Dearest Readers,
Today’s post is my second book review. Odd, you may be thinking, that a retired librarian with time on her hands hasn’t had at least as many blog posts about what she’s reading as she has had about what she’s wearing!
I would have to agree and want to assure you that I am going to remedy that this year. But let me add that I am a slow reader and my goal/wish for the year is that I read and review at least a book a month.
I can’t promise that all twelve reviews will be for adult books. I was an elementary school librarian, after all! And I love me some children’s picture books and chapter books. In fact, for years that was ALL I read. I think it was as I was recuperating from Lyme Disease in 1998 and with encouragement from my two daughters, that I gave reading an adult novel a try. I am thinking it was through one of Oprah Winfrey’s book club suggestions that I began reading big girl books again.
Although I can’t remember where I first heard about Twirl by Patsy Clairmont, I am thinking it, too, was through something Oprah-related, perhaps O magazine, where Ms. Winfrey often provides lists of “must-reads”. I ordered it through Barnes and Noble to upload onto my Nook. You can check it out there or at Amazon.com.
The overview or synopsis on B&N begins by asking the question:
Is life making you so dizzy that you’re forgetting what’s most important? [source]
While my life is not as dizzying as it once was, I still sometimes feel like I am perpetually running on a treadmill for one of those heart stress tests. That question spoke to me. I downloaded a sample of the book first (love that about B&N Nook books – you can sample most of them for free) and those introductory pages also resonated with me. So, I bought the book.
Twirl is a combination of self-help handbook and spiritual-life manual. Clairmont describes it this way, “Twirl (this book) is meant to help realign our spin on life so we can proceed with intentionality, remembering in the midst of hardship and responsibility to choose activities that lead to renewal”. [p. 7]
Through an easy-to-read dialogue with her readers, the author examines ways that even the busiest of us can climb off the hamster-wheel of life and rediscover the joy in living.
Chapters with titles such as Read and Laugh, Dance and Evergreen are described by Clairmont as “Post-It notes for our heart”. [p. 8] She begins each one with a quote from a poet, author or well-regarded public figure, including God (through Biblical verses, of course). The chapter Rest begins with
He makes me lie down in green pastures. ~Psalm 23:2.
and emphasizes the importance of assuring that our bodies and spirits are allowed adequate “down time” to rejuvenate. Clairmont provides examples from her own life, Biblical references, occasional statistics and seemingly insignificant trivia to support her impetus for promoting a balance in our lives between work and play. The author points out the importance of laughter in our lives and quotes an article in Psychology Today that states, “Five year-olds laugh 300 times a day. The average adult? Only four.” [p. 48] How sad is that?
Each chapter concludes with food for thought in the form of gently suggested activities one can try to incorporate more rest, more laughter, more dancing into daily life. Setting up a ‘quiet space’ in our home. Reading a devotional. Reciting a childhood poem. Identifying a comforting fragrance, employing a diffuser to enjoy it. Creating a bucket list. Recalibrating with a bubble bath or just blowing bubbles.
Twirl isn’t a polished piece of great literature but it is a great guidebook to living a richer life. It can be read in any order as the chapters stand on their own. It is the kind of book that can be read and revisited again for a refresher course in re-aligning our lives. Much of what Clairmont writes I knew already, similar to the likes of Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanac, kind of common sense for the soul.
If you find yourself too much on the hamster-wheel of life, climb off for a bit and give Twirl by Patsy Clairmont a whirl.
Have you discovered a fabulous book? Please, please share it with me! I am always on the look out for a good book and perhaps I could even persuade you to write up a book review for the blog.
Hugs and sticky kisses,
Sheila @ Sheila's Potpourri
My favorite book last year was Bread and Wine by Shauna Neiquist. I wrote about it on my blog. It is about the importance of gathering at the table and extending hospitality to others. Sooo good!
I didn’t know Patsy Clairmont wrote this one. I’ve read several of her funny books years ago. Thanks for sharing it!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
I will look for the post about Bread and Wine. Sounds interesting but I am so uncomfortable being a hostess, unless it is for immediate family. I do believe in sitting down to the table for dinner, if that counts. Thank you for sharing, Sheila.
Deena
I’ll be adding this book to my to read list. Thanks! Right now I’m working on the four books that Corinne Hoffman wrote about her adventure in Africa. The White Masai is the first one, have you read it? It’s sooo interesting.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
I will look into the Hoffman books. Thank you for sharing them with us. Are they fiction?
Wendy
Thanks for posting this! One of my desires this year is to read more non-fiction. I read plenty of books, but struggle to find something of interest when it comes to non-fiction.
Sheila @ Sheila's Potpourri
That’s funny Wendy! I read mostly non-fiction!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
I read a lot of historical fiction or realistic fiction. Can’t be too far out for me! Actually there is nothing stranger than real life!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
I think you will like Twirl, Wendy. I like that I could read any chapter in any order and not read from front to back. Guess my ditzy side likes the disorganization of reading that way.
Metra Roberts
I finished Yellow Crocus by Laila Ibrahim Sunday night with tears running down my face. This little book is so sweet and thoughtful, but also very sad and tragic. It’s a story about love and devotion between a mother and child in 1837…but not a mother and ‘her’ child…it’s a white baby girl from a wealthy slave owning Virginia family and a young black slave who becomes the wetnurse. Mattie is a 20 year old new mother to 3 month old Samuel when she is forced to leave her infant son with another slave to move into the big house to care for Elizabeth the minute she is born. The bond that develops is beautiful and the respect that is shared is heart warming.
The story follows both women over the next 20+ years. Where it ends you will melt your heart.
Very easy read. I’d definitely recommend.
Let me know if you do and what you think.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
I am going to look for this on Nook. I know I will love it. Where did you hear of it? Thank you so much for sharing, Metra. Hope your positive review will encourage other friends to read it, too. XO