So I KILLED it this month! 9 books for a total of 3,250 pages. That’s an average of 105 pages a day! I have a feeling February will go back to my normal average. But wow! Kicking off the new year right. So here we go.....
The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough (692 pages). This is one of those novels that I feel like I already knew all about without having read it. The novel begins when Meggie Cleary is 4 years old and living in New Zealand as the only daughter in a large family. They move to Australia to help run her aunt’s sheep farm (a small 250,000 acres of land!). There, 10 year old Meggie first meets 28 year old Father Ralph de Bricassart. And thus began a lifelong passionate love that defied the Church, distance and time. It was an epic story that spanned over 50 years. So much drama. So much detail. Yet it went so quickly. The Cleary family themselves were quite fascinating. I finished in 9 days.
When Calls the Heart by Janette Oke (221 pages). This was a re-read for me. Oke is one of my favorite Christian authors. I recently started watching the Hallmark series When Calls the Heart. And remembered how much I loved the book series (which is entirely different than the television series). Toronto-born Elizabeth Thatcher moves to the Canadian West to teach. She meets her brother’s good friend, North West Royal Mounted Policeman Wynn Delaney. While their attraction is immediate, Wynn feels that his job and a wife are not compatible. But can love convince him otherwise? I finished in a day.
When Comes the Spring by Janette Oke (255 pages). Book 2 in the series. Spoiler alert- love did conquer all. Wynn and Elizabeth marry and head off to their first assignment together. But is Elizabeth truly equipped to handle the rigors of the far North? Especially in a world where white women are the minority. I finished in a third of a day.
When Breaks the Dawn by Janette Oke (223 pages). Book 3 in the series. Elizabeth and Wynn are firmly established in their post town. They have friends and a purpose (Wynn as a lawman and Elizabeth as a teacher again). But life is never easy and Elizabeth’s dream of starting a family with Wynn never seems to come true. I finished in a third of a day.
When Hope Springs New by Janette Oke (222 pages). Book 4 in the series. Elizabeth and Wynn make their way to their new posting. In an even more remote village where Elizabeth is the first white woman to ever be seen by the Indians. Her isolation is almost more than she can bear. But when a tragedy strikes the village, Elizabeth finds a strength she never knew. Sadly, the same tragedy that finally endears them to the village results in their departure from the village. But new adventures await in a much more civilized town. I finished in a third of a day.
East of Eden by John Steinbeck (602 pages). So clearly, this month was a month of classics! This is one of those books that I thought I knew the plot. Twins Cal and Aron, right? Right, but so much more than that. It’s the story of the Samuel Hamilton family (modeled after Steinbeck’s grandfather, and yes, the author makes an appearance) and the Trask family. And how they all end up in Salinas Valley. Cal and Aron only play a role in the second half of the book. You know, after their mother abandoned them after shooting their father in the shoulder. It’s a story of family and forgiveness and timshel (thou mayest). I finished in 12 days.
Beyond the Gathering Storm by Janette Oke (253 pages). Book 5 in the series. This book focuses on Elizabeth and Wynn’s adopted children. Henry has followed in his dad’s footsteps and become a Mountie. Christine moves to a big city and seems willing to sacrifice her beliefs for a man. But both of them know who their parents raised them to be. I finished in one day.
When Tomorrow Comes by Janette Oke (256 pages). Book 6 in the series. Again, the focus is on the Delaney children. Henry has found true love. But Christine doubts herself and her decisions after her broken engagement to the wrong man. She knows the Lord is always in control. But all she wants is to return to her beloved North. I finished in a day.
The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe by J. Randy Taraborrelli (526 pages, which included some appendices). I find Marilyn to be a fascinating and tragic figure. This book only served to prove me right. The amount of research this author did is staggering. And actually makes me believe that the only Kennedy with whom Marilyn truly had a relationship was Pat, Jack and Bobby’s sister. Yes, she did have a one weekend affair with JFK. Yes, she did talk to RFK on several occasions, as she considered him an inspiring man. But the only long term relationship was with Pat. To be honest, Marilyn’s relationships (or lack thereof) simply broke my heart for her. I wonder how different her life could have been if she’d just stayed a simple unknown Norma Jeane. Or if she’d been born later, when people would have been better able to cope with her mental illnesses. I also now want to watch more of her movies. She truly wanted to be a great actress. And constantly challenged herself to be more than just Marilyn Monroe. I finished in 10 days. Because I had to!
This month’s favorite was ....The Thorn Birds. Although I truly loved the Marilyn biography.
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