The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House On the Prairie

By Wendy McClure

The author is a HUGE fan of the Little House books, and documents her adult journey of her juvenile obsession.  McClure tries her hand at churning butter, wades by the banks of Plum Creek, and visits the annual summer pageant in Laura's hometown, among other down-home, pioneer experiences. 

Not being a true Little House fan myself, I read this book like an adult indulging a small child.  It was interesting, but I couldn't connect with the over-the-top mania.  That being said, I liked her willingness to explore.  McClure is a city girl, so her reaction to being trapped in a "covered wagon" during an intense hail and lightning storm in South Dakota is great... I loved it.

Set Sail For Murder

By Carolyn Hart

Former newspaper reporter Henrietta O'Dwyer Collins, aka Henrie O, is asked to join an old friend on a Baltic cruise.  Jimmy, who once wanted to marry Henrie O.,  is positive that someone is trying to kill his wife.  He wants Henrie O. to use her reporter's curiosity to find out who is behind the "accidents" that keep happening to his wife.

Thank goodness Hart is good with characters, because her plot lines take a while to build up steam.  Henrie O. is believably clever.  Even though I figured out who the murderer must be, I had no idea how she was going to prove it to anyone else.  It helped that they were on a cruise as well.  I like the light descriptions of wanderings through the Baltic landscape.

Plain and Simple: A Woman's Journey to the Amish

By Sue Bender

Bender, a career driven wife and mother from Berkeley, sees an Amish quilt in a store.  She is taken with its simplicity, and becomes obsessed with finding a way to live with the people that create such timeless, uncomplicated designs.  It takes some effort, and a little luck, for Bender to find an Amish family willing to take her in for a few weeks.  During that time, she learns that there's nothing wrong with living day to day, finding joy in ordinary tasks.  While some modern conveniences are creeping in to Amish society,  community spirit and joy in just "being" may be more important than recognition and notoriety.

I don't think I could be friends with a person like the author and her friends -- their whole life is built around accomplishments and self-congratulation.  For example, even though she is An Artist, she creates for recognition, not the love of the craft.  Everything has to Mean Something, and every person has to Be Somebody.  She even struggles with how to introduce herself at a party, and whether to describe herself as a therapist, an artist, etc.  After she returns home, she wants to bake bread, quilt, and be domestic, but where she lives won't allow it -- no one has time.  When she scrubs her vacation home top to bottom, a friend mocks her for becoming too submissive and homey.  Sheesh people, it's not all about you!

Are We There Yet?

Are We There Yet? Selected Shorts: A Celebration of the Short Story Stuart Dybek, Martha Gellhorn, Edward P. Jones, Annie Proulx

This anthology features short stories about people in transit --- traveling in planes, trains, and automobiles.  Some stories appealed to me more than others.  For example, although I know Eudora Welty is one of the most famous authors included, her writing style is a bit too flowery for me.  There was so much description, I honestly couldn't really tell you what her story was about.

One story I particularly liked was "An Orange Line Train to Ballston", by Edward P. Jones.  It centers around a recently divorced woman with three children riding the train.  The children are fascinated by a dreadlocked man they meet on the train, and slowly she is fascinated also.