Jill Norgren debuts as a SeniorWomenWeb book reviewer and begins with three engaging and beautifully written works of fiction that explore the intersection of emotion, relationship, and culture: The Gift of a Bride, The Indian Bride and Unaccustomed Earth, now issued in paperback. The books are united by a shared concern for the demands, rewards, and complications of marriage and immigration, particularly on the part of individuals who once called India “home.” Joan Cannon reviews Somewhere Near the End by Diana Athill: Entertaining and challenging; a literate as well as a literary delight.
Author: SeniorWomenWeb
-
Veterans Remember
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Oral History program presents Veterans Remember:
“Public interest in the stories and recollections of our nation’s veterans is long-standing and enduring. Although our collection of veterans interviews is not as extensive as that of many institutions, our goal is to conduct in-depth interviews that examine the narrators’ early years as well as thoroughly address their military experiences.”
-
Sailing, Part Two
John Malone writes: While we were out in the back yard cleaning up the debris from the tornado, I discovered our old Thistle resting against the back wall of the house. Papa and Mama had given up sailing, and nobody else wanted the boat, which had deteriorated exposed to the elements. I asked him if I could have it, and he agreed gladly.
-
PBGC’s Financial Condition and New Challenges
Vincent Snowbarger, Acting Director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation testified before the Senate Special Committee on Aging. What follows are a few selected paragraphs:
-
Wishing for ‘A Modest Proposal’
Joan L. Cannon writes, “There seems to be no excuse for the callousness of [Namibia] for the exploitation of conspicuous consumption. I thought of Swift’s ability to flay human folly and wished I could convey in the way he would have the combination of fury and incredulity that assailed me.”
-
San Francisco Center for the Book Exhibits
Exhibits at the SFCB — Once Upon A Book: Author/illustrators reveal their creative processes; Show Me a Story includes an essay excerpt from Maribeth Back’s essay, Encoding Enchantment: Engineering the Materials of Story
-
Jo Freeman Reviews Red, Blue, and Purple America: The Future of Election Demographics
Jo Freeman reviews Red, Blue, and Purple America: The Future of Election Demographics — The authors offer numerous insights into voting trends, a few surprises, and much food for thought. If you want to know why the 2008 election was not an aberration, read this book.
-
All in the Family: Five Producers of Good-Value Italian Wines
Sharon Kapnick writes: Other than family management, ingredients that go into these wines are passion, dedication, creativity, research, innovation, state-of-the-art technology, tradition and decades — even centuries! — of experience
-
What Is a Book Club?
Joan L. Cannon writes: I thought a book club would bear some resemblance to an English class, presumably without grades or written reports. Everyone would read the same book, and then the meeting would take place with everyone discussing the chosen volume for that session. Little did I know.
-
It’s a Gray Area, Part One
Roberta McReynolds writes: I was hoping for something more exotic sounding than Clairol #18 — Pecan. I never came up with anything called #1 — Foxy Brunet, #10 — Helen of Troy Umber, or even Frosted Chocolate Malt Fantasy. Oh, wait a minute … that last one was my favorite Swensen’s ice cream dessert.