at next year's Authors' and Artists' Day.  

Happy Reading

Diane Ainsworth          godsinspirationsblog.wordpress.com

Enedina Reed-Perez  https://www.ninaperezreed.com/out-of-the-shadows.html

Andrew S. Daley       https://www.amazon.com/Andrew-S.-Daley/e/B0184CBLHG%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

Larry Patten             http://www.larrypatten.com/about/

Glenna Jarvis            https://www.amazon.com/Glenna-Jarvis/s?k=Glenna+Jarvis, glennajarvis.com

Gail Daley                    https://www.gaildaleysfineart.com/

Susan Lowe                https://www.amazon.com/Josie-Story-Survival-Susan-Lowe/dp/1517061008

Jon Latham                https://jonlathambooks.com/about-me/

Kirk Ellis                    https://www.authorhouse.com/en-gb/bookstore/bookdetails/738678-human-equation

Larry Lihosit              https://www.amazon.com/Lawrence-F.-Lihosit/e/B005J8Z602%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

Joe Ozier                      https://wayofadog.com/

Larry Parmeter        https://www.amazon.com/Season-All-Things-Larry-Parmeter-ebook/dp/B071ZCGP8G

Carole Love Forbes   https://www.carolelovesbooks.com/

Sincerely, 

-Francine

Anthem Book Review: New Year, New Published Story!

Anthem Book Review: New Year, New Published Story!:                                                    Good Morning My Fellow Literary Lovers, I wanted to share the good news with you...

New Year, New Published Story!

                                                  

Good Morning My Fellow Literary Lovers,

I wanted to share the good news with you. I have had my work published in an online literary journal, Rigorous. I welcome you to take a read. The story is titled, The Cave. 

Here is a little back-story to how my story began. I began working on the story in 2016. It was brought on by my mother making a couch into a bed for a family member that was staying over. My mother made the couch look so inviting, she tightly placed the sheets across the couch cushions, she snugly tucked in the corners of the bed sheet over the couch's body, she folded back the sheet to reveal a beautiful hotel looking bed/couch, and she fluffed the pillows into clouds of welcoming heaven. I remember thinking how inviting it looked and thought "what if the person that was going to sleep there wasn't coming to stay over on good terms, what if they had been abused and was running from their abuser. And that is how, "The Cave" was born, after many titles, many edits, here is a piece of that tale.

The actual story is much longer, but I had to edit it to meet the submission requirements. 

Enjoy!



http://www.rigorous-mag.com/ 

First Book of the Year- River Queens

River Queens: Saucy boat, stout males, spotted dog, America

                                         

“Everyone wants to be invited.” Grandmother insisted in answer to my protests about inviting a kindergarten nemesis to my fifth birthday party. “Not everyone wants to come, but everyone wants to be invited.”

My responsibility is to invite everyone to participate in River Queens. My guest’s responsibility is to decide if the offer is right for them. Not everyone wants to read about two gay men bounding across the hinterlands in a fabulous vintage yacht.

Alexander  Watson – 18 October 2018

I want to say a huge thank you to Alexander Watson for inviting me to take part on his journey by reading River Queens. I received an advance copy of River Queens, courtesy of Mr. Watson. I am about halfway through the book and I must say it has been a peaceful and interesting sail.

Thus far, the best of 2019. Eight days into the new year, 139 pages into River Queens and I am smitten. Smitten with Watson's detailed, humorous and honest account of going outside the lines of life and truly LIVING.

I love his voice. Watson is a fine storyteller. River Queens has all my favorite things in life, rivers, an ever present and supporting mother, dogs, gay men and risk taking.

I look forward to reviewing this novel. As one can clearly tell  just by this introduction, I am completely in love with this memoir. Grab a copy at Amazon or order below from Watson's website and read with me. It is a reading journey I am confident you do not want to miss. Start off 2019 the right way, reading River Queens with Anthem Book Review. 

Order River Queens here:  https://www.riverqueens.us/

Francine
@AnthemBookReview

Follow Anthem Book Review on Twitter & Instagram for more updates on books we are reading!

Madera Reads Book Club

September 2018 

Madera Reads Community Book Club will meet for the final book discussion of Fahrenheit 451 on Saturday, September 29 at 6:00 p.m. at Starbucks on Howard Road. Join us for a wonderful discussion.

October 2018

Madera Reads October book selection is the powerful  memoir,  "Men We Reaped"  by Jesmyn Ward.

Come read with Madera Reads.

“In real life, I looked at my father and mother and understood dimly that it was harder to be a girl, that boys had it easier. Here, boys could buy and ride motorcycles and come and leave when they wanted to and exude a kind of cool while they stood shirtless at the edge of the street, talking and laughing with one another, passing a beer around, smoking cigarettes. Meanwhile, the women I knew were working even when they weren’t at work: cooking, washing loads of clothes, hanging them to dry, and cleaning the house. There was no time for them to just relax and be.” ― Jesmyn Ward

Written by Francine

Local Writer at Madera Reads Book Club

Madera  Reads Book Club met today for our July Book Discussion. In attendance was local author, Glenna Jarvis. It was wonderful to have a book discussion with the writer of the book present. The attendance of Jarvis provided  a deeper understanding and appreciation into the books  main characters. 

It was also interesting to discover that the town of Borden, which is where Sandmann is set, was once an actual place in Madera.  

Borden was located in the southeast area of Madera, near the Southern Pacific Railroad. Maybe it was once a thriving town; but today, any lasting traces of a bustling community have all but disappeared. The only thing that remains are a few headstones of deceased Chinese railroad workers.

Thanks to Jarvis, Borden is also the town where reporter, Hannah Monakee is living her best fiction life. I find it is absolutely wonderful that local writer Glenna Jarvis incorporated the town of Madera and its history in Sandmann.

Jarvis is an interesting person , filled with amazing and entertaining stories from her career as a crime beat reporter and time spent documenting and reporting on cases for the Madera Tribune that would make most close their eyes in fear.  

But just like Hannah Monakee, Glenna is not done reporting.

Jarvis followed up Sandmann with Free Fall- A Hannah Monakee Mystery.  All the delightful and tough characters from Sandmann make an appearance in the book, Detective Morales, Quint, and Oz.

So, if you're looking for a good read sprinkled with some local flair, The Hannah Monakee Mystery books are great place to start. Sandmann and Free Fall are available now on Amazon.

Madera Reads will read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho in August. 

We welcome YOU to come read with us and discuss great works of literature together. 

July Book Club Pick- Sandmann

Madera Reads Community Book Club's July pick is Sandmann, by local writer, Glenna Jarvis.  Ms. Jarvis is a former crime reporter for The Madera Tribune with over 15 years of experience in investigative journalism.  

Writers often write what they know. So, it is no surprise that Jarvis' debut novel introduces readers to crime reporter Hannah Monakee.

Monakee is a wide-eyed delightful character with a knack for piecing together a good story. Things take a dire turn, when Hannah finds out she may be the killers next victim. In a race to save her life and help find the killer, Hannah's investigative skills kick in. Sandmann is a thrilling read. It is filled with mystery and will keep you captivated and rooting for Hannah page after page.  

Madera Reads is so thankful that Ms. Jarvis is  local writer, hailing from the Madera area. This means that our book club will not only read and discuss Sandmann, but we are also fortunate enough to have Ms. Jarvis in attendance at our Book Discussion on  Saturday, July 21, 2018 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.. (see attached flyer for more information)

We welcome all Central Valley readers to join Madera Reads for a book discussion of Sandmann. Come out and support local writers and their craft by attending Madera Reads Community Book Club.

For more information on the works of Glenna Jarvis and for information on where to purchase her novels follow the link provided.  http://www.glennajarvis.com/?p=1

Happy Reading

Written by Francine

Local Book Club, Sharing the love of Reading

In my local town of Madera, California, I, along with the Friends of Madera County Library have started a book club. The book club was started in February. Our name is Madera Reads Community Book Club. 

We meet once a month, sometimes two, depending on how long our book discussions last. We meet once at the Library and another, at a local coffee shop in the community.

I have been an avid reader my entire life. I hope that the book club helps to find local readers that want to read, fellowship and discuss great works of literature with their community, as well as highlight great writers.  Thus far, we have read some pretty great books. I've attached the flyers from past book discussions, in case you're interested in reading some of Madera Reads picks!

    

I highly recommend the following; February book was, Manana Means Heaven, by the talented and beautiful - Tim Z. Hernandez, March book was Idaho, a debut novel by Emily Ruskovich, and April book was, We the Animals, a haunting, gorgeous story written by Justin Torres (We the Animals is soon to be released as a motion picture).

Our last two books, May's book club choice, Here Lies Memory by Doug Rice and June's book club choice, Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea, I cannot get the characters out of my mind. I am working on short blurbs about all the books we have so far read. 

I encourage you all to share  your love of reading within your community. Start a local book club, find like minded people. Keep reading and a love for literature- ALIVE! 

Read and be Happy!

Francine

anthemwritingservice@gmail.com

(559) 273-9627  

Local Poets You Should Read in April

April is National Poetry Month and what better way to celebrate the month of poetry then by reading books from local poets. I have searched my bookshelves to find a few of my favorite Central Valley Poets.

We all love the classics. right? Homer, Akhmatova, Milton, Neruda, Yeats and so on, but what about the current poets. Today's poets are the names we will be reading in years to come. They speak to our generation and their immortalized words will always remind us of what the world was like today. I know the four books I've selected below will always remind me of a season in my life, a person, a moment during the 2000's that I will never forget.

For instance, De Luna's" Bent to the Earth", I purchased at Tower Records, Sacramento in 2006. At the time my seven-year engagement  was painfully coming to an end and oddly enough, so was Tower Records. I remember taking the book to our then home, and sitting on those dreadful baby blue couches when I read the stanza below and succumbed to the universal language of  loss.   

"There were no great truths

revealed to me then. No wisdom

given to me by anyone. I was a child

who had seen what a piece of polished wood

could do to a face, who had seen his father

about to lose the one he loved, who had lost

some friends who would never return,

who, later that morning, bent

to the earth and went to work."

Then there was the moment when my husband who is not a reader, read Chacon's "The Cholo Who Said Nothing", never having read a poem, much less an entire book of poetry, said to me, this book was so real and truthful to what it really feels like after losing a mother, with his Asian eyes full of sadness.

Or when at Toca Winery in Madera, when the song  Paloma Negra resonated between the walls of Marisol Baca's "Tremor" book release party, and in my hands I held Marisol's book, reading  the poem "Helena" and I thought to myself, life is so good, so, so good.  

Joe Rios wrote an amazing collection of Poetry with "Shadowboxing". Rios was editor of a college newspaper we wrote for in Fresno. He is one of the most original human beings I have ever met, and he is such a great writer. His book "Shadowboxing" should be on every bookshelf in the world.

Poetry emotionally charges the soul. When a poem is well written  it is like a bolt of lightning giving way to see and understand the world a little bit clearer. These four books of poems have done just that for me and I am sure they will for you also. I hope you grab a copy of each and let the words take you on a journey of  what life is like in the Central Valley. Create your own moments with Poetry!

Happy National Poetry Month!  

-Francine

The Power of Recommendation

In his most recent Netflix special, Dave Chappelle mentioned the name of a book and encouraged the audience to read it. This, he said, would help all understand why he removed himself from his popular FX comedy series.
The book Pimp by Iceberg Slim was first published in 1967 by Holloway House. Then, it was released in 1996 in Great Britain by Payback Press. Simon and Shuster picked up Pimp in 2011 and here it stayed.

Pimp had already been an underground favorite. Ice-T completed a documentary on the book in 2013, plenty of celebrities, rappers and comedians have raved about the book.

I read a book review on Pimp sometime around 2013.I intended to buy the book. I found a used copy at a used bookstore in Fresno’s Tower District. There wasn’t even an actual price on the book, and it was a “$10 bag of books” deal. I chose another book over Iceberg Slim’s Pimp. Now I totally regret that decision.

According to thelaughbutton.com, Dave Chappelle’s recommendation has caused this decade old book to skyrocket to the top of the best sellers list. Ughh!

The book now sells on Amazon for $10 for new books up to $600, probably for a first edition or not one of the mass produced paperback books. I mean can you believe that??? A book like Pimp, for a book lover like myself, I would never want a new $10.61 book. It is the old, first edition, even the first edition Great Britain edition that would be worth collecting. Listen, the book has so bumped up in price that even a Kindle edition is freaking $11.99 and Simon and Shuster sells it for $15 bucks and some change.

Do you see the power of a recommendation? So if you were one of the lucky ones to purchase Pimp by Iceberg Slim early on, imagine what you could get for a first edition, hardcover from Halloway House. Search your mama’s and yo grandparents bookshelves…. and call me if you have the book.

Francine

(559) 273-9627

Social Media Friends Are The Best At Book Recommendations

 One of my social media friends posted a picture of a Sherman Alexie book with a caption underneath that read something along the lines of, “best writer alive”. Until that day, I had never heard of Alexie. But his name remained in my mind. While at The Paperback Trader in Redding, CA, I scanned the bookshelves for a gem and I found a Sherman Alexie book with a photo of two men punching each other. Immediately, I purchase The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fight in Heaven and read nearly half of it by the time I reach Modesto. I loved it. It is a wonderfully written book, with short stories that are magically told.

Soon after, I purchased Blasphemy.    

This purchase confirms that I had found a new favorite writer in Alexie. Blasphemy is a great book full of wonderful short stories. “Breakfast” is one of my favorites and is so short but packs the greatest punch of love, loss and parental guidance all in one and a half pages. Alexie is truly a magical storyteller. 

Then, last week while at the B&N bookstore in Fresno, I picked up You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me, a memoir piece mixed with prose and poetry by Mr. Alexie. And, well, everything comes to a halt. Here is my review of, You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me under the tab Memoir Reviews.

Happy Reading! 

By Francine! 

Seven Summer Must Reads for Women!

Anthem Recommends Seven Summer Books for Women!

Every summer, magazines, websites, publishers, friends and family recommend a slew of new summer books to read. Maybe you take those recommendations, maybe you don’t. Maybe you choose your own picks and devour them over the blistering summertime heat.

According to the New York Times’ summer read recommendations, it calls for “no hard” literature, no “deep and twisted meaning”. The Times explains they wanted, romance, fun, light summer reads and that is what it recommends to its readers. I disagree; I want hard, complex characters. Complexity is fine by me. I keep a minimum of 3 books with me, a fun read, a “my choice deep read”, and a book I am usually reading for a review. Don’t limit yourself to only romance novels during the summer months, nor limit to only newly released books, but if you so choose to, great, JUST READ, something, anything!

If romance summer reads is what you are looking for, my recommendations will do you little good. Although love is a factor, deep, complex relationships between- mother and child, men and women are at the core of the books I am recommending. All of the “Seven Books of Summer Recommendations” I have read and adored. Whatever your literary preference, I offer my own suggestions for women, you lovers of the written word. Enjoy.  Here it goes….

"Seven Books of Summer"

Mildred Pierce by James M. Cain: Set during the Great Depression; Mildred Pierce is the story of a woman doing her best to help maintain the financial status of her family. She leaves her lazy husband and starts working in a restaurant. Mildred is an amazing female character. She does everything for her children. Yet, her oldest daughter, Veda is the most ungrateful thing imaginable. This book tells the truth of what it is like to be a mother, the struggle, the constant sacrifice by mothers and the sometimes painful treatment a mother suffers at the relentlessness of their children.   

Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates:  One of my favorite books on family and a woman’s desire to wanting more in life than just being a mother and a housewife. Yates is a beautiful writer. This is a classic and heartbreaking story of April Wheeler and her family. The book is rich in wonderful domestic characters, but it is April Wheeler that the reader will never forget. Her profound loneliness is evident throughout the entire novel. I loved this book. The reader quickly gets lost in the suburban life of the Wheelers but it is the loneliness of Ms. Wheeler that will have the reader most alive. It is a loneliness that is hauntingly human.

The Book of Ruth by Jane Hamilton:  Poor, Poor Ruth. She is such an awkward girl with low self-esteem. She has a mother that treats her brutally. Ruth has a brother that is a math whiz and is favored and loved by her mother. Ruth has no friends. Ruth’s only friend is found in her aunt and the aunt becomes a saving grace for poor Ruth. She encourages Ruth to write and read. Throughout the novel the aunt and Ruth maintain the most decent relationship throughout the entire book. They become pen pals. These letters prove a lifesaver for poor Ruth throughout the novel. Hamilton develops the character of Ruth from childhood to adulthood. The reader gets to watch Ruth grow into a woman, a wife, and a mother. But the poor, insecure and awkward Ruth is never given a chance to grow into her full potential. Her mother is relentless as ever with each passing day. This book has one of my favorite passages in all of literature. After coming home from church, Ruth sees 3 burnt crows upside down on a telephone pole. She immediately shivers with a feeling of fear. After the horrible incident between her husband and mother, Ruth is adamant that the crows were a prelude to this. She states “Sometimes God gives you a warning sign.” This book will not let you put it down.  

In the Context of Love by Linda K. Sienkiewicz: A beautiful and interesting look at love and the loves that shape one’s life. Angelica falls in love with the high school bad boy. The relationship forever changes the relationship between mother and daughter. This makes the reader want more. Sienkiewicz does a marvelous job of creating tension and then when the reality of why Angelica’s mother feels so harshly against bad boy Joe it eases the reader with pure understanding. But it doesn’t stop there. The book covers decades of Angelica’s life. We see her love, grow, make mistakes, learn, and become a mother and a positive force when given a second chance. But the past has a way of creeping back into your life and it is not always a bad thing to have your past become your present. This is a great read. So full of the complex relationships between mother and daughter, boyfriend and girlfriends, husbands and wives. You will get lost in the beautiful tale of love.  

Snow in May by Kseniya Melnik:  The most wonderful collection of short stories by Russian writer Melnik. This book will transport you to a different time, a different place and shower you with delight at each beautiful tale. “Love Italian Style, or in Line for Bananas” is a wonderful story of a mother and wife and the temptation of a fling and how love overpowers it all. Melnik is such a fresh voice and is bound to keep you cool and interested from first page to last. I love these short stories. Take it in story by story and enjoy!

Beloved by Toni Morrison:  A mother’s love is the strongest force out there and Morrison captures this beautifully in Beloved. Even in death this love cannot be quenched. This book is life, it is poetry, and it is an all year long read. This book is a must read for all true lovers of literature. It is a timeless tale of love, of motherhood, poverty and of the afterlife.

God Help the Child by Toni Morrison:  After reading Beloved, you will have no clue Morrison wrote God Help the Child. Morrison’s voice is completely different, her work contrary to the mother in Beloved. This is a cool, modern take on a strong woman Bride and her even stronger mother, Sweetness, whose name is in no way suggestive to her character. Sweetness is a tough-love mother that punishes Bride for being dark. This constant treatment of Bride makes Bride tough and eventually successful as an adult. As the book continues it is clear that Sweetness had her reasons for treating Bride as she did and everything comes full circle by the end of the book. God Help the Child is an interesting look at what a mother feels necessary to do to in order to protect and prepare her child for the world, however questionable. Morrison writes a short, interesting read at how love comes in different forms, shapes and colors. I’d like to see this book made into a movie and Lupe N’yongo play Bride.  It would be such a good film.  

Happy Reading!

By Francine @

Anthem Book Review