It’s been nearly ten years since we retired. I’m still in the office Duane and the boys created for me. The seven quilts I promised to make have been completed. A few books. He has new knees and new guitars. We’ve had grief and loss in these years, occasional discontent, times of being alone even when we were together. We’ve also had a blessed amount of fun. Of music and laughter and family. Of … Of the other side of being alone that comes of knowing we never really are.
Much has changed in those nine years and change, and much has stayed the same. At first, it seemed as if this book was a vanity thing. Or a thing for the grandkids to look at and think Okay, Nana, what do you want me to do with this? But in the end, like most other things in life that are worthwhile, it is a labor of love. A gathering of thoughts and dreams and memories.
Thanks for joining me on the journey.
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I love this book! And I use the present tense because it is one of the few books I will reread. Liz Flaherty reminds me of one of my favorite authors, Erma Bombeck! The book is a delight to read with vignettes that are like warm hugs. I am very ADHD and Flaherty helps me to unwind every night before going to sleep. It’s a book you will not want to hurry through, but to savor.
Words cannot fully describe how much I love this book. Liz’s writing style speaks to me, whether I’m reading her essays or one of her romance novels. This collection of short essays are thought-provoking, comforting, and heartwarming. Highly recommend!
Thank you in advance to the author, Liz Flaherty, for providing a complimentary review copy. A positive review was not required nor requested and all words are my own.
Rarely do I read non-fiction books. Not that I don’t like them – they’re really not something I’m into. I think that stems from SO much being available online through multiple sources – some credible and some not so credible.
There are a few biographies I’ve read, but they have to be truly interesting and people I really admire, like, or have something in common with.
Self-help books, while non-fiction, are definitely a different genre altogether – at least to me. Same as bible study books.
Books like this often fall under the “not really interesting” for me. Still, there was something about this that grabbed me. I usually read to get away from the hectic and crazy realities for a while, even if it is a brief moment. Reading is more relaxation and vacation than “work” or pontificating.
Despite the author being known mainly for her Harlequin romance books, this is more or less a collection of her columns from the Peru Daily Tribune. It isn’t an advice column, so much as an essay or “thoughts” column that dates back over 30+ years (since 1988) that are based on her thoughts on a subject and/or life experiences. And, it DOES make you think. That’s the thing – this makes you think.
Word of warning – there are SOME controversial subjects mentioned. There is talk of grief and loss that could be triggering. I like to give potential readers a “heads up” so they know what to expect – a common complaint in reviews – “I didn’t think would be like **THAT**”. Not everyone will connect 100% with a book, and that is okay, we’re all different. I don’t connect with every book I read even in genres I like.
The contents in this book match the cute and whimsical cover. They’re not in any order, though they could have benefitted from dates for perspective and an explanation as to why they were put in the order they were. That’s the only problem I had with this. Some readers who have to have things “in order” might feel lost with this book.
It is well written, thoughtful, insightful, and quirky. Flaherty has a sense of engaging the reader so that they delve into this with an open mind even if they have opposing views. She writes this without foul language, argumentative statements, or judgmental views. There are times the reader can tell the author’s passion about a particular subject. Yet, at all times, the author is respectful with her tone.
I loved the advice, wisdom, and perspective that Flaherty offered on some of the subjects as well as the changes that affect us. And, let’s face it – there is always SOMETHING out there that will influence us in some ways.
Some interesting subjects were about retirement and sharing the house 24/7. While I didn’t work and retire, my mother retired about six (6) years ago, and the sharing of the house 24/7 is definitely something everyone needs to think about.
Other reviews have compared this to the writings of Erma Bombeck. Though I am not familiar with her work – those who are might definitely enjoy this. It is an interesting look into varying perspectives. Some of the “articles” are easy to tell “when” it was written.
Topics included:
** Dealing with the pandemic
** Effects of Grief
** Political Stances (Some Contentious)
** Being Respectful
** Banning Books
** New Electronic Innovations (self checkout; digital publishing; Amazon)
** Depression
** Parkland Shooting
Flaherty doesn’t spend long on the topics – perhaps at best four (4) to five (5) pages on it. They’re brief little snippets and not long dissertations.
One takeaway I really loved was a story about her grandmother and a heavy sewing machine – that despite being pregnant – she carried it out during a fire. It becomes a metaphor here – no matter what shape you’re in, you can carry the sewing machine (or whatever the “heavy” is) in an emergency.
Another was about flowers and eulogies at funerals. The author makes a great point about sending flowers to the living and saying the kind things to their face and not at the funeral and memorial. This makes a lot of sense if you stop and consider it.
This was in no means a thrilling page-turner, but it was definitely something I wanted to continue reading and was very impressed by it even if I didn’t relate to a lot of it or agree with it – which is to be expected.
One of the things I disagreed with was the self checkout at the stores. I am one who welcomes the innovation as I am not one for socializing when I am shopping, and I like to do things my own way. I’ve always been taught to do for myself.
As I said – the reader won’t agree with everything, but this is a thought-provoking book.
This was the first book I’ve read by the author. After reading this, I would be interested in reading her fiction work to see how it plays out against this book and her “views”.