Week 3: Sam's Letters to Jennifer

I sat down with this book while my 2 year old was in the bathtub. I sat on a bath mat and leaned against the cabinet. It wasn't the most comfortable place to read, and it sure didn't hold a candle to the comfy chair that I had in the mountains last week, but it worked. Fortunately, my husband came to get my son out of the tub, so I was able to keep reading...and reading...and reading. I didn't stop until I reached the end of the book!

The thing I loved most about this book was the positive message; life is short, so live it to the fullest. One of my favorite lines in the book is a quote from an artist. It goes something like this, "Life is a blank canvas, so you should throw everything you can at it" What a great quote! I think it is going to be  my new motto.

Aside from having a great message, I really related to the main character in the book. She is an overachiever who never misses a deadline at work, and suffers from a tragic loss that has prevented her from truly reaching her full potential. The loss in my life was my father. When he died, I felt like a piece of me went with him. It took me a long time to look at the world in a positive light again. I didn't know how to live in a world where he didn't exist. It's still hard, but I am finally in a place to believe that a piece of me didn't die with him. In fact, I believe the opposite...that a piece of him remains here with me! This book really solidified that for me. It's what we do with the memories that matter, and I'm so fortunate that my dad and I were able to make so many great memories during out time together.

As for being an overachiever...I swear it should be listed as one of my nicknames (and it is if you ask my best friend)! I am always taking on more projects and I have a hard time just sitting still. When I do something, I want to do it well- the first time. What I'm working on is letting go of that. I am trying new things (like this challenge), and seeing where the world takes me! For the first time in a long time I don't have a definite plan. I'm open to new possibilities and though it's a strange place for me, I'm learning to enjoy it. I'm living in the moment and making memories with my loved ones. Life is too short to be bogged down by plans, schedules, duties and the like. I want to live while the living is good!

I did it!

I read 2 entire books in 2 weeks, and found the time to blog about it! That may not sound like much, especially since I'm committed to reading 52 books in 52 weeks, but it is a huge accomplishment for me to just get through the first 2! I can't tell you how long it's been since I've read so much in such a short time. I have 3 kids and I work part-time, so it's not easy to find time to read. I was able to finish The Doctor's Wife this weekend, while relaxing here:

Near Boone, North Carolina

We took a mini-vacation with some friends to the North Carolina mountains where we enjoyed the crisp air, a great view and good company! It was just what we all needed.  I had a big comfy chair and more down time than I would have had at home, so I took advantage of it! Not only did I finish The Doctor's Wife, but I was able to get started on another book!

This week I had planned on reading The Host by Stephanie Meyer. I've read the Twilight Saga that she wrote, and enjoyed them immensely. This one looks quite different, but after reading the first few chapters in the mountain, I'm intrigued! Unfortunately, due to our trip and some other commitments that I have this week, I don't think I have time to read such a lengthy book (Why does she write such long books?).  So I've decided to go with Sam's Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson. It's a book my husband bought me after I read Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas a few years ago. He reads a lot of James Patterson novels, so when I showed some interest, he was supportive!

So this week it's Sam's Letters to Jennifer.  I already took it off the shelf and dusted it off, and we are ready to go! Hopefully I'll get to The Host next week!

The Doctor's Wife

I picked this book off the shelf at Walmart one day because I liked the cover, and the synopsis on the back. It's a story about 4 people whose lives intertwine in unforeseeable ways. The doctor, is an OB-GYN who moonlights at an abortion clinic. His wife is a writer and a professor at a local college. Their relationship is strained by his long hours at work, and unwillingness to make time for the rest of the family. When he starts working at the abortion clinic, he not only pisses off his partners, but he catches the eye of an anti-abortion group who begin to target him and his family. In the meantime, his wife becomes increasingly unhappy with their marriage and runs into someone who makes her feel alive again.

The other couple that this story revolves around is a famous, but almost extinct painter, and his beautiful wife.  His wife was his muse, and the subject of the paintings that put him on the art world's map. They have a sordid, almost incestuous past, and their relationship has faded to the point that he is no longer inspired or in love. He finds new inspiration from the doctor's wife and the story begins to unfold. Throw in some mental instability and a manipulative religious figure, and you have a recipe for disaster!

The story begins at the end, which was a little confusing. Each chapter was dedicated to a different character, and I found that it jumped around a bit. Overall, I thought the book was a good read, and I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next. The story contains themes of adultery, abortion, mental illness, religion (if you can call it that) and politics. It forces you to look at these subjects and decide which side you would be on.  I enjoyed the plot twists and the way the author took you through the sordid pasts of some of the characters.

I'm hesitant to talk about some of the topics in this book because abortion, adultery and religion are things that most people feel very strongly about. However, I will say this...Given the right situation, I believe all of us are capable of cheating.  When a person who continually feels unappreciated and lonely allows him/herself to be in a compromising situation with another person who is able, and perhaps all too willing, to give them what they need emotionally and/or sexually, the results are likely to be a torrid affair. Whether right or wrong, it can happen to anyone. The key is not to put yourself in those situations.

Similarly, it's easy to denounce the practice of abortion, but I believe that the right situation could make one change his/her mind.  Most would think twice when it was their own family member faced with an unwanted pregnancy that was the result of a deplorable situation.  It's not always black and white!

I'm going to save religion for a separate entry but I can't end this entry without noting that I detest those who use the guise of religion to manipulate and/or harm others. It happens everyday, and I have no tolerance for it!

Okay...I'm getting off my soap box now!