Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee

The first time I was exposed to a novel was when Mr. Frittier read one out loud to our seventh grade class as we followed along. Occasionally, he had us read pages in silence. Reading literature together as a group was a rich experience I thoroughly enjoyed in grade school. At age 12, it introduced us to mature and weighty themes, I would not have understood otherwise.

The novel was To Kill A Mockingbird. It is my favorite prose of all time. I don't know if this is because it was my first adult book, or because it is an American classic. Likewise, I love the 1962 film.

If you get the idea that we were mature beyond our years, think again.

Once while the class quietly read a passage, Mr. Frittier had to step outside the room. During his absence, Ronnie Mattingly, a class clown, began to goof off. When Mr. Frittier returned to see that nearly everyone had stopped reading text to watch Ronnie act up, he roared, "MR. MATTINGLY, SIT DOWN!" 

It caused our most obedient classmate, Norma Oliver, the only student in the room still absorbed in the book, to jump sky high in alarm and me, who happened to be looking in the direction of  both Ronnie Mattingly and Norma Oliver, to burst out laughing, then get the giggles while the rest of the class grew as still as a rock. Mr. Frittier must have seen Norma too because to his credit, he let me slide for giggling. He just resumed teaching, putting into context what we should have read.

On July 14, 2015 a followup novel by Harper Lee, which she says was written in the 1950s, before she wrote The Kill A Mockingbird, will be published. Called Go Set A Watchman, it features an adult Scout Finch, who returns home to Maycomb, Alabama, to visit her father, Atticus and reflect on the events of her childhood.
The announcement of this second novel shocked the publishing world, and the book is sure to be a bestseller. Critics fear it won't live up to Mockingbird, but really, how does anyone follow a masterpiece? Certain sectors have accused the 89 year old author's handlers of tricking her into agreeing to the new book's release. 

The heck with naysayers, IMO. The novel exists; we're lucky it wasn't lost; and I'm happy it's coming out. Ms. Lee's first great narrative stands alone. Booksellers ... here I come!

Will you read Go Set A Watchman?

Update: Reader of the blog, Barry, found this article about the book's publication. Thanks Barry! Also, here is a Wall Strueet Journal article about Harper Lee's father, who is the inspiration for Atticus Finch.

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The Story Of English, A Review

"The Story Of English" may sound like a textbook, but it's a very compelling read.  When I picked it up a few years ago, I couldn't put it down until I finished it.  The evolution of the English language is an endlessly fascinating subject.  Across the continents, English has scores of faces, and there are many varieties of the language.  English has twice the vocabulary words of French, Spanish, German, or Italian.  The book explains why.  English has always been ... and continues to be, an evolving language.  From Anglo-Saxons, Normans, and cockney peddlers to Hessian soldiers, African slaves and Appalachian settlers, each group contributed to the rich lexicon that has become modern English.  Whole chapters are devoted to Scotland, Ireland, Australia, the Caribbean, India and contemporary African nations.

The book was co-written by Robert MacNeil of PBS's The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour.  It's well researched and covers centuries, yet is vivid and easy to follow.  There are useful photographs and maps throughout the text to provide clarity, insights and make history come alive.  If you read it, you will be absorbed, entertained and learn a great deal about the vernacular.  Every English speaking person should read it.

Meanwhile, Loretta (a reader) sent me the following fun trivia, which explains the roots of some popular English language sayings.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.  Read them just for fun -- I didn't turn up information to disprove them, but scholars often debate the definitive origins of words and phrases:

In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes.  When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on.  Hence the phrase, “Goodnight, sleep tight.” became popular.  Submitted by Marg Duncombe.

At one time, English pubs baked a whistle into the rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups.  When patrons needed a refill, they used their whistle to get some service.  “Wet your whistle” is the phrase inspired by this practice.  Submitted by Marg Duncombe

Before thermometers were invented, brewers of beer had to dip a thumb or finger into the mix to find the right temperature for adding yeast.  Too hot or cold, and the yeast wouldn't rise.  This is where we get the phrase "rule of thumb."  Submitted by Marg Duncombe.

A practice in Anglo-Saxon England was for the bride's father to supply his new son-in-law with all the mead [or honey-wine] he could drink for an entire month after the wedding.  Since the calendar was lunar, this period was called the “honey month,” which we know today as the honeymoon.  Submitted by Tana M. Schiewer

In old English pubs, ale was ordered by pints and quarts.  When customers got unruly, the bartender would yell,  “Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down!”  From this, we get the phrase, “Mind your P's and Q's.”  Submitted by Marg Duncombe.

If you know the origins of other old sayings, please share them with us.


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Time To Tidy Up

Spring is a perfect time to get rid of the clutter in your home. I never want to accumulate so much stuff that it makes my living space uncomfortable, unmanageable or unsightly. Regardless of monetary value, no material thing is worth having if you have no use or space for it. Even though I'm not an impulse buyer -- like many people -- I must be vigilant about not bringing too many things into my apartment.

Here are my rules for keeping my home free of clutter:

1) If you haven't worn or used something in two years, get rid of it. Donate mistakes and things that are too big and too small to charity.

2) Discard summer clothes at the end of summer and winter clothes at the end of winter, but never out of season when your judgment isn't as good. On a hot August night, a pile of wool sweaters may not carry the same value as they do on a frigid, snowy day. Trust me, I speak from experience.

3) If something comes in, take something out. Without fail, if I bring new shoes in, an old pair goes out. When new pots and pans come in, the old standbys go out. This strategy saves me money also; if I'm still attached to what I already own and can't part with it, I don't need a new one. Period.

4) Buy for the present day. With few exceptions, nothing should sit around collecting dust waiting for another event to happen. Buy furniture because you have a place for it now, clothes because they fit you now, a yoga mat because you plan to take up yoga now ... and for no other reason. Not as the motivation for losing 15 pounds, or because you have a weakness for beautiful, but impractical things that don't fit your present lifestyle.

5) It's easier to part with things if they are going to a good home. Certainly, it would bother me to throw away good stuff, but I actually feel good about giving useful things to family and friends who can use them, or a charity. Housing Works, Goodwill and The Salvation Army are places where I like to take items in good condition. It's amazing how helping someone else gives you a buzz too.

6) Don't buy things for emotional reasons. When you're feeling stressed, bored or blue, make yourself feel better by exercising, or cleaning your house. Activity will improve your mood, give you a sense of accomplishment and prevent you from accumulating clutter.

7) Look for merchants who offer liberal return policies, so you're not stuck with goods that don't work out.

8) Rent movies and borrow books and music from the library when possible.

9) Trade books you've read with other readers. On websites like Swipetree and PaperBackSwap exchanging books is free. Check out Swapacd also.

10) Throw out old newspapers and magazines. If you don't have time to read a magazine the month you receive it, are you really going to find the time to read multiple issues down the line? You'll want to read what is current.

Whether it's a closet or a room, having fewer, but carefully selected things is a great way to simplify your life. Less is more.


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Buy Used Books

While it's impossible to eliminate all waste we can be kinder to Mother Nature by being mindful; recycling; and embracing minimalism. Let's consider some eco-friendly ways to buy and read books.

As much as possible I try to borrow books from the library. But sometimes libraries comb their shelves of out-of-print history books, so I buy 2nd hand books and have ordered a few e-books (for recent publications) to read on my iPad. Absolutely I understand how thumbing through the pages of a book is favored, yet equally great is taking your ebooks with you anywhere to read. So consider buying a few ebooks.

Buying 2nd hand books saves trees! And, the books I received are in very good condition, often in like-new condition, costing only a few bucks compared to the $25 - $30 for new books.

Two outstanding websites to get used books from are: Discoverybooks and Thriftybooks. I've ordered hardbacks and paperbacks from each place, and you can't go wrong! I hope after I let the cat out of the bag, there will still be good books left for me to buy!🙂

The money raised by Discoverybooks and Thriftybooks goes to support good causes. Another advantage is you can often find hard-to-get out-of-print books on both websites. Moreover, when you must declutter your home, you've only spent a few dollars on the books you are ready to donate to other readers.

Another great place to buy used books, of course, is on Amazon, as the mega retailer also offers used books from various sellers, including far-away libraries (who are combing their shelves.) And speaking of libraries, my local branch accepts book donations, as well as, sells old books. So be sure to check with your branch libaries.

Buying used books is a win, win and THE SAVVY SHOPPER thing to do! Please add any other substainable ways to read books under comments.📚


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Queen Victoria & Prince Albert: Books & Series

Painting by Franz Xaver Winterhalter - 1846

I enjoy history and will read nearly anyone's biography. 

On a trip to Barnes and Noble I tried to buy Queen Victoria by Lytton Strachey. I found the book on a shelf, read about 10 pages, but desiring to read the best bio on the subject, I waited a beat before heading to the cash register; instead, I went home to google some book reviews. After reading favorable reviews (one by The New York Times), I returned  to the store 3 hours later to buy it.

Surprise, somebody else bought my book! What are the odds? A manuscript published in 1921 about a 19th century British monarch, who died in 1901! Are those flying off the shelves? I couldn't believe my eyes. So I returned home empty handed. 

Not to be defeated, I looked online to find it as a free audiobook -- the publication is in the public domain. Nice! You can listen to it here.

A photograph of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, age 23 (1842). He eventually became  Prince Consort. Victoria wanted to make him King Consort, but the British Parliament said no.

Interesting bio on several levels. Queen Victoria was 3/4 German, born in England; Albert was her first cousin. Marriage is challenging, including happy ones. Ambition and power are fascinating, even if people who desire and acquire it, are virtuous and well-intended. Emigrating from Saxe-Coburg, Germany to England came with issues. Moreover, I can tell you this from a lifetime of personal experience: Germans are complicated, if seldom dull. You must be strong, well-informed and laser-focused to stand up to them!

Queen Victoria, age 25 with her oldest child, Vicky (Victoria, the Princess Royal)  in 1844

How fortunate to find the above, age-twenty-something photos of Albert and Victoria. We get to see the handsome face that won Victoria's heart, and have a glimpse of them as a young couple.

1854 - Married 14 years

Here they are in their mid-30s. I am fond of Victoria's directness and candor in manner. She was bright, a passionate person, who loved deeply ... hard with her whole heart. She recognized her husband's intellect and supported him in his efforts to champion the Industrial Revolution, public housing, the arts, anti-slavery and eventually politics in his adoptive country. Contrary to belief, she had a great sense of humor and laughed often. What's more, she had to function in a man's world. In her day women couldn't vote (nor own property!), yet prime ministers reported to her.

1861

What I like about Albert was his desire to do good and live a life of purpose. He was high-minded and principled. No doubt, Albert was a man of the 19th century; but progressive for his time. He was somewhat of a Renaissance man, with multi-interests and talents. And naturally, I like that Albert was a hands-on, if demanding father, who was faithful to his wife and children. Unlike his own philandering father and brother, the Prince Consort famously did not flirt with the ladies, ever!

After marriage, Victoria lost a bit of her independence and perhaps herself. As Albert was a 19th century man, she was a 19th century woman, who deferred to her husband over their 21 years of marriage. They had nine children. But, the bottom line is: Queen Victoria adored Albert throughout her life; and despite the tensions and compromises of their marriage, they were in sync, and he made her happy. Overall, they seemed right for each other. It was a love match.

Victoria & Albert with their 9 children in 1961

Sadly, Prince Albert died at just 42 years of age, and as we all know, Victoria mourned him for the next 40 years of her life. No matter who you are, life is bittersweet.

After Albert's untimely death (the true cause perhaps from overwork, but recently said to be Crohn's disease), she did go on to have a life as Queen, mother, grandmother of Europe's dynasties and Empress of India. She was a friend to Highlander John Brown and Abdul Karim (the Munshi) from India; and her determination of character endured.

Prince Albert died on December 14, 1861 and Queen Victoria on January 22, 1901.

I recommend watching Queen Victoria, the miniseries. Season one was faithful to history; and the charismatic cast is brilliant at fleshing out the historical figures. 

By the way, I adore their plush, royal bed (below), where they have their talks and come to love and understand each other. 

The miniseries starring Jenna Coleman and Tom Hughes.

Next I'm reading: Victoria: The Queen by Julia Baird and Uncrowned King: The Life of Prince Albert by Stanley Weintraub, while I wait for the television series to resume later this year. After these books I will probably have my literary fill of strong-willed Germans.😊

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What A Difference 100 Years Make

This week I'm celebrating a birthday.  Well actually, I celebrate birthdays in small ways with treats all month long. Already my Mom sent me a lovely card, a thoughtful gift and a fascinating clip from a neighborhood newspaper about what it was like living many years ago. The caption is, “What a difference a century makes.”  I have to admit it's a fun read, but what exactly is my Mother trying to say by sending it to me on my birthday, hmm?  You can read it for yourself below.

Here are some statistics for the Year 1909:

The average life expectancy was 47 years.

Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

There were only 8,000 cars and

only 144 miles of paved roads.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.

The average wage in 1909 was 22 cents per hour.

The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year.

A competent accountant could expect to earn $2,000 per year.

A dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year and

a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME.

Ninety percent of all doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!

Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and the government as 'substandard. '

Sugar cost four cents a pound.

Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.

Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

{People also used lye soap to wash their hair and skin. Homemade lye soap killed poison ivy, poison oak and took tough stains out of laundry!}

Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.

Five leading causes of death were:

1. Pneumonia and influenza

2. Tuberculosis

3. Diarrhea

4. Heart disease

5. Stroke

The American flag had 46 stars. {New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska and Hawaii had yet to come into the union.}

The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was only 30!

Crossword puzzles, canned beer and ice tea hadn't been invented yet.

There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write.

Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Marijuana, heroin and morphine were all available over the counter at the corner drugstore. Back then pharmacists said, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health."

Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.

There were about 230 reported murders in the Entire U.S.A. {I wonder how many murders were unreported! Or undetected!}

After considering the world 100 years ago, aren't you happy to be celebrating birthdays in the 21st century? So much has improved. People are living to be ripe old ages, and with the touch of a button information, music and video can be sent around the globe in seconds.

The article suggests we, "try to imagine what it will be like living 100 years from now."

Just think: What new technologies and inventions will there be? Which diseases will be cured? How will life be better? What will homes look like? How will people work and play? What will transportation be like? And how will the map of the world change?

And while we're at it, why not imagine how we'd like for the world to be in 100 years and contribute to making it happen for all humanity.

Holiday Books, Bill Clinton's Picks

Someone should hire former President Bill Clinton to be a regular book reviewer. Regardless of politics, he has a brilliant mind, loves books and is excellent at reviewing them. And the fact that The Today Show, a news program, as opposed to, just another entertainment show, calls Clinton's selections "smarty pants" choices revels how often real news and issues are being dumbed down.  Too many interviews with celebrities and reality stars does that. Now I enjoy gossip just as much as the next person [Heck, yeah!], but when I read or watch the news from (what is supposed to be) the legitimate press, I want stories about important world issues ... and I want balance ... and the reporters to interview sources ... plus thoroughly do their homework. Hopefully, the folks who write, edit and produce the news, themselves, read compelling books.  By the way, Ann Curry was terrific this morning anchoring the segment.  It was the website -- probably a cyber editor trying to be cute -- that labeled Clinton's books a "smarty pants" list.

Listening to Bill Clinton review books on The Today Show this morning reminds me what critical thinking is.  There are many world issues and worthy ideas, which are bigger than politics and celebrity.  There are subjects and topics that say something about the human condition and help us understand who we are.

Clinton explains why books are important and make great gifts: Books "make you think" and "feel."  Reading "gives you time" [that's] "intensely personal, but you're completely involved. It's a wonderful way to get away from the helter-skelter of your life ..." [plus] "you can always be growing."  [It keeps] "your mind open and thriving." 

Here are Bill Clinton's book recommendations:

Penned: Back To Work

1. Jerusalem

By Simon Sebag Montefiore (Knopf)

2. Lincoln 

By David Herbert Donald (Simon & Schuster)

3. Meditations 

By Marcus Aurelius (Simon & Brown)

4. The Way of the World: From the Dawn of Civilizations to the Eve of the Twenty-First Century  

By David Fromkin (Knopf)

5. The Cure at Troy: A Version of Sophocles' Philoctetes

By Seamus Heaney (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

6. One Hundred Years of Solitude

 By Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Harper Perennial)

7. King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror and Heroism in Colonial Africa

By Adam Hochschild (Mariner Books)

8. Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny

By Robert Wright (Vintage)

So if you have any last minute holiday shopping, head over to the bookstore. 

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Books From The World Of Entertainment

When you need a gift for a relative or friend, you can't go wrong with a good read.  I am especially partial to biographies.  To tell you the truth, I will read just about anybody's biography.  Anybody's and everybody's.  Here I will limit my bio picks to the world of show business and popular culture (listed in no particular order):

1. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson – Written with Steve Jobs' full cooperation, chronicling his life and the invention of the personal computer, tablets and iphones.

2. Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography by Rob Lowe – The pretty boy actor [just stating the obvious!] tells a good story and writes with intelligence and perspective.

3. My Lucky Life In and Out Of Show Business: A Memoir by Dick Van Dyke

4. Bruce by Peter Ames Carlin – The Boss sat down and helped tell this one.

5. Queen Unseen: My Life with the Greatest Rock Band of the 20th Century by Peter Hince

6. Life by Keith Richards – This bad boy shouldn't be alive, much less have the wits to write with keen intelligence about the Rolling Stones and much more.

7. Mick Jagger by Philip Norman – You can't have one without the other. ♬♪♪♫

8. This Time Together: Laughter And Reflection by Carol Burnett - disclaimer: I have loved CB since I was a young child, the person and the entertainmener. Kiss, kiss, Carol Burnett!

9. If I Live To Be 100: Lessons From The Centenarians by Neenah Ellis 

10. Will In The World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare by Stephen Greenblatt

11. The Dark Side of Genius: The Life Of Alfred Hitchcock by Donald Spoto – If you have a big budget, pair the bio with Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection – a set of 15 of his classic films.

12. Full Service: My Adventures in Hollywood and the Secret Sex Lives of the Stars by Scotty Bowers and Lionel Friedberg – Scotty Bowers fraternized with old Hollywood and kept confidences of the famous  for 60 + years.  Then he got old and decided to make buckets of retirement money by publishing his scandalous stories.  Juicy – NYT review here.

13. Tim Gunn's Fashion Bible: The Fascinating History of Everything In Your Closet by Tim Gunn – A bio of garments.  Because. This is THE SAVVY SHOPPER, right?

14. After Camelot: A Personal History of the Kennedy Family – 1968 to the Present (2012) by J. Randy Taraborrelli – Mr. Taraborrelli does his research.  While not shying away from unflattering details, he's a fair and balanced biographer. – A Kennedy actually went into show business becoming an actor, namely Christopher Lawford, son of Peter Lawford.

15. Dream More: Celebrate The Dreamer In You by Dolly Parton – Dolly writes with humor and wit.  Multi-talented and hugely successful, she is living the American dream.  Dolly is smart as a whip and has great enthusiasm for life.

Getting someone a good book may spark an interest in reading.  Almost everyone loves entertainment and popular culture.  We don't need to do crossword puzzles, or solve Rubik's cubes every minute of every day.  Sometimes you ... or someone on your holiday list ... just needs to unwind with a compelling book that gives you a glimpse into a world you want to know more about.  If you have a biography to recommend, please add it under comments.

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Blue Diamonds Hold The Earth's Secrets

Photo: IFLScience

Full disclosure: I'm not a scientist and I don't want to take credit for the work of others. All I can do is read a bunch of sources, then put some of the facts together so you don't have to read all those sources yourself. The following is a paraphrasing -- the Turner "CliffsNotes" -- from several sources on a subject I love covering ... gemstones and jewelry! In today's blog, let's learn more about blue diamonds!

Photo: The Hope Diamond - Smithsonian

Only 1 out of 200,000 diamonds are blue. Like all other diamonds blue diamonds were formed billions of years ago when the element carbon was exposed to extreme heat and pressure deep in the earth's mantle. Clear (a/k/a white) diamonds are pure carbon. If traces of boron contaminate the carbon during its growth, a blue diamond is created. The industry calls all colored diamonds fancy diamonds.

Photo: MID: Okavango Blue

Scientists are intrigued by the origin of blue diamonds because they hold many of the earth's secrets. Once an enchanting mystery, gemologists now think they understand how these extremely rare blue gemstones came about. It also gives us clues about the evolution of the earth, itself. After the Gemological Institute of America conducted studies using lasers to uncover impurities (minerals) that got trapped inside blue diamonds, the experts started to assemble a picture of how and where blue diamonds were formed.

Photo: Getty - The Blue

Based on their discoveries, scientists know that blue diamonds were formed much deeper in the earth (below 410 miles) than other diamonds (formed between 90 miles - 125 miles below the earth's surface). It is believed that boron in the ocean floor "was pushed down when plates that make up the Earth's crust collided," making the diamonds appear blue. (According to researchers, boron lets the diamonds "absorb some red light, so the diamonds look blue.")

Getty - The Oppenheimer

Diamond deposits formed very deep within the earth eventually reach the surface by volcanic eruptions.

Now we know how some of the big rare blue gemstones such as the Hope Diamond and Oppenheimer Diamond were born. Billions of years ago Mother Nature had to come together in just the right way to produce them and for humans to find and have them all these years later.

Heart of Eternity

Both blue and white diamonds are graded using the 4 Cs: cut, clarity, color, and carat. But! Blue diamonds are so rare and in demand for their beauty, that they tend to cost more per carat than white diamonds. The blue diamonds that become well-known and fetch millions of dollars at auctions invoke excitement and fame because their unique size, color, and clarity are so rare.

Mouawad Blue

As it happens I don't have any blue diamond jewelry. Diamonds are valued for their sparkle and brilliance. Colored gemstones will have less sparkle than white diamonds. Their value is determined by the vividness, tone, and saturation of their color. Vivid blue diamonds are so rare and expensive that we get less for the money than if we buy white (a/k/a clear) diamonds. I have never been tempted to buy blue diamonds because blue diamonds aren't very budget-friendly, and I don't want to spend a lot of money on faint or tiny blue diamonds! I'd rather compromise by buying a commercial-grade sapphire.

The good news is scientists can make blue diamonds in a lab. Laboratory diamonds are grown in an artificial setting that mimics how diamonds grow naturally below the earth's mantle. Lab-grown diamonds are getting better and more plentiful all the time, which is lowering the prices per carat of all diamonds! 

The color of these blue diamond earrings looks enhanced. You never see such dazzling blue diamonds in jewelry display cases! They did, however, inspire me to write the blog. Wouldn't we love to own real blue diamond earrings just like them? Of course we would!:)💙🔵  

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