Books in review - March

As I mentioned last month, I'm doing book reviews for Revell Books. In March I only read one book from their program, but I'll mention a few others on my reading list this month.

Miriam's Song

by Jill Eileen Smith

biblical fiction

☆☆☆

Let me start by saying I don't read many books of this type, because I haven't found them too impressive. The ones I have read (with a few exceptions) feel romanticized. To judge a book by its cover, I thought this one would fit the mould. Although it does contain a small amount of romance, it seemed very well researched and biblically accurate. 

What I found most intriguing about this book was that the author chose to use Hatshepsut (female pharaoh of Egypt who reigned circa 1479-1458 BC) as the princess who rescued Moses. I wanted to know how she came to that conclusion, so I contacted the author. Interestingly enough, she replied with an excerpt from one of her sources. (If anyone is as nerdy as me and wants to know full details, I can forward it to you!) Anyway, the time periods do line up, even though Hatshepsut would have been only seven at the time she discovered Moses. 

This book is just as much about Moses as it is about Miriam. I don't find fault with that, since there isn't a lot in the Bible about Miriam, and I found Moses' story just as interesting. 

This is the first book I've read by this author, but she has quite a collection of books on women from the Bible. If anyone is interested in owning Miriam's Song, let me know in the comments below. Again, if several people express interest, I'll do a drawing. 😄

While we're on the topic of biblical fiction, there's another book I highly recommend. I'm currently re-reading it, and it's perfect for the Easter season. 

The Robe

by Lloyd C. Douglas

☆☆☆☆☆

The inspiration for this book came from a letter Lloyd Douglas received. A woman asked this minister and author what he thought happened to Jesus's garment after the crucifixion. This is the story of the soldier who bartered for and won His robe. Every time I read it, I'm impressed with how Jesus is portrayed. His love and kindness is brilliantly depicted. The cruelty of the Roman Empire is well represented too.

Now for some lighter fare. I've been in a bit of a slump with reading lately. Nothing has been too outstanding, so I'm revisiting some of my favorites.

The Help

by Kathryn Stockett

fiction

☆☆☆☆☆

This time around, I listened to the audiobook and it took it to a whole new level! The Help is bursting with warmth and humor. I adore the characters, especially Minnie Jackson and Aibileen Clark. But Hilly? She's a nasty one! If you've read this book, you know about the pie episode. I love how Minnie always refers to it as the "Terrible Awful." I think The Help is near the top of my favorites list!

March book club / hard days

Today was a lovely rainy day perfect for staying at home and not doing much except a bit of wash, napping and reading; also a pleasant hour discussing Flowers for Algernon at book club. 

Flowers for Algernon

By Daniel Keyes

Science fiction 

☆☆☆☆

There were varied reviews on the book, and several said it made them cry. Others felt angry. One person was so mad at the ending she said she wanted to throw the book away. But she couldn't stop thinking about it, and to me, that's exactly why it's a good book! I've come to like the books that don't end happily-ever-after. They leave a deeper impression and seem more relatable. But there's a place for fairy tales, too. When real life is too heavy, a light, dreamy book is needed to counterbalance the weight. 

Laurie chose Roots of Wood and Stone for our next book. It's a new release, published in 2021, and has good reviews.

It was extra nice having a relaxing day at home after a rather stressful one yesterday. I was halfway to work when I got a message from Cliff asking if I didn't need my badge. I immediately knew I had a problem. In my four years at St. Joe's I don't remember ever forgetting my badge, but other people did and usually had to go back to get it. Not knowing what happens at LVHN when you forget your badge, I decided to turn around for it. I could have gotten inside the building without one, but couldn't clock in or enter the pharmacy. To make things worse, I was supposed to start earlier than usual since I was scheduled for the OR satellite pharmacy. Last week I trained there three days, and this was my first day on my own. The satellite is only staffed by 1 pharmacist and 1 technician, so I threw off the whole routine by being late. It was probably more in my head than reality, but it seemed like it messed up the whole day. Also, I don't exactly like the OR pharmacy because there's not much to do and I get bored. So I pretty much felt like crawling in a hole all day long. 

Even though I'm not too keen on the OR pharmacy, I do enjoy being around the activity and getting a glimpse of surgery as I walk past the operating rooms. I got more than a glimpse yesterday when I had to take meds in a room where they were doing a neck operation. After one look I knew I had to focus on what I was doing and block out that image because I would've soon felt light-headed. There's certain body parts that the idea of operating on is more terrifying than others, and I guess the neck is one that makes me cringe! Delivering meds to the children's OR recovery area where several patients were crying made me feel like crying too. It's the same when I go to PICU (pediatric ICU). So much pain and sadness.

I don't want to finish on that note, but like those books I mentioned, there isn't always a happy ending. So I'll conclude with a favorite quote about endings.

the way you sparkle

Time keeps moving along and I've been at my new job two months now. It's a relief to have that behind me! I'm not sure what's wrong with me but the bold truth is I've failed to connect to the new environment. Although I'm confident with what I'm doing and can find my way around what seemed like a maze in the beginning, something still feels foreign. I don't find the work challenging, and often have to look for extra things to do to stay busy. I'm still leaving room for the possibility that I'll view things differently once I'm in the IV room. They say they're short staffed and extremely busy, so that seems a little more my pace. I'm next in line to get trained, but don't know what the time frame is - weeks or months. I am itching to stab some IV's again. 😄 

There's more I could say, but that's probably enough griping for now. It's not all bad, either, but in general I feel like the job doesn't leave me sparkling in the way this quote describes. 

I absolutely love this because it is so true! When someone talks about the things they love, there's a sparkle and shine to their eyes and face. And I also know you can feel when you have that sparkle. Maybe I'm being too idealistic and dreamy, as usual. But I really don't want to settle for mediocre!

It was a lovely warm day today and there's more coming. I feel like a daffodil that's been buried in the cold, dark earth all winter, ready to break out into the sunshine and fresh air of spring!  

Of course, Dickens knew how to describe it perfectly!

dreamers and doubters

Is it a blessing or a curse to be a dreamer? Even though I've learned dreams can be a source of pain when they don't come true, I also believe it's a sign of healing when they begin again. 

I'm a hopeless dreamer. Even when I know it's unrealistic and unlikely to happen, I still take pleasure in dreaming. There's so many thoughts to delight in! Thinking about which flowers to plant this spring is a favorite for this time of year. Other pleasant topics include weekend getaways, travel, job possibilities, my dream house, and ways of improving myself. 

I spend a lot of time in my head. As I've been thinking about this, something started nagging at the edge of my mind. Is all this a way of escaping reality? If so, is there something wrong with that? Life can get monotonous, and going to work day after day can become a drudgery. Cold, dreary days cast gloom over everything. Sometimes life is just too painful and escaping through dreams or books is a way to cope. 

 

Now I'm feeling guilty for being a dreamer. If I suppress the dreamer in me, the cynic will be unleashed. Letting out my inner Scrooge is only going to lead to misery. I prefer dreams! In reality, I'm probably equal parts dreamer and cynic. I certainly don't view the world through rose-colored glasses. And I tend to scoff at the shiny, rainbow colored dreams of youth. There's plenty to be cynical about, so if I'm still able to dream, isn't that a blessing?