Author: Laura Lee Hope

Monday, September 21, 2020

Pat and I spent an afternoon emptying the many bins of books that had been packed up when they started the restoration work in the basement. We moved the bookcases around a bit and, since everything was off the shelf, we decided to reorganize and reorder the books. After a few hours we managed to finish off most of the novels; there is no guarantee that we won’t find more novels in some of the remaining bins.

After dealing with all of the great books we have on the shelf I have sworn I won’t borrow any more books from the public library – after I finish the two library books I currently have on loan! I’ve also said I won’t spend another evening watching TV – after I finish the Modern Family series and unless I have a knitting project I’m trying to get done!

As we unpacked I would often ask Pat if he was interested in a particular book that I had already read. In most cases the answer was yes so the book went onto the shelf. In our reordering we found a few books that we had duplicate copies of so they were set aside for donation. We found we had a duplicate set of the Harry Potter series; we posted them for sale and had a few people interested but they are still sitting on the kitchen table.

The big find of the day was a book of Mum’s. I knew I had it but I hadn’t really paid much attention to it and I had never read it. I opened the cover and found an inscription to Mum from Aunt Almeda on the occasion of Mum’s 10th birthday. Aunt Almeda was five years older than Mum.

I did some research and found some very interesting things about the book series and its author. The book, called The Moving Picture Girls at Sea, is the sixth book in a series of seven. The author, Laura Lee Hope, is not actually a “real” person. Each book in the series may well be written by a different author and the name Laura Lee Hope was a pseudonym for several authors who wrote for the Stratemeyer Syndicate. Laura Lee Hope is credited with a number of other books, including the Bobbsey Twins series.

This Syndicate was also responsible for the Hardy Boys and the Nancy Drew series; both of these series were accredited to a single author who was also a pseudonym.

UPDATE: October 9, 2020

I’ve read the book and it isn’t bad but I think it might be a little advanced for a 10-year old. It explains quite a lot about how films were made and the various productions that were taking place simultaneously with many of the same actors in various films. Movies were probably not all that common in 1930; I wish I’d asked Mum when and where she saw her first movie.

Goodreads Rating: Regardless of the story, the book is priceless to me.

Author: Sue Monk Kidd

I picked this book up at one of the thrift shops on Texada. I left it in the cupboard on Texada for those times when I hadn’t brought enough books from home to get me through my time at the studio.

This was a quick read about Jessie, a daughter, wife and mother, who begins to wonder what might lie ahead for her now that her daughter has left the next. When her mother has a mental episode Jessie returns to the remote island where she grew up. Not only does she have to sort out what might be affecting her mother but also she is trying to deal with the circumstances of her father’s death many years ago. Just to add a bit of uncertainty to the story she has also fallen in love with a monk from the monastery next door to her childhood home.

Goodreads Rating: * * *

Author: Rose Tremain

I heard about this book through listening to Eleanor Wachtel interview the author for Writers & Company. Although I enjoyed the book it wasn’t as good as I expected based on the interview.

Everything she said in the interview was quite correct as far as the book was concerned; she spoke a lot about terror and I can’t say I was terrorized. All of her characters are over 60 and that was meant to be one of the themes of the book. There are two sets of siblings and neither of their relationships is easy. Both sets are struggling to come to terms with their past and their parents.

The book is well written (I’m sure very literary) but it wasn’t the psychological thriller I expected.

Goodreads Rating: * * *

Author: Timea E. Nagy

Kathryn told me about this book. She said she couldn’t put it down and I had the same reaction.

It is easily read but the subject matter is disturbing, although not too graphic. The memoir deals with a young woman caught up in human trafficking. She was recruited to come to Canada as a babysitter but instead was forced into the sex trade. She managed to escape after many harrowing experiences and now works to help others caught in similar circumstances.

The co-auther of the book has also lived through difficult circumstances and I’ve ordered her book from the library.

Is there something wrong with me that I’m fascinated by these horrendous stories?

Goodreads Rating: * * * *