The Week in Review: 05.22.2020
Between the Covers
Finished last week:
YOGA ANIMALS by Paige Towler is an adorable picture book that will have little ones bending and posing. It begins by explaining that lots of animals stretch, bend, and curl and says we can too. From there, it shows animals in their natural habitats and shows how what they’re doing is similar to yoga and shows a young person striking a yoga pose. For example, a giraffe reaching in a tree for food is similar to the upward salute pose. The back of the book gives more details on the poses and the animals featured. This is a great book to get little ones moving and stretching and would be perfect for use in a classroom. (Review copy provided by Media Masters Publicity.)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A HUNDRED SUNS by Karin Tanabe is the story of Jessie Lesage. Born in America, Jessie has been on a quest to reinvent herself for years. She’s married a member of the Michelin family and, at her suggestion, they’ve moved to Indochine, so he can take control of the company’s rubber plantations and suppress any uprisings there. Upon their arrival, Jessie is befriended by Marcelle who has something besides friendship in mind.
I enjoyed this peek into the horrible conditions into the expatriate life of the 1930s and was appalled by the things that went on at the rubber plantations. This well written and researched story showed how French Colonialism brutalized and took advantage of the native people. I don’t gravitate towards historical fiction but thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to everyone. (Review copy provided by St. Martin’s Press.)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
BETSEY: A MEMOIR by Betsey Johnson is the story of the designer’s life from her childhood to the present. The second of three children, Johnson grew up in Connecticut and had a pretty ordinary childhood. Her parents were supportive and encouraged their children to be active and try different things. Johnson attended the Pratt Institute and graduated from Syracuse University where she studied art. She discovered fashion design while she was an intern for Mademoiselle magazine and the rest is history, although she didn’t take a traditional path to success.
Like Johnson herself, I found her memoir to be quirky and entertaining. It doesn’t reveal any big secrets and isn’t especially deep but it’s certainly a pleasant way to spend a few hours. I listened to the audio which is narrated by Johnson who does a great job. (Review copy provided by Penguin Random House.)
Currently reading:
- GOING CLEAR by Lawrence Wright
- RODHAM by Curtis Sittenfeld
On the Screen
Nothing at all.
Off the blog
- I finished my New York City puzzle.
- We got 5.8 inches of rain this week. We’re happy to have a few dry days before it’s supposed to start up again.
- I walked at least three miles every morning and averaged just over 16,250 Fitbit steps a day.
What’s going on in your corner of the world?
Bermudaonion's Weblog 
I love that puzzle! And I think I need the yoga book for kids since I can never figure out how to do it for adults!
Great week book wise and off the blog,
Good job on the puzzle!!
Ooh, I just got Rodham in my mailbox! I like the way Sittenfeld fictionalizes real characters. A few years ago, I read one she had done based on Laura Bush.
Thanks for sharing. Enjoy them all. I am curious about the Betsey Johnson book, too.
That is a great puzzle!
You did great on the exercise front in spite of the rain!
I still have Betsy Johnson sweaters packed away .I always liked her she was so u usual will be getting the book from the library.Happy Memorial Day,
Love that puzzle! You had a decent reading week. Hope your holiday is safe and relaxing…
That puzzle is pretty cool.
I like Betsey Johnson’s style but don’t own anything she has designed.
It’s Memorial Day weekend! Will be taking a little road trip and then grill burgers on Monday. I am just glad to have an extra day off.
I LOVE Going Clear. Such an eye-opening and kind of terrifying book. The documentary of the same name is excellent as well if you haven’t watched it yet.
Good job getting that much walking in with the rain. I think this next week is going to be fairly wet for us as well. Why can’t the rain just all cover in the overnight hours? I think that’s fair – ha! Hope you have a good weekend!
Love that puzzle!! I can see just how challenging and fun it would have been. It’s certainly the kind of puzzle I enjoy. A Hundred Suns is a new-to-me book that I will be checking out soon.
Love the puzzle!! And I used to avoid historical fiction until I joined my current book group a few years ago and we tend to read a lot of it. I’ve found t hat I like it, depending on the period of time. It’s like an intro to a point in history and you can choose to look into it a bit more or just be happy you were exposed to it. I really want to read Rodham!
I can’t believe you walked so much with all that rain! Love the puzzle; great job. Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend Kathy.
Colonialism had its good as well. The treatment meted out to
Locals was the bad bit and the sheer robbery of all resources was the other. In Sri Lanka we got roads, railways, an educational system, a justice system amongst many others which exist to this day. I think we got off lightly in comparison.
The week has flown despite the sense of walking in one place. We again in complete lockdown to avoid gatherings which usually happen with ramazan scheduled for Monday or Tuesday.
We finished a puzzle this week and bought 3 more. My lovely husband can’t walk past an uncompleted puzzle without putting a couple of pieces in place, which is a distraction from work!
Associating the poses with animals is a perfect way for kids to move into yoga. We would do yoga poses when we waited for our buses after school, and I found kids loved it, and they especially loved the animal poses. I will look for this book.
I’m always fascinated with people who create, like Betsey Johnson. What was it like for her growing up? What was school like for her? I am glad the book was quirky. I would have been disappointed if it were not.
Going Clear and Rodham both sound interesting. Lawrence Wright’s books are always excellent. I especially loved his book on Texas. Rodham starts from a great premise. I will be interested in seeing what you think about both of these.
I want to read the rubber one
We too got 4 days in a row of rain here … and now feel so soggy. The sun is supposed to come out soon. The puzzle looks very cool! And the novel A Hundred Suns sounds like a good wake up call … on how the conditions there were. I might like to read it. thanks. Have a great weekend.
I like historical fiction so I probably would enjoy, A Hundred Suns. I have seen lots of Betsey Johnson’s jewelry in TJ Maxx-I’d be interested in her story! Not much going on with us- still staying in and just taking our walks .Thanks for the reviews.
Good job on the puzzle and the morning walks. My husband and I have been taking early morning walks also and it’s nice and relaxing. The Betsey Johnson book and A Hundred Suns look interesting.
Enjoy your week.
That Yoga Animals Book looks so cute!
Wishing you a great reading week
Oh my goodness, that puzzle looks challenging!! We’ve had almost 7 inches of rain this month, so I’m thrilled that we are heading into a dry week. Not only that, but we will be in the 60s. Finally! Warm, dry weather. I may get out on my bike later this weekend. Have a good week!
Betsy Johnson is such an interesting figure! She seems really wacky, but I like her fashions. And I love the animal yoga book; what a great way to get kids to try it.
I am glad you enjoyed A Hundred Suns. I am interested in reading it as well. I hope you have a great week!
What a gorgeous puzzle. That’s a keeper. The Yoga animals sounds cute.
Kathy, I am late to see this post and comment, but better late than never! The completed NYC puzzle is fantastic! I’m a fan of Betsey Johnson’s fun, colorful designs, so her memoir does interest me, especially as an audio book. Great step count, as always! I wish we’d get some rain here.
I hope you and your family are doing well. Have a terrific weekend, Kathy!
(P.S. Yoga Animals looks adorable. I love it when my dog does “yoga stretches”!)