The Virgin Cure, by Ami McKay- TLC Book Tour

 
THE VIRGIN CURE

Ami McKay

Harper Collins 

June 26, 2012, 

HC, 336pp,  

978-0061140327

$25.99.

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Is it possible that men really believed that by taking the maiden head of a young woman he would be cured of a host of socially transmitted diseases, most importantly, the pox?  Ami McKay has created a heartfelt story a young girl named “Moth.” She was abandoned by her father, and at the age of twelve was sold by her mother to a wretched wealthy woman who abused her with sadistic pleasure. Moth breaks free but her theft of a bracelet will only last so far. The year is 1871 and McKay depicts the horrors of life on the streets for thousands of young children who stayed alive by any means possible. Moral principles succumbed to a need to survive through desperate illegal and illicit behavior.
Moth is soon befriended by a young girl who offers her a chance to get off the streets. She introduces Moth to Miss Everett, the madam of a brothel who caters to the whims of wealthy gentlemen.  They pay enormous sums to bed a young virgin. Miss Everett proudly and protectively cultivates the street girls to exude beauty and class.  The girls learn to enchant their dates with sensual tension that only furthers to increase negotiations. Moth meets Dr. Sadie, a female physician who takes care of the girls in residence.  Dr. Sadie questions young Moth’s age as her innocence is apparent beneath her bravado and intelligence. As Moth dreams of a better life, a life of independence and freedom to be herself she believes Miss Everett will provide a secure future. Dr. Sadie and Moth develop a friendship that allows her to see life outside the illusion of comfort provided by Miss Everett.

Ami McKay

Her story is easily imagined by Ami McKay’s captivating recreation of tenement life in New York.  In her author notes, she explains her motivation and research that led her to Moth Fenwick’s story. She tells her surprise at her discovery of the myth of what is called “the virgin cure.” Ami McKay’s shaping of Moth is a composite of so many young girls on the streets, homeless and doing whatever it takes to survive. Moth will be remembered for her courage and her strong voice of determination that covers up her frightened soul.  Moth walks the reader down the dirty social history of city life in the late 1800’s where countless of homeless children struggled to survive life on the streets with hard and desperate choices that often ended in tragedy.  A wonderful vivid enveloping historical fiction read.  Will no doubt present comparisons and reflection about children worldwide who struggle, fearful and alone to this day.  

Disclosure:  A copy of this book was provided by TLC Book Tours for an unbiased review.

© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2012].

 

Three Summer Reads I Want to Share-The Magicians, The Northside and Conquistadora

I have not posted in quite a while and that is for a multiple of reasons. I have not been able to do a lot of writing and therefore wanted to recap for my blogger friends some interesting books that absorbed me this summer as I am recuperating.  Here are three books to start you off with many more I hope to summarize in the next week. Although my reviews are much abbreviated, I think you will gather my opinion in any case.  Thanks for understanding. Wisteria

The Magicians, by Lev Grossman
ISBN-10: 0670020559
416 Pages
Viking Adult; 1 edition (August 11, 2009)


The Magicians, by Lev Grossman,I was asked to read The Magician King, this books sequel that would publish in August, 2011. I had not read The Magicians and the publisher graciously sent it along as well.This is my idea of an adult version of a world like Narnia. The writing is totally different and the plot as well. A young adult engrossed in fantasy novels finds himself quite unexpectedly in an exclusive school for would be magicians. "The land of his childhood fantasies turns out to be much darker and more dangerous than he ever could have imagined...."(back cover).Fans of Harry Potter and Chronicles of Narnia will appreciate this adult fairy tale and will be awaiting the sequel The Magician King. Fortunately, both are available now in bookstores.

I am currently reading The Magician King, where the travels of Quentin and his friends continue.   If you love fantasy, this is a must read.

The copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher for review.  Above is my honest unbiased opinion. 

The Northside, by Nelson Johnson
978-0937548738
Plexus Publishers
November 2010
358 Pages

The Northside by Nelson Johnson, is a spectacular non-fiction book about the rise of Atlantic City. The focus is mainly on the contributions of African Americans in the mid-20th century as Atlantic City emerged from a small barren island.  I will be reviewing this for Historical Novels Review for the an upcoming issue. I will post a copy of that review once the magazine is published. In the mean time, this is a book any lover of American History will devour with earnest. I couldn't put it down. There is so much history pulled together in this narrative style that is shocking and Johnson is brilliant to document this time period with such skill.  In fact, before I had been sent the copy for review, I had already purchased my own copy after browsing in my local bookstore.  My extra copy is bound for a colleague who can't wait to get his hands on it. Nelson Johnson also wrote Boardwalk Empire, a book that is on my wish list for sure.

I purchased the copy of this book at Amazon.

Conquistadora, by Esmeralda Santiago
Knopf (July 12, 2011)
ISBN-13: 978-0307268327
432 Pages

Conquistadora, by Esmeralda Santiago is my top pick from my summer reading. It is a sensational historical fiction saga, based on Puerto Rican history and the clash between plantation owners and their slaves. It is also the story of an incredibly strong and rebellious woman named Ana, who has a fearless drive to succeed in life. She becomes a sugar plantation owner in Puerto Rico and despite growing rebellion, she is unyielding. This story takes the reader up to  the time of the Civil War.  The effects of what happened in the Southern States has far reaching implications in the Caribbean Islands and Ana is determined to secure her future.  I purchased this book to read as the history of Puerto Rico drew me to the story as well as the character of a strong woman who emerges to compete with men at a time that it was frowned upon.  I also lived in Puerto Rico when I was a child and attended Spanish schools. Although the memories of my past experiences are fading, I will always have the fondest memories and recall extremely happy times with my family. Puerto Rico introduced me to the language and culture and delicious fruits that were abundant then only there. Fortunately, we live in a time when guava, coconut, mango, papaya and other foods are no longer considered exotic. Read Conquistadora, you will succumb to Esmeralda Santiago's exquisite writing and fall in love with a beautiful story.


© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2011].


I purchased a copy of this book at Amazon.


© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2011].

Review-The Dressmaker of Khair Khana

THE DRESSMAKER OF KHAIR KHANA

Five Sisters, One Remarkable Family, and the Woman Who Risked Everything to Keep Them Safe
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

Harper Collins
March, 15,  2011,
$24.98, 288pp
978-0061732379.

Synopsis from Harper Collins

"The life Kamila Sidiqi had known changed overnight when the Taliban seized control of the city of Kabul. After receiving a teaching degree during the civil war—a rare achievement for any Afghan woman—Kamila was subsequently banned from school and confined to her home. When her father and brother were forced to flee the city, Kamila became the sole breadwinner for her five siblings. Armed only with grit and determination, she picked up a needle and thread and created a thriving business of her own.

The Dressmaker of Khair Khana tells the incredible true story of this unlikely entrepreneur who mobilized her community under the Taliban. Former ABC News reporter Gayle Tzemach Lemmon spent years on the ground reporting Kamila's story, and the result is an unusually intimate and unsanitized look at the daily lives of women in Afghanistan. These women are not victims; they are the glue that holds families together; they are the backbone and the heart of their nation.

Afghanistan's future remains uncertain as debates over withdrawal timelines dominate the news. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana moves beyond the headlines to transport you to an Afghanistan you have never seen before. This is a story of war, but it is also a story of sisterhood and resilience in the face of despair. Kamila Sidiqi's journey will inspire you, but it will also change the way you think about one of the most important political and humanitarian issues of our time."

Article first published as Book Review: The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon on Blogcritics.

My Review

THE DRESSMAKER OF KHAIR KHANA is one of those books you pick up to read and never forget. An emotional event, and a reading experience about a dynamic woman of courage who without which there would be no story. In 1996, Kamila Sidiqi received her certificate of studies from Sayed Jamaluddin Teaching Institute in Kabul, Afganistan. Her immediate plans to become a teacher abruptly terminated when the Taliban infiltrated her city, Khair Khana shortly thereafter.

Suddenly, her world would operate within the confines of three life changing edicts announced by the Taliban.

“Women will stay at home. Women are not permitted to work. Women must wear the chadri in public.” (Lemmon, p16)

Gayle Tzemach Lemmon went to Afghanistan to find a story, a story of hope not destruction and evil. Without a doubt, there are countless stories about destruction and evil, the devastation from years of war that the Afghans have endured, the heinous punishment inflicted under Taliban rule.  Lemmon has dug deeper to find the stories of women, women with strength and courage to continue life with determination and unstoppable drive despite the blanket of terror that covers their daily life. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana is the story of one amazing woman, Kamila Sidiqi.

When Kamila’s parents are forced to evacuate to northern Afghanistan, she is left to take care of her brothers and sisters. She has no source of income and no ability to work outside her home. Walking outside presents a constant state of peril at the risk of encountering the lurking Taliban.  A male escort must accompany her at all times. The fear from tortuous reprisals and possible imprisonment are real.

Kamila is confined inside her home with her siblings and they pass the time reading, often the same book again and again. When anxiety and boredom arise along with worries for the future,  Kamila brainstorms ways to make money. She has an innate sense for business and she develops a plan to sew dresses.  She thinks like an entrepreneur, a businesswoman who only sees possibilities, the glass always half full.  She would obliterate her competition were she to compete on the television show “The Apprentice.” She has an unselfish and generous spirit, a tireless leader who wants to engage other women in her adventure. What is most uncanny is that Kamila had no clue how to sew, but had confidence in her own ability to learn.  She accepted her first order having never sewed a dress before. Some would say that her move was foolish, others might say she has the actions of an optimist.  Her methods and business acumen make reading this astonishing story remarkable. Lemmon captivates readers with wonder as she relates how one woman refuses to be a victim and in doing so becomes the teacher she wanted to be by influencing women everywhere. Lemmon’s book is unforgettable. Readers will be grateful that she has introduced us to Kamila Sidiqi, a fascinating woman who is making a difference.

© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2011].

Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls, a True-Life Novel

Half Broke Horses
A True-Life Novel
by Jeannette Walls
Scribner
October 2009, 272 p.
978-1-4165-86289





Walls is shaping up to be one of this decades most fascinating storytellers. The adventures of her family in The Glass Castle were mesmerizing and truly an unforgettable read. With a pen that glows with brilliance, her writing in Half Broke Horses is bedazzling. In her words, this is the true life novel of her grandmother, Lily Casey Smith who died when she was eight. Half Broke Horses portrays her grandmother’s life told through all of the many stories she heard as a child.

The novel is told in first person from the point of view of her grandmother. The opening chapter begins, “Those old cows knew trouble was coming before we did.” However, no matter what trouble faced Lily Casey Smith, she would have the intelligence, the determination, the answers and always the faith in herself that she would survive.

As the story opens, faced with the onslaught of a flash-flood, Lily has presence of mind to gather her two siblings together and hoists them into a cottonwood tree, where they hang on precariously during a harrowing overnight until the morning. Lily is ten and when her mother sees her three children coming home the following morning, she praises the Lord, the guardian angels and her constant prayer for saving the three.

Lily is perturbed and says to her dad, “There weren’t no guardian angel, Dad.” She knows their survival had nothing to do with prayer and she is quick to explain it was her vigilant fight to save her brother and sister that kept them alive. Lily is a realist, and she believes there was no guardian Angel up in that tree. It was Lily Casey Smith, one tough kid, who was up in the tree making the right decisions.

One other time early in the book, Walls relates a story about her grandmother, when she was fifteen and accepts a job as a teacher. Lily has no degree in teaching, but has enough education to satisfy the school district’s needs. The town is over five hundred miles away, but Lily needs a job. Lily must make the journey on her horse Patches to Red Lake, Arizona, by herself and so she sets out on her trip with a fearless, spunky spirit of adventure.

Walls novel is a touching honest portrait of an idiosyncratically warm and loving grandmother, mother and wife who was raised on the wild side of nature. She was in my opinion “a hoot”. You will love this woman and come to understand that there is absolutely nothing in life that could stand in her way when she sets her mind to it.

Half Broke Horses is an inspirational memoir, and true life-novel that will make you chuckle, weep and simply savor like a warm cup of tea. The greatest challenge in this book I found was not being able to put it down. With my predilection for Jeannette Walls’ writing I eagerly anticipate future releases as my cup of tea is getting cold.