Maisie Dobbs : a novel by Jacqueline Winspear (2003)

c Waterloo Public Library 2007.



Having had foot surgery earlier this summer, I have plenty of time to read. Fortunately, several of my favorite writers have brand new books out. One of them is Jacqueline Winspear and An Incomplete Revenge, the newest addition to the very excellent Maisie Dobbs series (which I will review later this week). If you haven’t read any of these books yet, you should really go back to the first title—Maisie Dobbs (2003), which introduces you to the main characters and gives you a better understanding of the context of these books.

The books cover the period of time between the end of the First World War and the 1930s in England. The country has experienced the loss of thousands of soldiers—the brothers, sons, husbands and fathers who went off to war. Some soldiers came home while others returned with injuries to the mind and body; however, many did not return, and their absence had a profound effect on their families, small towns, and country overall. The series does an excellent job of showing what life was like for those who lived in this era.

Jacqueline Winspear has created a remarkable female character in Maisie Dobbs. Maisie is a complex woman: intelligent, compassionate, independent, and extremely observant and intuitive. She was born to poor but hardworking parents, her mother died when Maisie was only 14. Afterwards, her father concluded that the best alternative was for Maisie to go to work as a servant in a large household for Lady Rowan Compton. There she discovers a marvelous treasure: the large library. She is so hungry to learn that she works all day and then sneaks into the library to read at night. When her activity is discovered, she expects punishment. However, her employer senses something special about this young girl and arranges for her to study with Dr. Maurice Blanche, who is an old friend.

Not only is Maurice a highly intelligent man, he is also a man who has consulted with Scotland Yard and known for using his psychological and investigative insights to solve puzzles and unravel criminal cases. Maisie becomes his protégé after going to University, where she meets Priscilla, a lively young woman from a wealthy family who takes an immediate liking to Maisie.

Priscilla takes Maisie home to a party; Priscilla’s brothers are going off to the military, and one of the other guests is a young doctor named Simon. He and Maisie quickly fall in love. When the Great War breaks out, Maisie gets trained as a nurse and sent to France. Priscilla volunteers to become an ambulance driver. Once in France, Maisie gets assigned to a field hospital on the frontlines—and eventually gets the opportunity to work with Simon.

The events that take place in France change all of their lives forever: Simon, Maisie, and Priscilla. Each book in the series brings out a little more information about these characters, and the impact of the War on their lives. When Maisie returns from France, she is a very changed woman; however, her relationship with Maurice, her father, and Lady Rowan give her the strength to open her own practice. In the first book, Maisie’s first case presents itself as fairly simple: a man is convinced his wife is having an affair and hires Maisie to find out the truth. Her investigation uncovers a killer, and a series of secrets.

The Waterloo Library has all of the books in the series: each one is well worth the read. Several of them are available in large print, the older copies can be found in Adult fiction, and the newest one is located on the new books shelf.

Maisie Dobbs (2003)
Birds of a feather (2004)
Pardonable lies (2005)
Messenger of truth (2006)
An incomplete revenge (2008)

Candy Apple Red

c Waterloo Public Library 2007

Just when I thought that I had enough “favorite” new authors, I recently came across several new writers who have me hooked after one book. One of them is Nancy Bush, and while reviewers compare her to Janet Evanovich—and I can see why—I would have enjoyed Candy Apple Red whether or not I had ever read any of the popular Stephanie Plum novels. Candy Apple Red introduces us to Jane Kelly, a young woman in her 30s who used to be a bar tender back in Los Angeles, and now works part time for a private detective.

The story takes place in Lake Chinook, Oregon and Bush does a skillful job of making the setting an essential part of the story. People who live on the lake are as apt to take their boat to Foster’s On the Lake, one of the local restaurants, as they are to drive. Foster's is where the locals go to enjoy a cool drink or fancy dinner. While Foster’s prices are generally beyond Jane’s budget, she goes there serveral times throughout the book. The description of the lake, and the island in the middle of it, are nicely done and made me nostalgic for the days I spent living out east, in Newport, Rhode Island.

Jane is an interesting character. She is likeable, flawed, and stubborn--and very curious. She is also tougher than she thinks she is, and does not see herself as a sentimental person; however, when she inherits an ugly dog named Binky from an elderly aunt, she is forced to take responsibility for the well being of someone else. She renames the dog "the Binkster" and the dog becomes a key character in the book.

Jane rents a little cottage on the lake and supports herself serving eviction notices for a local landlord and doing temporary jobs for a friend, Dwayne, who is a private detective, and one of her friends. Dwayne is one of those wonderful male characters who at first appears to be a good old boy from Texas who is laid back; however, there is more substance to this cowboy than first meets the eye. He’s smart, tough, and extremely loyal to his friends. He is also incredibly charming, with a drawl that he seems to turn on and off, and is doing his best to persuade Jane to come work with him full time.

As the story opens, Jane is still trying to get over Murphy, the old boyfriend responsible for her move from L. A. to Oregon: unfortunately, the relationship didn’t last. One of Murphy’s best friends, Bobby, killed his entire family—his wife and children--and then disappeared four years ago. Bobby’s father, Cotton, is wealthy, owns the island, and clings to his belief in his son’s innocence--as does her exboyfriend, Murphy. Cotton is also divorced from Bobby's mother, Tess, and has remarried a much younger woman.

Tess hires Jane to find out if Cotton has been helping his son stay in hiding. There is a big party coming up on the island, and Jane goes to the party. Tess is hoping that Cotton will open up to Jane, since she is Murphy's exgirlfriend. Things get really interesting when Jane finds out that Murphy is coming back to town for the party....and then they see each other, and start remembering their attraction for each other. In the meantime, Jane follows up on a handful of tips, and the story really takes off.

Along the way we learn more about her family--she has a mother back in L. A. and a twin brother, who is a cop--and meet some of her other friends. The contrast of Murphy and Dwayne as two males who both know what Jane should be doing with her life provides another storyline that hooks the reader in, along with great dialogue and description.

I had hardly finished the book when I got my hands on Electric Blue--the second Jane Kelly book in what I hope is a long series.

Andrew Wyeth

After graduation from high school, I remember that one of the first art books I received from a friend was on the artwork of Andrew Wyeth (which had little on his life). Like many of my friends who accumulate books, I know I still have it, but it's probably buried under some stack of art books.

My interest in Andrew Wyeth was recently renewed while visiting an art museum that had some of his work, along with famous father's (N.C.). It was one of those trips I took with my best friend Tom (you know . . . the one who gets excited about museum cafes). He didn't go with me to the museum, though (he wasn't hungry).

When I checked out Andrew Wyeth: A Secret Life by Richard Meryman (759.13 WYE in the biography section), I got more than I had anticipated.

The first painting discussed is Wyeth's pivotal "Christina's World." It's a very strange image: an expansive landscape of grass with a woman lying in the foreground who's pulling herself toward the desolate buildings in the the distance. This is how the author introduces the readers to the life of Wyeth - through Christina Olson's world.

Christina was a stubborn woman who had a crippling disease. She saw her father's health decline and spend several years in a wheelchair. She told herself she would be as self-sufficient as possible without the wheelchair. Andrew Wyeth actually painted her as she was, crawling with just her two arms back to her house. Andrew had an immense attraction to her way of life, a life most would never want to live.

Meryman does a really good job of giving the background story on many of Wyeth's most famous pieces. If I thought Wyeth's paintings were powerful before, I'm even more in awe after reading about his subjects and how his paintings evolved.

Now if I could only remember which pile has my own book was in . . .

c Waterloo Public Library 2008

A childhood at sea

For the first 8 years of her life, Burgess Cogill lived her life in the open the open sea. Her father commanded various sailing ships that was based out of San Francisco.

She was born on the Snow & Burgess schooner on September 5, 1902. The shipping industry (and San Francisco) was quite different then as anyone reading her book, When God was an Atheist Sailer ( 910.45 COG), will quickly notice.

The book is very slim and full of old black and white photographs, making this the perfect read during a lazy afternoon.

c Waterloo Public Library 2008

Author travels the route of Marco Polo

Author Tim Severin, along with two buddies, travelled the route of Marco Polo. Tracking Marco Polo (910.92 SEV) is the result of their journey. The book is part travelogue and part history lesson.

Beginning in London, they made their way through Europe and the Middle East on motorcycles. The book is very helpful with understanding each leg of their journey by including maps showing both routes: Marco Polo's and Tim Severin's .

To give you a feel for the book, let's take a look at Severin's experiences in Venice. In that chapter, he weaves Polo's family history in the town. During Polo's visit, he was caught in a battle between two cities: Venice and Genoa. Polo was captured and thrown into prison where he met a fellow prisoner who was a professional storyteller. This storyteller persuaded Polo to write down his travels and publish a book, which they did (and proved to be very popular). Because readers did not believe that the stories were true, it was promoted as a work of fiction.

However, Tim Severin proves to modern-day readers that the stories Polo wrote about were indeed true. In some locations, it took Severin time to find certain sites, but, with a little detective work, he does find many of them.

Here's a sample of his eloquent writing about one of the sites, Goreme, which is locate in what is now Turkey:

"Supposedly there are 365 churches hollowed out of the sandstone columns of Goreme, for each rock cone thrusts upward like a rotten tooth riddled with cavities. We crawled from cavern to cavern, up worn steps and into innumerable passageways and grottoes, till at last we were brought out on a little platform at the very pinnacle of one mound, and could look across at the other pillars with their sockets of cave mouths."

Because this book is copyrighted in 1964, readers will get a taste of life in the Middle East before 9/11.

c Waterloo Public Library 2008

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The life of a black family

Maggie's American Dream is divided into two sections: James Comer's autobiography and Comer's mother's history. Of the two, I think most will agree the section on his mother is much more dramatic and interesting.

Maggie was born in Mississippi in 1904. Her family life was one of poverty and segregation. Maggie's father died when she was fairly young. Her stepfather wasn't a very good role model. When he settled into another city for work, he only sent one ticket for Maggie's mother and none for the kids. He worked a little here and there, constantly moving the family. Her stepfather became very upset with Maggie's desire to learn. She had to sneak behind the family's back to learn to read.

Maggie told herself that she was going to make sure that all of her kids would get a proper education. That dream was accomplished with all of her five kids. They all went to college.

Maggie's American Dream is a very inspiring book about enduring hardships and becoming a stronger family. The book is located in the biography section under the call number 973.0496 COM.

c Waterloo Public Library 2008

Waterloo's Walnut Neighborhood

Here's another book (more like a booklet) that I found while remodeling the second floor. Walnut Neighborhood is a book about the historic section of Waterloo bordered by Franklin Street, East Fourth Street, Dane Street, and Highway 63. According to this book, there are about sixty homes dating back to the early 20th century in this neighborhood.

There are eighteen residents interviewed in this book. This is the kind of book I like to read - the writing is very easygoing and homey. Throughout the book, there are wonderful prints done by youth who were members of the Boys and Girls Club or knew the people interviewed.

I have a special attachment to this book since I used to live at Walnut Court Apartments, which is within this district.

c Waterloo Public Library 2008

I've always been a sucker for bad puns

If you don't know it already, we are doing some major remodeling on the second floor of the library. One of the benefits of shifting thousands of books is getting a chance to see books that are so slim they get overlooked - like today's selection, Shoes to Live in Iowa, a paperback book with less than 70 pages.

Author John Ellerbach and illustrator Scott Fabritz have a way of poking fun of Iowa without being mean. Although the jokes are tongue-in-cheek, there is a lot of trivia about the state that you can use to amaze all of your friends.

All I ask is that you don't tell friends who live in surrounding states about this book. The way I look at it, Minnesota has enough jokes about Iowa without adding to it!

Shoes to Live in Iowa is on the second floor under the call # 977.7 ELL. If you have trouble finding it, because of its slender size, be sure to ask for my help at the reference desk. Maybe with two pairs of eyes we can find it on the shelf if we are lucky.

c Waterloo Public Library 2008