Monkey Temple by Peter Gelfan

Hello everyone.

Fall seems to be rushing towards us. It's my favorite season. My birthday is in the fall. Sadly, I don't enjoy my birthday. For years it seems like something terrible has happened on my special day, there has been physical issues, hurricanes, and to top it off a few years ago we had to put our dog down on that day. None of those occurrences are happy memories. My mom died when she was very young, this fall I turn the same age as she was when she passed away. I'm freaking out. Really freaking out, to the point of having nightmares. I have been forced to consider my own mortality.

It's not just the whole death issue on my mind lately, but it is aging in general. For you in your twenties, enjoy it. As you get older, you remain the same, well hopefully wiser and more emotionally mature, but you still feel like you. The problem is that your body starts to betray you. Suddenly when you sit for a while you are stiff when you get up. Why? Then one day there is knee pain, the pulled back just from sneezing, or that odd ache in your shoulder. It is like living in an alien that will not do what your brain instructs it to do. Very odd.

I recently read Monkey Temple by Peter Gelfan. This is the story of two older men, dear friends, who are on a quest to find a house. As the buddies head south from NYC they discover they are on more than one journey, learning more about each other and themselves along the way. The men end up in a house in a slightly inland area of coastal NC, where they are joined by people from their past and present. Not only did the story ring true with me as these people are confronting their own aging, but like the story I moved from NY (upstate) to coastal NC. In fact, the setting of this wonderful story is very close to me, making it extra special.

In a way this book made me sad, not because of the story but depressed that I will never write like this author.  Everything from school that I forgot, long ago, about sentence structure, Peter Gelfan remembered and improved on. Some people say if you actually notice the writing then it or the plot is no good. I completely disagree, this writing stood out because it is excellent. The story is wonderful and this book reads like a classic. I am jealous of this author's talent.

I read lots during the year, to avoid being crushed by books I give many of them to my family. Monkey Temple is not leaving. I have two all time favorite books, Tom Sawyer and Dandelion Wine, Monkey Temple is going on the shelf right next to them.

**While engrossed in this book, I read several small passages to my husband. Although it has now been approximately a week since I finished this story, he is still asking me about the main characters Jules and Rals,  he remembers them by name. Now THAT is high praise for a book!

We Hope For Better Things

Hello everyone. Hope you are having a good day.

Part of my life as an average, everyday housewife, is dealing with an average, everyday husband. Now, I've known my husband for gosh more than thirty years. (no age comments) Wow, I am overdue for a halo, seriously! Anyway, despite this long time together and knowing all his quirks and having heard endless (and I mean endless) "guy" stories, I still don't get men.  Let's start with the guy stories, why are they so often about air coming out of some part of the body at some inappropriate time? Why do they seem to suffer from hearing loss when certain topics are brought up?  And why, please someone tell me why, they notice and comment on the breast size of every woman they see? Men, let me give you some valuable advice, we don't care what you think about the breasts of the woman on the panel giving commentary on CNN. You know they might be talking about some apocalyptic event, but all we hear is "wow, she's got a nice set". Honestly, I shake my head.

What brings up hubby talk? I told you we received a new gaming system for Christmas. He is playing some military game, he is on the beach at D-Day and then fight against the Germans in World War II. So, I hear endless gun fire, only to have it silenced by his loud cussing. I say "if you're not enjoying this we can return it."  No, he wants to play. Now, two hours later, I hear the game talking amongst the gun fire, and hubby talking back to the characters, saying things like "I can't find the amo, is this a budget cut?" Then more cursing, by both him and the game, yes, the game curses too. I remind him he must go to the office tomorrow, doesn't he believe it would be wise to start thinking about going to bed, no, he has to play a big longer. Again, with the head shaking. Men are giving me a neck ache! As we all know, all women are perfect in every way. Now that I've insulted half the population perhaps we should talk about a book. A story that discusses differences not between men and women but in race.

I recently received a copy of We Hope for Better Things by Erin Bartels. This book is remarkable and beautiful and haunting and.....and.....I don't know. I can't think of an adequate way of describing it. This story follows a house outside Detroit that has three generations of the family live in it for different reasons and at different times. One thing they all have in common is that all three of the women are white and fall in love with an African-American man. One takes place during the civil war, one in the 1960's and one in present time. They each have their own story line and, of course, they intertwine. The telling of each of these characters lives is really interesting but the point is really to show how racism has changed and not changed. It shows how love can be anywhere, with anyone...an inter-racial marriage, mother and child or between aunt and niece. The chapters are short and it changes between time periods frequently. For those who don't like that kind of change, please know that is it smoothly done and not irritating. Also, know that this book touches on racism and police brutality but does not preach. I promise you will not feel like you are reading some kid's history paper or being lectured to. This is simply a perfectly told story from start to finish.

I have one problem with this book. I regret that I read it so early in the year as I fear it will be my favorite for the entire year and, if that is the case, then I have nothing to look forward to that can beat it. Okay, I am willing to look and read for something better, but this book was incredible.