Best Books I Read in 2021

 

Here is my list of the best books that I read in 2021. My total books read is 27. Last year I read 29. Not much of a change. I'm happy to keep it above 25. That's about a book every other week. For this list I picked books that I gave 4 or 5 stars rating to on GoodReads. I didn't write extensive reviews for each book. I "cheated" and just copied the summary for each book on Amazon.

The first three books are my favourites from book club.

Howard's End by E.M. Forster.

Amazon's summary: "a novel about social conventions, codes of conduct, and private relationships in turn-of-the-century England. It also showcases differences between the middle class and the poor, while weaving a complex story of relationship amongst three families belonging to three different classes of pre-war England."

East of Eden by John Steinbeck.

Publisher's summary: "This sprawling and often brutal novel, set in the rich farmlands of California's Salinas Valley, follows the intertwined destinies of two families - the Trasks and the Hamiltons - whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel."

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett.

Contemporary fiction. Publisher's summary: "a richly moving story that explores the indelible bond between two siblings, the house of their childhood, and a past that will not let them go."

Memoirs:

Forever and Ever, Amen: A Memoir of Music, Faith, and Breaking the Storms of Life by Randy Travis with Ken Abraham.

Publisher's summary: "From a working-class background in North Carolina to a job as a cook and club singer in Nashville to his "overnight success" with his smash 1986 album Storms of Life - which launched the neotraditional movement in country music - Randy’s first three decades are a true rags-to-riches story. 

But in 2009, this seemingly charmed life began a downward spiral. His marriage dissolved, he discovered that his finances had unraveled, and his struggles with anger led to alcohol abuse, public embarrassment, and even police arrest in 2012. 

Then, just as he was putting his life back together, Randy suffered a devastating viral cardiomyopathy that led to a massive stroke that he was not expected to survive. Yet he not only survived but also learned to walk again and in 2016 accepted his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame by singing the hymn that explains his life today: "Amazing Grace". 

Filled with never-before-told stories, Forever and Ever, Amen a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at dizzying success and the miraculous road to restoration."

God's Hostage: A True Story of Persecution, Imprisonment, and Perseverance. by Andrew Brunson with Craig Borlase.

I bought this book for my mom without reading it first. She enjoyed it, passed it along to a friend and it eventually came back to me! It was riveting. I appreciated his honesty and hearing of his struggles while in prison. So refreshing since many Christian memoirs hardly touch on mental health struggles.

Historical Fiction:

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. 

This book is set during dust bowl era Texas, and focuses on Elsa Martinelli and her daughter as they try to survive the complete destruction of life as they knew it. She moves to California and struggles to make a life.

Contemporary Fiction:

The Story of Arthur Trulove (Mason #1)

Publisher's summary: "A life-affirming novel about an unforgettable character, a wise and loving man whose humor and unconditional love create for himself and others second chances at happiness.  Three people find their way back from loss and loneliness to a different kind of belonging in this deeply moving novel. Arthur, an old widower struggling to overcome his grief, meets Maddy, a troubled teenage girl who avoids school by hiding out where Arthur goes every day for lunch. The two strike up a friendship that draws them out of isolation. Maddy gives Arthur the name Truluv for his positive responses to every outrageous thing she says or does. When Arthur's nosy neighbor Lucille horns in on their friendship, they create an unconventional family, sometimes bickering but most often believing that life's most precious moments are sweeter when shared."

Night of Miracles (Mason #2)

Publisher's summary: A delightful novel about surprising friendships, community, and the way small acts of kindness can change a life, from the best-selling author of The Story of Arthur Truluv. 

Lucille Howard is getting on in years, but she stays busy. Thanks to the inspiration of her dearly departed friend Arthur Truluv, she has begun to teach baking classes, sharing the secrets to her delicious classic Southern yellow cake, the perfect pinwheel cookies, and other sweet essentials. 

Her classes have become so popular that she's hired Iris, a new resident of Mason, Missouri, as an assistant. Iris doesn't know how to bake, but she needs to keep her mind off a big decision she sorely regrets. 

When a new family moves in next door and tragedy strikes, Lucille begins to look out for Lincoln, their son. Lincoln's parents aren't the only ones in town facing hard choices and uncertain futures. In these difficult times, the residents of Mason come together and find the true power of community - just when they need it the most. 

A heartwarming novel that reminds us that the people we come to love are often the ones we don't expect."

Classic:

Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell.

Summary: Following the death of his wife and the government's refusal to pass his local trade union's chartist petition, John Barton sinks into a depression so deep that not even his doting daughter can lift him out of it. Seeing the poverty that her family has been reduced to and the desperation in her father's eyes, Mary Barton realises she must reject the proposal of her working-class lover, Jem. Instead, she sets her sights at a master's son, the wealthy heir of a Manchester mill, Henry Carson, in the hope that his situation will improve her own.

In a shocking turn of events, Mary discovers Mr Carson has been shot and her former lover, Jem, accused of his murder. As life-altering secrets emerge and the lives of those around her are put on the line, Mary must decide who to trust and who to denounce.

Biography:

A Woman of No Importance

This was my pick for book club this past year. Summary: In 1942, the Gestapo sent out an urgent transmission: "She is the most dangerous of all Allied spies. We must find and destroy her." 

The target in their sights was Virginia Hall, a Baltimore socialite who talked her way into Special Operations Executive, the spy organization dubbed Winston Churchill's "Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." She became the first Allied woman deployed behind enemy lines and - despite her prosthetic leg - helped to light the flame of the French Resistance, revolutionizing secret warfare as we know it.

Virginia established vast spy networks throughout France, called weapons and explosives down from the skies, and became a linchpin for the Resistance. Even as her face covered wanted posters and a bounty was placed on her head, Virginia refused order after order to evacuate. She finally escaped through a death-defying hike over the Pyrenees into Spain, her cover blown. But she plunged back in, adamant that she had more lives to save, and led a victorious guerilla campaign, liberating swathes of France from the Nazis after D-Day.

Based on new and extensive research, Sonia Purnell has for the first time uncovered the full secret life of Virginia Hall - an astounding and inspiring story of heroism, spycraft, resistance, and personal triumph over shocking adversity. A Woman of No Importance is the breathtaking story of how one woman's fierce persistence helped win the war. 

Short Story:

The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster

Here is a portion of the summary from Amazon: "In a future version of planet Earth, most of the human population doesn’t venture above ground. Rarely do they even leave their own rooms, in which all of their needs are met by the Machine."

I gave this book to my husband and my oldest son for Christmas. I thought it was such an intriguing story. It was written in 1919 and predicted many of the things that happened in the last two years including communication by Zoom.

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Christmas Fun with the Seniors

I left home on Friday morning December 10th. I only went up for the weekend. Along the way, I stopped in at Ragfinery in Bellingham. It is an interesting thrift store focused on textiles. A sewing/quilting friend recommended it to me. 

I crossed into Canada without any problems. There was a 10 minute wait in the car line. I was asked for negative Covid test results but wasn't asked to show my vaccine card. That was surprising. Apparently the rules have changed in that if you visit Canada for less than 72 hours, a test isn't required anymore. I'm glad I had one done just in case.

I presented my mom with the quilt that I made for her. I started it in February. I didn't work on it all the time in the months previous since I also made a quilt for A. The piecing was done by hand. I machine quilted Mom's quilt using a machine that I borrowed from a book club friend. Quilting by machine saved me weeks, maybe months of work. Here is the quilt, finished, ready to give. 

I was so anxious to give it to my mom that it was the very first thing I did on Friday afternoon when I arrived.

Sometimes older people and smart phones don't mix very well. My dad tried multiple times to take a photo of me and mom with the quilt, to no avail. Here's a selfie instead.

Mom sitting on the quilt.

On Saturday morning I enjoyed breakfast the Village Restaurant in the little neighbourhood of Esteven which isn't too far from my parents' apartment. This is what I had.

My family and I have eaten there many years before. Here is a photo of J and the boys eating outside in November 2012. I'm glad the restaurant survived Covid. 

I "crashed" the Seniors banquet on Saturday afternoon. The "Prime Timers" met in person for this event for the first time in 2 years. When my parents signed me up, I was number 49 of the 50 person limit! We had a turkey dinner, sang Christmas carols, and heard a short message. I won the table prize which is funny since I'm not a senior. We had Christmas crackers. That's why we are wearing paper hats.

On Sunday morning I drove my dad to church. My mom stays home and watches the live stream. I enjoy seeing how other churches decorate for Christmas since I instigated the decorations at my church.

Sorry, Mom, but the Grey Cup was boring. I couldn't get excited about Hamilton vs. Winnipeg. I don't know any players nor do I really care about either team. I had to resort to reading a book! At least it was a good book - God's Hostage by Andrew Brunson. 

On Sunday evening we had dinner at the Oak Bay Hotel in the Snug Pub. We were here back in September to celebrate my parents' birthdays. This time we were just celebrating being together. 

The Grey Cup went into overtime so that kept my parents' attention for a while. I took this sneaky photo of them watching the game on the TV.

Mom and I had salmon with tropical cheesecake for dessert. Dad had a chicken sandwich, if I remember correctly. The Christmas tree in the lobby of the Oak Bay Hotel was beautiful.

On Monday morning I had a lukewarm shower and had "tea" made with water that wasn't hot. I really didn't like the Craigmyle where I stayed. The only thing I enjoyed was sitting in the dining room (which wasn't serving breakfast) and seeing the Craigdarroch Castle through the window.

I left the hotel about 7:30 am and made the 9 am ferry. The coffee (called cappuccino) from the machine was actually drinkable.

I had a little trouble at the border. My green card expired in September and I forgot to bring the paperwork that proves that I have gone through all the hoops for the renewal (paid the fees, had fingerprints taken, etc.) and I'm just waiting for the new card to come in the mail. I was held for 30 minutes until they finally found me in the system and let me into the U.S. They seem to enjoy making you sweat! I felt like I was in the penalty box.

As I reflect on the trip, I'm glad I was able to go be with my parents in the Christmas season. We haven't been together at Christmas for many years. I'm thankful that I could give the quilt to my mom in person.

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Fall Mantle 2021

 

This year's fall mantle is pretty simple. 

I bought a bunch of book pumpkins (pumpkins made out of books) at Pickin at the Barn (a vintage market in early October) from Tamara of Vintage Nest. I realized I needed more so a few days later I went to her booth at My Eclectic Home in Snohomish to get more. Yes, I can make these myself but getting the scale just right is tricky. As well, the stems she used are real and I couldn't figure out how to get a bunch of real stems in a cost effective way.

The peach coloured pumpkins are real. I found them at Trader Joe's.

The rest of the pumpkins are faux, ones I had from previous years.

I can leave this mantle as is until after Thanksgiving when I'll do a Christmas one.

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Going back to Canada

After two full years apart, I was finally able to see my parents again. The border closed in March 2020 and still hasn't fully reopened. In June 2021, Canada began to allow fully vaccinated Canadians living in the U.S. to return without a quarantine period.

I had to do the following for gaining entry to Canada.

- be fully vaccinated for COVID at least 2 weeks before travel date.

- have a PCR COVID test done within 72 hours of arrival at the border.

- sign into the ArriveCanada app and give them all the details of my trip including the address of the place I was staying. 

Both of my parents have birthdays in September so I picked a date to visit that was close to those birthdays. 

I was really nervous about crossing the border into Canada. The border guard questioned me because the COVID test was done more than 72 hours before my arrival at the border. She sent me into the building after she said "is there a reason your test is expired?" The big burly male guard inside said "you're going home right?" I said yes. He said you can go ahead. I think male border guards are better to deal with.

I needed to find a Canadian SIM card to fully use my phone in Canada. I wasted time trying to find a WalMart without being able to use the Maps app. Once I found one, I bought a SIM card but I found out that it wouldn't work after I had already purchased it. 

I tried to buy a paper map in WalMart and struck out. I got a photo of directions to the ferry from the Walmart computer. I liked the woman who worked there. She tried all she could to help me. To communicate with my family I had to be on WiFi and use e mail. So old fashioned!

I missed the 3 pm ferry by 2 cars. Many times there is a ferry every hour but not at 4 pm. 

A view from the ferry.

And a lighthouse that I spotted as the sun was going down.

I stayed in a very modern Air BnB in the North Park neighbourhood of Victoria. Sort of a studio apartment. Photos here.

I was able to help my parents with some practical things. I found a smaller filing cabinet for them to use. I helped with filling out some things online for them. I moved my mom's clothes to accommodate the changing season. I did some cleaning as well. 

Can you tell what my dad's favourite colour is?

I took them on a scenic drive on Dallas Road. Victoria is indeed a beautiful place. No photos from that since I was driving!

We went to Oak Bay Hotel to celebrate both of their birthdays which are in September. We ate in The Snug. The photo of us with our desserts is at the top of this post. We had a fantastic view. The only issue was the door to the outdoor dining area was open and it got chilly. I asked for a blanket (which they provide for outdoor diners) for my mom. I had salmon, of course. Here is the view and the sunset.

The province of B.C. started on September 13th to require proof of vaccination for dine in restaurants. Here is a sample sign.

I'll refrain from sharing my opinion on this development. 

On Thursday we had lunch at Mattick's Farm at Adrienne's Tea Garden. I felt very young there. :) I had the afternoon tea plate. Very yummy.  We ate outside.

Mattick's Farm reminded me of Bothell Country Village which was sadly torn down a few years ago. 

I enjoyed all the greenery.

I spotted some blooming wisteria on the arch pictured above. Amazing since wisteria is a spring flower.

We were blessed with gorgeous weather during my visit. It only rained once and that was at night. Here are my parents enjoying the sunshine at Mattick's Farm.

I went up on a Monday and returned on Friday.

The weather on the ferry ride back to the mainland was perfect. I spent a lot of time out on the sundeck. 

When I came to the US border, I was again nervous. My green card is expired but I have proof that my application for a renewal has been received and things are in process (a renewal notice). I didn't know if there would be any COVID questions.

The border guard just asked for my green card and renewal notice, looked at them for a bit, and didn't ask for any other papers or ask any other questions. He said quickly, you're good to go. I actually didn't hear him and paused. He said you're good! What a contrast with the Canadian border. 

There is an inscription on the Peace Arch 

that says "May these gates never be closed." 

How ironic! Those gates were closed for a very long time!

I plan on visiting my parents again in a few months. I praise God for keeping them healthy during these past 2 years, despite some health scares.

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Dahlia Festival

There was a one day Dahlia Festival at Triple Wren Farms in Ferndale, Washington on Saturday September 4th. I asked about four of my girlfriends to go but none were available. J was my companion.

Ferndale is about a 90 minute drive north of us. Entry was 10 dollars a car. I had prepaid.

There were food trucks and a folk band playing. For lunch, I had a buttermilk fried chicken sandwich and J had a Rueben sandwich. This was the food truck we bought from.

You could cut dahlias to take home. It was $1 a stem, plus a fee for a bucket and snippers. If I go back next year, I'll bring my own bucket and snippers. 

Each row of dahlias was well labelled with a QR code to scan for more information about the variety and ordering for later. Dahlias are planted in the Spring.

At random places, there were dahlias artfully displayed on the ground.

There were multiple bouquets on display. I wish I had taken more photos of the bouquets.

We ran into J's supervisor who was there doing his photography hobby. We cajoled him into taking our photo with his great camera (we'll see that one later) and also one with his phone (at the top of this post).

We stayed about 2 hours which was about the right amount of time. I now have about 20 dahlias in multiple vases at home. 

I loved it so much! Better than the tulip festival, better than the lavender festival, for sure.

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