Memoir – Carol's Notebook

Red Lip Theology by Candice Marie Benbow

February 21, 2023February 21, 2023 by Carol1 Comment

Red Lip Theology, part memoir and part theological discussion, is honest, raw, and unapologetic. Candice walks us through her life- the good, the bad, and the ugly- tying all of it to the development of her theology. She has a clear voice and she tells her story with wisdom, wit, and humor. Several of Candice's essays revolve around her mother, a single mom who brought Candice up in the church. A church that shamed her mom for not being married and her by extension. She talks about the strength and faith her mom gave her, how she encouraged her and loved her. She talks about her grief when her mom died and the impact it had on her life and academic career. Candice talks about the choices she's made and how they all made her who she is today. She talks about how the church and pastors let her down time and again, but she also talks about her "spiritual care...

Becoming by Michelle Obama

January 31, 2020January 31, 2020 by Carol6 Comments

In Becoming, Michelle Obama tells her story. She talks about growing up poor in Southside Chicago. She talks about the love of her family, the value they placed on hard work and education. She discusses her career, the right path she started on and the twists and turns it took. She talks about meeting Barack, their early marriage, and how they function as a couple. Of course, she eventually gets around to the presidential campaign and their time in the White House, but she (mostly) stays with her point of view, her difficulties, and her initiatives. She also touches on her difficulties with putting her career on hold to support her husband's career and how unfair things could feel. She talks about the difficulties of raising two girls, the tightrope of keeping them safe but allowing them to have "normal" childhoods and teen years, of appreciating the luxuries they have but still being grounded in "regular" life. Michelle Obama is...

A River in Darkness by Masaji Ishikawa

July 20, 2018July 19, 2018 by Carol2 Comments

A River in Darkness is a heart-breaking story. Ishikawa went form a childhood in Japan where he didn't fit in because he was half-Korean to North Korea where he was one of the lowest of the low. He tells his story frankly, without sentimentality, but it's full of misery, hunger, desperation. He tells of living conditions that I can't even imagine. I knew North Korea is not a good country, but we don't get to see this side of it often. We don't see how the people live, and die. We know that life in the totalitarian regime is tough, but Ishikawa let's us see the brainwashing, the untenable choices that have to be made. The corruption and domination affect every aspect of life. A River in Darkness was way out of my comfort zone, but I am definitely glad I picked it up. I got sucked into Ishikawa's story. I wish it had a happy ending, though. He does escape...

Spotlight and Giveaway: Falling for the Stars by Lisa Loving Dalton

November 30, 2016November 23, 2016 by CarolNo Comments

Book Trailer: Giveaway: Grand Prize Package: one winner will receive: 1) a paperback copy of Falling For the Stars by Lisa Loving Dalton with autographed Last Dragon Pic 2) a paperback copy of A Balancing Act by Emmanuelle Chaulet 3) an e-copy of Murder of Talent 4) a 30-min video chat with author 2nd and 3rd Prize Packages: 2 winners will each get: 1) a Kindle copy of Falling for the Stars by Lisa Loving Dalton with an autographed Last Dragon pic 2) a paperback copy of A Balancing Act by Emmanuelle Chaulet 3) an e-copy of Murder of Talent USA only Giveaway ends Dec 17 a Rafflecopter giveaway...

Sounds Like Me: My Life (So Far) in Song by Sara Bareilles

February 24, 2016February 24, 2016 by Carol5 Comments

I enjoy Sara Bareilles' songs. I just do. They make me want to sing along, which is why I picked this audio up from the library. Sara reads this collection of 8 essays and sing pieces of a few of her songs along the way. It's like talking to an old friend. She's honest and lets us see parts of her life. She shares her insecurities, her struggles with body image, her struggles as a beginning songwriter. I think listening to the audio was the way to go though, rather than reading it in print. You can tell that she really cares about people and is thrilled when her songs connect to people, inspires people, let people know that they're not alone. She's very affirming of others, especially young women. I love how she doesn't take herself too seriously though. She keeps the tone light throughout and I enjoyed the different tones she uses when she laughs at herself. It's a fun...

Everything Old is New Again: Guest Post by Andra Watkins, author of Not Without My Father

March 16, 2015 by Carol1 Comment

Today, I'm happy to welcome Andra Watkins, author of Not Without My Father, to my notebooks. She's talking a bit about her walk on the Natchez Trace. Everything Old Is New Again by Andra Watkins For 10,000 years, souls both animal and human have walked the Natchez Trace. It’s older than Egypt’s pyramids, more ancient than the hanging gardens of Babylon. Animals first trekked its natural ridge line thousands of years ago, migrating from the Ohio River Valley to Mississippi’s salt licks. When the Native Americans arrived, it was natural for them to settle along the Trace. Who wouldn’t covet a ready food supply and ample space to build ceremonial mounds visitors can still experience today? I’m no athlete, but I was curious. Walkers ruled the Natchez Trace for millennia, but in the 1930’s, they were displaced by a ribbon of pavement from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee. A historic footpath overrun by cars and camper vans. With no facilities for through hikers, almost...