A Few LaDeDa Favorites

 

  

...and here we go....

Grave Talk by Nick Spalding - I'm lost. I am in a hole deeper than the one they threw my poor, dead, sensible husband into and I have no idea how I am going to climb my way out...everything is darkness...

...it's at this point that I look up and see Kermit the Frog. (adult fiction)

The Happiest Man on Earth: the Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor - by Eddie Jaku - My Dear New Friend, I have lived for a century and I know what it is to stare evil in the face. I have seen the very worst in mankind...But now I consider myself the happiest man on Earth.  (adult/ya non-fiction)

Tom Lake by Anne Patchett - That Vernonica and I were given keys and told to come early on a frozen Saturday in April to open the school for "Our Town" auditions was proof of our dull reliability. (now in paper. adult fiction)

the Peculiar Garden of Marriet Hunt by Chelsea Iverson - Mr. Christian Comstock, the son of Mr. George Comstock, has been missing for over two months. (adult fiction)

When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill - Greetings, Mother - I do not have much time. The change (this wonderous, wonderous change) is at this very moment upon me. I could not stop it if I tried. And I have no interest in trying. (adult/ya fantasy fiction) Fantasy has never been a go-to genre for me, but when a customer came in waving this book at me promising I would never forget it...well, she was right.  My copy is packed with post it notes.  This is a powerful story of female angst, with a solid helping of political inuendo.  

Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake - The first time Skunk met Badger he thought "puny" and shut the front door. (tweens, and adults with funny bones) When I am in a reading slump, I pick up a tween book. Most are well written, have little lessons, and some are just bigtime funny.  Skunk and Badger are like the odd couple of the animal world.  Laughs on every page.

Give these a try.  My goal is to get back to blogging on a more regular basis...but procrastination is one of my favorite hobbies...nap time..

Thanks for stopping by.

Robert Lentz (Loving Amber and June Carstens (Hey Elaine! What's for supper?)

 

Join local writers Robert Lentz ande June carstens for conversation tion, and coffee, Saturday. February 22, 10:30-12:00 at LaDeDa Books, 1624 New York Ave. Manitowoc.  Both writers’ books will be available for signing at that time.

          June Carstens returns for  her second visit to LaDeDa after a successful meet and greet in 2024.  Hey Elaine! What’s for Supper? is her valentine to farm family traditions, especially involving those times spent in the kitchen.  Carstens writes” …This was where real life was experienced…this was the newsroom…this room was the heart and soul of the farmhouse."

Adding to the collection of warm memories, readers will find a generous portion of old timey-recipes each with a nod to the cook who perfected the offering.  Try Grandma’s old-fashioned baked beans, mashed potato donuts, depression cake and more.

Farmer and retired construction worker, Bob Lentz opens his heart in Loving Amber: A Father’s Story.  Filled with warmth and pride, Bob recounts Amber’s 25 years living with brain damage, physical disabilities, and all accompanying worries and challenges.

Amber was brave; Amber was happy.  Most of all Amber was loved.  Lentz’ hope for this book is that it will give readers a “different perspective on how you see families dealing the challenges of caring for a disabled child.  Maybe it will even give you a different perspective on your own life.”

Anyone wanting a signed copy but may be unable to attend can reserve one by calling LaDeDa Books, 920.682.7040, or emailing bdenor@lsol.net. 

Meet Author Kathleen Ernst

 

Kathleen Ernst, historical fiction mystery writer, will meet and chat with customers 3:30-5:00, Tuesday, October 25 at LaDeDa Books.  ‘Coffee with Kathleen” offers the unique opportunity for readers, and writers alike to visit casually with Ernst about her books, her varied careers, and about writing and publishing.

Fans of the Chloe Ellefson series know that the character’s first challenge in “Old World Murder” begins in May of 1982 when she accepts a job at Old World Wisconsin in Dane County.  On her first day at work, an elderly woman begs Chloe to find a priceless Norwegian ale bowl donated to the museum years ago. Chloe promises to look into it, but within minutes the woman dies suspiciously, and Chloe reluctantly steps up to help solve the crime.

 The “Light Keeper’s Legacy” finds Chloe in Door County in 1892, with an historical plot thread weaving between 1869 and 1906. Ellefson jumps at the chance to spend time on Wisconsin’s Rock Island, a state park with no electricity or roads. But the solitude she is expecting is soon disrupted by tragedy.

Ernst’s newest series, features Hanneke Bauer, who moves into a Wisconsin farm she inherited from her husband.  Mysteries ensue and Bauer uses her tenacity and intellect to inch her toward resolutions. 

Ernst peppers her storylines with experiences and lessons learned from years of working as a park ranger, historical interpreter, historic site curator, video producer, educator, and of course, as an avid reader.  She explained “As a child, I dreamed of being a full-time writer. Now I have the fun of writing books about ideas that fascinate me, experiences that fascinated me, and historical tidbits that capture my imagination.”

Readers with Ernst books are welcome to bring them along for signing.  A selection of books will also be for sale at “Coffee with Kathleen.” More information about the author can be found at www.kathleenernst.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Deception by David Jones

 

The Deception is the 5th book in David Jones' apocalyptic thriller series, but, this selection, in particular easily reads as a stand alone.  Of course, David suggests reading the series from the beginning to experience all the discord that comes before.   

... before a major financial collapse draws the United States into regional wars with Europe and Asia.  ...before a cyber attack by a foreign power leaves most of the world unprepared for a total communication blackout.  It is at this point that Jones introduces us to Doug Chapman, a retired Air Force OSI special agent who assembles a group to deal with the continuing chaos.

In book 5, the mass destruction has reached the Lakeshore, and Two Rivers is sure to be next.  Modern day pirates have commandeered the S.S. Badger, and are looting communities along the Lake Michigan shore.  

Jones, hinmself a retired Special Agent with the Air Force of Special Investigation (OSI),  spent time in our area researching possible locations to utilize as settings.  The YMCA, City Hall, and  the Wisconsin Maritime Museum all become major battlegrounds.  The Two Rivers Fishing Village, and the LeClair family share the spotlight in the opening chapters.  Members of the LaClair family even gave Dave permission to use their real names.

Page after page of high level tension fill the pages by a writer who knows his way around exceptional and unexpected conflicts.  Dave is an engaging guy, and an exceptional storyteller.  After visiting with him at length, I suspected that I might enjoy his novels even though this is not my preferred genre.  My suspicions were right.  Stop in, grab a copy of this book, or start at the beginning of the series.  He also has written several books not part of the series...one based on his work debunking UFO sightings..hummm...just in time for Halloween.

Thanks for stopping by.

Enjoy the beautiful weather.

Take some time to warch the leaves change color. 

Cue the Sun

Loving Amber by Robert Lentz

 

On October 9th, 1995, Amber joined the Lentz family.  Her parents, Robert and Marilyn, had one other daughter.  Amber's birth brought with her all the normal hopes and dreams of every parent - first steps, first words (hopefully "mama" or "dada") - first day of school....

However, Amber was diagnosed with spina bifida, a malady in which there is an opening in the back, exposing the  spine to infection.  Amber's condition was manageable. In April of 1997, she contracted hemolytic uremic syndrome, leaving her brain damaged, and nearly 100% paralyzed.  Some would assert that she was also non-communicative but Bob would disagree.  Although the complex medical terms flow smoothly as he speaks, it is not until he shares stories of Amber, his exceptional daughter, that his eyes sparkle, and his voice lightens.  He speaks of understanding Amber on her terms - the little lift at the corner of her mouth, the crinkled brow, and from time to time a tiny laugh.  Together, the family finds joy and beauty in small moments.

This is by no means an "Oh poor me" story.  In fact, it is the exact opposite.  Of course, the family never knew when there would be an unexpected equipment malfuntion, usually followed by a trip to the hospital. This was their life and they embraced it.  For some, there would have been anger - for them there was an open road of acceptance; for some there would have been frustraion, and perhaps guilt, but in the Lentz home, there was only the desire to see Amber happy, and for her to know how much she was loved.

When Bob came in to chat with me about his book he said, "I'm not a writer, I'm just a farmer, and I want my daughter's bravery to mean something."  You will probably cry as you read parts.  That's OK. but they won't be tears of sympathy.  They will be tears of admiration for the tenderness and warmth in the voice of Bob Lenz as he invites us to experience the wonder that was Amber.

Sunday is Father's Day. Dads, dance with your children, toss a football, read a story, or simply breathe in the goodness they bring to your lives.

James and Jill Iverson Book Signing

 

James and Jill Iverson’s nautical adventure began when they left Manitowoc on their single engine, 33-foot trawler in September of 2021. Their plan – to navigate America’s Great Loop while living on their boat for an entire year.  The Alvin James, christened after James’ father, returned to port one year later, completing the journey as planned.

Now, in 2024, the Iversons will set sail into what, for them, is uncharted territory – the release of a detailed and colorful narrative, Exploring the Great Loop: Artfully Cruising the Rivers and Canals of North America.

The write/illustrator team will visit LaDeDa Books for a meet and greet morning, 10:30-12 Saturday, May 25. Anyone interested is invited to drop in for casual conversation during that time.  Books will be available for purchase and signing.

From day one James kept a “Voyage Log,” documenting highlights, chronicling both the highs and lows, as well as noting weather conditions, motoring speeds, and other pertinent details.  In keeping with her love of visual art, Jill sketched, and journaled along the way. Both posted on Facebook and Instagram.  The idea of pulling everything together into book materialized when their readership grew significantly, and many began suggesting a book. Working with a national publisher, the story of their adventure became an informative and attractive book sure to fascinate sailors and armchair voyagers alike.

The duo credits Don Krumpos for collaborating with Jill on the cover artwork, as well as Suzanne Weiss and Susan Murtaugh for editing expertise.

If you would like a signed book but cannot attend the Meet and Greet, contact bdenor@lsol.net or message LaDeDa books on Facebook. 

Seven Kinds of People You find in Bookshops

 One of the perks of being of being a  bookseller is that I know readers - lots of different kinds of readers - and each and every one has a story to tell, a joke to share, a plate of homemade cookies, or a simple smile to remind me stop, breathe, and take in the day.  This may sound counter intuitive, but many of these readers  give me books. I am surrounded by books both at LaDeDa and at home, still, nothing tops a book that has been selected with care just for me.

My most treasured book-gift came from friends Jim and Susie Miller.  On our opening day of business, the Millers were among our first customers.  I was nervous, unsure if I had made the right decisions.  On top of that, taking money from friends felt awkward, and  embarassing.  The book they chose happened to be one I had read several times.  In fact, I owned a copy,  It seemed logical to say, "Hey, I have a copy of this book at home.  I'll drop it off at your house and you can return it when you're done."  They proceeded to school me in Bookselling 101,  Lesson #1 --sell the  book if you want to keep the doors open.

Susie then handed me the most wonderful edition of Flowers from Shakespeare's Plays. With a tattered cover faded to a quiet sage green, the book bloomed with page after page of watercolor paintings, descriptions of each flower (and sometimes weeds) along with a quotation from the play in which the flower was mentioned.  

Even better than that was the hand written note on the inside cover from gifter to recipient, followed by a note from Jim and Susie.  If that isn't special enough, in the margins near most of the pictures were dainty notes on when, and where each flower had been planted, along with the temperature on planting day, and whether or not the flower thrived.  Each February, I page through and begin planning for spring.

I began this blospost with the intention of focusing on the book pictured above. This, too, was a gift, nicey inscribed by customer-now-friend, Jim. "Bev, how often does a person run across a book that they give to their favorite bookstore?"  The post was to offer desciptions of the seven types mentioned in the title in hopes that you would find yourself among the list and send us a note.  Clearly, that didn't happen.  But it will.  I know this has gotten long. I have missed my moments pounding these keys; time flew as the words spilled.  Check back next week for those promised descriptions.

You're wondering where the blog has been, right?  Honestly, I don't know.  In part, I was playing with other formats, hoping to create a weekly newsletter for the store.  I enjoyed designing and writing short somethings in that form for a number of organizations and purposes.  But, do you know how short those news items are? I created columns,stuck in some artsy icons, leaving little to no room for my scintillating commentary on books.  And heaven forbid that my wisdom on universal truths would have to omitted.  So, back to blogging it is.  It is nice to be back and I am trying to figure out how to make commenting on here possible so you can add your own scintillating universal truths for our thousands of readers. 

Thanks for stoipping by.  (Please give the comment button a whirl so we know if it works or not. Thanks.)

Be happy

LaDeDa Bev

 

Cat's Cafe Book Signing

 

Ralls Melotte, retired from his architectural firm in 2019, sat down at his computer and began his first novel, Cat’s Café.  Meet and chat with Melotte, Saturday, November 11, 10:30-12:00 at LaDeDa Books, 1624 New York Ave., Manitowoc.

The book takes readers back to pioneer times when American settlers moved westward into the Rocky Mountains and beyond.  In 1879, in the small rural town of Eagle Rock Idaho, Cat and her husband Patrick run a saloon.  Patrick thought the saloon would be suited to the laborers who lived and worked there; Cat has other plans. When a new bridge connects the two sides of town and the population grows, Cat’s dream of opening a café could become reality.

However, on the morning of July 4, Patrick goes missing, and it appears he may not return.  Cat finds herself running the saloon, navigating challenges once handled by her husband, and forsaking her dream. Complicating matters is a corrupt sheriff who stirs up trouble at every turn.

Commenting on Melotte’s novel, the Kirkus Review stated “The dramatic center of the story – Catherine finding the inner strength to take on a pile of problems – is handled with an engaging sense of compassion…A zesty and occasionally touching story of a woman confronting the crude realities of a new life.”

Books will be available for purchase and signing at the event. Events like this offered free to the public, and help sustain the health of small, independent bookstores.   Individuals not able to attend can have a book reserved by emailing bdenor@lsol.net.

 

Judy Blume...banned again!

 

Let’s Talk About — Gasp! — Sex in Classic Novels

MARCH 23, 2023

By Christa Protano

When the trailer for the film-adaptation of Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret dropped in early February my social feeds were all abuzz. Mom friends were counting down the days until the film’s release so they can take their daughter and make it a generational event. But I couldn’t help but wonder … (cue Carrie Bradshaw’s sex-columnist voice): Were the morality police going to descend upon movie theaters everywhere come April?

After all, Judy Blume is one of the most frequently challenged authors of our time, with Margaret and four other of her novels challenged or banned in the nineties alone.  And since signs of this edgy decade are popping up in current fashion and music trends, is it possible that Blume’s popular coming of age tale will soon find itself back on a banned book list? Well, if Florida has anything to say about it, it just might.

According to the American Library Association (ALA), the rise in book bans and book challenges is unprecedented, with more than 1,200 challenges being filed in 2022. And while LGBTQ+ themes and characters of color are the top two reasons for these challenges, sexual content comes in third, as reported by the non-profit PEN America.

Now, we know you can’t really compare a 1970s book about puberty and teen sexuality to, say, a modern-day Fifty Shades of Grey, but the reason for both books being banned is the same: most people are still afraid to publicly talk about sex (unless you are a member of a certain 90s rap duo). But just because something is banned from the classroom or your local library, doesn’t mean it’s going to go away. In fact, because of the increased media coverage of current book bans, many challenged titles actually see an increase in sales.

 At the end of the day, sex definitely sells. So if like me, you want to know what all the fuss is about, consider adding these provocative — and once banned — classic novels to your TBR list. 

The Great Gatsby  As if an extramarital affair were not enough to raise eyebrows, Fitzgerald’s backdrop of drinking and excess landed this classic novel on the top of the challenged list many a times, according to the ALA. Most recently, Gatsby was challenged at the Baptist College in Charleston, SC, in 1987 because of language and sexual references.

 

 

Tess of the D’Ubervilles  When English author Tom Hardy wrote what is now regarded as his greatest work, the Brits were not pleased. Upon publication in 1891, Tess of the D’Ubervilles was immediately censored by the British government for its disconcerting take on Victorian society’s moral code. 

Leaves of Grass  Another classic work that managed to offend those of the Victorian Age is Walt Whitman’s collection of poems and essays. Published in 1855, libraries dismissed the work because of its sexual overtones and Whitman lost the respect of critics and peers for many years.

 The Sun Also Rises  Hemingway’s very first — and some say finest — novel was published in 1926 and banned in Boston, MA, less than five years later. The story, which follows a group of ex-pats as they travel around a post-WWI Paris and Spain, was last banned in California in 1960s due to the characters decadent behaviors and use of profanity.

So there you have it:  We live in a society that suddenly fears words and the ideas they convey.  The thought police exist in every community, challenging books available in libraries and school boards, and in doing so, they limit what some think, and above all, learn.  What can we do?  Read banned books. Seek out and discus controversial ideas. Watch the news with a critical eye and listen between the words.  Together we can push the pendulum back to a time before the growth of the lemming population.

Be sure to check out our events tab.  

Thanks for stopping by.

Stay happy and keep reading stuff you aren't supposed to.

 

 

Where are the Children Now - by guest reviewer Christina Brown

 

This was a a fast read for me, with well described characters and interesting details to set the scene, as is typical from Clark. Immediately prior to reading this, I reread Where are the Children? but found that I didn’t really need to as this book had plenty of context/back story for Nancy and her children’s history included - which was primarily meant to highlight how bizarre (and traumatic) it was for this family to be dealing with another missing child case in their lifetime. 

While I found myself suspicious of a few characters even early on, I was still surprised by the story’s twist in the end for who was actually behind Riley going missing. Which is what usually happens when I read Clark’s books- her character and intricate scene development leave you wondering who is truly to be trusted and what is even true. 

I found a few style differences in how the book was written as compared to other Clark books but it wasn’t anything bad per-say (just different) and I couldn’t quite discern if that was due to Alafair Burke’s contributions, the current/modern time period references or something else entirely. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and found it on par with Clark’s other books! Oh, and the original Where are the Children? still holds up as a really great book- only some references and details (ex: commonplace cigar/cigarette use in public) felt dated despite this being written in the 1970’s. My suggestion: read them both!

My two cents...

I agree...this is vintage Mary Higgins Clark. I totally enjoyed reading a traditional mystery where the plot is linear and the clues logical.  Predicting the ending is half the fun or reading mysteries, isn't it?  I never - and I mean NEVER - get it right, be it a novel or a TV show.  The trend in twister mysteries, started with Gone Girl, I guess, frustrate me.  They jerk me around, lead me hither and yon, and then, in the last twenty pages, they tell me they were just kidding,  Hidden clues, minor characters, and tons of red herrings make it nearly impossible to solve the mystery.  But they sure are popular so it's probably just me...too old fashioned for these new fangled styles.

Christina Brown has joined us as a now and then reviewer.   Let me know if you are interested (Steve? we miss you).  The marvelous perks include Advance Reader Copies (ARC) of books, continued pressure to get your review to me, and of course, a review on our blog is sure to make you famous.  Thank about it. 

Spring...yes, we see hints that it will surely arrive soon.

Stay safe, Stay healthy, Stay happy. Stay groovy.

Thanks for stopping by.

Women Talking by Miriam Toews

Eight Mennonite women have two days to decide their next move.  Will they run -- leave the settlement and the only life they have ever known?  Will they stay and remain subservient to a culture in which women are all but invisible?  Might they take unspeakable measures and risk their relationship with God in a superb effort to claim their freedom and search for independence and identity?

In two days, the men who have been systematically sexually abusing these women, as well as several young children, will be released from jail.  Gathering in the hayloft of a senile community member, the women meet secretly to discuss their future.  The fear of leaving sickens them, as does the fear of staying.  

For the past two years, the women have been repeatedly violated, and were told evil spirits came to them in the night to punish them.  The women believe these lies until one of them fights off the belladonna depressant used to sedate her, coming face to face with her attacker.  No spoilers here...suffice it to say the agonizing realization of what has been happening paralyzes some of the women while mobilizing others.

Since most of the women cannot write, they enlist the help and the skills of an expelled Mennonite man to keep minutes of their meetings.  There is no wonder this based on truth book has become the subject of a much talked about film.

On a Happy 2023 note...each year I choose a reading theme and try to wedge in as many books as possible that fit that mold.  Last year I chose tween books that I had somehow missed along the way, books like Black Beauty and Mary Poppins.  Books for the 9-12 year old age group are playful, imaginative, and --in my opinion -- too often sad.  But with the plethora of fine writers in that category, it is easy to circumvent those tear jerkers.  

2023?  I'll be checking out all sorts of mysteries -- cozies, police procedurals, locked rooms, supernatural, local color.  FB me with any suggestions you have for me please.

Thanks for stopping by.

Stay healthy. Stay safe. Stay happy.

 

Wintering by Katherine May...reprint from 2021

  In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”

― Albert Camus

That Camus quote nicely sums up what Katherine May discovered as she wintered through some tough times.   Categorizing this book challenges...part memoir, part self-help, part commentary on ritual...and then there's all the history, and quirky details about things we (or at least I) just don't think about.  Winter is May's metaphor for quietly working through troubling times, no matter when, where or how long he working through takes.

May takes us along as she winters through a full year filled with doubts, fears and high anxiety.  At times she frustrated me with her Debbie Downer routines, and just like that, a smooth transition would begin.  In the process of allowing herself to drift away from the darkness, she learned, she grew, and she accepted her life in the moment.

New age thinking took center stage at times, not quite unicorn thinking, but close. New age has never been my genre of choice but,  stepping aside from that, May filled the book with stories past and present.  She offered insights into the Druid religion, the feast of Saint Lucia (that story was a doozie), and took me to the sauna culture of Scandinavia.  Like May, I'd take a fast and hard pass on that one.  No way I am going to sit sweating with a bunch of naked strangers, plunge into icy water, and declare myself renewed.   

Oh, but the wolves stories and the bee keeping - mesmerizing.  Embedded in all her experiences was the warmth and strength we get from ritual.  Weekly coffee with friends, game night, or perhaps something bigger like religious celebrations...rituals keep us close to what is important to us, to what grounds us, and to what brings us together.

This is a book to share.  It will resonate with each reader differently.  My copy will find its way later today to a friend's front porch with the hope that, after reading, she will do the same.  Maybe, in a couple years or so, it will find its way back to me, battered, highlighted, written in, and questioned.

For some reason, after reading May's closing words...

"It often seems easier to stay in winter, burrowed down into our hibernation nests, away from the glare of the sun. But we are brave, and the new world awaits us...we have a kind of gospel to tell and a duty to share it. We, who have wintered, have learned some things"

...I wanted to walk to my dog on this cold January day, and the let the bitter cold air surround me...just to see what is has to say.  

Pleasant wintering to you all.

Thanks for stopping by.

Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay happy.

Only ten Mondays till spring. 

It's a Wonderful Woof by Spencer Quinn

 

You all have been keeping us busy the past few months here at LaDeDa.  Thank you for that.  We sure do appreciate your continued support by purchasing books, and recommending our shop to your friends.  But more than that, there is nothing better than hearing the bell ring, watching the door open and seeing your smiling face.  This has become a second home for me, and your visits...well, I wish I had the word's to tell you how much they brighten my day.

During these brisk months, I usually kick back with some fun, easy reads.  I have missed a couple Chet and Bernie book over the years and, when this holiday title popped up I took it as a sign. Time to get reacquainted with an old, favorite series.  If you haven't' read a Chet and Bernie book, here's the scoop: Bernie is a washed up cop with some crazy habits, but still well connected to people in his previous world.  Bernie open his own PI business and  takes on random, and quirky cases.  Chet, his obnoxious, insightful, and mixed-up breed dog and constant companion, helps solve Bernie's wack-a-doodle cases.  Oh, Chat narrates all the books and I sincerely believe that Spence Quinn was a dog in a former life.  He nails dog ways and wags on every page.

In this special edition book, Bernie Little and Chet are enjoying a joyful holiday in the Valley.  Despite the dismal shape of the finances in the Little Detective Agency, Bernie passes on a case and refers it to a fellow PI.  But when Victor doesn't show up at his mother's house to light the Hanukkah candles, she hires Chet and Bernie to find him.

They soon discover that Victor's clients have also vanished, and the trail leads to whispers of a previously unknown art treasure, possibly buried for centuries..

No one is better than Chet at nosing out buried secrets, but soon he and Bernie are dashing through a Christmas blizzard with danger closing in around them.

You can pick up the books any where in the series, but starting with Dog On It will introduce you to Bernie, Chet, and Chet's little friend, Iggy.  Such fun.

Thanks for stopping by.

Stay safe, Stay healthy. Stay happy.

Read silly stuff one in a while. 

Killers of the Flower Moon

 

In May of 1921, Mollie Burkhart's family members began to disappear. People adjacent to her life became ill. Many died.  The "coroners" and other officials shook their heads, and then turned their heads - away from the issue. After all. Mollie, her family, and friends were Osage Indians. Murdering them seemed to be the only way white men could get possession of the valuable land owned by this tribe.  Eventually there were arrests and a series of questionable trials.  One reporter wrote "It is a question in my mind whether this jury is considering a murder trial or not. The question for them to decide is whether a white man killing an Osage is murder -- or merely cruelty to animals."

The complexity and shame of this piece of American history if finally coming to light.  The stories of murders and rapes of indigenous women throughout history are finally being told in numerous showcases.  Recently the Manitowoc Public Library hosted an compelling exhibit - much of it with appalling details, hard to read, and even harder to believe.  "Alaska Daily," a new network tv series focuses on missing indigenous women in Alaska --  women authorities simply don't care to spend time searching for.  And Craig Johnson, author of the Longmire series tells us the story of a missing Indian youth in Daughter of the Morning Star,

The more I read books like this, and books like Radium Girls, The Woman They Could Not Silence, and historical fiction pieces such as Before We Were Yours the more  I am grateful for the happy bubble where I can retreat to a space filled with friendly, honest, and ethical people.  But I can't stay there too long; outside the bubble, there are more people in need than we can imagine.  Our own community may not be hosting the type of atrocities we read about, but there are needs.  Now is the time we begin to think about our neighbors in need, our fellow citizens,  and we donate time, goods and money.  Moving into 2023, let's think about year long awareness, giving and helping. 

Thanks for stopping by

Be aware. Be grateful.  Be happy.

Oh...forgot to mention, this story of Mollie Burkhart is made into a streaming movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio.  He will play Mollie's husband. A white man who married Mollie with a specific plan in mind.

  

The Hacienda

s

Like it or not, pumpkin spice season has arrived. That warm scent drifting though every conceivable airspace signals me that the time has come to get scared.  Can't explain why. As I kid I spent hours

working up the courage to watch one of the corny Vincent Price movie spin-off of Poe tales.  I also spent many hours with eyes covered in fear of seeing something I would never forget...and  fingers in my ears to not hear the woman scream (it was always a woman being terrorized, wasn't it?).

That was all too much for me and eventually I turned to scary books. Not much better. I found myself  warning the sweet young thing not to open the door, or to go down into the basement.  The Hacienda is one of those books.  Chapter one.  Right out loud.  I asked Beatrix "What were you thinking?"  Stir up a potion of Rebecca and Mexica Gothic and you have this book

During the overthrow of the Mexican revolution, Beatrix's father was executed and their home was destroyed.  When handsome Don Rodolfo Solorzano proposes, Beatrix ignores the rumors surrounding his first wife's sudden death.  Marry Rodolfo - live in a lavish estate with servants.  Yup...sounds like trouble...and it is. 

There are visions.  There are voices. There are threats.  And there is Rodolfo's odder than odd, sister, Juana.  Beatrix has nowhere to turn so she clings to the village priest, Padre Andres, who...well, he has his own bag of disturbing tricks.

I warned her again and again....

Great Halloween read.

Thanks for stopping by.

Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay happy..,and get a little scared.

 

Author Meet and Greet

Susan Fink and Mary Schmal will be visiting us for an author Meet and Greet 

Saturday,  October 29, 10:30 -12:00.

Manitowoc author, Susan Fink, has written an accessible guide for anyone struggling with a number of life's stressors such as time management, parenting, social media use, and alone time.  Each chapter looks at a myth about self-care, shares the author's personal challenges, and identifies misconceptions. Scriptural explanations, questions, and prayer prompts are included with blank spaces for interactive use.  The book's easy to use format is conducive to personal and group study.

Mary Schmal, Milwaukee teacher and writer, hopes that her Children of the Light Series inspires readers to acknowledge and embrace, as do her character, all nine Fruits of the Spirit. Nine kids, Nine gifts. Nine blessed.

Each book in the series focuses on a different Fruit of the Spirit.  The stories tell of the many adventures, challenges, and experiences of nine children and their lives in a remote lighthouse in 1884.  Each child learns about the importance of a specific Fruit of the Spirit meant not just for him or her, but for everyone. 

Books will be available for purchase and signing on the day of the event.  Author signings such as this help independent bookstores stay alive and thriving.  Therefore we respectfully ask that you not bring in books to be signed that have been purchased elsewhere.  If you would like a signed book but cannot attend,  we will happily reserve one for you.  Pre-payment required.

 

A Death in Door County by Annelise Ryan

 So many of us follow the fall colors, watching the lush greens change day by day painting the world with soft brown, orange, and beige.  This magic foliage show stands out as one of the highlights Door County has to offer us.  That and miles of shoreline for sea glass searching, campgrounds, hiking trials and of course limitless shopping and eating.

Now let's add a monster and a murder to that list.  Since I haven't quite finished the book yet...here's the info from the inside flap...

Morgan Carter, owner of the Odds and Ends bookstore in Door County, Wisconsin, has a hobby. When she's not tending the store, she's hunting cryptids - creatures whose existence is rumored but never proven to be real. It's a hobby that cost her parents their lives but one she'll never give up on.

So when a number of bodies turn up on the shores of Lake Michigan with injuries that look like bites from a giant unknown animal, police chief Jon Flanders turns to Morgan for help. A skeptic at heart, Morgan can't turn down the opportunity to find proof of an entity whose existence she can't definitely rule out.  She and her beloved rescue dog, Newt, journey to the strait known as Death's Door to hunt for a homicidal monster in the lake, but if they're not careful, she just might be its next victim.

A tag line on the binding says "A monster Hunter mystery."  Could that mean Morgan survives to solve another Door County mystery?

Thanks for stopping by.

Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay happy.

Bake by Paul Hollywood

 Covid wasn't all bad, was it?  Here at LaDeDa we felt life slow down.  Customers wandered and shopped longer, and then they stayed around for conversation.  We made new friends during covid, friends to have coffee with, friends to laugh with, and friends to listen to as they philosophized.

People read more. Because of  travel challenges including masks, and  mass of complex restrictions, people stayed here - right in the Lakeshore.  Discovers were made. We really do have an endless treasury of goodness right in our own backyards.  And backyards got a whole lot of attention during covid.  Gardening, canning, and best of all, sharing the wealth of produce with neighbors became the norm.

 And people baked.  I have arrived a bit late to the baking craze, still I have arrived.  For me, baking has always been a chore.  Even making cookies gets out of hand. Flour everywhere, gooey dough, complicated, ingredient laden recipes.  Not my idea of fun.  But then there's Paul Hollywood.  Yup, he lured me in with those steely blue eyes, leaning in and critiquing the nervous contestants on The Great British Baking Show.   

I caved and purchased his very expensive, bake book filled with manageable recipes, and beautiful colored pictures of bakes, and of Paul Hollywood.  My plan is to bake my way through the book. So far so good.  I have owned the book for exactly one month now, and have made one recipe, the first one - banana bread.  OK. I did OK as you can see from the above picture.  I will make a few changes if I ever go back to this recipe, but no time for that now.  I must move and learn to make a proper Victoria Sponge.  This one looks easy and if it works out, I may share it with my book group.  But for sure, you will get a picture of the final product.

Thanks for stopping by

Stay safe. Stay healthy, Stay happy.

Daughters of the Morning Star

Thanks to friend Nebraska Steve for introducing me to Walt Longmire and the gang years ago.  I first got hooked on the TV series, and then backtracked and began reading the books.  The series is good...but the books...offer so much more.  Starting with the series planted a voice and a cadence in my ear, making reading the books that much more powerful.  

Walt is a sheriff on the border of an Indian reservation, requiring him to balance his law with reservation law. The two often frequently due to deeply held beliefs and traditions.  

This particular book brings even more meaning to the recent exhibit at the Rahr-West on missing, murdered, and exploded indigenous women.  I am not quite finished yet so rather than bumbling though a summary. here's the info from the back of the book....

When Lolo Long's niece Jaya begins receiving death threats, Tribal Police Chief Long calls on Absaroka County Sherriff Walt Longmire along with Henry Standing Bear as lethal backup. Jaya "longshot" Long is the phenom of the Lame Deer Lady Morning Stars high school basketball team and is following in the steps of her older sister, who disappeared a year previously, a victim of missing Native women in Indian Country. Lolo hopes that having Longmire involved might draw some public attention to the girl's plight, but with this maneuver she also inadvertently places the good sheriff in a one-on-one with the deadliest adversary he has ever faced in both this world and the next.

If you're intrigued and want to dig into a Longmire book, Cold Dish would be a good place to start.

Thanks for stopping by.

Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay happy.