NaPoWriMo - Day 1

Prompt: ekphastic poem

It is Finished. By Liz Kelso

Pierced in the side, I hang upon the tree

Jeered by the crowd, feared by the Pharisee

Weep not dear John and Magdalene

With nails through hands, I absolve your sin.

Exalted you shall be in Paradise

For I am manifest to all thee thrice

For you who have loved me without a sign

This Paradise shall also be thine.

You children of grace, one day you will come

To inhabit your place in my kingdom

Have heart, stay strong and bide your time

Purgatory is just a state of mind.

Archangel Michael will stand at the helm

For you who dwell in the other realm

For repentance was never on your breath

You are doomed to suffer after your death.

I Can See Clearly Now by Wayne W. Dyer

Book Review

 

I have been a fan of Dr. Wayne Dyer’s for twenty years. I was delighted to see that he had written a memoir. This is an exceptional memoir and it has exceeded my expectations.

Dr. Dyer takes us through all the stages of his life. Not only do we travel through his physical life from childhood until recent times, but we travel through his spiritual growth. He expounds on how each stage of his life brought him to new insights and new ways of looking at the world. Each pivotal point has made him the person he is today.

There are things in this book that his fans would know; however, there are some stories that I had not known and now I have a greater appreciation for him. I did not know much about his formal education and how the paths he decided to take, led him to where he is today.

Dr. Dyer has written many books throughout his life and he is generous with his information and knowledge. This book is both entertaining and inspirational.

Although this is a memoir, his writing style is still soothing and uplifting. A lot of memoirs I’ve read have either been braggadocios or depressing, this one is neither. Every sentence was well thought out and well crafted.

I have recommended this book to many of my friends.

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Hay House Publishing for this review. The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.

 

Historical Fiction Reads

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

 

It took me a long while to want to read this book.  Initially, I did not think I would find reading about the stark landscape of Iceland interesting.  I didn’t think I’d find the life of a murderess awaiting execution in 1829 interesting. Now I realize, I don’t know what I will find or not find interesting.  This book changed my perception.

 

This haunting debut novel by Hannah Kent is set in a bleak location and has a bleak premise.  Agnes Magnúsdóttir awaits execution in the early 1800’s.  She is accused of murdering her lover and another man.  We are taken back to the events that lead up to the murder, the details of the murder and the anguish of the seemingly endless wait of her death. We are also shown, through the eyes of others, how the reputation of someone proceeds them and how minds can made to be changed and hearts made to care.

 

Kent takes this piece of Icelandic history and takes us on a fictionalized account of what occurred during the months she waited to be executed.  We are taken inside of Agnes’ head and heart and learn about her memories and fears.

 

This story grips you and keeps you on the edge with a heavy heart until the very last page.

 

5 out of 5 stars.

 

 

Homer & Langley by E.L. Doctorow

Homer & Langley Collyer were brothers who were known as the Hermits of Harlem.  Doctorow takes this fascinating story and fictionalizes it. 

 

The collier brothers lived together in a mansion on Fifth Avenue in New York City.  Homer, who is blind and eventually goes deaf, is cared for by his brother Langley.  Langley starts hoarding newspapers for ‘research’.  Eventually the hoarding grows out of control and their grand mansion becomes a huge museum of junk and eventually their tomb.

 

In the factual account, the Collyer brothers lived from the late 1800s until 1947; however, for interest sake, Doctorow changes the time line.  This brings them through World War I, the Jazz/gangster era all the way up to the free loving days of the 1960s and slightly beyond.

 

I think the change in time gives this story much more interest and relatability.  The fact that there is not much information on these brothers because most of the stuff in their home was destroyed during the purging didn’t stop Doctorow from creating a compelling story of one possible reality.

 

4 out of 5 stars.

 

 

Mrs. Lincoln’s Rival by Jennifer Chiaverini

 

Kate Chase Sprague is the daughter of Salmon Chase, an Ohio lawyer in the 1800s.  She attempted to establish her father as a future presidential candidate against Lincoln.

The fact that she was considered Mrs. Lincoln’s Rival was because of her beauty, intelligence and political acumen, Mary Lincoln did not embrace her.

 

I really enjoyed Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini; however, I did not embrace this book.  I thought it was slow and lacked any interest.

 

2 out of 5 stars.

 

 

 

The Waterworks by E.L. Doctorow

 

Give me a book that takes place in New York City in the 1800s and I will read it.

 

A freelance writer notices a stagecoach with some elderly men.  One of these men was reported dead and buried by his family.  This mystery unfolds amidst the dank reality of New York City in the 1800s.  We are shown the disparity between the rich and the poor in this morality tale.

 

3 out of 5 stars.