Now, you really are not surprised that Miss MoneyPenny is going to do a few book reviews, are you? I have been a life long reader and I have the perfect job at the library. My mother took me to the library for the first time when I was two, according to her, and I remember it. She was surprised by that, but when I described it, she agreed.
Actually, one of my favorite memories of my mom was her sitting up on the bank at the swimming hole, reading while us kids were splashing away. She would be reading some book that she got at the library and she would be snickering. I would ask her what was so funny. Sometimes she would read me the passage. Anyway, it was really hot in the summer where we lived and every week day at 1:00 my mother would load up the pickup with all the neighborhood kids and take us to the swimming hole. I wonder if any of the other mothers knew that mom could not swim a stroke when they let their kids go with her.
The first book that I want to talk about is Kathy Spencer's How to Shop for Free. This is a great book about getting the deal when you are shopping. Kathy is a stay-at-home mom with four kids (one in college), critters and a husband who works for the city. His annual income is $45,000 and they live in the Boston area where costs are really high. Because of Kathy's expertise, they have a beautiful home and no debt. They drive SUVs, wear name brand clothes and give a lot to charity.
Kathy is a lovely, chic lady who really knows how to get the deal and is willing to teach us through her website of the same name and her book. She covers it all - from groceries, clothing, prescriptions, you name it. She has it figured out. She takes her shopping very seriously. Even though I am not an extreme shopper, I found her book to be very informative and it gave me a lot to think about. I also enjoyed her quirky style of writing and she was very clear in explaining her methods. I bought this book for my ereader and look forward to anything else that she writes.
The next book is Michele Owens' Grow the Good Life: why a vegetable garden will make you happy, healthy, wealthy, and wise. This is not your typical gardening book. There are no pretty pictures or charts and diagrams. Michele is one of the Garden Rant ladies, so you know she has an attitude. She has an opinion on everything to do with vegetable gardening, from growing it to eating it. Her writing is beautiful. Dare I say it is a literary gardening book? This is another book that I put on my ereader. I just couldn't stand the idea of not having it.
The last book for today is a novel. Doc by Mary Doria Russell gets my vote for the best novel of the year. This book is a fictionalized story of Doc Holliday based on fact. I know - who wants to read a western where the hero dies? Trust me on this, you will thank me. This is a lovely book and I didn't want it to end - what Nancy Pearl calls "a gooood book." I fell madly in love with Doc. He's just the kind of guy I always go for. Heads up - the author is coming to our library for the Huntingford Lecture on October 11th at 6:30. Come early.
Correction: Hall and Oats are going to be at Bumpershoot, not the Puyallup. Get your facts straight, MoneyPenny.
Update: Suzette is back to her happy, barking self. Thank you Dr. Ginny!
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