Misery Chastain Can’t Be Dead!

So I’m sliding in by the skin of my teeth with this post. The clock is not far from midnight. Good thing I wasn’t at a ball and doubly good that I don’t wear glass slippers. Actually the only slippers I wear are the cozy kind, and I sure as heck wouldn’t have left one of my slippers behind. They are way too valuable to run away from!

This week like all of the past weeks-(and can you believe it’s the last week of October-I can’t) has a theme.

If my memory serves me correctly, the October themes so far, have been:

1. American Horror Stories

2. True Crime

3. Witches

4. Dr. Hannibal Lecter

To tidy up the month, the theme for this last week belongs to:

Maybe you’ve never read him, maybe you are a big fan, maybe you think he’s overrated, maybe you don’t care one way or the other-I don’t know.

What I do know is this:

I. Am. A. Fan.

Which is why he and his books are the last theme of this month.

My very first introduction to SK was in elementary school. I was a huge reader back then as well. While I was devouring The Babysitter’s Club and Sweet Valley High, there were two boys in my fifth grade class who were devouring everything by SK.

While I was jealous of the Babysitter’s having a cool club and making money and also trying in vain to decide if I liked Jessica or Elizabeth Wakefield better, these boys were reading some amazingly out-of-our league (as fifth graders) novels.

I do remember thinking they were sort of strange, but I’m sure they thought I was strange-after all I did have a hideous perm. Thinking back, I realize they were the cool ones. I’m not knocking The Babysitter’s or SVH, I just should’ve ventured out a bit.

I don’t believe I read anything by SK until high school. By then I had moved on to Danielle Steel, don’t judge. Steel showed me I could read some big books, length-wise. Many of SK’s books are long, so Steel’s were a good starting point to see if I could read something that long.

I could and I did. Steel’s length served as a confidence builder, which is what I needed to read longer and heavier material.

Tonight’s book, Misery is one of my all time favorites by King. Annie Wilkes, only behind Hannibal Lecter, is my second favorite villain.

Side note: I don’t keep some long, drawn out, crazy list of favorite villains. I believe my list is only comprised of the two aforementioned characters, FYI.

Misery is perfect. It follows the famous (fictional) author Paul Sheldon as he puts the finishing touches on his most recent manuscript. He goes through a few rituals, like staying in a cabin, having a cigarette, etc. before turning the manuscript in to his editor.

It’s the middle of winter and Sheldon ends up having an accident after driving in to town. He sits, immobilized and hurt in his car, which is trapped off the road in a snow bank.

A bit of time goes by and he is rescued by Miss Annie Wilkes, who knows exactly who he is. She is a huge fan of his and the character he created, Misery Chastain, in his beloved book series.

Actually, she is his number one fan, to be exact.

She takes him to her home since there is no one else to help him in this weather.

This is when the real story begins. Read it and then go see the movie. Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes is brilliant.

Do you have a favorite Stephen King book?

This week I’m going to share other favorites as well as some I’d like to read, so stick around!

“Writers remember everything…especially the hurts. Strip a writer to the buff, point to the scars, and he’ll tell you the story of each small one. From the big ones you get novels. A little talent is a nice thing to have if you want to be a writer, but the only real requirement is the ability to remember the story of every scar.
Art consists of the persistence of memory.” -Stephen King, Misery

Hello Clarice.

October is a time for cozy sweaters and pumpkin-everything.

It’s also a time for for posting creepy, strange books and pictures with blood spatter. I happen to love blood spatter, in case you haven’t noticed. In another life I would love to be a blood spatter analyst, à la Dexter.

Of course all the blood in my pictures is non-toxic paint (just in case *anyone cares).

*I happen to know there are actually a shit-ton of people out there who have some serious opinions about paint. But that’s another story for another day 🎨

Moving on.

If you’ve been following my blog this week then you know I’ve been posting theme weeks throughout the month of October.

The theme this week has been:

He just happens to be my very favorite villain. Tonight’s post is about The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris. This is probably the most well-known book in the series and the accompanying movie is nothing short of phenomenal. Scary as hell, but phenomenal.

SOTL was written second, but should be read third-according to me. You can read these books in any order of your choosing. I prefer to read things in an orderly timeline if at all possible, which is why I begin with the book written fourth (Hannibal Rising) because it is about Hannibal as a child.

This story follows another serial killer, Buffalo Bill who is abducting women. An FBI trainee, Clarice Starling, is sent to meet with Dr. Lecter to once again request his help, this time in the Buffalo Bill case.

From the beginning Lecter is very taken with Agent Starling. As she begins to question Lecter, he begins to analyze her. His intrigue with the vast and deep corners of the mind (which he calls his Memory Palace) lead him to ask questions about Sterling’s personal life and childhood, which Starling is hesitant in responding to, especially at first.

As time goes by, Lecter does provide help in profiling what type of person Buffalo Bill is. As he answers Starling’s questions, she begins to open up about herself. Starling is drawn more to Lecter as time goes by. Not in a romantic way necessarily, but in more of a mental stand-off. Although they exist on opposite sides of the law, there is a strong mutual respect of one another. The complexities of their relationship is fascinating. It seems almost unfathomable that a relationship and even a friendship of sorts could even exist.

Tomorrow’s post featuring the fourth Hannibal book concludes this week’s theme. I hope you have enjoyed this week’s posts, because I have enjoyed writing and photographing them for you. It’s always fun to visit old, creepy favorites, especially in the spookiest month of the year 🎃

Like the previous three Hannibal books, the creep factor is high- deliciously high. It’s this factor alone, which should spur you to read it all the more.

“Good-bye Clarice. Will you let me know if ever the lambs stop screaming?” -Thomas Harris, The Silence of the Lambs

Then, That Boy Named Hannibal Lecter Grew Up

When someone is really good at something like playing a sport or instrument they are amazing to watch. Even if you yourself are not in to that particular thing, usually an exceptional talent has the ability to draw you in.

If their skill or talent is up your alley, then at the very least it’s easy to become mesmerized.

And what about when you want to learn about something you aren’t familiar with? Then, you seek out the professional, or someone who is pretty good at the skill set you are interested in, right?

That’s what I would do.

And that very idea leads in to the second book concerning this week’s theme of:

Monday’s book, Hannibal Rising, is about Hannibal’s childhood and although it was written fourth, I feel it should be read first.

Red Dragon by Thomas Harris was written first, but it should be read second. This book is about a serial killer who brutally murders families in their homes. When the police continue to struggle with this case, retired FBI agent, Will Graham who has a special talent for catching serial killers comes out of retirement to help. Graham was almost killed in the process of catching his last serial killer, Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Although Graham and Lecter have a violent history that put Lecter in prison, Graham reaches out to him for help with this current case.

So, just because someone is good at something doesn’t automatically mean that something is a good thing. But it also doesn’t mean you can not learn from them.

Red Dragon is the first book to explore Lecter not only as an adult, but also as an important, highly intelligent resource. What makes Lecter so dangerous is that he knows how intelligent he is. Due to this, his manipulations and charismatic characteristics flow almost seamlessly in to every conversation and situation almost effortlessly.

Well bookworms, we are now halfway through the Hannibal Lecter quartet. Stick around for the rest of the week, each book only gets better!

“The very air had screams smeared on it. He flinched from the noise in this silent room.” -Thomas Harris, Red Dragon

“Don’t think you can persuade me with appeals to my intellectual vanity.” -Thomas Harris, Red Dragon

Once Upon A Time There Was A Boy Named Hannibal Lecter

It’s been rainy and dreary today, which is perfect for sitting under a blanket with coffee and a book.

But not so perfect for driving to work, running errands, or walking the dog. The first two were done in the rain and the rain had let up when I started walking, so I decided to chance it.

The odds were not in my favor.

By the time we got home we were both soaked. Not exactly the cozy, rainy-day scenario I had mind. More often than not I live vicariously within the scenes I create in my head. I picture myself holed up somewhere amazing (like a huge comfy chair) reading for hours undisturbed. These thoughts alone can be relaxing in their own right, which I guess is the next best thing to actually getting to do them.

So here we are bookworms- in the fourth week of October. Each of the previous weeks of this month have been themed.

Week 1:

American Horror Stories, which featured all of Lisa Genova’s books.

Week 2:

True Crime

Week 3:

Witches

Before I share this week’s theme, I want to tell you something about me. I like villains. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to be a villain. I just find them fascinating in literature. They are more complex and hands down more interesting than heroes. Like real life criminals, I want to know what makes them tick. What events came together so horribly perfect to create such a being?

That being said, this week’s theme belongs to my favorite villain in literature:

Many years ago I watched the movie, The Silence of the Lambs and was eerily sucked in to the world of Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

When I found out there were books, I devoured them. At the time there were only two books. In all there are four and they are amazing.

This week I am going to post about each of them and I am posting them in the order I think they should be read. Hannibal Rising by Thomas Harris was actually written last, but it should be read first.

Each of us is a map. We are where we are because of all of the stops along the way. Each stop has shaped us, some in big ways and others might barely be noticed. I think most people even when going through something bad or sad usually come away from it stronger and have learned something from it (which helps when dealing with other hard things that come along).

The cliched saying, “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger,” does hold truth. However, there is a flip side to this statement. I think people sometimes have experiences so horrible that the mind sort of cracks (for lack of a proper medical word) apart. Those people then walk away with the damaged parts being strengthened rather than being properly helped and repaired.

Often these bad events occur in childhood. What children see and experience, they believe wholeheartedly and indiscernibly Their innocence is easily manipulated and ultimately destroyed.

Hannibal Rising is the story of Hannibal’s childhood. This prequel gives you the starting point as well as the first few stops on the map of Hannibal’s life. That’s really all you need to know going in to this story and in to the story of his life in its entirety.

This book, like the three others that follow are disturbing. But to leave them at that would be an injustice. They are intriguing, intense, intelligent, and Hannibal’s story is one of a kind.

So what do you think, are you ready to take a trip? Let’s get out the map of Hannibal Lecter’s life and get going. But, it’s getting darker earlier these days and I think you’d like some extra light for this journey.

“Just before nightfall, Hannibal approached Lecter castle through the woods. As he looked at his home, his feelings remained curiously flat; it is not healing to see your childhood home, but it helps you measure whether you are broken, and how and why, assuming you want to know.” -Thomas Harris, Hannibal Rising

“Spaces devoted to Hannibal Lecter’s earliest years differ from the other archives in being incomplete. Some are static scenes, fragmentary, like painted attic shards held together by blank plaster. Other rooms hold sound and motion, great snakes wrestling and heaving in the dark and lit in flashes. Pleas and screaming fill some places on the grounds where Hannibal himself cannot go. But the corridors do not echo screaming, and there is music if you like.” -Thomas Harris, Hannibal Rising

A Witch’s Brew For Tonight’s Crew

Books, dessert, wine, and Friday.

If you are among any or all of these things, you are among good company. Add in some comfy pants and you might just be in heaven. This week has been pretty good on my end, how about yours? Anything exciting? Along with working on blog stuff this week, i have been reading a book that got a lot of acclaim and even-gasp-won the dreaded Pulitzer,

Tangent alert: (I swear I don’t hate the Pulitzer. It just always puts me in to a state. As in, if the book isn’t amazing I start wondering what the hell the PP committee was thinking when they chose it over so many other more deserving books, and then I think literary prizes are just all going to hell in a hand-basket. Overly dramatic, I know).

Anyway I’ve been reading this book and I completely love it. What’s interesting, at least to me, is that two people who I feel not only are wonderful friends and also huge bookworms with great taste, have professed their profound dislike of this book. I almost put it in my trade pile (without reading it) because of their opinions. There really is only one reason I decided to give it a try, but I’ll get to that in a future post, so keep your eyes out for it some time in November.

When Friday rolls around it’s time for my favorite posting of the week. Every Friday on themostconstant I post a book, a dessert, and a drink.

So far for the month of October I have had a weekly theme.

Week 1: American Horror Stories

Week 2: True Crime

and

Week 3:

Ending this week’s theme is:

The Witches- Suspicion, Betrayal, and Hysteria in 1692 Salem by Stacy Schiff. When I first heard of this book I knew I wanted it. I came across this wonderful trade copy at a used book store out of town. It was in such good condition and such a beautiful book that I paid $12 for it. That’s high in my book (no pun intended), but sometimes you do what you gotta do.

This comes in at just under 500 pages and as of yet I’ve not read it. The Salem witch trials and all of the chaos surrounding that time is almost unbelievable. Below is the Amazon synopsis:

• It began in 1692, over an exceptionally raw Massachusetts winter, when a minister’s daughter began to scream and convulse. It ended less than a year later, but not before 19 men and women had been hanged and an elderly man crushed to death.

The panic spread quickly, involving the most educated men and prominent politicians in the colony. Neighbors accused neighbors, parents and children each other. Aside from suffrage, the Salem Witch Trials represent the only moment when women played the central role in American history. In curious ways, the trials would shape the future republic •

Next up, dessert:

This is one of my old faithfuls. I wanted to make something new, but time did not permit this. These are my Almond Butter Blondies. The only sad part is now I am officially out of the almond butter I use for these. I use Trader Joe’s almond butter and the closest TJs is an hour away. I usually buy 7-8 jars at a time, and because I’m a bit of a hoarder when it comes to this stuff (and books). The recipe is posted on another post of you are interested.

Last, but certainly not least, the wine:

I chose this dark red called Black Forest by Cupcake because the Black Forest part made me think of the Salem witch trials for some reason. The bottle is empty, so I do recommend it. Add a few frozen berries and you will be good to go!

Bonus Book:

A sweet friend, who knew about all about the witch theme this week brought me this book tonight, so I had to share it with you all! It sounds great to me!

Here is the Amazon synopsis:

• In this tale of passion and obsession, Diana Bishop, a young scholar and a descendant of witches, discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, deep in Oxford’s Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont •

One of the reasons I chose the witches theme is because, other than The Witching Hour by Anne Rice, I am not familiar with good books in this genre. I spent the last two weeks looking up books to post to you. In all honesty I had a book and picture ready to post yesterday and after really reading about it I realized I wasn’t as in to it as I had thought.

I am not opposed to posting about books I have read and subsequently did not like, but I am not going to post books I haven’t read that don’t fully grab my attention. Did I say that right?

Well it’s late and I’m tired, but I’d still like to eek out a few minutes of reading before I hit the hay.

I wish you all a goodnight and even better weekend. Check back for a new theme next week 📚

“I’ll get you my pretty, and your little dog, too.” -The Wicked Witch of the West, The Wizard of Oz

A Bewitching Duet

Happy Hump Day!

How has your week be so far? Mine has been decent, busy, but not bad, if that makes sense?

I meet up with my book club pals this Friday and I have been struggling with the book we selected for October. It’s The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton. I was really excited when we chose this book, yet I can’t seem to connect with it. Have any of you read this? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Continuing with this week’s theme of

I have selected two books for this evening’s post. Part of the reason I selected this theme is because I’d like to dive in to some great stories about witches. They kind of fascinate me. Not necessarily the Wicked Witch of the West type with green skin and striped stockings, but more along the lines of the Mayfair witches from The Witching Hour (Monday’s post).

Tonight’s first book is:

White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi. With this story Oyeyemi has been compared with the gothic style of Shirley Jackson, which is no small feat.

This story, like The Witching Hour follows several generations of women living in England.

Since I haven’t read it, I’ve provided the Amazon synopsis below:

• There’s something strange about the Silver family house in the closed-off town of Dover, England. Grand and cavernous with hidden passages and buried secrets, it’s been home to four generations of Silver women—Anna, Jennifer, Lily, and now Miranda, who has lived in the house with her twin brother, Eliot, ever since their father converted it to a bed-and-breakfast. The Silver women have always had a strong connection, a pull over one another that reaches across time and space, and when Lily, Miranda’s mother, passes away suddenly while on a trip abroad, Miranda begins suffering strange ailments. An eating disorder starves her. She begins hearing voices. When she brings a friend home, Dover’s hostility toward outsiders physically manifests within the four walls of the Silver house, and the lives of everyone inside are irrevocably changed •

It sounds just real enough to be creepy, which is about my favorite recipe when it comes to books that hang out a little on the dark side.

The second book about witches is:

The Winter Witch by Paula Brackston. If she sound’s familiar, especially in this genre, it’s because she’s written several stories about witches. One of her more popular books is The Witch’s Daughter.

I hadn’t heard of The Winter Witch and when I read the back I thought it sounded good and worth sharing with you.

Below is the Amazon synopsis:

• In her small early nineteenth century Welsh town, there is no one quite like Morgana. She is small and quick and pretty enough to attract a suitor, but there are things that set her apart from other girls. Though her mind is sharp she has not spoken since she was a young girl. Her silence is a mystery, as well as her magic—the household objects that seem to move at her command, the bad luck that visits those who do her ill. Concerned for her safety, her mother is anxious to see Morgana married, and Cai Jenkins, the widowed drover from the far hills who knows nothing of the rumors that swirl around her, seems the best choice.

After her wedding, Morgana is heartbroken at leaving her mother, and wary of this man, whom she does not know, and who will take her away to begin a new life. But she soon falls in love with Cai’s farm and the wild mountains that surround it. Here, where frail humans are at the mercy of the elements, she thrives, her wild nature and her magic blossoming. Cai works to understand the beautiful, half-tamed creature he has chosen for a bride, and slowly, he begins to win Morgana’s affections. It’s not long, however, before her strangeness begins to be remarked upon in her new village. A dark force is at work there—a person who will stop at nothing to turn the townspeople against Morgana, even at the expense of those closest to her •

This one sounds like it has a bit of a love story at the heart of it, which is different than White is for Witching. This book by Brackston rates just slightly higher than her more popular The Witch’s Daughter, four stars for TWW versus 3.9 stars for TWD.

So what do you think-do either of these books sound good, have you read them?

Do you have a favorite story about witches, if so, please share it with me!

“Are you a good witch or a bad witch?” – Glinda the Good Witch, The Wizard of Oz

Come & Sit For A Spell

The hour is upon us.

This week’s theme, my dear bookworms, is:

Many years ago one of my college roommates who was/is also a good friend handed me her copy of The Witching Hour by Anne Rice. She is a huge Rice fan and was reading through all of her vampire books at the time. I had never read anything by Rice and I can’t remember why she recommended TWH to me, other than the fact that she loved that book.

I took that chunk of a book and started reading. The mass market edition, which is the edition I had, is over a thousand pages.

TWH was not only my first novel by Anne Rice, but it was my first novel about witches. Obviously I didn’t have any other witch novel to compare it to, but after reading it I can’t imagine a better book about witches to start with.

TWH begins the saga of The Mayfair witches. The story opens in present day San Francisco and effortlessly glides between 17th-century France, the coffee plantations of Port-such-Prince, New Orleans, and the Civil War South.

In present-day San Francisco, a neurosurgeon named Rowan Mayfair, rescues a man who has drowned. Aware she has some type of power, but unaware this power comes from being a descendant of an ancient line of witches, she brings him back to life (this isn’t a cheesy bring-back-to-life-romance story, I promise). This man, Michael Curry, having had a brief experience with death acquires a sensory power of sorts (also not cheesy) is drawn to Rowan.

Michael and Rowan’s story is followed as easily and as intensely as the one of the Mayfair Witch history. Ultimately the stories intertwine. If you like historical family sagas, I think you will greatly enjoy this book. Rice draws you in with such hypnotic visuals- at times they seem almost larger than life. As you learn more about each generation of witches, it becomes harder and harder to step away from this story and their world. Her words might just pull you right from where you are and into her world of witchcraft, spells and the sometimes seductive destruction of four centuries of witches.

It’s only when a story is accompanied with a delectable richness like that of velveteen that you know someone is truly a master at their craft.

Anne Rice is one such master.

The Mayfair witches and their story have stuck with me for over twenty years. Never would I have guessed that a book such as this would’ve entranced me so fully.

“I feel the darkness near me; I feel the light shining. And more keenly I feel the contrast between the two.“

Anne Rice, The Witching Hour

Where Do Monsters Lurk?

My interest in true crime books goes way back. I’m thinking I was in junior high when I was introduced to this genre via a book written by Ann Rule.

To this day I have read all of her books or close to it. Sadly she passed away a few years ago so there will not be any new books. Ann Rule was a policewoman before she became an author, which only added to the authenticity of her writing. Although the subjects and associated people she wrote about were horrifying, her books were not gratuitously disgusting or over the top. Her books are well thought out and well researched. Rule’s presence within this genre is sadly missed.

Thinking about this week I wanted to cover a good variety of true crime books for you. Typically murder comes to mind when I think about this genre, but the word crime covers a multitude of acts. Learning about the inner-workings of the minds of criminals is fascinating to me. The age-old debate of nature vs. nurture will only continue to be examined. Are people born with certain genes that allow them to be more susceptible to committing these acts-or does an experience cause them to snap? Personally, I believe it’s both.

What do you think?

Today’s Book:

I read The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi a few years back. I can’t remember if it was recommended or if I just picked it up because it sounded interesting.

This story is an incredible one.

Imagine getting the chance to live in another country that you has always dreamed of. This is exactly the chance that Douglas Preston and his family were able to do when they moved from the U.S.A. to Florence, Italy.

After getting settled in their farmhouse in Florence, Preston gets the chance to meet up with the famous journalist, Mario Spezi.

As the two get to know each other Spezi shares some interesting information with Preston. The olive grove next to Preston’s new home was the scene of a horrible double murder. These murders were committed by the “most infamous figure in Italian history-the Monster of Florence (back cover).”

Preston is fascinated by this information. Of all places he and his family could have found a house- the one they choose has such a terrible story right next door.

He and Spezi begin their own investigation in to this monster who killed fourteen people, but was never caught.

This is the true story of their search to find and confront the man they believe is responsible for these crimes.

In the midst of their search, you learn about the city’s own bloody history. As the two men become more and more involved in this hunt, they actually become targets of a crazy police investigation.

If you enjoy true crime or even just have an interest in history, I think you will enjoy this book. It’s a little over three hundred pages, but is quite fast-paced.

This is a book I’ve kept after finishing for two reasons. I not only found it to be such a great read, but also I wanted to be reminded to recommend it to others who like this genre.

Oh-to answer the question asked in the title:

Where do monsters lurk?

Everywhere, my dears. So watch your step.

More to come this week!

“We all have a monster within; the difference is in degree, not in kind.”

-Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi, The Monster of Florence

American Horror Stories: Part I

Happy October 1st!

When I began thinking about what I wanted to post for the month of October, my mind of course thought of creepy books.

I enjoy the strange and mysterious. If a story gets a little (or a lot) dark along the way, count me in. I do like books like Frankenstein or Dracula- but those do not scare me. Nor do witches, werewolves, or anything typically bloody and gruesome.

What gets under my skin and makes it crawl is the seemingly normal and ordinary. The everyday nuances that when twisted can terrorize the mind. When a story about the normal neighbor who has been keeping people locked in a basement, yet cheerily says hello every morning- that’s what creeps me out.

The majority of books that I plan to post about this month will have those types of characteristics. Subjects and stories that are true or could very likely take place are way scarier than fiction (usually). Stories that grab you on a psychological level are so much scarier than ghosts and goblin types. Our brains are often the biggest source of what we fear.

The mind can be a scary place, remember that and tread carefully.

On the complete flip side of books that scare me on a psychological level are the books I am going to talk about this week.

These books scare me on such a profound level that at times I had to stop reading and return months later to them. It took me several years to read all five of these books because they terrify me and I needed to space them apart.

Lisa Genova has written five fiction novels. All of her books center around disease, sickness, and loss. Another author, Jodi Picoult also writes novels with medical issues front center. However, Picoult’s novels also usually present a medical-ethical dilemma as well. Her books are good and I recommend her as an author. Genova, on the other hand, presents each of her books (centering on an ailment) as open and raw as I feel is possible. The disease or sickness in question is just right there staring you in the face.

Her books are true horror stories.

Watching a disease ravage the body and/or mind of someone you love is sickening.

Aside from being an author, Lisa Genova is a neuroscientist. She researches and works with those who are afflicted with the particular diseases she has written about. Her knowledge on these subjects is vast, yet her books are written for the layman, which only makes them more frightening in my opinion.

In this post I am going to write about two of her books. Over the next few days I will cover all five. On Thursday, I will feature the one that scared me out the most. On Friday, since I will have covered all of her books, I am going to feature a book (also of the medical horror variety) by another author.

Left Neglected :

This story follows Sarah Nickerson.

Sarah is a mom like any other. Multi-tasking, trying to be as efficient as possible, all while driving her kids from one place to the next.

During one such drive she is distracted by her cell phone, looks away a second too long, and poof, her life and all of the million details it entails abruptly comes to a stop.

She isn’t killed. Instead she suffers a traumatic brain injury resulting in a diagnosis of Left Neglect.

Left Neglect means nothing in your left hemisphere exists to you. It’s a hard scenario to grasp. Although logically Sarah knows what she’s been through and what the doctors have told her, she struggles with it.

There’s a part that stands out in my mind that quickly put it in to perspective for me. Sarah, thinking she’s doing ok wants to go for a drive. Someone is with her in the car and they slowly begin to head down the street. After a minute, her friend asks her why she is driving with her (left side) door open? That door no longer exists to Sarah and she had no idea it was open.

I can’t imagine.

Just as the brain can be a scary place psychologically speaking, it can also be scary due to its size and capabilities. When those capability’s are lost, there are no prerequisites for specific healing times, if in fact they ever completely heal.

Sarah’s story is one I have thought about so much over the years since I have read it. Cell phones are everywhere and we all have used them at times when we shouldn’t have. I’m not judging because I am including myself.

I highly recommend this scary book to you. Just another reminder to be safe while you and your loved ones are in cars -surrounded by a million other people in cars who might be texting that quick little note to grab an extra gallon of milk on the way home.

Love Anthony :

This story follows two women and the power of friendship in light of horrific tragedy.

Beth and Jimmy’s fourteen year marriage ends when he has an affair. Olivia and David have a non-verbal son with Autism named Anthony. Just when they are learning to to navigate the often rough waters of his diagnosis, Anthony dies at the age of eight.

Instead of drawing closer together in the time of tragedy, Olivia and David divorce.

Both women take up different hobbies to try and understand their recent life upheavals. Beth begins to write and Olivia turns to photography. These two women and their stories do tie together.

I don’t want to write much about this story, because I want you to read it.

I cannot imagine the loss of child and I hope to God I never have to know that pain and suffering.

The books of today’s post are scary and heavy. I’ve not meant to write gratuitously, but rather to make you think. Genova writes about subjects that 100% scare the socks off me. But- at the same time I feel after reading her stories I have become a little more educated in those areas. Knowledge can be scary, but it can also be the force that propels us to push forward and advance rather than living in fear.

“Have you lost your mind?”

“No,” I say, insulted. Well, I actually have lost some of my right mind, but now’s probably not the best time to be literal.

Lisa Genova, Left Neglected