Lucci's List: November 2020

“From the Mountains of Munlough” by John Joe Baxter
“From the Mountains of Munlough” by John Joe Baxter is an unforgettable memoir that will have you wanting more. The author describes his book as a story of farm life in 1950s Ireland, but it is so much more than that. It’s a coming of age tale that is even more endearing because it is true.

A gypsy prophesizes that a widowed mother and her six children will be separated. Doom ensues as young Joe Baxter finds himself orphaned and separated from his siblings. He is forced to leave his beloved family farm, and swears to work as hard as he can in order to earn the land back and reunite with his family. Obstacles block him in but he finds ways to overcome them each time, although not always to optimal results.

John Joe learns to adapt to life on a different farm. Hilarity ensues as he experiences adventurous moments with the beloved animal as. The connection between boy and nature is what eases him through traumatic events, looming family secrets, and the trials of young love.

This memoir is a page turner. It made me laugh, cry, and hold my breath. It is the best memoir I have read this year, and is now one of my favourite books of all time. This book is appropriate for all readers, from fans of Beverly Cleary’s “Henry Huggins” to readers of classics such as “Great Expectations.”

John Baxter performs a daily Facebook Live show every day from noon to 1 EST during which he sings traditional and rare Irish folk songs. The genuineness of his voice echoes the heartfelt realities of his book. “From the Mountains of Munlough” is a must read.

"Hack into OZ and get the Most Out of Life" by Kimberly Sheldahl is a gem of a self-help book. Told in first person in a friendly way, this book shows the allegory of a cherished childhood story in our modern culture and brings it back to life. It includes deeper meanings for adults who grew up singing along with Judy Garland, and for those of us whose children or grandchildren still dress up as the characters for Halloween.

The author is personable yet knowledgeable. The information, lessons, and inner-insight the book provokes are valuable.

The author takes us on a delightful journey through self-help in a fun way, inviting the reader to look at Frank L. Baum’s book “The Wonderful World of OZ” and the corresponding movie, and rethink it into a way we can treansform our own lives.

Chapter one delves into the premise of “The Wonderful World of OZ,” identifying Dorothy’s struggles in Kansas and her desire to find a new life. The wicked Ms. Gulch overpowering her, her dream of a world “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and her general dissatisfaction with the status quo have forced Dorothy into a state of despair. Then comes a twister! The author relates all of these to real feelings in our own lives, and personal struggles we face when impacted by trouble we can’t ignore yet do not know how to deal with properly. Escape seems to be the only answer, to Dorothy and to us.

The next chapters beseech the reader to consider questions and answers to pave the way for a healthier lifestyle, including a mind-body balance with nutrition, self-care, and coping skills.

This provided a truly delightful reading experience different from any other self-help book I have ever read.

“The Stationary Shop” by Marjan Kamali
“The Stationary Shop” by Marjan Kamali is a fast paced historically set tale of star-crossed lovers. It is 1950s Iran, and Roya must challenge herself to fulfill her family’s expectations of being the next Madame Curie, while her sister obsesses over American Hollywood stars. Her place of solace in the city of political turmoil is the stationary shop, where she meets the boy whom, she is told, will change the world. Opposites attract, and these two young lovers plan their wedding after she graduates from high school. Mental illness, family strife, and inevitably tragedy mars the loves of the young couple. Roya grows up to have a successful life in America, but not without further heart tearing loss. Through it all, she always wonders “why?” Why did the boy who professed his love through so many passionate letters leave her on the day they were to elope?

The mystery is painfully revealed as Roya, now in her seventies, discovers a tie to her home country just down the street from her, in an all too familiar stationary shop.

The way the author describes the people and places in this book makes it impossible to put down. I live nearby the setting of some of this book and was delighted to recognize streets and landmarks accurately portrayed.

I am not usually a fan of romance books, but this is so much more than that. It is a tale of two lifetimes, of what was and what could have been. I haven’t cried so hard over a book in years.

"The Brass Starling" by Isaac Peterson is a steam-powered adventure. This is the fantastical tale of an ordinary immigrant family struggling with a new lifestyle in New York City at the turn of the 20th century.

The father, Reuven, had once been a famous engineer, reknowned for his intricate inventions. In America, he had to swallow his pride and take on a menial job. His two daughters, each bright and talented in their own ways, were forced to forego higher education and instead work from day to night. Talia enjoyed the fleeting feeling of freedom as she performed her duties as a bicycle messenger, while Ayala strained her capabilities as a seamstress in a factory.

Although their daily lives were full of hardship in the tenements and exhausting work, the family remained grateful to be away from their war-torn home country.

When the family becomes sought out by old acquaintances, they are offered secret jobs that would enhance their income and provide mental stimulation. The family became spies at a local machine company, and soon found themselves involved in a mysterious conspiracy regarding the father's new invention and an eccentric genius by the name of Nikola Tesla.

Together, the family and Tesla must protect their world-changing inventions, and thwart the power-hungry entities such as Edison, who will stop at nothing to obtain the dramatic feats of engineering.

This story was woven with traditional Jewish rituals and historic nuance that added credibility to the fiction. I am a huge fan of steampunk, and to see Nikola Tesla portrayed as a strong supporting character was a real treat.

"Articles of War" by Nick Arvin is a fictional account of a young soldier's experience in war. It is post D-Day WW2, and Heck struggles internally and externally with his farm boy ignorance. He longs for meaning in his life, finds a curious sense of love, and is at once a coward and a hero.

This is a coming of age novel that shows the precarious nature of a young mind on the edge. At times deep and methodical, other times poetic, it is immersible and un-put-downable.