Celebrate Golden Books with 

THE BOOK JEANIE 

The Smithsonian Institute presents a retrospective exhibit through January 5, 2014 in its American History Museum,  tracing the creation and history of the Golden Books for children. Golden Books put colorful books in the hands of thousands of children after World War II by designing and producing small affordable editions of traditional folktales and nursery rhymes, as well as new modern stories. The exhibit includes artists' proofs and rare early copies of classic Golden Books.

http://www.si.edu/exhibitions/details/Little-Golden-Books-4942

And if you would prefer to wear your Golden Books, Ryan Jude Novelline has created a gown made entirely from pages of Golden Books, the bodice trimmed in the classic gold binding.  Oh, to have worn this to the prom! 

Now for some reviews. . .

Shirley Falls, Maine was once a propserous mill town but now the industry is gone, the residents aging, and newly arrived Somali immmigrants are struggling to be understood and accepted.  Bob and Jim Burgess escaped the confinement of their childhood town by way of law school and careers in New York City.  But now they are both drawn back to Shirley Falls when a senseless act of violence towards the Somali community is committed by their nephew Zach, son of sister Susan who never left their hometown. Jim has become famous as a successful trial lawyer, notably in the case of a celebrity singer believed to be guilty of murder but because of his brilliant defense was acquitted of all charges. Jim and his brittle wife Helen live a life of privilege and influence in their stylish townhouse, preferring to socialize with the rich and famous and forget the humble Burgess origins. Bob, who has always lived in the shadow of his older brother since a childhood tragedy resulting in the death of their father, is divorced and quietly working as a legal aid attorney but he becomes the one who takes on the major responsibility of orchestrating the defense of his nephew and comforting his bitter and depressed sister. Although bighearted and sensitive to the needs of his family, Bob relies too much on alcohol to ease the pain of his childhood guilt and his unsuccessful marriage to be taken seriously by his siblings. As awkward and friendless Zach becomes the focus of the family's attention, each character begins to reveal his or her own grief and frustrations as well as inner strengths and weaknesses that transform the family in unexpected ways. Strout earned high praise for her Pulitzer Prize winning book, Olive Kitteridge, and she does not falter in her latest novel, creating a multilayered story beautifully written and remarkably compelling.    

Knowing that I had lived in Malaysia and travelled to the two now Malaysian provinces on the island of Borneo, a friend passed along an original edition of this 1947 book , a pale yellow volume with a plain cover. This memoir set in the northern coastal area of Borneo chronicles the experiences of a young American woman, her British husband and infant son soon after the Japanese began an aggresive invasion of Southeast Asia during World War II. Because of Henry Keith's job as an agricultural administrator he was instructed by the British government to stay at his post despite the danger of the approaching Japanese troops. Unable to face a separation from her husband, Agnes Keith chose to stay as well, stocking up on food and medicine in the face of an imminent but hopefully brief occupation. Three and a half years later all three Keiths are suffering from malnutrition and mistreatment from their Japanese captors while living under miserable conditions in detention camps. A published author, Agnes is determined to document her family's experiences as she and husband are kept apart in separate camps and she must use all her determination, strength, and courage to keep herself and her son George alive. Although the details are at times painful to read, Agnes Keith is a gifted writer who is able to immerse the reader in her day-to-day life as a prisoner-of-war and her struggle to maintain her human dignity in the face of deprivation and cruelty. This memoir is an unforgettable account of the horrors of war as well as a tribute to one woman's incredible resilence.  In 1950, a Hollywood movie of Three Came Home was produced starring Oscar-winning actress Claudette Colbert, who considers it to be one of her best films.

What are you reading?  Pick up a stack of summer reading at your local library!

Here are a few from my current stack:

The Twelve Tribes of Hattie - Ayana Mathis

Children of the Jacaranda Tree - Sahar Delijani

The Power of One - Bryce Courtenay

Every Contact Leaves a Trace - Elanor Dymott

Enjoy the lazy days of summer and . . . keep reading!