New Beginnings

Hi. We made it to our new house. We are liking it already even though we have so many boxes to unpack and things to fix. It’s a great relief to have the move part over. The house is spread out mostly on one level (except for the basement) and that is a welcomed change from the flights of stairs we used to climb in the city house. We are also liking the farmlands and wide open spaces around here. So things appear good and we will take our time to get set up.

But first we are headed to my niece’s wedding in Colorado this weekend. Woohoo. We are very proud and excited for her and her fiance — both of whom are great people and so well-accomplished. Hopefully our flight will go as snow is expected on Friday. 

In book news I see that Prince Harry’s memoir Spare sold 3.2 million copies in its first week, making it likely that it will rank among the bestselling memoirs of all time. It’s not actually something I plan to read, but it’s interesting to note that novelist J.R. Moehringer, who also helped write Andre Agassi’s acclaimed memoir Open, worked on the book with the Prince. I didn’t realize that. 

The Kirkus review calls Harry’s book a “royal tell-all with some substance.” And says: “the prose is competent, and the author’s tales are consistently engaging—and far less smarmy than the self-aggrandizing tone set in the Netflix series. Readers may question Prince Harry’s motives, but his emotional struggles, though occasionally rendered in an overwrought fashion, feel palpable and heartfelt.” Harry says his beef is mainly with the press who cover the palace and not with the monarchy per se. Hmm, still it seems to me a sad public rift with his brother, father, and siser-in-law that seems to have caused some irreparable harm. Do you plan to read it?

And now I’ll leave you with a couple reviews of what I finished lately. 

Still Life by Sarah Winman / Putnam / 464 pages / 2021 

This novel is quite the epic saga about a close group of friends who are like family to one another. They all know each other from a pub in London. At the heart of it is: Ulysses, a young soldier who has an impactful chance encounter with Evelyn, a 64-year-old art historian, at the end of WWII in Italy. After the war, Ulysses goes back to London and to his pub friends: Peg (his ex-wife), her daughter Alys, piano player Pete, old man Cressy, and pub owner Col and his parrot. 

A couple years later, in the 1950s, Ulysses inherits a large house in Florence, Italy, from a man whose life he saved during the war, and moves there with old man Cressy, step-daughter Alys, and the parrot. Over the decades, the friends from the pub come and go, and Ulysses, a globe maker, endears himself to life in Florence, raises daughter Alys, and goes thru the historic flood of the Arno in 1966, eventually bumping back into Evelyn, who had much to tell him about art and Florence so long ago. 

This lengthy novel took me quite awhile to complete. It’s easily told with some nice writing but not a lot of plotting as it meanders among this lively group of friends as it goes along. At times I sort of wanted it to cut to the chase about their lives and what would happen, but then it also adds much flavor and themes to the mix. Indeed so much is in the novel. There’s themes of art and beauty; unconventional families; various forms of love: platonic, gay, straight; men who take on child-caring roles and women who don’t. Even the author E.M. Forster makes an appearance in it and its homage to his novel A Room With a View is evident.

Certainly the novel seems a love letter to Florence, Italy, and this close group of friends who move there. I read the novel for book club, whose members were a little mixed about it and thought like me it could’ve been edited down but still liked its endearing qualities and the characters such as Ulysses, a generous kind-hearted soul, and Evelyn, a wise, straight to the truth person who appreciated the transcending power of art.

My Antonia by Willa Cather / Classic / 166 pages / 1918 

I listened to the audiobook narrated superbly by Patrick Lawlor as I was packing up for the move and it took my mind away to the prairies of Nebraska and to the immigrants who came there as pioneers at the end of the 19th century.

I had remembered the novel a bit differently from my childhood where I mythologized it as being solely about the young immigrant girl Antonia, who back then seemed larger than life. Really the story is narrated by Jim Burden as he recounts his move at age 10 to the Nebraska prairie, his life thereafter growing up with his grandparents, his later college pursuits, and his friendship with Antonia over the decades. 

And just as Jim becomes enamored throughout his story with the Bohemian girl Antonia (age 14 when he is 10), I, too, was taken with her and their lives playing and working on the prairie. She is a little mysterious and I wanted to know her better. She comes with her immigrant family who are poor to live at a sod house that is nearby Jim’s grandparent’s place. They are neighbors and start to know each other when Jim begins teaching her to read English, but they become more friends when Jim kills a big rattle snake when they are off playing, which really impresses Antonia. From then on, they seem fast friends as their lives grow and change, becoming townies for awhile in nearby Black Hawk. 

But when Jim goes off to college in Lincoln, he sort of loses close touch with Antonia and the story becomes more about him and Lena, another local prairie girl they knew, who starts a dressmaking business. They go to the theater together and spend time at her shop, until he later goes off to Harvard. Still through the grapevine Jim finds out about Antonia and what marriage misfortunes have befallen her. He keeps in touch and 20 years later after becoming an attorney, Jim visits Antonia on the Nebraska farm she has with her Bohemian husband and their 10 children. Whoa.

It’s an endearing friendship story and Antonia is certainly a shining light to Jim. She has a spark about her and never lets her foreignness, misfortunes, or poverty hold her back. I sort of had hoped Jim and her would get together, but that never materializes. Still by the end, her life is full and happy with seemingly just the right partner and kids, while Jim‘s is a little wishful.

My Antonia remains my favorite Willa Cather novel, but I have only read O Pioneers! in addition to this. I’d like to read more of her novels.

That’s all for now. What about you — have you read these novels and what did you think? 

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24 Responses to New Beginnings

  1. Kay says:

    Know you are glad to get the move part over. I do understand about unpacking, fixing things, etc. Boy, do I understand! Ha! Hope your trip for the wedding goes as planned and take care.

    • Susan says:

      Thanks Kay. Ha. Yeah it’s going to be a long road to unpacking, but so glad the move is Over! I hope your renovations are about complete there. Enjoy your week.

  2. Ti Reed says:

    Yay! The actual move is the hardest part. Now you can have fun setting it all up the way you want. The wide open spaces are amazing.

    I don’t plan to read Spare unless someone lets me borrow their copy. I refuse to contribute to what I consider to be gossip. They want privacy but certainly put themselves out there, don’t they?

    • Susan says:

      Hi Ti, yeah I don’t care to read Spare either. It’s pretty astounding that he’s sold that many copies and done so much TV for it too. It is a lot of gossip.
      And the move feels much better now on this end. Leaving the other place, I was sort of a wreck but now I feel okay and we will slowly unpack.
      Hope your week is good.

  3. Congratulations on getting the move behind you. Now for settling in…

    You’ve reminded me of my reading of “My Antonia” so many years ago. It also reminds me of how much excellent literature there is in the world that I still haven’t read and how much of it I will probably never get to.

    • Susan says:

      Thanks Dorothy. The move feels easier & doable now. Thank goodness. It’ll take awhile to unpack though!
      And yes there’s many classics I’d like to read. I’m glad I revisited My Antonia, especially since we are a little part of the prairies here and a little foothills too. It reminds me of what it was like a hundred years ago. I’ll get to more Cather sometime. Have a great week.

  4. Lark says:

    Yay for finally being in your new house! I hope you continue to love it. And good luck unpacking the rest of your boxes. 😀 I think My Antonia is my favorite Willa Cather novel, too, though I also really like The Professor’s House.

    • Susan says:

      Thanks Lark. I will add The Professor’s House to my classics list. I’d also like to read Cather’s novel Death Comes for the Archbishop. Hmm.
      It’s going to be good out here in the country for us city slickers. So much to unpack though yikes. Hope all is well there.

  5. Jillann Rothwell says:

    Hi Susan,
    Congratulations on your new home! I’m glad the hard part is over.

    I really enjoyed “Still Life” and found that I missed the characters when it was done. But I know what you mean about a meandering, slow-moving plot.

    I don’t plan to read “Spare” and generally feel sad for all of them.

    Here is a reading suggestion for a future Willa Cather novel: “Shadows on the Rock” set in Quebec City in the 1600s. It has been a long time since I read it but I remember enjoying it and wondering how she came to write this story!

    Enjoy your trip!

    • Susan says:

      Hi Jillann! Thanks, it’s always great when you stop by. And I’m always keen for your suggestions as a librarian. Spare is not for me either ugh! But the Cather you mention is not one I’m familiar with so I will eagerly add it to my list. Do you think Cather went to Quebec City?? Wild to think about. It sounds good.
      Once we get the house set up — you & Dave should come visit – maybe in summer when it’s nice. We are excited by how different it is out here and the new (old) place. Hope things are great in Kingston.

      • Jillann Rothwell says:

        We would love a visit to your new home! Will let you know when we plan to visit, not this summer but perhaps the next one!

        https://cather.unl.edu/scholarship/catherstudies/4/cs004.stouck
        This came up with a quick Google of Cather and Canada…at a brief glance it looks like Cather did spend enough time in Quebec City to absorb some history and atmosphere.

        Makes me want to learn more about Willa Cather’s life.

        Thanks for all your book news and posts!

        • Susan says:

          Hi Jillann. That’s a great link about Cather in Canada. Very interesting to read. The Mahoods spent a few summers visiting Grand Manan Island when they were very young and were aware of Cather’s house there, where the article says she spent 18 years visiting with her companion Edith Lewis. Cather seemed to like Canada.
          Hopefully we will be unpacked by the time you visit 🙂 I forgot how much work moving is. Ugh. Happy reading this month! keep me posted.

  6. Lesley says:

    Whoohoo! You’re in your new digs! It even comes with snow. 🙂 Oh, those wide open spaces will be lovely for you to watch sunrises/sunsets. We lived in a spot like that many years ago (in Nebraska). The sunrise through the trees was always breathtaking. I’m so happy for you.

    Your trip to Colorado sounds like fun. Hope the weather cooperates…

    I’m still on the fence about reading Spare. If I do, I’ll go the audio route since I’ve heard it’s very well narrated by Prince Harry. I’ve also heard that a lot of the quotes that have been shared by the press have been taken out of context, so who can really know if it’s worthwhile until one reads it for herself. It is too bad that the family relationships have been filled with so much hostility. All that is to say that I’m probably more inclined to side with Will & Kate, but would like to hear Harry’s side of things. But do I really care? Not so much.

    I skimmed your review of Still Life since I still have it on my TBR shelf, but I’m glad it’s nicely written. I’ve never been to Florence, so it’ll be fun to visit it via armchair travel.

    I left a comment about My Antonia on your Goodreads review, but if you’re curious about my thoughts on the book, click here for my blog review. This link has more about other works of Cather’s that I’ve read over the years.

    Good luck with the boxes!

    • Susan says:

      Thanks Lesley, I will check out your notes on Cather’s books as well as on Goodreads.
      We are off to the wedding soon but will be back on Monday late. Hold the snow!
      I am pleased with the new digs. And especially the sunsets from the window! So much unpacking but still liking the newness of this experience.
      talk later! Have a great weekend.

  7. stargazer says:

    It looks like a lovely view from your new house! Despite being a city girl at heart, I love open landscapes.

    No, I don’t mean to pick up Spare. There has already been way too much discussion about Harry & family (at least in the UK) and to be honest, I am not really interested.

    Very true – there wasn’t much plot in Still Life, but actually I enjoyed the quiet meanderings. The only thing I would perhaps cut out is the last part about Evelyn’s youth. It was a lovely chapter, but it somehow felt misplaced – like the book already ended, but the author couldn’t find anywhere else to put this chapter. Anyway, I can see, why some people would prefer having it trimmed down. It’s all about how well you get on with the author’s writing, I suppose. With Dickens’ novels I often feel like they need to be edited shorter even if I enjoy the story, whereas true Dickens fans seem to love every word.

    • Susan says:

      Thanks Stargazer for your comment. Sorry for the delay, I’ve been away.
      I’m glad I read Still Life – she had a lot in there. Ulysses and Evelyn were my favorite parts. I’ve read three of her books and they are all sort of meander and ponder themes and characters. You probably liked it better but still I liked it well enough. I agree with you about Spare — I’m not interested in reading it either.
      So far I’m loving being out here outside the city. Can’t wait for spring & summer. I hope all is well with you. Cheers.

  8. Carmen says:

    Hi, Susan,
    I’m back. I’m glad you finally moved… Still, putting the house in order is daunting. I see you have managed to read a few books since the start of the year. I’m back to reading after a five-month drought. I stopped commenting online because it wasn’t the same since I wasn’t reading. I read Small Things Like These last week, which I liked, but whose ending I found a bit anticlimactic. I’m planning to read Spare, though maybe later when it goes on sale. I’m a Harry/Megan fan; they have been through a lot since they got together, which is not fair considering the Palace has that much traction with the British media. I have seen quite a few movies in competition for awards. The Banshees… was a favorite, as were Tar, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, and Top Gun: Maverick. I hope I have enough time to watch the remaining ones.

    • Susan says:

      Hi Carmen, so glad you’re back! I’ve been away at my niece’s wedding so sorry for the delay in responding. I hope you’re well. Glad you’re out of the drought. I think other readers liked Keegan’s Foster better than Small Things but I enjoyed the latter one better. Foster is so short I thought I needed more. If you read Spare, let me know your thoughts. I guess he used the same co-writer as the Agassi book, so I think it will be written well. And I still need to see The Banshees in particular. Hopefully now that we’re back. I think February should be a calm month with a lot of unpacking. We are liking the boondocks so far. Happy 2023 and keep in touch.

  9. Judith says:

    Hi Susan,
    So happy to hear you are in the midst of “settling in.” That can be such a wondrous, honeymoon time when you relocate to the wilds. I so well remember that time for us here in the Adirondacks. Enjoy! And don’t worry about the boxes! That will come.
    Although I don’t plan to read or listen to Spare, I did listen to Andre Agassiz narrating Open. I thought it was absolutely superb, and in a narration by the subject, there is no mistaking how heavy was Andre’s hand in the actual writing and production.
    Looking forward to reading more about your new life.

    • Susan says:

      Thanks Judith. You are right. It does feel like a honeymoon feeling being in our new environs. I love the wide open spaces and the roomy feeling inside the house as well. Winter is full on now but I’m looking forward to spring and seeing the yard. We have to sell the other place still so we’re cleaning there this weekend to put it on the market, sigh. It’s a bit hard/sad to go back there.
      I agree that Agassi’s Open memoir was very good. I fell into that immediately as a big tennis fan. But I don’t plan on Spare. I hope all is well in the Adirondacks. How many years have you been there now? Cheers.

  10. I read My Antonia! so long ago I don’t really remember it, but I do remember thinking it was well done.

    How exciting to be in your new house. I am now on one level and also like it. Unpacking all the boxes is certainly no fun, but each day you’ll see progress.

    • Susan says:

      Thanks Helen for your words. Yeah the boxes will be done eventually. It feels great to finally be in the new house. And interesting that your new place is on one level as well. I find it easier. Do you? In the city I was up & down stairs all day but here it feels just like strolling about. We are liking it.
      My Antonia feels a bit like a children’s classic from the turn of the century. It’s sort of pioneer-ish and was interesting for that reason. I enjoyed returning to it. Have a great week.

  11. Glad the move is behind you.. settling in and setting up is the fun part. Glad you will take your time and enjoy it!

    I probably won’t pick up Spare, but it does sound as though audio is the way to go. Haven’t been inclined to try Still Life and your thoughts haven’t really encouraged me. I did love My Antonia, but it’s been over a decade since I read it. Loved O Pioneers, too. I plan to read the other book in her Great Plains trilogy, The Song of the Lark, at some point. Maybe even this year.

    • Susan says:

      Hi JoAnn, great to hear from you. Yes we are quite elated the move part is over and now can slowly unpack and enjoy, though renovations still need to be completed here which is not great timing. So we contend with that.
      I too enjoyed My Antonia. The Song of the Lark is a great idea to get to later in the year. I have never read that one.
      I hope things are going well with the recovery in Sanibel. I’m sure it’ll take time. I’ll check for your update … Cheers.

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