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BOOKS INSPIRED BY HEMINGWAY AND HIS WIVES

September 10, 2020 /

I just finished a really good book about Hemingway in Key West from the perspective of a fictional maid/girlfriend while he was married to Pauline:

Hemingway’s Girl by Erika Robuck

The story also covered the 1935 hurricane that I learned about recently in another book.

I love the setting of Key West and the other places Hemingway lived, Cuba, Paris, etc., and with his four wives, there is plenty of drama to inspire historical fiction. I LOVED the Paula McLain books, one is about Hadley and the other about Martha, and I got to wondering if I have missed any other good books based on these lives.

So, I put together this list of historical fiction inspired by Hemingway and his wives, some of these I have read and some I am putting on my list now.

‘JACKIE AND MARIA’

September 5, 2020 /

I just finished this intriguing book about Jackie Kennedy and Maria Callas and how their lives interconnected with Aristotle Onassis:

Jackie and Maria: A Novel of Jackie Kennedy & Maria Callas by Gill Paul

We already know Gill Paul can write an amazing story, and I’m fascinated by Jackie Kennedy (who isn’t?) but prior to reading, I had no idea who Maria Callas was.

Maria Callas was the most famous opera singer of this time period. She and Aristotle seemed to be soul mates, but he enjoyed “collecting famous people” and eventually, he couldn’t resist the challenge of wooing the world’s most famous widow.

‘THE VANISHING HALF’

August 24, 2020 /

I stayed up late last night to finish this book because I had to know how it ended.

The Vanishing Half: A Novel by Brit Bennett

After a family tragedy and hardships, twin sisters run away from their southern black community at age 16 and attempt to start new lives for themselves. Eventually, one of the sisters returns to her hometown with a daughter. The other sister pretends to be a white woman and disappears into a new life. After many years, coincidences begin to connect their lives again.

NEW BOOKS TO READ IN LATE SUMMER

August 21, 2020 /

Several interesting books have been published in the last couple of weeks, many by authors I have enjoyed in the past. So…it’s time for a new “reading list” !!

Publishers notes in boxes. You can click on the links to view and purchase on Amazon.

SUMMARY OF THE MARY TRUMP BOOK

August 8, 2020 /

When I tried to borrow this new book from the library there were over 100 people waiting for it!

Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man by Mary L. Trump, Ph.D

I decided to purchase my own copy, and I am going to summarize it below for those of you who may still be waiting for it or are curious.

For several reasons I don’t think it’s necessarily worth recommending (though I’m glad I read it). So, if you prefer. you can read my summary, and move on to other books!

Usually I don’t “spoil” books, as you know if you read my blog regularly.

NEW BOOKS I’VE ENJOYED

August 6, 2020 /

Usually, I like to write a separate post on each book I enjoy and want to recommend…but I’ve been reading so much lately, partly due to being on vacation and because we have been using our motorhome a lot, I’ve gotten way behind on my posts. So I need to tell you about several books right now to get caught up! Hopefully you didn’t miss my last post on the best book I read on vacation.

‘THE LAST TRAIN TO KEY WEST’

July 30, 2020 /

I’m excited to tell you about a new book by an author who has quickly become a favorite of mine. First, because she writes about locations that I love. And secondly, because she tells great stories within a context of history and culture.

The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton

I’ve written before about how I love Key West and have even taken my kids there. So although the title would have piqued my interest anyway, this is the third book I have enjoyed by Chanel Cleeton, the first two being set in Cuba, another of the defining destinations of my life.

VIRGINIA’S “HISTORIC TRIANGLE” – SUMMER VACATION PART 2

July 23, 2020 /

After four amazing days camping at Virginia Beach, which I already blogged about, we moved on to the “Historic Triangle” to immerse ourselves in American history (with masks and social distancing).

The Historic Triangle includes Jamestowne (first English settlement), Yorktown (site of Revolutionary war battle) and Colonial Williamsburg (a living history interpretation of the colonial town).

We stayed at Anvil Campground which was conveniently located to all of these sights (Yorktown was the farthest, at about 20 mins) and lots of restaurants etc. I’ll talk about the campground more at the end in case any readers are RVers as well.

I had no idea how to approach all of these activities and locations including BOTH Jamestowns with only two full days in the area, so I did my research and did my best to plan it out. It worked out OK (mostly)…so I will share our experiences and what I learned:

READING ‘CHESAPEAKE’ ON THE CHESAPEAKE – SUMMER VACATION PART 1

July 19, 2020 /

I’m back with some vacation and book recommendations after traveling to the East Coast during early July.

Earlier this year, we purchased an RV (motorhome) for travel and fun. It has been one of the best decision we’ve made, and even during the pandemic we have still been comfortable traveling because we can keep to ourselves both on the road and at campsites.

CLEANING OUT MY BOOKCASE

July 1, 2020 /

I recently found myself drawn towards this book:

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo

I have watched a couple of episodes of her show on Netflix and knew I was included in her target audience…

Leslie's Bookcase