Astronauts in Orbit: Two Books

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The Six: The Untold Story of America’s First Women Astronauts by Loren Grush

The NASA astronaut candidates of 1978 included six women who would all fly in near-earth orbit on the four space shuttles, before the construction of the International Space Station. The lengthy application and testing process is described in detail, along with the long wait to be selected for a space shuttle crew. Sally Ride became famous as the first American woman to orbit the earth, while Judith Resnick was better known for her second, ill-fated flight, on board Challenger in January, 1986. Sally was named to the the committee which investigated the Challenger disaster. Some information about the six was new to me, especially the stories of two women physicians, Anna Fisher and Rhea Seddon, who became pregnant and gave birth while waiting their turn to fly in space, and worked very close to their due dates and returned to work soon after. The six women, faced extra challenges due to their gender in a very male-dominated field, and added pressure from the media. This was great to read alternately with Orbital. Readalikes include The Mercury Thirteen by Martha Ackmann, Handprints on Hubble by Kathy Sullivan, and the novel The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal.

Orbital by Samantha Harvey

This beautiful, lyrical novel set a few years from now is a very memorable read, and will likely be nominated for multiple awards. It’s also short, and covers a single twenty-four hour day on the International Space Station. Four astronauts and two cosmonauts, from five countries, are several months into their overlapping nine-month stays on the station. The sixteen daily orbits around the planet reveal the beauty of the planet, the skies, and one massive typhoon heading for the Philippines, where Pietro and his wife met a fisherman and his family on their honeymoon. Chie learns that her mother has died in Japan. Their tedious daily exercise and tightly scripted work days contrast with the absolutely amazing sights including multiple sunrises, shared dreams, and relationships among the crew, their found family. The day described is also notable for another launch into space. Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton is a readalike for this excellent novel.

Brenda

The French Art of Living Well

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The French Art of Living Well: Finding Joie de Vivre in the Everyday World by Cathy Yandell

While not French herself, the author has a good idea of French life and what makes it special. Beginning at age 19, Cathy Yandell has made so many visits to France, mainly to Paris, that she’s lost count. Her two daughters attended school in Paris during three different years, and she’s accompanied many student groups to Paris, as well as doing research in France. Yandell is a professor of French language, literature, and culture at Carleton College in Minnesota. Also, not mentioned in this book, she’s been knighted by the French government.

Yandell shares many observations about how the French have a unique perspective on life. Her friends and acquaintances, many of them from French-speaking African countries, seem to take more time to savor life, from meals, coffee, walks, visiting museums and parks. Sometimes it’s about enjoying the moment with others, even strangers. During the pandemic, the French government greatly increased funding of arts and culture, resulting in numerous outdoor concerts and other entertainment in the summer of 2021, when Yandell was staying in Paris. She shares the experience of a special afternoon in a Paris park, listening to an actor read fiction aloud.

Lengthy Christmas and wedding feasts are described, although this is not a foodie memoir of France. Time at a traditional hammam, relaxing in the waters with a couple of women friends, is another happy memory. World Cup soccer, watched on TV in a bar, helped unite people. French literature, art, and philosophy are discussed, as well as the challenges of parenting a toddler in Paris. Yandell doesn’t strive to be French, but clearly loves the extended time she has spent there, adding up to several years over the past couple of decades. This is a pleasurable, leisurely read. Readalikes include The Good Life series by British expat Janine Marsh, especially My Four Seasons in France, and the novel Lucy Checks In by Dee Ernst.

Brenda

Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch

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Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch by Julie Abe

I really enjoyed this cozy fantasy marketed for ages 8-12. Eva (short for Evalithimus) Evergreen, 12, is an apprentice witch, taught by her mother, a grand-master. Eva doesn’t have much magic; casting a couple of spells makes her sleepy. She has one month to help a town, have the town mayor approve her work, and fly back to the city on her broom.

On the train to the coast, Eva acquires a magical pet flamefox named Ember. Mischievous Ember chews on Eva’s broom, causing Eva lots of stress, but this scene is funny for the reader who’s seen the book jacket where Eva is flying on the broom. Eva’s Semi-Magical Repair booth in Auteri shows her skill at combining a little magic with creative and practical skill to solve small problems and delight the young children at a nearby orphanage. Eva’s dad, who’s non-magical, often sends care packages with Japanese sweets, which Ember also enjoys.

Late in the month, a terrible storm approaches Auteri from the sea. Eva’s mom isn’t allowed to come and help until the month is up. Can Eva and her newly repaired broom save the town with the help of a few new friends? This is an absolutely charming cozy fantasy. Happily, there is a sequel, Eva Evergreen and the Cursed Witch. Readalikes include Kiki’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono (and I just learned there’s an animated film adaptation by Hayao Miyazaki), and The Tea Dragon Society by Kay O’Neil. An older children’s fantasy novel I’ve also enjoyed is The Little Broomstick by Mary Stewart.

Brenda

Recent Non-Fiction Reads: Hidden Potential and The Empire of the Sun

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Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things by Adam Grant

Bestselling author Adam Grant is a profession of organizational psychology known for books such as Think Again, and Originals. Full of true stories about athletes, entertainers, a comedian, and chess masters, Grant’s premise is that many successful people don’t have a natural aptitude or early success in their fields. He encourages his readers, especially educators, to step outside their comfort zone, make plenty of mistakes, seek advice for how you can improve, and find ways to make your learning more interesting and fun. Full of engaging anecdotes and quite a bit about successful educational systems in countries like Finland, this practical and clearly written book is broad, but not very deep. Several chapters are intriguing enough to make their own book.  Readalikes include books by Malcolm Gladwell, David Epstein, and Charles Duhigg.

Empire of the Sum: The Rise and Reign of the Pocket Calculator by Keith Huston

This isn’t just the history of the pocket calculator, but the history of counting, arithmetic, and mathematical calculations. Written for the general reader, I found this microhistory to be interesting and worthwhile, though not a quick read. Complete with illustrations and photographs, I learned about the various ways different cultures have counted by hand, some even including other body parts, such as the sternum, to count higher than 10 or 20. Then tally sticks, clay tablets and markers, leading up to the abacus. My parents had an abacus, but I don’t think any of us knew how to use it, so I was intrigued by the calculations it could do. The slide rule then came along, then very large calculation machines, followed by desk top calculators, like adding machines or early cash registers. The first pocket-size calculator was sold in 1971, and they were quite varied, from gold plate, to a digital watch with a calculator and an early stylus. I never used a graphing calculator, but their 3-inch screens must have been useful for mathematicians and engineers. Then came early financial software like VisiCalc, which helped sell many Apple II computers. Now we use calculators on smartphones and computers, but many pocket calculators from the 1970s and 1980s still work reliably. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History has a number of calculators in their collection, though not always on display, including a Casio Memory-8R, shown below along with another Casio in my home. The challenges of making the machines functional and ever smaller were numerous, and history buffs may enjoy this clearly written book.

Brenda

The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway

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The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway by Ashley Schumacher

This is a charming novel about a teen girl dealing with grief, holding onto the past, very reluctantly allowing new friends into her life, and coping with body image issues. Going forward, the reader and Maddie can enjoy the fun of summer at a large renaissance faire in Oklahoma. Oklahoma? Apparently, there are a few ren faires there; this one seems to be based on the Oklahoma Renaissance Festival set at the Castle in Muskogee.  Maddie meets Arthur, a skinny teen bard who’s funny, friendly, and annoying. He calls her Gwen for her lovely golden hair, and asks her to fill in as princess of the faire, to be in processions and appear at events with his two dads. Maddie’s dad and her friend Fatima encourage her to try something new, and she becomes Princess Gwen. On weekdays, there are road trips to all sorts of tourist attractions with Arthur.

Maddie and her father travel from faire to faire, living in their RV. He crafts leather bound journals while Maddie makes jewelry from the designs her mother created, and attends high school online. Almost a year ago, Maddie’s mom died. She’s been dreading the upcoming anniversary and doesn’t want to let anyone new into her life. Arthur is very persistent, and she agrees to be a friendly acquaintance. Maddie is plus sized, and it’s a nice change to wear princess gowns instead of peasant garb. A later shopping trip for mundane clothes even turns out to be surprisingly fun.

This title has been on my list of books to read for several months, but I didn’t remember the ren faire setting. I have really enjoyed Jen DeLuca’s ren faire rom-coms for adults, beginning with Well Met, and was pleased to see her blurb on the back cover. Reading about a ren faire summer makes for a perfect winter read, and you can look for information on renaissance faires both large and small here. Ashley has two other teen novels I’ve not read, but plan to consider soon.

Brenda

Demon Daughter

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Demon Daughter by Lois McMaster Bujold

In the 12th novella featuring Penric and Temple Demon Desdemona, Penric is now married with a young family. He travels with Desdemona and his wife Nikys to a coastal village where a little girl has washed ashore and then set several fires. It turns out that Otta, about 6, last remembers being on her family’s trading ship. She has acquired a very new demon, and both Otta and the demon are scared. With few other options, Penric and Nikys bring Otta home with them until her demon can be dealt with and her family located. Their children, especially Rina, help make Otta feel at home, even though only Penric speaks her language. Penric and Desdemona have an argument over what’s best for Otta, which is rather funny as they share Penric’s body. I’ve wanted to read more about Nikys, and it was charming to read more about her daily life and to see more of their kids, and especially Otta. An unlikely solution for Otta’s problem leads to a charming ending. More, please! The first Penric and Desdemona novella is Penric’s Demon, and it’s also in a collection, Penric’s Progress. This is a very appealing fantasy series in a well-crafted world.

Brenda

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries

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Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

In 1909, Dr. Emily Wilde visits the (fictional) Scandinavian island country of Ljosland to do research for her encyclopaedia of faeries. Emily is interested only in faeries, and isn’t very comfortable with people. Unfortunately, she got off on the wrong foot with the Hrafnsvik village leader, and isn’t sure why. Her rented cabin is sparsely furnished, and the two meals provided daily are barely edible. Fortunately, a brownie she calls Poe bakes lovely bread after she agrees to keep a path clear of snow for him. Then her Oxford colleague Professor Wendell Bambleby arrives unexpectedly, along with two of his students, and moves into the cabin. The cabin gets more comfortable, the students chop their firewood, and the villagers like the handsome golden-haired professor. Wendell wants Emily to coauthor a paper with him, and will even help find more fae, if he can ever get up early enough to travel with her.

Hrafnsvik has a changeling, and a girl who was taken and later returned by the courtly fae. When two young women are later kidnapped by the fae, Emily has come to care for the villagers, and volunteers to search for them along with the charming and infuriating Wendell and her unusual dog Shadow. I was hoping for a cozy fantasy read when I started this book, but readers of fairy tales will expect some danger from the cold and occasionally cruel fae. The worldbuilding is very well done, and prickly Emily becomes more likable. A sequel, Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands, which also features Wendell Bambleby has just been published. Books by Seanan McGuire are a good readalike, as is the Invisible Library series by Genevieve Cogman.

Brenda

Mountains of Fire

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Mountains of Fire: The Menace, Meaning, and Magic of Volcanoes by Clive Oppenheimer

I was fascinated by this compelling mix of science, history, volcanoes, and real-life adventure. Unlike other books about volcanoes, only part of this one focuses on disastrous volcanic eruptions. The author, a professor of volcanology at the University of Cambridge, learns and shares about the challenges of timing an evacuation order, which is very costly, especially since a volcano could erupt off and on for more than a year. He also shares that volcanoes add to their environment; they’re not just destructive. The volcanoes even seem to have different personalities.

Clive has explored volcanoes in Antarctica, the Sahara Desert, North Korea, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, and Iceland, and gives a good sense of place during each expedition, the instruments used to measure volcanic gases and how they’ve changed (his specialty). Repeated visits to volcanoes in North Korea and Antarctica are especially meaningful to him. When younger and less experienced, he took some risks that he learned from. Historical expeditions to volcanoes are described, as well as volcanoes in myth and legend. Prehistoric tools found near volcanoes, especially those made from volcanic obsidian, intrigue him.

This is a captivating and engaging study of volcanoes, and the author clearly wants to share the joy and wonder of his work. For glimpses of the sights and sounds of several volcanoes, see The Living Earth, a short unnarrated documentary Clive made in 2022, here.

Brenda

Mrs. Nash’s Ashes

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Mrs. Nash’s Ashes by Sarah Adler

This book’s title is quite unusual for a rom-com road trip novel. Thwarted when their flight from Washington to Miami is cancelled, acquaintances Millie and Hollis agree to drive south together, on a journey that takes much longer than expected. Millie, short for Millicent, is delightfully weird, and loves 80s music and movies. Due to a TV role as a kid and young teen, she was a minor celebrity growing up. She is taking some of the ashes of her elderly friend Rose Nash to Key West, where Rose’s World War II sweetheart, Elsie, is in declining health in a nursing home.

Some familiar rom-com tropes are used, especially when Hollis and Millie are stuck in a small town in South Carolina for car repairs and the last vacant room in the local bed and breakfast has only one bed. The characters are not cookie-cutter stereotypes, or even always likeable. Hollis, a writer on his way to Miami for an annual fling, is annoyed by Millie’s taste in music and is often grumpy, but is supportive when the redhead is asked to ride in a parade while they’re stuck in Gadsley, South Carolina. Millie has trust issues, but is fascinated by Hollis, especially his different colored eyes, while Hollis avoids serious relationships, afraid of heartbreak. They become friends, then lovers, but fight the notion of love and happily ever after. Rose and Elsie’s past relationship is slowly and charmingly revealed. This banter-filled first novel is poignant, funny, and quirky, and is an engaging read. I would have liked more Key West atmosphere and description, but this story is mostly about the journey, not the destination. Books by Jennifer Crusie and Talia Hibbert are readalikes.

Brenda